Help grow Rebel Youth magazine

Dear friends and comrades,

By now many of you will have seen a copy of the new issue of Rebel Youth magazine. Lot's of positive feedback has been streaming in from around the country as Clubs begin the important work of distribution. This is the eighth issue of Rebel Youth that we have published, and we are proud to say that our magazine is continuing to improve as is the level of participation from YCL members and friends in the process of producing the magazine. This issue carries lots of really great content including coverage of the coup in Honduras, socialist democracy in Cuba, the struggles of young workers and students around Canada, and more.

Rebel Youth is starting to become more and more well known amongst progressive youth. With our goal of new issue to be released in January, and a fast approaching December 1st submission deadline, we have a two-fold task in front of us in the coming month.

First of all, it's time to distribute and aggressively promote Rebel Youth. YCL Clubs around the country will be busily ensuring that Rebel Youth gets into the hands of rebel youths. This issue should also be the issue that really starts to build our subscription base in a significant way, an absolute necessity in the process to building Rebel Youth into a regular and self-sustaining publication. You can help too!

We ask our members, friends, and supporters to purchase a subscription to Rebel Youth. It's only $12 for one year and every cent helps us to ensure the continued and improved publication of the magazine. Please consider how you, or your Club, can help. Do you have a subscription? Have you sold any subscriptions?

Fundraisers are another great way to raise money for Rebel Youth. You might
be surprised how many people will help us publish Rebel Youth if given the opportunity. It doesn't have to mean renting a hall and holding a huge event, even small events and small amounts raised make a difference.

Secondly, there is no time to lose in preparing content for the next issue. The YCL is in the process of creating and seeking out content for issue number nine. The deadline for content submissions is December 1st which will leave just over one month for proofreading, editing, layout and printing. All of these can be time consuming so it is very important that content is submitted on time in order for us to stay on track!

Content can include articles on local, provincial, federal, national or international issues. You can submit cultural content or reviews of music, movies, books etc. as well as art, poetry, letters to the editor, you name it. Write while you fight! YCL Clubs should discussion what they can do to make this coming issue an success. But it's not limited to members, we welcome the submissions of all our readers. Send your submissions to rebelyouth@ycl-ljc.ca

With issues eight and nine we are building on the frequency of the magazines publication. It's up to all of us to continue to drive this process forward by distributing and raising the profile of the magazine, raising the funds, collecting the subscriptions and contributing to the collective process of creating and publishing the magazine.

Another way to help Rebel Youth magazine is to read and promote the Rebel Youth blog, which contains a wealth of great, frequently updated content. The blog's readership is growing and you can help! It can be as simple as posting a story on the blog to your Facebook profile. Check out the Rebel Youth blog at http://www.rebelyouth-magazine.blogspot.com/

Rebel Youth is Canada's only Marxist-Leninist, pan-Canadian, bi-lingual,
youth and student magazine. Whether you are a YCL member, a subscriber or frequent reader, or a fellow activist, we look forward to hearing from you and invite you to help us build the magazine that fights for peace, jobs, education, and socialism on every page and in every issue!

In solidarity,

Stephen Von Sychowski
Rebel Youth Content Editor

Demand Climate Action

1. IN THE NEWS: Activists demand climate action
2. YCL IN MOTION
3. INTERNATIONAL
4. RY BLOG: Highlights

ACTIVISTS DEMAND CLIMATE ACTION
Al Jazeera English
Oct. 25, 2009

Thousands of people have gathered for protests in more than 180
countries, calling for international action to curb the emissions
causing global warming. The International Day of Climate Action
focused on the number 350, referring to 350 parts per million (ppm) of
CO2 in the atmosphere which some scientists say must not be exceeded
to avoid runaway global warming.

Read more: http://tinyurl.com/yjyy6m6

1. Why are people around the world rallying around a scientific
data-point? Do you think debate around climate change has shifted in
the past five to ten years? How or how not?
2. The article notes that “industrialized” countries are not willing
to establish ambitious targets. Many commentators in the corporate
media however point to China and India’s economies as the emerging
culprit for global warming. What do you think?
3. Is climate change related to imperialism? What is at stake for
working people?

