CPC(M-L) HOMETML Daily ArchiveLe Marxiste-Léniniste quotidien

April 30, 2009 - No. 87

May Day 2009

Workers and Oppressed Peoples of the World Unite!


Reject Tripartism in Economic and Political Affairs!
Public Control of Wholesale Trade
For Your Information: Wholesale Trade, February 2009 - Statistics Canada


Reject Tripartism in Economic and Political Affairs!

Led by U.S. President Obama, owners of capital in the auto industry, which includes owners of debt, are engaged in a campaign of blackmail and coercion to undermine the credibility and authenticity of the United Auto Workers trade union by incorporating it into tripartite ownership of the auto monopolies along with private monopoly equity and debt capital and the U.S. government. This manoeuvre where the UAW has been pressured into accepting company stock in lieu of guarantees of health, retiree and other benefits is an attempt by the U.S. ruling class to block the consciousness of workers regarding the necessity of public enterprise and social programs as an antidote to the failure of the state monopoly capitalist system.

Tripartite ownership involving trade unions, monopoly capital and government is a path to living hell for the working class, as it leaves the class defenceless in the face of attacks orchestrated by the owners of capital and government. Based on the promotion of "one nation" chauvinism, theories of exceptionalism that there is no alternative to the crisis-ridden capitalist system, tripartite economics and politics are espoused by Obama and Michael Ignatieff, leader of the Liberal Party of Canada, and pose a tremendous danger for workers and society.

A "one nation" tripartite ownership arrangement destroys the defence organization of the working class and its coherence. Tripartism turns individual workers and their needs and aspirations against their own trade union organization leaving individual workers without an organized collective of and for the working class creating confusion and disharmony between individual workers and their collective and class.

Tripartite private share equity and debt ownership of monopolies is in direct opposition to the modern demand for public enterprise, where ownership is held by the state and no outside private owners or claimants are permitted. Public enterprise allows only two claimants on added-value: those workers directly involved in producing social product or delivering services and the society through the state. Any claim of private capital on public enterprise based on ownership of share equity or debt is considered the worst form of corruption and abuse of public wealth.

The tripartite "one nation" scheme of Obama, Ignatieff and the monopoly capitalists is meant to weaken the industrial working class as the backbone of resistance within the U.S. Empire and an annexed Canada. A destabilized North American working class movement becomes both a reserve for imperialist war and a target of capitalist plunder.

TML calls on all workers to exert every effort to step up the resistance movement against the nefarious plans of the U.S. Empire and its annexed lackeys in Canada to destroy our manufacturing base and organized trade union movement under the tripartite hoax of "one nation" economics and politics. TML salutes all organized and unorganized workers who are demanding pro-social emergency measures to confront the crisis and are developing their own human-centred alternative program for nation-building.

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Public Control of Wholesale Trade

CPC(M-L) has long advocated public control of wholesale trade both generally and in specific sectors, using various institutions Canadians may develop in the course of defending their rights. Public control over wholesale trade arises historically as a struggle of the people for control over their lives and the direction of the economy. Public control over wholesale trade remains an indispensable weapon in nation-building against monopoly right and the encroachment of U.S. continentalism.

The main antagonist is monopoly right, which uses its domination of wholesale trade in the following ways among others:

- To maintain and extend the control of the most dominant monopolies and overwhelm and eliminate domestic and foreign competitors;

- To subordinate Canadian production and the internal market to the needs of global monopoly empires, in particular those centred in the U.S. and to a lesser degree Europe and Japan;

- To manipulate both wholesale and retail prices to the advantage of particular monopolies and sectors but to the detriment of the economy as a whole causing crisis such as occurred recently in the steel and housing sectors;

- To avoid paying corporate tax as much as possible by passing on any government claim through higher wholesale and retail prices;

- To control Canadian imports and exports blocking any development or motion towards a self-reliant independent Canadian economy;

- To maintain U.S. dollar hegemony by forcing most exports and imports to be priced in U.S. dollars and all commodities to be traded as U.S. dollar monetary equivalents, which results in fluctuations of prices of commodities that are irrational to say the least and extremely destructive to Canada's economy (This aspect is hinted at by Statistics Canada in its Note to Readers on wholesale trade in February 2009: "Since many of the goods sold by wholesalers are imported, fluctuations in the value of the Canadian dollar can have an important influence on the prices of goods bought and sold by wholesalers.");

- To maintain Canada's dependence on exports mainly of basic commodities but also in a narrow range of manufactured products such as automobiles and lumber, which has distorted the Canadian economy making it extremely uneven both as a whole and regionally and extremely reliant on the U.S. market and unable to defend itself during crises. (This has given rise to a not so funny adage: When the U.S. economy sneezes, Canada catches a cold.)

