Social Forum: General Assembly Jan.26 & 27 2013
T
The General Assembly that will launch the Peoples’ Social Forum
will be held at the University of Ottawa, 120 University, Faculty of Social Sciences building, Room FSS- 2005.
There will be organizations/individuals from across Canada including a strong representation from Indigenous groups, indie media, youth, labour and community groups-see
proposed agenda.
The assembly will set-up the structure and hold initial discussions on the themes, axe, process, date and place of the Peoples Social Forum. The Assembly is free and open to all
interested parties.
L'Association pour une solidaritésyndicale étudiante (ASSÉ) along with a diverse collective of organizations from across Canada have begun the process of developing a proposal for a pan-Canadian coalition that would bring together Indigenous, Quebec and Canadian social movements. This proposal will be discussed at the forum and can be found here.
Idle No More founders and organizers in solidarity withCommon Causes - a new initiative bringing together social justice, environmental, and labour, will be present at the forum to share information about the Idle No More world day of action on January
28th 2013 .
For more information please contact Roger Rashi roger@alternatives.ca or Raul Burbano burbano@rogers.com
'IDLE NO MORE'
| arrange_meeting_requested_by_chief_spence.pdf |
Why we need a Canada-Québec-Indigenous Social Forum
By Raul Burbano and Roger Rashi| October 9, 2012| rabble.ca
Españoles y franceses en la final
Anger and discontent against the ruling Conservative government is on the rise all across Canada. Human rights groups, women's organizations, cultural
associations, environment groups, labour, indigenous peoples, students, generally civil society organizations feel threatened and angered by the government's policies and actions.
Protests for social and environmental justice are erupting all over the
country. Casseroles have been organized on the streets of many cities in support of the student movement in Quebec. The youth across Canada are joining hands with those from Quebec in challenging neo-liberal austerity policies.
Indigenous communities are also fighting against the government to preserve their culture and defend their lands from predatory mining and oil corporations. There are many campaigns, gatherings and protests planned for the months to come.
Yet our movements continue to be fragmented and ghettoized. We must work together and create a space for all these voices of dissent and strategize together our progressive agenda to help build links and solidarity across movements and issues.
A grassroots approach to a Canada-Québec-Indigenous Peoples' Social Forum
The grassroots horizontal approach was taken while organizing a Social Forum across Canada as a means of stimulating debate, discussion and furthering our sense of community and collective action. The process of the social forum seeks to reach out to a plurality of social movements, groups and progressive institutions across Canada, Québec and Indigenous communities. The short term goal being to build on existing struggles by building a united and cohesive front against the Conservative agenda of austerity and privatization but long-term to help transform the current political, economic and social paradigm, by employing creative resistance while proposing alternatives solutions.
So far, several organizations and individuals have come together to form Expansion Commissions in Montreal, Ottawa and Toronto. Discussions are going on to form similar commissions in Vancouver, Calgary, St. John's, etc. The Expansion Commissions will focus on involving as many other organizations and individuals in the process.
There is a proposal that these Commissions call for a General Assembly later this fall or in early winter to launch the Peoples’ Social Forum. This general assembly will take the decisions on the name, final dates and places as well as the process leading to the forum, and its final format.
These are the organizations that have already joined the discussions:
Alternatives; Canadian Union of Postal Workers; Centrale des syndicats du Québec (CSQ); Centre d’écologie urbaine de Montréal; Chantier de l’économie sociale; Coalition Against Israeli Apartheid (CAIA), Toronto; Communications, Energy and Paperworkers Union; Common Frontiers; Confédération des syndicats nationaux (CSN); Conseil Central Montréal métropolitain (CCMM-CSN); Conseil
québécois des gais et lesbiennes; Council of Canadians; Fédération des travailleurs et travailleuses du Québec (FTQ); Fédération interprofessionnelle de la santé du Québec (FIQ); Fédération nationale des enseignants et enseignantes du Québec (FNEEQ-CSN); Front d’action populaire en réaménagement urbain; Indigenous Environmental Network; Indigenous Peoples Solidarity
Movement; Institut du nouveau monde; Public Service Alliance of Canada; Quebec Native Women (FAQ-QNW); Latin American and Caribbean Solidarity Network; Occupy Toronto; Toronto Bolivia Solidarity; Toronto Stop the Cuts.