YCL IN MOTION

YCLers in BC have been busy postering up a storm and making new
recruits in Kamloops and Prince George. The YCL is also active
supporting a fledgling youth committee for the local anti-war
coalition, including promoting and participating in a conference
organized by the World Peace Forum in Vancouver.

YCLers in Ontario are starting planning on a November Young Worker’s
conference in Hamilton at Solidarity House. Proposed topics include
the situation of young workers across Canada and Internationally,
struggles of the unemployed, and the Communists in the Labour
movement.

INTERNATIONAL

The award of the Nobel Peace Prize to US President Obama has produced
commentary from many peoples. We present here links to the World
Federation of Democratic Youth’s statement
(http://tinyurl.com/yhxfe9w) and commentary by Fidel
(http://tinyurl.com/yjcgded).

The YCL-LJC news bulletin will be carrying announcements about the
meeting of Worker’s and Communist Parties in New Delhi next month.
Miguel Figueroa, leader of the Communist Party of Canada, will be
attending the meeting which is to examine “The international
capitalist crisis, the workers’ and peoples’ struggle, the
alternatives and the role of the communist and working class
movement."

RY BLOG HIGHLIGHTS

1. Special focus on Honduras

The Honduran coup regime has hires the services of Chlopak, Leonard,
Schechter & Associates, a Washington DC based public relations firm,
to clean up its image.

http://tinyurl.com/ry-honduras

2. The spirit of Hip Hop thrives in Cuba

Loud chunks of laughter are erupting from around the theatre. The
music is blaring hard and heavy, and every track is received like an
anthem — hands are thrown into the air and girls stand on bench seats
to dance…

http://tinyurl.com/ry-cuba

3. Campaign to free Ahmad Saadat:

As actions across Palestine and around the world in support of
imprisoned Palestinian national leader Ahmad Sa'adat continue, the
illegitimate Israeli occupation military court in Bir Saba today
extended Sa'adat's isolation for six additional months.

http://tinyurl.com/ry-saadat

Access to education is our right

DROP FEES, RAISE WAGES
UNITE AND FIGHT!

YCL Toronto, Oct. 09

Maybe you are a student in high school worried about the cost of college or a trade. Perhaps you’re a young single parent anxious about rising student debt and the future for your child. You could be a second-year university student, angered by your loans disappearing into ridiculously over-priced books, a recent grad getting collection agency calls, or a young worker blocked from education by low wages or layoffs.

We live in a very rich country. But tens of millions of people are struggling against an economic crisis we didn’t make, while our right of access to post-secondary education is stolen.

Fewer and fewer people can afford post-secondary education -- and unless we rise up in a bold, united campaign we'll get a dangerously worsening deal. A major think tank recently said universities should raise fees by 25%, under the pretext of the recession. Some University Presidents (like at UofT) openly call for fee deregulation, mass privatization and reduced access, reflecting big business’ view, provincial governments, and the Harper Conservatives: US-style education, for rich kids only.

Despite the economic crisis, most corporations are posting huge profits. Meanwhile, prices keep rising -- tuition 4x faster than inflation. Wages don't keep up. Not one penny of bail-out money has been called back, but government wages a dirty campaign demanding industrial and unionized workers surrender hard-fought pension and wage gains.

The growing gap between the rich and the poor exposes a class system, rotten with racism and sexism, where tuition fees are yet another user fee on a service that should be free.

MYTHS & FACTS

"Students can afford to pay more."

Fewer youth are going to school because of rising fees. A Sept 09 report described "pools" of working class high school students who can't go to college. Money is the main barrier to access.

"We can't afford to reduce fees."

It is a question of priorities. The imperialist and war in Afghanistan, rejected by Canadians, has a 20 bil. price tag. Cut military spending in half! Troops out now! Reverse the steady reduction of corporate taxes and raise business tax (students in BC will soon pay more in tuition than corporations pay in tax). And nationalizing Canada's energy industry could eliminate all fees and pay for accessible public child care.

