Minimum Wage in Ontario: Last raise for a while, not the last post

Congrats to Ontario's 200 000 minimum wage earners. In an hour-and-half's time, you'll get a wage increase of $0.25 cents, and be making an astounding $8/hr. In this story, readers are told that Ontario's minimum wage workers shouldn't be expecting another increase to the minimum wage anytime soon. However this certainly won't be my last post about the topic, and hopefully this issue will continue to receive some media attention, perhaps even carrying on into this fall's provincial elections. So, in the mean time, minimum wage earners can look forward to making less than a living wage, and see any modest increases they've received over the past four years be quickly eaten up by inflation. Even Conservative leader John Tory has taken a more progressive stance on this issue than what the Liberals have. Yet, somehow the Liberals are still seen as a 'leftist' party.

Many activists, including myself, strongly support a minimum wage of $10/hr. “You cannot pay the rent... put food on the table... look after your family working for minimum wage. We need at least a $10-an-hour minimum wage for people to be able to do that," stated the NDP Howard Hampton. This needs to be the immediate goal.

Frank Reid, a University of Toronto economics professor, said the economic impact of such a hike (to $10/hr)would probaby be passed on to consumers, who would, in turn, accept a modest increase in prices. “I think Canadian society would think it’s inappropriate...If someone’s working 40 hours a week... you’re making about $15,000 a year, which is probably below most people’s estimate of the poverty line.”

While Reid's assumption is likely correct, the increase to workers wages really ought to be coming out of the enormous profits made by minimum wage employers. This sort of rational is what makes a number of people complain about wage increases (especially for unionized employees), stating that these are destructive because they become a zero-sum game. One entity wins wage gains, while 'the rest of us' lose out. I do believe that wage increases should be a zero-sum game, but one in which workers see their wages rise, and capitalists see their profits fall, until they cease to exist.

Ken Georgetii (CLC) vs. the CFIB

I wouldn't say that there are many things that I hate in this world, but the Canadian Federation of Independent Business is certainly one of them. They've recently released this story which criticizes the discrepancy between public and private pensions. Now, I agree that this discrpency is shameful and that parity between pensions should be achieved, but certainly not by bringing down public sector pensions. Instead of doing the logical thing- that is looking to strengthen private pensions- they've instead questioned if public pensions should be carried on the backs of taxpayers (who, by the way, also include public sector employees). You can read my analysis of that decision here.

Ken Georgetti, president of the Canadian Labour Congress, is fighting back. Sadly, he's not endorsing the immediate nationalization of the heights of the economy, thus putting more workers under a public sector pension, but he did state “The CFIB’s thinking is upside down and their so-called study on pensions identify the wrong problems...Instead of looking for a rising tide that raises all boats, the CFIB is trying to sink the modest middle-class prospects that public employees have worked hard to achieve.” He has also written this letter to Catherine Swift, the organizations president. However, he's suggested working with the CFIB (instead of smashing them). At least there is some retort on behalf of public sector workers, who would be set to lose big time if the CFIB gains any more power that what it already has.

Why capitalism doesn't work

Employees at the Vallee-Jonction Olymel pork plant in Quebec who voted massively Tuesday against concessions to save their jobs have been told its owners will follow through on their warnings that they'll close the money-losing facility. In this case, worker's stood up for the rights- concessions would have cost them about $12,000/yr- and lost their jobs as a result. This is simply shameful. As an aside, Lucien Bouchard is acting as the company's negotiator and described the workers' decision as "incomprehensible."

Now here's a real Dion attack ad....

The Star published this satirical editorial criticizing the new Tory attacks ads for not being negative enough, for not manipulating the facts, for not putting words in Dion's mouth, and for being far too weak. The editorial looks to point the Tories in the right direction, so this advertisement was proposed instead. The editorial says the to Tories, "Help rebuild the distrust and cynicism that's gone missing from this country. Here, free of charge.."


"Stéphane Dion named his dog Kyoto. But he almost called it Greenhouse Gas. That's because Stéphane Dion hates the ozone layer. And he hates humans. He's looking forward to global warming. Because he loves ice cream. He usually gets Neapolitan. Because he can never decide on a flavour.

"Leaders don't hate humans. Leaders don't flip-flop on frozen dairy. Stéphane Dion is a disgrace."

Now that's what I call an attack ad!

Howard Hampton and Ontario's Working Class

At this past weekend's NDP convention, Howard Hampton spoke on the need to pass anti-scab legislation in Ontario to protect striking workers from being replaced by scabs. He cited an example of a government funded agency bringing in scab workers to work at a shelter, and housing those workers in the shelter. He then referred to Dalton McGuinty as a rat for allowing scabbing to take place in Ontario. Here's what he said...

"Last week I was honoured to join the workers at Nova Vita, a shelter in Brantford. They were on the picket-line, supported by dozens of brothers and sisters from the Brantford community. The employer, a government-funded agency, was bringing in scabs and housing them at the shelter itself. How can they get away with it? The other day the workers brought a giant inflatable rat to Brantford city hall to expose the scandal of scabs living side by side with women at the shelter. Who is the chief rat? That would be the Premier who continues to allow scabs in Ontario workplaces. Those women in Brantford know, and we know, there’s no place for scabs in Ontario. Ban scabs that take the jobs of hard-working men and women. That’s an idea for today in Ontario."

Let me say that I support the move to (re)pass anti-scab legislastion in Ontario. It sounds like Hampton is standing up for Ontario's working class, right? While I certainly commend the party for its support of anti-scab legislation, it seems hypocritcal for Hampton to call McGuinty a rat for working against the interests of labour in Ontario. I wonder if Hampton saw a rat when he looked in the mirror after voting in favour of the social contract? Does he consider that selling out Ontario's working class?

Apparently not. Here's a quote from Hampton when asked about Bob Rae's leadership campaign for the federal Liberals. When speaking of the pay raise given to civil servants in 1990 and the aforementioned social contract, Hampton stated...

"Many members of the cabinet said, 'We are in a recession. We cannot afford this. If you look at a three-year agreement, and compound it, we are looking at pay increases of over 20%'...Some of them said, 'Look we could end up in a situation where, three years from now, we have to roll back these increases.' Bob Rae told them they didn't know what they were talking about, but two years later he had to impose the social contract."

Are you kidding Howie? So its the unions fault for negotiating an honest wage increase and the government was justified in its draconian actions? Isn't the NDP the party that's supposed to stand up for workers? Come on Howie...

Hampton is no socialist. Hell, this guy isn't even a Keynesian. He's an ineffective social democrat. He voted in favour of the social contract, something he neglected to mention in his quote. An Ontario manifestation of the third way? I think so. This is a guy that hasn't been able to mobilize Ontario's working class in over a decade, and has guided the party to near irrelevance in the process. Blame it on Bob Rae? Come on now. The party hasn't changed much at all in the past 10 years. After all, Hampton, Shelly Martel, Gilles Bisson, and Rosario Marchese all voted in favour of the social contract. Niagara Centre MPP Peter Kormos is the only current NDP MPP from the Rae era who opposed the measure.

Sorbara's numbers don't add up

Over the past few weeks, many activists have been urging the government of Ontario to increase its minimum wage to $10/hr. The Liberal government will instead only be increasing it to $8/hr on February 1st. Part of the reason for this, according to Finance Minister Greg Sorbara, is that employers would simply decrease hours, lay off workers, and refrain from hiring new workers as a result. This, he claims, would cost Ontario 66,000 jobs. However, the Star has recently crunched the numbers, and Sorbara's math just doesn't add up.

If his methodology is correct to predict the future, than it is also safe to assume that it should be a reasonable indicator of the past. That, however, is simply not the case. If his math doesn't explain the past, we shouldn't let his fear mongering alter our opinions of how the future will look. Thus, it is imperative that the debate over a $10/hr minimum wage continues on, and hopefully becomes an election issue this fall.

"And under Sorbara's assumptions, that means there should have been at least 988,927 employed young workers in 2003. But that many jobs failed to materialize in that period. In 2003, there were actually only 934,700 jobs for young Ontarians, a shortfall of about 54,000 young workers from the number Sorbara's methods predicted there should be. So if his methodology came up 54,000 jobs short in predicting the effect of a 15.4 per cent real wage decline, why should the people of Ontario believe his forecast of as many as 66,000 job losses under a 25 per cent real wage increase? "

Communist Manifesto illustrated by Cartoons

If you don't have time to read Marx and Engels....

Attack Ad Controversy

The Tory attack ads pale in comparison with this one.

Impersonations of Canadian Politicians- Hilarious

This has got to be one of the funniest clips I've ever seen. And I agree, what the heck would a Stephen Harper impersonation look like?

Fall Out Boy vs. Minimum Wage Workers

The upcoming Fall Out Boy album has recently been leaked on the internet, and bassist Pete Wentz described the leak as "devastating" and both the label and band are suggesting that it was a low-level pressing plant employee. Wentz stated...

"Our job is to put out records and tour and make music. What are we gonna do? Sit at the plant and watch everybody? Some guy working minimum wage, why would he care how it affects us? It's a multi-pronged thing. This could be the worst leak in the history in music, f you think that every year computers, iPod, internet music grows exponentially and we're probably one of the biggest bands in rock music on the internet."

