From gflett1 at shaw.ca Thu Apr 3 13:23:35 2003 From: gflett1 at shaw.ca (Gordon Flett) Date: Thu, 03 Apr 2003 13:23:35 -0800 Subject: [news] Fw: CEP Protesters occupy Ontario government offices Message-ID: <3E8CA656.D53344AD@shaw.ca> ----- Original Message ----- From: Dave Hart To: Gene McGuckinSent: Sunday, May 04, 2003 7:06 AMSubject: CEP Protesters occupy Ontario government offices Protesters occupy Ontario government offices For immediate release April 2, 2003 Thunder Bay -- A dozen forest workers, members of the Communications, Energy and Paperworkers Union, are chained to a pillar in the middle of the Ontario government's Ministry of Natural Resources offices in Thunder Bay to protest the sell out of Canadian forest policies in softwood lumber negotiations in Washington. The protesters are demanding public hearings in Ontario before any agreement is reached that would involve changing forest policies that tie the right to harvest public forests with obligations to operate mills and maintain employment. About 200 people rallied outside the building while the CEP activists occupied the MNR offices in a complex known as "little Queen's Park" in Thunder Bay. CEP Ontario VP Cecil Makowski has been in contact with Ontario's chief negotiator in the softwood talks who has indicated that he will send a letter to the protesters this afternoon. "We have told the government that they should give us some comfort that there will be a public process before any changes are made to Ontario forest policies, and we are waiting now for his communication," Makowski reported at 3:00 pm EST. Companion rallies were held in Sault St. Marie and in Kapuskasing where 200 people marched in bitterly cold weather with the support of high school students who closed their school to attend the rally. For information: Fred Wilson 613 266-3044 Cecil Makowski 905 371-6297 From gflett1 at shaw.ca Thu Apr 3 16:49:37 2003 From: gflett1 at shaw.ca (Gordon Flett) Date: Thu, 03 Apr 2003 16:49:37 -0800 Subject: [news] Softwood protesters call Ontario commitment a victory Message-ID: <3E8CD6A1.16060C5E@shaw.ca> Softwood protesters call Ontario commitment a victory For immediate release April 3, 2003 OTTAWA -- Ontario's chief negotiator in softwood lumber negotiations has assured CEP protesters that the province will not surrender its role to manage public forests. CEP Ontario VP Cecil Makowski says the letter from Mike Willock received Wednesday afternoon by protesters occupying the Ministry of Natural Resources offices in Thunder Bay represents "a victory for Ontarians and for all Canadians who are opposed to having our forest policies dictated by Washington." "This letter is a strong commitment from Mr. Willock on behalf of the government that Ontario will not surrender its mandate to protect and manage the public forests, and that any changes to forest legislation or regulation in Ontario will be subject to a broad public process," said Makowski. "For the hundreds of forest workers, their families and friends who came out to show their concerns on Wednesday in Thunder Bay, Sault St. Marie and Kapuskasing, this is welcome news. We will insist that this commitment from Ontario holds." CEP National President Brian Payne said that the commitment from Ontario sends a strong message to Federal Trade Minister Pettigrew. "It is time for Mr. Pettigrew to abandon the strategy of provincial concessions to appease the Americans. I appeal again to Mr. Pettigrew to ensure that labour representatives are present in any further softwood negotiations." For information: Fred Wilson 613 266-3044 ___________________________________________ From gflett1 at shaw.ca Thu Apr 3 21:01:59 2003 From: gflett1 at shaw.ca (Gordon Flett) Date: Thu, 03 Apr 2003 21:01:59 -0800 Subject: [news] Tieleman on Business Ass-Kissing U.S. over Iraq Message-ID: <3E8D11C7.5B36BEE5@shaw.ca> Hi all, As the invasion of Iraq grows more bloody, our Vancouver Board of Trade has announced Canada should be involved with this illegal conflict, personally handing a letter to that effect to US Ambassador Paul Cellucci in Vancouver and copying it to President Bush. This pathetic display of public ass-kissing (yes, I say that in the column) was so abhorrent that I scrapped an already-submitted column and wrote this one, which was published today in the Georgia Straight. For BC folks, I'm back on CBC TV tonight at 6:40 p.m. after a bout with the flu last week. Regards, Bill Tieleman West Star Communications Read the Georgia Straight and watch CBC TV in BC Thursdays for political commentary from Bill Tieleman Bill Tieleman?s Political Connections column in the Georgia Straight April 3-10, 2003 Board of Trade Ready to Overthrow Saddam By Bill Tieleman In the councils of government, we must guard against the acquisition of unwarranted influence, whether sought or unsought, by the military-industrial complex. The potential for the disastrous rise of misplaced power exists and will persist. -- former U.S. Republican president and general Dwight D. Eisenhower, 1961 After the most embarrassing episode of public ass-kissing for the benefit of currying favour with the Bush government that this province has ever seen, can B.C. business leaders sink any lower? The spectacle of the Vancouver Board of Trade's executive sending an open letter to U.S. ambassador Paul Cellucci saying it was "shocked and embarrassed" that Canada had not joined the American-led coalition that illegally invaded Iraq has to be an abject low point for national self-respect. The letter, signed by board chair and "motivational speaker" Peter Legge and copied to U.S. president George W. Bush, also states: "What's missing in the coalition of the willing--now numbering 49--is Canada. Nowhere is that felt more than right here at home." Not to be outdone, Finance Minister Gary Collins also joined in last week by saying that Canada should have joined the U.S. and the United Kingdom in the war against Iraq. In a CKNW radio report on March 25, Collins said: "I think that, personally, as one citizen of British Columbia, I would have preferred that we were there." Do these people have any understanding of what is going on in Iraq? The United States, the United Kingdom, and other coalition members have invaded a sovereign country that has taken no hostile action against them, without a declaration of war and without offering decisive proof of any threat to either themselves or even Iraq's neighbours. In fact, Iraq had recently been meeting the terms and conditions of the United Nations' Security Council resolutions that it significantly disarm, destroying many weapons and allowing U.N. inspectors to examine possible chemical- and biological-weapons sites. In other words, tough diplomacy backed by world opinion was working. And the devastating trade sanctions imposed on Iraq since the 1991 Gulf War had left it a weak and isolated country with few choices but to comply. But that wasn't enough for Bush and U.K. Prime Minister Tony Blair, who have attacked Iraq without the support of the United Nations, the European Union, or even the North Atlantic Treaty Organization. So now we have disgusting scenes of Iraqi civilians, innocent children, women, and men, being blown to pieces by "smart" bombs, people melted in their cars by exploding cruise missiles that hit markets, not military targets. We have a war in which decent men and women serving in the armed forces of the coalition members will die and be injured, not defending their countries or preserving peace but following orders to secure the oil fields of Iraq at any cost. We have a war that perversely strengthens the antidemocratic religious extremists who perpetrated the horror of the September 11 attacks on America and the Bali bombing. And Saddam Hussein is an incredibly evil dictator who has killed, tortured, oppressed, and exploited his own people. Hussein richly deserves one of the hottest seats in hell for his horrific actions. But, unfortunately, the world is full of evil dictators who oppress their own people. And many of them are our biggest trading partners. China is a brutal dictatorship that possesses a powerful nuclear arsenal, unlike Hussein's laughable castoff Scud missile collection, but will the so-called coalition of the willing "free" the Chinese people next and destroy China's weapons of mass destruction? Don't count on it, not while every major multinational corporation is using cheap, union-free, near-slave labour to produce consumer goods you can buy in every store in the western world. How about a coalition attack to "free" the Saudi Arabian people, who have never had a democratic vote in their lives? Not so long as the Saudi royal family keeps pumping oil to the West so we can drive our SUVs to the mall. Then there is the United States. America is a great country and its people are not only our biggest trading partners but also our friends and neighbours. In both business and friendship, however, principles are critical. When a friend or partner does something wrong, the right thing to do is call them on it, not back up their bad decision. And remember that many Americans are as appalled at this illegal war as Canadians and citizens of other countries are. This war is not an abstract issue for British Columbia. The province's economy depends heavily on the annual $9 billion tourism brings into B.C., but the war will inflict serious consequences on the industry. And our important forest and manufacturing industries will also be negatively affected as trade with the U.S. and other countries becomes more costly and difficult due to possible terrorist acts, border-crossing complications, and other restrictions to trade. But pathetic bowing and scraping to Bush won't help us. B.C. business leaders and our finance minister could have played a useful role in warning our American and British friends before they went to war what the worldwide consequences would be. Our business leaders could be speaking out for peace now, but instead they scream for war from the sidelines while undermining our own country's sensible position not to participate in an illegal, immoral military invasion. Members of the Vancouver Board of Trade should be deeply ashamed of the action their executive has taken. You can let the board know how you feel by sending them an e-mail at contactus at boardoftrade.com. Peace. It's good for business. A LETTER FROM Finance Minister Gary Collins about a recent column correctly noted that Statistics Canada is predicting a 5.1-percent increase in B.C. capital investment from 2002 to 2003, based on a survey of investment intentions. The drop of 4.7 percent in B.C. capital investment that I inadvertently referred to was a comparison of "actual 2001 to preliminary actual 2002" capital investments. * West Star Communications president Bill Tieleman has clients in labour, business, and nonprofits. He is a political commentator Thursdays on CBC TV's Canada Now and regularly on CBC Radio One's Early Edition. E-mail him at weststar at telus.net. Two Readers See Red in Minister's Figures I was irritated by Gary Collins's personal attack on Bill Tieleman in last week's Straight [Letters, March 27?April 3]. Collins should go back to flying planes, since it's obvious that he's a disaster as finance minister. No matter what kind of political spin or reconstruction of the truth he and his gang of 75 manage to project, the fact is that the current government was left with the proceeds of two huge budgetary surpluses by the previous NDP administration. Now, with some sort of bizarre reverse Midas touch, Collins and his buddies have managed to crank the economy massively in the negative direction, generating huge record-setting $3- to $4-billion deficits. As we all know too well, these deficits are due entirely to a huge tax cut that almost exclusively benefits the richest B.C. taxpayers. This has been done in tandem with increases in user fees and the sales tax and cutbacks in benefits/services that victimize all lower- and middle-income people, not to mention all-out mean-spirited attacks on the poorest and weakest in our society. And contrary to what Collins and the government have claimed, the tax cuts have not paid for themselves. Shamefully, most of the media and the business community compliantly cheer on the Liberals and have nothing but praise for their fiscal wizardry. (The breathtaking hypocrisy of this is clear when one recalls that much more modest deficits incurred by the NDP were consistently portrayed as crimes against humanity). If these fiscal strategies are putting B.C. "on track", I await the inevitable derailment with concern and apprehension. Don Sinclair Vancouver Bus Riders Union I can't help myself from responding to