Wholesale trade sits at the centre of the socialized economy. From this vantage point, great control can be exercised. Even a cursory study of Canada's wholesale trade for February shows how important it is during this crisis to introduce rational thinking and emergency measures into the sector rather than leave it to the machinations of the most powerful monopolies. The status quo is unacceptable; it simply allows monopoly right to trump public right. Only the financial sector could be said to occupy an equally important position at the heart of the economy, which necessitates building not-for-profit-no-interest banking, credit and insurance public enterprises across the country.

Public Control over Wholesale Trade Is Indispensable for Nation-Building

The February results on wholesale trade reveal those sectors in the economy under severe stress, where emergency measures must be taken -- automotive products, building materials, metal products, lumber and millwork, machinery and equipment and the "other products" sector, which includes many agricultural inputs and recycled material. The February data also reveals those regions most severely hit by the crisis. (See below Statistics Canada report on wholesale trade)

If Canadians are to exercise conscious control over their economy, they must fight for public control over wholesale trade. This has arisen historically within the agriculture sector where farmers have fought to defend themselves against domestic and foreign monopolies, giving rise to victories such as the Canadian Wheat Board and various farm product marketing boards. Public control over wholesale trade in these cases has been a mixture of farmers themselves exercising control combined with the authority of government. Other examples are more direct such as public control over air travel through Air Canada as a public enterprise and government restrictions on foreign ownership and capital. This saw air travel extended to small Canadian centres, which under private dictate demanding an expansion of invested capital for all investments, would never have had a major airline serving their needs.

A similar nation-building project was exercised with public control over rail service using the public enterprise Canadian National Railway as the main institution along with smaller public enterprises such as BC Rail and legislated restrictions on foreign ownership and capital. Electrical energy production is another example of controlling wholesale trade through public enterprise. This policy of public control of electrical production and its wholesale and retail sale enabled the Canadian elite to marshal public funds to build big projects such as nuclear reactors in Ontario and damming of major rivers in Quebec and BC. This led to industrial development such as aluminum smelting and a large local manufacturing sector, and relatively low electrical rates for big industrial consumers. Relatively low electrical rates for households, especially in Ontario and BC were also an aspect of the post-WWII social contract, which included Medicare, extended public education and other social programs. Canadians must realize that after the war, for the capitalist economy to develop the ruling elite needed a broad social base of consumers and elementary nation-building. Workers were encouraged to spend rather than save for education, retirement, medical emergencies etc. A way to accomplish this was through social programs such as public education, public health and guaranteed government and company pensions. With the annexation of Canada into the U.S. Empire, especially since the neo-liberal regime of Mulroney/Reagan through to Harper/Obama, the Canadian market is no longer seen as crucial. Important to the global monopolies, in particular the U.S. and its military are Canada's natural resources such as oil, natural gas, minerals and metals of all sorts, electrical production for export to the U.S., fresh water, and young Canadians as mercenaries to fight U.S. wars for empire. The social programs of the past in education, health and public control of wholesale trade are now seen by the financial oligarchy as impediments to expanding capital and empire-building that should be abandoned or privatized. Canadian nation-building has been hijacked through annexation into the U.S. Empire.

Most of the nation-building efforts that brought some public control over wholesale trade have disappeared, as the country has been more fully annexed into the U.S. Empire and its global dictate. This has been a factor in the current economic crisis, as the internal economy has become more geared to serve the narrow interests of the giant global corporations that move production anywhere in the world to suit their aim of expanding their capital regardless of the social, natural or national consequences. A significant result is that control over the Canadian economy has become more alienated from the people and public good. A glaring example of this is steel production. This sector of the economy has traditionally been owned and controlled in Canada but recently has been taken over by foreign monopolies. This has resulted in the complete shutdown of Stelco mills in Hamilton and Nanticoke as the new owner U.S. Steel protects its own interests during the crisis by concentrating production at its traditional bases in Pittsburgh, Alabama and Gary Indiana. Giant monopolies buy existing plants not only to expand but importantly to gain control over competitors, which gives them the monopoly right to close production anywhere within the imperialist system of states if it suits their empire-building at a particular time, such as U.S. Steel has done. Servile Canadian politicians declare that nothing can be done as these foreign companies have the legal right to do what they want under commercial law. Private ownership trumps public right and public good according to capital-centred politicians. Worker politicians say otherwise: a pro-social alternative that trumps monopoly right is not only possible but necessary!

