SPC Newsletter 1st Dec 2017

March 2024 Forums World Socialist Movement SPC Newsletter 1st Dec 2017

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    THE SOCIALIST PARTY OF CANADA

    worldsocialism.org/canada | spc@worldsocialism.org | twitter.com/spc_news

    Secretary's Report for December 2017

    Email Report

    – WSP (India) EC meeting minutes No. 181, Sunday, November 5, 2017, received with thanks. (members wishing the above minutes, email spc@worldsocialism.org).

    Good of the Movement

    – One introductory package sent out.

    – SPC Toronto Branch public meeting, held Wednesday, November 29, 6:30pm – 8:30pm, The Second Cup Coffee House, 324 Bloor St W, Toronto.

    – Toronto Branch upcoming meeting Dec 27 (tentative): Location & time as above. Visit Toronto Branch Facebook for further details: https://web.facebook.com/Toronto-Branch-Socialist-Party-of-Canada-1120836671294008/ & our website https://www.worldsocialism.org/canada/ ; Toronto Branch email spc.toronto@worldsocialism.org.

    – World Socialist Party New Zealand radio station: The GAC queried our Comrades to the south to learn more about the radio station they run to see if we could start one in Canada. Any members who have knowledge or connections on Canadian regulations and equipment to start a similar station here please contact the GAC. This was our reply from Comrade Maurice Gribble:

    In New Zealand, we are fortunate that low-powered FM broadcast stations (broadcasting radius of around 3-4 kms under the 89MHz frequency – allocated frequencies available) are free of any government charges. We have taken advantage of this , and have set up our transmitter at our Manurewa (Auckland) HQ. We have been operating for around 15 years now. But the last few years we have managed to upgrade the service and quality of output.

    It runs 24/7 on a computer based programme (pre-programmed to make it user friendly and less on site time), which Comrade Trevor Lovatt's son has been instrumental in setting up.

    Each WSPNZ member (who may want to participate) has an allocated day of the week, to which they can organise the music and promotional content (WSM propaganda, etc) themselves – as long as it is in line with the WSPNZ policy.

    It is totally different to Sam Leight's setup – we are in control of the transmission and own all the equipment ourselves (which really is quite minimal – basically a computer, a transmitter circuit board and an aerial). We can do live broadcasts, if required. By law we need to advertise our contact address (PO Box) and phone(mobile) number on the air, at least once per hour.

    Hope this answers your query, but if you do have any other queries, please feel free to email me.

    FYS

    Regards

    Maurice Gribble

    (Treasurer)

     

    General Admistrative Committee 2017-2019

    – Nomination for vacant GAC seat: Comrade Ames nominates Comrade Muirhead for the remaining vacant seat on the General Administrative Committee.

    As our Party Constitution & ByLaws do not speak to filling GAC seats in between GAC elections, the General Secretary seeks input from members who may wish to further nominate members for this remaining GAC opening.

    The Secretary suggests this nominating period be open for 30 days from receipt of this Monthly Report, and unless mermbers direct this to be a longer time priod, nominations would close January 5, 2018. If more than one candidate is nominated an election for the position will be decided upon by vote of the membership. If no further nominations come forth, and no direction is given to the Secretary to leave nominations open for more than 30 days, Comrade Muirhead will be acclaimed.

    Finances/Expenses – Island Savings Credit Union recognized our unregistered non-profit status giving us a Community Value Account, waiving our $9 per month account fee. Account fees are now zero with a small fee per transaction. Thank you Steve and Ron. Our delays with setting up PayPal for our website and credit union are continuing to be pursued by our Treasurer, Comrade Szalai.

    Dues – $25 per year or $2 per month. Funds are used to conduct Party work such as post, photocopies, public meeting expenses and internet url services. All other Party activity is voluntarily run. Members needing dues waivers please contact our treasurer or general secretary to arrange.

    Food for Thought – member views & contributions to spc@worldsocialism.org

    Mark Lowcock, UN's humanitarian chief, told its Insecurity Council. on October 30, that 13 million people in Syria, who have fled their homes because of the war, have limited access to basic needs, such as food and health care. Yet people persist in telling me a Socialist Society would degenerate into chaos. Hooray for Capitalism.

