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I’d like to share with you the Canadian Peace Alliance’s press release regarding the Harper government’s war funding. CUPW is a member of CPA.

The Conservative budget 2010 still represents an unprecedented increase in defence spending says the Canadian Peace Alliance, Canada's largest peace network. While there is a small decrease in the amount previously allocated to the military under the Canada First Defence Strategy, overall defence spending continues to go up.

“This is still a war budget”, said Christine Jones, Co-Chair of the Canadian Peace Alliance. “While the Harper government wants Canadians to tighten their belts, the military gets billions more each year.”

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Now that the House is sitting again, it seems like a good time to resume writing my blog. Like me, you probably followed the Throne Speech and federal budget closely. No surprises there. By now, we’re all used to the Harper government’s laissez-faire approach and its total faith in the so-called “free market.”

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Everyone is currently focused on Copenhagen and wondering what the endless discussions and dithering will finally bring. We’ll know soon enough! But in the meantime, it can certainly get very confusing for the average person. Who is wrong? Who is right? The sceptics, the revisionists, the non-believers or the scientists? Some are calling it “climategate,” while others recognize climate change as scientific fact. Media coverage has been sometimes superficial, other times catastrophic, but always succumbs to sensationalism. The media seek to confuse.

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On Saturday, November 21^st, a demonstration was held in Toronto to demand that the Sri Lankan government put an end to detention camps. I was asked to speak on the issue and here’s what I said:

“Members of Tamil families, friends of the Tamil people, Sisters and Brothers:

It is important to be here today because we know that justice will and must prevail. We know we have to stand up to defend human rights and we have to stand up strong.

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Fall is here! And at CUPW, this means opportunities for training and education. Courses are being held in every region on all kinds of topics of concern to workers and about their rights. There’s definitely no lack of choice: Introduction to Union Life, Benefits, the Pension Plan and Women in Leadership, to mention only a few.

Last weekend, I attended a training session held in the Metro-Montreal Region.

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For nearly four months, 3,500 workers in Sudbury and Port Colborne, Ontario, and Voisey’s Bay, Newfoundland, have been on strike to protect their rights. They are waging this battle against Vale-Inco, a multinational company that reported profits of more than $13 billion in 2008.

Why is Vale attacking these workers? The answer is simple: to make even more profits. The company is taking advantage of the economic crisis to demand concessions from its employees. In fact, this is part of a concerted attack by companies and governments against the working class.

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Here is the statement I made at the Press Conference held October 29 in support of the National Campaign “Stand up for Aboriginal human rights” initiated by the Public Alliance of Canada (PSAC).

“CUPW joins with the other Unions in demanding that Prime Minister Harper take concrete steps to stand up for Aboriginal people. CUPW is frustrated that Harper’s historic apology to residential school survivors has not been followed up by real actions.

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Over 4,000 people from different backgrounds took part in the Quebec Social Forum over this past weekend. I was one of them. A social forum provides opportunities for amazing encounters with people and ideas; it’s a place where everything is possible. There are workshops on such different issues as globalization, water as a common good and community development. A social forum also allows for renewing ties with other union members and sharing our current and future struggles.

CUPW participates in all social forums. To us, it’s a way to contribute to the debate on building a different world based on justice, solidarity and sharing. As mentioned by one guest speaker, the social forum is a place where we discuss how to “replace the law of the strongest by the force of collective rights.” It’s a great way to express our desire for change and to play an active role in effecting it.

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International solidarity is part of our union focus. CUPW firmly believes that the working class struggle goes beyond borders and that it also has to be waged in the framework of a global action plan. This is why we get actively involved in the meetings sponsored by UNI, the Union Network International.

Right now, Sister Lynn Bue, Brother George Floresco and I are in Mexico City to help develop UNI Americas’ (Postal and Logistics Sector) action plan for the coming months. Some 15 countries are involved and taking part in vigorous discussions. We’re not only debating the impact of the current economic crisis on postal services, but also steps to protect our universal public postal services. I’ve already made a presentation on the struggle the union is pursuing in response to Canada Post’s Strategic Review as well as on the CUPW Action Days we’ve scheduled from October 7^th to the 16^th. Yesterday, we held a demonstration in support of the fight that Mexican postal workers are waging to protect their jobs. Everywhere in the Americas, actions are underway to defend public postal services.

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