The situation in Elsipogtog; international solidarity required.

Re: Labour and democratic solidarity with the national liberation struggle in Canada

Dear Friends, Sisters and Brothers,

The Aboriginal peoples in Canada have never given up fighting for their full national rights and stolen lands. They continue to feel the full weight of the racist, non-Aboriginal State through police violence, incarceration, discrimination in health and education, jobs and so on.

The police act with the encouragement of the Capitalist State authorities. The State in Canada embodies the interests of the giant corporations who own Canada and its resources. The State expresses the views of the financial and industrial oligarchy, a few hundred extremely wealthy families.

For three years, the Mi'kmaw Aboriginal people in New Brunswick have asked for consultation with the government about the extraction of natural gas from their land by means of "fracking," with no result.

Two days ago, Canada's federal police, the RCMP, violently attacked a mainly Aboriginal protest against fracking. The protest was part of a large campaign against fracking in New Brunswick encompassing 28 organizations. Mayors in the region voted 16-1 in July to ask the government to impose a fracking moratorium (rogerannis.com), so this is not only an Aboriginal rights protest. The attack was an attempt to divide and conquer the anti-fracking movement, using anti-Aboriginal racism and smears.

Fortunately for people who support the Truth, the police failed to find and destroy several excellent videos (below). It is possible to write with some confidence about the event. A detail here or there may be wrong, but the overall picture is quite clear.

The Elsipogtog First Nation is located close to where fracking could take place. It is the largest First Nation in New Brunswick, with 80 per cent unemployment, a mainly young population and a severe housing crisis - up to five families sharing one home.

Since at least July, RCMP officers began to flood the area. You can see them on video (below), telling people they can't park or encamp near a community cemetery, a pretty inviolable place for any society and one the community wanted to protect. The protests continued to build, including a blockade to protect the sovereign claim of the Elsipogtog First Nation.

On October 17, at least two hundred heavily armed RCMP used extreme brutality, threats and mass arrests against about 80 peaceful protesters near Elsipogtog. The RCMP had police dogs and pointed rifles at the protesters. They beat people with truncheons and trampled women. They used pepper spray and "non-lethal" bullets against children, women and Elders. They pinned people to the ground and punched their faces while making arrests. 

It is a falsehood when the RCMP claim their bullets are not lethal. People in Northern Ireland know better. The RCMP official responsible for making such a claim to the media ought to face discipline for making such a self-serving and false statement. They were lucky no one was killed or severely injured.

The RCMP first arrested people at a Warrior encampment, away from the injunction area. The RCMP officers pointed 60 rifles of various calibre at people while arresting 18 unarmed people, including a media photographer. The police allege one protester was armed and fired a gun during their assault, but this is unproven. Arresting warriors who are "protectors of the people" made it easier to arrest the other protesters.

The videos show that the violence was 100% caused by the police. No one claims there was violence before the police attack. The damaged police property - a few burnt police cars - pale in comparison to the criminal RCMP assault. The violence and mass arrest were contrived, pre-meditated.

The main purpose of the RCMP's raid was to make an unsupported allegation that collectively smeared and scandalized the entire anti-fracking movement. It is a dirty police smear to say that weapons allegedly found in the protest camp posed a danger to society, without any supporting evidence. Yet but the baseless allegation was dutifully reported widely by the bourgeois press. This is unacceptable and Stephen Harper must discipline the responsible police official immediately, or it will be clear that he agrees with the collective smear tactic.

The RCMP is obviously trying to conceal its own violence by lying about alleged dangers from the protesters, who were and are overwhelmingly peaceful. This is a dirty canard. Offensively, the RCMP is smearing Aboriginal people and environmentalists as "terrorists." For years, Harper's ministers and government officials have called environmentalists and Aboriginal rights activists "terrorists." Such lying smears are a big step towards fascism in Canada.

Very welcome and needed solidarity rallies took place across Canada and in other countries almost immediately (at least 30 on the same day, including blockades in Ontario and Quebec). The police attack needs to reverberate through all of the labour and democratic movements to strengthen solidarity for the full rights and just claims of Aboriginal peoples.

