From dbernans at sdf.lonestar.org Wed May 3 09:43:18 2006 From: dbernans at sdf.lonestar.org (David Bernans) Date: Wed, 3 May 2006 16:43:18 +0000 (UTC) Subject: [Bloquez l'empire!] Invitation: May 17 Book Launch, North of 9/11 (a novel) Message-ID: Invitation: Book launch for David Bernans' NORTH OF 9/11 (a novel) at Concordia May 17, from 7-9 pm at the Simone de Beauvoir Institute 2170 Bishop Street Where were you on September 11, 2001? People everywhere have fascinating stories to tell in response to this question. NORTH OF 9/11 is a fictional account of what some Palestinian solidarity activists lived through in Montreal, post-9/11. The story is set against the non-fictional backdrop of surreal mass paranoia at Concordia University. It takes place between September 11, 2001 and October 9, 2001. "NORTH OF 9/11 is political science at its best. Centred at Concordia University in Montreal during the tumultuous month following 9/11, this historical novel lays bare Canada's complicity in the American-led war on terror and related state-sponsored repression of dissent. With its focus on a small group of pro-Palestinian activists and their Zionist antagonists, the novel brings to life the realities and subtleties of politics in our times. Bernans' poignant description of the relationship between a conservative father and his radical daughter is reminiscent of Philip Roth's AMERICAN PASTORAL." - David Noble, historian & author of BEYOND THE PROMISED LAND "An engaging book which will surely challenge your preconceived ideas about people and their motives in this post-9/11 world." - Sabine Friesinger, Siafu Magazine If you cannot be at the launch, you will be able to buy NORTH OF 9/11 all across Canada by the end of May 2006 for a mere $18. If you cannot afford the price, please encourage your local library to buy a copy. We encourage readers to buy the book at independent bookstores (i.e. the Concordia Coop Bookstore). A full list of recommended stores and more details about NORTH OF 9/11 can be found on the Cumulus Press web site: www.cumuluspress.com. The May 17 book launch will include: - the author reading from his novel & on guitar - words by Lillian Robinson, Principal of the Simone de Beauvoir Institute (who appears in the story) - activists banned from Concordia University (Yves Engler and possibly others) will speak from the sidewalk - activist video shorts by Le Collectif Les Lucioles Don't miss it! dbernans at sdf.lonestar.org SDF Public Access UNIX System - http://sdf.lonestar.org From mfoster at web.ca Sun May 21 04:30:23 2006 From: mfoster at web.ca (mfoster at web.ca) Date: Sun, 21 May 2006 07:30:23 -0400 (EDT) Subject: [Bloquez l'empire!] Report on People's Commission Public Hearings Message-ID: <3081.207.139.139.220.1148211023.squirrel@flymail.web.ca> Three days of democracy Report on People's Commission Public Hearings 21-23 April 2006, Montreal ** PHOTO ESSAY: gallery.cmaq.net/peoplescommission ** ** Commissioners' report of findings and recommendations is due on 6 June. ** For three days, the People's Commission on Immigration Security Measures held Public Hearings at a community centre in Montreal's St-Henri neighbourhood. The first popular commission of inquiry to take place in Quebec, it was set up to look into the injustices and abuses inflicted on immigrants in the name of national security, and to offer recommendations for change and action. Under immigration 'security' measures, non-citizens are denied their rights to a fair trial, to protection from arbitrary detention and to protection from torture. Security certificates and similar policies raise serious questions about how the principles of equality, liberty, presumption of innocence and security of the person are practised in Canada. They increase the power of government officials over individuals and raise important questions about the future direction of our society. The nine Commissioners, all anchored in communities who have felt the impact of racist 'security' measures (bios of the Commissioners: www.peoplescommission.ath.cx/commissionners.php), took turns questioning the thirty witnesses who appeared before the Commission during the Hearings. The Hearings took place during an escalation in a land defense at Six Nations (http://sisis.nativeweb.org/actionalert/index.html). With news of potential military intervention, one of the Commissioners, Kahentineta Horn, a Mohawk elder, Kahnawake, was unable to participate fully in the Hearings. However, the situation only served to highlight the context of colonialism which frames Canadian immigration policy. The witnesses, coming from Hull, Kingston, Ottawa, Toronto, Sherbrooke, as well as Montreal, brought a wealth of experience and expertise to the hearings. The Hearings opened with Alex Neve, Secretary-General of Amnesty International Canada, Anglophone section, who detailed Amnesty's position that Canada is in violation of key international laws in its security certificate policy and practice. The same block of witnesses included Sophie Lamarche Harkat, who has been campaigning for three and a half years for the release of her husband, security certificate detainee Mohamed Harkat; and Victor Regalado, a journalist detained under a security certificate in 1982, after fleeing his native El Salvador for his political beliefs. Regalado, who was cleared of all suspicions and received his citizenship after 22 years, spoke about how the suspected presence of constant, unseen surveillance turns us into our own prison guards, causing us to screen what we say and how we act. Over the next few days, Commissioners heard from Latifa Charkaoui, who has been