What is a social forum?
The first social forum was the World Social Forum held in January 2001 in Porto Alegre, Brazil. Simply put, it was a response to the growing onslaught of the neoliberal agenda of the ruling parties in many parts of the world. It challenged the TINA syndrome as well as the right-wing theses of "the end of history" and "clash of civilizations." It also proposed the slogan "Another World is Possible."
The World Social Forum was intended as a regular meeting of activists to move experiences from the individual to the collective.
This forum set the trend for organizing such events on an annual basis. Until 2007 there were seven WSF in different cities of the world with an average participation of 100 000 people. From then onwards a WSF is held every two years. The next WSF-2013 will be held in Tunis.
In addition to this global event, there emerged national and regional social forums. For example "Quebec Social Forum," "European Social Forum," "Africa Social Forum","India Social Forum." At the same time social forums were organized on thematic basis. For example, "Democracy Social Forum," "Education Social Forum," etc.
The WSF charter explains the social forum in the following manner:
"The World Social Forum is an open meeting place for reflective thinking, democratic debate of ideas, formulation of proposals, free exchange of experiences and interlinking for effective action, by groups and movements of civil society that are opposed to neoliberalism and to domination of the world by capital and any form of imperialism, and are committed to building a planetary society directed towards fruitful relationships among Humankind and between it and the Earth...
The alternatives proposed at the World Social Forum stand in opposition to a process of globalization commanded by the large multinational corporations and by the governments and international institutions at the service of those corporations’ interests, with the complicity of national governments. They are designed to ensure that globalization in solidarity will prevail as a new stage in world history. This will respect universal human rights, and those of all citizens -- men and women -- of all nations and the environment and will rest
on democratic international systems and institutions at the service of social justice, equality and the sovereignty of peoples.
The World Social Forum is a plural, diversified, non-confessional, non-governmental and non-party context that, in a decentralized fashion, interrelates organizations and movements engaged in concrete action at levels from the local to the international to build another world."
The World Social Forum Charter of Principles was approved and adopted in São Paulo, on April 9, 2001, by the organizations that make up the World Social Forum Organizing Committee.
Raul Burbano is an activist with Common Frontiers, and Roger Rashi is a member of Alternatives.
To ge involved contact Raul Burbano burbano@rogers.com or Roger Rashi at roger@alternatives.ca
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Sacred Stones
Co-presented with Planet in Focus and the Latin American and Caribbean Solidarity Network.
Resource extraction in Palestine is creating severe ecological, social and health consequences for residents in villages, towns and refugee camps.
The Toronto Palestine Film Festival is screening the film "Sacred Stones" on Tuesday Oct 2nd, 9pm @ Art Gallery of Ontarioto raise awareness of this issue. Get tickets here: http://tpff.ca/tpff-program-2012/.
Resource extraction in Palestine is creating severe ecological, social and health consequences for residents in villages, towns and refugee camps.
The Toronto Palestine Film Festival is screening the film "Sacred Stones" on Tuesday Oct 2nd, 9pm @ Art Gallery of Ontarioto raise awareness of this issue. Get tickets here: http://tpff.ca/tpff-program-2012/.
'Maple Tour' kicks off with a bang! Next stop: Toronto
Day two of our national speaking tour dawned sunny in London, Ontario -- a
good omen for things to come. On day one we spoke to over a hundred people at King's College in London, an active and engaged crowd who kept us half an hour past the end of the event with questions.
We then had a lovely dinner party with several dozen of London's finest activists at the home of our wonderful host, professor Bernie Hammond.
Discussion and drinking continued into the wee hours, and a fabulous time was had by all. We couldn't have asked for a better start to the tour.