Stelco did not shut down during the 1930s' depression mainly because it needed to continue producing in Hamilton to survive because that was the centre and heart of the company. In the situation today, the new owner U.S. Steel can ship steel into Canada because Canada is under the dictate of NAFTA, which is an arrangement called "free trade" but really a situation whereby the most powerful North American monopolies exercise control over Canada's economic affairs.

The same monopoly dictate is in effect in the forestry industry with devastating results for Canada's forestry communities and industry. The softwood lumber agreement is a sub-agreement of NAFTA mainly to strengthen the grip of the biggest monopolies and wipe out any motion towards a self-reliant independent forestry sector in Canada such as a vibrant secondary forestry sector manufacturing products for Canadians. Under the existing commercial law and political authority because the forest resource and means of production are legally controlled by big companies and the financial oligarchy, this gives them the monopoly right to block Canadians from developing that resource in a self-reliant and independent sustainable way that serves their communities and Canada and not big business. Again, an alternative is possible and necessary but worker politicians must challenge existing commercial law that favours monopoly right.

In the main, wholesale trade controls exports and imports, and as long as private monopolies dominate that sector Canada's international trade will serve monopoly right and trump public right. Farmers discovered that truth in the 1930s while actively defending their rights. They fought to establish the Canadian Wheat Board as a tool to restrict monopoly right over the export of grain and it proved quite successful, which is why the monopoly grain traders and financial speculators have enlisted the Harper Party in power to destroy the CWB.

Canadians are today faced with wholesale trade dominated by the most powerful monopolies that use this control as a means to expand their capital and the reach of their empires at the expense of Canadians and the development of a pro-social all-sided self-reliant economy. Private monopoly control over wholesale trade distorts the economy in favour of the most powerful monopoly groups, which exacerbates the economic crisis, distorts the economy away from manufacturing and serves to annex Canada even more deeply within the U.S. Empire. Canadian politicians and experts stuck in this status quo are incapable of finding solutions to the crisis and a way forward. Instead, they act as traitors and call upon Canadians to acquiesce to annexation within the U.S. Empire, make never-ending concessions to the monopolies, accept layoffs and the destruction of manufacturing without a fight and resign ourselves to be exporters of basic commodities with our fate held by others mainly the U.S., who we hope will buy Canada's raw materials. This impotent status quo is the nexus of the economic crisis and must be rejected if Canadians are to defeat the crisis and move forward. An alternative outside the status quo is possible and necessary.

This alternative includes public control of wholesale trade.

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For Your Information

Wholesale Trade, February 2009

Wholesale sales fell 0.6% to $41.0 billion in current dollars in February. Declining sales in the machinery and equipment trade group and the "other products" sector were major factors contributing to this decrease. In terms of the volume of sales, wholesale sales were flat.

Canadian wholesalers sell to both the domestic and international markets, and are active importers and exporters. The decline in sales reflected both lower export demand for Canadian goods, a significant part of which flows through wholesale markets, and weaker sales in Canada.

In February, four out of seven sectors, accounting for over two-thirds of total wholesale sales, posted declines.

The machinery and electronic equipment sector declined 1.6%, largely as a result of lower sales in the machinery and equipment trade group (-5.2%), which accounts for close to half of the sales in this sector. Within this trade group, declines were observed in industrial as well as in mining, oil and gas well machinery and equipment wholesalers.

Sales in the "other products" sector fell 4.0% to $5.3 billion in February, offsetting a 4.0% rise in January. The main contributors were declines in all other wholesalers and agricultural chemical and other farm supplies. This was the lowest level in this sector since August 2007. The "other products" sector includes a wide range of wholesaling activity ranging from recycled metal, recycled paper and paperboard, stationery and office supplies, and other paper and disposable plastic products wholesalers, to agricultural feed and seed wholesalers and agricultural chemical and other farm suppliers, chemical (except agricultural) and allied products, and all other wholesalers.

Declines were also seen in the food and beverages sector (-1.0%) and the building materials sector (-0.9%).

The largest increase came in the automotive products sector, which rose 4.0% in February, following a 21.8% decline in January. Sales of motor vehicles increased 9.4%, offsetting some of the losses in January. Sales in motor vehicle parts and accessories fell 7.6% in February, its largest drop since April 2003.

