You can cut down all the flowers, but nothing can stop the coming of Spring.

The Thorn on Thursdays | March 11

Mar 11, 2021

Local

International Working Women's Day - A day of action until 1975

Did you know? Before 1975, “International Women’s Day” was a day of action known as “International Working Women’s Day” (IWWD). The history:

1910 - German socialist Clara Zetkin suggests an international day of action for women.
1914 - March 8th officially chosen to be International Working Women's Day (IWWD).
1975 - United Nations (UN) adopts the day as "International Women's Day", dropping the word "Working".

Why does it matter? By removing the word "working" from "International Working Women's Day", the UN: Erases the radical history of the day, ignores how capitalism hurts women & non-binary people, turns a day-of-action into a day of general day of celebration. While we should celebrate the accomplishments of women, we must also take action to continue to fight the barriers that prevent women's liberation.

Taking Back International Women's Day - DSA

A graphic history and Vancouver Women's Resources - DSOV

Police are still in Vancouver Schools/Vancouver Police Board appeals to province to overturn freeze in Vancouver’s Police Budget

After a long delay, the Vancouver School Board has begun its review of the School Officer Liaison Program. At the school district’s policy and governance committee meeting, Argyle PR presented the report it was hired for by the school board. It confirmed that most Black & Indigenous Students want police out of schools, and with good reason - Black & Indigenous communities in Canada are likely to be over-policed & face police brutality. This comes in the wake of criticism of the handling of the review even before Argyle’s report. One major problem includes the fact that Lord Byng Secondary School bungled an investigation of a racist bomb threat, including allowing an officer involved in the shooting of a person of colour to interview black students without notifying their parents. Multiple black students cited it as a reason for leaving the school.

The VSB will consider the report, along with the policy & governance committee’s report, and other criticism, and make its recommendations on April 26th.

Back in December, Vancouver City Council passed a 2021 City of Vancouver budget which froze the police budget. The VPD lobbied hard for a $6 billion increase to the police budget, but this was rejected.

On Tuesday, the VPD released a statement decrying the refusal to increase the police budget, despite the fact that the current police budget represents the second-largest piece of The City’s operating budget for 2021.

Image courtesy of the City of Vancouver

The VPD, through the Vancouver Police Board is appealing to the provincial police commissioner to overturn City Council’s decision not to increase the 2021 police budget, as allowed under the Police Act. Opponents of increasing Vancouver’s police budget should contact the police commissioner to ask them to deny this request.

The BC government is also in the process of reforming the Police Act. The Special Committee on Reforming the Police Act is accepting submissions through to the end of April.
https://consultations.leg.bc.ca/Submission/Create?cons=ReformingthePoliceAct
At minimum we should call for taking away the power of the Police Commissioner to overturn police budget decisions by municipal governments.

It’s become clear now that those who wish to maintain the status quo recognize that a flat “no” is an unpopular answer, and instead choose to delay, review and “look into” issues. Police Brutality & Racism are the ones we see the most, but it extends to other contentious issues like housing as well - multiple complaints have been registered about Vancouver City Councillors abusing points of privilege & the legislative process to delay & hold off contentious votes or motions. Affordable Housing in particular seems to attract these delays like flies.

Elected officials who engage in these practices, whether they are a City Councillor or Board Member, should be held accountable when up for re-election in 2022, especially when the issues they delay are ones that have lethal consequences. Furthermore, we must look at long term plans to wrest this type of control from a small number of privileged “professionals” & put it in the hands of the communities who are most harmed by these practices.

Safe, affordable housing and a liveable income are medicine

Local social worker, Beverley Briggs, launches a fundraiser in honour of the beginning of Social Work month in Canada and in anticipation of Social Work Week in BC, March 15-19, 2021.

Meme Tees: Message of Hope seeks to amplify the voices of social workers, healthcare workers, housing workers, outreach workers, shelter workers and many other people across Canada who know that safe affordable housing and a liveable income are Medicine.

Justice in the service of social wellbeing and working to improve health and supports for people living in poverty are roots of social work and are the core values, heart and soul, and our ongoing mission.

Provincial

Site C continues to destroy environment, culture, and economy

Flying in the face of serious and irreversible negative consequences to the rights and histories of Indigenous peoples, the looming destruction of the habitats of more than 100 species at risk of extinction, and a report from Feb. 9th that indicates the cost of the project has ballooned to $16 billion due to severe geotechnical issues, BC Premier John Horgan announced on February 26 that the province would be proceeding with the Site C. Premier Horgan had previously decided in December 2017 that his government would proceed with the project despite criticizing it while in opposition.

As The Narwhal reports, “the $16 billion cost for Site C exceeds the $13.1 billion bill for the Muskrat Falls dam, a project that was described as ‘the biggest economic mistake in Newfoundland and Labrador’s history.’” Site C is slated to be the most expensive dam in Canadian history, with experts like Former BC Hydro CEO Marc Eliesen suggesting that ongoing geotechnical and safety issues will lead to further cost overruns. Meanwhile, the West Moberly First Nations continue in their Court case to prove the BC government breached its constitutional duty to consult, which risks stopping Site C in its tracks.