"Education is a privilege"

This is a snobs argument. The UN Declaration of Human Rights says education is a right and should be free where countries can afford it (and it is in capitalist Norway and socialist Cuba). That right cannot be denied us.

"Let the market decide"

That means putting the decision into the hands of big business. The economic crisis shows the market has failed. Corporations need an educated workforce but they don't want to pay for it. Nor do they need everyone to be educated: for example all this talk of "cheapening" or "inflation" of degrees is the capitalist class talking about their agenda. Education is not a commodity.

"Campaigning won't do anything"
Students in Quebec blocked an aggressive attack on access in 2005 through mass action united with labour. The history of tuition fee reductions (like in Newfoundland today) is a tale of protests and petitions. Struggle is the only way forward and it needs *you* to be strong, broad, diverse, and militant enough to win.


DROP FEES – RAISE WAGES

The YCL supports the CFS reduce or Drop-Fees campaigns. Today, over a million are unemployed. Youth unemployment is a record 20 per cent. Few can get Employment Insurance. Comprehensive policies based on people’s needs not corporate greed are urgent: raising minimum wage (we say to $16!), EI access (eliminating all barriers, covering everyone for the full duration of unemployment at 90% of former earnings) and jobs (ie. a green industrial plan & plant closure legislation with teeth, massive affordable housing and infrastructure construction). Access to education from cradle to grave is a universal fight, a fight for equity and anti-racist campaigners, for the women's movement, and for our class, the working class. We can't limit the battleground to campus.

Across the country students are fighting with allies to reduce tuition. These are serious and genuine efforts. It needs you to grow, to make our sentiment for lower fees resonate with government. We can't just lobby. There must be an expanding and broadening fight back and tactics moving the most people forward – assemblies, more demos, sit ins, or walk outs.

LIFT THE CAP NOW!

Racist policies against Aboriginal students hurt the entire movement. Education is a human right – and for First Nations a treaty right. But in ‘96 the Federal government imposed a 2% cap on all basic core services funding increases breaking the Treaties. Rising numbers of Aboriginal youth seek degrees. 50%+ of the aboriginal population is under 25. There are long waiting lists for First Nations youth to attend post-secondary; non-status and Metis people don’t get any funding, while facing the same racism. We must lift the cap (and take emergency action to improve Aboriginal peoples social & economic conditions; full recognition of sovereignty and self-determination for aboriginal nations.)

ELIMINATE FEES: THE YOUNG COMMUNIST LEAGUE’S CAMPAIGN

To really win advances in favour of students and all the working people, we need to drop fees altogether, create a system of grants, and abolish loans and all student debt. This international fight has seen encouraging developments in Germany, South Africa, and across Latin America just this year.

We must also expel corporate profiteers and the military from our campuses -- directing research towards benefit of peace and people’s needs, not profit.

And we need to guarantee the right of students to organize without interference -- contrary to the escalating dangerous attack on student unions, the Canadian Federation of Students, the Public Interest Research Groups, and Palestinian solidarity groups orchestrated by the Harper Conservatives, in collusion with top various university administrators, and the police, sometimes bringing in unwarranted and heavy-handed disciplinary and legal charges against activists.)

Lobbying and November’s mass demo can and should grow into a bold, broad, united mass struggle brining the pressure of all youth, parents, trade unionists against the government, and powerful big business. Through united, militant struggle, bigger demands can be won.

ABOUT THE YCL

As capitalism enters another dangerous time of crisis the demand for a better alternative that puts people and the environment before profits is echoing around the world. Now is the time to join the fight back!

The Young Communist League – la Ligue de la Jeunesse Communiste is Canada’s oldest organization of revolutionary youth. Formed in 1923, we struggled against the Great Depression, sent brigades to the Spanish civil war, resisted the cold war, and rallied for peace and nuclear disarmament. We fought racism, sexism, homophobia. We helped build today’s student movement.

Today, the YCL-LJC is made up of school and community clubs across the country, including Quebec, campaigning for immediate anti-war and pro-youth policies. We publish Rebel Youth Magazine three-times a year, and members of the Canadian Peace Congress, Canadian Network on Cuba, and the World Federation of Democratic Youth. We fight for real change and for socialism.