Wholesale Sales Down in Five Provinces

Provincially, Saskatchewan registered the largest decrease (-6.4%) in February, following a 10.7% increase in January. Lower sales in the "other products" and machinery and electronic equipment sectors were behind most of the decreases for the month.

Wholesale sales in Alberta fell 3.2%, the fifth decline in six months. Weakness was seen in several sectors, including machinery and electronic equipment, and building supplies.

Wholesale sales in Quebec rose 1.4%, while they declined 0.7% in Ontario.

Sales increased in three out of four Atlantic provinces, with Newfoundland and Labrador (+5.0%) and Nova Scotia (+4.0%) leading the way.

Inventory-to-Sales Ratio Continues to Climb

Inventories edged up 0.1% in February.

Among the 15 wholesale trade groups, 7 reported higher inventory levels, including alcohol and tobacco (+2.2%), office and professional equipment (+1.5%) and building supplies (+1.3%).

These increases were partially offset by declines in inventories of the lumber and millwork (-2.5%), computer and electronic equipment (-1.5%), and farm products (-3.4%) trade groups.

The slowdown in sales and the slight gain in inventories led to an increase in the inventory-to-sales ratio from 1.43 in January to 1.44 in February. This was the highest level since October 1995. The average inventory-to-sales ratio for 2008 was 1.27.

The inventory-to-sales ratio is a measure of the time in months required to exhaust inventories if sales were to remain at their current level.

Table 2: Wholesale Merchants' Sales

  February 2008 November 2008r December 2008r January 2009r February 2009p January to February 2009 February 2008 to February 2009
  Seasonally adjusted
  $ millions % change
Total, wholesale sales 42,855 44,303 42,912 41,237 40,979 -0.6 -4.4
Farm products 459 480 437 459 469 2.1 2.2
Food, beverages and tobacco products 7,624 8,020 8,157 8,231 8,147 -1.0 6.9
Food products 6,843 7,290 7,369 7,462 7,365 -1.3 7.6
Alcohol and tobacco 781 730 789 769 782 1.7 0.2
Personal and household goods 6,501 6,744 6,753 6,784 6,827 0.6 5.0
Apparel 789 888 822 833 859 3.1 8.9
Household and personal products 2,683 2,622 2,666 2,658 2,675 0.7 -0.3
Pharmaceuticals 3,030 3,234 3,264 3,294 3,293 0.0 8.7
Automotive products 7,065 6,716 6,457 5,051 5,250 4.0 -25.7
Motor vehicles 5,527 5,093 4,806 3,425 3,749 9.4 -32.2
Motor vehicle parts and accessories 1,538 1,623 1,651 1,625 1,502 -7.6 -2.3
Building materials 6,050 6,456 6,147 5,817 5,764 -0.9 -4.7
Building supplies 3,714 3,974 3,795 3,635 3,639 0.1 -2.0
Metal products 1,480 1,627 1,573 1,463 1,343 -8.2 -9.3
Lumber and millwork 856 856 778 719 782 8.8 -8.7
Machinery and electronic equipment 9,260 10,126 9,658 9,380 9,225 -1.6 -0.4
Machinery and equipment 4,713 5,253 4,907 4,805 4,553 -5.2 -3.4
Computer and other electronic equipment 2,580 2,782 2,657 2,456 2,582 5.1 0.1
Office and professional equipment 1,966 2,092 2,094 2,118 2,090 -1.3 6.3
Other products 5,897 5,760 5,302 5,516 5,296 -4.0 -10.2
Total, excluding automobiles 35,790 37,587 36,455 36,187 35,729 -1.3 -0.2
Sales, province and territory              
Newfoundland and Labrador 248 285 279 278 292 5.0 18.1
Prince Edward Island 38 44 40 38 37 -3.1 -1.4
Nova Scotia 570 606 591 568 591 4.0 3.7
New Brunswick 425 452 441 438 438 0.1 3.0
Quebec 8,181 8,352 8,207 8,008 8,117 1.4 -0.8
Ontario 20,945 21,354 20,862 19,493 19,365 -0.7 -7.5
Manitoba 1,164 1,102 1,074 1,114 1,124 0.9 -3.4
Saskatchewan 1,467 1,741 1,507 1,668 1,561 -6.4 6.4
Alberta 5,382 5,887 5,638 5,488 5,310 -3.2 -1.3
British Columbia 4,360 4,414 4,194 4,065 4,057 -0.2 -6.9
Yukon 14 11 11 11 11 3.2 -19.4
Northwest Territories 58 54 53 59 58 -2.3 -0.7
Nunavut 3 3 16 7 16 121.0 500.0
rrevised
ppreliminary
Note(s): Figures may not add up to totals due to rounding.

