The Marxist-Leninist Daily

Comrade Hardial Bains founded CPC(M-L) on March 31, 1970.

Across the country the organizations of the Communist Party of Canada (Marxist-Leninist) at the local, provincial and national levels are holding meetings, conferences, seminars and social gatherings to mark the Party's 40th anniversary.

The first of these was a vigorous meeting organized by the Party's Outaouais Regional Committee on March 13. The choice of March 13 was not accidental. It marked the 47th anniversary of the founding of the Internationalists, precursor organization of the Party, at the University of British Columbia. The date was chosen specifically to honour the work carried out by Comrade Hardial Bains throughout his life and specifically in the 1995-1997 period to hand over the Party's institutions to the youth, the sons and daughters of the working class. This included the decisive struggle to open and widen the space for communism in the educational institutions as well as throughout the society.

Then, on March 27, the Party's Central committee hosted a socio-political buffet dinner in Toronto with the participation of 225 invited guests. The Party's work was manifest everywhere in the hall. The youth and comrades from all walks of life set up the infrastructure to facilitate the evening's program. The banners on the walls gave significance to the 40th anniversary: one featured a picture of Party founder and leader Comrade Hardial Bains with the Party's motto -- The Issue Is Not to Wave the Red Flag But to Show Our Colours Through Our Deeds. Another banner highlighted the Party's 8th Congress and its program Laying the Foundations of the Mass Communist Party and yet another highlighted the Party's work to Empower the People. The Party's statement for 2010, A People's Canada Is Necessary was available for all.

Amidst the abundance of delicious food, the atmosphere was marked by the joyful reunion of many old and new friends greeting one another. The people present covered all the generations, from the oldest fighters against the scourge of fascism in the last century, to those who were founding members of the Party and of the Internationalists, its precursor organization before that, to the generations which joined the Party since then. The current generation of youth were present in large numbers and led the event. A militant delegation represented Quebec and Party secretaries represented the Maritimes, Alberta and British Columbia. Ontario workers were present from all the main sectors of the economy. Invited guests attended from the Filipino, Korean, East Indian, Bangladeshi, Sri Lankan, Haitian, Portuguese and West Indian communities and from several Middle Eastern and Latin American countries. A delegation of friends from the United States added to the joyful reunion as did the many Party families and friends present. It was a joyful atmosphere indeed.

Among the highlights of the evening were the remarks by the Party's First Secretary Comrade Sandra L. Smith, along with the participation in the event and the greetings of distinguished guests -- His Excellency Sin Son Ho, Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the DPRK to Canada and the DPRK's Permanent Representative to the UN and Hong Je Ryong, First Councillor at the DPRK Mission to the UN responsible for Canada; Consul General of the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela in Toronto Mirna Quero de Peña and Vice Consul Scarlet Salazar; General Secretary of the U.S. Marxist-Leninist Organization Kathleen Chandler; Chair of the Philippine Solidarity Group Rick Esguerra, Party youth representative Jamilé Ghaddar, Jorge Soberon, Consul General of the Republic of Cuba in Toronto and Isaac Saney, Co-Chair and National Spokesperson of the Canadian Network on Cuba. Beautiful party songs were performed during the evening and a cultural program of music and dance followed the formal program, providing a lively backdrop to the discussions carrying on throughout the evening.

As the last of the dinner was enjoyed, the musicians took the stage and Pierre Chenier, the Secretary of the Workers' Centre of CPC(M-L) and Master of Ceremonies for the evening, opened the formal part of the program. He welcomed everyone to the celebration and introduced Sandra L. Smith, the First Secretary of the Central Committee of CPC(M-L). Comrade Sandra was greeted with an enthusiastic ovation as shouts and calls hailed CPC(M-L) and the Party's anniversary.

Comrade Sandra dedicated the occasion to the memory of Party founder Comrade Hardial Bains and to all those who contributed to building the Party but who have passed away as well as to all the victims of colonialism and imperialism and especially the victims of the Cold War democracy in the 20th and 21st centuries. She called for a moment of reflection accompanied by the beautiful song from the Spanish Civil War, The Dawn as everyone stood in respect.

Comrade Sandra then addressed those present. "Wherever there has been a movement for progress or enlightenment or for democratic liberties, there you find the communists in the forefront with society's progressive forces side by side," Sandra said. "In all spheres of endeavour, especially in the sphere of politics, in the sphere of rights, it is the communists who have put the interests of the oppressed peoples and nations at the centre," she said.