Economic Recovery? LOL!

1. IN THE NEWS: ECONOMIC RECOVERY?
2. YCL IN ACTION
3. INTERNATIONAL
4. RY BLOG HIGHLIGHTS

Please note that we have recently had a virus hit our email list. This
has been a one-time problem and we are investigating it with google
groups. Please disregard messages not sent from the YCL-LJC.

1. ECONOMIC RECOVERY? FOR WHOM?

Sam Hammond, Peoples Voice

It used to be in earlier society that a cobbler made shoes. After the
rise of capitalism with its class exploitation, relations of
production and market competition, the manufacture of shoes occupies
thousands of people. This is because capital, in its drive to cheapen
production costs and dominate markets, accelerates a division of
labour into smaller and smaller units, each with lesser but more
specialized skills. In turn, this accelerates the competition of
labour, the competition between workers, especially in an environment
where there are large pools of surplus labour (the unemployed) banging
at the doors of workplaces and offering cheaper rates than those
already inside. It is precisely this phenomenon that drives capital to
cheapen labour and create unemployment.

Read more: tinyurl.com/y9ecyah

For discussion:

1. Do you think the economy is getting better? How is the "recovery"
impacting you and your friends?
2. What do you think of the claim that rising unemployment and
recovery can co-exist? Does it make sense? why or why not?
3. The article ends: "As a class, what do we need to resist and
maintain ourselves? Competition or co-operation? Cannibalism, raiding
and exclusion, or unity and inclusion" That is the question that begs
for a debate. What do you think?"

2. YCL IN ACTION

YCLers in British Columbia have been joining the protests against the
HST - Harmonized Sales Tax - which will unfairly make working people
pay more for goods and services. The YCL has issued a statement which
is on the ycl-ljc.blogspot.com site.

The LJC-Q is now out on the streets selling copies of Jeuness
Militante, which has now published its second issue. Check out a copy
online: http://yclljc-magazine.blogspot.com/

Members of the YCL Ontario are getting ready for the 2nd Tri-lateral
peace conference, bringing together delegates from Mexico, Canada,
Cuba and the United States. The conference is taking place Oct. 2-4th
in Toronto. The slogan is Unity for Peace, solidarity, sovereignty,
and the rights of working people. Because of the important speakers
and travel costs, the conference fee is quite high -- but join the YCL
delegation, help out in the kitchen, and get in for the price of a
donation! All progressive youth welcome. For more details see:
http://www.canadianpeacecongress.ca/upload/Trilateral%20Registration.pdf
Last week Rebel Youth magazine went to the printers. The plates were
burnt this week and by next week copies will have arrived in Vancouver
and Toronto for cross-Canada distribution!

3. INTERNATIONAL

Read three statements by the World Federation of Democratic Youth
about the situation of the young communists in Jordan, the Philippines
and Bahrain: http://ycl-ljc.blogspot.com/

4. RY BLOG HIGHLIGHTS

- Fast way to pressure the Canadian government on Honduras
- Free Mohamed Now! (Palestine prisoner solidarity)
- Remembering Antonio Agostinho Neto, Angolan Patriot

Three statements by WFDY

For the immediate release of Noriel Rodriguez!

The World Federation of Democratic Youth strongly condemns the abduction of Noriel Rodriguez in Cagayan by the suspected extra-orbiter elements of the deceitful Arroyo regime. We think it is severe attack against the freedom of progressive individual that he gets for his decent opinion for justice, equity and people’s welfare.

The whereabouts of Mr. Norial is not yet confirmed since a week. According to the ANAKBAYAN confirmation a gang of four armed men in civilian clothes abducted him on 7th of September, 2009 are the suspected of Infantry Brigade of the Philippine Army stationed at San Jose, Gonzalo.
We demand the government in our strongest term the immediate release of Mr. Noriel and to bear the accountability to punish the culprits behind this atrocity.

