Internationally-acclaimed novelist and feminist revolutionary Ninotchka Rosca to speak at a national conference hosted by progressive Filipino Canadians
Vancouver, BC – Progressive Filipino Canadians from all over Canada resolutely await an upcoming national conference titled “Counterspin: Taking root and building a home, deepening our understanding of genuine settlement and integration.” To be held at the Liu Institute for Global Issues at the University of British Columbia from June 18th - 19th, this conference will once again galvanize the unity and the unrelenting will of progressive Filipino Canadians to be at the forefront of advancing the struggles of the Filipino Canadian community towards full participation and entitlement in Canada. In deepening the understanding of a just and genuine settlement and integration, internationally-acclaimed writer and feminist revolutionary Ninotchka Rosca honours progressive Filipino Canadians with her unwavering support and solidarity as a guest speaker at this historic conference. Rosca, who spoke at the 1st Counterspin conference held in Montreal a year ago, will further elucidate her analysis of the concept of ‘transnationalism’ as pertinent to the current realities and struggles of the transnational Filipino community in Canada and beyond. Smashing imperialism’s dominant narrative of ‘circular migration,’ Rosca will challenge [...]
National conference to strengthen Filipino Canadians towards firmly taking root and fully participating in Canadian society
Vancouver, BC – June 6, 2011 – The anticipation fervently grows within the progressive and militant Filipino Canadian community as the 2-day conference titled “Counterspin: Taking roots, building a home, deepening our understanding of genuine settlement and integration” draws much attention from workers, women, youth and academics across Canada as it will lead the new path towards community empowerment and genuine liberation. The weekend conference, taking place from June 18th to 9th at the Liu Institute for Global Issues at the University of British Columbia, will particularize the Filipino Canadian community’s issues through the call of genuine recognition as integral members and full partakers in the Canadian “cultural mosaic.” With that aim, sharings and presentations from community organizers, members and researchers will challengingly pose perspectives that expose the interconnectedness of transnationalism and neoliberal globalization to the struggle of community building. Organized by the National Alliance of Philippine Women in Canada (NAPWC) under the auspices of the Congress of Progressive Filipino Canadians (CPFC), “Counterspin” seeks to lay down the foundation necessary to transform and reconceptualize dominant traditions of community [...]
Progressive Filipino Canadians in Vancouver to host national conference
“Counterspin: Taking root and building a home: Deepening our understanding of genuine settlement and integration” For immediate release June 3, 2011 Vancouver, B.C. – June 18th and 19th will mark a momentous occasion for the Filipino Canadian community in Vancouver as it hosts “Counterspin: Taking root and building a home. Deepening our understanding of genuine settlement and integration.” This two-day national conference will, once again, heighten the unity of progressive Filipino Canadians to advance the struggle towards the community’s full participation and entitlement in Canada. To be held at the Liu Institute for Global Issues at the University of British Columbia (UBC), this conference will further solidify the call for the community’s just and genuine settlement and integration and will be a declaration of an ongoing commitment to continue a legacy of resistance. For over 50 years, the Filipino Canadian community has been struggling for a just and genuine settlement and integration. Since Canada opened its immigration doors to people from Third World countries, such as the Philippines, immigration policies like the Live-In Caregiver Program (LCP) and the [...]
Progressive Filipino Canadian women once again denounce the Live-in Caregiver Program
Progressive Filipino Canadian women once again denounce the Live-in Caregiver Program PWC-ON supports caregivers’ wage theft campaign Toronto, ON – June 2, 2011 – The Philippine Women Centre of Ontario (PWC-ON) offers its support to Vivian de Jesus and Lilliane Namukasa’s struggles as overworked and underpaid workers under the modern-day slavery Live-in Caregiver Program (LCP). PWC-ON and its’ sister organizations under the Magkaisa Centre assert that genuine change can only be brought about by challenging the very foundations that the Live-in Caregiver Program is built on, rather than reforming the inherently oppressive, exploitative and violent employment program. The two women are suing their former employers and are demanding compensation for years worth of unpaid wages, overtime and holiday pay, and for being wrongfully dismissed. De Jesus was abruptly laid-off and was given only 20 minutes to pack her belongings after living with and caring for an elderly woman and her two adult children with disabilities for more than 10 years. She worked approximately 132 hours per week for the last four years, overly exceeding the statutory 48-hour workweek, [...]