"The communists have been in the front ranks of all struggles for progress because communism is the condition for the emancipation of the working class and all oppressed people and nations. This is why it is always made the target of attack of the imperialists and all reaction. Twenty years ago they said communism was finished. If it was finished, why are they passing resolutions against it all over the world? They cannot stop making it the main target of attack. They are intent on attacking the DPRK, revolutionary Cuba. They also attack Hugo Chavez and the Bolivarian revolution. Even a Liberal president in Honduras who wanted to help his people was deposed in what was called a democratic coup. Little Haiti merely wanted to increase the wages of its people by a small amount and its president was sent into exile half a world away.

Comrade Sandra pointed out that these same reactionary forces have nothing to say about all the victims of Cold War democracy since the Second World War. She noted that the dirty wars against Korea, against Vietnam and the peoples of Indochina, against the peoples in Africa, Asia, Latin America and the Caribbean caused hundreds and thousands of victims. They were dirty wars which in those days were covert CIA operations. "Now, the dirty covert war has become official policy," she said. She concluded by calling on everyone to take up the defence of communism which is made the target of attack because it is the world outlook required to bring in the arrangements the peoples of the world require.

Addressing the current situation and the work of the Party, Sandra continued: "Today, the class struggle is raging between the ruling class and the working class over the direction of society. Everyone is fighting for change -- but what kind of change? It is the content of change which has become the greatest arena of contention. Is the change to be the one which places all the assets of the nation and of the peoples of the world at the disposal of the strongest monopolies which have themselves put the military power and institutions of the biggest imperialist powers at their disposal? Or will it favour the people?

"Our aim is to make sure the working class stops the ruling class from squandering the national resources, from sacrificing the independence of the country and the well-being of the people. The working class is raising the issue that the human and material resources of the country must be used to benefit the people, not the rich. They must be used to advance the collective interests of the people. [...] Nation-building in Canada can only mean one thing: that the working class must constitute itself the nation and imbue it with a vision to humanize the natural and social environments. It must provide society with a modern constitution, with a modern political mechanism, with a change in the direction of the economy and with independence. [...]

"We come to this celebration with pride and a lot of confidence," Comrade Sandra declared. "Far from the perfidy of the last twenty years shaking our conviction in any way, we have brought forth what is best. We opened this period with a call to turn historic success into historic victory. How does CPC(M-L) achieve historic victory? It organizes. Comrade Bains said, first it defines the victory it wants to achieve, on the basis of what is necessary and what is possible. Then it brings it about. Practical work comes first and organization comes later. The Party follows this advice. It does not get frustrated, it is not adventurist, it does not permit defeatism. All of you present here today make it possible. Without your support and all the work on different fronts by the comrades it would not be possible."

In closing her remarks, Comrade Sandra recalled the words that concluded the 8th Congress, "Dare to go where angels fear to tread! By daring to act with analysis, it can be done!"

Another standing ovation followed then the musicians performed the song of the 8th Congress, Lift this Banner. Shouts of "Long Live the Communist Party of Canada (Marxist-Leninist)" brought this presentation to a close.

The emcee then called on the musicians to render the Korean love song, Ari Rang, which has become an anthem for Korean reunification.

The Ambassador plenipotentiary of the DPRK, His Excellency Sin Son Ho then extended greetings to all Party members and the leadership of CPC(M-L). He expressed appreciation that since its founding, CPC(M-L) has remained as the principled representative of the working class in Canada. "The Communist Party of Canada (Marxist-Leninist) has also lent their support and solidarity for the Korean people for the national reunification of the Korean peninsula for which we are very grateful and we are very sure that the solidarity and mutual support between the Workers Party of Korea and the Communist Party of Canada (Marxist-Leninist) will continue in the future and forever," the ambassador said.

Consul General of the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela in Toronto Mirna Quero de Peña, who attended with Vice Consul Scarlet Salazar, extended warm Bolivarian greeting and on behalf of her government brought a message of congratulations on the 40th Anniversary of the founding of CPC(M-L) and support for this political party, "which has not recoiled in the fight for the rights and the well-being of the people."

"We are aware of the struggles this political party has faced throughout its history, based on achieving equal rights and duties for all citizens in Canada and we are conscious that the broadest possible unity of social and political forces at national, continental and global levels is required to reach victory against imperialism. Progress towards socialism requires the existence of political organizations like the Communist Party of Canada (Marxist-Leninist), which expresses the most consistent positions of the social classes historically committed to the revolution and socialism and becomes the ideological and political vanguard that collectively leads the effort of the masses to fight against the capitalist state."