As I write this we're in a car headed to Toronto, where we'll be doing some interviews before heading to a pub night at the Regal Beagle at 8pm. Tomorrow
kicks off bright and early with Gabriel doing an interview on Metro Morning, the CBC Radio morning show in Toronto, shortly before seven. From there Cloé will be speaking at a rally to kick off social justice week at Ryerson at Noon, before we head to York for a panel discussion and close the night off with a massive event at Ryerson. You can also see Gabriel interviewed live on CTV News
Channel tonight at 6pm.
You can find the details for these events, and upcoming stops in Saskatoon, Regina, Winnipeg, Victoria and Vancouver later this week, here. If you're in one of these cities I hope you'll join us. Sadly time and money prevented us from stopping in Alberta or the Maritimes, which we had originally planned to do -- so my apologies to friends in those places.
The tour has already received great coverage in national and local outlets, and local organizers tell us they expect large crowds at each of the stops. But perhaps the most gratifying compliment we're received came in the form of a mocking blog post by Stephen Taylor entitled "Student entitlement tour coming to a city near you." When you piss off the President of the National Citizens Coalition (Harper's former employer) enough to accuse you of "fanciful marxist bleating", you know you're doing something right!
I'll have to keep this post short, as we're about to arrive at the annual
convention of the Latin American Solidarity Network, but I'll try to write regular, if short, updates from the road as the week progresses.
You can also keep up with the latest news from our tour by following me on Twitter @EthanCoxMTL, and using the hashtag
#MapleTour.
good omen for things to come. On day one we spoke to over a hundred people at King's College in London, an active and engaged crowd who kept us half an hour past the end of the event with questions.
We then had a lovely dinner party with several dozen of London's finest activists at the home of our wonderful host, professor Bernie Hammond.
Discussion and drinking continued into the wee hours, and a fabulous time was had by all. We couldn't have asked for a better start to the tour.
As I write this we're in a car headed to Toronto, where we'll be doing some interviews before heading to a pub night at the Regal Beagle at 8pm. Tomorrow
kicks off bright and early with Gabriel doing an interview on Metro Morning, the CBC Radio morning show in Toronto, shortly before seven. From there Cloé will be speaking at a rally to kick off social justice week at Ryerson at Noon, before we head to York for a panel discussion and close the night off with a massive event at Ryerson. You can also see Gabriel interviewed live on CTV News
Channel tonight at 6pm.
You can find the details for these events, and upcoming stops in Saskatoon, Regina, Winnipeg, Victoria and Vancouver later this week, here. If you're in one of these cities I hope you'll join us. Sadly time and money prevented us from stopping in Alberta or the Maritimes, which we had originally planned to do -- so my apologies to friends in those places.
The tour has already received great coverage in national and local outlets, and local organizers tell us they expect large crowds at each of the stops. But perhaps the most gratifying compliment we're received came in the form of a mocking blog post by Stephen Taylor entitled "Student entitlement tour coming to a city near you." When you piss off the President of the National Citizens Coalition (Harper's former employer) enough to accuse you of "fanciful marxist bleating", you know you're doing something right!
I'll have to keep this post short, as we're about to arrive at the annual
convention of the Latin American Solidarity Network, but I'll try to write regular, if short, updates from the road as the week progresses.
You can also keep up with the latest news from our tour by following me on Twitter @EthanCoxMTL, and using the hashtag
#MapleTour.
To watch videos of speakers at conference see http://www.solidarityresponse.net/mining-injustice-conference-2012/
Movement Report back: Environmental Justice and Solidarity
Original blog post from Toronto Media Co-op posted on February 18, 2012 by Megan Kinch
The environmental justice movement has been distinguished by
practicality as opposed to a particular ideological or tactical framework for
action. This diversity was exemplified by Thursday’s panel- part of Latin
American and Caribbean Solidarity Month, which featured a broad range of tactics
from direct action, to community organizing to put political pressure on
governments, to indigenous resistance, all together on one panel, bound by a
common cause.
The environmental justice movement is reacting to changes in the
global political context. Brent Patterson from council of Canadians talked about
the need to fight the new UN‘green economy” which he called the
“financialization and commodification of nature and the privatization of public
water’. This kind of greenwashing of high finance indicates the limits of the
traditional environmental movement, and the extent to which corporations and
capitalism have adapted a ‘green’rhetoric that does nothing to change the
systemic exploitation of people and nature. Raul Burbano said: "Issues of
environment, of water of austerity are all inter-related. The same issues we see
here are the same as you see in the south and that is why solidarity is so
important.”
