Protect the Land and the Water: Congress of Progressive Filipino Canadians in Solidarity with the First Nations’ Idle No More Movement
For immediate release January 3, 2012 Toronto, ON--Members of the Congress of Progressive Filipino Canadians and its member organizations stand in solidarity with First Nations peoples who are taking action and making militant protest as part of the Idle No More Movement. Through mass rallies, blockades, demonstrations, and most notably, an indefinite hunger strike by Chief Theresa Spence of Attawapiskat, this movement declares to the whole of Canada and the world that the First Nations peoples will not remain idle while the Conservative government acts with impunity to violate their human rights by wreaking havoc on their lands and waters. Initiated by four Aboriginal women and now expanding to thousands of protesters across Canada and the United States, Idle No More began from the ground up in opposition to the recently-passed Omnibus budget Bill C-45, a bill that tramples on indigenous treaty rights. This bill includes altering the Indian Act and the Navigable Waters Act - changes that could ultimately push for the privatization of reserve lands as well as eliminating federal protections on lakes and rivers in [...]
Employment Insurance changes: A blatant attack against all working people in Canada
National statement December 20 2012 Toronto, ON—SIKLAB Canada, a progressive Filipino Canadian workers’ organization, denounces the latest batch of changes to Employment Insurance as a clear and blatant attack against the democratic rights and overall conditions of working people across Canada. The denial of benefits to migrant workers were implemented on December 9th and the rest of the new rules are scheduled to take effect on January 6th. This latest announcement marks significant changes to the Employment Insurance system but have been quietly announced to the public amidst the rush of the holiday season. As workers and members of marginalized communities who refuse to let these changes pass by unnoticed, SIKLAB Canada maintains that the new EI rules comprise only part and parcel of an entire program of austerity against employment, wages and standard of living, encompassed within the government’s latest roll-out of the neoliberal agenda of globalization. Regardless of workers’ individual status, these changes set the stage to further the oppressive attacks and exploitation toward working people across Canada that we must all continue to expose [...]
The Kalayaan Centre organize an integral and productive workers’ conference held in Vancouver this past weekend
November 26, 2012 For immediate release Vancouver, BC—Originally set to take place at the Simon Fraser University Harbour, the Kalayaan Centre’s Workers’ Struggles Amidst Neoliberal Globalization conference took place at the GF Strong Rehabilitation Centre daycare; a venue switch promptly made in solidarity with Simon Fraser University’s striking CUPE support workers. The conference demonstrated the strength and commitment of the Kalayaan Centre’s organizers and members to push workers’ struggles to the forefront amidst Canada’s shifting economic strategies, and intesifying implementation of neoliberal policies that have impacted workers, women, racialized and other marginalized communities the most. The Kalayaan Centre, and its member organizations called on allies, activists and other participants from across the province and Canada to come together for this important and necessary gathering. The conference took place on the heels of the Ontario based Magkaisa Centre’s own effective and successful Workers’ Struggles Amidst Neoliberal Globalization conference held this past August. As a member of the Congress of Progressive Filipino Canadians, the Kalayaan Centre and its member organizations ensured that the strength of national organizational ties and the [...]
A successful book launch in Vancouver for Habiba Zaman’s latest book: Asian Immigrants in “Two Canadas”: Racialization, Marginalization and Deregulated Work
For immediate release November 15, 2012 Vancouver, BC—This past Friday November 9th, the Kalayaan Centre and its member organizations organized a successful and intimate launching of Dr. Habiba Zaman’s latest book: Asian Immigrants in Two Canadas: Racialization, Marginalization and Deregulated Work, held at the Rhizome Cafe in Vancouver B.C. Dr. Zaman is a professor in the Gender, Sexuality and Women Studies Department at Simon Fraser University and has worked many years with the Philippine Women Centre (PWC) and the Kalayaan Centre. During the book launch, she was able to expand on the critical analysis of labour and workplace hazards in Canada as provided extensively in her book. Specifically, she places focus on the experiences of Asian Canadians, including Pakistani Canadians, Bangladeshi Canadians and Filipino Canadians. The latter experiences, Zaman acknowledges were shared by the Philippine Women Centre and the Kalayaan Centre along with the analysis and research done by PWC-B.C. with the Filipino Canadian community. The book launch was attended by many academic colleagues and community organizers from across Canada. During her presentation, Dr. Zaman placed her focus [...]
New Venue for Vancouver-wide Workers’ Conference
November 7, 2012 For Immediate Release Vancouver, BC - In solidarity with the support workers at Simon Fraser University and members of the Canadian Union of Public Employees - CUPE local 3338 that are currently on strike, the Counterspin Secretariat changed the venue of 'Workers' Struggles amidst Neoliberal Globalization' Vancouver-wide conference. The event was to be held at Simon Fraser University Harbour Centre. The conference will now be held at GF Strong Rehabilitation Centre - 4255 Laurel Street Vancouver, B.C. V5Z 2G9. The date and time of the conference remain unchanged. November 10th 2012, 8AM - 6PM. For more information, contact the Conference Secretariat: Arlene Oropel: 778-317-5265 Andrew Sayo: 604-215-9355 pwc-on@magkaisacentre.org www.magkaisacentre.org
Workers to unite for critical open discussion and presentations at Vancouver-wide conference “Workers’ Struggles Amidst Neoliberal Globalization”
Third announcement November 1, 2012 Vancouver, BC—In the face of the recent cutbacks and the numerous policies that form only part of the neoliberal agenda which is being implemented in Canada as well as across continents, Vancouver’s Kalayaan Centre, its member organizations, and the Congress of Progressive Filipino Canadians (CPFC) invite all to a day of open discussion and panel presentations on Saturday, November 10th. Sponsored by the Gender, Sexuality, and Women’s Studies Department at Simon Fraser University, the conference is set to be held at the Harbour Centre of Simon Fraser University (SFU) in downtown Vancouver. Conference participants will be invited to speak concretely of the need for genuine alternatives and for a concerted response by Canada’s workers—marginalized and racialized transnational communities, in particular—to the relentless rolling out of neoliberal policies that harshly affect their lives and conditions. This important gathering is set to sharpen the collective understanding of contemporary local and global challenges under neoliberal globalization, advance the need to assert our rights as workers, women, and youth across the globe, and strengthen the resolve needed [...]