Table 1 Wholesale Merchants' Inventories and Inventory-to-Sales Ratio

  February 2008 November 2008r December 2008r January 2009r February 2009p January to February 2009 February 2008 to February 2009 January 2009r February 2009p
  Wholesale inventories Inventory-to-sales ratio
  Seasonally adjusted
  $ millions % change    
Inventories 54,308 58,746 58,667 58,828 58,862 0.1 8.4 1.43 1.44
Farm products 172 180 179 176 170 -3.4 -1.5 0.38 0.36
Food products 4,258 4,682 4,623 4,630 4,643 0.3 9.0 0.62 0.63
Alcohol and tobacco 359 431 400 420 430 2.2 19.9 0.55 0.55
Apparel 1,785 1,975 2,057 2,106 2,096 -0.5 17.4 2.53 2.44
Household and personal products 4,045 4,124 4,071 4,084 4,048 -0.9 0.1 1.54 1.51
Pharmaceuticals 3,802 4,035 4,112 4,087 4,097 0.2 7.8 1.24 1.24
Motor vehicles 4,559 4,368 4,268 4,096 4,099 0.1 -10.1 1.20 1.09
Motor vehicle parts and accessories 3,201 3,352 3,382 3,350 3,343 -0.2 4.4 2.06 2.23
Building supplies 5,915 6,270 6,362 6,412 6,498 1.3 9.9 1.76 1.79
Metal products 2,781 3,209 3,251 3,274 3,287 0.4 18.2 2.24 2.45
Lumber and millwork 1,061 1,118 1,054 1,048 1,023 -2.5 -3.6 1.46 1.31
Machinery and equipment 11,448 12,383 12,388 12,537 12,504 -0.3 9.2 2.61 2.75
Computer and other electronic equipment 1,657 1,917 1,773 1,764 1,738 -1.5 4.9 0.72 0.67
Office and professional equipment 2,636 2,885 2,912 2,950 2,995 1.5 13.6 1.39 1.43
Other products 6,629 7,818 7,837 7,892 7,890 0.0 19.0 1.43 1.49
rrevised
ppreliminary
Note(s): Figures may not add up to totals due to rounding.

Note to Readers

Wholesale sales in volume terms are calculated by deflating current dollar values using import and industry product price indexes. Since many of the goods sold by wholesalers are imported, fluctuations in the value of the Canadian dollar can have an important influence on the prices of goods bought and sold by wholesalers.

The wholesale sales series in chained (2002) dollars is a chained Fisher volume index with 2002 as the reference year.

Unadjusted monthly data were revised as of January 2006, while seasonally adjusted data were revised as of January 2004. Factors influencing revisions include late receipt of respondent information, correction of information on data provided, the replacement of estimated figures with actual values (once available), the re-classification of companies within, into and out of the wholesale trade industry and updates to seasonal and trading day factors.

Data in constant prices have also been revised to incorporate the revision to the current dollar series for the period from 2004 to date.

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May Day 2009

Calendar of Events

NOVA SCOTIA
Halifax


This year the celebration coincides with the 90th anniversary of the 1919 May Day 100 per cent strike of over 1,000 Halifax construction tradesmen against exploitation and gouging in the aftermath of the 1917 Halifax Explosion and the labour revolts from the Atlantic to the Pacific. On 15 May between 30-35,000 workers launched a general strike in Winnipeg. On 20 May 4000 industrial workers in Amherst launched their general strike. Solidarity strikes in up to 30 other cities and towns followed, events which are unquestionable symbols of the independence, resistance and unity of the Canadian working class movement.

As part of its mandate to restore the living history of the working people embodied in May Day to its rightful place and honour all those who have fought for the rights of the workers and oppressed, the Halifax May Day Committee is proud to announce that Darryl Tingley, past president, Canadian Union of Postal Workers, is Honourary Chair, Halifax May Day 2009.

Workers & Oppressed Peoples of the World Unite!