Let's not crap all over minimum wage workers. After all, minium wage in the U.S. is set at only $5.15 an hour. No minimum wage laws exist in South Carolina, Louisiana, Alabama, Mississippi, or Tennesse. Minimum wage in Kansas is set at $2.65 an hour when the Fair Labour Standards Act does not apply. Any money the employee got from the leak was probably used to buy groceries and pay bills, which I doubt Fall Out Boy have much trouble with these days.

Now about the leak itself, take it easy pal. 'Dance, Dance,' was hella catchy, and that new tune makes me groove, but don't flatter yourselves too much.

St. Catharines- The Ironic City

It have just found out that the motto of my hometown, St. Catharines, Ontario, is "Industry and Liberality." Now, anyone who is from here knows why this is ironic.

First, let's talk about "Industry." A few decades ago, that would have been fitting. But ask any of the workers on layoff or now unemployed from General Motors, TRW, Dana, Packard, and any others that I'm missing if "Industry" is the best way to describe this town. I wish it weren't true, but industry is drying up and moving south, and our "liberal" politicians have done precious little about it.

Next, let's look at "Liberality." Now this is even more ironic. Our former Liberal (capital L) MP Walt Lastewka voted against equal marriage every chance he got, often siding with the Conservatives, and our new Tory MP Rick Dysktra, was one of the few ultra regressive MPs who voted to re-open the equal marriage debate. At least Lastewka was willing to put it in the past and move on.

Thus, I believe that out newly elected city council seriously look into changing our city's motto. I, for one, propose "Socially Conservative and once Industrial." Now, that'll do wonders for tourism!

Union Membership Continues to Dip in U.S.A.

Union membership in the U.S.A. has dipped to 12% in 2006, down from 12.5% in 2005. This represents a loss of 325,000 unionized positions. This is a drastic decline from the 1950s, when over a third of the American workforce had the benefit of a union. Let's see if the Democrats can help out, with the Employee Free Choice Act.

I get hate mail (and was called a Nazi)

The Daily Dissidence has been barraged with some hate mail over posts on the separation of church and state and the growing gap between the rich and the poor.

An anonymous reader gave me a brief history lesson on the separation of church and state. (S)he stated...

"Just a brief history lesson in regards to separation of church and state. The last two major nations to separate church from state were communist soviet union and Nazi Germany. I do not think anyone in their right mind would want Canada to be included into such regimes."

Thanks for the history lesson. Next time, please be confident enough with your criticism to leave a link to your blog and/or site, so I can comment on your posts. To address your point, which by the way, is totally wacky, I really don't have much to say. I didn't suggest that I wanted Canada to become like Nazi Germany, although there are certain parts of the communist Soviet Union that I would like Canada to emulate. And no, Stalin isn't one of them. If you're not happy with my opinions, my suggestion is pray to your god, and maybe he'll smite me (but probably not). And to give you a history lesson, the official separation of church and state is a long established political doctrine that has taken root in political thought for quite some time, including the works of James Madison and Thomas Jefferson. Although perhaps this, along with the theory of evolution, is a foreign concept to you.

"Rabbit" has commented on my post on the growing gap between rich and poor. (S)he stated...

"The trendy way to insult someone is tack "neo" onto the front of the name of their political affiliations, without much thought or description as to what that might actually mean. It sounds derogatory, and that's enough. What are you, some kind of neosocialist?"

Umm, did you even read my post? You made absolutely no comment on the gap between rich or poor, which is weird since that's what the post was about. So I blamed the growing gap between rich and poor on neo-liberalism, which is in-line with Thomas Walkom's original analysis. I'm well aware why the 'neo' was put in front of liberalism, and it had nothing to do with Keanu Reeves and/or the Matrix. Perhaps you should have a look at a definition of neo-liberalism, and I've kindly provided you with one, which might help you to understand complex political ideology in the future. Indeed, there are clear differences between liberalism and neo-liberalism; sadly, you seem to be unaware of these. Does this make you a neo-idiot, or just an idiot? Either way, you may want to become more familiar with political philosophy before you start using phrases you can't identify. And no, I don't subscribe to neo-socialism, which includes post-war social democracy and 'third way' social democracy. I don't know why I even said that, it's not like you'll understand it anyway.

March 20th- Stephen Colbert Day in Oshawa

The Saginaw Spirit defeated the Oshawa Generals last evening, and March 20th will now be declared 'Colbert Day' in Oshawa, Ontario. This is the outcome of a bet made by Oshawa mayor John Gray and the TV host. Bears still remain a top threat to America, and Steagle Colbeagle the Eagle becomes the second greatest mascot name ever (after Les Expos mascot Youppie!). No word if Colbert Day will be a paid holiday for Oshawa's workers!

Stephen Colbert on unions

...and that's tonight's word.

Why you should SUPPORT Quebec's right to sovereignty

It amazes me that so many bloggers have hit French socialist Segolene Royal with so much negativity for her recent comments supporting a sovereign Quebec. However, you should actually be siding with Royal and supporting Quebec's right to sovereignty yourself. You may be asking "why should I shut my mouth, stop the assault on Royal, and support Quebec's right to become a sovereign nation? Well, here's why. It's called a people's inherent right to self determination. You don't have to endorse Quebec sovereignty, but at the very least you should respect the right of the Quebecois to democratically decide their own future. Democracy...I thought that was a principle that many Canadians held true. It seems like the federalists only see democracy as an important value when it suits their own needs.

Uncorrected Proofs agrees with Royal and myself. Read his post. He correctly notes that any attempt to censure Royal from commenting on non-domestic issues, or any other leader for that matter, questions the legitimacy of Canadian politicians questioning or commenting on issues of international importance, such as human rights violations or the war in Afghanistan and Iraq. Many bloggers, however, aren't quite as progressive.

This guy, who seems rather frustrated with Royal, has came up with a great idea. He says...

Now she's not president yet, but the current government supports Quebec independence, so here's what I propose: For parliament to adopt a bill that says that until France ceases to openly support and encourage Quebec independence, Canada will openly support and encourage Corsican independence. That should put things in perspective.

Ok, that sounds like a great idea. I think Canada ought to support democracy and a a nation's right to self determination. So here's to Quebec's right to self-determination, and here's to Corsica's right to self-determination!

Seperation of Church and State in Ontario

My friend (and current reader of the week) Tim Fowler has alerted me to this story. It's a shame he doesn't have a blog, as he always seems to be directly myself and others to important news issues that he finds on the Internet. Thus, I've decided to post a link to the story, as I think it's an important issue.

Much like I think that Ontario needs to create a unified, secular, public education system in order to heighten the separation of the church and the state, I also think it is inappropriate that 18 Ontario municipalities which still begin their council proceedings with the lord's prayer cease from doing so. I agree with atheist group Secular Ontario, who feel that "what they're saying at council meetings when they say the Lord's Prayer is that this council is only for Christians — it's not for anyone else. And that's wrong." Indeed, it is wrong, and it must be stopped. Even if that involves a law suit, which Secular Ontario would likely win.

Napanee councilor Peter Veltheer, whose council begins each session with the offensive prayer, says "Well, first of all, I think it's a bunch of crap. We've been carrying on with Lord's Prayer here for probably 100 years and there's been no problem with it." Well guess what Pete, there is a problem with it, so I suggest you stop it before you find yourself in a court room. Not surprisingly, all seven members of Napanee's council are white males. And I thought Avril Lavigne was the worst part of Napanee. Jesus was a carpenter's boy, well I say see ya later boy.

The Growing Gap between Rich and Poor

Toronto Star columnist Thomas Walkom has written this great editorial on the growing gap between rich and poor. The blame is rightfully put on neo-liberalism and all the hell it entails, free-trade/globalization, tax cuts for the rich, the gutting of social service, and the difficulty workers face when trying to organize a union. I also liked at the end he identifies that the attitude many take toward the poor is clouded by their Calvinist morality. "We ask ourselves why we should feel sorry for people who wear nose rings or drink beer.
We expect the poor to shut up and be grateful."

As a result of Walkom's routinely provocative and nuanced columns, he will now be linked in the 'anyone whose anyone reads' section. Here's a startling sample of Walkom's analysis found.

"Currently, the richest 20 per cent of families hold about 44 per cent of after-tax national income. That's up from 1995 when the income share going to the top fifth was 42 per cent. Conversely, after taxes and subsidies (such as welfare or employment insurance), the poorest 20 per cent have only about 5 per cent of income. They are relatively poorer than they were in the '80s. They are relatively poorer than they were even 10 years ago when their share of income was slightly higher at 6 per cent. As for the middle 60 per cent of families, they too are slipping behind."

What do Canadians say about ATM fees?

A number of people have commented on the NDP's proposal to eliminate some ATM banking fees. Reading the comments is very interesting, and very surprising. Regardless of one's partisan outlook, this amendment, if passed, would clearly save Canadians money.

There are a lot of people, I suspect party members or people sympathetic to the NDP, who fully agree with Layton, a number of people who say, 'Woah, I finally agree with Layton,' and a surprising large amount of people who actually defend big banks. I found that to be a surprise as I thought this tactic would resonate with a lot more people. Some people see nothing wrong with excessive 'service fees' and think Layton is silly. Consumer protection has always been a cornerstone of the dippers, and one that often was salient with other voters as well. However, I was taken aback by the lack of support and/or interest of many Canadians.