the misinformation that Gary Collins tried to spread in your letters section last week. Of course, he is a true politician in the way he writes: proclamations of good for all, then quickly glossing over the details that speak the truth. For instance, he vaguely says that we "now pay the lowest rates of personal income tax in the country", but there is no mention of the fact that we also pay the highest user fees in the country for the few services that are left. This transfer of financial burden is both regressive and immoral. But it also embodies all that this current government is. What is the net effect of raising the PST credit for those few souls who earn so little to qualify? It allows us to buy up to $27 worth of toilet paper, clothes, and other necessities per month before the regressive increase in sales tax takes even more of our money out of our pocket. Gee, thanks. And how is it that the finance minister always manages to miss the fact that our provincial budget was balanced before he took control. The only reason we don't have a balanced budget is because he gave $2 billion to his friends: the rich and corporate elite. It is not only time to stop allowing these leaders from spreading their lies and misinformation, it is time to stop everything they are doing before everything is lost. Recall every Liberal. Go on a general strike. Refuse to obey. This cannot go on. Dave Olsen Vancouver _____________________________________________ From gflett1 at shaw.ca Fri Apr 4 01:47:57 2003 From: gflett1 at shaw.ca (Gordon Flett) Date: Fri, 04 Apr 2003 01:47:57 -0800 Subject: [news] Schnews Bits Message-ID: <3E8D54CD.6E5503F7@shaw.ca> 2 bits from this week's edition of Schnews, published by the Brighton, U.K. Direct Action Network http://www.schnews.org.uk/ ** The Labour Party have a Freepost address, which means they have to pay the postage on anything you send them. Please don't send bricks or heavy phone directories to: The Labour Party, FREEPOST LON 10417, London, SW1P 4UT. All the local party offices also have freepost addresses that can be found on election leaflets. **************** There is a weekend of independent weapons inspections and the world's first ever sponsored Stop and Search at Fairford this weekend (5-6). According to the creators of the event, "If you are in the vicinity of the base, visiting G10 Peacewatch camp or observing the bombers, you will likely be stopped by police and searched. This can easily occur several times in one day. So get your mates to sponsor you a fixed amount or an amount per search. Once you've collected your sponsorship money send it direct to the charity of your choice. A list of charities working in Iraq can be found at http://www.casi.org.uk/info/charities.html." SchNEWS top tip to increase your tally: Be sure to mask up and wear a white boiler suit with padding! But PLEASE don't carry any bin bags filled with manure, as the poor old police would be sure to get their hands dirty searching them! From pete at linux-geek.net Fri Apr 4 12:21:05 2003 From: pete at linux-geek.net (Pete Lypkie) Date: Fri, 4 Apr 2003 12:21:05 -0800 Subject: [news] US military's pamphlets for iraq Message-ID: <20030404202105.GA22376@magpie.linux-geek.net> Go check out the pamphlets that the US military is distributing in iraq: http://www.centcom.mil/galleries/leaflets/images/izd-070.jpg (this one says "The Oil Industry is your livelihood. Your family depends on your livelihood" and "Help to prevent the sabotage of the Iraqi Oil Industry. Your family depends on it!") This seems to be the actual website for the US central command. It's registered to MacDill airforce base in florida, and you can't just casually go get a .mil address. you can browse other pamphlets on the site by changing the number at the end of the URL (ie, change izd-070.jpg into izd-072.jpg or whatever you like) -- -Pete "Too long have the workers of the world waited for some Moses to lead them out of bondage. I would not lead you out if I could; for if you could be led out, you could be led back again." -- Eugene Debs From pat_wobbly at hotmail.com Fri Apr 4 15:18:44 2003 From: pat_wobbly at hotmail.com (Pat S) Date: Fri, 04 Apr 2003 15:18:44 -0800 Subject: [news] Portrait in Courage: Conscientious Objector to Gulf War Message-ID: Portrait in Courage: Conscientious Objector to Gulf War Turns Self In at San Jose Reserve Unit http://jeff.paterson.net/funk.htm Marine Corps Reservist Stephen Funk publicly declared his conscientious objection to war, before turning himself over to the U.S. military authorities on Tuesday morning, April 1, 2003. He explained his decision to the media at the 1st Beach Terminal Operations, 4th Landing Support Battalion, located at 901 E. Mission Street in San Jose. Funk, who grew up in Seattle, is one of an unknown number of reservists and active duty service members to declare themselves Conscientious Objectors in current Iraqi conflict and any other war. "I refuse to kill," says the twenty-year-old reservist. "It is scary to confront the military, because the military teaches you to submit to orders even when you object. I may not be a hero, but I know that it takes courage to disobey. I know that it demands courage to say "no" in the face of coercion." Funk enlisted in the Marine Corps in February 2002 and easily made it through six months of Marine boot camp where he specialized in assisting helicopters land. But as he trained in the use of weapons and how to kill with a bayonet, Funk became increasingly uneasy about what his new career really meant. According to his attorney Stephen Collier, Funk went on Unauthorized Absence (UA) early this year, but has always intended to turn himself in. This reservist?s refusal to kill and join in the militaristic fervor of a wartime nation is part of a long and honorable tradition in the United States. There have always been American conscientious objectors, no matter what the nature of the conflict. There were an estimated 3,500 in World War I, 37,000 in World War II, 4,300 in the Korean War, over 200,000 in the Vietnam War and 111 in Gulf War I according to Center on Conscience and War in Washington D.C.. "I cannot in good conscience take part in war. I object to war because I believe that it is impossible to achieve peace through violence," says Funk, who added, "I hope that other soldiers will find the courage to follow their beliefs. I hope other soldiers will listen to the voice of their conscience and come, in their own ways, to question the "logic" of war. I hope other soldiers will come to see that they are more than cogs in the machinery of war, but free individuals with the unconquerable power of free will." It seems that the reservist may not be alone in his concern. Calls to the G.I. Rights Hotline, a group that counsels soldiers about their legal rights, have spiked recently, doubling since 2002. 3,582 calls were recorded in January and 3,118 in February, 2003. There were 1,585 calls in September of 2002. The number for the G.I. Rights Hotline is (800) 394-9544. -------------------------------- Support the IWW Vancouver's organizing efforts and AWOL magazine. AWOL hip hop magazine (http://awol.objector.org/) and cds (produced by the folks from the Central Committee for Conscientious Objectors) available online (http://vancouver.iww.ca/merchandise.htm) as well as Spartacus Books (311 West Hastings, Vancouver BC) and People's Co-op Books (1931 Commercial Drive, Vancouver BC). All funds raised for the IWW Vancouver branch help with local organizing efforts such as the "Messengers are Revolting", "Know Your Rights" (http://vancouver.iww.ca/news/20020520knowyourrights.htm) and "Sex Workers UNITE!" (http://vancouver.iww.ca/news/20020505video.htm) orgainzing workshops. _________________________________________________________________ STOP MORE SPAM with the new MSN 8 and get 2 months FREE* http://join.msn.com/?page=features/junkmail From moe at kootenaycuts.com Fri Apr 4 20:31:00 2003 From: moe at kootenaycuts.com (moe) Date: Fri, 4 Apr 2003 20:31:00 -0800 Subject: [news] Upcoming events of interest Message-ID: April 12 Saturday Solidarity Notes Choir Fundraiser Huge Yard Sale 10 am-4 pm 3638 Osler Avenue Vancouver One block west of Oak and 2.5 blocks north of King Ed All the goodies you'd expect plus Choir CDs, fair trade coffee, etc. Money raised will assist with cost of choir tour to Cuba *** April 12 Saturday End the Arms Race AGM 1:30-3:30 pm Maritime Labour Ctr 1880 Triumph Street at Victoria Drive Election of new board. City Councillors & City Peace Committee in attendance. Speakers: David Morgan on the New Nuclear Threat and Dr. Al Connolly on State Terrorism. *** April 13 Sunday Graveside Memorial - 100th Anniversary of the Murder of Frank Rogers by CPR Thugs Laying of wreaths. 1:30 pm Frank Rogers' Graveside, Horne Block Mountain View Cemetery near 33rd and Fraser Street Sponsored by PLNHA and SFU Labour Studies. For further info contact Tessa Wright tessaw at sfu.ca -- http://www.kootenaycuts.com/ "S/he who fears not the death of a thousand cuts will dare to unhorse the emperor." - Ancient Chinese proverb From gflett1 at shaw.ca Sat Apr 5 19:55:41 2003 From: gflett1 at shaw.ca (Gordon Flett) Date: Sat, 05 Apr 2003 19:55:41 -0800 Subject: [news] Fwd: POSTWAR IRAQ: A SHOWCASE FOR PRIVATIZATION? Message-ID: <3E8FA53D.6493109A@shaw.ca> From: John ============================================================ Corporate Research E-Letter EXTRA - April 3, 2003 POSTWAR IRAQ: A SHOWCASE FOR PRIVATIZATION? By Philip Mattera Earlier this week, U.S. military officials came up with a solution to the chaos surrounding the distribution of water to civilians in the Iraqi port of Umm Qasr: They are providing water free to locals with tanker trucks, who are being allowed to sell the precious liquid for a "reasonable" fee. "This provides them with an incentive to hustle and to work," an Army commander told a reporter for the New York Daily News. This transfer of a public good to private hands may be an initial small step in what could be widespread privatization in Iraq after the war is over. A number of conservative think tank denizens and other analysts have been arguing for months that the post-Saddam Hussein economy should be restructured according to the principles of Milton Friedman. Just last week, Robert McFarlane, National Security Adviser during the Reagan Administration, and Michael Bleyzer, chief executive of an equity fund management company, published an op-ed in the Wall Street Journal headlined "Taking Iraq Private." The two men argued that "the U.S. and its allies would be well advised to put together a team of private sector business leaders as a 'steering committee' to supervise and monitor" economic restructuring. An explicit call for privatization, rather than simply private investment, was issued last fall at a conference convened by the right-wing Heritage Foundation. In a paper presented at that conference (and revised last month), Ariel Cohen and Gerald O'Driscoll wrote: "To rehabilitate and modernize its economy, a post-Saddam government will need to move simultaneously on a number of economic policy fronts, utilizing the experience of privatization campaigns and structural reform in other countries." The authors go on to assert what they call Lesson No. 1: "Privatization Works Everywhere." Back in September, the U.S. State Department's Washington File website gave a full account of the discussion at the Heritage meeting, quoting Cohen as saying that at the top of his list of recommendations was "a modern legal environment that recognizes property rights, which are now non-existent in Iraq, and is conducive to privatization." As with other Iraq matters, the U.S. calls for privatization have been echoed in Britain. Last month, the free market-loving Adam Smith Institute issued a paper titled "Toward an Economic and Governance Agenda for a New Iraq." One section of the document starts out with the declaration: "Privatisation is a sine qua non for successful reform in Iraq." The authors go on to say, "In Iraq there is much to privatise, as a considerable portion of the economy is state-owned." Among the sectors that should be up for grabs, they suggest, are mining, chemicals and construction. PLAYING DOWN THE BUSINESS BOON Since the war began, the Bush Administration has avoided talking about the business boon being created in Iraq for U.S. and other foreign corporations. Yet it has taken steps such as awarding a contract to operate the port in Umm Qasr to a private company, Stevedoring Services of America. Another contract, for technical assistance to the reconstruction effort, has been given to the International Resources Group, which will share the work with U.K. subcontractor Crown Agents, which is itself the product of the privatization of a British development assistance agency. The U.S. Agency for International Development, which is coordinating the reconstruction plans, gave about half a dozen large U.S.