Ben Powless, a Mohawk photojournalist speaking on behalf of the
Indigenous Environmental Network, told the audience that “First nations are
beginning to lead a lot of this resistance. We’re all on the front line in some
way. Of course some communities are more directly affected, but we have to find
our own front line and find a way to act from our own positions, from our own
privileges”. Dave Vasey spoke about how living through Walkerton’s water crisis
opened his eyes to the crisis of water contamination in indigenous communities
and the systemic racism that makes Walkerton newsworthy but ignores even worse
water problems on reserves.“Communities take action because the they have to.”
he said. “And now we in Canada have to.”
The audience included many environmental justice activists,
including Ron Plain from Aamjiwnaang First Nation near Sarnia, which has been
described as the most polluted place in Ontario. It’s not often on the left that
the question and answer period includes both people urging that struggles be
channeled through the NDP, and Ron Plain talking about how when he was young he
served a 6 month sentence for blocking the Gardiner expressway, and how
organizers need to be honest about the kind of risks faced by protesters so that
new people can make informed decisions. But in many ways, its important to lay
out the real possibilities for different kinds of action that are on the table -
not a stereotype of 'diversity of tactics', but a real one that includes people
who want to lobby parliament, or use UN international law, or vote NDP as well
as people who want to do protests or act in solidarity with indigenous
communities taking direct action.
Environmental justice organizers are leading the way In working
across political differences and taking indigenous solidairty seriously, and
this panel was another example of what they have to teach to broader social
movements.
Megan Kinch is an organizer with Mining Injustice, a member
organization of the Latin American and Caribean Solidarity Network. The month of
solidarity continues, check here for the schedule of
events.
practicality as opposed to a particular ideological or tactical framework for
action. This diversity was exemplified by Thursday’s panel- part of Latin
American and Caribbean Solidarity Month, which featured a broad range of tactics
from direct action, to community organizing to put political pressure on
governments, to indigenous resistance, all together on one panel, bound by a
common cause.
The environmental justice movement is reacting to changes in the
global political context. Brent Patterson from council of Canadians talked about
the need to fight the new UN‘green economy” which he called the
“financialization and commodification of nature and the privatization of public
water’. This kind of greenwashing of high finance indicates the limits of the
traditional environmental movement, and the extent to which corporations and
capitalism have adapted a ‘green’rhetoric that does nothing to change the
systemic exploitation of people and nature. Raul Burbano said: "Issues of
environment, of water of austerity are all inter-related. The same issues we see
here are the same as you see in the south and that is why solidarity is so
important.”
Ben Powless, a Mohawk photojournalist speaking on behalf of the
Indigenous Environmental Network, told the audience that “First nations are
beginning to lead a lot of this resistance. We’re all on the front line in some
way. Of course some communities are more directly affected, but we have to find
our own front line and find a way to act from our own positions, from our own
privileges”. Dave Vasey spoke about how living through Walkerton’s water crisis
opened his eyes to the crisis of water contamination in indigenous communities
and the systemic racism that makes Walkerton newsworthy but ignores even worse
water problems on reserves.“Communities take action because the they have to.”
he said. “And now we in Canada have to.”
The audience included many environmental justice activists,
including Ron Plain from Aamjiwnaang First Nation near Sarnia, which has been
described as the most polluted place in Ontario. It’s not often on the left that
the question and answer period includes both people urging that struggles be
channeled through the NDP, and Ron Plain talking about how when he was young he
served a 6 month sentence for blocking the Gardiner expressway, and how
organizers need to be honest about the kind of risks faced by protesters so that
new people can make informed decisions. But in many ways, its important to lay
out the real possibilities for different kinds of action that are on the table -
not a stereotype of 'diversity of tactics', but a real one that includes people
who want to lobby parliament, or use UN international law, or vote NDP as well
as people who want to do protests or act in solidarity with indigenous
communities taking direct action.