Taking root and building a home: Progressive Filipino Canadians boldly continue to pave and lead the path to genuine settlement and integration at a national conference
May 24, 2011 Conference Announcement The National Alliance of Philippine Women in Canada (NAPWC) welcomes and encourages all to partake in “Counterspin: Deepening our understanding of genuine settlement and integration” – a nation-wide conference taking place from June 18th to 19th, 2011 in the Liu Institute for Global Issues at the University of British Columbia. Under the auspices of the Congress of Progressive Filipino Canadians (CPFC), “Counterspin” will embark upon the momentous task of reconceptualizing and building the movement to counter and transform the social reality of the Filipino Canadian community – a transnational community caught in a cyclical state of permanent impermanence, induced by the ever-intensifying threats of neoliberal globalization and imperialism. As a continuation of the first Counterspin titled “Towards a just and genuine settlement and integration: Link arms and unite for freedom,” held in the City of Montreal on April 30th until May 1st of 2010, women, workers, and youth, from the Filipino Canadian community, will once again gather to deepen and strengthen their resolve to realize our community’s entitlements of fully participating in the [...]
International Workers Day Statement
International Workers Day Statement Congress of Progressive Filipino Canadians National Statement May 3, 2011 The Congress of Progressive Filipino Canadians (CPFC) greets International Worker’s Day with heightened militancy and marks the day as a significant time to reclaim and advance the struggles of the working class all over the world. Initially wrought 125 years ago, International Worker’s Day was born out of the demands and struggles of American workers for an 8 hour work day and safe working conditions during an era where workers’ lives were characterized by long working hours and unsafe conditions that led to countless abuses, injuries and deaths. Today, these same issues arise and worsen as the neoliberal agenda of globalization increases its attacks on the lives of the working class peoples all over the world. Now more than ever, in this time of economic crisis and uncertainty, CPFC encourages all workers to build genuine solidarity to intensify the struggles and resistance against the increasing onslaught brought upon by the neoliberal agenda of globalization. CPFC maintains that advancing the working class struggle can only [...]
Promo Video 4: Advancing the Working Class Struggle
So much to learn, so much to see! Learn why we came to Canada in the first place and celebrate International Workers Day with SIKLAB-ON and UKPC-ON: https://magkaisacentre.org/2011/04/21/intl-workers-day/.
Promo Video 3: Advancing the Working Class Struggle
Listen up & learn about the Canada's labour and immigration programs and how it affects us. 'Cuz we all know we didn't come to Canada just to ski. Come celebrate International Workers Day with the Magkaisa Centre: https://magkaisacentre.org/2011/04/11/working-class-struggle/
Progressive Filipino Canadians call on all Canadians to make their vote count towards genuine democracy
Progressive Filipino Canadians call on all Canadians to make their vote count towards genuine democracy Congress of Progressive Filipino Canadians National Statement April 28, 2011 The Congress of Progressive Filipino Canadians (CPFC) encourages all working class Canadians, before stepping into the voting booth on May 2nd, to cast aside the talking heads on television and examine their own conditions as workers in this country. Rather than getting caught up in the scandals of the political elite, we must go back and examine our struggle in this period of economic crisis. Among other paramount issues, it is necessary to examine the cutbacks to settlement funding, the reduction of sponsorship for parents and grandparents and the continued privatization of healthcare, childcare, eldercare and care for people with disabilities. During this election, we must pay critical attention to the underlying motive of neoliberalism that runs through each platform. While economists and Prime Minister Stephen Harper have argued that Canada is a world leader in recovering from the economic crisis, we must look back and recognize the government cutbacks and austerity measures [...]
Fearlessly reclaiming their role as the true purveyors of history
Toronto, ON–April 21, 2011–An unabashed display of collective brilliance, strength and unity by Filipino Canadian workers will commence at "Advancing the Working Class Struggle: A Critical Look at Canada's Labour and Immigration Programs." Organized by SIKLAB-ON, a progressive Filipino Canadian workers organization, in collaboration with UKPC@UofT/York (Ugnayan ng Kabataang Pilipino sa Canada/Filipino Canadian Youth Alliance–Ontario at University of Toronto and York University), the celebration and public lecture will expose the true nature of two Canadian labour and immigration policies – namely, the Live-in Caregiver Program (LCP) and the Temporary Foreign Worker’s Program (TFWP) – as brought to life by the stories of Filipino Canadian workers and event panelists. Kicking off at the Ontario Institute for Studies in Education (OISE) Room 5280, this event is set for Saturday, April 30th from 2:00 to 5:00 PM. As the final culmination of UKPC@UofT/York's lecture series and successful round of intense political education, this celebration is surely not one to be missed. When scrutinized through the experiences of the growing Filipino Canadian community, now Canada's 3rd largest visible minority group, a critical [...]