forced by court order to become an agent of state surveillance of her own son, having to accompany him every time he leaves his home, while herself under surveillance; Dieter Misgeld, whose wife, an accepted refugee who fled political repression in Colombia, faces deportation to Colombia on secret evidence; Warren Allmand, the former Solicitor-General of Canada, who testified how it was normal practice for the Solicitor-General to approve intelligence agency requests without reviewing the case, and who argued that criminal law provides a better framework than immigration law for security cases; Suleyman Goven, a refugee from Turkish Kurdistan, who has lived in legal limbo without status for over a decade, and is finally suing CSIS for their serious abuses in his case; Arash A., a refugee from Iran, who spent 10 months in 'ordinary' immigration detention while struggling for his status; Johanne Doyon, the lawyer who is bringing a full challenge to the constitutionality of the security certificate to the Supreme Court in June; Sherene Razack and Gary Kinsman, who provided important historical analyses of racism and of the use of national security talk in Canada; from Ahmad Jaballah, son of security certificate detainee Mahmoud Jaballah, who testified that he had lost his childhood, having, from the age of 11, to cope with CSIS interviews, court hearings and public attention, on top of having to take on much of his father's responsibility in the family; and from many others (full programme: www.peoplescommission.ath.cx/audiences_en.php). After each testimony, the witnesses were questioned by the Commissioners as well as by members of the public. This was followed by an open period for those assembled to share their own experiences and commentaries. Full audio recordings of the Hearings will be made available online via www.peoplescommission.ath.cx shortly. The Commissioners' report of findings and recommendations is due on 6 June, one week before the Supreme Court hears a constitutional challenge to security certificates. The report will be launched in Ottawa, to bring it to the attention of Members of Parliament and others who are making government decisions on these issues. The launch will take place during a Caravan from Toronto to Ottawa for the Supreme Court hearings, which will establish a "Camp Hope" in Ottawa at the Supreme Court building for the three days of hearings on security certificates. (To find out how you can get involved or contribute: www.homesnotbombs.ca or, for Montreal-based actions around the Supreme Court hearings: www.adilinfo.org.) A popular version of the People's Commission report, in the form of a booklet with audio and video component, will be put together over the summer months, to be ready for use in September. ------------------------------------ www.peoplescommission.ath.cx abolissons at gmail.com tel 1 514 859 9023 fax 514 848 7584 People's Commission c/o QPIRG Concordia 1500 de Maisonneuve W., ste. 204 Montreal QC H3G 1N1 The People's Commission is a project of the Coalition for Justice for Adil Charkaoui (www.adilinfo.org), QPIRG-Concordia, and Solidarity Across Borders (www.solidarityacrossborders.org). The People's Commission has been endorsed or sponsored by: l'Association pour la d?fense des droits sociaux (ADDS), Black Coalition of Qu?bec, CAIR-CAN, Campaign to Stop Secret Trials in Canada, Canadian Arab Federation (CAF), Canadian Council for Refugees (CCR), Canadian Union of Postal Workers (CUPW), Centre justice et foi, Comit? chr?tien pour les droits humains en Am?rique latine (CCDHAL), Au Contre-Temps B&B, Comit? des sans-emploi Montr?al-Centre, CKUT 90.3 FM, Communaut? Catholique Congolaise de Montr?al, Concordia Student Union (CSU), Council of Canadians, Downtown Legal Services (DLS) Toronto, F?d?ration autonome du coll?gial (FAC), Immigrant Workers' Centre (IWC), Institute in Management and Community Development (at the Centre for Continuing Education at Concordia University), Inter Pares, International Civil Liberties Monitoring Group (ICLMG), Jesuit Refugee Service, The Justice for Mohamed Harkat Committee, KAIROS: Canadian Ecumenical Justice Initiatives, Ligue des droits et libert?s, Moog Audio, Muslim Council of Montreal (MCM), No One Is Illegal -Montreal, No One Is Illegal -Vancouver, No One Is Illegal -Toronto, Nova Scotia Public Interest Research Group (NSPIRG), Ontario Coalition against Poverty (OCAP), Projet Accompagnement Solidarit? Colombie (PASC), People's Potato, Soeurs Auxiliatrices, South Asian Women's Community Centre (SAWCC), Table de concertation des organismes au service des personnes r?fugi?es et immigrantes (TCRI), Toronto Action for Social Change (TASC), United Muslim Students Association (UMSA). From mfoster at web.ca Sun May 21 04:37:36 2006 From: mfoster at web.ca (mfoster at web.ca) Date: Sun, 21 May 2006 07:37:36 -0400 (EDT) Subject: [Bloquez l'empire!] Les audiences publiques de la Commission populaire Message-ID: <3101.207.139.139.220.1148211456.squirrel@flymail.web.ca> Trois jours de d?mocratie Les audiences publiques de la Commission populaire Du 21 au 23 avril 2006, Montr?al ** Photo reportage : http://gallery.cmaq.net/peoplescommission ** ** Rapport des r?sultats et recommandations des commissaires sera publi? le 6 juin prochain. ** Pendant trois jours, la Commission populaire sur les mesures ? s?curitaires ? en mati?re d'immigration a tenu une s?rie d'audiences publiques dans un centre communautaire du quartier Saint-Henri ? Montr?al. Une premi?re au Qu?bec, cette commission populaire fut mise en place pour examiner les injustices et les abus inflig?s aux immigrant(e)s - au nom de la s?curit? nationale - et pour formuler des recommandations en faveur du changement et de l'action. Sous le couvert des mesures ? s?curitaires ? en immigration, des non-citoyens se font retirer leur droit ? un proc?s juste et ?quitable, ? la protection contre les d?tentions arbitraires et ? la protection contre la torture. Les certificats de s?curit? et d'autres politiques semblables soul?vent de s?rieuses inqui?tudes concernant les moyens par lesquels les principes d'?galit?, de libert?, de pr?somption d'innocence et de s?curit? sont mis en pratique au Canada. Elles augmentent le pouvoir des autorit?s gouvernementales sur les individus et soul?vent de graves questions sur l' avenir de notre soci?t?. Les neuf commissaires, tous et toutes ancr?