-based engineering companies an exclusive right to bid on the main contract for infrastructure work. According to various press reports, the leading contenders for that contract are Bechtel Corp. and Parsons Corp. The latter is said to have taken on Halliburton Co.'s Kellogg Brown & Root unit as a subcontractor after Halliburton was eliminated as a primary bidder, apparently because of controversy surrounding the company's ties to Vice President Cheney. What's significant about Bechtel and Parsons is that both companies, in addition to their main construction units, have operations engaged in privatization activities in the United States and elsewhere. Bechtel is a leading player in water system privatization, ranking just behind the big three -- Suez, Vivendi Universal and RWE/ Thames Water -- in that controversial business. A subsidiary of Bechtel was forced to abandon its operations in Cochabamba, Bolivia, in the wake of a popular uprising over massive water rate hikes. Bechtel is now suing Bolivia for $25 million in compensation through a secret World Bank tribunal. Parsons performs privatization feasibility studies and sometimes takes on the projects itself. The most notorious instance of the latter is the company's role in privatizing the auto inspection system in New Jersey. That project, worth more than $500 million, has been marked by charges of inefficiency and excessive costs. Parsons was the sole bidder on the contract, which was awarded in the late 1990s by the administration of Gov. Christie Whitman, who is now serving as head of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. It's clear that there are a lot more business opportunities to be had in Iraq. The Bush Administration is reported to have convened around ten task forces to plan the transformation of everything from agriculture to banking. U.S. companies are expected to receive contracts to restructure and operate facilities such as airports, schools and hospitals. THE BIG PRIZE The big prize, of course, is oil. There's no doubt that foreign companies will be called in to operate Iraq's petroleum system after the war; the question is whether they will remain in place indefinitely and perhaps even have an ownership interest. Some people seem to think that should be the case. In December, the authors of the Heritage Foundation report published an article in the online version of the arch-conservative National Review that was headlined PRIVATIZE IRAQI OIL. The Los Angeles Times reported in February that a State Department advisory panel of exiled Iraqi petroleum professionals recommended privatization of the country's oil resources, but only after U.S. military administration has been replaced by a new sovereign government. The Bush Administration has tended to speak in platitudes about using oil revenues to benefit the Iraqi people, but it is significant that the person reported to have been chosen to oversee postwar oil production is a former chief executive officer of Shell Oil Company. Philip Carroll also worked as chief executive for Fluor Corp., one of the big engineering companies that had been invited to bid on the main reconstruction contract. Carroll's potential conflicts of interest are not the biggest problem for the Bush Administration in its plans for postwar oil exploitation. The Washington Post is reporting today that United Nations and British officials are arguing that the U.S. would not have the legal authority to take over Iraq's oil operations, even on an interim basis, without a new Security Council mandate, given the fact that those operations have been under the supervision of the U.N.'s oil-for-food program. In January, Platt's Oilgram News reported that a 1976 State Department Memorandum of Law, written after Israel had taken control of Sinai oil fields originally developed by Egypt, had concluded that international law did not support the right of an occupying power to grant an oil development concession. It would not be surprising to learn that the State Department is now seeking a new legal opinion. To the victor go the spoils, it is said. In the case of this war, the spoils will be going to the victor's business allies as they bring a distinctly corporate form of liberation to the people of Iraq. ------------------------------------ Philip Mattera Director of the Corporate Research Project Good Jobs First 1311 L Street NW Washington, DC 20005 (202) 626-3780 ext. 32 fax (202) 638-3486 pmattera at ctj.org http://www.corp-research.org -------------------------------------------------------------------- From gflett1 at shaw.ca Sun Apr 6 14:17:02 2003 From: gflett1 at shaw.ca (Gordon Flett) Date: Sun, 06 Apr 2003 14:17:02 -0700 Subject: [news] FWD: Industrial relations as presented by the media can bebaffling, so we offer ... A guide for the perplexed Message-ID: <3E90994E.30493ED8@shaw.ca> ________________________________________________ A - I N F O S N E W S S E R V I C E http://www.ainfos.ca/ http://ainfos.ca/index24.html ________________________________________________ The ongoing firefighters' dispute has provoked a rash of media and New Labour hysteria and venom. Terms like 'modernisation', 'union dinosaur' and the like have been bandied about as if people knew what they meant. Here's a modest attempt to help everyone to understand the media and New Labourite Newspeak. '40% pay rise' - a totally unacceptable figure, unless it's for politicians and bosses. 'placing lives in danger' - a totally unacceptable thing to do, unless politicians and bosses do it (see 'modernisation'). 'modernisation' - a return to the workplace feudalism of the nineteenth century. 'flexibility' - doing what your boss tells you, when it suits them. 'government for all the people' - government for the capitalist class. 'sectional interests' - the interests of anyone bar the capitalist class ? i.e. the interests of the majority. See 'undemocratic'. 'high wage increases' - selfish, unacceptable demands by those who actually do the work. By definition, bad for 'the economy' (q.v.). 'high profits' - unselfish, altruistic, acceptable demands by those who give the orders. By definition, good for 'the economy' (q.v.). 'union' - a form of free association which harms 'economic liberty' (q.v.) and can result in 'industrial anarchy' (q.v.). An unacceptable reminder that picking a master doesn't equal liberty. In extreme cases that can turn into 'syndicalism' (q.v.). 'union bullies' - workers standing up for themselves and placing 'economic liberty' (q.v.) in danger. 'union dinosaurs' - workers who don't wish their rights to go the same way as the Stegosaurus, and take annoyingly effective action which the government and employers can't ignore (see 'direct action'). 'strike' - an unacceptable and unpleasant reminder of 'the bad old days' (q.v.) and that the 'working class' (q.v.) still exists and has power to change the world. A particularly effective form of 'protest' (q.v.) and 'direct action' (q.v.). 'sympathy strikes' - unacceptably expressing selfish regard for your fellow workers. 'the bad old days' - when working class people didn't know their place and caused 'industrial anarchy' (q.v.). 'protest' - a right everybody has, but nobody should exercise. 'justice' - a clear sign that the speaker has not subjected their ideas to 'modernisation' (q.v.). 'direct action' - any form of collective resistance which unacceptably puts your betters into the unpleasant situation of having to think about what those affected by their decisions may think and want (see 'working class'). By definition, 'undemocratic' (q.v.). 'industrial anarchy' - what results when people apply the extremist nonsense that workers are human beings and shouldn't have to leave their rights, humanity and liberty at the workplace door. 'working class' - a class which doesn't exist, but somehow manages to do all the work. Has been known to effectively resist the decisions of the 'ruling class' (q.v.) and stop their plans for the betterment of 'the economy' (q.v.) 'ruling class' - a class which doesn't exist but somehow manages to govern the world and give the orders. Has been known to be terrified of the non-existent 'working class' (q.v.) and its power. 'democracy' - the embodiment of freedom, whereby a handful of politicians, elected by 25% of the people, do what they, the politicians, want for four years. Anyone objecting to this 'government for all the people' (q.v.) is simply expressing 'sectional interests' (q.v.) and anyone turning words into action is being 'undemocratic' (q.v.). 'undemocratic' - the embodiment of tyranny, whereby the people affected by a decision collectively organise themselves to influence it or, even worse, make it themselves. Any attempt by people to govern themselves, rather than letting those better able to judge in the matter do so, is, by definition, 'undemocratic' (q.v.). See 'undemocratic anarchy'. 'the economy' - our new god, for which no sacrifice made by you at our demand is unacceptable. 'economic liberty' - do what you are told or get fired. 'free market' - the natural order, as created and maintained by state action. See 'laissez-faire'. 'capitalism' - another name for 'economic liberty' (q.v.). An economy where people's choices are unaffected by differences in wealth and power. The embodiment of liberty, defined as having to sell that liberty on the 'free market' (q.v.) in order to survive. 'the state' - an institution which has no place in the 'free market' (q.v.) and so must be gotten off our back and onto the back of the 'working class' (q.v.). See 'laissez-faire'. 'wealth creation' - the process by which the bosses get both the credit and the goods produced by the workers who sell their liberty to them. 'undemocratic anarchy' - the activity of those extremists who believe in the nonsensical idea that those affected by a decision should make it, rather than leave power in the hands of a few politicians, bureaucrats and capitalists. Inspired by 'anarchism' (q.v.), these extremists use 'direct action' (q.v.) and aim for 'anarchy' (q.v.). 'anarchism' - an evil doctrine which spreads the nonsense that liberty is more than picking masters and that another world is possible. See 'syndicalism'. 'syndicalism' - the industrial form of 'anarchism' (q.v.). Promotes 'strikes' (q.v.) and other forms of 'direct action' (q.v.). This results in 'industrial anarchy' (q.v.) and 'high wage increases' (q.v.). Can lead to 'anarchy' (q.v.). 'anarchy' ? an impossible dream which, annoyingly enough, has worked remarkably successfully when put into practice. Based on the ridiculous notion that humanity deserves a better way of living than 'capitalism' (q.v.) can provide and that society should be composed of free people cooperating together as equals, sharing the world to directly meet their needs and desires. Iain McKay ******* From resist at resist.ca Tue Apr 8 10:52:59 2003 From: resist at resist.ca (resist admin) Date: Tue, 8 Apr 2003 10:52:59 -0700 (PDT) Subject: [news] Native Youth Movement Activist Targeted Message-ID: FREE KANAHUS HELP RE-UNITE NATIVE WOMEN WITH HER BABY INTERNATIONAL -Native Youth Movement Press Release- Saturday April, 5th 2003 A 26 year-old Secwepemc/Ktunaxa Women who must breast feed her 6 month-old baby is being held in jail in british columbia, KKKlanada, for Defending un-surendered Indian Land! Native Youth Movement Mother and Warrior, Kanahus Pelkey (slave name: Amanda Soper)was captured on February 22nd., in Ulkatcho Territory, Aniham Lake, BC. Police were called in from several RCMP (Royal Canadian Mounted Police)divisions to hunt Kanahus, her baby, husband and 16 year-old sister down. They were heavily sought after leaving a Bella Coola hospital with her sisters 7 week-old baby who had passed over to the spirit world on the morning of the 22nd. As true Indians, they refused foreign doctors to take their baby, which the hospital tried to take ownership of, and wrapped the young Warrior up in his cradleboard and took him to a Sacred place in the mountains for his ceromonial burial. So called british columbia is all un-surrendered territory, which means that even under Canadian Law Indians own 100% of their traditional Territory (not just Reserves) in the whole Province. Treaties were never signed! Proving their disregard for their own laws, illegal warrants were issued for Kanahus Pelkey in winter 2001 after police attacked NYM Warriors while they were building a home for the winter on un-Surrendered Secwepemc Medicine and Hunting Grounds. The community