During their attack, the police acted with impunity, swaggering and ordering people around. As you can see in the videos, it is the people who are free, liberated because they have lost all fear from the brutal police and their State. One shouted "shoot me." They know they are right, and they are. ("Elsipogtog: Tensions, anger, and courage 17 October", below.)

The RCMP inflicted this violence against people who have a sovereign and legal right to be where they are. The Mi'kmaw Aboriginal people in the Atlantic provinces were not starved into signing treaties that "extinguished" land ownership, the practice followed on the Prairies (in international law, duress invalidates such concessions).

This is more than a shameful attack on protesters concerned about fracking. This is a racist, criminal attack by the Capitalist State where Authorities should be Charged. Powerful people need to face charges.

The RCMP and its boss Stephen Harper must no longer act with impunity, protected by the deep, ingrained racism of Canada's capitalist oligarchy. All of Canada's people's movements need to make this plain, and so do the opposition parties in parliament.

The 40 people arrested included most of the Elsipogtog First Nation leadership, including Chief Arren Sock.

The mass arrest is a blatant violation of the fundamental rights guaranteed to all people in Canada, an attempt to demonize peaceful protesters. It is a racist act protecting the profits of the fracking corporations operating in New Brunswick. It is a criminal, state-terrorist campaign to put profit before nature, people and science.

This concerns more than the international solidarity of non-Aboriginal workers with Aboriginal workers, because they are paid worst and hired last. This concerns the right of nations to determine their future and about the very existence of Aboriginal nations in Canada, the matter of continuing genocide through lethal discrimination and denial of rights.

If readers, like me, are appalled at the brutal police-state gang-up in Elsipogtog, please urge your union or group to condemn this attack and to express full solidarity with the democratic rights of Aboriginal nations and all people in Canada.

Canada can and will stop being a prison house of nations. How Canada resolves the national liberation struggle in our own country can be a beacon for all countries. But first, we have to ensure that the RCMP have no place at peaceful protests. 

We have to build the solidarity movement. We have to fight for the full equality of Aboriginal nations. We have to fight for the rapid end to racism that weakens the unity of workers in Canada. Trade unions need to be in the front line of this struggle.

In Solidarity,
Darrell Rankin
Manitoba office, Communist Party of Canada - Manitoba

* * * * * *
Here is a link to a good story by a media photographer, arrested by the RCMP. His arrest was a far greater injury to press freedom than the justified anger behind the temporary confiscation of today's Global TV equipment, which may have been part of the uncritical reporting of the RCMP character assassination of the protesters. http://halifax.mediacoop.ca/story/rcmp-bring-60-drawn-guns-dogs-assault-rifles-serve/19358 

Below are relevant, short videos about the situation in Elsipogtog.

The best written summary of the nation's determination and position, announced with massive, enthusiastic support on Oct. 1, 2013. Click on "show more" below the video to read the full text.Elsipogtog Chief and Council Resolution - Eviction Notice(length 2:40)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=D-ppYXodbo4
The most popular video - well done!The last 48 hours tell us a lot about the next 2 years in Canada(length 1:46; 80,000+ views)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Mr7rPxVjZl0
The start of the police attack, which ended in extreme violence and injuries to protesters. Elsipogtog: RCMP move in on peaceful protesters 17 October(length 2:22; 2 ,000+ views)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MAWPSv2Vfkw
During the police attack - pushing and shoving. Police bossing, kicking, pepper spraying, swaggering. Police dogs and guns. People who are liberated because they have no fear in fighting for what is right.Elsipogtog: Tensions, anger, and courage 17 October(length 4:38; 3,000+ views)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ipp_KC6Hexw
Much later in the day, the police retreat. The spirit of resistance by the people is unbroken.Elsipogtog: Ending to standoff with RCMP(length 1:35; 600+ views)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QoMo398xukU
Dignity, respect for all, democracyNews Conference Elsipogtog june 18th 2013 peace keepers, about SWN (length 2:54 - part 1)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FBtQjPsea7k
Elsipogtog, News Conference, part 2, about SWN and Protest Peace Keepers(length 21:08)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=e2W4U4YMTJU
Elsipogtog Frack Off(length 3:33 - 7,000+ views)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XmH4irplxqw&feature=youtu.be*

Elsipogtog: Unity(length 8:10)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5DKaM7EGtjY"This video is posted to emphasize the solidarity and unity between First Peoples, Acadian and Anglophone communities within New Brunswick, who have united in their opposition to shale gas exploration and stand for a sustainable future for future generations."