(e)s dans des communaut?s qui ont subi les impacts des mesures ? s?curitaires ? racistes (plus de renseignements sur les commissaires - en anglais - ? cette adresse www.peoplescommission.ath.cx/commissionners.php), ont tour ? tour questionn? les quelques trente t?moins qui ont particip? aux audiences. Incidemment, les audiences se sont d?roul?es en m?me temps qu'une crise territoriale ? Six Nations (http://sisis.nativeweb.org/actionalert/index.html). Sous la menace d'une potentielle intervention militaire, l'un des commissaires, Kahentineta Horn, un ancien de la communaut? Mohawk de Kahnawake, ne fut pas en mesure de participer pleinement aux audiences publiques. Par contre, cette situation a servi ? illustrer le contexte de colonialisme qui conditionne les politiques canadiennes d'immigration. Les t?moins, qui venaient de Hull, Kingston, Ottawa, Toronto, Sherbrooke et Montr?al, ont apport? aux audiences publiques une abondance d'exp?rience et d'expertise. Les audiences se sont ouvertes avec Alex Neve, Secr?taire g?n?rale d'Amnistie Internationale Canada, section anglophone, qui a expos? en d?tail la position d'AI selon laquelle le Canada, avec ses certificats de s?curit?, est en contravention directe du droit international. Le m?me grooupe de t?moins incluait Sophie Lamarche Harkat, qui m?ne depuis trois ans et demi une campagne pour faire lib?rer son mari, Mohamed Harkat, actuellement d?tenu en vertu d'un certificat de s?curit?, et Victor Regalado, un journaliste qui fut d?tenu au Canada en 1982 - ?galement en vertu d'un certificat de s?curit? - apr?s avoir fui le Salvador en raison de ses convictions politiques. Regalado, qui a ?t? lav? de tout soup?on et a re?u sa citoyennet? apr?s 22 ans, a expliqu? comment le stress li? ? une surveillance constante peut transformer une personne en son propre gardien de prison et la pousser ? censurer ses paroles et ses actions. Au cours des jours suivants, les commissaires ont entendu Latifa Charkaoui, qui a ?t? forc?e par un ?dit de la cour ? surveiller son propre fils et oblig?e ? l'accompagner chaque fois qu'il quitte son domicile, alors qu'elle est elle-m?me sous surveillance; Dieter Misgeld, dont la femme, une r?fugi?e admise qui a fui la r?pression politique en Colombie, est menac?e de d?portation en vertu de preuves secr?tes; Warren Allmand, l'ex-Solliciteur g?n?ral du Canada, qui a indiqu? qu'il s'agit d'une pratique normale pour le Solliciteur g?n?ral d'approuver les requ?tes des agences de renseignement sans pour autant prendre connaissance des cas, et qui a d?fendu l'argument selon lequel le droit criminel fournit un meilleur cadre que le droit d' immigration pour g?rer les enjeux s?curitaires; Suleyman Goven, un r?fugi? natif du Kurdistan Turc qui vit sans statut depuis plus de dix ans et qui a finalement d?cid? de poursuivre le SCRS en raison des graves abus qui ont marqu? son cas; Arash A., un r?fugi? Iranien qui a pass? 10 mois en d?tention d'immigration ? normale ? alors qu'il se battait pour l'obtention de son statut; Johanne Doyon, l'avocate qui contestera la constitutionnalit? des certificats de s?curit? devant la Cour supr?me en juin prochain; Sherene Razack et Gary Kinsman, qui ont expos? une importante analyse historique du racisme et du discours de s?curit? nationale au Canada; Ahmad Jaballah, le fils de Mahmoud Jaballah, actuellement d?tenu en vertu d'un certificat de s?curit?, qui a dit que son enfance lui a ?t? vol?e, ayant ?t? soumis d?s l'?ge de 11 ans aux interrogations du SCRS, aux audiences et ? l'attention du public en plus de devoir assumer une bonne partie des responsabilit?s familiales; et plusieurs autres (programme complet au http://www.peoplescommission.ath.cx/audiences_fr.php). Apr?s chaque pr?sentation, les t?moins furent interrog?s par les commissaires et par les membres du public. Il y avait ensuite une p?riode d' ?change libre, ouverte aux commentaires et exp?riences des membres de l' assembl?e. Un enregistrement complet des audiences sera disponible sous peu sur le site Internet de la Commission au www.peoplescommission.ath.cx. Le rapport des r?sultats et recommandations des commissaires sera publi? le 6 juin prochain, une semaine avant la contestation de la constitutionnalit? des certificats de s?curit? en Cour supr?me. Le rapport sera rendu public ? Ottawa et soumis ? l'attention des d?put?s et des autorit?s gouvernementales qui sont appel?es ? prendre des d?cisions sur ces enjeux. Le lancement aura lieu au cours d'une caravane de Toronto ? Ottawa, qui se dirigera vers le b?timent o? se tiendront les audiences sur les certificats de s?curit? et o? sera organis? un Campement de l'Espoir pendant les trois jours que dureront ces audiences. (Pour plus de renseignements ou pour s'impliquer dans ce projet : www.homesnotbombs.ca ou, pour des actions de soutien ? Montr?al autour des audiences en Cour supr?me : www.adilinfo.org). Une version publique du rapport