CONTENTS
CALLS TO ACTION
Survey: Fair TTC Fares
The Toronto Transit Commission (TTC) is consulting people about their 5-year plan for transit fares. Without input from riders like you, the new plan won’t reflect our needs.This survey is being collected by TTCriders, a membership organization of transit riders. We are not affiliated with the TTC. TTCriders will submit these results to the TTC and City of Toronto and use them in a report and our campaigns for change!
docs.google.com
Advocacy for Palestine is not ‘Terrorism’
Send your letter to Canadian Minister of Public Safety Bill Blair. Tell him political advocacy for Palestinian prisoners is defending basic human rights.Over 30 Canadian and international groups have endorsed the call to reject moves by the Israeli government and its lobby in Canada to criminalize Palestinian advocacy. Let the Canadian Minister of Public Safety, Bill Blair, know that you support Palestinian Canadians in defending their democratic rights to free expression and association.
actionnetwork.org
EVENTS
Palestine Through Chilean Eyes
When: Thursday April 8th, 6pm via Facebook LivePalestine Through Chilean Eyes is the second event of IAW 2021 at UofT. It traces the intimate connections and histories of shared struggle between Chile and Palestine, as well as the links between apartheid Israel and the Chilean state’s campaign of terror against the current popular uprising. Israel exports its weapons that are “field tested” on Palestinian bodies and society to repressive regimes around the world, including Chile.
eventbrite.ca
Transitional Justice Plan to End Genocide in Canada
When: Friday April 9th, 3pmJoin us for the final talk of our virtual speaker series, featuring Dr. Pamela Palmater.
Speaker Dr. Pamela Palmater is the Chair in Indigenous Governance at Ryerson University. After the talk there will be a Q&A period.
Moderated by: Dr. Bryan Evans, Professor, Department of Politics and Public Administration, Ryerson University.
eventbrite.ca
Celebrating 150 years of Labour Council
When: Friday April 9th, 6:30pmIn celebration of the 150th anniversary of the Toronto & York Region Labour Council, the Chinese Workers Network wants to begin by recognizing the blood, sweat, and labour of Chinese railroad workers.
We will watch this documentary together to understand the history of Chinese-Canadians and hear stories of the last survivors of the Chinese Head Tax and Exclusion Act.
eventbrite.ca
End Apartheid Status Now!
When: Saturday April 10th, 11:30amWhere: Meet at Hart House, UofT
Justice for Migrant Workers – car caravan
The caravan is being organized to demand that immediate steps be taken to protect #essentailworkers by ensuring that all workers including agricultural workers are provided with decency and respect. If you are interested in attending either e-mail us at j4mw2.on@gmail.com or sign up by going to linktr.ee/j4mw.
twitter.com | docs.google.com
PR 101
When: April 10th, 7pmAre you new to electoral reform and want to get up to speed on the basics of the campaign for proportional representation?
What is proportional representation? Why do we need it?
How do the two most popular systems recommended in Canada – Mixed Member Proportional (MMP) and Single Transferable Vote (PR-STV) – actually work?
Special guest: Dennis Pilon is an Associate Professor at York University and Canadian electoral reform expert.
zoom.us
No New Fighter Jets
When: Saturday April 10th, 7:30pmWhere: Matt Cohen Park, Toronto (corner of Spadina and Bloor)
We will not allow Canada to buy 88 new warplanes to rain bombs in US and NATO wars.
Join us in Toronto at Matt Cohen Park on Saturday, April 10, at 7:30pm for a vigil to honour those who have been killed by Canadian war planes and to reject Canada’s plans to buy 88 new bomber jets.
** Everyone must wear a mask and maintain social distancing at all times. As Toronto is in a lockdown with restrictions on gatherings (only 5 people), we suggest staying for a photo with a sign, a plate, or a candle and then making space to ensure there is a 5 person maximum gathering. **
This event is part of a larger series of public fasts and vigils that will take place across Canada on April 10 and 11.
Facebook event | nofighterjets.ca/fast
Workers Struggle During Covid
When: Sunday April 11th, 2pmIt is becoming increasingly obvious that COVID is being spread through schools at rates much higher than officially announced. Likewise, workplace spread is becoming even more deadly. Yet our politicians and bosses want schools to remain open and for people to go to work. They are only interested in making sure profits keep flowing. Please join this forum with front line workers speaking about the struggle to keep themselves and their fellow workers safe.
Xolisiwe (Connie) Ndlovu is the President of CUPE 7797, and works at Sprint Senior Services, one of the agencies in a composite Local that represents over 600 Personal Support Workers (PSWs) workers. Connie is a PSW herself and has been involved for close to twenty years in organizing workers in home care. These PSWs are among the lowest paid, struggle for minimal hours, and have a high rate of injury.