known as Skewlkwekwelt was Re-Occupied in 2000 in order to stop the expansion of an illegal Ski-resort know as Sun Peaks, which is continuing its Rape of Kanahus Pelkeys homeland. Police have made over 70 arrests of Indian people at Skwelkwekwelt in their attempts to scare Indians from even going on their own land, and protecting what little sustainable recources there are left. She is being held in jail not for criminal activity, but to make an example of what happens to anybody who follows their Traditional ways as an Indian Person. They are showing what extent they are willing to Oppress Indian People by ripping a Mother away from her baby, who never left her side since conception. She went through 4 days of hard labor in the Original Way, on the Land. She would never leave her babys side, she never ever had him away from her. On March 5th she was denied bail in an attempt to break this Strong example of a True Warrior, and her son, who refuses to drink anything but his mothers breast milk. He must be with his mother, she must be with him. Her breast milk is drying up and needs 50$ a week to keep an electric breast pump in jail with her, so her baby can eat! While everybody else with charges has been released, or is out on bail and promise to appears (PTA), Kanahus Pelkey remains imprisoned, showing just how willing they are to rip Indian children from their mothers breast and lifelines. The foreign Governments have no regard for Indian Life. You must show them you are watching the Genocide taking place right under your noses here on Turtle Island. The Indian Wars Are Not Over! Kanahus Pelkey must be re-united with her son. Currently attempts are being made to have another bail hearing as soon as possible, and she is in need of URGENT finacial assistance for bail., as well as the breast pump which she uses, then freezes the milk and gives to her son to take until his next allowed visit. Personal Reference letters are needed as well as funds for Kanahus Pelkey bail hearing. You may Western Union donations for bail to her mother Beverley Manuel, or call her at (250)-679-3413 to make other arrangements. Help Re-Unite this Strong Indian Mother with her baby! She is imprisoned because of her fight for all of our Babies and the Survival of Life! She is able to make collect call and personally inform people on her situation. If you would like to support and will accept collect calls contact nymunite at hotmail.com with your contact information and arrangements will be made to put her in touch with you. Thank You. Please support this Mothers need to be with her baby! Contact NYM Free Kanahus at: nymunite at hotmail.com From resist at resist.ca Wed Apr 9 16:38:45 2003 From: resist at resist.ca (resist admin) Date: Wed, 9 Apr 2003 16:38:45 -0700 (PDT) Subject: [news] OCAP KICKS OLD CITY HALL'S ASS! Message-ID: From: mick To: mick at nefac.net Subject: [APC-Discuss] OCAP KICKS OLD CITY HALL'S ASS! Date: 08 Apr 2003 22:25:39 -0500 from http://www.ocap.ca OCAP KICKS OLD CITY HALL'S ASS! OCAP had two resounding victories in the Old City Hall courthouse on Monday, March 31. Tucker, an OCAP member on trial for theft had a charge dismissed, and Magaly San Martin, up on charges relating to the June 15th 'riot' had her's dropped! Tucker was on the 3rd day of trial for the charge of Theft, relating to the disappearance of a box of standardized tests and their subsequent leak over the Internet in the fall of 2001. The Ontario Government and Crown prosecuting the case have put the cost of this leak as high as $17 Million, and have been pointing the finger at OCAP, both publicly and in the courts, ever since the leak hit the news. The Crown's case was obviously weak from the beginning, solely based on motive (something that the defendant in no way denied) and opportunity. However, from the start, the allegation of opportunity became less and less convincing. The Detective who had investigated the case was forced to admit that he didn't look into all the possible suspects, while the Defense cut major holes in the Crown's proposed timeline of events (i.e. when the tests were actually heisted). When the Crown's case ended midday on April 1, the defense put forward a motion to dismiss based on lack of presented evidence. While this motion is often used, it is rarely effective. However, due to the critical lack of any shred of real evidence presented against Tucker, the Judge was forced to dismiss the charges without the defense even needing to present its side. The dismissal of Tucker's charges should be viewed in tandem with the previous dropping of charges against the co-excused in this case, Karen Silverwomyn. Karen's charges were dropped only weeks before trial, again for lack of evidence. For the courts to drag these two through set-dates, reporting, conditions and more when any legal authority could've predicted the outcome we've seen these past weeks is abominable. After one and a half years, this legal vindication rings hollow, and while we view this as a victory, we know that our real victories come to us on the streets, and not in their courtrooms. Talk about stretching out ludicrous charges. Magaly San Martin finally had charges relating to the 'riot' at Queen's Park - an event which occurred almost 3 years ago - withdrawn after incredible delay by the State. The crown failed to get transcripts to the defense in order to make final arguments, supposedly because the court worker responsible for preparing them has been "ill" all this time. After 5 or 6 times of rescheduling dates they finally stopped their stall tactics and dropped the charges. But again, this acquittal leaves something to be desired. The charges against Magaly should've been thrown out years ago, following her experience in bail court in front of an outwardly racist Justice of the Peace who said, "maybe she thinks she can get away with that kind of thing in Chile, but in Canada we don't allow this sort of thing." The J.P. followed his comment by ordering this community legal worker with no criminal record detained in order to "maintain confidence in the administration of justices." The "administration of justice..." is a farce. Just like we see targeted policing in the streets, we continue to see targeted prosecution in the courts. And as our members and supporters are dragged through the legal swamp that portrays itself as "justice", we are determined to continue the fight on this front. From van-announce-bounces at lists.resist.ca Fri Apr 11 16:17:56 2003 From: van-announce-bounces at lists.resist.ca (van-announce-bounces at lists.resist.ca) Date: Fri, 11 Apr 2003 16:17:56 -0700 Subject: [news] Forward of moderated message Message-ID: An embedded message was scrubbed... From: ism-vancouver at palsolidarity.org Subject: Date: 11 Apr 2003 23:10:01 -0000 Size: 4016 URL: From van-announce-bounces at lists.resist.ca Sat Apr 12 20:34:18 2003 From: van-announce-bounces at lists.resist.ca (van-announce-bounces at lists.resist.ca) Date: Sat, 12 Apr 2003 20:34:18 -0700 Subject: [news] Forward of moderated message Message-ID: An embedded message was scrubbed... From: latinsol Subject: (Colombia) Partial victory for Coca-Cola workers Date: Fri, 11 Apr 2003 19:07:24 -0700 Size: 8138 URL: From classwar-van at ziplip.com Wed Apr 16 13:25:44 2003 From: classwar-van at ziplip.com (classwar-van) Date: Wed, 16 Apr 2003 13:25:44 -0700 (PDT) Subject: [news] Athens - 8000 Riot Against the EU and the War Message-ID: Greece: Violence Erupts Near EU Summit ATHENS, Greece -- Demonstrations against the war in Iraq turned violent Wednesday as protesters clashed with police, torched banks and smashed shopfronts in central Athens near the site where EU leaders are meeting. Disagreements over the conflict are likely to overshadow proceedings inside the meeting too, where the heads of all 15 European Union members are meeting to formally welcome 10 more nations -- mainly from central and eastern Europe. The street violence erupted after hundreds of demonstrators attempted to break through police lines in Syntagma Square, hundreds of meters from the EU summit, news agencies reported. Police fired tear gas into the crowd after protesters set fire to bank buildings and smashed the windows of stores and vehicles. Demonstrators also threw rocks, bottles of paint and petrol bombs at the Italian, French and British embassies, Reuters said. Clashes were also reported in front of the U.S. Embassy. Britain and Italy backed the U.S.-led war against Iraq but France was staunchly against military action. Police said about 8,000 protesters were involved in the clashes. About 50 demonstrators were detained and at least five people were injured, Reuters reported. Tight security had been put in place in an effort to seal off politicians from the demonstrations. About 20,000 police officers are on duty for the two-day meeting. Differences exist within the conference room with those in the EU who had opposed the war lining up alongside those who were for it. French President Jacques Chirac had become embroiled in a public discussion before the war with candidate countries which backed U.S. President George W. Bush. Wednesday's clashes in Syntagma Square followed earlier protests in the city when about 100 demonstrators took over a British Airways office in a southern suburb to protest against the presence of UK Prime Minister Tony Blair. The British leader had been Bush's staunchest ally. The war has divided the continent like no other issue in recent decades and has highlighted what the United States has called a divergence between "old" and "new" Europe -- in other words, those opposed to the war and others, mostly ex-communist countries, that backed the U.S. campaign. U.S. Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld castigated the anti-war camp by saying: "You're thinking of Europe as Germany and France. I don't. I think that's old Europe." Chirac was equally dismissive of pro-war countries, saying they were "badly brought up" and that they had "missed a good opportunity to shut up." But many see this week's summit as an opportunity to resolve the disputes and move on. "This is a kiss-and-make-up summit," Theodorous Kouloumbis, head of the Hellenic Foundation for Defense and Foreign Policy, told Reuters. Greece, which holds the EU's rotating presidency, left Iraq off the official agenda on Wednesday, when the leaders of the 10 new members -- Cyprus, the Czech Republic, Estonia, Hungary, Latvia, Lithuania, Malta, Poland, Slovakia and Slovenia -- are due to sign an accession treaty. The 10 will join the EU in May 2004, once all existing members have approved the enlargement process and each of the applicant countries have held referendums. Michalis Tsinisizelis, professor of politics at Athens University, added: "I think EU members will grab this opportunity to reflect a new unity among them after such a turbulent time." http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/europe/2952959.stm http://athens.indymedia.org/front.php3?lang=el&article_id=92735 http://www.ananova.com/news/story/sm_771261.html -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: From resist at resist.ca Thu Apr 17 15:10:01 2003 From: resist at resist.ca (resist admin) Date: Thu, 17 Apr 2003 15:10:01 -0700 (PDT) Subject: [news] Gordo Thumbs h9i8s nose at UN Ruling Message-ID: -------- Original Message -------- Subject: Gordo Thumbs h9i8s nose at UN Ruling From: "Bob Wilson" Date: Tue, April 15, 2003 9:38 am To: Paul Waterlander Times Colonist Monday, April 14, 2003 Recent world events have shown that Canada, as a signatory to the United Nations, agrees to abide by UN regulations and agreements. Not in B.C. Recently the International Labour Organization, a body of the UN, declared that the Gordon Campbell government has violated democratic labour practices with six different pieces of their legislation. Furthermore, the ILO has recommended that these six bills be rescinded or renegotiated. Campbell's response, to paraphrase, is this: "We tore up, gutted, imposed and downright smashed legal contracts for the good of patients and students and to put them first." Ask any frontline workers -- doctors, nurses, K-12 teachers, college instructors, social workers -- if their clients are indeed "put first" by these changes. Does Canada abide by UN regulations or not? Does Campbell get to pick and choose what labour practices are fair after putting them through his "new era" filter, thumbing his nose at the UN? In B.C.'s "race to the bottom," as far as all workers are concerned, I guess we could change B.C. to mean "Banana Columbia." Paul Waterlander, Victoria. ? Copyright 2003 Times Colonist (Victoria) From resist at resist.ca Fri Apr 18 16:32:25 2003 From: resist at resist.ca (resist admin) Date: Fri, 18 Apr 2003 16:32:25 -0700 (PDT) Subject: [news] NYM Press Release Message-ID: ---------- From: vincentp Reply-To: colours-l at lists.tao.ca Date: Fri, 18 Apr 2003 01:53:38 -0400 To: colours-l at lists.tao.ca Subject: NYM Press Release Native Youth Movement People/Press Release April 15th, 2003 They feel threatened that Native Youth Movement (NYM) will bring back all that they have tried to suppress in Indian People- that fighting Warrior Spirit -Kanahus Pelkey, Secwepemc/Ktunaxa Warrior Search warrants executed. RCMP and ERT(Emergency Response Teams, SWAT) units raid homes and places of work in search of Native Youth Movement Communications. One Warrior arrested, being held with no charges, as Colonial Forces attempt to dismantle Warrior Society. Free Kanahus Pelkey! On Friday, April 4th, 2003, four search warrants were issued by J.N. Asen, Judicial Justice of the Peace in Burnaby, BC. The invasion occurred four days later, on Tuesday, April 8th, 2003. Four houses were raided and two places of work, in Nuxalk Territory (Bella Coola, BC), and Secwepemc Territory (Chase, BC). Their mission: Get the Communications of the Native Youth Movement. The House of Aloosta, Nuxalkmc NYM Warrior was raided in Bella Coola. They took one computer, an old lab top, every computer disc they could find, two camcorder cassette tapes, many papers, address books, and videotaped and took pictures all over the house. NYM Warrior Hawk was arrested and is currently being held with no charges. Then went and took two computers from Aloostas place of work and took two computers and everything that had phone numbers and email addresses. At the same time ERT units with M-16 machine guns went to the Neskonlith Indian Reserve, outside of Chase BC with a classic blank warrant. As they surrounded the residence, they said Open up, we have a suspicion of weapons. They stormed the house, rounding up everyone in the living room, including Kanahus Pelkeys baby, and threatened arrest if anyone crossed invisible lines. The police searched the people making the women lift up their shirts while the male pervert officers stood around and watched. The police searched the whole house. Other people from the reserve Started coming to the house. One NYM Warrior tried to come into the house, but the police handcuffed her, arrested her and put her in the police car. The charge is unclear or unknown. She was later released.The Police started coming out of the house with computers and much paperwork and files. They took three computers and two laptops, every file they could find, address books, and the rest was not specified. Later a second warrant shows up and among all the physical communications, the warrant also included the right to decode passwords and email. Next, they moved in on a trailer, which they had NO warrant for, and busted down the door with a battering ram, coming out with one Computer, some papers, files, disks and searched the whole trailer. They also raided a place of business on the Reserve where they took one computer, papers, files and disks. To finish off a good day off harassing the local Savagez, they went to the house of an NYM Advisor, and took his computer, paperwork, disks, and files. At the end of the day, the Invaders had all our contacts, computers, new NYM Magazine, one Warrior in their grips, and much other information they view as useful. While many of their tactics of Oppression have changed over the years, the tactics that work at destabilizing and neutralizing Movement have not. At the end of the raids on the Niskonlith reserve, one of the cops said loudly "This was a blast, well do it again sometime." And they will. As long as our people are within their reach, they will do all they can to grab us, because we stand in the way of their Progress, which really means destruction, Death. Native People are still viewed as Hostile when we refuse to give up our Lives. We must Free Kanahus Pelkey, please help however you can, Re-unite mother with baby. Contact nymunite @ hotmail.com. Urgent bail Money Needed. We will not let their weak attempts of intimidation sidetrack our purpose, it act as motivation and fire under our feet to live free from Oppression and Invasion, as Beautiful Red Nations. The time for Unity is now! They can take all of what we physically have, but they can never take our Warrior Spirit! Let our common connection with the Earth and the love for our People be our communications to each other. They can only stop us if we let them. We wont. Warriorz Unite! We Are Wolves, Not Sheep! Free Leonard Peltier! Rix Rakan! (Red Power!) NYM Communications For more information on the raids contact: mountain_defender @ hotmail.com For Information on how to help Free Kanahus Pelkey contact: nymunite @ hotmail.com From resist at resist.ca Mon Apr 21 19:00:32 2003 From: resist at resist.ca (resist admin) Date: Mon, 21 Apr 2003 19:00:32 -0700 (PDT) Subject: [news] RCMP Raid Native Youth Movement Message-ID: From: Stefan Christoff To: pga at riseup.net Subject: [pga] URGENT ACTION! RCMP RAID NATIVE YOUTH MOVEMENT Date: 21 Apr 2003 15:23:01 -0400 +#+#+#+#+#+#+#+#+##+#+#+#+#+##+#+#+#+#+#+##+#+#+#+#+#+#+#+#+##+#+#+#+#+#+ URGENT! RCMP ATTEMPT TO DISMANTLE NATIVE YOUTH MOVEMENT - WESTCOAST WARRIOR SOCIETY: TARGET COMMUNICATIONS #+#+#+##+#+##+#+#+#+##+#+#+#+#+#+#+#+#+#+##++#+#+#+#+#+#+#+#+#+#+#+#+#+#+ =====> TAKE ACTION TODAY ! <===== On April 8th, 2003, RCMP - Emergency Response Teams raided four homes and two workplaces of Native Youth Movement, Westcoast Warrior Society members involved in defending Aboriginal Title and Rights in Skwelkwekwelt territories (aka British Columbia's interior). Four search warrants were issued April 4th by Burnaby, BC Judicial Justice of the Peace, J.N. Asen, in an obvious attempt to disrupt & dismantle the Warrior Society by targeting Native Youth Movement, Communications. Coordinated raids occurred simultaneously in Nuxalk Territory (Bella Coola, BC) and Secwepemc Territory (Chase, BC), with computers, computer discs, camcorder cassettes, phone books, emails lists, paper work and files being confiscated. One warrant also included the right to decode passwords and email. In Nuxalk territory, Aloosta Nuxalkmc, NYM Warrior, says RCMP made seizures, then also videotaped and took pictures of the interior of his home. During the raid, fellow NYM Warrior, "Hawk", was arrested and is currently being held without charges. RCMP then went to Aloostas workplace and seized two more computers and everything containing phone numbers and email addresses. At the Neskonlith Indian Reserve (outside Chase, BC) RCMP - ERT units with M-16 machine guns surrounded an NYM residence, yelling: "Open up, we have a suspicion of weapons". As they stormed into the house they flashed a classic blank warrant, then rounded everyone up (including a small baby) into the living room and threatened arrest should anyone cross their invisible lines. RCMP officers searched everyone present, making women lift their shirts while male officers watched. While police searched the house, people from the reserve started to gather outside. One NYM Warrior attempted to enter the house but was promptly arrested, handcuffed, and put into a police car. Charges against her are unknown, but she was later released. Next, the RCMP busted down the door of a trailer with their battering ram, searched it without a warrant, and removed a computer, some papers, files and disks. They raided and seized the same from a local business on the Reserve, and finished off by raiding the home of an NYM Advisor, seizing his computer, paperwork, disks, and files. The RCMP now possess all NYM contacts, computers, new NYM Magazines, one Warrior, and much other information viewed as "useful". At the end of the raids on the Niskonlith reserve, one RCMP loudly boasted: "This was a blast, well do it again sometime." A Native Youth Movement spokesperson said of the raid: "We will not let their weak attempts of intimidation sidetrack our purpose, it acts as motivation and fire under our feet to live free from Oppression and Invasion, as Beautiful Red Nations. The time for Unity is now! They can take all of what we physically have, but they can never take our Warrior Spirit!" =====> PROTEST! - Sample Letter & Email/Phone/Addresses Below <===== #+#+#+#+#+#+#+#+#+#+#+ BACKGROUNDER +#+#+#+#+#+#+#+#+#+#+# Sun Peaks Ski Resort is built on Secwepemc land. This land, known to Secwepemc as Skwelkwekwelt, has provided hundreds of generations with everything needed to nourish their bodies and spirits. Each time Sun Peaks Resort has expanded, it has caused irreparable damage to the land, watersheds, vegetation & wildlife in the area, seriously impacting the Secwepemc's ability to survive. Since purchasing Sun Peaks Resort in 1992, the Japanese holding company, Nippon Cable, and it's partner in crime, Delta Hotels, have expanded on-site accommodation from 100 beds to 4,000. In 1997, the BC government approved a $70 million development plan, allowing Sun Peaks & Delta to continue to expand their resort to 20,000 beds and put ski runs on the previously undisturbed Mt. Morrisey. The Secwepemc attended stakeholder meetings and clearly said "no" to more development. Land and Water BC, however, clearly disregarded their voices and granted new leases to Sun Peaks & Delta to facilitate expansion. These leases were granted through BCs severely outdated Land Act which does not recognize Aboriginal Title. It is business as usual, despite their legal obligations, on the old colonial frontier. The state-party protects commercial, over Indigenous interests, and in June 2001, Land and Water BC obtained a court injunction to forcibly remove Secwepemc from their homelands. Not including the latest RCMP attacks, there have been 54 arrests of Secwepemc peoples and supporters. Charges range from criminal contempt, mischief, intimidation and obstruction of a police officer, to intimidation by blocking a road, resisting arrest, and breach of bail conditions. While forced to pay exorbitant legal defense fees, and/or be incarcerated, the BC government, RCMP, Sun Peaks employees, local residents and tourists have all committed crimes against Secwepemc people with total impunity. The Secwepemc people set up the Skwelkwekwelt Protection Center at the entrance of Sun Peaks Ski Resort in order to protect their Aboriginal Title & Rights, and ensure the accommodation of Aboriginal interests in the area. In response to their resistance, five Skwelkwekwelt Protection Centers, two traditional cedar bark homes, a hunting cabin, two sacred sweat lodges, and one cordwood house--home to a young Secwepemc family--have all been bulldozed or burnt down. None of these acts of racial hatred have been investigated by the state. The outright destruction of Secwepemc sacred sweat lodges, and desecration of sacred objects violates Secwepemc freedom of religion. The Sun Peaks employees who committed these acts were not only not prosecuted, but also publicly celebrated the heinous acts that they had committed. As Aboriginal Title is a collective proprietary interest in traditional territories, the Skwelwekwelt Protection Center and cordwood home were authorized to be built on the basis Aboriginal Title permits. Those requesting permits did not want to be confined to their reserve where dire social and economic conditions prevail, including inadequate housing for all band members. When the homes were ordered destroyed by the provincial government and demolished by Sun Peaks workers on December 10th, 2002, the family's right to housing was violated. On January 10, 2003 a BC provincial judge found four Secwepemc elders-Irene Billy, Charlie Willard, Segweses, and George Manuel Junior, not guilty for their refusal to obey a court injunction obtained by the Sun Peaks Resort to tear down the Skwelkwekwelt Protection Center. The judge found that the Crown could not prove beyond a reasonable doubt that the Secwepemc defenders intentions were "criminal". This case sets an important precedent for other cases of Aboriginal people defending their lands. The mounting of a public pressure campaign to stop the criminalization of Indigenous People protecting their Title and Rights is very important at this time. Like the COINTELPRO operations of the 1970's, the Canadian government is now seeking to destroy Indigenous freedom movements through disruption and crass arrests and charges against all those involved. It is time for all those opposed to the Canadian colonial system and corporate globalization to support, through concrete solidarity actions, the rights of the Secwepemc people fighting state & corporate interests in British Columbia. No One is Illegal Campaign - Montreal