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March 6, 2009 - No. 48

International Women's Day 2009

No Means No! Stop Paying the Rich;
Increase Funding for Social Programs!


No Means No! Stop Paying the Rich; Increase Funding for Social Programs! - Communist Party of Canada (Marxist-Leninist)
Women in the Forefront for a New Direction for Quebec - Marxist-Leninist Party of Quebec (PMLQ)
• All Out to Support the Struggles of Women in Defence of the Rights of All!

Federal Government's Attacks on Women
• Step Up the Work of Settling Accounts with Anachronistic Arrangements! - Christine Dandenault
Rights -- the Missing Word - Dagmar Sullivan
Attacks on Women's Collectives -- Attacks on the Collective of Women - Janice Murray
Women, Poverty and the Need to Strengthen Public Enterprise - Hilary LeBlanc

SUPPLEMENT
• Condemn Harper Government's Record on Women's Rights 


International Women's Day 2009

No Means No! Stop Paying the Rich;
Increase Funding for Social Programs!

On the occasion of International Women's Day 2009, the Communist Party of Canada (Marxist-Leninist) sends it revolutionary greetings to the fighting women across Canada and around the world. This year March 8 marks the fight for women's rights within a context where federal and provincial governments are going all out to save the economy of the rich through attacks on the public good and by plundering the public purse on a grand scale. As a result, the conditions of women are worsening by leaps and bounds with women of national minority and aboriginal origin the most affected.

Through meetings, conferences, demonstrations and discussions women are raising their concerns and organizing to advance their cause which is the cause of the entire society. Their demands include: Stop paying the rich and increase investments in social programs! Healthcare is a right! Provide adequate quality public childcare and seniors' care! Education is a right! They demand an end to wars of occupation and aggression; an end to all discrimination on the basis of gender, nationality, language, religion and belief, including an end to the criminalization of dissent and the ability of governments and police and other agencies to act with impunity. These and many other demands express the striving of women for empowerment. CPC(M-L) hails all the actions of women and their organizations on the occasion of International Women's Day and calls on all to help make them a success.

Establish Renewal Committees to Enable Women to Affirm Their Humanity!

Every single day women are active participants, both as women and as workers, in creating a society which recognizes the rights of all, in which women stand second to none. They have no use whatsoever for the crocodile tears of government representatives regarding the plight of women and their families. With their determination to humanize the natural and social environments, they block the pressure from the rich and their representatives to accept that no alternative is possible.

CPC(M-L) hails the women the world over who, fighting side by side, share their rich experience of resistance and struggle in defence of their rights, for a world without exploitation and oppression, a world free from the dictate of the monopolies and warmongers.

On the occasion of March 8, the fighting women of CPC(M-L) are leading by putting themselves in the front ranks of the work to organize the renewal of the democratic institutions so that the authority which keeps women oppressed and exploited is removed and the people can exercise control over their lives. The problems women face can be resolved, but not on the basis of the status quo. Let March 8, 2009 represent another step forward in the work to organize women for renewal!

No Means No!
Stop Paying the Rich; Increase Funding for Social Programs!

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Women in the Forefront for a
New Direction for Quebec


Montreal, September 28, 2008: Demonstration against Bill C-484, the "Unborn victims of Crime Act"
viewed by many  as an attack on the rights of women to control their bodies
and a start to the recriminalization of abortion.

This March 8, 2009, the Marxist-Leninist Party of Quebec (PMLQ) joins with all the women of Quebec, the First Nations, Canada and worldwide in demanding a society fit for human beings! Since March 8, 2008, had it not been for their active resistance and struggle against the anti-people agenda of governments, such as privatization, cuts in culture and the arts, Bill C-484, the militarization of public space, the participation of Canada's war government in the service of the U.S. to name but a few of the struggles, the situation facing the people would be even more dramatic.

Two surprise federal and provincial elections have revealed the crisis of this system of non-representative democracy. Marginalized from any control and power over issues concerning their future, women and various collectives took to the streets in mass actions to make their demands heard.

In this time of economic crisis it is all the more pressing that democratic renewal be realized and that women, the working class and its allies vest the necessary power in their collectives to take control over the direction of the economy and the decision-making process. The issue of who decides is on the agenda for all. Women, in the front ranks of the protest movement, must be in the forefront of the movement for political empowerment. So-called democratic institutions imposed in the 19th century are used to keep women and the people out of power. They must be democratized to empower the people!