We strongly denounce such extra judicial act of the regime that flagrantly violates the human rights and it own law. We appeal to all youth and student organizations around the globe to support the cause raised by our member organization ANAKBAYAN, Philippines by extending the solidarity campaign for immediate release of Mr. Noriel.

Democratic rights for Bahraini students and youth!

Last week witnessed a sad moment for the Bahraini youth and students as the University of Bahrain took an aggressive decision against a student activist Noor Hussain, member of Shabeeba Society of Bahrain, our member organization of WFDY.Comrade Noor Hussain was leading the Student List inside the university and working for the rights of the students for public free education. Continuous Harassments from the administration lead to escalating confrontation that resulted in the expulsion of comrade Noor from her course of study and considering her failing in her classes.

Once again we witness an aggression against the basic rights of public action and student activism in a country that has declared previously that it guarantees the rights of expression of its entire people since the reconciliation in the mid nineties. This aggressive decision is a critical drawback in the countries record and is one more form of oppression and exploitation of the Bahraini people.
We call the University of Bahrain to immediately restore the rights of comrade Noor and letting her back successfully to her classes.

We also call the authorities in Bahrain to take their responsibilities in guaranteeing the basic democratic rights of their youth and students.

WFDY asks all its member organizations to express their solidarity with the democratic rights in Bahrain and around the world

Solidarity towards the Jordanian communists!

In the month of Ramadan, celebrated now by Muslims around the world, the clerics of several mosques in Jordan oriented their speeches against communism and against the struggles of our comrades in Jordan. A campaign of hatred and illusion was launched by the clerics against the secular and democratic forces in Jordan, particularly the communists there in an organized aggression.

The role of the authorities remains suspicious especially that it prevents the clerics from saying any political comment when it comes to criticizing the government policies and loyal parties, while it remains silent despite strong statements and calls of division, sectarian intolerance and hatred against the progressive forces.

WFDY expresses its solidarity with the democratic movement in Jordan and with the Jordanian communists who face now an aggression to destroy their image as a progressive and democratic secular party struggling for the interests of all the Jordanian people.

WFDY calls the Jordanian government to take action and prevent the clerics from interfering in politics, particularly stopping the waves of aggression and hatred against the democratic movement.

WFDY asks its members to show support and condemn the sectarian practices against the democratic movement in Jordan and the Arab world, and also condemn the suspicious silence of the Jordanian government towards those attacks.

Labour Day

On the occasion of Labour Day the Young Communist League of Canada greets the young workers with solidarity and militancy. Canada is one of the few countries in the world that does not celebrate the workers holiday on May 1, but every holiday we have fought for and deserve.

On Labour Day 2009 we view the situation of the young workers as very dire. Across our country minimum wages are poverty wages, youth unemployment is the highest since figures began to be recorded, tuition is on the rise, and social services and union contracts are under attack. This is taking place in the context of the sellout of our jobs and our countries sovereignty through de-industrialization, free trade pacts, and deep integration with the United States.

All of this is part of the offensive of capital aimed at making the working people, including young workers, pay for the deepening global economic crisis that they created. This economic crash, which is the worst of its kind since the Great Depression of the 1930’s, is merely a symptom of a system in crisis.

Today the ruling class and its governments and political parties in Canada and around the world are scrambling to find new ways to patch up their crisis ridden system. This Labour Day, while we celebrate the struggles and the victories of Canada’s working class movement, we should do so with a consciousness of the need to continue that movement in a united and militant way today.

Together, the working class, youth, and students, could defeat the anti-worker Harper Tories. Together, we could put an end to this capitalist system and to the exploitation, poverty and misery that is breeds.

We won’t pay for their crisis! Let’s unite a fight back!

Central Executive Cmte, YCL-LJC
September 2009

YCL-LJC Newsletter

1. IN THE NEWS
2. ELECTION… OR NOT?
3. YCL IN ACTION

Our activist list has been quite for two weeks but that doesn’t mean the movement has! To catch-up we’ll be issuing a double edition of our weekly email, with more next week.