nooneisillegal at tao.ca - 514.409.2049 +#+#+#+##+#+##+#+#+#+#+#+#+#+#+#+#+#+#+# TAKE ACTION - SAMPLE LETTER BELOW +#+##+#+##+#+#+#+#+#+#+#+#+#+#+#+#+#+#+# Geoff Plant Attorney General of BC PO Box 9044 STN PROV GOVT Victoria BC V8W 9E2 Phone: 250 387-1866 Fax: 250 387-6411 email: geoff.plant.mla at leg.bc.ca Solicitor General of Canada, Wayne Easter House of Commons Ottawa, Ontario, K1A 0A6 Phone: (613) 991-2924 Fax: (613) 952-2240 email: easter.w at parl.gc.ca Martin Cauchon Minister of Justice & Attorney General of Canada 284 Wellington Street Ottawa, Ontario K1A 0H8 Phone: 613-992-4621 Fax: 613- 990 7255 Email: cauchon.m at parl.gc.ca Premier Gordon Campbell Government of BC Legislative Building Victoria, BC Canada Tel: 1-250-387-1715 Fax: 1-250-387-0087 email: premier at gov.bc.ca Jean Chretien, Prime Minister House of Commons Ottawa, ON Canada pm at pm.gc.ca #+#+#+##+#+#+#+#+ SAMPLE LETTER: #+#+##++#+#+#+#+# Attention: I am sending this letter to protest the Canadian government's continued harassment and criminalization of the Native Youth Movement - Westcoast Warrior Society, and the Secwepemc Peoples involved in defending their Aboriginal Title and Rights in Skwelkwek'welt territories. They have been targeted for their use of their own land and for speaking out against Sun Peaks Resort Corporation and the British Columbia government who continue to expropriate and destroy what was once a vibrant and abundant ecosystem. We stand opposed to the Canadian colonial system and support the Secwepemc people fighting state and corporate interests in British Columbia. Sun Peaks Resort is built in Secwepemc territories, land which has never been ceded, sold, released nor surrendered. The BC government therefore has no authority over Secwepemc Peoples, Skwelkwek'welt territories, or the resources within them. That power is maintained through the criminalization of the exercise of Aboriginal Title and Rights, and forcible removal of Indigenous Peoples from their traditional territories, constitutes genocide under International Laws to which Canada is a signatory. As you are well aware, the development of Sun Peaks resorts has continued without participation of those with Title to the land. In 1997, the BC government approved a $70 million development plan, allowing Sun Peaks to continue to expand their resort to 20,000 beds and put ski runs on the previously undisturbed Mt. Morrisey. The Secwepemc attended stakeholder meetings and clearly said "no" to more development. Land and Water BC, however, clearly disregarded their voices and granted new leases to Sun Peaks to facilitate expansion, and in June 2001, obtained a court injunction to forcibly remove Secwepemc from their lands. Despite recognition of inherent land rights of Aboriginal People as Aboriginal Title in Delgamuukw, and despite the Haida decision that requires provincial and private interests to consult, obtain consent, and accommodate Aboriginal interests prior to pursuing development on Aboriginal territories, First Nations communities are being forced one-by-one to prove their Title and Rights within the courts, when Canada and the provinces could simply abide by the principal of Title itself. We find this forcing of Indigenous communities into the courts, draining huge portions of their time and budgets, a vexatious action on the part of Canadian authorities. This is true as well when Canada forces those protecting Aboriginal Title and Rights to defend themselves criminally. There is ample jurisprudence showing lack of "criminal intent" in cases of Canadian laws being broken in order to stop infractions of Aboriginal Title and Rights. At this point it is clear that police targeting of Indigenous freedom fighters is nothing more than blatant retaliation for failure to sever and/or extinguish Indigenous ties to the land. We view the RCMP raids as part of a coordinated effort to silence and harass those willing to challenge Canada & BC's illegal expropriation of their territories. Canada should be ashamed. Each court battle takes food directly out of the mouths of children, diminishes housing, health care and education for future generations. We stand in support of the Secwepemc people's struggle, and make the following demands in solidarity with their courageous and tireless determination: 1) We demand all charges be dropped against Secwepemc Peoples and their supporters, and that political prisoners be released, as Canada has no jurisdiction in Skwelkwekwelt territories. 2) We demand all acts of racial hatred perpetuated against Indigenous Peoples in Skwelkwekwelt - by police, state officials and public at large - be thoroughly investigated, and tried criminally. 3) We demand Canada and the provinces rescind, amend, or nullify racially discriminatory policies in order to comply with Section 35 of the Constitution that enshrines Aboriginal land, treaty, and inherent rights, and to comply with high court decisions in favor of Aboriginal Title and Rights. 4) We demand the governments of Canada and BC respect their own colonial laws and stop the illegal police harassment and abuse of Secwepemc people asserting their Aboriginal rights and title to Skwelkwekwelt territory. Sincerely, From resist at resist.ca Mon Apr 21 19:07:50 2003 From: resist at resist.ca (resist admin) Date: Mon, 21 Apr 2003 19:07:50 -0700 (PDT) Subject: [news] 50 Re-allocated Police Occupying the DTES Message-ID: Under the pretext of the War on Drugs, Vancouver city police have invaded the Downtown Eastside and are holding it hostage: the streets are lined with people up against the walls being illegally searched; people are stopped for looking poor and their belongings are confiscated. The people of the DTES refuse to live under these conditions without fighting back! For the last two weeks, in response to the 50 new police patrolling the downtown eastside streets, a safe place has been opened at 327 Carol St for people to take refuge off the streets. It has been operating on volunteer donations of supplies and people's time. The space provides sanctuary and safety for people under constant harrassement by the police. There is opportunity to exchange needles, access supplies, access medical aid, health care and have something warm to drink. The police say their sweeps are targeting drug dealers but the reality is that they are indiscriminate in their intimidation. Every night Witness Shifts equipped with camera's and legal rights cards, walk East Hastings observing the police and informing people of their legal rights when being detained and searched by the police. These shifts happen from 10 pm- 2am. They prevent the police from using excessive force and unneccessary questioning of people who live and work in the Downtown eastside. The space relys on donations and volunteer support to stay open. The following donations are currently needed: Coffee, Cream, Sugar Snacks, cookies, sandwiches, fruit. Juice or Juice Crystals Styrofoam Cups Tobacco Cleaning Supplies, napkins Blankets, socks and jackets Feminine Supplies Art Supplies First Aid Supplies Disposable camera's for the witness shifts If you have donations to be picked up call 604-682-2726. Donation drop offs can be made at 42 Blood Alley in the Anti-Poverty Committee Office, or between 10pm and 2am at 327 Carol st. From david at resist.ca Tue Apr 22 09:19:49 2003 From: david at resist.ca (David) Date: Tue, 22 Apr 2003 09:19:49 -0700 (PDT) Subject: [news] New Spring 2003 Catalogue from Black Cat Distro! Message-ID: ---------- Forwarded message ---------- From: blackcat at resist.ca Greetings! The Spring 2003 edition of the Black Cat Distro mail order catalogue is finally out! The catalogue can be viewed online at http://users.resist.ca/~blackcat/Catalogue.pdf or download a copy for printing at http://users.resist.ca/~blackcat/Catalogue.print.pdf. An email (plain text) version can be sent to your inbox on request, though please be aware it weighs in at a whopping 45K! Email your request to blackcat at resist.ca. We are carrying 22 new titles in our Spring catalogue; here is a sampling of what's new: Lickin? the Beaters: Low Fat Vegan Desserts, By Siue Moffat Urban Wilds: Gardeners? Stories of the Struggle For Land And Justice Aggresive Authority: Public Relations with Police Intimidation As Soon As You?re Born They Make You Feel Small: Self Determination For Children Cointelpro: The Danger We Face Globalization, 9-11 & the National Security State, by Zig-Zag How To Circumvent A Security Alarm In Seconds Or Less The Minimanual of the Urban Guerrilla, by Carlos Marighella MIT Guide To Lock Picking, by Ted the Tool Ozymandias Sabotage Handbook The Victory Gardens Project: A Hands On Guide The Walls Are Alive!, by Crimethinc Also, there are at least 10 new issues of the magazines we carry, including: Bite Back! #2 Earth First! Journal Green Anarchy #12 Redwire Magazine Slingshot #77 Plus, great deals on all our magazine back issues! To receive periodic catalogue updates and special offers join our very low volume announcements list. Go to https://lists.resist.ca/mailman/listinfo/blackcatdistro and subscribe your email address. Also, we've relocated to the infamous Independent Republic of Roberts Creek, so please note our new mailing address: Black Cat Distro P.O. Box 229 Roberts Creek, BC V0N 2W0 Canada If you would like a printed copy mailed to you please send us your snail mail address. Thanks for checking us out! Black Cat Distro _______________________________________________ We distribute information relating to animal liberation, radical environmentalism, anarchist and anti-capitalist politics, as well as how-to informational guides and related material. We are the official distributors for both the North American Animal Liberation Front Supporters Group and the (former) Earth Liberation Front Press Office. Our purpose is to spread information to the activist communities because we believe in the axiom, ?knowledge is power.? It?s time to become empowered! From mirth at resist.ca Tue Apr 22 12:58:38 2003 From: mirth at resist.ca (mirth at resist.ca) Date: Tue, 22 Apr 2003 12:58:38 -0700 (PDT) Subject: [news] Safety and Health Emergency in the Downtown eastside Message-ID: <28417.64.180.212.8.1051041518.squirrel@mail.resist.ca> The Anti-Poverty Committee is calling on allies and supporters of people living in poverty to lend support to the people of the DTES. Since the morning of Monday, April 7, 2003 residents and homeless persons of the Downtown Eastside have been living under siege. 50 police have been re-allocated to the DTES from community policing stations whose funding was cut by the provincial government. Under the pretext of the War on Drugs the city police have invaded our community and are holding us all hostage: the streets are lined with people up against the walls being illegally searched; people are stopped for looking poor and their belongings are confiscated. The police say their sweeps are targeting drug dealers but the reality is that they are indiscriminate in their intimidation. The harsh reality is the impact on the physical health of people in the DTES. Health professionals, street nurses, doctors, cannot access their clients, and provide health care, because there clients are constantly harassed every time by police for living and working in the DTES. The health crisis lies in the fact the needle exhanges have dropped by more than half, condom distribution has dropped by more that half, and people are not accessing the health centers and health professionals because of the high risk of being detained, searched and arrested. For the Two weeks, in response to the 50 new police patrolling the downtown east side streets, a safe place at 327 Carol st for people to take refuge off the streets has been opened. We have been operating on volunteer donations, of supplies and people?s time. The space provides sanctuary and safety for people under constant harassment by the police. There is opportunity to exchange needles, access a Nurse, access medical aid and have something warm to drink. The police say their sweeps are targeting drug dealers but the reality is that they are indiscriminate in their intimidation Every night Witness Shifts equipped with cameras and legal right cards, walk East Hastings observing the police and informing people of their legal rights when being detained and searched by the police. These shifts happen from 10 pm- 2am. They prevent the police from using excessive force and unneccassery questioning of people who live and work in the Downtown eastside To keep this space running we rely on donations and volunteer support. We need monetary donations, and donations of these supplies for the safe place. Coffee, Cream, Sugar Snacks, cookies, sandwiches, fruit. Juice