Province-wide workers’ conference set to advance the role of workers as central to ongoing movements for social change
For immediate release October 15, 2012 Vancouver, BC—The Kalayaan Centre, its allies and the Congress of Progressive Filipino Canadians (CPFC) call on all to take action and participate in a province-wide workers’ conference titled “Workers’ Struggles Amidst Neoliberal Globalization” on November 10th at Simon Fraser University’s Harbour Centre. Originally held in Toronto in August, the Kalayaan Centre is now hosting the conference in Vancouver to continue raising workers’ political consciousness necessary to critically understand and combat the all-out attacks of the neoliberal agenda of globalization on all workers in Canada and beyond. Throughout the year, we have witnessed popular movements in all corners of the world in resistance to capitalism’s onslaughts on the majority of people worldwide. Popular movements such as the Arab Spring, the continuing protests in Europe against the austerity agenda and ongoing social movements in the Global South signify the increasing discontent of people against policies and practices that prioritize profit over people. The victory of the Quebec student strike here in Canada reminds us of the possibilities of social change if we are united [...]
Registration now open for province-wide workers’ conference in Vancouver
Conference announcement October 3, 2012 Vancouver, BC—The Kalayaan Centre, its member organizations, along with the Congress of Progressive Filipino Canadians (CPFC), welcome and invite all to participate in a province-wide conference “Workers’ Struggles Amidst Neoliberal Globalization,” to be held on the 10th of November at Simon Fraser University’s Harbour Centre in Downtown Vancouver. Co-sponsored by other groups such as the Gender, Sexuality and Women’s Studies Department of Simon Fraser University, this significant gathering aims to put forth a critical and dynamic dialogue amongst progressive organizations, groups and individuals about our struggles and conditions as workers under the present global crisis of capitalism. The conference will welcome all to join the over decades-long history and militancy of the educating, organizing and mobilizing work of the Kalayaan Centre by continuing to build a progressive movement for social change. Now more than ever, workers’ lives are becoming more insecure and unstable as the neoliberal agenda of globalization intensifies its attacks on workers’ employment, wages, standard of living and overall conditions. The conference hopes to concretely contextualize neoliberalism’s ongoing assaults against the [...]
Workers gathered to advance the movement for genuine social change at national conference “Workers’ Struggles Amidst Neoliberal Globalization”
Day 1: Workers Struggles Amidst Neoliberal Globalization, a set on Flickr. Conference communiqué September 10, 2012 Toronto, ON— This past 11th and 12th of August, over 100 participants gathered for “Workers’ Struggles Amidst Neoliberal Globalization,” a national workers’ conference organized by the Counterspin secretariat, a formation of the Congress of Progressive Filipino Canadians (CPFC) and its allies. The highly-successful conference heightened the unity and militancy required of all those within the broad struggle of the working class who face the ongoing, worldwide crisis of neoliberalism. It provided participants with a vital understanding of their conditions as workers along with a concrete vision of how to transform those conditions. Held at the United Steelworkers Hall in Toronto, the two-day event brought out the need to transform the current crisis into an opportunity by building a truly progressive movement for social change in Canada and beyond. Aimed at deepening participants’ understanding of the historic role of the working class in bringing about alternatives to the crisis of capitalism through the process of social transformation, the conference’s panel presentations incited critical [...]
Discussion Circle on Workers’ Disablement and Anti-imperialist Organizing
The Centre for Women and Trans People at the University of Toronto presents: A Discussion Circle on Workers' Disablement and Anti-imperialist Organizing Thursday August 16, 5-7pm The Centre for Women and Trans People 536 Spadina Avenue With Pete Pinlac, Chairperson of MAKABAYAN/Workers for People's Liberation, Philippines Rachel Gorman, Assistant Professor, York U. Critical Disability Studies ASL Interpretation available Refreshments will be served Wheelchair accessible via Bancroft Avenue For more information, contact: Kim Abis cwtp@utoronto.ca Centre for Women and Trans People of the University of Toronto In partnership with Philippines Women Centre of Ontario Graduate Program in Critical Disability Studies at York University Transit directions and map available at http://womenscentre.sa.utoronto.ca/contact/
Disabled Workers Organize! Life and death at the Hanjin shipyard
Transnational Narratives of Disability Speaker Series presents: Disabled Workers Organize! Life and death at the Hanjin shipyard Wednesday August 15, 5-7pm Vari Hall Room 1156 York University Featuring Pete Pinlac, Chairperson, MAKABAYAN/Workers for People's Liberation, Philippines Rachel Gorman, Assistant Professor, Critical Disability Studies, York University Please join us for a panel presentation and discussion of: Neoliberal policy and workplace disablement The role of disabled workers in labour union organizing Representations of disability in anti-imperialist campaigns Disability identity and possibilities for transnational solidarity For more information, contact: Rachel Gorman gorman@yorku.ca and see http://hanjinworkers.wordpress.com/ Graduate Program in Critical Disability Studies, York University In partnership with Philippine Women Centre of Ontario The Centre for Women and Trans People at University of Toronto Transit directions and campus map available at http://www.yorku.ca/web/futurestudents/map/keele_map.html This event is wheelchair accessible