Statements

B.C. Communists slam ferry service cuts

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“The decision by the British Columbia Liberal government and the BC Ferry Corp. to slash services on many so‑called `minor routes’, and to eliminate free sailings during Monday to Thursday each week for seniors, will cause enormous hardships to the people of this province, while bringing paltry benefits to taxpayers. In fact, these cutbacks will likely create economic losses far outweighing the supposed savings which are the justification for this announcement.

“We join with groups and individuals across British Columbia demanding the cancellation of these changes. In our view, the coastal and inland ferry system of BC must be treated as an extension of the highway system, i.e. as an essential public service for the people of this province, not as a `for sale’ operation geared to squeeze a profit out of each route.

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Communist Party Condemns Attack on Canada Post

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The Communist Party of Canada joins with the labour movement and its community allies in condemning the federal government’s unilateral decision to eliminate home delivery, raise postal rates, and cut thousands of jobs. While the “restructuring” announcement was made by Canada Post Corporation, these measures are orchestrated by the Harper Tories, as part of their overall agenda to privatize public services and to attack the rights and interests of organized workers.

If implemented, these changes would make Canada the first country in the world to completely replace door‑to‑door delivery of urban mail with the “community mail boxes” which were imposed despite major opposition in rural areas across the country. Those negatively affected will include huge numbers of pensioners and people with disabilities who will find it much more difficult to get their mail on a regular basis. The reduction of service levels and staggering price increases to begin next March will also devastate thousands of small businesses and charities which rely heavily on lettermail to maintain contact with customers and pay their bills. The bland reassurances of Canada Post and Harper government cabinet ministers that these are “minor problems” ring completely hollow.

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15th International Meeting of Communist and Workers’ Parties

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The 15th International Meeting of Communist and Workers’ Parties took place from Nov. 8-10, 2013 in Lisbon, Portugal.

The Communist Party of Canada was represented by Elizabeth Rowley, member of the Central Executive Committee and Ontario Provincial Leader.  Elizabeth presented the following intervention from the Communist Party of Canada.

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 It is a great honour and a privilege to speak from a platform in the homeland of the great Communist internationalist and theorist Comrade Alvaro Cunhal. Would that he were with us now to give us his thinking on the very difficult problems facing the international working class and the Communist and Workers’ Parties today. No doubt he would counsel unity of the international Communist movement as an essential ingredient in the struggle against imperialism, war and reaction, and for social advance and socialism.

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Down with the Omnibus Bill C-4!

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The Communist Party of Canada strongly condemns the new omnibus Bill C‑4 to implement elements of the March 2013 Conservative budget, changing many laws and containing an array of measures, including a fierce attack against the right to strike in the public service.

In particular, this bill now gives the government, as an employer, the exclusive right to determine which services, facilities or activities of the State it considers essential, depriving public employees of their right to strike. Currently, the determination of essential services is the result of negotiation between the employer and the union.

In addition, the bill provides that where the employer has said that at least 80% of positions are essential, the right to strike will be completely abolished and the dispute must be referred to arbitration. However, when the employer considers that less than 80% of services are essential, the employer will have a veto over the arbitration. The bill also provides that the arbitrator shall be required to place a preponderance of weight to employer demands.

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No to Harper’s attack against the right to self-determination of Quebec!

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 The Communist Party of Canada strongly denounces the decision of the federal Conservative government to deny the right to self‑determination of the people of Québec, by intervening before the Québec Superior Court in support of the legal challenge to Bill 99 initiated by the former head of the Equality Party, Keith Henderson.

Bill 99 was adopted in 2000 in response to the federal government’s “Clarity Act,” which imposes the burden of more than a simple majority in response to a question deemed “clear” by the federal government, in order for Québec to be able to declare sovereignty. The “Clarity Act” is in fact an outright denial of the right to self‑determination of Québec.

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No to “Values Charter”

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No to Divisions! Yes to working class unity!

Debates are raging in Québec over the “Charter of Québec Values” which the Parti Québécois government officially made public on Sept. 10, but whose content had been published for the most part by the media several days previously.

In all likelihood, the government itself orchestrated these leaks in the media, to evaluate the impact that the project would have with the electorate. Last May, the Government conducted a survey which showed the support of a majority of citizens for a framework of “reasonable accommodations”. On that occasion, the minister responsible, Bernard Drainville, announced that the “secular charter” promised during the previous election campaign would instead become one of “Québec values.”

MG0911003A_.inddEssentially, the project contains five propositions revolving around two principal aspects: the establishment of tags to manage requests for religious accommodations and, secondly, the declaration of neutrality of the State, in particular prohibiting all public employees from wearing “ostentatious” religious symbols.

In the latter case, it is proposed to allow CEGEPS, universities, health and social service establishments and municipalities to be exempt from this ban during a transitional period of two five-year terms. However, this aspect remains by far the most controversial because it violates fundamental rights.

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Draft letter to an MP

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Your Name Your Street Address Your Province and Postal Code Today’s date Name of MP Address of Constituency Office [find your  MP here] Dear [name of MP], Allow me to express my concern, shared by a growing number of people in Canada, that a Bill C-51 is very dangerous legislation. I agree with Communist Party of Canada and … Read more

Videos

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Videos: Stop C-51 message by Miguel Figueroa;

Kimball Cariou, editor of People’s Voice, on C-51 and its impact on alternative media;

 

The War Measures Act and Bill C-51;


Serious concerns with C-51;

The frightening potential of C-51;

Elizabeth May takes up opposition on Bill C-51.

Videos about C-51. More coming soon.

The existing anti-terrorist legislation already goes too far!

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In October, 2001, the first so-called anti-Terrorism legislation was passed by the Liberal Party following the beginning of George Bush’s “War on Terror.”  The expanded powers were highly controversial due to widely perceived incompatibility with the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms, in particular for the Act’s provisions allowing for ‘secret’ trials, preemptive detention and expansive … Read more

Facebook event page graphics

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