de la Commission populaire, sous la forme d' un livret avec des ?l?ments audio et vid?o, sera mise au point au cours de l '?t? et sera disponible en septembre 2006. -------------------------------- www.peoplescommission.ath.cx abolissons at gmail.com t?l 1 (514) 859-9023 fax (514) 848-7584 Commission populaire c/o QPIRG Concordia 1500, de Maisonneuve O., ste. 204 Montr?al QC H3G 1N1 La Commission populaire est une initiative de la Coalition Justice pour Adil Charkaoui (www.adilinfo.org), GRIP-Concordia, et Solidarit? sans fronti?res (www.solidarityacrossborders.org). La Commission populaire est appuy?e par : l'Association pour la d?fense des droits sociaux (ADDS), la Campagne pour l'arr?t des proc?s secrets au Canada, CAIR-CAN, Centre communautaire des femmes sud-asiatiques de Montr?al, Centre justice et foi, le Centre des travailleurs et travailleuses immigrants (CTI), CKUT 90.3 FM, le Comit? justice pour Mohamed Harkat, Comit? chr?tien pour les droits humains en Am?rique latine (CCDHAL), Comit? des sans-emploi Montr?al-Centre, Communaut? Catholique Congolaise de Montr?al , Concordia Student Union (CSU), le Conseil canadien pour les r?fugi?s (CCR), Conseil des canadiens, Conseil musulman de Montr?al, F?d?ration canado-arabe (CAF), Downtown Legal Services (DLS) Toronto, F?d?ration autonome du coll?gial (FAC), Institute in Management and Community Development (part of the Centre for Continuing Education at Concordia University), Inter Pares, International Civil Liberties Monitoring Group (ICLMG), Jesuit Refugee Service, KAIROS: Canadian Ecumenical Justice Initiatives, la Ligue des droits et libert?s, la Ligue des Noirs du Qu?bec, Moog Audio, Nova Scotia Public Interest Research Group (NSPIRG), People's Potato, Personne est ill?gal-Montr?al, Personne est ill?gal-Toronto, Personne est ill?gal-Vancouver, Ontario Coaliton against Poverty (OCAP), Projet Accompagnement Solidarit? Colombie (PASC), Soeurs Auxiliatrices, le Syndicat des travailleurs et travailleuses des postes du Canada (STTP), Table de concertation des organismes au service des personnes r?fugi?es et immigrantes (TCRI), Toronto Action for Social Change (TASC), United Muslim Students Association (UMSA). From mfoster at web.net Mon May 22 06:37:22 2006 From: mfoster at web.net (mary foster) Date: Mon, 22 May 2006 09:37:22 -0400 Subject: [Bloquez l'empire!] Rally on May 30th - Bombardier: Complicit with the cultural genocide of Tibet? Message-ID: <015a01c67da9$06d70e20$3c3bcdcd@CPQ18145226471> From: "Anet" Bombardier: Complicit with the cultural genocide of Tibet? Rally at Bombardier's Annual General Meeting, Tuesday, May 30th - Montreal When: Tuesday, May 30th, 8:30 am Where: Hyatt Regency Montreal (Grand salon) - Complexe Desjardins, 1255 Jeanne-Mance Street, To read more about the railway and its impacts, see the report, "Crossing the Line: China's Railway to Lhasa, Tibet," at http://www.savetibet.org/documents/document.php?id=34 Note: Please contact us if you are shareholder of Bombardier and want to help Tibetans speak inside the shareholder's meeting. For more information about the rally, please contact ctcoffice at tibet.ca Please join us to show your concern about Bombardier's involvement in the Tibet railway and to demand concrete action by Bombardier to address the legitimate concerns of the Tibetan people. Please also forward this announcement on to everyone you know in the Montreal area! ************************************************************************** Background: On Tuesday, May 30th, Bombardier will hold its annual general meeting in Montreal. The Board of Directors, senior management and shareholders of Bombardier - as well as the media - will attend this important meeting. This is a key opportunity for Tibetans and Tibet supporters to show their concern about Bombardier's involvement in the controversial Tibet Railway project. Bombardier - have partnered with Power Corporation of Canada and the Government of China to manufacture railway cars for this project. Many Tibetans fear that this first railway to link mainland China with occupied Tibet represents the final phase in the cultural genocide of the Tibetan people. The rally will also provide an opportunity to show support for a shareholder's resolution by the Corporation des Syndics Apostoliques des fr?res mineurs ou Franciscains that asks Bombardier "to draft and adopt a human rights policy and to produce an independent report on the progress made in this regard by November 2006." The board and management of Bombardier have recommended to shareholders to vote against this resolution. Bombardier said it is "contemplating the possibility of subscribing to some statement of principles; the Corporation thinks that adopting a very targeted policy on a single aspect of corporate social responsibility is inappropriate." Many comparable companies have specific human rights policies. Despite Bombardier's intention to elaborate an "integrated approach to these issues", there has been no concrete action to date. Despite concerns raised directly to Bombardier since 2002, Tibetans feel inaction by Bombardier is not acceptable and could contribute to the cultural genocide of Tibet. The Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights and the UN Global Compact clearly state that "a company is complicit in human rights abuses if it.knowingly ignores human rights committed by an entity associated with it." From mfoster at web.net Tue May 23 08:37:36 2006 From: mfoster at web.net (mary foster) Date: Tue, 23 May 2006 11:37:36 -0400 Subject: [Bloquez l'empire!] canada in afghanistan Message-ID: <01c301c67e7e$e1a20a70$898b8bcf@CPQ18145226471> http://www.theglobeandmail.com/servlet/story/RTGAM.20060523.wxafghan23/BNSto ry/Afghanistan/home Afghan air strike complicates Canadian mission GEOFFREY YORK >From Tuesday's Globe and Mail KANDAHAR, AFGHANISTAN - With puffy face and red eyes, 12-year-old Mahmood was still fighting back tears as he told his story yesterday. He had gotten the news in a phone call at dawn. His entire family -- mother, father, three sisters, three brothers -- had been killed by a coalition bombing attack on his village near Kandahar. "I lost my family," he whispered between his sobs. "Now I am all alone." Nearby, in an intensive-care hospital bed, his unconscious three-year-old cousin was twitching and panting for air. He, too, was a victim of the bombing. Two of his uncles were being treated in the same ward, both badly wounded, one in a coma. At least 17 civilians -- and perhaps 25 or more -- were killed in the coalition attack on Taliban forces yesterday and at least 15 civilians were injured. Twenty Taliban insurgents were confirmed killed, the coalition said in a press release, but the rebel toll could be as high as 50. Many houses, and even a religious school, were hit by the bombs between 11 p.m., Sunday and 5 a.m., yesterday, survivors said. It was the heaviest civilian death toll since Canada took command of military operations in southern Afghanistan this year. It was also one of the highest civilian death tolls recorded in Kandahar province since the ousting of the Taliban regime in 2001. And it was the latest sign of a mounting surge of violence that has killed about 300 Afghans in the past week -- twice the death toll recorded in Iraq in the same period. The civilian casualties and mounting violence will make it harder for Canada's soldiers to continue the campaign to win support from ordinary Afghans. Two key questions about the battle remained unanswered last night: Who authorized the operation and which coalition forces were involved. Canadian military spokesmen said no Canadian forces were involved, but coalition spokesman Major Scott Lundy refused to say which forces had launched the battle. And he refused to say who had authorized the attack. Brigadier-General David Fraser, the Canadian who commands the coalition forces in southern Afghanistan, was "consulted and informed" about the attack, but the decision was made by "higher headquarters," Major Lundy said. He refused to identify the higher authorities who approved the bombing. There were strong hints that the assault was a special-forces operation, which would normally be kept secret. The forces hit unexpectedly stiff resistance from about 200 Taliban in the village. When they got into trouble around midnight on Sunday, they called in U.S. aircraft to attack the village. Apache helicopters and an A-10 Warthog were among the aircraft called. "The Taliban fighters moved onto rooftops and into the window wells of the homes and continued to lay down fire," Major Lundy said last night. "Coalition forces returned fire and called in air strikes to subdue the fire and allow them to continue their operation. . . . "We recognize there are parents who have been killed, children who have been injured, and that's a terrible thing. It's unfortunate. "And we hope the people will understand that the coalition goes to great effort to protect them and avoid killing or injuring Afghan citizens, but it's not always possible." The battle began in the village of Azizi, about 50 kilometres west of Kandahar, when the coalition attacked a group of Taliban gathering for a meeting. "There was still resistance when coalition forces entered the building," Major Lundy said. "Because the coalition forces were under pressure, and taking a lot of fire, there was a requirement to use any and all available means to stop that fire. It was a very intense fight. The Taliban felt they had to hide behind the Afghan people. It was rather cowardly on their part." He acknowledged that the Taliban seemed stronger than expected. "We have noted that there have been sizable forces where perhaps we thought there were smaller forces." Despite earlier reports of a coalition investigation into the deaths, he said nobody from the coalition is in the village to investigate the civilian deaths. He also suggested that some of the injured civilians might have been Taliban fighters, although he acknowledged he had no evidence of it. The battles here are becoming more intense daily. Last week in the same district, Canadian troops called in a devastating air strike from a U.S. B-1 stealth bomber, which dropped a 500-pound bomb on a residential compound, killing an estimated 15 to 20 rebels, after an ambush in which Captain Nichola Goddard was killed. Kandahar's provincial governor, Assadullah Khalid, tried to assuage local anger yesterday by visiting the hospital and handing out cash to injured victims. Each person was given the equivalent of about $450. Mahmood, the boy whose family perished in the bombing, escaped death only because he was a student in Kandahar City, away from his village. At the hospital yesterday, he sobbed and wiped his eyes repeatedly. He was clutching a plastic bag with three mangos that someone had given him. Another survivor, 23-year-old Mohammed Rafiq, suffered injuries to his head and arm when his mud-brick house was hit by a bomb. He said the Taliban fighters had come to his village about two days earlier to demand food and shelter. "They had heavy weapons and nobody could say anything against them." he said. "They said they were coming here for a holy war. We can't say anything against them, and we can't say anything against the coalition." The Taliban