Under the high ideal of being "democratic" such institutions are used to keep the people marginalized and make them the victims of the crisis. At present, Minister Jérome-Forget has undertaken a vast "consultation" on the next provincial budget. The Ministry of Finance, an offshoot of such "democratic" institutions, is being used today to consult with the people in order to more brutally attack them tomorrow. The dice are loaded. Multiple choice answers are geared towards paying the rich and the Montmarquette Report and its recommendations for fees for public services will be resurrected. Why should women seek their salvation in so-called democratic institutions which deprive them of all control and serve to further attack them? To achieve the affirmation of rights for both themselves and their peers, they must take up the renewal of the political process. Rejecting the old institutions which refuse to build a bright future will open a path to create an alternative. Rejecting the views of those who advocate prosperity through the annexation of Quebec's economy to that of empire builders, or exhort the financiers to be less "excessive" in their pursuit of profits will open a path to create an alternative.

Women are active participants in the socialized economy and have the experience and creativity required to transform the situation into one which benefits the people. The exercise of governance must reside in their hands in order for them to participate in the elaboration of an authority which would affirm the rights of all.

The PMLQ is of the view that the participation of women, workers and the people in decision-making in the society is decisive for nation-building based on the recognition of the rights of all. It calls on women to join the work to build renewal committees at workplaces, in neighbourhoods, colleges and universities and amongst seniors. They are a mechanism through which both they and their allies can elaborate the independent politics of the working class and represent them in Parliament. The road must be blocked to those who destroy our economy, pay the rich, sell Quebec out to foreign interests and place us on the side of war and aggression.

Let us demand that the state Stop Paying the Rich! Let us demand new investments in social programs! Let us all work together for the renewal of the democratic institutions! Let us provide a new direction for Quebec!

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All Out to Support the Struggles of Women
in Defence of the Rights of All!

TML Daily hails women's participation in the front ranks of the movement to end the anti-social offensive and to put a stop to U.S. led wars of aggression and occupation. The women of Canada raise their collective fists on International Women's Day 2009 at a time of severe economic crisis when governments at all levels are using their positions of power to serve the owners of capital. The bailout and stimulus packages they are introducing to pay the rich are a declaration of war by the state against the people whose pooled resources are being used to prop up narrow private interests. These governments are completely abrogating their responsibilities to maintain a Canadian standard of living for all.

Within these conditions women workers are justly concerned about their future. Whether young or old, retired, employed or unemployed, the economic crisis has exposed all workers to uncertainty and hardship. For those without a livelihood and others facing a loss of pension income, their needs are immediate. Within this situation women, who are already bearing the brunt of the anti-social offensive, are facing difficulties which are becoming extreme.

Not only are they under attack as workers, but the Harper/Ignatieff budget continues the attacks of the Harper government and the Liberals before them, on their collective rights as women. Since coming to power in 2006 Harper's "New Government" has pushed the line that women are already equal, a claim which is put to shame so long as women dominate the sectors which are most impoverished, exploited and oppressed. Based on this bogus claim the government has cut funding for any organizations which assist women in asserting their just claims on the society. It has once again in the current budget refused to take up its responsibility to guarantee pay equity to its own employees, making it a matter of negotiation and eliminating even their ability to seek redress from the courts. Cuts to financing of public childcare that women require to ensure the youth are cared for while they participate in the social economy, further reflect the contempt in which the state holds the collective of women.

What the economic crisis brings into stark focus is the fact that the antiquated outlook and practice of using the socialized economy to serve, protect and enlarge the private wealth of owners of capital is anachronistic and socially irresponsible. A radical new direction is required. The alternative of producing and providing services for the common good through public enterprise, which is always rejected out of hand by the forces of the status quo, needs to be examined and discussed. Only on the basis of working out their own stands within the situation by getting informed, working out What's What and Who's Who and how to favour their own interests within the situation and what those interests are, can the women avoid all the traps in their path, uphold the dignity of labour and unite the class on the basis that the security of the workers and all the people and their collectives lies in the fight for the rights of all.

Women need to discuss a pro-social response to the crisis, and most importantly how to use the organized unity and strength in numbers of the working class to bring such a pro-social alternative into being. In all fields, working women lead in organizing their own collectives against the anti-social offensive and for a secure and dignified life. By working out what favours the interests of the collective of women within the situation and how to fight to bring these things into being, women play their role in the affirmation of the rights of all.