Peter Votsch is Vice President of TNG Unit CUPE Local 7797.
zoom.us
Labour 150 Campaign Launch
When: April 12th, 7pm – 9pmJoin us on Monday April 12th for the launching of our brand new campaign, Labour 150, in commemoration of our 150th year anniversary.
The campaign launch will feature the debut of our brand new Labour 150 website, a special live online gala, contests and much, much more. Running for a full twelve months, this celebration will capture how as a Labour Council, “Together We Did, Together We Can, Together We Will”.
Join us for a celebration of our history, our victories, and our path forward.
labourcouncil.ca
The SACTU Solidarity Committee in Toronto
When: Tuesday April 13th, 7pmIn 1980, the South African Congress of Trade Unions requested the authors of its official history, Organize or Starve, to return to Canada to build anti-apartheid solidarity through SACTU within the Canadian trade union movement. The 1980s work of education, research, and action took place in Toronto, and indeed throughout the country and this session brings together original members of the SACTU Solidarity Committee to elaborate on Canadian workers’ contribution to the struggle. The event will be facilitated by Brenda Wall and will feature presentations from Jane Armstrong, Vince Greason, Ken Luckhardt, and Ken Traynor.
mailchi.mp
Climate Crisis Q+A
When: April 14th, 7pmWith Danny Harvey, UofT climate scientists.
scienceforpeace.ca | Facebook event
ARTICLES
Transit Justice Struggles in Toronto
By Free Transit TorontoThe Toronto Transit Commission (TTC) is developing a 5-year fare policy review and plan, along with a 10-year “collection” outlook, both to be included in a policy framework by the end of 2021. A relevant TTC document claims that: “The 5-Year Fare Policy will explore all fare options ranging from zero-fare to full-cost recovery. The work will identify and establish the relative priorities of policy goals, such as equity, affordability, revenue, and ridership. It will also identify constraints and opportunities in the current fare structure that influence fare policy decision making. All TTC fare policies, some of which date back decades will be reconsidered.”
Source: The Bullet No. 2342
Climate Mobilization in View of the COP26
By International Committee of the Fourth InternationalDisasters, of which extreme weather events linked to climate change are the main cause, have doubled in 20 years, killing more than 1.2 million people worldwide since 2000. Record summer temperatures in the Northern and the Southern Hemisphere (including the Arctic and Antarctica), deadly fires, exceptionally mild, snow-free winters in many areas, monsoon disturbance, more frequent and more extreme weather events: the climate catastrophe is underway. It is progressing faster than the projections, mainly due to the underestimation of the positive feedbacks from global warming. Megafires in Australia have illustrated the major danger of a chain of these feedbacks leading to a rapid and irreversible change in the climate regime.
Source: The Bullet No. 2343
A Miscarriage of Justice: Support Hassan Diab!
By Justice for Hassan DiabYou may already know of Hassan Diab – the wrongfully persecuted Ottawa sociology professor whose life hangs in the balance. The entire spectrum of the Canadian press has covered his unfolding story since its inception in 2007. Dr. Diab is the Canadian citizen who, at the behest of France, was sought for extradition on trumped up charges. Dr. Diab is subject to allegations of involvement in the bombing of a Paris synagogue in 1980, he was pursued and harassed by the RCMP in 2008. Arrested on November 13th of that year, denied bail, and jailed in the disreputable Ottawa Carleton Detention Centre, he was then released in April 2009, only to be placed under the most draconian house arrest conditions.
Source: The Bullet No. 2344
Decolonizing Israel: Jeff Halper’s Political Strategy
By Judith DeutschWhat is to be done about Israel to stop what is being done to Palestinians? As just reported in the Guardian, “Domestic politics in Israel has lurched far to the right, and the fate of millions of Palestinians under Israeli military control has all but disappeared from election campaigns.” As reported by Ha’aretz: “Kahanist Racism, Homophobia Enter Knesset After Far-right Party’s Strong Showing.” While hope for change draws on the partially successful end of apartheid in South Africa due to international pressure, Israel draws on international support through its weapons/surveillance/security trade, and through its politically effective conflation of antisemitism with antizionism.
Source: The Bullet No. 2345
Take the Plant, Save the Planet
Workers and Communities in the Struggle for Economic ConversionA discussion of the politics of plant conversion for an ecologically sustainable future with Francesca Hannan, Stephen Buhler, and Simon Black.
Source: LeftStreamed
EMPLOYMENT
Property Asset Manager
We are seeking a Property Asset Manager to plan, implement and administer capital repairs projects, asset transfers, and related financing for our small but quickly growing portfolio of small rental buildings and homes. These tasks are key to the effective stewardship of the land trust’s growing portfolio of community owned assets.Deadline: April 21st, 2021 at 5:00 pm EST.
pnlt.ca