Ninth Biennial Convention of the Canadian Network on Cuba Defending Canada-Cuba Ties of Friendship and Solidarity
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Distinguished guests included Her Excellency Josefina
Vidal
(Ambassador of Cuba to Canada), Tania López Larroque (Consul
General of Cuba in Toronto), Sandra Ramírez Rodríguez
(Director,
North
American Desk-ICAP), Yamil Martínez Marrero (Canada Desk-ICAP)
and other Cuban diplomats and guests. The Convention then had the
distinct honour and privilege of receiving words of greetings
from Ambassador Josefina Vidal. The Ambassador underlined the
importance of the Canada-Cuba solidarity and friendship movement.
She emphasized that despite facing ongoing U.S. aggression, the
Cuban people had preserved their unity, without violating any of
the revolutionary or ethical principles that have guided Cuba's
socialist project. She stated that Cuba's goal was to continue to
build a society of ever greater equity and justice, guided by
José Martí's vision of a nation "with all and for all."
The
Ambassador reiterated these points in the June 8 evening public
meeting, Cuba Moving Forward in 2019, held at the Church of the
Holy Trinity, located in Trinity Square. She elaborated on the
island nation's socioeconomic development and the new
constitution, emphasizing Cuba's determination to renew its
revolutionary and nation-building project, while preserving its
independence and sovereignty. She underscored the extensive
democratic participation of the Cuban people in this process. In
a lively question and answer period, Ambassador Vidal
unequivocally declared that Cuba stands for Latin American
independence, is opposed to foreign interference and intervention
in the region, and will not yield to imperial pressure. She said
that the Canadian government should reconsider its decision to
close its visa office in Havana, so that it would not be
remembered as the government that ended Canada-Cuba people-to-people
relations.
Delegates attended from almost all the Canadian Network on Cuba member groups from Halifax to Vancouver. A report on the CNC work over the last two years was presented by co-chairs, Isaac Saney and Elizabeth Hill, followed with verbal reports from member organizations. In addition to plenary sessions and public events, three Convention panels were also held. In the first panel, on Canada-Cuba-U.S. relations, Sandra Ramírez and Isaac Saney addressed Canada's closing of its visa processing facilities in its Havana embassy and its impact on the Canadian and Cuban people. There was also an extensive discussion of Washington's aggression against Venezuela and the impact on Cuba and Canada of the activation by U.S. President Trump of Title III and IV of the notorious and internationally condemned Helms-Burton Act. On the second panel, Defend Cuba and Latin American Sovereignty and Independence, Yamil Martínez (ICAP), Edgar Godoy (Latin American and Caribbean Solidarity Network) and Dr. Maria Páez Victor, (Chair, Canadian, Latin American and Caribbean Policy Centre) underscored the historic meaning of the Cuban Revolution for the cause of democracy, sovereignty and peace in the region. The dangers of U.S. imperialism, especially its ongoing attacks on Venezuela, which Canada has also joined, were examined in sobering detail.
The third panel featured a special guest speaker, Mark Entwistle, former Ambassador of Canada to Cuba from 1993-1997. Trained as an historian, Mr. Entwistle drew attention to the early history of Canada-Cuba relations going back to the late 19th century before reviewing the uninterrupted diplomatic relations that Canada and Cuba have enjoyed since 1945. He accentuated that Canada, along with Mexico, refused to break diplomatic relations with Cuba in the 1960s when the United States established its economic, financial and commercial blockade of the island nation. He stressed that the recent closing of the visa office represents a serious departure from this longstanding relationship. He underscored that Cuba has a unique perspective on the world and has played an important role in contributing to regional peace and security. In the question and answer period, Mr. Entwistle emphasized that Canada's relationship with Cuba is important but that due to current developments Canada's image is at risk of being harmed in the eyes of the Cuban people.
Over the course of the convention delegates reaffirmed
their
determination to strengthen the Canada-Cuba solidarity movement
and defeat the U.S. all-sided economic blockade of Cuba.
Delegates also expressed their deep concern over the current
state of Canada-Cuba relations, resolving to do their utmost to
ensure that relations remain based on the international norms of
mutual respect and equality between nations. Therefore, given the
escalation of the U.S. economic war against Cuba and the current
uncertainty in Ottawa's relations with Havana, a number of
resolutions were adopted to guide the work of the CNC during
2019-2021.
Measures were adopted to stabilize and grow the Ernesto Che Guevara Volunteer Work Brigade in order to ensure its future success. Carrying on the fight against the U.S. economic blockade of Cuba, delegates adopted a resolution against the activation of Titles III & IV of the Helms-Burton Act aimed at mobilizing Canadian public and political opinion against the unabated U.S. policy of aggression against Cuba. Apprehensive about the present state of Canada-Cuba relations, they also passed a resolution calling on Ottawa to reopen visa services in the Canadian embassy in Havana. Among other resolutions adopted were those calling for actions to mark the 5th anniversary of the liberation of the Five Cuban Heroes and the 500th anniversary of the founding of the city of Havana. Additionally, resolutions were passed to support the following conferences: 8th Vancouver Che Guevara Conference, in Vancouver, October 25-27, 2019; Hemispheric Anti-Imperialist Solidarity Conference for Democracy and Against Neo-Liberalism in Havana, November 1-3, 2019; and Cuba at 60: Current Challenges, Future Prospects, in Halifax, October 31-November 2, 2019. Delegates also reiterated the necessity to continue to strengthen the work with Members of Parliament and legislatures.
To pursue this mandate and
initiatives a new
seven-member
executive was elected: Bronwyn Cragg, Nora Fernandez, Julio
Fonseca, Tamara Hansen, Elizabeth Hill, Michael O'Neill and Isaac
Saney. The CNC embarks on the next two years with the task of
expanding solidarity and friendship with Cuba throughout Canadian
society. The CNC reaffirms that the people of Cuba, whatever the
changes in Ottawa's relations with Havana, can continue to count
on the ongoing and undiminished solidarity and friendship of the
people of Canada. This solidarity and friendship are neither
tenuous nor transitory but spring from the deeply rooted respect
and admiration of Canadians for Cuba's historic realization of
its right to independence and self-determination, respect and
admiration amplified by what the Cuban people have been able
to achieve while facing unceasing aggression from the United
States. Out of this respect and admiration, unbreakable ties of
solidarity and friendship have been -- and continue to be --
forged between the peoples of Canada and Cuba.
For information:
Co-Chairs: Isaac Saney and Elizabeth
Hill
cnc@canadiannetworkoncuba.ca
National Spokesperson: Isaac Saney
902-449-4967,
isaney@hotmail.com
www.canadiannetworkoncuba.ca
Actions on June 9, 2019 demand that Canada reopen consular services at
its embassy in Havana. Top to bottom: Montreal, Ottawa, Toronto.
(Photos: TML, Cuban Embassy, CNC, Association of Cuban Residents in Canada.)
This article was published in
Volume 49 Number
23 - June 22, 2019
Website: www.cpcml.ca Email: editor@cpcml.ca