Environmental justice organizers are leading the way In working
across political differences and taking indigenous solidairty seriously, and
this panel was another example of what they have to teach to broader social
movements.
Megan Kinch is an organizer with Mining Injustice, a member
organization of the Latin American and Caribean Solidarity Network. The month of
solidarity continues, check here for the schedule of
events.
Foro público con la activista social Betty Matamoros
Betty Matamoros
Betty Matamoros, activista social hondureña y Coordinadora para Centroamérica de la Alianza Social del Hemisferio, llegará a Toronto para participar en el Fórum Público “Golpes de Estado, Comercio y Derechos Humanos”.
Este evento se efectuará este próximo viernes 18 de noviembre a partir de las 7:00 p.m. en Beit Zatoun House, ubicado en el 612 Markham Street, al oeste de la estación de Bathurst.
En dicho Fórum también participará el periodista Kevin Edmonds conocedor del tema sobre Haití y el rol que la Minustah ha desempeñado en ese país.
Complementando el tema, Betty Matamoros, quien también fue vocera internacional del Frente Nacional de Resistencia Popular, se referirá al caso de Honduras.
Como es sabido, en junio de 2.009, el presidente constitucional Manuel Zelaya fue depuesto por un golpe militar apoyado por los gobiernos de los Estados Unidos y Canadá -entre otros, luego de lo cual la represión contra la oposición ha sido constante.
El Fórum es organizado por Common Frontiers- Toronto Haití Action Commitee y la Red Latino Americana y el Caribe de Solidaridad, dentro de la serie de eventos que vienen siendo promovidos por grupos y organizaciones locales con la finalidad de informar sobre sucesos de nuestra América y la región del Caribe
Marco Antonio Castillo
http://www.elcorreo.ca/story.php?story_id=18475
Este evento se efectuará este próximo viernes 18 de noviembre a partir de las 7:00 p.m. en Beit Zatoun House, ubicado en el 612 Markham Street, al oeste de la estación de Bathurst.
En dicho Fórum también participará el periodista Kevin Edmonds conocedor del tema sobre Haití y el rol que la Minustah ha desempeñado en ese país.
Complementando el tema, Betty Matamoros, quien también fue vocera internacional del Frente Nacional de Resistencia Popular, se referirá al caso de Honduras.
Como es sabido, en junio de 2.009, el presidente constitucional Manuel Zelaya fue depuesto por un golpe militar apoyado por los gobiernos de los Estados Unidos y Canadá -entre otros, luego de lo cual la represión contra la oposición ha sido constante.
El Fórum es organizado por Common Frontiers- Toronto Haití Action Commitee y la Red Latino Americana y el Caribe de Solidaridad, dentro de la serie de eventos que vienen siendo promovidos por grupos y organizaciones locales con la finalidad de informar sobre sucesos de nuestra América y la región del Caribe
Marco Antonio Castillo
http://www.elcorreo.ca/story.php?story_id=18475
www.aguaypachamama.org
The Verdict of the Ethical Tribunal on Criminalization
At the Continental Gathering of the People of
Abya Yala in Defense of Water and Pachamama
Cuenca, Ecuador from June 21 to 24, 2011
CLICK BELOW TO DOWNLOAD THE VEREDICT
| summary_of_the_verdict_of_the_ethical_tribunal_on_criminalization.pdf |
| ethical_tribunal_verdict_full_22-23jun11.pdf |
The U.S.’ War on Democracy
The War on Democracy is a 2007 award-winning documentary film directed by Christopher Martin and John Pilger. Focusing on the political state of Latin America, the film is a rebuke of both the United States' intervention in foreign countries' domestic politics, and its "War on Terrorism". The film was first released in the United Kingdom on June 15, 2007.