All Out to Support the Struggles of Women in Defence of the Rights of All!

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Federal Government's Attacks on Women

Step Up the Work of Settling Accounts with Anachronistic Arrangements!

In a modern socialized economy such as in Quebec and Canada, having a Ministry responsible for the Status of Women should mean that the State hands it the responsibility of making society's resources available to women as a collective so that they can fully play their active role of opening society's path to progress.

March 8 would be the occasion for that ministry to be accountable to the polity for actions taken to sort out the problems facing women and their collectives. It would also be an excellent opportunity to mobilize all women to sum up the progress achieved and facilitate their participation, from one end of the country to the other, in that discussion to set objectives for the coming year. This would be an integral part of the nation-building process of the entire society in responding to the needs of all.

The reality is that in Canada the federal government refuses to allow women to play their modern role in society. The mandate of its federal organization, Status of Women Canada (SWC), taken from its website, is to promote "the full participation of women in the economic, social and democratic life of Canada. SWC works to advance equality for women and to remove the barriers to women's participation in society, putting particular emphasis on increasing women's economic security and eliminating violence against women.

"To advance equality for women, SWC works with federal departments and agencies to ensure that the gender dimensions are taken into account in the development of policies and programs -- by conducting gender-based analysis and supporting research.

"The Honourable Helena Guergis is the Minister of State (Status of Women)."

On the occasion of March 8, 2009, Status of Women of Canada issued a short press release that would have been laughable had it not been its official communiqué: "Canada's theme for International Women's Day/Week 2009 is Strong Leadership. Strong Women. Strong World: Equality.

"The theme reflects the government's firm belief that increasing women's participation and access to leadership roles and opportunities will help women and girls thrive, reach their full potential and fulfil their dreams, and help build a more prosperous Canada.

"For Canadians, equality means women and men sharing in the responsibilities and obligations, as well as the opportunities and rewards, of life and work. In Canada, leadership is key across society -- from the private sector, to governments, to the general public -- for people of all origins, generations and backgrounds to participate fully in our country's economic, social and democratic life, and ultimately, in improving the state of the world."

The statement offers nothing to the women of Quebec and Canada, other than feelings of contempt towards a government that can write such absurdities and vulgarities. Within a context of great economic insecurity borne by women from one end of the country to the other, and further exacerbated by the anti-social policies of the Canadian government, the press release confirms the urgency of ridding ourselves of such governments. They are a living obstacle to the struggle of women for their emancipation. It is urgent that women place themselves in the van of the movement for democratic renewal so that they can provide themselves with institutions where State power is placed at the disposition of the needs of women who stand second to none in contributing to the well-being of the entire society.

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Rights -- the Missing Word

"Strong Leadership. Strong Women. Strong World: Equality" is the Status of Women Canada's (SWC) theme for International Women's Day 2009.

According to its website:

"The theme reflects the government's firm belief that increasing women's participation and access to leadership roles and opportunities will help women and girls thrive, reach their full potential and fulfill their dreams, and help build a more prosperous Canada.

"For Canadians, equality means women and men sharing in the responsibilities and obligations, as well as in the opportunities and rewards, of life and work. In Canada, leadership is key across society -- from the private sector, to governments, to the general public -- for people of all origins, generations and backgrounds to participate fully in our country's economic, social and democratic life, and ultimately, in improving the state of the world."

What is glaringly missing in this "Canadian" definition of "equality" put forward by this federal government's organization is the word "rights." Equality is a right. Women's equality is not only a right which concerns women but an issue for the entire society. What kind of equality is the SWC talking about without rights? What is behind its slogan that "Strong Leadership + Strong Women + Strong World = Equality"? Where in this world does strong leadership, strong women and a strong world equal equality? In Canada? in the U.S.? in Afghanistan? in Palestine? in Haiti? in Iraq? Where? Only in countries such as Cuba where the working people have created their own governing institutions, are rights provided with a guarantee. 

