>protect public services and resist further downloading and cuts, or we will >have municipal governments and school boards that simply deliver and >implement the Mike Harris CRAP agenda." > >Promising to seek out and support progressive candidates, Manners said >"people are not putting forward their names, because they don't wish to be >servants of the provincial government... But it's very important for this >organization to make sure that people dedicated to public education are >running, or our School Boards will simply become satellites of the Ministry >and of this government." > >************** > >6/ THE OCAP CRACKDOWN: CRIMINALIZING PROTESTS > >People's Voice Toronto Bureau > >"At a signal, the police went crazy, lashing out right and left with >batons, riding whips, feet and occasionally blackjacks. Mounted Cossacks >rode their scared and plunging horses right at the nearest victim ... " >(Description of a Queen's Park demonstration, August 1929, from The Little >Band: Clashes between the Communists and the Canadian Establishment, >1928-1932 by Lita-Rose Betcherman.) > >THE ACTIONS OF the police at and following the June 15 demonstration at >Queen's Park, organized by the Ontario Coalition Against Poverty (OCAP), >are reminiscent of the Depression, when organizing amongst the unemployed >was met with extreme police violence and repression. > >The criminal justice system has also stepped up the heat in their >continuing war against OCAP. On July 21, Organizer John Clarke and three >other activists, Gaetan Heroux, Stefan Pilipa and PJ Lilley, were arrested >in connection with the June 15 demonstration. All have since been released, >and it is clear from their bail conditions that the main objective of the >police is to criminalize and destroy OCAP. > >In a chilling rendition of the events of June 15, the crown declared that >the organizers must have been planning for a riot because protesters came >wearing cargo pants, many layers of clothing, bandanas and sporting bicycle >helmets and swim goggles. The crown failed to take note of how the police >were dressed: full riot gear, clubs, tear gas, horses and cattle prods. >Most charges against participants in the demonstration, including those >laid against the four OCAP members, have been for "participating in a >riot." Clarke was also hit with "counselling to commit an indictable >offence," a charge that carries a maximum penalty of two years in jail. > >Bail conditions, which were agreed to only because OCAP wanted to fight >them in a higher court, restricted their access to Queen's Park and Allan >Garders, (the home of many homeless and the site of the ongoing "Safe Park" >demonstration). The four activists were ordered not to participate in >protests, demonstrations or marches, and to stay away from members of OCAP >and each other. According to OCAP lawyer Jeff House, these unconstitutional >conditions will be fought in court. House stated that they are clearly >related to "police perceptions that OCAP is a conspiracy." > >The breach of civil liberties permeates the police actions related to June >15. As well as the bail conditions, which in Clarke's case, restrict his >ability to work, the police have seized photographs and videotapes from >various media outlets. Several media organizations are challenging the >police warrants in court. > >Lawyers were told that police intelligence has a list of other OCAP members >that they are looking for in connection with the demonstration. The lawyers >asked for the list, so that they could arrange for the members to turn >themselves in. The request was denied. The police are more interested in >playing cat and mouse games ? taking activists down publicly, as in the >case of Clarke who was arrested on the Bloor Viaduct on his way home. > >Over 200 OCAP supporters gathered at the courthouse for the bail hearings, >including members of the OCAP Allies group ? labour and social justice >leaders from the Canadian Union of Postal Workers, the Canadian Auto >Workers, York University Faculty Association and the Metro Network for >Social Justice. "The anti-poverty work that OCAP does day after day will >continue," said Steve Watson from the CAW. "Labour will ensure that the >work of defending the poor and the homeless will continue." > >One of the most moving moments of the day was a speech from Gaetan Heroux, >obviously exhausted from his overnight stay, who told the assembled media >that "If you turn your cameras away from me right now you will find >thousands of people living and dying on these streets, and you will not >stop us from speaking about that." > >**************** > >7/ CUBA INVITES THE WORLD TO HAVANA > >By Elspeth Gardner > >IN NOVEMBER 1994, the First World Meeting of Solidarity and Friendship with >Cuba was held in Havana. At the time, Cuba was suffering the economic >effects of the break-up of the Soviet Union, which added to the continuing >problems created by the long-term U.S. embargo. In