were about 30 metres away when the bomb landed on his house. Abdul Baqi, an intensive-care doctor who treated the bombing victims, said the coalition should be more careful in its bombing operations. "They killed many civilians by mistake," he said. "I'm not happy about it. They killed and injured many innocent people." From mfoster at web.net Mon May 29 05:39:29 2006 From: mfoster at web.net (mary foster) Date: Mon, 29 May 2006 08:39:29 -0400 Subject: [Bloquez l'empire!] qc military recruity drive on NOW Message-ID: <008301c6831f$a8658c50$a58b8bcf@CPQ18145226471> Media advisory - Signal soldiers: race toward recruitment VALCARTIER GARRISON, Quebec City, May 25 /CNW Telbec/ - From May 26 to 29, 11 soldiers will hold a cycling expedition, punctuated by exhibits, between Quebec City, Sherbrooke and Montreal. The purpose of the event, which will benefit Op?ration Enfant Soleil, is also to inform the public of signals occupations in the military and meet potential applicants for enrolment in this declining field of employment. Over the course of the 450 km that will be covered, booths will be set up in various targeted municipalities. Residents will have the opportunity to get a closer look at military signals vehicles, a light armoured vehicle, and weapons such as C6, C7 and C9 machine guns and 9 mm pistols. << Schedule of expedition and exhibits ------------------------------------------------------------------------ - Stop/location Cycling expedition Exhibit/recruitment (brief stop) stand ------------------------------------------------------------------------ - St Marie (Beauce): May 26, from 10:00 am May 26, from 7:40 am Canadian Tire, to 10:30 am to 10:30 am 980 Vachon Blvd N ------------------------------------------------------------------------ - Thetford Mines: Ecole May 26, from 12:30 pm May 26, from noon Secondaire Joseph-Fecteau, to 1:00 pm to 1:30 pm 561 St Patrick ------------------------------------------------------------------------ - Thetford Mines: Galeries May 26, at 1:15 pm May 26, from 2:00 pm Thetford, 520 Frontenac (last stop of the day) to 6:00 pm Blvd W ------------------------------------------------------------------------ - Weedon (Eastern Townships): May 27, from 10:30 am May 27, from 8:15 am Mairie de Weedon, to 11:00 am to 11:30 am 525 2nd Avenue ------------------------------------------------------------------------ - Sherbrooke: Provigo, May 27, at 1:15 pm May 27, from 1:00 pm 2209 King St W (last stop of the day) to 5:00 pm ------------------------------------------------------------------------ - Granby: Galeries de Granby, May 28, from 11:00 am May 28, from 9:00 am 40 Evangeline to 11:30 am to 11:30 am ------------------------------------------------------------------------ - St Hyacinthe: May 28, at 1:30 pm May 28, from 1:00 pm Galeries Saint-Hyacinthe, (last stop of the day) to 5:00 pm 3200 Laframboise Blvd ------------------------------------------------------------------------ - Montreal: Place Versailles, May 29, at 11:00 am May 29, from 9:30 am 7275 Sherbrooke St E (end of the expedition) to 1:30 pm ------------------------------------------------------------------------ - >> In order to achieve their goal, the cyclists, under escort, will embark onto routes 175, 112, 137, 116 and 112. They will be coming back to Quebec City by vehicle on May 29, at about 6:00 pm. Visitors of the exhibits will be able to talk with soldiers from the Headquarters and Signal Squadron (HQ & Sig Sqn) on site. Thanks to a GPS system installed on a vehicle escorting the cyclists, they will also be able to track the cyclists' progress at all times. For further information: Master-Corporal Steeve Parent, Coordination of the expedition and exhibits, (418) 844-5000, ext 4493, Cellular: (418) 956-1536; Source: Lieutenant Fr?d?ric L?tourneau, Officier in charge of the expedition, (418) 844-5000, ext 5988, Cellular: (418) 956-1534, www.5gbmc.ca From mfoster at web.net Mon May 29 17:12:39 2006 From: mfoster at web.net (mary foster) Date: Mon, 29 May 2006 20:12:39 -0400 Subject: [Bloquez l'empire!] CDN gov't will be asked to approve $8 Billion formilitary 'wish list' Message-ID: <019401c68388$87132e90$428b8bcf@CPQ18145226471> O'Connor has $8B military 'wish list' New cargo jets a top priority for Defence Minister, sources say Chris Wattie National Post Monday, May 29, 2006 The federal government will be asked this week to approve a multi-billion-dollar "wish list" of equipment purchases for the Canadian Forces, including new transport aircraft, helicopters, long-overdue trucks for the army and multi-purpose troop transport and supply ships for the navy. Defence sources say Gordon O'Connor, the Defence Minister, will make a pitch to a Cabinet committee tomorrow for six major projects worth more than $8-billion. The Minister will ask the priorities and planning committee to approve the purchase of a long list of equipment, much of it on the drawing board for years, military and industry sources told the National Post. At the top of Mr. O'Connor's list will be four new C-17 Globemaster cargo jets, which the sources said would be bought directly from the U.S. manufacturer, Boeing, in a "sole source" acquisition. The government will also be asked to approve the purchase of 17 tactical transports -- smaller, propeller-driven aircraft that can land troops or cargo in remote, rough airstrips. The likely winner of that contract will be the C-130J, the latest model of the venerable Hercules now in service with the Canadian air force. Mr. O'Connor is also proposing to buy as many as 20 new heavy-lift helicopters for the army and a total of 18 new search-and-rescue