In Canada, what is said with this theme is as revealing as what is left out. The underlying premise is that there is a common cause in Canada which women can participate in to "help build a more prosperous Canada" and "ultimately" improve "the state of the world." While various levels of the government are using their positions of power and privilege to pay the rich and save them from their own actions and the economic crisis they have unleashed on the country, these same governments are attacking the workers and people of Canada, forcing more and more people to fend for themselves. From Prime Minister Stephen Harper's October 2007 Throne Speech entitled "Strong Leadership, A Better Canada," to his January 26, 2009 Throne Speech, which begins "it is imperative that we work together, that we stand beside one another and that we strive for greater solidarity," to the press conference during the visit to Canada of U.S. President Barack Obama, the message is the same: common values, common cause -- one nation politics. In other words, what is needed is for everyone to get behind the government in its service to the monopolies. Canada's prosperity brooks no opposition. Everyone has to share "the responsibilities and obligations." We are responsible for our own plight -- poverty, the violence against us, the super-exploitation -- we are merely a cost to society.

The thrust of the SWC's theme of women taking positions of "leadership" "from the private sector, to governments, to the general public," "to participate fully in our country's economic, social and democratic life, and ultimately, in improving the state of the world" is for women to play a leading role in taking up the cause of the monopolies. Shut up and put up or else...

The role offered to women in the SWC's theme is not one of fighting for the rights of women as part and parcel of the fight for the rights of all or of leading in taking up society's problems for solution but of building the United States of North American Monopolies and of advancing Canada's role in the creation of a modern empire under the U.S. imperialist lead. The theme is part of the assault by the monopolies, their governments and the media on the thinking of women, workers, youth, and native peoples to divert them from seeing where the monopolies and their political representatives are taking the country and how to form an effective opposition to block them.

Women need only pay attention to their own direct experience to see where the federal government stands on women's equality. The federal government over the years has been using its position of power and privilege to slash and burn organizations of women fighting for their rights or even contradicting the powers that be. The National Action Committee on the Status of Women funds were cut by the then Liberal government when it opposed the Charlottetown Accord in 1992. Soon after elected Prime Minister in 2006, Harper quickly moved to cut funds from a number of groups working in defence of women's rights, replaced plans for a national daycare program with a token monthly payment to individual families, struck the word "equality" from the SWC's goals, eliminated the SWC's Policy Research Fund, which supported research specifically focussed on issues pertaining to women's equality, and announced the closure of 12 of the 16 SWC offices. Through its recent federal budget, it is attempting to deny women government employees the right to turn to the courts to obtain pay-equity settlements. The rights of women are not part of the government's agenda or of their monopoly masters'. There is no "one nation politics" that women can participate in which has anything to do with equality. Equality is won in the struggle against those who have usurped power by force and are negating the rights of all.

Leadership is an issue for women in Canada but it is the issue of women leading the fight for the rights of all. It is leading the building of organizations which can block institutions at all levels from denying their social responsibilities. It is leading to establish an anti-war government to get Canada out of Afghanistan, NATO and NORAD and which upholds the right of all nations to self-determination. It is leading to establish an effective workers opposition in the Parliaments and Legislatures so that the nation-building agenda of the people is enacted and the legal will becomes a real expression of the popular will.

Strong Leadership to Build an Effective Opposition!
Strong Women for Democratic Renewal!
Strong World Against Imperialism, Fascism and War!
Fight for the Rights of All!

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Attacks on Women's Collectives --
Attacks on the Collective of Women

The attacks on women's collectives contained in the Harper/Ignatieff budget are a continuation of the attacks on the collective of women.

Late last November, the UN Committee on the Elimination of Discrimination Against Women (CEDAW) released a particularly dismal report dealing with Canada's record on women's rights. The Committee, which reviewed Canada's compliance with CEDAW, issued its Concluding Observations in Geneva. Canada has been given one year to submit a report on the measures it has taken to address inadequate social assistance rates across the country and the failure of law enforcement agencies to deal with the disappearance and murder of Aboriginal women and girls.[1]

The UN CEDAW Committee also drew attention to some of Canada's other deficiencies in the realization of women's human rights, such as the lack of affordable child care spaces and housing, insufficient access to civil legal aid, inadequate services and shelters for women and girls experiencing violence, the cancellation of funding to the Court Challenges Program, the poor representation of women in public life, continuing labour market inequality particularly for racialized women, the mistreatment of federal women prisoners and girls in detention and the elimination of Status of Women funding for advocacy by women's organizations.

In its first mandate, the minority Harper government dismissed any hope of a national daycare program in favour of a token payment to individual families each month and eliminated the Status of Women Canada's (SWC) Policy Research Fund, which supported the independent production of research specifically focused on issues pertaining to women's equality. In autumn of 2006, the Harper government struck the word "equality" from the SWC's goals, cut off funding for projects that involved advocacy, lobbying or research and eliminated the Court Challenges Program, which funded cases with important questions of law that might not otherwise be taken before the courts. Harper's Conservative government also announced that it was closing 12 of the 16 SWC offices.