response, there was a >world-wide outpouring of humanitarian aid to Cuba in appreciation of its >fine achievements in the areas of education and health care, and in >recognition of its sovereign right to determine its own destiny. > >The call is now out for a second such gathering. It reads, "The Cuban >nation and its people through the social and mass organizations which >represent them, invite all those who oppose the blockade against Cuba, >whatever their ideology and belief, to the Second World Meeting of >Solidarity and Friendship with Cuba, November 10-14, 2000." > >It is important that Canada be well represented at this gathering. > >Mario Garcia Delgado, the new Minister Counsellor at the Cuban Embassy in >Ottawa, speaking on July 30 at the annual garden party of the >Canadian-Cuban Friendship Association in Vancouver, emphasized the >importance of friendly Canada-Cuba relations. He noted the history of >continuous good diplomatic and trade relations between the two countries >back to 1959, and that Canadians contribute greatly to Cuba's important >tourism industry. > >Canadians attending the conference in Havana will seek ways to expand that >friendly relationship, along with similar-minded people from many corners >of the world. > >Since 1994, Cuba has resisted the U.S. blockade and maintained its >political stability, undergoing a modest, yet sustained, economic recovery. > >In those same years the U.S. moved to tighten its blockade. The provisions >of the 1995 Helms-Burton Law made third-country companies liable to damages >to the former owners of confiscated Cuban property, or their successors, >for "trafficking" in such property, in actions to be brought in U.S. >courts. This law also directed the Secretary of State to exclude from the >U.S. officers and principals of companies which might engage in new acts of >"trafficking" after March 12, 1996. > >This legislation was roundly condemned as a violation of international law, >and Cuba's trade with many countries has been increasing. Condemnation of >the embargo has grown year by year, finding expression in United Nations >resolutions. > >The main drive for continued pressure on Cuba has come from the wealthy and >politically-powerful exile groups in Florida, most notably the >Cuban-American National Foundation. This debate was given a dramatic >impetus by the failure of the U.S. to return Elian Gonzalez promptly to his >father. This matter, which should have been resolved within a week by an >administrative decision, was dragged through the court system for six long >months. During that time many Americans came to realize that their economic >interests and their own ideas of humanity and justice were being held >hostage by a small section of the Miami exile community. The result is a >much heightened awareness of the need to change U.S. policy. > >For Cuba, the immediate concern is that the Cuban Adjustment of Status Act, >passed in 1996, should be repealed. This law grants automatic and immediate >access to the U.S. for illegal migrants from Cuba who manage to reach U.S. >soil. It has led people to take extreme risks, including Elian's mother and >many others who have died in the attempt. It has also distorted normal >immigration arrangements between the two countries. > >More basic discussions are also underway. A number of resolutions are under >consideration by Washington. One would lift the blockade on sales of U.S. >food and medicines to Cuba. But this change would be meaningless unless >restrictions are also lifted on the financing of such sales, and on the >shipping of goods to Cuba. > >The battle on these issues is far from over, but an increasing number of >Americans are questioning the whole issue of the U.S. blockade. They are >joining the outcry of millions throughout the world who believe that Cubans >have fought hard for their independence and national sovereignty, and for >their socialist model, and deserve to retain them without harassment. > >In the past few years more and more delegations from around the world, >including Canada, have been meeting their Cuban counterparts in the fields >of labour, education, health, housing, medicine, science, agriculture, the >legal system, sports and culture. Many see the Cuban model as an >alternative to the program of capitalist globalization pushed by the major >developed countries. > >The Second World Meeting of Solidarity and Friendship will give great >impetus to the drive to free Cuba from the shackles of the U.S. embargo, >and to allow the island to use its full energies to improve the lot of the >whole Cuban people. Cuba invites the world to be in Havana in November! >*************************************** >Communist Party of Canada >290A Danforth Ave., >Toronto, Ont. M4K 1N6 >416-469-2446 (voice) >416-469-4063 (fax) ><[EMAIL PROTECTED]> >http://www.communist-party.ca _______________________________________ KOMINFORM P.O. 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