Sadly, I didn't recall seeing any comments that agreed with my position that Layton and the NDP didn't go far enough and instead need to nationalize the banking industry as their C.C.F. foremothers and forefathers suggested.

The Religious Right Rock n' Roll

Seriously...what a joke.

Fundraiser for striking credit union workers

The St. Catharines and District Labour Council invites you to a...

FUNDRAISING BENEFIT FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 2, 2007
for C.O.P.E. LOCAL 343 FIRST ONTARIO CREDIT UNION WORKERS

These sisters have been on the cold picket lines since October 20, 2006 with no end in sight. Their ruthless employer is attempting to cripple their union . We call upon all affiliates, unionized workers and supporters to join us in fighting First Ontario Credit Union attack on organized labour and in supporting our Sisters on the picket line.
C.A.W. HALL
124 Bunting Rd. St. Catharines,7:00 p.m. 'till ?
Tickets $ 5.00 ( price includes beef on the bun and D/J Karaoke)
Silent Auction
OF L
GUEST SPEAKERS :
JERRI NEW NATIONAL PRESIDENT C.O.P.E.
ANDREA HORWATH MPP, HAMILTON EAST
WAYNE SAMUELSON PRESIDENT, ONTARIO FEDERATION LABOUR
BRYAN PALMER...PROFESSOR TRENT UNIVERSITY
WAYNE GATES...PRESIDENT, C.A.W. LOCAL 199
SUE HOTTE... PRESIDENT, SCDLC

For tickets contact:
Bruce Allen 905-934-6233
Sue Hotte 905-932-1646 , fax (905) 641-1646
In Hamilton area: Barb Rowell 905-560-3412

Please plan to attend a night of fun, music and unity

Reader of the Week/ Mailbag

The Daily Dissidence is happy to name Timothy Fowler as 'reader of the week.' Tim is a twenty-something Wainfleet, Ontario resident and is completing an undergraduate degree at Brock University. I would link his blog, but as a result of his 56k dial-up, he doesn't have a blog. He's claimed that he only uses the internet for five sites, and the double-d is happy to be amongst those five (the others are Chart Magazine, the CBC, e-mail, and this guy's blog). Thanks Timothy. I'm honoured at how important my blog is to you.

The double-d also got some mail. This week's comment comes from Pete, for whom I couldn't find an appropriate link. In a comment to my post on the NDP and eliminating bank fees, Pete said....

It's a good idea (banning fees, not nationalizing banks).Why should Canadaians pay so much more for ATMs than people in other countries. As someone who travels from time to time, this has always burned me.The banks need to realize that we SAVE them money when we use the ATMs, because they don't need to hire as many staff to look after us at the bank.

Umm...thanks? Yes? No? I'm not sure how to respond to this. I concur that eliminating these fees is a good idea, thus my original classification of this policy as "a progressive minded economic policy." While I feel that nationalizing the banks is a great idea as it takes a key pillar of the economy out of private interests and puts them into public control, I guess a lot of dippers don't agree with me.

I'll leave you with a quote from the Regina Manifesto; I think it illustrates how weak the NDP is vis-a-vis the CCF. I'd likely die of the shock if Jack Attack were to make a similar statement.

"No C.C.F. Government will rest until it has eradicated capitalism and put into operation the full programme of socialized planning which will lead to the establishment in Canada of the Cooperative Commonwealth."

Why federalists are hypocrites...

The Canadian government has pledged up to $20 million in new money from to help Lebanon's U.S.-backed government and its economic program for the war-scarred country. Woah, wait a second. Only a few short days ago, Prime Minister Harper stated that "Experience teaches that it is highly inappropriate for a foreign leader to interfere in the democratic affairs of another country," when responding to French Socialist presidential hopeful Ségolène Royal's comments that he saw as a sign of her sympathy for Quebec independence. Which way is it? Either foreign leaders can and should comment on international affairs, or they shouldn't. The federalist hypocrites can only have it one way. Time to choose.

NDP vs. Big Banking

It's not quite socialism, but at least it's a progressive minded economic policy. The federal NDP has called for an end to ATM fees for banking transactions. In the last year, Canadians paid about $420 million in charges to cover these transactions.

"The NDP thinks hard-working Canadians should not be charged by banks when they deposit, withdraw or transfer their own money using an ATM," Layton said in a release. "The NDP will table amendments to the Bank Act that would eliminate fees for using ATMs."

Now, calling for an immediate nationalization of all key facets of industry, including the banking industry, would have been a much more appropriate, but I'm suspect that this will get Jack Attack a few more votes, which the party desperately needs.

Ontarians speak out- minimum wage

The debate over a $10/hr minimum wage is heating up in the blogosphere, and is increasingly finding its way into the news media, particularly the Toronto Star, who has been running a feature story on the working poor on a near daily basis. The Star recently asked various Ontarians what they thought of the NDP's proposed increases to minimum wage. It seems that most people recognize the need for a living wage and are in favour of increases more generous that what the current Liberal government is proposing. It also seems that the MPPs recent decision to give themselves a 25% wage increase is resonating with many Ontarians. Whether or not this issue will be still be as salient by the time fall election is another issue all together, but not many Ontarians applaud the MPPs decision to give themselves an unwarranted raise. With the exception of Scott Mitchell of Brampton, who is clearly an arrogant asshole, most respondents were supportive of substantial increases. Here's what they had to say....

They are called minimum wage jobs for a reason. If you don't like the pay, get an education and find something better.
Scott Mitchell, Brampton

Everywhere minimum wage has been raised to a living wage the result has been a success. After all if you have more money to spend, doesn't the economy get better, more jobs are created to fill the demand for more consumer products.
Richard Clark, Toronto

The problem with this is the question. The minimum wage issue ,should be thought of as regional. The cost of living in Toronto is higher than say, Woodstock. Private sector wages often reflect that, so should the minimum wage.
K. Morant, Guelph

Being a student, I support the idea of raising the minimum wage, but it should be raised gradually to provide businesses a chance to adapt much like the government is already doing now.
David Valentin, Toronto

Mr. Sorbara doesn't have to worry, he just voted himself a 25 percent wage hike. Get real Ontario. Let him and his cronies live on $8 an hour and then perhaps we will see a change of heart.
Ruth McNeil, Toronto

I find it ironic that a modest wage hike for workers triggers such fear-mongering regarding inflation fears, but there is nary a raised eyebrow when politicians give themselves raises and the executive branch of corporations pay themselves millions.
Helen Bullock, Ajax

People just want a chance to have a decent life. If $2 more an hour will at least give them a chance, just do it. It's not like they are asking for $25,000!
Louise Colby, Toronto

Sexism, Patriarchy, and Women in Politics

Women have traditionally faced barriers to full political equality, and many of these barriers sadly still exist and prevent women's full realization in the political sphere. I firmly believe that patriarchy and sexism need to be challenged and overcome and the political oppression of women needs to be ended. I also support gender parity in all elected forums. Politics is often seen as a man's game, and that conception needs to be changed. Keep in mind that women were legally barred form voting until 1918 (though certain groups, including some women, were still barred from voting until much later). In Quebec elections, women didn't have the right to vote until the 1940s. After all, women weren't considered 'persons' until the 1930s.

Let's take a look at some of the sexist comments that female politicians have faced in the past. I post this for people to get a good look at what our female politicians face in their daily lives. We certainly wouldn't tolerate this systemic abuse in our workplaces, and it certainly shouldn't be tolerate in legislatures across Canada.

When Agnes McPhail was first elected, a parliamentary employee blocked her way into the legislature, stating, "You can't go in there miss."

In the Ontario legislature in the early 1980s, Sheila Copps was suggested to go "back to the kitchen" following her persistent questioning of the government. Over the years, Copps would be referred to as "baby," "slut," "witch," and "a goddamn ignorant bitch' by her male counterparts. Members of the legislature routinely commented on her looks, weight, voice, and bra size.

BC MLA Judy Tyabji was denied custody of her three children because the (male) judge felt that her political ambition was incompatible with parenting. Meanwhile, few questioned a single Trudeau, father of three, governing the country.

In the Manitoba legislature in the early 1980s, a female member was told that she "deserved a slap." In the early 1990s, male MLAs in that province often made gun-shooting gestures to their female counterparts.

In 1984, Pat Carney, a single mother and MP, was told that the MP's family benefit wouldn't allow her to fly her young son to Ottawa to visit her. She refused to perform her duties until this was thankfully reversed.

During the NDPs reign in Ontario, many female members were mocked and had kisses blown at them by male members when they were speaking.

In spring 1998, Stockwell Day, a current federal minister and then acting premier of Alberta, stated "It's sometimes difficult to maintain a focus with all the chirping from the Spice Girls over there." As a backbencher, he accused Marie Liang of "browbeating" members of the assembly withe her "irresponsible" views on women's rights.

The all-time worst statement comes from Newfoundland Conservative John Crosbie. Speaking to Judy Rebick, he said "We can't have women representing themselves or the next thing you know we'll have to have the crippled and coloureds."