The Submission of the Canadian Feminist Alliance for International Action (FAFIA) to the UN CEDAW Committee on the Occasion of the Committee's Review of Canada's 6th & 7th Reports pointed out that "women's organizations cannot receive funds for domestic advocacy activities, for lobbying of federal, provincial and municipal governments, or for research related to advocacy and lobbying activities; only incorporated non-profit societies are now eligible for these funds. This requirement means that SWC can no longer be a resource for new or ad hoc women's organizations that do not have the capacity to incorporate legally; [and] for the first time, for-profit organizations are eligible to receive funds from the Women's Program."[2]

A survey by FAFIA of its more than 80 member groups[3] "revealed that women's groups that do not provide direct services to individual women are already having difficulty securing funding through the Women's Program for their core activities.[4] FAFIA itself, which since the late 1990s has been fighting that Canada fulfil its international human rights obligations, had SWC funding only to the end of September 2008 and by the time the 6th and 7th reports of Canada are reviewed in October 2008, FAFIA would not be permitted to receive or use federal funds to carry out its core function of advocacy.[5]

However, these attacks are not the first faced by women's organizations fighting in the interests of the collective of women. The National Action Committee on the Status of Women (NAC) "received much of its funding from the federal government until cuts by the Brian Mulroney government in the wake of NAC's opposition to the Charlottetown Accord forced the organization to lay off its staff and cut its budget."[6] Within days of NAC announcing its opposition to the Charlottetown Accord, it was warned that its 'file is being reviewed' by the Secretary of State. Monique Simard, Quebec Vice-President of NAC, stated: "When we took our decision to back the No side -- for very valid reasons -- we knew there could be consequences down the road, the least of which was not the fear of vindictive funding cuts. It's no secret that the Conservative government has been anti-women, but this is something else entirely, it's extremely tainted by partisan politics."[7]

"The cuts [against NAC] continued during the Jean Chrétien government and, in 1998, the group largely ceased operations for a time after Status of Women Canada, a department of the federal government, ceased granting money for day-to-day operations. NAC soon accumulated debts in excess of $100,000 and was forced to close some of its regional offices. Although NAC's activities were greatly reduced through the 1990s into the 21st century. NAC has revived and renewed itself in recent years and is primarily funded largely through donations and membership fees."[8]

A NAC press release of October 13, 2006 reported NAC had held its Annual General Meeting in Toronto the previous week:

"The re-emergence of NAC came on the heels of the federal government's dismantling of the Court Challenges program, and the 38.5 percent funding cuts to Status of Women Canada with a fundamental change in its mandate. 'Equality is not a part of the Women's Program agenda under this government,' explained NAC's newly elected president, Dolly Williams. 'Minister Bev Oda, is simply applying Conservative Party ideology to propagate the notion that women have reached equality. This is especially puzzling when only 7 of the 27 of Harper's cabinet are women. Is this what they mean by equality?'

"The federal Conservative government says it will no longer fund women's groups that do advocacy, lobbying or general research as part of the new terms and conditions for grants. This is seen as a deliberate tactic to cripple women's organizations that rely on these funds to promote substantive equality rights for women in Canada.

"The elimination of the Court Challenges Program also confirms the new government's game plan.

"'NAC has been able to use this program in the past to question the constitutionality of cuts to core funding for equality-seeking women's organizations,' affirmed Ms. Williams. 'The government thinks that it has found a way to silence us and our sister organizations, but we will not be deterred.' The federal government is abandoning its duty to uphold the democratic process. Without the Court Challenges program and with the devastating cuts to Status of Women Canada, women have little to no access to bring their injustices to the legal and political forefront.

"In the face of the Harper government's new tactics to yield women's issues non-existent and near invisible, NAC's membership is determined, despite these obstacles, to assert a national voice to advocate and lobby for equality. There is an absolute need for coordinated women's voices at the national level. The Harper government's dereliction of duty to sustain and protect access to democratic accountability measures must be exposed. NAC and its membership are prepared to work to ensure this happens."[9]

While NAC is listed as a member of FAFIA as at September 4, 2008, NAC's website, http://www.nac-cca.ca, is inaccessible and an enquiry to their last address located for the organization found that the organization is "not currently active."