May Day Rally and March, Festival and Forum
Friday, May 1
Rally -- 4:30 pm
Victoria Park
March -- 6:15 pm
March on Nova Scotia Legislature
May Day Festival and Forum -- 7:30 pm
Speakers, Videos, Music, Spoken Word, Food, Childcare
North Street Church, 5657 North St. (at Fuller Terrace)
Organized by: Halifax May Day Committee, 477-0470, mayday.halifax @ gmail.com, online information at www.shunpiking.com (follow the links)



QUEBEC
Montreal

Mass Demonstration and Celebration
Friday, May 1 -- 6:30 pm

Parc Raymond-Préfontaine (corner of Hochelaga and Moreau, metro Préfontaine
Celebration -- 8:00 pm
L'Ecole Chomedy-de-Maisonneuve, 1860 rue Morgan

Demonstration Against Capitalism
May 1 -- 5:30 pm

Parc Cabot (corner Atwater and Ste-Catherine – métro Atwater)

As part of the growing worldwide demonstrations against the crisis, a demonstration against capitalism is being organized as part of the May 1st workers holiday. Gathering at 5:30 pm, march at 6:30 pm. The demonstration will march to the main offices of the Caisse de dépôt et placement du Québec in the heart of the business district (1000, place Jean-Paul-Riopelle, in Vieux-Montréal). We will not pay for their crisis!

Spectacle anticapitaliste
May 1-- 8:30 pm

Suggested donation: $5
Petit Café Campus, 57 Prince-Arthur East
For informatoin: 1ermai2008@gmail.com

Rive-sud
4:00-7:00 pm

Parc Le Moyne (corner of Saint-Charles and De Normandie near Longueil Marina)
Hot dog dinner and discussion
RSVP: Annette Herbeuval 450-466-6853

Matane
Friday, May 1 -- 10:45 am

Centre Sportif Alain-côté, 321 du Bon Pasteur
10:45 - arrive; 11:00 - activities begin; 11:30 - invited speakers; 12:00 - Free Hot Dog Lunch
In case of poor weather, activities will be held inside the hall of the sports centre.

St-Jean
Rally -- 3:00-7:00 pm

920 boul. Seminaire (across from the Hospital)
Dinner with hotdogs.
For information: Fernande Lévesque 450-346-1222

Granby

5:00-7:00 pm

Pub du Village
20 rue Johnson
RSVP before April 29: Denise Melançon 450-372-6830

Suroît

5:00-7:00 pm

Marché Public
BBQ with hotdogs.
RSVP: Claudine Desforges 450-371-9150

St-Hyacinthe
5:00 pm

17240 Grand rang, St-François
Cold buffet, Quebecois group "Break Syndical"
Admission subsidised by the labour council
RSVP: 450-466-6853

Sorel

Health and Security / Workers' Festival
May 4 -- 5:00-7:00 pm

900 rue de l'Eglise
RSVP: Robert Morand 450-743-3039

Quebec City
Carnival of Crisis Rally and March
Rally -- 3:00 pm

la Place de l'Université outside ÉNAP (École nationale d'administration publique)
March -- 3:30 pm
From 3:30 pm to 4:30 pm a march will take place through the streets of downtown.
For information: Mathieu, Regroupement d'éducation populaire en actions communautaires,
418-522-0454 / www.repac.org


Outaouais-Hull
May Day March and Celebration
Friday, May 1 -- 5:00 pm

Parc Fontaine (enter from 120 Charlevoix in Gatineau)
March departs at 5:30, returning at six for a hot dog dinner.



Discovering the Workers' Heritage of Old Hull
Friday, May 1 -- 3:00 pm


The FTQ Outaouais Regional Council in collaboration with the Vigilance Outaouais Network has organized an activity whose theme touches on both the current crisis and the popular and working history of Hull.

Beginning at 3:00 pm, as a preamble to the evening's events, there will be a a guided tour (by bus) to learn about the history of Hull. The tour will begin at 3:00 pm at Théâtre de l'Ile, 1 Wellington Street, Hull. After the tour, participants will be dropped off at Parc Fontaine for a picnic and celebration, after which the bus will return everyone to the Théâtre de l'Ile.

To book your place on the bus: TROVEPO at 819-771-5862.

Old Hull is at the heart of the workers' and industrial heritage of the city of Gatineau and the Outaouais. It was at the Chaudiere Falls and rapids that American Philemon Wright established his brewery at the beginning of the nineteenth century, the first industrial center in the Outaouais. At the turn of the twentieth century, Hull was the third industrialized city of Quebec. The forest industry dominated with its sawmills, pulp and paper mills and match factories. The city was known as the World Capital of Matches. There were also large textile mills, a large foundry, a slaughterhouse and several smaller industries employing thousands of men, women and even children. After the Second World War, the industry gradually declined and Hull became more of a city of civil servants, causing serious turmoil in the 1970s.