Set both in Latin America and the United States, the film explores the historic and current relationship of Washington with countries such as Venezuela, Bolivia and Chile. Pilger says that the film "...tells a universal story... analysing and revealing, through vivid testimony, the story of great power behind its venerable myths. It allows us to understand the true nature of the so-called "war on terror". According to Pilger, the films message is that the greed and power of empire is not invincible and that people power is always the "seed beneath the snow".
to see Video
http://vimeo.com/16724719
Set both in Latin America and the United States, the film explores the historic and current relationship of Washington with countries such as Venezuela, Bolivia and Chile. Pilger says that the film "...tells a universal story... analysing and revealing, through vivid testimony, the story of great power behind its venerable myths. It allows us to understand the true nature of the so-called "war on terror". According to Pilger, the films message is that the greed and power of empire is not invincible and that people power is always the "seed beneath the snow".
to see Video
http://vimeo.com/16724719
Deny Bail to Jorge Vinicio Sosa Orantes! Human rights groups seek denial of bail to Guatemalan in Calgary accused of crimes against humanity
On February 23, Jorge Vinicio Sosa Orantes will have a bail hearing in a Calgary court. Captured in Lethbridge, Alberta in January, 2011 Sosa Orantes is facing possible extradition to the USA where an indictment there alleges that he participated in carrying out a massacre in the community of Las Dos Erres during Guatemala's 36 year Internal Armed Conflict. He faces charges in the USA of lying on citizenship forms about his role with the Guatemalan military. Canada has a responsibility in this case to ensure that Sosa Orantes is not released on bail, nor extradited to the USA where he will be tried for lesser crimes.
Jorge Vinicio Sosa Orantes is one of 17 former Kaibiles, a Special Forces unit of the Guatemalan army, charged in relation to the Las Dos Erres massacre. On December 6, 1982, at least 252 unarmed civilians were systematically tortured and killed in the community of Las Dos Erres, in northern Guatemala. Only two children survived. In the years since the massacre, family members of the victims have sought justice, despite many obstacles and threats. The facts of the case are corroborated by the two surviving eyewitnesses, as well as by declassified documents from the US Embassy and evidence unearthed in two exhumations of the remains of the victims. Sosa Orantes is named as one of those who planned the massacre in the testimony of other Kaibiles tried in the case.
The Association for the Families of the Detained and Disappeared in Guatemala (FAMDEGUA) is plaintiff in the case against the Kaibiles and has been providing legal support for the case since investigations began in 1994. In 2000, the legal case against the 17 former Kaibiles was launched. Since then, 45 injunctions have been put forward by the defendants. There have also been numerous threats made against the staff of FAMDEGUA. In 2009, the OAS Inter-American Court on Human Rights ruled that the State of Guatemala was guilty of impeding justice in this case, and in 2010 the Guatemalan Supreme Court of Justice issued arrest warrants for the 17 men charged. Three of them were arrested and are being tried in Guatemala. Three others were arrested for immigration fraud in the United States, for lying on their immigration applications and for committing crimes for which they have not been tried. In 2010, one was convicted, and sentenced to 10 years in prison (the maximum possible sentence). The other two await trial in the United States, though the Guatemalan Attorney General has requested their extradition.
Sosa Orantes is also wanted for immigration fraud in the United States, but fled to Mexico before being captured. In October 2010, the RCMP alerted police in Lethbridge that Sosa Orantes might try to contact family living there. In January 2011, Sosa Orantes left Mexico for Canada and was arrested in Lethbridge on January 18. The United States has requested his detention in anticipation of possible extradition on charges of immigration fraud. He holds Canadian, American, and Guatemalan citizenship.
Sosa Orantes could be investigated here in Canada for crimes against humanity. He also faces charges in Guatemala for crimes against humanity, and his participation in the Las Dos Erres massacre could implicate him in the Guatemala genocide case in Spain. These countries may also seek extradition orders. These cases are at a critical juncture, and it is possible that the family members of those who were tortured and killed in the Las Dos Erres massacre may finally see justice, if Sosa Orantes and others are tried for the participation in the planning and execution of the massacre.
There are strong allegations that Jorge Vinicio Sosa Orantes was involved in the massacre in Las Dos Erres. He must not be released on bail, nor extradited to the United States where he will be tried for lesser crimes. Families of the victims as well as Guatemalan and international organizations are calling on the Canadian government to ensure that he is tried for the crimes that he has allegedly committed.