Showing the unity of all the people in support of the protest against fracking.Elsipogtog: Chief Aaron Sock arrives to blockade site(length 5:56, 1,000+ views)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o7nsbShZXzI
A most excellent explanation of the gang-up by the police, big business politicians and the legal system against the protesters. July 2013:Elsipogtog Female Native Amy Sock very upset that Judge ordered Warrior Chief John Levi to Jail 
(length 4:57)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gQld-Q-TxLM
RCMP telling people they cannot visit their community's graveyardElsipogtog: Undoing RCMP Harassment July 22, 2013(length 5:17)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TuyCwYsSKgE

We need real "Full Employment" legislation to hold the politicians accountable.

It is very important to note that Congressman John Conyers is pushing a "jobs bill" which he has intentionally mis-named a "full employment" bill.

I am all for supporting Conyer's legislation but it must be referred to as a "jobs bill" not a "full employment bill" because it is very modest in its goals and objectives as compared to the real unemployment AND under-employment we have in this country at this time which requires so much more.

I would also note that as far as single-payer goes, Conyers betrayed us on single-payer in the same way he betrayed us on prosecuting the Bush and Cheney gang (he also had Cindy Sheehan arrested when she showed up with a crowd at his office simply for insisting that he make good on his promise to seek the prosecution of Bush and Cheney). Conyers let the war criminals go free and had the proponent of peace arrested.

Conyers' political career is coming to a very sad ending after decades of participation in progressive struggles because he and his wife have been engaged in some of the worst kind of political corruption and bribery. (His wife was convicted and given a very light prison sentence and Conyers was not prosecuted--- probably because in return he refused to seek the prosecution of Bush and Cheney and in return for his betrayal of single-payer (HR 676) when his continued support would have really mattered.)

Nothing Conyers pushes receives much support--- not even from his own Congressional Progressive Caucus let alone the rest of Congress and Obama.

In J. Edgar Hoover's words directed towards Conyers in his earlier years--- Conyers has been successfully "neutralized" at the time he and his wife succumbed to corporate bribes.

I wouldn't be surprised if Conyers and his wife were intentionally offered the bait (the bribes) in order to undermine his credibility and to "neutralize" them; but, the facts are what they are--- they took the bribes as his wife admitted.

I did contact Conyers' office about the mis-naming of his jobs bill and his aide told me it was a "matter of semantics and one's perception." Another of his aides contacted me last week to ask me about the "21st Century Full Employment Act for Peace and Prosperity." I told her that Conyers would be the very last person I would want to discuss this with.

I have personally known John Conyers for many years and it saddens me to have to say these things about him but as far as his usefulness as a progressive politician, and a leftist at that, those days are over.

Conyers has, willingly, become part of a thoroughly rotten and corrupt political system.

In fact, there isn't one single member of the U.S. House or U.S. Senate who can be counted on to bring forward the "21st Century Full Employment Act for Peace and Prosperity" (or whatever it might be called). We need to build the movement which creates and brings forward a new kind of people's politicians from within the ranks of grassroots activists to bring forward and push this kind of legislation. Given such a movement, we could probably convince a few members of the House and Senate to support such measures but a three fingered man who lost his other fingers in an industrial accident could probably still count those members of the House and Senate on his three-fingered hand.

As the most progressive member of the Minnesota State Senate, David Tomassoni, told me: "We have to work our way out of this economic mess." Full employment is key to solving our numerous problems, including the economic problems which come with massive unemployment--- all of our problems resulting from Wall Street's greed which is part and parcel of this political corruption.