Come and discover this fascinating workers' history. Come explore places of industry including a foundry, textile mills, pumping plants, a leaching tower, the buildings of E.B. Eddy and the Charron heritage house.


ONTARIO

Toronto

Cultural and Political Festival
Friday, May 1-- 6:00 pm

Steelworkers Hall, 25 Cecil St.
Free admission

This year, the newly-formed May 1st Movement (M1M) Committee and its allies are coming together to restore the importance of May Day for working peoples' struggles.

May Day, that is May 1st is celebrated everywhere in the world as the day for workers. Everywhere, on that day, people celebrate the accomplishments of working people everywhere towards justice, true peace and liberation. Everywhere that is, but here in Canada and in the United States. It is time we change that.

Come celebrate as communities and activists come together across borders to celebrate our resistance as workers striving for a world of of true peace, justice, equality and respect for all.

With speakers from: Six Nations Men's Fire, No One Is Illegal-Toronto, FMLN-Toronto, MIGRANTE Ontario, Canadian Humanitarian Appeal for the Rights of Tamils, BASICS Newsletter, Coalition Against Israeli Apartheid. Also featuring performances of dance, music, visual and video art, spoken word and theatre and international food.

"No One Is Illegal" Rally and March
Saturday, May 2 -- 1:00 pm

Rally at Sherbourne and Carlton
On April 2nd and 3rd, over 100 temporary and undocumented workers were attacked by armed border guards, dragged in to detention and are now being forcibly deported. On 2 May, thousands of us will say Enough!



24th Annual Mayworks Festival
April 25-May 3
www.mayworks.ca



Hamilton

(click on image to download poster in PDF format)


Panel Discussion: Building a United Movement for Change
May 1 -- 7:00-9:00 pm

McMaster University, Ewart Angus Centre room 1A1
For information: 905-777-8102 or kevin@skydragon.org

Join panelists Sandra Preston, Rolph Gerstenberger, Graeme MacQueen, Deirdre Dixon, Marya Folinsbee and Lynda Lukasik for a challenging and thought-provoking panel discussion. The format will see each speaker give a 5 minute presentation from their own perspective, and informed by the question: "Why do we need to build a united progressive movement?" Following the presentations there will be moderated questions from the audience and answers from panelists. The event will be video-recorded, transcribed and disseminated through various media and community channels. All are welcome to attend this free event.

Mayday Celebration at the Sky Dragon Centre
Friday, May 1 -- 9:30 pm

Sky Dragon Centre - 27 King William St. - ground floor
For more information: 905-777-8102 or kevin@skydragon.org

Join the Sky Dragon Coop and friends in the Labour, Women's, Peace, Environmental and Anti-Racism movements for a celebration commemorating the international working people's holiday. Swinging jazz will keep the party grooving to the wee hours. Musical lineup TBA. Check www.skydragon.org for updates.

Mayday Street Festival

Saturday, May 2 -- 11:00 am-11:00 pm

Sky Dragon Centre, 27 King William St., ground floor
For information: 905-777-8102 or kevin@skydragon.org

Join us for the third annual celebration of Mayday: A Festival of Liberation. King William Street is closed down for the day and musicians, artists, community organizations and more take over. All are welcome to this free celebration of arts and social justice. A children's play area and Bouncy Castle make the day fun for families, while good music, good food and informative displays and workshops offer something for everyone. The Mayday Festival asks us to imagine a planet free from poverty, war, discrimination and environmental destruction. Lets come together to envision this better world in the streets of Hamilton! Awesome entertainment line-up TBA. Check www.skydragon.org for updates.

Ottawa
May Day Rally
Friday, May 1 -- 4:00 pm

Human Rights Monument (Elgin and Lisgar)



Mayworks Festival

April 28-May 24

www.mayworksottawa.ca


MANITOBA
Winnipeg

May Day March
Friday, May 1 -- 6:00 pm

Joe Zuken Memorial Park corner of Sutherland and Maple

Come celebrate International Working Class Day. This year's themes are "Organize the Unorganized" and "A Living Wage for All" both of which were raised by the Strike Committee in 1919 and remain pressing concerns for today's activists.

Join the annual Winnipeg Labour Council march in celebration of May Day. This year will also mark the 90th Anniversary of the Winnipeg General Strike. In recognition of this the march will go past many of the sites that are part of that history.

The march will start in Point Douglas, one of Winnipeg's oldest communities, opposite what was the Vulcan Iron Works in 1919. It will then go past Victoria Park; the site of the original Labour Temple; Hell's Alley and the site were Mike Sokolowski was shot and killed in the charge of the NWMP.