or Juice Crystals Styrofoam Cups Tobacco Cleaning Supplies, napkins Blankets, socks and jackets Feminine Supplies Art Supplies First Aid Supplies Disposable camera?s for the witness shifts To Volunteer or make a donation please call The Anti-Poverty Committee 604-682-2726, 42 Blood Alley. From resist at resist.ca Tue Apr 22 17:28:47 2003 From: resist at resist.ca (resist admin) Date: Tue, 22 Apr 2003 17:28:47 -0700 (PDT) Subject: [news] Mohawk Hunter's Trial Concludes Message-ID: -----Forwarded Message----- From: anticapital To: noii-l at lists.resist.ca, redwire at lists.resist.ca Subject: [Redwire] update on Mohawk hunters trial Date: 22 Apr 2003 16:40:49 -0700 Presquile Park Hunters Update from OCAP Radio In 1999 Mohawk hunters entered Presquile Provincial Park, a piece of land within their traditional land claims and began to harvest deer from the park. It was an act of protest but also an attempt to bring the deer population in the park back to a manageable and healthy level after years of neglect by the Ministry of Natural Resources and a direct way to feed their families as well as impoverished communities within Toronto. Several hunters, including OCAP member Shawn Brant, were charged in the incident for firearms violations. Their trial has just wrapped up in Campbelford, Ontario with a guilty verdict, but one with serious ramifications for First Nations treaty rights in Ontario. After the verdict Shawn was interviewed by OCAP radio: ********* CAP RADIO: We're talking to Shawn Brant about his trial, which has just wrapped up. The last time we spoke to him he was still in trial around the charges relating to his arrest for hunting in Presquile Park in 1999. So Shawn do you want to let us know what the decision handed down by her Majesties court a couple of weeks ago was? SHAWN BRANT: Yeah, there was a lengthy trial, 14 days, and not much of a doubt that we were in fact the culprits that in fact engaged in the activity but there was a question that was put which was essentially, was there in fact and is there a relationship that exists between Mohawk people and the Government by way of a treaty and if so does that treaty apply? We have always had a difficulty in having this government and previous governments acknowledge any agreements that they enter into and to have them stand by those agreements and in fact what happened was that the court did acknowledge that there was a treaty that exists and that pertains to hunting and harvesting and acknowledged that the Government of Canada is in fact bound by that treaty. While I was in fact convicted of the offense, the treaty boundary stops short of that particular park, it was a significant victory for ourselves and for the five nations that entered into that agreement in 1701. So it was pretty significant as far as we are concerned. OR: In case people aren't aware, you had gone in during 1999 to cull the herd and the situation was no longer sustainable so you guys took care of that. Yet people from Tyendinaga have gone back into the park since then, in fact just a few months ago. What is the significance of the ruling as far as that and as far as you going back in again in the future? SB: Well Presquile is a small park, considered to be the jewel of the Government's eye. When we went in during 1999 it arose from the disgusting way in which the government had approached the deer population of the park. They wanted something akin to a petting zoo for city people to go out and see a deer on the weekend. So it had come to a situation where the deer had over-populated the park but as well, in the political landscape it was directed by that as well as the need for food as well as the need for us to stick our finger in the governments eye and advance the cause of dealing directly with issues of poverty and issues of need as well. It allowed us to address a couple of those issues. While the trial was going on we did in fact go back in during January and we took out another 85 animals and brought the herd down to what we feel is the start of a manageable level. I'm not entirely sure that the judge saw that as an appropriate thing given that he hadn't given a ruling but it was made clear during the trial that as one guy said, there is no white man who's going to tell me when I have to eat or hunt or where I can hunt. So the MNR in January had to accommodate it simply because 50 well-armed Mohawks were heading to the park anyway. In 1999 it was more akin to a piss up as anything else. So they recognize that there's a need to manage the herd and that probably we are in the best position to do that. As far as the future goes, generally in the absence of a treaty there is a historical record that acknowledges a practice that pre-dates contact and stemming from the trial, even though the treaty that we established, and more significantly the relationship of our people as a sovereign body and the acceptance that we were and are in a position to enter into a treaty, even in the absence of the geographical connection there is a historical aspect known as an aboriginal right to hunt. It's clear that while I was simply convicted of carrying a weapon in a closed park, other charges related to hunting and trespassing were thrown out because it was recognized that we are the people that had our feet on the land well before the white guy came and certainly in the future when we feel it is appropriate to take action to manage the herd, then the ministry, by their own law, are responsible for taking measures to accommodate us. And there is a significant number of animals left in the park and we'll be dealing with that in the fall. If I could also say that the treaty that was recognized, and because the crown obtained a conviction they are not in a position to appeal, the treaty allows for a new frontier to be opened up to us, 400 miles north to south by 800 miles east to west extending west from Oshawa for unfettered, unmolested, no law can be made to circumvent the treaty and realistically you know I feel that issues in and around Toronto you know we have a saying around here that every issue is a hunting issue and the government laughs because, well they don't find it amusing, but we say it in order that we bear arms at most issues. In that area west of Oshawa, every issue could be a hunting issue as well right up to Lake Huron. There's a hell of a lot of parks and lands that could be harvested from and we are looking at those areas and every provincial park that the government has its eye on or feels that it has vested in its interest we are looking at those areas and hopefully we can advance the cause and deal with the need for food and the need for instilling pride amongst our people as well as non-Native people in and around those areas. So it isn't something that's seen to be a closed issue and I think it scares the hell out of people when the words of our ancestors, made in 1701 are coming back and biting them on the ass again. I think people within our community are pretty proud of the fact that for one of the first times ever we were acknowledged as a nation of people and continuing to be the same people as our ancestors, carrying on the legacy of maintaining a way and means for our kids in the future to come. Not talking of looking out for generations to come but going out and fighting for it, fighting for it in the streets, fighting for it in this province and in this country and people are pretty proud of that. And I'm looking forward to what we can muster out of it as well. OR: It certainly brings to mind some interesting possibilities that I am sure have run through your mind as well, the wording of the ruling would suggest possibilities such as some of you coming down to hunt squirrels in Allan Gardens or the ducks in Grenadier Pond. That might be, if not the most productive way, certainly an interesting way to test the government on upholding this treaty. SB: Well we are monitoring the squirrel level in Allan Gardens right now and it may be that the population is a little too high. If anyone hears any gunfire in and around the area it may not just be the cops out shooting people again, it might be some Mohawks in the area traveling through in a hunting party. It could very well be an interesting next year as well. OR: Thanks very much Shawn SB: OK talk to you later. OCAP radio is heard every Friday night in Toronto between 6:10 and 6:45 on CKLN 88.1 FM. From resist at resist.ca Wed Apr 23 12:44:45 2003 From: resist at resist.ca (resist admin) Date: Wed, 23 Apr 2003 12:44:45 -0700 (PDT) Subject: [news] Multiple funding cuts to Women's Centres pile up Message-ID: -----Forwarded Message----- From: latinsol To: apc-discuss at lists.resist.ca Subject: [APC-Discuss] Multiple funding cuts to Women's Centres pile up Date: 22 Apr 2003 22:26:30 -0700 Multiple funding cuts to Women's Centres pile up Media Release: multiple funding cuts to Women's Centres pile up BC Coalition of Women's Centres . British Columbia, Canada http://www.bcwomen.cjb.net . bcwomen at telus.net =============================================== 100 Mile House . Campbell River . Chetwynd . Comox Valley . Cranbrook . Fernie . Fort Nelson . Fort St. John . Golden . Grand Forks . Howe Sound . Kamloops . Kelowna . Kitimat . Nanaimo . North Shore . Penticton . Port Alberni . Port Coquitlam . Queen Charlotte Islands . Quesnel . Richmond . Ridge Meadows . Sunshine Coast . South Surrey/White Rock . Surrey . Terrace . Vancouver . Vernon . Victoria . Westcoast . West Kootenay . Williams Lake =============================================== For immediate release January 17, 2003 "BLACK THURSDAY"- Not the Only Bad News For BC Women BC - The news delivered to women's services and many other groups January 17, 2002 was only the tip of the iceberg. The three year plan announced last year included cutting 100% Ministry of Community, Aboriginal and Women' s Services to women's centres March 2004. For many we thought we had two years before the cuts began - we were wrong. In the last 12 months Women's Centres have had a range of provincial funding contracts cancelled and/or not renewed from a host of Ministries- the latest blow has been the Direct Access Gaming funding. Women's Centres have either not received Gaming funding or received less than half, 4 months late. For the majority of Centres this current slash in funding means that Centres have already cut staff, services and programs and some are in jeopardy of closing altogether. A plea for help made by the BC Coalition of Women's Centres to Minister Lynn Stephens months ago has been ignored. Once again Minister Stephens committed to "look into" the Gaming funding crisis and after doing so referred us to the Minister responsible for gaming who is yet to respond. Minister Lynn Stephens made it clear to the Coalition and its members that a crisis in Women's Centres is not a priority for her. Every women's centre in BC has reported to Minister Stephens an increase in service requests. Women's Centres are busier than ever as a direct result of cuts to income assistance, legal aid, disability benefits, employment standards, human rights, health, education and jobs. Women's centres are overwhelmed by the fall out of the provincial cuts. The BC Liberals have been swift and effective in launching an attack on women and women's services across the province- women in communities are going without food and shelter, women are being trapped into violent relationships, women are giving up their children because they can't feed them, women are turning to survival sex, women are at extreme risk and the BC Liberals don't care. On the anniversary of Black Thursday, the BC Coalition of Women's Centres once again calls on Minister Lynn Stephens to resign. This year has clearly demonstrated that Minister Stephens not only refuses to stand up for women, she has in fact actively and silently betrayed women across this province. Minister Stephens performance in the last twelve months has been shameful. BC women cannot trust or count on Minister Stephens to be effective in protecting women's services or advance women's equality in any way. -30- Media Committee Debra Critchley 250-542-7531 Benita Bunjun 604-255-6554 Dodie Goldney 250-376-3009 From resist at resist.ca Wed Apr 23 17:18:00 2003 From: resist at resist.ca (resist admin) Date: Wed, 23 Apr 2003 17:18:00 -0700 (PDT) Subject: [news] Child Care Month - Nothing to Celebrate Message-ID: -------- Original Message -------- Subject: FW: Child Care Month - Nothing to Celebrate From: "Bob Wilson" Date: Tue, April 22, 2003 5:07 pm Subject: Child Care Month - Nothing to Celebrate Another devastating affect of the Liberal's actions....... Yours June COALITION OF CHILD CARE ADVOCATES OF BC