planes. The army is to get a replacement for its 24-year-old logistics trucks, while the navy will get approval for its three new joint-support ships, a combination troopship and resupply vessel due to be built over the next five years, the sources said. Defence analysts said the ambitious purchasing program makes good sense both militarily and politically -- if Mr. O'Connor can get the support of Stephen Harper, the Prime Minister. "It's politically saleable, because the Canadian Forces need this stuff and have needed it for some time," said David Rudd of the Canadian Institute of Strategic Studies. "The question is whether or not the Prime Minister will back him on this." Mr. Rudd said the Defence Minister could face resistance from Cabinet because of the large price tag attached to the proposed purchases and his oft-stated preference to buy military equipment "off the rack" from foreign suppliers rather than funnelling all or part of the spending through Canadian firms. "There is going to be some 'push back' from other Cabinet ministers who've seen their budgets frozen," he said. "And there will be pressure from some quarters ... to buy Canadian. "But it will be difficult for the Opposition to make much hay out of any of these projects." Finding the money for all this new equipment will be made all the more easy by the recent rise in the Canadian dollar and changes to the way the $14.8-billion defence budget is calculated. Brian MacDonald, an analyst with the Conference of Defence Associations, said the Conservative government has switched to accrual accounting, a bookkeeping method that stretches large purchases such as defence expenditures over a number of years instead of including them "up front" in the defence budget when they are ordered. That means that even a bill of more than $8-billion for the new equipment can be squeezed into the relatively modest increase that this year's federal budget allocated to the Department of National Defence, he said. But until the projects are approved by Cabinet, there is no way of knowing for sure how much they will cost, Mr. MacDonald said. "You're really looking at a whole bunch of numbers," he said. "What will it all eventually cost? Nobody knows the answer to that question." Mr. O'Connor declined repeated requests for an interview on the proposed new purchases or the total bill for the new equipment. However, according to estimates by industry and defence analysts the new spending would easily top $8-billion, once parts and services for the new aircraft, ships and vehicles are included. Some of the proposed purchases have already been outlined in past budgets, such as the new search-and-rescue planes ($1.3-billion) or the joint-support ships ($2.1-billion). The C-17 Globemaster cargo jets cost about $200-million each, or a total of $1.6-billion for all four aircraft and the required servicing support, while 17 new Hercules transports would sell for about $75-million apiece, or a total of $2.4-billion. Heavy-lift helicopters would cost approximately $40- to $50-million each, driving the total cost for 20 such aircraft to nearly $2-billion with support costs included. No estimates were available for the cost of replacing the army's 2,700 Medium Logistic Vehicle Wheeled (MLVW), a five-tonne transport truck. Staff officers at National Defence Headquarters in Ottawa have spent the past three months drawing up the list spending priorities for the new government. However, many other projects have been pushed back for a year or longer, including a plan floated under the Liberal government to purchase one or more large amphibious ships to carry troops, aircraft and equipment to trouble spots around the globe. Some Conservative policies have also been put on hold, including plans to buy icebreakers for the navy and station rapid reaction army units at remote bases across the country, such as Goose Bay, Labrador. cwattie at nationalpost.com ? National Post 2006 _______________________________________________ Nowar mailing list Nowar at list.nowar-paix.ca http://list.nowar-paix.ca/mailman/listinfo/nowar From aaron at resist.ca Tue May 30 14:26:44 2006 From: aaron at resist.ca (aaron at resist.ca) Date: Tue, 30 May 2006 14:26:44 -0700 (PDT) Subject: [Bloquez l'empire!] Palestine Solidarity Picket - Saturday, June 3 Message-ID: <1237.66.130.86.218.1149024404.squirrel@mail.resist.ca> ***Please post and forward*** End the starvation of the Palestinian people! No to Israeli apartheid! Tear down the Wall! ::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::: Information picket in Montreal Saturday, June 3 2-4pm Corner of Ste-Catherine and McGill-College (metro McGill) ::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::: -->Join us for an information picket to raise awareness about the ongoing resistance to Israeli apartheid policies in Palestine. We will be distributing flyers and making speeches in downtown Montreal. Bring your banners, placards, and friends! On June 3, 2006, we will be joining similar protests in Israel and other countries to demand an end to Israel?s imposed starvation of the Palestinian people. In Tel Aviv, a march is being held by a coalition of groups including Gush Shalom, Coalition of Women for Peace, Ta'ayush, Hadash, Balad, Israeli Coalition Against House Demolitions, Alternative Information Center, Coalition of Students, Artists Without Walls, Bat Shalom, Banki, and Yesh Gvul. End the starvation of the Palestinian people In late January, the Palestinian people went to the polls to democratically elect a new legislature. The day after the new Hamas legislature was sworn in, the Canadian government cut off