The notion of politics as a man's game needs to be ended. So does patriarchy, sexism, and oppression.

Are you listening to 'gay music'?

You very well might be. Check Love God's Way to see. They have complied a list of 'safe bands' and a list of 'gay bands'. The list of gay bands includes The Doors, Queen, Metallica, Jay-Z and Elton John, who they claim is 'really gay.' Now, someone has told me that the sight is a hoax, but nonetheless, it makes you shake your head.

France and Quebec Sovereignty

Chantal Hebert's newest column claims that French socialist leader Ségolène Royal's recent comments endorsing a sovereign Quebec are ignorant and out of touch with reality in France. She was portrayed as a gaffe-prone candidate by Libération, a newspaper usually sympathetic to her socialist party and was also slammed by many of the readers who responded to the story on the website of Le Monde, another outlet usually sympathetic both to Quebec nationalism and to the French Left.

Regardless, I support her right to endorse a sovereign Quebec, and I also support Quebec's democratic right to self-determination.

The most humorous part about this entire story is that fact that if Stephane Dion- a dual citizen with France- is elected prime minister, and Royal is elected as France's president, Dion's own president will be endorsing the 'break-up' of the country he governs. I guess Dion won't be voting socialist in France's election.

Thanks for the readership

If you're reading this, you'll be the 50th person to visit my blog today (please pat yourself on the back on my behalf). That's a pretty amazing feat in my mind, considering that this blog hasn't been up for too long and is currently only affiliated with one blog roll. For some blogs, 50 hits isn't a lot; however, I'm pretty thrilled with the readership I've got thus far. Yesterday's readership was also over 45 posts. If it wasn't for people taking a few minutes out of their day to hear what I have to say, this blog would be less rewarding for me, thought I'd still be faithful posting away on a daily basis. Thanks again.

NDP Socialist Resolutions

I'm not a member of the New Democratic Party, but I certainly identify with their socialist caucus. If the entire party was this way, it's likely I'd take out a membership in the party. However, there is an upcoming ONDP policy convention- January 26 to 28- and the NDP Socialist caucus has some great resolutions. I wonder how the social-democratic Trudeau liberals within the party will feel about them. My favorites include....

3. Work Week
Whereas the Canadian work week is among the longest in the industrialized world, a situation proven to cause increased stress, illness and lower productivity;
Whereas tens of thousands of new jobs would be created if the work week was reduced appropriately;
Therefore be it resolved that the NDP actively campaign to reduce the work week to 32 hours, without loss of pay or benefits to workers, and to outlaw mandatory overtime.

16. No Public Funding for Religious Schools

18. Repeal the Clarity Act

19. Right to Strike
Whereas governments increasingly seek to erode, restrict or eliminate workers’ right to strike, falsely arguing that unions and strikes pose a threat to public health and safety, while governments themselves trample human needs by de-regulating capital, privatizing public services, and facilitating growing corporate control over all facets of life;
Therefore Be It Resolved that the Ontario NDP actively campaign for, and seek to legislate the unfettered right to strike for all working people, and that the party respect the integrity and competence of unions to safeguard public health and safety and provide for the delivery of genuinely essential services during a strike by their members.

Others include resorting cuts to welfare, increased public ownership, the elimination of tuition fees for post-secondary education, and raising minimum wage to $10/hr. The full list can be found here

Fake MySpace sites and Canadian politicians

It seems that a host of phony MySpace sites have been created that pardody various Canadian politicians. My personal favorite is the Stephan Dion site, which stated...

"I decided to run for leader of the Liberal party, and won against the war-loving Iggy and the nude-diving Bob!"

"I won because 'my homies' (as they say en anglais) Gerard Kennedy and Martha Hall-Findlay helped me defeat Bob and Iggy (sic)."

Hilarious. I would provide you to a link for the exact site, but the site's creator voluntarily pulled the profile due to media interest. Way to stand tall in the face of adversity pal. Your site would be getting an unreal amount of hits had you not pulled the plug.

French socialist endorses Quebec sovereignity

French presidential hopeful Ségolène Royal seemingly endorsed a sovereign Quebec following a meeting with PQ leader Andre Boisclair in Paris. When asked her opinions toward a sovereign Quebec, she stated "It goes with our common values, which are Quebec's sovereignty and freedom," and added "I think that Quebec's influence and its place in the hearts of the French people support that." Bosclair concurred, stating "I think the French really understood our message. I would even say there was sympathy."

Stephen Harper, playing the role of Captain Canada, showed his lacked of enthusiasm to Mlle. Royal's comments, exclaiming that "Experience teaches that it is highly inappropriate for a foreign leader to interfere in the democratic affairs of another country."

However, that wasn't a problem for federalists in 1995 when Bill Clinton appeared on behalf of the federalist camp and essentially supported the federalist position, though stopped short of a direct endorsement.

And speaking of interfering in another country's affairs, isn't that exactly what the war in Afghanistan is doing? And Mr. Harper is unwavering in his support of that war. I guess it depends on what side of the bed he wakes up on.

Blog for Choice link

Check out the blog for choice site

Today is Pro Choice Blog Day

Visit the blog for choice webpage, hosted at bushvchoice.com. In honour of that, I thought I'd share this clip with you. I guess it explains why I'm pro-choice; if we don't have accesible, publicly funded abortions, here's what will happen.

Ontario's two-tier public education

Bad enough that private schools exist in Ontario. They unquestionably create a two-tired atmosphere in which those with money have different (and often better) opportunities than those without money. That's why I've always been a firm believer in accessible, publicly funded education. And to be clear, that public education ought to be from a unified, secular, board of education.

However, it's troubling to note that York Region has created a two-tiered public education system. The board now runs an evening tutoring session at a cost. The eight-week program- consisting of sixteen hours worth of tutoring- costs $190. It is made available for students in grades 4, 5, and 6. In fact, only one trustee opposed the tutoring system, though her arguments were not based on opposition to the existence of a fee for service, but rather, she argued that all students should learn what is necessary throughout the day.

Now, when a teacher tells a parent that his/her child is struggling and recommends the program, it is natural for parents to worry and, if finances are available, send their child to for extra learning. Even if the family is not well-off and struggles to get by, it's likely that they'll somehow try to send their child if recommended. The board does make some subsidies available for low-income parents.

The problem here is not that the board is offering extra assistance for students in need. In fact, I commend them for their efforts. The problem is that a public education board is charging students for the knowledge that they should be provided with at no charge. If the students can't learn the required knowledge in the regular school day, no problem, I'm certainly in favour of after school and evening programs. However, in the public board, let's not charge parents for these services. As a public board, they ought to do everything they can to ensure students are not suffering and falling behind. But they ought not to charge additional funds, thus creating a two-tiered public education system.

US Labour: Employee Free Choice Act

The struggle for workers’ rights shouldn’t have to be so slow, so hard, or so unfair... It's time to fix the system!

Many working Americans are hoping that the new Congress will make the union certification process for workers much easier that what it currently is (which isn't easy at all). The Employee Free Choice Act will respect a worker's right to choose a union, will make penalties more un-cooperative employees stiffer, will set up a process for a timely first contract and will extend a voluntary recognition/card check certification process. A petition has been set up here. The current process is flawed and unquestionable favours employers. Let's see how willing the new Congress is to stand up for working class people. Here's to hoping!

Union Strike Folk Song by Lisa Simpson

My favorite Simpsons clip ever. The foreign language dubbing teaches children all over the world the power of a union.

"Lisa needs braces."

Stephane Dion: White and Nerdy

We all know that he's green. We all know that he's nerdy. But this guy is about as white and nerdy as they come.

More proof of Harper's Homophobia

The CBC reports that a young man holding a penis shaped squirt gun was advised by the prime minister's entourage not to enter a B.C. event at which Harper was speaking. There is no word on what substance the gun was to shoot out.

Canada: A non sovereign country

Star columnist Thomas Walkom was written a great column on Canadian sovereignty, or lack there of. He notes that the Royal Bank denied a Canadian citizen a U.S. currency account, claiming that if the bank wanted to do business in the U.S, they would have to strictly follow American laws. This situation is very similar the Bell Helicopter fiasco in which the firm transferred 24 workers off a project for an American defense contract. These people were all Canadian citizens, but born in 'questionable countries,' and as such, weren't allowed to work on the contract, as it was in violation of American laws. However, the actual production occured in Canada. As a supposedly sovereign nation, we really ought to be standing up for our citizens and applying domestic law in Canada and not foreign law.

No wonder some Quebecois rightly make the claim that Canada isn't even a country!

Stephane Dion: Hottest politician ever

The Liberals are so hot hot hot!

The Hip New Liberal Ad

A few reasons why you ought (not) to vote Liberal.

Four Homeless Sued in N.Y.C.

A shopowner in New York City has sued four homeless people and is seeking US$1 million from John Doe, Bob Doe, John Smith and Jane Doe.

I doubt that these people have $100 between them, let alone $1 million. Dollars, however, play little role in the lawsuit and it is based more on criminalizing homelessness.

Of course, this keeps with the neo-conservative tradition of fighting the poor and not poverty.