For more information see the Canadian Centre for International Justice website: http://www.ccij.ca/programs/cases/index.php?WEBYEP_DI=16
Ecuadorean Judge Orders Chevron to Pay $9 Billion
Statement by Ecuadorian Plaintiffs on Judgment Against Chevron
Lago Agrio, Ecuador – Pablo Fajardo, the lead Ecuadorian attorneys representing the indigenous tribes suing Chevron for oil contamination, released this statement today about the judgment against Chevron, issued by the Provincial Court of Justice of Sucumbíos in Lago Agrio, Ecuador:
"We believe today's judgment affirms what the plaintiffs have contended for the past 18 years about Chevron's intentional and unlawful contamination of Ecuador's rainforest. Until we have had a chance to review the lengthy decision, we will not be able to comment in detail.
"As a general matter, the plaintiffs provided the court with a great quantum of scientific and documentary evidence that Chevron deliberately and in violation of all industry norms discharged billions of gallons of toxic waste into the rainforest and into the water supply relied on by thousands of Ecuadorian citizens.
"Rather than accept that responsibility, Chevron has launched a campaign of warfare against the Ecuadorian courts and the impoverished victims of its unfortunate practices. We call on the company to end its polemical attacks and search jointly with the plaintiffs for common solutions. We believe the evidence before the court deserves international respect and the plaintiffs will take whatever actions are appropriate consistent with the law to press the claims to a final conclusion."
www.chevrontoxico.com
"We believe today's judgment affirms what the plaintiffs have contended for the past 18 years about Chevron's intentional and unlawful contamination of Ecuador's rainforest. Until we have had a chance to review the lengthy decision, we will not be able to comment in detail.
"As a general matter, the plaintiffs provided the court with a great quantum of scientific and documentary evidence that Chevron deliberately and in violation of all industry norms discharged billions of gallons of toxic waste into the rainforest and into the water supply relied on by thousands of Ecuadorian citizens.
"Rather than accept that responsibility, Chevron has launched a campaign of warfare against the Ecuadorian courts and the impoverished victims of its unfortunate practices. We call on the company to end its polemical attacks and search jointly with the plaintiffs for common solutions. We believe the evidence before the court deserves international respect and the plaintiffs will take whatever actions are appropriate consistent with the law to press the claims to a final conclusion."
www.chevrontoxico.com
Footage and Pictures from the January 29th, 2011
Hamilton Day of Action
USW Local 1005 and its 900 members and 9,000 pensioners are waging a battle on behalf of ALL of us. Foreign-owned companies, like U.S. Steel, are attempting to steal our futures by attacking our pensions while the Harper government is attempting to hand public pensions over to private Banks.
Winning this battle for Hamilton Steelworkers is the first step in a National Campaign to defend retirement security for everyone.
South of the Border, which premiered at the Venice film festival, is the latest documentary in which Oscar-winning director Oliver Stone journeys to South America to see first-hand how their political system functions. In this film, co-written by Tariq Ali, he interviews Venezuelan president Hugo Chávez (Venezuela), Evo Morales (Bolivia), Lula da Silva (Brazil), Cristina Kirchner (Argentina), as well as her husband and ex-President Nestor Kirchner, Fernando Lugo (Paraguay), Rafael Correa (Ecuador), and Raul Castro (Cuba), Stone gains unprecedented access and sheds new light upon the exciting transformations in the region
WATCH THE MOVIE HERE
Register Now for Solidarity Brigades!
2011 May Day solidarity brigade to Venezuela
 Brigade dates: April 25th – May 4th, 2011
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SOLIDARITY TOUR TO BOLIVIA -2011
 Brigade Dates: May 12th 2011 to May 21st 2011
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 A Canadian campaign to reverse the deportation order against José Figueroa
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World's Largest Environmental
Lawsuit in Ecuador
SOLIDARITY CAMPAIGN In Ecuador, 30,000 Indigenous people fight for compensation against Texaco (now Chevron), accused of 3 decades of toxic dumping in Amazon.
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