Premier Horgan justified the project in economic terms, suggesting cancellation of Site C would lead to increased hydro rates for customers and would require laying off 4,500 workers (The Narwhal has debunked these and other of the government’s peddled myths). Such statements belie a lack of imagination and leadership, consistent with this BC government’s record on the environment: the alternatives - wind, solar, and geothermal - would create far more jobs and offer truly environmentally-responsible methods of energy generation. Site C will serve as a sore image of missed potential for generations to come.

National

Time for Canada to drop the Monarchy!

Meghan and Harry’s interview with Oprah Winfrey this past Sunday has brought new allegations of racism against the British Monarchy -- which should come as no surprise, given that this is an institution that literally practiced inbreeding for centuries in order to maintain the purity of it’s bloodline -- and has precipitated the worst crisis in the institution since the death of Harry’s mother Diana 24 years ago.

In light of this new crisis for the British Monarchy, it’s time for Canada to drop the British Monarchy, an antiquated institution that benefited from the worst abuses of British imperialism. Already before the interview, Canadian desire to drop the monarchy had reached a historical level. As reported in a Research Co. poll released on March 1, 45% of Canadians would prefer to have an elected head of state, up 13 points since a similar poll in February 2020, and the highest level in 12 years. As well, Queen Elizabeth will not live forever, and only 22% of Canadians want Charles to become King when Queen Elizabeth dies or abdicates.

CIJA, NDP attack Niki Ashton over meeting with Jeremy Corbyn

Last week, the Centre for Israel and Jewish affairs (CIJA), the federal NDP, and the NDP-connected Broadbent Institute all launched attacks against Manitoba NDP MP Niki Ashton, for her decision to attend an upcoming event with former UK Labour Leader Jeremy Corbyn on March 20, hosted by the Progressive international.

The event, titled “Building Solidarity: a Conversation with Jeremy Corbyn & Niki Ashton”, is focused on fighting racism, climate catastrophe, and the COVID-19 crisis, both in Canada and abroad.

The attacks included a repeat of unfounded accusations of anti-semitism against Jeremy Corbyn for his opposition to Israel’s treatment of the Palestinian people, which were repeated ad nauseum during his years as leader of the UK Labour Party from 2015 to 2019 to undermine his leadership of the party.

The NDP claimed that Niki Ashton should have obtained permission from the party before agreeing to attend the event, despite NDP leader Jagmeet Singh having attended an event with Jeremy Corbyn in June 2019.

Niki Ashton Spoke to Christo Aivalis and Andy Borkowski on their new podcast Left Turn, Canada, about the attacks and why Canadians leftists should care about the Progressive International.

David Doel at the left-wing YouTube channel The Rational National, which mostly covers U.S. politics, released a video denouncing the NDP’s attacks against Niki Ashton and Jeremy Corbyn.

Independent Jewish Voices, a pan-Canadian organization of progressive Jews who oppose Israel’s treatment of the Palestinian people, issued a statement denouncing CIJA’s smears against Niki Ashton and Jeremy Corbyn.

Saudi Crown Prince directly responsible for the murder of journalist Jamal Khashoggi - Canada must terminite its arms deal

On February 26, the US government released a newly declassified intelligence report that shows that Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman likely ordered the killing of dissident Saudi journalist Jamal Khashoggi inside the Saudi Consulate in Istanbul in 2018.

Despite calls for the US to end it’s relationship with the house of Saud in the wake of the revelations, and criticism of Saudi Arabia by U.S. President Joe Biden, and an earlier decision by the Biden regime to end U.S. support for the Saudi-led war in Yemen, the Biden regime refuses to completely break ties with a regime that it views as a strategic partner in some contexts.

https://www.cbc.ca/news/world/khashoggi-saudi-crown-prince-us-report-1.5928873

Earlier in February, the NDP used the Biden regime’s decision to end support for the Saudi-led war in Yemen to reiterate their call for the Canadian government to end the sale of Light Armoured Vehicles (LAV’s) to Yemen. The vehicles are manufactured by General Dynamics in London, Ont., and some of these vehicles have been reportedly used by Saudi Arabia in it’s war against Yemen.

https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/london/military-vehicles-london-saudi-arabia-1.5901646

The revelations that the Saudi Crown Prince ordered the killing of Jamal Kashoggi in 2018 provide further reason for the Canadian Government to end the sale of LAV’s to Yemen. Unless they end the sale of LAV’s to Saudi Arabia, the Canadian government is complicit in the genocide being perpetrated by Saudi Arabia in it’s war on Yemen.

Wealth Tax update: It’s an even better idea than we thought

New research out today by the CCPA’s Alex Hemingway shows the Parliamentary Budget Office was drastically under-estimating how much revenue a wealth tax would bring in. Poll after poll shows people already love this idea, and now we know it’ll bring in even more money that can be spent on the things we urgently need.

The CCPA paper estimates “a wealth tax with rates of 1% on net worth over $20 million, 2% over $50 million and 3% over $100 million could raise nearly $20 billion in its first year.” Check out the full report here.