I believe you will find there are very few people around--- other than Wall Street's over-paid pundits and bribed politicians--- who will disagree with the concept of what is embodied in this suggested "21st Century Full Employment Act for Peace and Prosperity; but, like everything else in this country there is a massive chasm between what most Americans want, the kind of country they want to live in--- and what we are getting out of the present Wall Street government: a kick in the head.

I would note that with the Canadian New Democratic Party, we not only have an example of an alternative kind of politics, but a very honest and un-corrupted kind of politics in spite of its many problems derived from ideological controversies.

If anyone wants to read about what an honest government really looks like, I would suggest reading the book by Howard Pawley, the former Manitoba Premier: "Keep True; my life in politics." Honest government amidst corporate Wall Street and Bay Street corruption and rule is possible. And numerous real reforms from which working people's lives are improved is possible. Just as real health care reform is possible--- provided the right kind of struggles are waged by the right kind of organizations, unions and political parties.

No matter what criticisms anyone may have about Canada's socialist New Democratic Party which is now on the precipice and verge of taking national political power--- the NDP has provided honesty in government. And given the corruption in North American politics today, this is a very major achievement--- a true people's victory over political corruption which proves that the people united can move forward even when dirty money seems to be in complete control and domination of the political process.

By bringing people together--- liberals, progressives and leftists--- around the most unifying issues of our times confronting our most pressing problems we can make real change. Something like the "21st Century Full Employment Act for Peace and Prosperity" can help us build this kind of required movement.

Those people who decide to stand by politicians like Barack Obama, Hillary Clinton and John Conyers will not be part of any movements for real change.

Minnesotans had great hopes for Congressman Keith Ellison. Once again, those hopes have been dashed by another Democrat posing as a "progressive." Ellison is in a perfect position to bring forward real Full Employment legislation and he refuses to do so. If Congressman Ellison would push such legislation as vigorously as he has supported Obama's drive to wars we would have a piece of legislation to unite people around. Such is not the case so we have to initiate the movement and write the legislation and elect a new kind of politician to public office as we mobilize people to take to the streets with this kind of demand insisting this is the kind of country we want to live in. Only peace can provide full employment--- Democratic Congressman Wright Patman pointed this out as did Progressive Party candidate Henry A. Wallace as they, along with the left-led unions of the CIO and a broad-based people's movement pushed the "Full Employment Act of 1945." Their activities accomplished a great deal--- forcing the United States Senate to support the Act. Now we have to complete this task. 

-- 

Alan L. Maki

Director of Organizing,

Midwest Casino Workers Organizing Council

 

58891 County Road 13

Warroad, Minnesota 56763

Phone: 218-386-2432

Cell: 651-587-5541

Primary E-mail: amaki000@centurytel.net

E-mail: alan.maki1951mn@gmail.com

Blog: http://thepodunkblog.blogspot.com/

Obamacare

Over the last three weeks, I have attended 8 meetings in Minnesota, Wisconsin and Michigan about Obamacare. In general these meetings of been "information sessions" and defense of Obamacare. But one thing comes through at these meetings, all of them, very forcefully: people are insisting on single-payer, Medicare for All or some form of socialized health care with sentiment in support of socialized health care--- a National Public Health Care System growing--- with both the single-payer supporters and defenders of Obamacare trying their damnedest to stifle any discussion about socialized health care.

Both the single-payer advocates--- and, personally, I support single-payer as long as it is pushed as a step towards a National Public Health Care System.

I find it interesting that the advocates of single-payer who are Johnny-come-latelies to the ideas of Canada's Tommy Douglas are twisting Tommy Douglas' ideas about single-payer to fit their narrow motives and agenda.

Tommy Douglas did NOT bring single-payer health care to Saskatchewan. Tommy Douglas' government of socialists was socializing Saskatchewan's health care system when his opposition got scared in seeing the tremendous support Douglas and his socialist colleagues in Saskatchewan were receiving right across Canada which resulted in a reform agreement that became Canada's single-payer health care system with Tommy Douglas continually advocating for socialized health care up until he took his last breath from his deathbed.