all aid money to the Palestinian Authority. Many other governments, including the USA and Israel, followed in tow. The reason given by the Harper government to withdraw this aid money was that the new Hamas-led government had not addressed the concerns raised by Canada and others concerning non-violence, the recognition of Israel, and acceptance of previous agreements and obligations (Canadian International Development Agency ? Update: Canadian Aid Programs in the West Bank and Gaza). However, Harper and the Canadian government turn a blind eye to the fact that the Israeli army continues to kill hundreds of civilians per year, ethnically cleanse Palestinians from their homelands to make way for settlements and highways, and defies numerous international laws. Instead, the aid that has been cut has resulted in some of the worst fuel, medicine, and food shortages that the Palestinians have ever seen. As Dov Weisglass, an advisor to Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert, put it to the Israeli media, ?The idea is to put the Palestinians on a diet, but not to make them die of hunger." We condemn this deliberate campaign of starvation and terror against the entire Palestinian population. The resistance will not be crushed. Tear down the apartheid wall! Ehud Olmert, Israel?s new Prime Minister, has declared that he hopes to set Israel?s final borders by the year 2010. The borders will be set not according to the internationally recognized Green Line of 1967, but rather they will follow the illegal apartheid wall. Now more than ever, we must follow the courageous example being set by Palestinian villages such as Bil?in, who have been engaged in non-stop resistance to the wall for more than a year. End the Occupation! No Justice, No Peace! Organized by the International Solidarity Movement (ISM) ? Montreal For more information, contact ism-montreal at resist.ca From aaron at resist.ca Wed May 31 22:07:37 2006 From: aaron at resist.ca (aaron at resist.ca) Date: Wed, 31 May 2006 22:07:37 -0700 (PDT) Subject: [Bloquez l'empire!] ISM-Montreal - Piquetage de solidarite avec la Palestine - le 3 juin Message-ID: Cessez d'affamer le peuple palestinien ! Non ? l'apartheid d'Isra?l ! Le mur doit tomber ! ::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::: Piquetage dans la rue ? Montr?al Samedi 3 juin 2006 14h00 - 16h00 Au coin des rues Sainte-Catherine et McGill College (m?tro McGill) ::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::: --> Joignez-vous ? nous pour une piquetage d'information dans la rue visant ? sensibiliser le public ? la r?sistance continuelle en Palestine face aux politiques d'apartheid d'Isra?l. Nous distribuerons des tracts et prendrons la parole dans le centre-ville de Montr?al. Amenez vos pancartes, vos banni?res. et vos amis ! Samedi 3 juin 2006, nous manifesterons, de concert avec des groupes en Isra?l et dans d'autres pays, pour exiger qu'Isra?l cesse d'affamer le peuple palestinien. ? Tel Aviv, une marche sera men?e par une coalition de groupes comprenant Gush Shalom, La Coalition des femmes pour la paix, Ta'ayush, Hadash, Balad, La colalition isra?lienne contre les d?molitions de maisons, le Centre alternatif d'information, la Coalition des ?tudiants, Artists Without Walls, Bat Shalom (Maison de la paix) , Banki, et Yesh Gvul. Arr?tez d'affamer le peuple palestinien Vers la fin de janvier, le peuple palestinien a exerc? son droit de vote et d?mocratiquement ?lu un nouveau gouvernement. Le jour suivant l'?lection du Hamas, le gouvernement Canadien a supprim? toute aide financi?re ? l'Autorit? palestinienne. De nombreux autres gouvernements, y compris les ?tats-Unis et Isra?l, ont suivi. Le pr?texte donn? par le gouvernement Harper pour supprimer cette aide ?tait que le gouvernement dirig? par le Hamas n'avait pas r?pondu aux pr?occupations qu'avaient soulev?es le Canada et d'autres pays concernant la non-violence, la reconnaissance de l'?tat d' Isra?l et l'acceptation d'accords et d'obligations ant?rieurs (source : Agence canadienne de d?veloppement international - mise ? jour : Programmes d'aide du Canada en Cisjordanie et dans la bande de Gaza.). Cependant, Harper ainsi que le gouvernement canadien feignent d'ignorer le fait que l'arm?e isra?lienne continue de tuer des centaines de civils chaque ann?e, de proc?der au nettoyage ethnique des Palestiniens sur leur terre natale pour pouvoir construire de colonies et des autoroutes, et de d?fier de nombreuses lois internationales. Les suppressions d'aide ont caus? les pires restrictions en p?trole, en m?dicaments et en nourriture que les Palestiniens aient jamais connues. Comme l'a exprim? dans les m?dias isra?liens Dov Weisglass, conseiller du premier ministre isra?lien Ehud Olmert, ? l'id?e n'est pas de mettre les Palestiniens au r?gime, mais de les faire mourir de faim ?. Nous condamnons cette campagne d?lib?r?e visant ? terroriser et affamer la population palestinienne en entier. La r?sistance ne sera pas ?cras?e. Faites tomber le mur de l'apartheid ! Ehud Olmert, premier ministre d'Isra?l, a d?clar? qu'il esp?rait fixer les fronti?res d?finitives d'Isra?l d'ici 2010. Ces fronti?res ne seront pas ?tablies suivant la Ligne verte de 1967, internationalement reconnue; elles suivront le trac? du mur ill?gal d'apartheid. Aujourd'hui plus que jamais, nous devons suivre le courageux exemple de villages palestiniens comme Bil' in, qui m?nent une r?sistance continuelle contre le mur depuis plus d'un an. Mettez fin ? l'occupation ! Pas de paix sans justice ! Organis? par l'International Solidarity Movement (ISM) - Montr?al Pour en savoir plus, communiquez avec ism-montreal at resist.ca