With Ken Georgetti, President of the Canadian Labour Congress and others.

Mayworks Festival
April 28-May 30

www.mayworks.org


ALBERTA
Edmonton

May Day March and Community Drum Circle
Friday, May 1 -- 5:00 pm

Eastwood Community Park 11803- 86 St. to Alberta Avenue Community Centre

The May Day March will creatively explore the overall theme of May this year which is past, present and future: from 1919 to beyond. The theme was chosen to commemorate the labour struggles that took place during the economic depression of 1919 and examining and connecting current struggles as we live in a year of both economic boom and economic slow down.

Mayweek
April 26-May 2
www.mayweek.ab.ca


Calgary
May Day Picket and Rally
Friday, May 1 -- 4:30 pm

In front of City Hall, 800 MacLeod Trail
With speakers, chants and songs. Bring your banners, flags and drums
For information: 403-283-7054


BRITISH COLUMBIA
Vancouver
Demonstration Against Canada-Colombia Free Trade Agreement
Friday, May 1 -- 12:00 pm

Vancouver Trade and Convention Centre, 1055 Canada Place
Demonstrate at the Federal Liberal Convention to tell the Liberals NO! to a free trade deal with Colombia. Participants at the PSAC Convention taking place across the street will join the rally. Colombian trade union activists attending the PSAC convention will address the rally, along with speakers from CLC.
Organised by: Vancouver & District Labour Council

Honour the Dead, Fight for the Living! Building the Struggle Against Exploitation
Friday, May 1 -- 4:00 pm

Pigeon Park (Hastings and Carrall, Downtown Eastside)
Gather at Pigeon Park and walk to Grandview Park (Commercial Dr. and 14th)
Organized by: The Anti-Poverty Committee and other organizations

May Day March
Friday, May 1 -- 5:00 pm

Starts at Vancouver Art Gallery (Robson St. side between Hornby and Howe)
ends at Victory Square (Cambie and East Hastings)

Evening Cultural Cabaret and Book Launch
Friday, May 1 -- 7:00 pm

Rhizome Café (317 East Broadway, near Kingsway)
The cabaret will feature cultural performances and the launch of a
new graphic novel about the history of May Day.

For information: May Day Organizing Committee c/o Grassroots Women at 604-682-4451 or the Organizing Centre for Economic and Social Justice at 604-215-2775. We also welcome endorsements of the May 1 event by organizations. Please contact us at these numbers if you wish to endorse our event.

Evening of Solidarity
Friday, May 1 -- 7:00-12:00 am

Maritime Labour Centre, 1880 Triumph St.
Admission by donation
Entertainment by Tom Hawkins and others; information tables, snacks and no-host bar.
Proceeds to benefit Protein for People.


UNITED STATES
National Immigrant Workers Mobilization

- National Immigrant Solidarity Network -

We are calling a national day of multi-ethnic unity with youth, labor, peace and justice communities in solidarity with immigrant workers and building new immigrant rights & civil rights movement! Wear a white T-shirt, organize local actions to support immigrant worker rights!

1) No to anti-immigrant legislation, and the criminalization of the immigrant communities.
2) No to militarization of the border.
3) No to the immigrant detention and deportation.
4) No to the guest worker program.
5) No to employer sanction and "no match" letters.
6) Yes to a path to legalization without condition for undocumented immigrants NOW.
7) Yes to speedy family reunification.
8) Yes to civil rights and humane immigration law.
9) Yes to labor rights and living wages for all workers.
10) Yes to the education and LGBTQ immigrant legislation.

We encourage everyone to actively link our issues with different struggles: wars in Africa, the Americas, Asia, Iraq, Afghanistan, Palestine and Korea, with sweatshop exploitation in Asia as well as in Los Angeles, New York; international arm sales and WTO, FTAA, NAFTA & CAFTA with AIDS, hunger, child labors and child solider; as well as multinational corporations and economic exploitation with racism and poverty at home -- in order to win the struggle together this May Day 2009!

No Immigrant Bashing! Support Immigrant Rights!

For events: http://www.immigrantsolidarity.org/calendar/Calendar.php

National Immigrant Solidarity Network
webpage: http://www.ImmigrantSolidarity.org
e-mail: info@ImmigrantSolidarity.org
New York: (212)330-8172
Los Angeles: (213)403-0131
Washington D.C.: (202)595-8990
Chicago: (773)942-2268

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