If we look closely at who the leading defenders of Obamacare are, we find they are the foundation-funded groups who are continually cautioning us to "be patient;" that "change comes slow" and we should be satisfied with "baby steps" and "incremental reforms."

The fact is, Obamacare will help some people but most people will suffer in one way or another from Obamacare.

This has been a hallmark of the Obama Administration and the Democrats throughout the entire Obama period: Help a few people and get these people selfishly clamoring in defense of a few minor reforms which are part of legislative packages that harm and hurt far more people than they help with Wall Street profiteers raking in the profits.

The foundation-funded outfits serve as a kind of "pressure release valve" preventing the anger of the people from taking on major universal reform initiatives that would be of benefit to everyone like the New Deal reforms and Civil Rights legislation.

The foundation-funded outfits want us to believe that a struggle for a National Public Health Care System is some kind of far-fetched, pie-in-the-sky idea put forward by liberals, progressives and leftists who have no connection with reality. Of course, these foundation flowers receive their pay-checks from the "great philanthropists" who are none other than the greedy Wall Street bastards who profit from all of our problems be the problems related to health care, poverty wages, unemployment, racism or war.

So, these foundation flowers have a vested interest, which they NEVER disclose as they counsel us to be satisfied with itsy-bitsy baby steps and incremental reforms (and most of the time the "reforms" are more in line with Wall Street's reactionary agenda setting us all back instead of moving us all forward together)when what is really required are massive governmental universal social programs not these "market driven reforms" like Obamacare.

We need cast aside the "advice" from these foundation-flowers and launch and initiate struggles for a National Public Health Care System--- if we agree to settle in the midst of struggle as Tommy Douglas and his socialists did, temporarily, for some kind of Canadian-type single-payer system this is one thing.

But lets not get sucked into supporting and defending small bits and pieces of Obamacare when most people will suffer from it.

We need to view the struggle for jobs in the same way. Let's not get sucked into believing John Conyers is putting forward "full employment legislation" (which, by the way Obama and most Democrats don't support) when he is actually bringing forward a good job creating program but only for a very small number of the total number of people unemployed. But, at least Conyer's jobs bill doesn't contain anything that will harm or hurt any working people as it helps some people.

Obama could have brought forward piecemeal reforms helping only a small number of people without huring and harming most people instead of the for-profit driven Obamacare but he chose not to.

Just like we need to launch a struggle for a National Public Health Care System we need to initiate and launch a struggle for full employment legislation.

In fact, more than any other reforms, a National Public Health Care System would create millions of new jobs--- some 12 to fifteen-million new jobs--- if we pushed for a New Deal type solution by advocating for a "21st Century Full Employment Act for Peace and Prosperity" which would require Congress and the president to be legislatively required to attain and maintain full employment.

Common sense alone should tell us that we can solve our unemployment problems by putting people to work solving the problems of the people and our entire society.

Why would anyone oppose putting fifteen-million people to work providing the American people with free health care through a massive network of community and neighborhood health care centers instead of our tax-dollars financing these barbaric wars, militarism and over 800 U.S. military bases on foreign soil protecting Wall Street's interests and assets which justifiably belong to other people?

Only these foundation-flowers whose paychecks are derived from these Wall Street "philanthropists" could concoct illogical reasons why we should reject the notion of reforms coming in "incremental" and "baby-steps" and even such reactionary legislation as Obamacare being passed off as "reform" when the only thing the "Affordable Care Act" really is is a piece of job-killing legislation which should rightfully be called by its proper name: the "Health Insurance and Pharmaceutical Industry Bailout and Profit Maximization Act of 2010."

The doctors also profit big-time from Obamacare.

I wouldn't count on the doctors or any of their organizations, including PNHP, launching real struggles for either single-payer or socialized health care because they join the Wall Street crowd in reaping huge profits from Obamacare as they further gouge the American people.

That even Obama refers to Obamacare as his "signature" piece of legislation for which he wants us to remember his tenure in office should serve to remind us all that Obama's only commitment is to Wall Street--- and Wall Street is our common enemy.