Child Care Month - Nothing to Celebrate! May 2003 For the past 20 years, we have taken time in May to honour and celebrate child care. The tradition began in the early 1980's when the BC Daycare Action Coalition asked the City of Vancouver to proclaim Daycare Week. Our first slogan - Good daycare is good for kids - is as relevant today as it was then. Over time, May has become Child Care Month in BC. Mayors pass proclamations, governments produce posters, child care organizations raise the profile of child care in their communities, advocates push the public policy agenda and all of us take time to celebrate the tireless and remarkable efforts of the caregivers across BC who are there for children, families and communities day in and day out. But - this year is different. This year, we face an unprecedented erosion of the progress we achieved over the last two decades. Here are the facts: - Over a 3 year period, the province will cut over $50 million from child care - Over 10,000 families have lost all or part of their child care subsidy - Enrolment of children from low and moderate income families in licensed programs is down - More children are now in unlicensed settings or on their own before and after school - Wages for many child care providers are being rolled back to 1998 levels - Programs have closed and more will close in the near future. This year - there is NOTHING to celebrate! So, instead of parties, parades and picnics, we are encouraging you to take action that mourns the losses, highlights the critical nature of the situation and holds our elected leaders to account for their broken promises. Here are some ideas: - Order copies of the "Nothing to Celebrate" Bumper Sticker at info at cccabc.bc.ca and post them all over the community (Due to limited numbers of stickers, packages of 25 stickers will be mailed on a first come, first serve basis) - Hold a mock funeral or a silent vigil outside the local MLA's office - Wear gray arm bands - Ask a local reporter to cover the 'real child care stories' in your community - And once again - write, call, or email the Premier, Lynn Stephens and your MLA to tell them that because of their actions - there is nothing to celebrate. For information on campaigns as they develop, stay tuned to http://www.cccabc.bc.ca The following organizations join the Coalition of Child Care Advocates in endorsing this message: BC Association of Child Care Services, Early Childhood Educators of BC, School Age Child Care Association of BC and Westcoast Child Care Resource Centre. _______________________________________________ Cccabc-l mailing list: Coalition of Child Care Advocates of BC http://list.web.net/lists/listinfo/cccabc-l From resist at resist.ca Thu Apr 24 18:11:42 2003 From: resist at resist.ca (resist admin) Date: Thu, 24 Apr 2003 18:11:42 -0700 (PDT) Subject: [news] Montreal G20 Trial Verdict: NOT GUILTY!!! Message-ID: -----Forwarded Message----- From: Jaggi Singh To: pga at lists.riseup.net Subject: [pga] Montreal G20 Trial Verdict: NOT GUILTY!!! Date: 24 Apr 2003 20:22:21 -0400 ---------- Forwarded message ---------- Date: Thu, 24 Apr 2003 19:53:14 -0400 (EDT) From: montreal MONTREAL, Thursday, April 24, 2003 -- After deliberating for more than one day, a Montreal jury of 9 women and 2 men returned an emphatic verdict of "not guilty" in the riot trial of activists Jonathan Aspireault-Masse, Jaggi Singh and Christina Xydous. The charges date back to October 23, 2000, more than two-and-a-half years ago, when over 1000 people gathered in downtown Montreal to protest a meeting of the G-20 (which includes the heads of the IMF and World Bank). The trial lasted three weeks. The jury verdict was all the more powerful since the defendants were also cleared of the lesser charge of "unlawful assembly" which has been used against hundreds of Montreal protesters in the past decade. The jury ended up siding with a group of openly anarchist and leftist defendants who didn't hide their political beliefs. The Crown's case relied heavily on the testimonies of several senior officers of the Montreal police, men with at least two decades experience. Their accounts were soundly rejected in favor of the defense -- presented by lawyer Pascal Lescarbeau, who represented Jonathan and Christina, and Jaggi, who represented himself. Their defense consistently challenged police behavior, as well as the targeting of outspoken political activists for their beliefs, and not their acts. The trial also revealed the widespread use of undercover agents, as well as significant police surveillance of political activists, including persons with no history of arrest, let alone criminal records. Perhaps just as important as the formal verdict, was the fact that several jurors, outside the courtroom, wished the defendants good luck. An essentially middle-class jury was clearly sympathetic to Jonathan, Jaggi and Christina, and the anti-G20 protesters, even after viewing police video images of minor property destruction and rock-throwing after police charged protesters with horses and riot police beat and pepper-sprayed demonstrators. [During jury selection, the Crown systematically excluded persons who might have critical views by virtue of their profession, such as teachers and writers, as well as two working class black men. One rejected juror, a college professor, even criticized the Crown's tactics in an open letter to Montreal-area weekly papers.] Jonathan, Jaggi and Christina wish to thank everyone who supported them, both in court, and with their messages of solidarity. Your support was essential and very meaningful. The verdict today is not just a victory for the three defendants, but also a modest win for political organizing in Montreal. The police and Crown tried to escalate their attacks on street-level organizing by pursuing charges that may result in serious jail time. For the time being, they have failed, at least in Montreal. [The Crown lawyer did indicate she might pursue an appeal.] Jonathan, Jaggi and Christina again offer their full support to John Clarke, Gaetan Heroux and Stefan Pilipa of the Ontario Coalition Against Poverty (OCAP) who are currently on trial in front a jury in Toronto for their role at the June 2000 anti-poverty protest at Queen's Park. John is facing up to five years in prison, and Gaetan and Stefan up to two, for their alleged role as leaders at the protest. Their defense has recently begun, and we wish them well. More info about the OCAP trial is available at http://www.ocap.ca. John, Gaetan and Stefan are fighting a crucial and landmark battle in the courts for all organizers and activists who confront unjust policies against the poor and homeless. Also, Jonathan, Jaggi and Christina offer their appreciation and solidarity with communities and individuals who face systematic attacks by the legal system by virtue of their day-to-day existence: indigenous peoples, immigrant and refugee communities, the poor, street people, sex workers and others. As well, we are more than aware that hundreds of Montreal-area activists and organizers are still facing the courts for various charges -- unlawful assembly, disturbing the peace, mischief, etc. -- for their political efforts. This includes other G20 protesters who are still facing lesser charges at municipal court, as well as anti-police brutality demonstrators, Palestinian solidarity activists, squatters, non-status persons, anti-poverty protesters and others. For information about ongoing legal battles in Montreal, consult the Collective Opposed to Police Brutality's "Judicial Calendar" at http://www.tao.ca/~cobp/calendrier-judiciaire.html There are many other court battles to fight. Jaggi, in particular, faces four more trials this year, including a jury trial in Quebec City related to the anti-FTAA protests in April 2001, as well as a trial in Montreal for his role in protesting against Benjamin Netanyahu's visit to Concordia University (Jaggi, a non-student, has already been arbitrarily banned from Concordia for five years by the university administration, with absolutely no hearing or due process). Thank you again to everyone for your support. To stay in touch about the G20 Riot Trial, and other court matters in Montreal, just e-mail montreal at tao.ca. In struggle and solidarity, Jonathan, Jaggi and Christina From van-announce-bounces at lists.resist.ca Sun Apr 27 20:26:56 2003 From: van-announce-bounces at lists.resist.ca (van-announce-bounces at lists.resist.ca) Date: Sun, 27 Apr 2003 20:26:56 -0700 Subject: [news] Forward of moderated message Message-ID: An embedded message was scrubbed... From: Steve Kisby Subject: Billionaires Disappointed With Pro War Rally Date: Sun, 27 Apr 2003 16:35:58 -0700 Size: 3977 URL: From resist at resist.ca Tue Apr 29 00:01:21 2003 From: resist at resist.ca (resist admin) Date: Tue, 29 Apr 2003 00:01:21 -0700 (PDT) Subject: [news] Safer Injection Site Opening! Message-ID: -----Forwarded Message----- From: Pivot Newswire To: Cop Watch Subject: [Copwatch] Safer Injection Site Opening! Date: 28 Apr 2003 22:35:42 -0700 Support the opening of a Safer Injection Site! On Tuesday, April 29, an interim safer injection site will be opening at 327 Carrall Street, in the Downtown Eastside. Supporters of the site, including Pivot, are calling for volunteers and donations. We need: 1. Supporters to show up for the press conference and opening of the safer injection site. Time: Tuesday afternoon, 2pm, at 327 Carrall Street. 2. Volunteers to assist staff in overseeing the site. Hours are 10pm to 2am, 7 days a week. Contact Megan Oleson, at (604) 561-5724 3. Donations of art to help decorate the space. Photos, paintings, posters etc. can be dropped off at 327 Carrall, but please call in advance: Ann Livingston (604) 719-5313 thanks! Press Release - For Immediate Release, April 28, 2003 Safer injecting site opens in the Downtown Eastside in response to "Project Torpedo" Location: 327 Carrall Street Time: 2pm, Tuesday April 29, 2003 Vancouver - An interim "safer" injection site and night-time drop in centre for drug users has opened in response to an aggressive new policing strategy that public health experts fear may lead to increased transmission of HIV. The centre, located at 327 Carrall Street, provides a place where drug users can obtain sterile injecting equipment and inject under the supervision of a nurse. Intended to alleviate the ongoing high rate of drug overdose and infection resulting from people injecting in back-alleys and alone in hotel rooms, the safer injection site is an interim measure while community members await the opening of the long-promised government funded safe injection site. Megan Oleson, a registered nurse and staff person at the health centre, says, "We had to be proactive to respond to the immediate health needs of the community. The increased police in the Downtown Eastside is only exacerbating the public health emergency and we could not sit by and watch more people dying when those deaths are preventable." The safer injection site began operating on April 7, 2003, the day 'Project Torpedo' was launched by the Vancouver Police Department. Open 7 days a week from 10 pm to 2 am, the centre is proving to be a crucial service for many drug-addicted residents of the Downtown Eastside who need a place to inject safely and obtain injection supplies. Volunteer staff who work at the centre supervise all injections and can react quickly in case of an overdose. Many drug users have expressed their sense of relief that the centre is available and peer-driven. Murray Turnbull, a member of the Vancouver Area Network of Drug Users, said, "We are forced to do this safe injection site for ourselves by ourselves because all layers of the government are unwilling to do what they promised they would do." The opening of the safer injection site is supported by the Harm Reduction Coalition, a group of Downtown Eastside organizations who have come together to speak out against the increased enforcement and demand the implementation of the other three pillars envisioned in Vancouver's 'Four Pillar' strategy. The Harm Reduction Coalition includes the Vancouver Area Network of Drug Users, the Anti-Poverty Committee, the Housing Action Committee, and Pivot Legal Society. A press conference and viewing of the site will be held at 2pm on Tuesday, April 29, 2003. A number of representatives from the 327 Carrall Street drop-in centre and from the Harm Reduction Coalition will be making statements and answering questions. For more information, contact: Megan Oleson, Registered Nurse and staff person at 327 Carrall St. 604-561-5724 Tim Howard - Director, Pivot Legal Society 604-685-5618 (ext. 225) Ann Livingston - Project Coordinator, VANDU 604-719-5313