Canadian Federation of Independent Business endorses socialism

My favorite neo-conservative interest group has just released a report highlighting the inherent equality and human betterment that socialism offers. While this clearly wasn't what they were hoping to achieve in their report, they have identified many of the downfalls of capitalism and have highlighted the misery it brings about.

Their report highlights the fact that the pension system and retirement benefits offered in public sector employment are much better than those offered in private sector employment. Specifically, public sector workers can retire earlier, maintain benefits, and earn a decent monetary retirement package.“We are on our way to a two-tier retirement system,” the report stated, adding that "in researching this issue, it became obvious that those of us who work in the private sector will not have the same means to retire as our counterparts in the public sector."

A two-tier retirement system is inherently wrong and must be corrected, but that is what the capitalist systems offers to its workers How can this be bettered? I would suggest that joining a trade union and advocating public ownership in industry is the best way to alleviate the suffering that those working in the private sector face.

A Unified, Secular, Public School System in Ontario

The debate over the creation of such a system has heated up, at least in the blogosphere. Tomorrow's Trust, a Catholic education site, has added Uncorrected Proofs views on this issue to its main site, as well as some of the hate mail he has recieved from the 'religious right'. The creation of a unified, secular, public school system is something that we should all strive for. As a former student of the separate school board, I feel it is archaic and outdated, and thus needs to be modernized. They way to modernize Ontario's education system is to create this unified, secular, public education system.

Let me begin by stating that this in no way prevents the continuation of Catholic education; they will still be free to run their own religious education system, as every other religion currently is. The difference, however, is that Catholic education will no longer be funded by the government and tax payer. The separation of church and state has been a longstanding political tradition, and it's about time that Ontario's school system be reflective of this. Quebec and Newfoundland have already made similar changes.

One would be correct to point out that minority education (Catholic/Protestant) is guaranteed in Canada's constitution. However, the constitution is a living tree, and by no means does it have to stay the way it was in 1867. When it needs to be updated, then it ought to be updated. Such was the case with the infamous 'Persons case' in the 1930s. The historic compromise of minority religious education was appropriate in 1867, the same is no longer true today. To create a unified, secular, public education would require a constitutional amendment. Ontario would need to propose this to the federal government, who would also have to approve it. They did the same for Quebec and Newfoundland, so there is no reason to see it being a problem in Ontario. To this day, no court challenge has been able to alter the unified, secular system in either one of those provinces.

It is important to note that the United Nations has criticized Ontario for its education policy for violating basic human rights. Some may ask why not simply fund all religious education? Well, this would further connect religion and the state. As I mentioned previously, these entities need to be separated. Furthermore, Canada is- whether one likes it or not- a multicultural country. As such, separate education systems divide us and prevent culture from being shared. It creates the concept of 'the other,' and makes acceptance of other religions much harder. The very name of the system- the separate school board- clearly illustrates that instead of uniting Canadians, it divides and separates them.

I attended a Catholic high school from kindergarten to grade 12. Though those years, I didn't know anyone of Jewish faith, anyone of Hindu faith, anyone of Muslim faith, or anyone else besides Christians (presumably Catholics) that went to my school, or any Catholic school. I felt segregated from a cosmopolitan society. This represents the failure of Ontario's education system to integrate various religions; it also represents a major hindrance to the realization of true multiculturalism.

A unified, secular, public education would connect people from all nations, cultures, and religions. It would end the current system of divisiveness and discrimination. It's about time that Ontario recognize the fact that this is 2007.

Lunatic Fringe - The New Democratic Party of Canada

Hilarious video, and a smoking soundtrack to go along with it.

James Laxer vs. Jack Layton

Jack Layton was a guest on TVO's The Agenda this evening, discussing the strategy and future of Canada's left(ish) party. The segment focused a great deal of principle vs. politics, and some guests suggested that Layton and the NDP had opted for the latter in recent times. A quote from fromer Waffle leader James Laxer was put on screen, much to Layton's dismay. It stated...

Strangely, in the 2004 election, and much more overtly in 2006, the NDP leader exhibited a penchant for short-term fixes over long-term party-building. He became a servant to the proposition that what was good for working people and for the left was more seats for the NDP—no more, no less.

Needless to say, not too flattering. But then again, the truth does occasionally hurt. Such an analysis forces those of us on the left to look critically at the NDP and our relation to the party. What future directions should those committed to the left take, particularly organized labour? Should we abandon the party? Reform it? Accept it? At the very least, we should have a look at the full article written by Laxer, entitled Fake Left, Go Right. His blog entry on a similar subject is also worth the read.

Unions on MySpace

The future of union organizing is upon us...

Teamsters
Service Employees International
United Auto Workers

Stephane Dion: Snake in the Grass

At a recent breakfast meeting with Bay St. decision makers, Dion stated that the Conservatives move toward an environmentally friendly policy is a ploy to get votes. Way to figure that one out Einstein. I'm so glad that an intellect is leading the Liberal Party. Oh, and look how quickly he's dining with the Bay Street crowd. Perhaps no real surprise, he also stated that he wants to make a sustainable environment part of a strong economy with balanced budgets, debt reduction and competitive taxes. That sounds awfully similar to the Liberal administration of the mid 1990s. Great, that's all we need.

Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. and Organized Labour

Today is Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. day. He needs no introduction; we all know about him and we are all indebted to him. His most familiar speech, "I have a dream...," is perhaps one of the most well-known and influential speeches in world history. Something less known about Dr. King is his involvement with striking garbage workers in Memphis, Tennessee, and his general support for the demands of organized labour.

Like racial minorities seeking justice and rights, organized labour has also frequently faced dogs, fire hoses, teargas, and tough guy cops with clubs. The powerless have consistently had to fight for the right to free speech, free assembly, and free association. In Memphis and elsewhere, Dr. King stood up for the rights of workers.

Have a look at this link from the American Federation of State, County, and Municipal Employees and learn something about Dr. King that you probably didn't know.

A brief example......

Negroes are almost entirely a working people. There are pitifully few Negro millionaires, and few Negro employers. Our needs are identical with labor's needs — decent wages, fair working conditions, livable housing, old age security, health and welfare measures, conditions in which families can grow, have education for their children and respect in the community. That is why Negroes support labor's demands and fight laws which curb labor. That is why the labor-hater and labor-baiter is virtually always a twin-headed creature spewing anti-Negro epithets from one mouth and anti-labor propaganda from the other mouth.

Dr. King at AFL-CIO Convention, December 1961

The real question here is why isn't Martin Luther King day celebrated in Canada. The work he did and the rights he fought for didn't stop at the 49th parallel; neither should his memory.

Living on welfare in Ontario

The Toronto Star has published a rather insightful story about the hardships of living on welfare in Ontario. It follows two individuals, a single mother attempting to get into the University of Toronto to earn her degree in sociology, and a recovering alcoholic who is looking to get into the job market by taking computer classes. The mother lives on $1,008/mth, 80% of which goes to rent and utilities. The 57-year-old man earns $979/mth, $450 of which goes to renting an apartment (in a professor's house) and $250 for food.

The Progressive Conservative regime of Mike Harris and the current Liberal regime are rightfully criticized for their stance of welfare. After the Tories cut welfare rights by over 21% in 1995, a single mother was earning only $957/mth. After a whirlwind of rhetoric in opposition for eight years and four years of governance, the Liberals have increased this payment to $1008/mth. The paltry increases have been eaten up by inflation, and those trying to make ends meet have fallen further behind as a result. According to the Bank of Canada, a basket of goods and services worth $100 in 1995 now costs $124.16.

But don't expect any further increases. The Liberals, much like their predecessors, seem to see people on welfare as bums. They somehow think that living on welfare is more attractive than a job. "We have to be careful ... we always have to watch the welfare wall," says one Liberal.

I hate to beat a dead horse here (sorry PETA folks), but isn't this the same government that just voted themselves as 25% pay increase? Talk about politicians being out of touch with reality.

Religious Hypocrisy

For an interesting read, have a look at this issue of Life Advocate, a magazine of the religious wrong (I mean religious right, freudian slip) that was published shortly after the murder of Dr. Slepian. Among the rhetoric, I found this interesting quote...

"The shooter is a hero. Whatever action is justified to save the life of a born baby is justified to save the life of an unborn baby.”

Umm, I thought "thou shall not murder," was one of the ten commandments. Another telling example of the absolute hypocrisy of the right wing. And don't claim that abortion is murder. A fetus/embryo is not alive, so it can't be murdered. Life begins at birth, end of story.

Reader of the Week/ Mail Bag

The Daily Dissidence would like to thank all of its readers for their support; without your interest, the DD would be a real waste of energy.

This week's reader of the week is Suzanne, from Ontario, Canada. Her interests include the anti-choice movement, church history, and conservative politics. Thanks for the interest in my blog and your readership.

She's also left some questions in the mailbag, which I'll now take the time to answer. In a response to my post on abortion rights in Canada, she's asked why I have used the word unborn in quotations, and if I have numbers or a percentage of the anti-choice movement who supports murdering abortion providers.

To answer the first question, unborn was used in quotations because people speak of the unborn as if they are rights bearing beings. That is false, and the quotes were used to highlight the silly opinion of the unborn as something living. Life, after all, begins at birth.

Secondly, no, I don't have numbers to provide you to justify the use of 'many,' but I do have some stories I'd like to share.