Notes

1. "Discrimination Against Women -- UN Report," The Marxist-Leninist Daily, No. 180, December 10, 2008.
2. "FAFIA Response to Violations of Article 7: Political and Public Life in CEDAW's Report (2003)," Women's Inequality in Canada: Submission of the Canadian Feminist Alliance for International Action to the United Nations Committee on the Elimination of Discrimination against Women on the Occasion of the Committee's Review of Canada's 6th & 7th Reports, September 2008, page 57.
3. For complete list of FAFI's Member Groups, Women's Inequality in Canada, pages 118-121 at http://www.fafia-afai.org/files/FAFIA_Canada_CEDAW_2008.pdf.
4. Ibid., pp. 57-58.
5. Ibid. p. 58.
6. "National Action Committee on the Status of Women," Wikipedia, http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/National_Action_Committee_on_the_Status_of_Women, accessed February 10, 2009.
7. "Ottawa Accused of Blackmail" by Andre Picard, Globe and Mail, September 18, 1992, as quoted in A Power to Share: A Modern Definition of the Political Process and A Case for Democratic Renewal, by Hardial Bains, (Canadian Renewal Party: Ottawa, 1993), p. 7.
8. "National Action Committee on the Status of Women," Wikipedia, accessed February 10, 2009.
9. "NAC condemns changes to Status of Women Canada's mandate," Canada NewsWire, Ottawa: Oct 13, 2006., pg. 1, http://www.socialplanningtoronto.org/Federal%20Budget%202006/Media%20coverage/ (accessed February 7, 2009).

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Women, Poverty and the Need to
Strengthen Public Enterprise

In Canada, a newborn female is more likely than a male to grow up to be poor. Some 18 percent of Canadian women (just under 2.8 million) are living in poverty compared to 15 percent of the male population. Based on the 2001 census 23 percent of all Canadian women not born in Canada lived in poverty, and 37 percent of those who had arrived in the previous five years were impoverished. Among aboriginal women 43 percent lived below the poverty line. All indications are that the situation of national minority and aboriginal women in particular has deteriorated since these figures were gathered.

Single mothers and other "unattached" women are most vulnerable to poverty with 46 percent of single mothers and 43 percent of "unattached" women over 65 living in poverty. By comparison 31 percent of single senior men live in poverty. Two thirds of those earning the minimum wage are women and it is simply not possible to work enough hours at this rate to get above the poverty line.

In addressing the issue of poverty, one of the central issues which has to be addressed is the antiquated outlook and practice of using the socialized economy to serve, protect and enlarge the private wealth of owners of capital. The federal government is currently indebting the country further to finance its stimulus package, paying the very international financiers who have brought on the current economic crisis and whose private wealth is being enshrined by the government borrowing. The government is then using its power and privilege to hand over these funds to the owners of capital and blackmailing the workers to agree to concessions.

At the same time, the labour of the workers transforming nature is the only source of added value in the society for sustaining themselves and for funding social projects. The lay offs and shutting down of manufacturing in Canada is reducing the social wealth available to fund social projects. Reducing the number of workers working means there is less social product produced from which the government can claim its share as taxes. With less workers working or making less wages or facing reduced pensions, their incomes are down, driving more and more into poverty and reducing the spending capacity in the socialized economy which will further exacerbate the economic crisis. The direction the monopolies are taking the country through the federal and provincial governments will only lead to further economic crisis and more poverty and misery for the people.

Private enterprise is unwilling and structurally unable to organize production to provide the people of Canada with the Canadian standard income they all deserve and to direct the socialized wealth the workers produce for the common good. A radical change in direction is required. What is required is a campaign to build the country anew through public enterprise. Only the government through public enterprise is in a position to mobilize enough resources and organize work for all at a Canadian standard income and provide services to meet the needs of the people.

The idea that the economy must always be organized on the basis of reliance on the international financial oligarchy is a myth. The possibility of the economy being organized on a new basis, on the basis of its own people with the aim of guaranteeing the rights of all has to be seriously considered. This is not a question of "protectionism" versus "open borders" but of challenging the status quo of paying the rich and taking up nation-building through public enterprise and establishing trade on the basis of mutual benefit. Providing the funds to eradicate poverty and guarantee the rights of all can only come about through public enterprise which produces and provides services which guarantee the rights of all.

International Women's Day Calendar of Events
www.cpcml.ca

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