1. IN THE NEWS

Gender Attack on South African Caster Semenya by the International Association of Athletics Federation: Daylight Racism

The World Federation of Democratic Youth has been deeply angered, saddened and astonished following the racist and imperialistic attack on South Africa’s 800m World Champion Caster Semenya by the International Association of Athletics Federation recently in Berlin, German. Such attacks on African people have persisted over the years, and we strongly condemn such a racist tendency by the organizers of this athletics federation.

Read more: tinyurl.com/ld9ovd
RY Blog commentary by Canadian trans-activist: tinyurl.com/m2mars

2. ELECTION … OR NOT?

Will Canada be going to the polls in a few weeks? What does all this mean for youth and students? The Canadian website “Cut me slice: for a people’s response to the economic crisis” is currently running a poll. It asks “Which summer movie title do you think best describes Canadian politics?”

Perhaps it’s “Land of the Lost.”

As Parliament returns, Harper’s government is on wobbly legs. But now the New Democratic Party has indicated it would support the ruling Harper Conservative’s ‘thin gruel offer’ on Employment Insurance. The thin gruel is to provide temporary, additional EI benefits to workers who have worked and paid into EI for seven of the past ten years and who collected no more than 35 weeks of benefits in the last five years.

Read more: tinyurl.com/nvjhd8

3. YCL IN ACTION

- La Ligue de la jeunesse communiste du Québec recently held a joint school with the Communist Party. Over fifteen people came, with about half from the League. Discussions took place from morning to night about the economic crisis, the state and revolution, and feminism and the women’s movement.

- La Ligue de la jeunesse communiste du Québec has also published it’s second French-language magazine, Jeunesse Militante. This issue features articles on: the attack on Quebec student aid, police brutality, the Cuban missile crisis, global warming and the Inuit nation, and cultural reviews. Check out a copy online: http://yclljc-magazine.blogspot.com/

- The YCL Central Cmte met this past week and discussed campaign action, the youth and student movement, as well as Rebel Youth. Next week a full issue of the email newsletter will focus on the CC report.

- By the end of the month we hope to launch our fully re-designed website integrating content such as Youtubes, our blogs, as well as extra resource material and other information. We’ve had the current one for about three years, this will be the next step in a several year process of getting a better site.

Gender Attack on South African Caster Semenya by the International Association of Athletics Federation: Daylight Racism

The World Federation of Democratic Youth has been deeply angered, saddened and astonished following the racist and imperialistic attack on South Africa’s 800m World Champion Caster Semenya by the International Association of Athletics Federation recently in Berlin, German. Such attacks on African people have persisted over the years, and we strongly condemn such a racist tendency by the organizers of this athletics federation.

It was not only racist or sexist attack to the South African and African citizens; but it was also a direct vilification of heavy magnitude to Caster Semenya’s parents and herself as an individual thus grossly and intensively undermining her God given talent.

Today, the African people will proudly join fellow South African’s and will rise to the occasion in celebrating the success of Caster who is a proud African daughter. It surprises that up to now, neo-colonialist interests still gatecrash and continue to be dragged into the sporting world.

Gender identification doesn’t require super-powered-technology, but gender can be determined within a mere blink of the eye. So does it need a rocket scientist to determine the gender of a human being? We wonder.

Unrepentant imperialist organizations must desist from racism and treating Africans (Black) as if they came to this earth through the back door or through an abnormal and non-existent labour process. Africa is not a laboratory for experimenting racist and imperialistic attitudes; it is a continent with united and peace loving citizens who always strive for one hundred percent economic empowerment and development through total control and ownership of their God given resources.

We call upon all progressive youth organizations to echo their voices in denouncing this racist, un-African, un-human, dubious and uncultured daylight attack on Semenya which proves beyond reasonable doubt that whims of darkness and racists still operate in this so called “ Global World”

WFDY HQ - CC
Budapest
25 August 2009

L’Attaque de Genre Menée par l’Association Internationale de la Fédération d’Athlétiques Contre la Sud Africaine Championne Caster Semenya: un Racisme

La Fédération Mondiale de la Jeunesse Démocratique (FMJD) a été gravement irritée, attristée, et étonnée par l’attaque raciste et impérialiste menée par l'Association internationale de Fédération d'Athlétisme récemment à Berlin, Allemagne contre la Championne du monde de 800 m de l'Afrique du Sud Caster Semenya. Plusieurs attaques de ce genre contre le peuple africain ont persisté au cours des années et nous condamnons fortement une tendance si raciste menée par les organisateurs de cette fédération d'athlétisme.