James Kopp, who has been convicted of murdering Dr. Slepian, is also suspected in the shootings of Dr. Garson Romalis, Dr. Hugh Short, and Dr. Jack Fainman. He recieved help while on the run from activists Loretta Marra and Dennis Malvasi, who were convicted for helping Kopp to evade justice.

Paul Jennings was commited of murdering Dr. John Britton and James Barrett.

Michael F. Griffin was commited of murdering Dr. Paul Gunn.

John Salvi murdered two receptionists at a Massachusets clinic.

In a series of bombings, Eric Rudolph killed three people, and injured 150 others.

I'll also direct my readers to the Army of God, who "assert that if Michael Griffin did in fact kill David Gunn, his use of lethal force was justifiable provided it was carried out for the purpose of defending the lives of unborn
children. Therefore, he ought to be acquitted of the charges against him." Yikes. They also proclaim "the justice of taking all godly action necessary to defend innocent human life including the use of force," and add that "whatever force is legitimate to defend the life of a born child is legitimate to defend the life of an unborn
child. " That's some harsh stuff.

Like they say, two's company; three's a crowd. Does my word choice of 'many' fit? I'd say so.

Agains, thanks for the readership folks.

Abortion Rights in Canada

A flurry of news regarding abortion rights have been in the press in recent days as a result of the murder trial of anti-abortion extremist and looney-tones hypocrite James Kopp. Ironically, many who claim that that the 'unborn' have the right to life are unwilling to extend the right to the living, that is, those who perform abortions. Kopp, who has already been convicted of the execution of Dr. Barnett Slepian, is on trial again for the same killing. If convicted this time around, he will serve his sentence in the federal system, meaning there is no chance of parole. Kopp is also the suspected shooter in a series of shootings in the 1990s; abortion providers in Vancouver, Ancaster, Ont., and Winnipeg were all shot at under similar conditions. Luckily, all three doctors survived.

The CBC has provided a wonderful time line on the evolution of abortion rights in Canada. In theory, Canada has the potential to best provide for a woman's inherent right to chose in the sense that there is no law regarding abortions in Canada. This is a good thing, as it respects a woman, her body, her priorities, and her aspirations; it also realizes that an abortion is ultimately a woman's private choice. However, many hospitals are cutting back on their funding for abortion services, leaving many women to seek an abortion in a private health facility at their own expense. This leaves access uneven, as depending on income or geography, a woman's right to chose is limited. It also disobeys a 1988 Supreme Court Ruling.

Respecting a woman's right to chose and securing improved conditions has been a hard fought battle, and one that will likely never end. We need to focus more on the expansion of abortion services, while at the same time seeking to protect the services that already exist.

Here is the CBC time line......

1892: Parliament passes Canada's first Criminal Code. It prohibits abortion as well as the sale, distribution and advertising of contraceptives. A significant number of women continue to seek abortions, according to news reports.

1969: Pierre Trudeau's Liberal government decriminalizes contraception and allows abortion under certain circumstances. Abortions may be performed in a hospital if a committee of doctors decides that continuing the pregnancy may endanger the mother's life or health. Access to abortions varies across the country.

1969: Abortion activist Dr. Henry Morgentaler defies the law and opens an abortion clinic in Montreal. His clinic is raided in 1970 and he is charged with several offences. It marks the beginning of a 20-year series of legal battles.

May 1970: 35 women chain themselves to the parliamentary gallery as part of a two-day demonstration for abortion rights.

March 1973: Morgentaler announces that he has successfully performed over 5,000 abortions.

March 1975: Morgentaler begins serving an 18-month jail sentence after the Supreme Court of Canada rejects his appeal. Earlier, a Quebec court had convicted him of a charge of conspiracy to commit an abortion. While he's in jail, Quebec prosecutes him on a second count of conspiracy to commit an abortion. This time, he's acquitted - and the Quebec Court of Appeal does not overturn the verdict.

May 1975: A petition against abortion rights with over one million signatures is delivered to Parliament.

January 1976: The federal justice minister sets aside Morgentaler's original conviction and orders a retrial. Morgentaler is released from jail after serving 10 months.

September 1976: Morgentaler is acquitted of the original charge laid after his Montreal clinic was raided in 1970. In November, Quebec's newly-elected Parti Québécois government drops all outstanding charges against Morgentaler.

1982: Canada enacts the Charter of Rights and Freedoms. Any law found contravening those rights can be struck down as invalid.

July 1983: Police raid Morgentaler's newly-opened Toronto clinic and charge him along with two colleagues. Over the next five years the case winds its way up to the Supreme Court.

1983: Former Manitoba politician Joe Borowski launches a case asking the courts to declare the 1969 amendments invalid. He argues that the outlay of public money for abortion is unlawful because it contravenes the Canadian Charter of Rights, which he argues guarantees a fetus's right to life. A Gallup poll shows that 72 per cent of Canadians believe the decision to abort should rest solely with the pregnant woman and her doctor.

1988: The Supreme Court of Canada strikes down Canada's abortion law as unconstitutional. The law is found to violate Section 7 of the Charter of Rights and Freedoms because it infringes upon a woman's right to "life, liberty and security of person." Chief Justice Brian Dickson writes: "Forcing a woman, by threat of criminal sanction to carry a foetus to term unless she meets certain criteria unrelated to her own priorities and aspirations, is a profound interference with a woman's body and thus a violation of her security of the person." Canada is now one of a small number of countries without a law restricting abortion. Abortion is now treated like any other medical procedure and is governed by provincial and medical regulations.

March 1989: The Supreme Court of Canada refuses to rule on Borowski's case, which argues that fetuses have a constitutionally guaranteed right to life. The court says his case is moot since the abortion law had already been struck down.

1989: The Supreme Court rules that a father has no legal right to veto a woman's abortion decision. The ruling comes after the boyfriend of Chantal Daigle obtained a court injunction preventing her from getting an abortion. By the time the case was settled, Daigle had secretly obtained a late-term abortion in the U.S. In Ontario, a similar injunction was granted against Barbara Dodd filed by her ex-boyfriend. She too has an abortion but later tells the public she regrets her decision.

1989: Nova Scotia bans abortions in clinics outside hospitals.

1990: The federal government, led by Progressive Conservative Brian Mulroney, introduces Bill C-43, which would sentence doctors to two years in jail for performing abortions where a woman's health is not at risk. The bill is passed by the House of Commons, but dies in the Senate after a tie vote.

May1992: Morgentaler's Toronto clinic is firebombed.

1994: New Brunswick bans abortions in clinics outside hospitals.

November 1994: Dr. Garson Romalis is the first Canadian doctor shot for performing abortions. He's hit by a sniper while eating breakfast in his Vancouver home. Two other similar shootings follow in 1995 and 1997, first in Ontario, then Manitoba. None of the attacks is fatal. James Kopp, who was later convicted for the fatal shooting of a doctor who performed abortions in Buffalo, is named as a suspect in some of the Canadian shootings.

1995: Provincial and federal rulings force Nova Scotia and New Brunswick to allow private abortion clinics. Despite that, access to abortions outside hospitals continues to be inconsistent across the country. Some provinces decide to cover the cost of abortions performed in clinics outside hospitals. Others don't, meaning that women who can't get into a hospital for an abortion must pay the costs of a clinic abortion out of their own pocket.

June 2, 2004: Conservative Leader Stephen Harper tries to steer clear of the abortion controversy while campaigning for the June 28 election, saying he has no plans to change the country's abortion regulations if he forms the next government. The statement comes after his party's health critic says women considering an abortion should receive third-party counselling.

June 3, 2004: Liberal Leader Paul Martin says he would never undermine a woman's right to choose on the issue of abortion.

May 18, 2006: Dr. Everett Chalmers Hospital in Fredericton, the last hospital in New Brunswick to perform publicly funded abortions, announces it will suspend the service as of July 1, citing workload problems. New Brunswick is the only province in Canada that refuses to pay for abortions performed in clinics, despite the 1988 Supreme Court of Canada ruling.

Brock University: Military Careers Begin Here

I was greatly disappointed when I walked across the Corporate Tire Bridge at Brock University this morning and noticed a very large military recruitment poster hanging from the window encouraging students to join the armed forces. First off, under no circumstances should the armed forces be attempting to recruiting students on a university campus. The university is a place to learn and gain a future, not to be sidetracked by a flashy looking recruitment poster only to find yourself fighting in Afghanistan, where it's time to kill or be killed. Not the greatest of options, if you ask me.

Canada's military is currently engaged in WAR in Afghanistan, and not a peace keeping mission as many people are under the impression they are. Canadian soldiers will be in Afghanistan until early 2009 as result of Canada's war-hawk Conservative MPs and a few more hawkish Liberals, who voted to extend the mission by two years in mid 2006. The Tories plowed this legislation through the House. There is no clear strategy, exit plan, or measure of success. Of course, we shouldn't be there in the first place. If there's one thing that history has taught us, it's that imperial wars are inherently bad.

As a result of the fact that any new recruits to the armed forces will of course be trained to fight and kill and will likely find themselves serving in Afghanistan, I cannot help but be opposed to the university allowing military recruitment on campus.

