CONTENTS
CALLS TO ACTION
Withdraw from NATO
Whereas:– Canada was a founding member of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) in 1949 and has participated in every NATO intervention;
– NATO has failed to uphold Article 1 of its charter “to settle any international dispute in which they may be involved by peaceful means in such a manner that international peace and security are not endangered”;
– NATO launched illegal interventions against Yugoslavia in 1999, Afghanistan in 2001, and Libya in 2011 that have caused mass civilian deaths and destruction of infrastructure with no accountability;
– According to the NATO Defence Expenditures report, Canada’s military spending has increased from $20 billion in 2014 to $39 billion in 2023, which has diverted funding away from social programs and climate action;
– Throughout the year, NATO engages in exercises and operations, which involve thousands of soldiers and vehicles that adversely impact the climate and environment;
– NATO relies on a dangerous deterrence doctrine, which risks the use of nuclear weapons;
– Canada has refused to join the Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons because of NATO;
– Canada is leading NATO’s Enhanced Forward Presence, a battlegroup, in Latvia and escalating conflict with Russia; and
– NATO is a U.S.-dominated military alliance that impedes Canada’s sovereignty over our defence policy and civilian control of our military.
We, the undersigned, residents of Canada, call upon the Government of Canada to, call upon the House of Commons to:
1. Withdraw from NATO;
2. Remove Canadian troops from Latvia;
3. Reduce military spending; and
4. Conduct public consultations on a new foreign policy based on peace and international cooperation.
ourcommons.ca
EVENTS
Rally and March at YorkU
When: June 20th, 11:30amWhere: York University, front of Vari Hall
On behalf of students encampment organizers at York, we invite you to a press conference and rally on Thursday at 11:30 AM. Even amidst brutal repression and police violence, want to remind the administration whose campus this is.
x.com
An Israeli and Palestinian Speak on a Post-October-7th World
When: June 20th, 1pmMaoz Inon and Aziz Abu Sarah are outspoken peace activists, entrepreneurs, and social advocates from Israel and Palestine. Both have lost family to the conflict, before and on October 7th. Since 10/7, the two have appeared on various international forums regarding their partnership in establishing peace between Israelis and Palestinians. Most recently, they traveled together to Verona, Italy, to meet Pope Francis and share their vision for the future: one where Israelis and Palestinians can move forward and live side by side.
zoom.us
Nuclear Power and Weapons in a Time of Rising Tensions
When: Thursday June 20th, 7pmConflicts are widespread. The risk of nuclear weapons use or even a nuclear war grows greater. What are the pressure points, and how can we prevent a nuclear catastrophe? What is the current status of nuclear weapons in the world, and are more countries likely to develop them? And how does the continued use of nuclear power raise the stakes for nuclear war even higher? Hosted by Veterans For Peace.
zoom.us
Full Spectrum Resistance
When: June 22nd, 9am to June 23rd 5pmWhere: OCAD University, 100 McCaul St
Tickets: $0 to $50
Welcome to the Full Spectrum Resistance Teach-In, a two-day event inspired by Aric McBay’s groundbreaking work. McBay’s book delves into activism stories worldwide, from Martin Luther King Jr. to local movements like the G20 protests in Toronto, ON. It’s all about understanding how institutions have tried to dismantle activist movements and learning from history to overcome their tactics.
Our teach-in is for activists of all kinds – social and environmental – to deepen their knowledge and refine their skills. We aim to build a strong culture of resistance and equip campaigns with effective strategies for success.
eventbrite.ca
CJTO’s Socialist Summer School
When: June 22nd, 2pmWhere: York South-Weston Community Hub, 2575 Eglinton Ave W
Joining a long tradition of popular education around the world, we want to learn about radical futures so we can organize to build them. Socialist summer school will help us learn our history, develop better strategy, and connect our struggles to the bigger picture. Through reading, listening, and discussing, summer school will help guide and shape the action we take in our communities.
This summer, we’ll be covering The Tenant Class by Ricardo Tranjan over 3 sessions.
actionnetwork.org
Good enough to work, Good enough to stay
When: Saturday June 22nd, 4pmWhere: Kaneff Park (behind Shopper’s World), Brampton
Tens of thousands of international student graduates face deportation due to expiring work permits.
We were good enough to work, especially at the height of COVID; we are good enough to stay!
x.com
Gaza Square
When: Every Sunday, 11am to 1pmWhere: 371 Wallace Ave
We’ll be at Gaza square once again this Sunday morning with hot chocolate and coffee, buttons and posters, lawn signs and colourful chalk! Come say hi and meet your fellow neighbours/organizers as we make our presence known and continue to build safety in our community!