The General Secretary of the U.S. Marxist-Leninist Organization Kathleen Chandler expressed the joy of the American delegation at joining CPC(M-L) on this vibrant occasion. Opening with a red salute to the Party, she expressed appreciation for the assistance rendered by both Comrade Hardial Bains during his lifetime and Comrade Sandra Smith particularly on the front of revolutionary theory. "The unity of our movements and organizations has been a living one, from those very first days in the sixties and continuing today," she said. Referring to the work for democratic renewal which they along with CPC(M-L) are carrying out in their respective countries, she pointed out:

"We are saddled with democracies that marginalize the people and block them from power. Everywhere we can see the people have rejected the agenda of the ruling circles to be competitive on the global markets and wage wars for empire. People are striving for societies that meet the claims of all members of society. Our peoples want constitutions that enshrine the rights of all and guarantee these rights, not the old and outdated relics of the past enshrining private property. The unrepresentative democracies of the imperialists have no place in modern society. CPC(M-L) is at the forefront of this struggle, elaborating the revolutionary theory and practical politics of democratic renewal and nation-building. The party is showing how to go forward, demonstrating that there is an alternative and a People's Canada can be built! "

A rousing rendition of "No Harbour for War!" with its call for an anti-war government and demand that Canada be a factor for peace, followed the presentation by the USMLO.

The Chair of the Philippine Solidarity Group, Rick Esguerra, brought warm and militant greetings to CPC(M-L) on behalf of the movement of progressive Filipinos in Toronto and in Canada and on behalf of the anti-imperialist and democratic movement in the Philippines.

"Our people's democratic movement and the movement led by the Communist Party of Canada (Marxist-Leninist) continue to advance anti-imperialist, anti-fascist and democratic struggles in our respective home grounds," he said.

"Our movement unites with the Communist Party of Canada (Marxist-Leninist) in its struggle against the neo-liberal policies of the ruling Conservative government. CPC(M-L) has rightly called for increased funding for social programs, a moratorium on the debt, the nationalization of our banks and other financial institutions. Through its Workers' Centre, CPC(M-L) has always been in the thick and thin of the workers' struggles, from that of the steelworkers at Stelco (now U.S. Steel) to that of the mineworkers in Vale Inco, the seasonal agricultural workers, the domestic workers and the other temporary foreign workers. It is very heartening for us in the Philippine movement to know that whether in indoor public events or in street actions, our Comrades from CPC(M-L) have consistently supported the struggle of the Filipino migrant workers and other immigrants in Canada. Its publications have on different occasions featured various aspects of the Philippine struggle here, issues of migrant workers, participation in the anti-war movement and in the Philippines, in defence of human rights and other mass struggles."

In addition to these greetings, the Party also received a bouquet of flowers from the Revolutionary Communist Party of Britain (Marxist-Leninist) and greetings from fraternal parties and organizations in Mexico and El Salvador.

Jamilé Ghaddar of the Communist Youth Union of Canada (Marxist-Leninist) then informed the participants of the work the youth are doing to consolidate the Party press and its work for renewal, including the production of pamphlets and videos and preparations to start Party radio and television. Referring to the national inquiry the youth have been conducting into Canada's political institutions and constitutional arrangements, Jamilé announced the seminar to be held in Montreal in mid-July on the occasion of the 20th anniversary of the failure of the Meech Lake Accord and the 15th anniversary of the Quebec Referendum. The seminar will discuss the state of the democratic institutions in Canada and how to advance the work for a modern constitution.

Jamilé then introduced a video entitled "Building a People's Canada" produced for this occasion. The video was enthusiastically received by all those present who immediately pledged to help the youth in this work and inquired about receiving copies.

Jorge Soberon, Consul General of the Republic of Cuba in Toronto then congratulated the Party on its forty years and acknowledged the presence of the many friends who have shared with Cuba everything that they have been through in recent years and has supported them in so many different ways in cities and localities he has visited across Canada this year."We know that the press seldom covers what Cuba is doing in the humanitarian field," he said, referring to the role Cuba is playing in Haiti and elsewhere in the world, "But for us the most important thing is the human lives that we are saving and we are doing that because we believe in the humanitarian values of the Cuban heroes, but also because we are sure that Cuba has and Cuba counts on so many friends all around the world that support everything that Cuba does in order to improve conditions of life, not only in Cuba, but also abroad -- in Latin America, in Haiti especially right now where it is so much needed at this point. [...] The Cuban revolution is not only a revolution for us, it is also to help other people that are in need and who need also so many social and radical changes in our world in order to move forward."

Following this presentation the youth auctioned off two posters to raise money for the Cuba-Haiti fund which supports the work of Cuban doctors and other personnel in Haiti's disaster relief and the plans to develop its health care system. Isaac Saney, Co-chair and National Spokesperson of the Canadian Network on Cuba informed the audience about the fundraising campaign and received the $1,500 raised in the auction.

The rest of the evening was filled with dancing, singing and a lot of laughter and discussion. Other festivities will be held March 31 at the Party's national headquarters in Montreal, as well as in Vancouver and Edmonton. Activities will be held in other cities on the April 3-4 and April 10-11 weekends. For information contact the national office: (514) 522-1373 or office@cpcml.ca.

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Long Live Our Party!