But I guess the administration has taken a similar view to General Brock: 'Surgite!'

Justin Trudeau to run as a federal MP?

Outremont MP Jean Lapierre has resigned his seat, leading to further speculation that Justin Trudeau will run as an MP in the upcoming election. Little Trudeau follows in his father's footsteps in a small 'l' liberal tradition.

Blue Baiting

'Red-baiting' is something that people on the left often face. They are made out to be wacky communists or socialists as if there is some sort of negative connotation associated with those ideologies. McCarthyism still lives on. Something less common is 'blue-baiting,' or making someone out ot be a conservative (small c or capital C); although I would suggest that there is something inherently negative about being on the right. Rarely are people on the right called out, perhaps with the exception of the occasional cat-call of 'fascist jock.' I, however, find myself in a unique position, as someone on the left who is routinely 'blue-baited.' The irony is that these people are also on the left, and aware of my positions. This makes me laugh. However, perhaps I should clarify to anyone who may have questions that I don't have a butler, a Bentley, or an indoor pool.

Clarification about 'scabbing'

An astute and well-respected reader recently made the comment to me that my post about the highway workers strike in Saskatchewan contained a small error. I referred to managers who were serving as replacement workers as scabs. The definition of scab- that is a replacement worker hired by management to perform the work of a striking- cannot include management, as the managers are already employed at the firm anyways. While this is correct, I am still much opposed to the work of strikers being done by management, even if they aren't scabs. Perhaps we can find a new word to classify these 'replacement workers'...

By-elections called in Ontario

Voters in three Ontario ridings - Burlington, Markam, and York-South Weston- will be headed to the polls on 8 February 2007. These seats were vacated in 2006. This should be a good indication of the parties popular support levels heading into this fall's elections. It will also be interesting to see how voters respond the the Tories and the Liberals, who voted themselves a hefty pay raise prior to Christmas, but are opposed to legislating an increase in minimum wage that would equal the same percentage that they voted themselves (25%).

Two of the ridings were held by Liberals, and one was held by the Conservatives.

Socialism or Death

Hugo Chavez proclaimed these words upon being sworn in for another six years as Venezuela's president. He has promised to push forward a sweeping socialist agenda, including nationalizing various industries, including four major oil projects and will be asking the National Assembly for special powers to enact a series of "revolutionary laws." You can read all about here

Why Saskatchewan Needs Anti-Scab Legislation

Over 360 highways workers in Saskatchewan are currently on strike, joining many other civil service workers on the picket line in that province. Wages are a key issue, and the workers have been without a contract since September. Management is currently performing scab-labour in an effort to keep the highways clear of snow. However, a plow driven by a scab flipped over and rolled down an embankment. This has been confirmed in recent news reports.

This is not only a safety issue for those performing scab labour, but to the greater public as a whole when unskilled and essentially untrained people are running major equipment on public highways and roads. The costs associated with fixing the plow which rolled over the embankment will now be passed on to the public as well.

Workers, of course, need protection to strengthen their job security and prevent 'scum' from scabbing their jobs and stealing their livelihoods. What bugs me most is that Saskatchewn is currently governed by an NDP majority, who has thus far failed to pass anti-scab law, which exists in both British Columbia and Quebec. As a supposed left-wing party committed to helping 'working families,' one would think that legislation that protects working families and strengthens their position vis-a-vis management would be legislation that the NDP would have quickly passed after taking office.

It's not as if the NDP is new to government. The CCF governed as a majority from 1944-1964, the NDP had a majority under Allan Blakeney from 1971-1982, Roy Romanow had a majority from 1991-1999. The NDP governed in coalition from 1999-2003, and have had a majority ever since. But still, no anti-scab legislation.

This legislation has clear benefits to the working class and their families. No one should have the right to steal someone else's job. Click here to see why, and see what you can do to help.

Labour Politics

In tonight's labour politics class, the Professor asked us if we felt that the labour movement was a positive force or a negative force in society. He then told us that our answers wouldn't be held against us, adding that "unlike the last guy that taught the course, I'm not a communist."

Wow, I'd hate to be the guy who got red-baited. I wonder who it is?

Why Front Line Health Care Workers Deserve Respect

In a cutting 1,200 page report released Tuesday, Ontario Superior Court Justice Archie Campbell spared no level of authority from criticism. Here's a sample of what he had to say.

“Again and again, health workers in Ontario were told they were safe if they would only do what they were directed to by the hospitals and the government. Again and again, these confident scientific assurances turned out to be tragically wrong.”

“Scientific knowledge changes constantly. Yesterday's scientific dogma is today's discarded fables. When it comes to worker safety in hospitals, we should be driven...by the precautionary principle that reasonable steps to reduce risk should not await scientific certainty.”

A Unified Secular Public School System in Ontario

Check out the post made by my comrade UncorrectedProofs on "Why the Ontario NDP should stand for a Unified, Secular Public School System" in Ontario. He, along with the NDP Socialists, have taken a principled and just stand on this issue, and UncorrectedProofs lists many reasons why such a system should be put in place in Ontario and why the ONDP ought to support it.

At the upcoming Ontario NDP Convention in Toronto, Malcolm Buchanan, a staunch New Democrat, and former President of the Ontario Secondary School Teachers' Federation will speak on this topic.

Let's hope the party moves in the right direction on this issue and fully supports the motion.

Jack Layton and the Kyoto Protocol

It seems that Kyoto is back on the map after all, according to a recent interview with Jack Layton. As mentioned earlier, the recent defection of MP Wajid Khan gives a Tory/New Democrat alliance a majority in the 308 seat House.

Any deal the NDP makes with the Tories on a revised Clean Air Act or any new environmental legislation will have to include firm commitments to the Kyoto Accord. "We've always supported Kyoto, it's fundamental, and it's essential that Canada stay part of that Kyoto program,"said Layton.

NDP support is slipping according to a recent Environics poll; the party currently sits at 14% nationally, down from 21% since June 2006. With the environment on many peoples mind, and a top issue among voters, it seems that Layton is attempting to win back some lost NDP support, much of which has gone to the Green Party.

Now that Layton has shown that Kyoto and the environment is on his party's radar, we can only hope that a firm commitment to overthrowing capitalism is next.

Trade Union Merger

Workers of the world uniting? It looks like a super multinational union is in the works. The new union, which would see British union Amicus, German union IG-Metall, and North American Unions United Steelworkers and International Association of Machinists join together, is in the works, with early plans for the unions to federate and eventually merge into one union. Current 'international' unions tend to be American unions with Canadian divisions, including both Steel and Machinists. This is exactly opposite from the move in the early 1980s for Canadian unions to seek autonomy from the American dominated international.

The following is an e-mail I was sent by my local labour council.

British trade union plans foreign merger

Britain's largest private-sector labour union said it was planning to form an international organisation of 6 million members by federating with unions in the United States and Germany.
Amicus said it had signed agreements with German engineering union IG-Metall and with the United Steelworkers and the International Association of Machinists, both based in the United States, aimed at an eventual merger.

Derek Simpson, Amicus general secretary, said the creation of a single group would help workers deal with multinational businesses that "trade off countries and workforces against each other".

"We can work together to prevent labour standards being eroded by ruthless global companies who show a ruthless disregard for their workers in the pursuit of even greater profits," Simpson said in a statement.

"Our aim is to create a powerful single union that can transcend borders to challenge the global forces of capital and I envisage a functioning, if loosely federal, multinational trade union organisation within the next decade."

Members of Amicus and Britain's Transport and General Workers' Union are due to vote by May on plans to merge and create a workers' group of two million Britons.

Simpson said IG-Metall had around 2.4 million members, the United Steelworkers around 1.2 million and the International Association of Machinists about 730,000.

"As a single union we will be able to focus on delivering better pay and conditions for our members and have the organising strength to reach out to new trade union members in our existing work places, as well as in new industries," he said.

Unions in Britain have expressed concern about the loss of manufacturing jobs to countries where labour costs are lower, including thousands of positions in the motor industry. French car manufacturer Peugeot closed a plant in Coventry, central England, in April, moving 2,300 jobs to Slovakia.

Imperial Oil vs. les Quebecois

Imperial Oil (ESSO) has annouced plans to re-name its 54 gas station convenience stores in Quebec from 'Marche Express' to 'On the Run.' A store has alraedy been renamed in a predominately Anglophone section of Montreal, and it doesn't appear that Quebec's language laws can prevent such a change. French language advocacy group Impertif Francais right comments that such a name change is "disrespectful towards Quebec's cultural and linguistic environment." Quebec's language watchdog, l'Office quebecois de la langue franciase, has also frowned upon Imperial Oil's decision. It seems that the Anglostocracy is at work once again.

Strike Anywhere: Working Class Punk

Richmond, Virginia's Strike Anywhere are one of my favorite bands. The band incorporates elements of 77' punk, 88' hardcore, and folk music with progressive and class conscious lyrics to make some impressive working class punk music. Their 2006 release, Dead FM, was one of my favorite releases of the last twelve months.

The lead singer's grandfather worked at the Manhattan Project in Oak Ridge, Tennessee in the early 1940s. This is the site in which the atomic bombs dropped on Hiroshima and Nagasaki were created; of course, the workers only realized they had been creating death and destruction after the bomb had ben dropped. Many poor, proud Americans realized too late. They and their families often became sick as a result; the lead singers father was born with life threatening birth defects. This isn't the history we learn in school.