Instagram poster
Film screening: Pelicula | Israelism
When: June 23rd, 2pmWhere: Back Lane Studio
Tickets: $10 ($5 students)
A powerful 2023 documentary Israelism, directed by Erin Axelman and Sam Eilertsen. This eye-opening film follows two young American Jews as they travel to Israel, confronting challenging truths that transform their perspectives and spark a movement to redefine their community’s relationship with Israel. Featuring interviews with leading academics and activists, Israelism sheds light on overlooked narratives in the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. Despite controversy and attempts at censorship, this award-winning documentary continues to inspire important conversations about justice, identity, and truth.
docs.google.com
Weekly Phone-zap for Palestine
When: Mondays at 12pmWeek after week, we’re keeping the momentum going with our Monday lunchtime zaps.
Our collective action is making waves, but we need to ensure our elected officials continue to feel the pressure until real change happens.
Instagram poster | Register at zoom
Canadian Foreign Policy Hour with Yves Engler
When: Mondays at 6pmJoin author Yves Engler on Mondays for a weekly news roundup and interactive discussion about Canada’s role abroad. This weekly session will delve into the latest developments on subjects ranging from military affairs and Canada’s role in Ukraine to its contribution to Palestinian dispossession, and the exploitation of African resources. Join Yves for a critical take on Canada’s foreign policy. Questions, comments, and criticisms are all welcome.
zoom.us
Town Hall Discussion
When: June 25th, 6pmWhere: Blackhurst Cultural Centre, 777 Bathurst St
Together with the Confronting Anti-Black Racism Unit at the City of Toronto, Blackhurst wants you to help build a better future for all of us.
Topics of dialogue include Arts & Culture, Youth Development, Housing, Access to Funding / Services + more!
mailerlite.com
Toronto Community Justice Fund Fundraiser
When: June 25th, 7:30pmWhere: Tranzac Club, 292 Brunswick Ave
Admission is sliding scale from $25-50
When things become too much, dancing helps. Join us. Gather and bid in the silent auction to raise funds for the Toronto Community Justice Fund.
Live music with Moskitto Bar. Soca tunes with DJ Zehra.
actionnetwork.org
Book launch: Sweetness In The Skin
When: June 26th, 6:30pmWhere: 918 Bathurst St
“Sweetness in the Skin is a funny and heartbreaking story about a young girl figuring out who she is, what she is capable of—and where she truly belongs.”
Set in Jamaica, this delightful coming-of-age novel follows a teenage girl determined to bake her way out of difficult family circumstances towards an opportunity for a better future.
adifferentbooklist.com
Cuban Women: Politics, Culture and Revolution
When: Thursday, June 27th, 7pmWhere: Steelworkers Hall, 25 Cecil St
The launch of the newest issue of the journal Canadian Women Studies. Readings, food, music, cash bar.
RSVP: brendacranney@inanna.ca | inanna.ca
ARTICLES
Why I Chant “From the River to the Sea”
By Larry HaivenSupporters of Palestinian liberation have been chanting the slogan “From the River to the Sea, Palestine Will be Free” for many years. I myself, a Jewish advocate of human equality, have rallied enthusiastically to that motto for decades. However, since October 7, 2023, defenders of Israel have taken to insisting that the slogan is antisemitic, that it is actually a call to massacre or obliterate Jews.
Source: The Bullet No. 3002
Canada’s Countering Foreign Interference Act
To the members of the Standing Committee on Public Safety and National Security, House of Commons, Parliament of Canada, Ottawa:We are writing to you today to express our deep concerns with the speed with which Bill C-70, the Countering Foreign Interference Act, is currently being studied by the Standing Committee on Public Safety and National Security. A rushed process for a bill of such scope will undermine the ability to hold a full and meaningful study of the bill, risking the adoption of laws that will violate the Charter-protected rights and freedoms of people in Canada.
Source: The Bullet No. 3003
New President in Mexico to Accelerate the Energy Transition
By Trade Unions for Energy DemocracyClaudia Sheinbaum’s resounding victory in Mexico’s presidential election on June 2nd, 2024, has been welcomed by two of the country’s main energy unions, UNTyPP and SME. During her campaign Sheinbaum, a climate scientist with a Ph.D. in energy engineering from the National Autonomous University of Mexico (UNAM), made 6 energy and climate-related commitments (see here, and below). “We are,” she said recently, “going to accelerate the energy transition” within a framework of energy sovereignty.
Source: The Bullet No. 3004
Law At Work: Class, Property, Capitalism
By Harry GlasbeekFor thousands of years, workers have produced goods and services for themselves and others, sometimes being paid, sometimes not. But, for the most part, workers had few legally recognized political or social rights. Workers were not free, at least not in the way in which we describe freedom in our time. It was not until the late 1800s that the goods and services provided for others by workers in the AngloAmerican jurisdictions (which are the focus of this book) could be labelled to be “free labour.”
Source: The Bullet No. 3005