International

Amazon organizing drive in Bessemer, Alabama

Back in August, workers at an Amazon fulfillment centre (warehouse) began a union drive to join the Retail, Wholesale and Department Store Union (RWDSU). They managed to get 30% of workers at the warehouse to sign union cards -- the threshold needed to request an election. Major issues include wages, working conditions, and job security.

The National Labour Relations Board mailed out ballots on February 8, and workers have until March 29 to mail them back. If a majority of the workers vote to join the union, they will become the first Amazon warehouse workers in the US to unionize, and could become a catalyst for the unionization of other Amazon warehouses in other more union friendly states. In the meantime, Amazon have launched a major anti-union drive to convince the workers not to unionize.

Lula Is Back — And He Can Save Brazil From Bolsonaro

Nearly twenty years after the legendary labour leader was first elected president of Brazil, Lula da Silva has been cleared to challenge Brazil’s far right Jair Bolsonaro in elections slated for 2022. As reported in Jacobin:

“Yesterday, Brazilian Supreme Court judge Luiz Edson Fachin ruled to annul all of former president Lula da Silva’s convictions. Fachin said that the court that convicted Lula in the southern city of Curitiba did not have the legal authority to convict Brazil’s first Workers’ Party (PT) president. As such, he must be retried by a federal court in the capital city of Brasília.
The most important effect of the overturning is that it restores Lula’s political rights, allowing him to run in next year’s presidential election. Under Brazil’s Ficha Limpa (“Clean Slate”) law — ironically passed by the PT government — politicians convicted of crimes or impeached are unable to run for elected office.”

Lula, 75, hasn’t confirmed whether he’ll run against Bolsonaro himself or support another challenger. But yesterday’s Reuters story reporting on Lula calling Bolsonaro a “buffoon” who had badly mismanaged the pandemic seems to hint at an epic comeback run for Lula next year. Like shoots emerging through cracks in the pavement, these signs of hope after many difficult years for the broad left in Brazil bring to mind a Pablo Neruda verse that Lula is fond of paraphrasing: “You can cut down all the flowers, but nothing can stop the coming of Spring.” (Podrán cortar todas las flores, pero no podrán detener la primavera.)

Upcoming Events

OUT OF POVERTY PARADE

Social assistance and disability rates are horrifically low. BASIC human costs are far from being covered. We're saying ENOUGH!!

This is a parade to express the rage of not having food security. Not having a home. The government's version of assistance is just a system of hardship and poverty.

In a masked, socially distant event, come tell the NDP Govt. that clawing back the $300 COVID relief is messed up!!

End food insecurity!! End the isolating poverty rates now!!

~THURSDAY, MARCH 18th @ 12:30~

WHERE: 625 Howe St, cross street is DUNSMUIR

Office of BC Ministry of Social Development and Poverty Reduction

Theme: demanding DIGNITY with an artistic focus on FOOD INSECURITY

COVID protocols in place. Moving/marching not necessary to take part in action - chairs avail. Wheelchair accessible event. ASL interpreter yet to be confirmed.

#StopTheClawBack #RaiseTheRates

ACCESSIBILITY: there’s a budget for making this an accessible event.

WHAT DO YOU REQUIRE TO ATTEND/TAKE PART?

CONTACT: outofpovt@gmail.com or 604-816-2378

This event is organized by an ad hoc group of folks including members of BCPRC’s Community Action Network (CAN), VANDU, and 300toLive!

DSoV Book Club

Come learn about socialism and the DSoV. All are welcome on Thursday March 18th at 8pm for the bi-monthly socialist reading group. On March 18th, they will be exploring readings by Aimé Césaire, Kwame Nkrumah, and Jason Hickel. The book club will gather at meet.jit.si/DSOVBC

Links to the readings and study questions can be found here.

This event is open to DSoV members and anyone curious about DSoV. Bring your questions and a friend.

DSOV General Membership Monthly Meeting
6:00 - 9:00 pm

Join us for discussion and catch up on what’s happening with the Democratic Socialists of Vancouver.

Our meetings are held using the JITSI platform. The upcoming meeting link will be:

meet.jit.si/DSoV

Or Theatre Festival

“To be OR not to be?” We choose “Or”. The unexpected! The surprising! Every night, we present the WORLD PREMIERE of six original 10 minute plays written, dramaturged, directed and acted by local Vancouver artists. Our line-up includes Hazard Pay by Samantha Walters, Seven Minutes ‘Till Heaven by Geekenders Theatre Founder, Fairlith Harvey - whose work is hailed as “having a cult following” - and four more plays! Join us for the fun! It’s a midnight serenade for the audience…only, this time, Vancouver’s diverse voices are the instruments! That includes YOU! Laugh…cry… REACT! We want to know you’re online! And we can’t wait to hear what you thought after the show. Our symbol of the stained glass window illustrates individuals coming together to form a mosaic of art that represents the vibrant, colourful nature of this city.

The recording of these six 10 minute plays will be live-streamed on April 2nd & 3rd at 7:30pm PT.

Tickets are on sale now - visit http://orfestival.com/tickets to purchase!