The song 'Sedition' is about the the millions of working poor who were exposed to environmental damage during the nuclear arms race and the pain and sacrifice of the war economy. The linear notes talk about the 'industrialization of death and the militarization of life.' With war in Iraq and Afghanistan, the war economy is booming and the industrialists who profit from it are in control, and the working poor continue to suffer. The generals, stockholders, and corporations remain in control now, much like they have always been. The song is dedicated to all the victims and all the survivors of war. Please check out Strike Anywhere; here are the lyrics to 'Sedition'...


Which lie is the one
that will take me
and which war
Generations of wage slave data
family stories they said don't matter
when the last breath burns
in the throats of Bhopal
will I feel the blade
when they bury them all
Hiding from us
all this time
ghosts flickering
and outof my mind

Dead End Streets
We walk by
No Retreat
Staring at the sun
Dead End Streets
the blast shadows
are waiting for an answer
all this time

I'll give them mine
If I could
walk in my grandfather's footsteps
while they glowed in the dark
on his way back from the yard
where the train was parked
I'd say
Don't turn your back
Don't you trust those bastards

I wish I could say this now

Don't Walk By
No retreat
Staring at the sun
Dead End Streets
the blast shadows
are waiting for an answer
All this timeI'll give them mine

Into our history…
Not even a letter
to fake a smile
to say 'I'm sorry'

Our trust in this system's dead
what will it take
to make you sorry?

Hiroshima started in Tennessee
Let it end with me
Let it end

NDP to work with Tories

Jack Layton has recently announced that the NDP is willing to work with the Conservative government on an issue-by-issue basis, but suggests that his party is not a political ally for the Tory government, stating "It would be pretty hard to see how that could happen, and we have no inclination to do that."

Much like the New Democrats did with the former Liberal government, Layton hopes that he is able to "convince" the Tories to pass progressive legislation. It is widely expected that the NDP and the Conservatives will work together on environmental legislation.

The alliance became possible after Liberal MP Wajid Khan crossed the floor late last week to join the Tories, giving them 125 seats. Combined with the 29 New Democrat seats, the total for any sort of 'alliance' would be 154, which gives the two-party alliance a majority in the House of 308 (minus one for the speaker).

It seems that yet again, Jack Layton has the potential to play king maker. In his last pact with the Liberals, he prevented yet another round of corporate tax cuts, as well as secured more funding for transit and affordable housing. Let's see what he is able to do this time around.

Yet, I have to question any allaince between a neo-conservative party and a social-democratic party. The Liberals have consistantly been able to appeal to the soft-left, all the while being a centre-right party. The Tories, who no one debates are on the right wing, may be less willing to make progressive concessions in economics and social spending. Let's hope that Layton doesn't give up too much in his quest for power. An environmental accord is likely, but I don't know what else these parties can do together.

I suspect Layton and Harper reache an improved environmental accord, Layton waits for an election, and campaigns on a platform of environmentalism, hailing the NDP as the party responsible for that environmental accord. This would likely bring some Green voters (back) to the NDP. We'll have to see how this one plays out.

Let it snow

Government snow plow operators in Saskatchewn have joined the public sector general strike in that province, which aloso sees jail guards and envrironmental workers on the picket line. 131 workers, members of the Saskatchewn Government and General Employees Union, have hit the line to protest the break in negotations and the issues that the government has thus far been unwilling to resolve. These includes wages, contracting out, pension and health plan improvements.

Thanks to Saskatchewan's NDP government- a majority held by Premier Lorne Calvert- there is no anti-scab legislation available to workers. Mounties are currently supervising provincial jails. There is no word whether or not management or other scabs will be running plows.

The forecast does, in fact, call for snow.

Ontario Citizens' Assembly on Electoral Reform

The greatly underpublicized Ontario Citizens' Assembly on Electoral Reform has recieved some much needed coverage, courtesy of the Toronto Star. The Assembly consists of 103 Ontarians, selected at random, one from each riding, and has the task of making recommendations on changing Ontario's electoral system. Ontario currently uses the highly conservative and outdated first-past-the post system.

Well-known University of Toronto political scientist Nelson Wiseman was asked his opinions on the assmembly; his comments were disappointing to say the least. "Who are these people," he asks, adding that "If you actually believe this is a way to make public policy, why not just have a random lottery and pick our MPPs that way?"

This is absolutely pathetic and disheartening, and I would expect more from Professor Wiseman. His arrogant and elitist viewpoint is sickening. Perhaps the Professor needs to be re-united a dictionary so he can look up the term democracy. Because democracy, a cornerstone of Canadian society, is actually what we have at work here. A panel of ordinary citizens are conducting meetings with their fellow citizens to determine what they believe be the bets policy, and will submit that to the government. Although I often am critical of referndums- it of course depends on the issue- I support the fact that citizens will have some say on electoral reform.

I believe this is much better than a bunch of un-democratic conservative elites such as Wiseman determing policy in the background, seeking no input from citizens. Professor Wiseman ought to be ashamed of his narrow viewpoint, and oridinary citizens ought to take note of his conservative elitism.

As I mentioned, the issue will be decided by a referendum. But let's not get out hopes up, it is hardly democractic. If a new electoral system is put to a referendum, a 'super majority' of 60% is needed, and the question would need to be endorsed by at least 50% of voters in 64 of the 107 ridings be contested this fall.

Keep in mind that the Liberal Party was elected with only 46.6% of the vote, but has an absolute majority of the seats. Naturally, they decided on this 'super majority.' Once again, the anti-democratic forces are hard at work.

In B.C., where a 60% 'super majority' was imposed in 2005, 57.7% of voters endorsed a change, and the initiaive was favoured in 77 of 79 ridings. While the original referndum failed, the question will be asked again in 2009.

Now, what about Ontario? With the lack of coverage the Assembly has recieved, how will Ontarians be informed? The issue is largely dependent on the amount of money the government invests in advertising. And since the Liberal government has a lot to lose, I wouldn't expect a lot of advertisement to inform voters. Interestingly enough, the government, and not the assmebly, decided on this threshold. Apparantly the Liberals see too much democracy as a bad thing. The anti-democrats at work again. Sad, really.

Canada's New Environment Minister

The Conservatives have handled the environment disasterously, and even they would concede that point, though they'd likely use a different adjective. The prime minister recently stated "We've clearly determined that we need to do more on the environment," and added "We recognize that, particularly when it comes to clean air and climate change, that Canadians expect a lot more."

Let's look at the doomed Clean Air Act, an act that all three opposition parties rightly opposed. Among other things, it set to...

-By 2011, develop new regulations for vehicle fuel consumption.
-By 2025, set national targets for smog and ozone levels.
-By 2050, reduce greenhouse gas emissions between 45 and 65 per cent from 2003 levels.
-And made no mention of the Kyoto Protocol and the emissions targets the government of Canada committed to in 2002.

Talk about fast action on policy initiatives.

Rather than creating a new environmental policy, the Conservatives have made Ontario MP and long-time bully John Baird the new minister. Does Canada need a new policy, or a new minister? The answer seems obvious, but apparantly isn't.

Let's look at John Baird. Who is he?

Well, back in his days as one of Mike Harris' goons, he responded to the mother of a severely disabled five-year-old child who was ejected from the legislature in late 1995 for protesting the Harris government's cutbacks, by shouting "She's an OPSEU member" before being told to shut up by a colleague. He later apologized for the outburst. A year later during a televised debate, he acknowledged that his government's privatization policies would likely result in lower wages for workers, but argued this would be balanced out by lower prices for consumers. Is this guy for real? Apparently yes.

He refused to cancel a government contracted with a private-sector Bermuda firm to provide upgrades to the provinces welfare management system. The contract contained nothing to prevent the firm from increasing their rates, which of course they did, increasing their rate to $257/hr. That same work was once done by ministry staff for $51/hr. Nothing quite like Conservative economics. They'll always look out for the tax-payer....

A strong proponent of the provinces workfare system, he annouced that anyone convicted of welfare fraud would run the risk of being given a lifetime ban from the program and also supported mandatory drug-testing for welfare recipients, arguing that those who refused such tests should be at risk of have their funding cut off. He was later criticized by the Ontario Human Rights Commissioner. This guy is an absolute nut bar. But it gets better. He then announced that provincial welfare applicants would be required to pass a literacy test.

As federal treasury board president, he found $1 billion in cuts for 2006 and 2007. On the same day his government announced a $13.2 billion surplus, he made cuts to sixty-six federal programs, including the Status of Women, medicinal marijuana research, Canadian museums, adult literacy, youth employment and social development, and the British Columbia pine beetle program. He also made cuts was to the federal Court Challenges Program, arguingthat it "just [didn't make] sense for the government to subsidize lawyers to challenge the government's own laws in court." Of course, the government has never been wrong on legal matters, and we really ought to be deferntial to government laws and not challenge their authority if we percieve them to be unjust.

What does all of this have to do with the environment? Nothing. What does John Baird know about the environment? Nothing. But don't worry, everything will get better with "Mr. Fix It" as the new minister.