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.
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.
For Your Information
Wholesale Trade, February 2009
- Statistics Canada -
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 |
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 |
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.
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 pmMarch on Nova Scotia Legislature May Day Festival and Forum -- 7:30 pmSpeakers, 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 pmParc Raymond-Préfontaine (corner of Hochelaga and Moreau, metro Préfontaine Celebration -- 8:00 pmL'Ecole Chomedy-de-Maisonneuve, 1860 rue Morgan Demonstration Against Capitalism May 1 -- 5:30 pmParc 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 pmSuggested donation: $5 Petit Café Campus, 57 Prince-Arthur East For informatoin: 1ermai2008@gmail.comRive-sud 4:00-7:00 pmParc Le Moyne (corner of Saint-Charles and De Normandie near Longueil Marina) Hot dog dinner and discussion RSVP: Annette Herbeuval 450-466-6853Matane Friday, May 1 -- 10:45 amCentre 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 pm920 boul. Seminaire (across from the Hospital)
Dinner with hotdogs. For information: Fernande Lévesque 450-346-1222 Granby 5:00-7:00 pmPub du Village 20 rue Johnson RSVP before April 29: Denise Melançon 450-372-6830 Suroît 5:00-7:00 pmMarché Public BBQ with hotdogs. RSVP: Claudine Desforges 450-371-9150St-Hyacinthe 5:00 pm17240 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 pm900 rue de l'Eglise RSVP: Robert Morand 450-743-3039Quebec City
Carnival of Crisis Rally and March Rally -- 3:00 pmla Place de l'Université outside ÉNAP (École nationale d'administration publique) March -- 3:30 pmFrom 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.orgOutaouais-Hull May Day March and Celebration Friday, May 1 -- 5:00 pmParc 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 pmThe
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 TorontoCultural and Political Festival Friday, May 1-- 6:00 pmSteelworkers 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 pmRally 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.caHamilton
(click on image to download poster in PDF format)Panel Discussion: Building a United Movement for Change May 1 -- 7:00-9:00 pmMcMaster University, Ewart Angus Centre room 1A1 For information: 905-777-8102 or kevin@skydragon.orgJoin
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 pmSky Dragon Centre - 27 King William St. - ground floor
For more information: 905-777-8102 or kevin@skydragon.orgJoin
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 pmSky Dragon Centre, 27 King William St., ground floor For information: 905-777-8102 or kevin@skydragon.orgJoin
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 24www.mayworksottawa.ca
MANITOBA WinnipegMay Day March Friday, May 1 -- 6:00 pmJoe 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 30www.mayworks.orgALBERTA Edmonton May Day March and Community Drum Circle Friday, May 1 -- 5:00 pmEastwood 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.caCalgary May Day Picket and Rally Friday, May 1 -- 4:30 pmIn front of City Hall, 800 MacLeod Trail With speakers, chants and songs. Bring your banners, flags and drums For information: 403-283-7054BRITISH COLUMBIAVancouver Demonstration Against Canada-Colombia Free Trade Agreement Friday, May 1 -- 12:00 pmVancouver 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 CouncilHonour the Dead, Fight for the Living! Building the Struggle Against Exploitation Friday, May 1 -- 4:00 pmPigeon 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 organizationsMay Day March Friday, May 1 -- 5:00 pmStarts 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 pmRhizome 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 amMaritime 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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