    Toronto City officials recently announced their expanded services for the homeless, this winter. This will be Five short-term-visit centers, providing warm meals, sleeping space and staff with information on how to obtain permanent housing. The total of beds for the homeless will be 5,656. The response to this largesse was swift and critical, which came under the heading of totally inadequate. Rafi Aaron, of the Interfaith Coalition to Fight Homelessness, said,''The answer lies in the creation of more permanent shelters with support services that address the root causes of homelessness, such as mental health and addiction and a major increase in low income and affordable housing options.'' I guess it wouldn't occur to folk like Mr. Aaron to address the cause of mental health and addiction, or for that matter, homelessness itself.

    The October 31st issue of the Toronto Star made sure, with its banner headline, that readers were aware it had been in publication for 125 years. This may well be a success in the news industry, but when one considers how hard it has tried to eliminate so many of the rotten, stinking problems that capitalist society throws up at us while leaving the cause of them intact, then it reveals itself as a miserable failure. Significantly, on the same page, columnist Vinay Menon commented on the recent accusations of sexual misconduct that have been made against several leading Hollywood celebrities, with this choice morsel,''…the entertainment industry seems like a depraved bacchanal run by predators, monsters and perverts.'' It might be nicer if he didn't sugar-coat things so much, but nevertheless, it would be better still if Mr. Menon and his buddies at the Star took a good long look at the society that creates the monsters he attacks.

    The results of the Vietnam war will be with us for a long time. On the TV program Globe Trekker, our intrepid travelling friend went there and informed us that Five million had died, that it cost the US 200 million dollars, and that babies are still being born with birth defects as a result of Agent Orange and that this will continue for generations.

    On the documentary channel, Joanna Lumley took us to Beijing, as part of her trip on the Trans-Siberian Express. There were plenty of high end stores there, such Giorgio-Armani, Nordstrums and Prada to name a few. This is pretty good for a so-called Communist country, (an oxymoron), but the World Socialist Movement said it was capitalist from the get-go — recent events are proving us right.

    A TV program of 60 years ago may not seem current, but it is if one considers it highlights the insanity of capitalism. Sid Caesar's comedy show was initially sponsored by Admiral TV. The show was such a hit demand for their sets increased to such an extent Admiral to stop sponsoring it. They needed so much money for production costs that they had little left for advertising.

    Toronto Public Health Department estimates that air pollution causes 1,300 premature deaths and 3,550 hospitalizations each year. Motor vehicle traffic is the largest source of air pollution in Toronto. Studies show that people living close to busy roads are more likely to have breathing problems, heart disease, cancer and premature death. The most susceptible are children, seniors and people already sick. Traffic related pollution is a mix of nitric oxide, nitrogen dioxide,carbon monoxide and volatile organic compounds. Though tailpipes spew out the most some comes from wear and tear on the asphalt, tires, brake discs and brake pads. So whose for deep breathing exercises folks? The very nature of life under capitalism, especially employment, make cars a necessity. So why not get rid of crapitalism before it gets rid of us?

    One million Ontarians are on welfare. The recent report called A Roadmap for Change calls for a 22 per cent increase in welfare spending over the next three years costing an estimated 3.2 billion a year. It recommends a housing allowance akin to a voucher, a pharmacare and dental assistance plan for the working poor as well as those on welfare and proposes a rock bottom poverty line of $22,000 for a single person and 30 per cent more for the disabled. As fine as this may seem, it doesn't mean a party running for office will get elected if it promises to implement such a plan. Our intrepid friends at the Star have done their research and concluded many will vote against such proposals, considering them a waste of money. They will, the Star's reporters assert, want their needs taken care of first, like hydro rate deductions, child care subsidies and a reduction in income tax. If we take the above seriously, it means a program to considerably reduce poverty will not get its advocates elected, and even if they are, the next bunch who attempt to administrate the daily running of capitalism may abolish some of it; Mike Harris's government of the 1990's, which,' 'sliced and diced'' welfare payments, being an example. So where does that leave us? It's significant that none of the major parties promise to abolish poverty because they've learned they cannot. All they can do is take steps to reduce it. So why not have done with all parties who stand for capitalist society, which by its very nature creates poverty? Why not have done with capitalism. So why not organize and work for a society where poverty and welfare payments will be a thing of the past?