Cette attaque n’est pas seulement raciste et sexiste guidée contre l’Afrique du Sud et son peuple mais en plus elle représente une médisance directe aux parents de la championne et à Caster Semanya même, puisqu’elle mine grossièrement de son inné talent.

Aujourd’hui, le peuple Africain joindra fièrement le peuple de l’Afrique du Sud pour saisir l’occasion et célébrer le succès de Caster, la fière championne Africaine. Ce qui nous surprend c’est que, jusqu’à nos jours là, les intérêts néo-colonialistes s’introduisent encore subitement et s’impliquent même au monde sportif.

En plus, l’identification du genre d’une personne n’a pas besoin d’une technologie énorme, au contraire ça peut être déterminé en un clin d’œil. Alors a-t-on besoin d’un géni pour déterminer le genre d’un être humain? On se demande.

Les organisations impérialistes, qui poursuivent leur assaut sans remord, doivent cesser de traiter le peuple Africain (la race Noire) comme s’ils étaient d’une race inférieure et comme s’ils ne méritaient pas les mêmes droits que les leurs. L’Afrique n’est pas un laboratoire qui sert bien à expérimenter l’attitude raciste et impérialiste de ces organisations ; c’est un continent unissant un peuple paisible et affectueux qui lutte toujours pour gagner un control total sur ses ressources, qui garantira un cent pour cent de progrès économique.

Ainsi on hâte toutes les organisations progressives à transmettre leur protestation contre la raciste, inafricaine, inhumaine, et non cultivée flagrante attaque contre Semenya. Tout cela ne fait que prouver que les caprices du racisme sont toujours incarné dans ce soi-disant Monde Global.

FMJD HQ-CC

Budapest
25 Août 2009

Stop the BC Harmonized Sales Tax

As the economic crisis continues to endanger jobs and force down wages British Columbians are faced with another attack. On July 23th, 2009 the right-wing B.C. Liberal government announced its intention to implement a Harmonized Sales Tax by July 1st, 2010. Despite explicit promises not to introduce such a tax during the last provincial election in May, the Liberal government persists in forcing working class British Columbians to pay for the failing capitalist economy.

The Harmonized Sales Tax combines two taxes, the Provincial Sales Tax and the federal Goods and Services Tax, into one federally administered sales tax. When this takes place, almost everything which PST does not apply to will see a 7% increase in cost. Among these are some of the most important parts a working class family's budget such as: residential fuels (electricity, natural gas) and heating, food products, non-prescription medication, work-related safety equipment, smoke detectors and fire extinguishers, and household maintenance such as renovations and painting. Even grieving families will now pay 7% more at a funeral home.

The Harmonized Tax system puts a massive weight on working people in British Columbia. Northern B.C.ers who are seeing forestry jobs lost and already pay far more for many essential products will now see home heating costs increase dramatically. Commuters in urban areas will see bicycles and bicycle repairs jump in price, which continues the B.C. Liberal policy of profits before people and the environment.

Youth will be affected drastically by the new system. Movies and theatre tickets, repairs for home appliances, and other costs often born by young people will increase substantially. Even school supplies will see a 7% increase in cost when students already pay a criminal tuition fee to attend college or university. While the Liberals refuse to raise minimum wage or legislate a living wage system they continue to increase taxes on those who fall below the poverty line.

To add insult to injury the B.C. Liberal government will receive a 1.6 billion dollar payout from the federal Conservative government to implement this system. As working people try to balance meager budgets the provincial sellout continues. If it was not clear before, British Columbians now know exactly how much they sell for in the capitalist market.

BC Provincial Committee, August 2009