Plus Ça Change
The Thorn on Thursdays | Sept 23 2021
Local
Global Climate Strike Vancouver - two events planned for 2021
In 2019 international strikes and protests demanding action be taken to address climate change took place in September during a Global Climate Strike coinciding with the United Nations Climate Summit. Protests were scheduled for 4,500 locations in 150 countries. The event was partly inspired by Swedish climate activist Greta Thunberg and it is estimated that over seven million people participated. Activities in 2020 were smaller due to the global pandemic.
This year, the Sustainabiliteens in Vancouver are organizing an event at Canada Place on September 24, 11 am - 2 pm. As well, at SFU, there will be a march to protest the TMX Pipeline, starting at 4:30 pm. Co-sponsoring this are Climate Convergence, SFU-350, the Teaching Support Staff Union (TSSU), the Simon Fraser Student Society, and Extinction Rebellion Vancouver. To participate and for more information see links below.
Sept 24 - Sustainabiliteens Climate Strike: https://facebook.com/events/s/sept-24-climate-strike-vancouv/558187372130512/
Sept 24 - SFU : https://facebook.com/events/s/global-day-of-climate-action-s/914634879396827/
VDLC will not endorse Vision Vancouver candidates in 2022
This week, the Vancouver and District Labour Council (VDLC) took the MAJOR decision to not endorse Vision Vancouver candidates for the offices of Mayor and City Councillor. The decision will make the 2022 Vancouver municipal election the first time since Vision Vancouver’s formation in 2005 that the VDLC will not endorse any of its candidates for City Council.
VDLC President Stephen Von Sychowski Mentioned: “Vision was resoundingly rejected in 2018 and vanished from the political scene for most of this term. The progressive political spectrum is already well represented. We don't see an attempted return for Vision being constructive..."
Vision Vancouver emerged in 2005 out of a split in the left-wing Coalition of Progressive Electors (COPE) that began after it won 8 of 10 seats plus the mayor’s chair. Moderate councillors elected under the COPE banner aligned with Mayor Larry Campbell to support taking developer money, expanding the role of gambling and casinos in the city, and supporting the city’s bid for the 2010 Winter Olympics.
Vision held a majority on city council from 2008 to 2018, during which time it presided over a massive expansion of unaffordable condos and market rental apartments as the city’s homeless population ballooned to unprecedented levels. Vision Vancouver lost the Mayor’s chair and all it’s seats on council in the 2018 municipal election, being reduced to one seat on the Vancouver School Board.
The VDLC represents 60,000 workers from over 100 major unions, and it’s endorsements carry significant weight with many of these workers as well as other left-leaning voters. The VDLC’s decision to not endorse Vision could potentially strengthen the chances of more active left-leaning candidates in the 2022 municipal election. We need more people in office to fight for housing justice, defund the police, and raise taxes on multi-millionaires.
Vancouver City Council votes to oppose Tilbury LNG expansion
This week Vancouver City Council passed a motion from Councillor Christine Boyle to oppose the expansion of the Tilbury Liquified Natural Gas (LNG) plant.
We are in a climate emergency. We can’t expand fracking, we can’t build new fossil fuel infrastructure.
Full story: Vancouver latest city to oppose expansion of major B.C. LNG site
Police remove anti-TMX tree-sitter in Burnaby
Full story: Police in cherry picker remove, arrest anti-pipeline tree-sitter in Burnaby
Provincial
Euthanize the rentiers
The landlords have found the loopholes. 2200 a month for an apartment in the West End is not enough and Landlords whose profit margins in Vancouver have found ways to circumnavigate rent increase caps by creating utilities companies and then using those companies to gouge their renters. Please consider joining the VTU
National
The new cannot be born
The election that asked the important question, why is this happening, happened. Nobody showed up. Trudeau's big plan to shave appears to have paid off, and he remains prime minister. Trudeau is open to electoral reform but won’t support PR. The far right is on the rise, the Greens got torched, Annamie Paul got 4th, Avi Lewis could not convince West Van homeowners. As of writing, Vancouver Granville is still too close to call with climate activist Anjali Appadurai trailing tech entrepreneur and serial house flipper Taleeb Noormohamed by 258 votes. After the spectacle of electoral politics, opportunities exist to engage.
Read more: Canada Just Voted for More of the Same -- Mitchell Thompson in Jacobin Magazine.
International
How it works
Purdue Pharma, Oxycontin manufacturers, killed everyone and got away with it.
La Greve
IATSE (The International Alliance of Theatrical Stage Employees, Moving Picture Technicians, Artists and Allied Crafts), The American film workers union is set to hold a nationwide strike authorization vote. Among IATSE’s concerns are: “Excessively unsafe and harmful working hours. Unlivable wages for the lowest paid crafts. Consistent failure to provide reasonable rest during meal breaks, between workdays, and on weekends. Workers on certain “new media” streaming projects get paid less, even on productions with budgets that rival or exceed those of traditionally released blockbusters.” This strike could affect some 60,000 union members. Solidarity with IATSE workers! #IASOLIDARITY.
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Upcoming Events
Democratic Socialists of Vancouver AGM
The DSoV will hold their inaugural AGM and Elections.
Sunday, October 3, 2021
6-8 pm Online.
Democracy in Action? Canada Burned! Canada Voted! Where was the EFFECTIVE climate plan?
Online discussion from the Socialist Unity Assembly
Tuesday, October 5, 2021
6 pm-8 pm
Speakers include:
Tara Ehrcke -- Teacher, BCTF member and climate justice activist
Dr. Devyani Singh -- Climate scientist and 2021 Green Party Candidate in Vancouver Quadra
Tim Kennelly -- Member of the Vancouver Ecosocialists and the Democratic Socialists of Vancouver
Zoom link available soon at above link
Socialist Unity Assembly
The SUA seeks to unify and bring together various socialist groups for coalition building and related work. Hosted by DSOV
Sunday, October 17, 2021
7:00-9:00 pm ONLINE
Vancouver Ecosocialists Event Page
Roundup of events both online and in Metro Vancouver
Media Roundup
‘Unlivable’ SROs spur homelessness, says BC’s attorney general -- Jen St. Denis in The Tyee
Canadian Amazon Warehouse Could be the First to Unionize in North America -- Candice Berndt in Popular Resistance.
Canada, meet your new LGBTQ2S+ MPs - At least six queer, trans or Two-Spirit candidates were elected to Parliament.
Norway’s Radical Left is Gaining Power -- Interview with Marie Sneve Martinussen and Seher Aydar in Jacobin Magazine.
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