    Government officials knew in the 1990's that mercury was visible in the soil under the paper mill near Grassy Meadows First Nation, in Ontario, but the people there did not find out until November 2017. This came to light through a report commissioned by the current owner of the mill, Domtar, and conducted by an enviromental consulting firm. Throughout the years the Provincial government have insisted there was no source of Mercury going into the Wabigoon River, which is the ''lifeblood'' of the Grassy Narrows. The survey said that Mercury levels were 4,482 times higher than what the government deem safe. Mercury poisoning can cause loss of muscle co-ordination, tunnel vision, birth defects, paralysis, coma and death. Japanese scientist, Dr. Masazumi Harada has spent most of his career examining the effects of Mercury poisoning, which is called Minamata disease. He tested memders of Grassy Narrows in 1975, when it was suspected something was wrong with the water and found they had three times the safe level. When he returned in 2004 all those he had tested were dead. Leo Bernier, Ontario's minister of Natural Resources said at the time, ''I dont think we can rely on some travelling Japanese troubadour coming through and visiting these reserves on a one or two day basis and coming up with those kind of findings. They have to be long and detailed and well researched.'' Research was obviously something Mr. Bernier and his partners-in-crime were reluctant to do. The province has announced an $85 million plan to clean up the river, which is a fat lot of good to those who have died through their neglect and those, presently contaminated, who will. So why didn't those responsible care? Was it, like most governments, they didn't give a damn about the Aboriginals? Could it be that as long as the paper mill was functioning and making a profit then all was fine, or could it be they had more important things to spend money on than people's well being? One thing is for sure: any connection between capitalism and compassion is accidental.

    Over 15, 000 scientists tell us humanity is screwed if it doesn't lighten up on killing the biosphere. One leading scientists says, "We are in the throes of a mass extinction event that is anthropogenic. This is not something we can fix. If we lose 50 to 75 per cent of the species on the planet in this century — which is what scientists are telling us what will occur if we continue to operate as business-as-usual — if this happens, this can not be fixed." You'd think some of this sad news might wake up the swindling class trampling the workers to make a quick buck to stop and wonder about their lunacy. But nope, the parasite class has proven beyond any doubt they can't do such a thing, let alone think about yielding to any sense of collective survival. It's time: Dump capitalism and them – it's better for yours and my health.

    Socialist literature for your interest

    – WSM An Introduction to World Socialism – A Post-Capitalist Society – a brief, well produced

    video of the case for Socialism.

    Visit https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZZonz0YE50A&feature=youtu.be

    – WSP (India) History of Economics: A Scientific Investigation into the Political Economy and Its Swindler 'Economics' published. 50.00 Rupees/CD$1-1.50.

    History of Universal Suffrage (WSP India). Contact E-mail: wspindia@hotmail.com; Website:

    http://www.worldsocialistpartyindia.org for more information to purchase.

    Socialist Studies Educational Materials http://www.socialiststudies.org.uk/

    YouTube Channel Marxian Economics https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCXq0kw9sU6xvrr34yezA_Tw

    – Socialist Party of Canada Facebook public page https://web.facebook.com/socialistpartycanada/

    & members' page https://web.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100012582758245

    Red Lion Press:

    Revolutionary Socialist: Life of the Socialist Party of Canada and the OBU, 1910-1922.

    Fred Casey's Thinking: An Introduction To Its History and Science.

    Method in Thinking: An Introduction to Dialectics.

    Costs: $3 for Pritchard, $6 each for the Casey's plus postage costs. Contact E-mail: redlionpress@hotmail.com or enquire with the publisher: https://web.facebook.com/search/more/?q=Larry+Gambone&init=public

    – Introductory socialist education WSPUS member website http://www.whatissocialism.net/

    For socialism, Steve, Mehmet, John & contributing members of the SPC.

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