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OUT OF OUR SHELTERS! OUT OF OUR LIVES! was the message delivered to the Canada Border Services Agency on March 8th, International Women's Day, by the 120 plus women and trans-folks who poured into the Toronto Rape Crisis Centre for an Emergency Assembly.

The meeting began with a campaign organizer reading a statement from Jane, a single mother and survivor of violence from Ghana, "Last week, one of the residents from the shelter called me. She told me that immigration officers came into the shelter to look for me. I never thought that they would do something so low. I'm not a criminal. I'm a human being and shouldn't be treated like this. I have the right to be in a shelter without being afraid that they will come to get me," Jane told the crowd of supporters.

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As a Palestinian refugee, the city of Toronto has always been a place of exile to me. I usually think of it as a large (rather cold) waiting room on my way back to Haifa where my grandparents were born. However, following the publication of a recent report by the prominent Israeli think-tank, the Reut Institute, I felt some pride for my adopted city.

Rally for Steelworker Locals 6500 and 6200 on strike at Vale Inco in Sudbury, Port Colborne and Voisey's Bay (Recorded March 6 in Toronto).

Events are happening in a number of cities across Canada and Quebec in March (Mar 1-7 in some places, Mar 8-14 in others).

No One Is Illegal presents a series of events.

“We owe Ralph Nader and Cynthia McKinney an apology. They were right about Barack Obama… It is time to walk out on the Democrats. It is time to back alternative third-party candidates and grass-roots movements, no matter how marginal such support may be,” writes Chris Hedges.

Emergency Community Meeting
March 8 (International Women's Day)
17 Phoebe Street, Toronto Rape Crisis Centre
10:00am Sharp

The Shelter | Sanctuary | Status Campaign invites shelter workers, residents, managers, counselors and anti-violence against women advocates and activists to attend an urgent community meeting on March 8th.

It has come to our attention, that the Canada Border Services Agency invaded a shelter for women - on February 27, looking to track down Jane, a single mom and survivor of violence from Ghana.

“It’s so scary,” Jane says, who wishes to keep her real name anonymous but is willing to speak to the media. “I thought the shelter was supposed to be a safe space for me and my baby. I’m scared not just for myself, but for non-status women in shelters everywhere who are facing the same fear,” she continued.

This year marks the celebrating of the 100th anniversary of International Women's Day (IWD). International Women's Day was proclaimed at the meeting of the Second International of socialist parties in Copenhagen in 1910, following on years of campaigning by women in the labour and socialist movements for equality.

THE CITY IS A SWEATSHOP
March 19-20, 2010
http://toronto.nooneisillegal.org/thecityisasweatshop

Featuring:

Adil Charkaoui - Migrant Justice Advocate
Lee Maracle - Poet and Author
Clayton Thomas-Mueller - Defenders of the Land
Uzma Shakir - Atkinson Economic Justice Fellow
Sakura Saunders - Media Activist

and many others...

Hidden behind skyscraper towers and corporate greed is a city built on the foundations of stolen land, exploitation of immigrant labor and denial of basic services to those living without full status or in poverty – Toronto. A sweatshop city.

Massive changes to the immigration and refugee system, coupled with renewed Immigration raids have created an even more precarious situation in Toronto, home to thousands of people living without full status.

with Matt Jones, Sam Gindin, Ed Janzen and Ben Powless.

with Matt Jones, Sam Gindin, Ed Janzen and Ben Powless.

"When Chávez speaks, we listen. But we don't listen to those around him." This comment by a community activist interviewed by Iain Bruce, and integrated into his wonderful exploration of the Bolivarian Revolution from below, points to an essential characteristic--the unique link at present (por ahora) between Hugo Chávez and the exploited and excluded of Venezuela.

"When Chávez speaks, we listen. But we don't listen to those around him." This comment by a community activist interviewed by Iain Bruce, and integrated into his wonderful exploration of the Bolivarian Revolution from below, points to an essential characteristic--the unique link at present (por ahora) between Hugo Chávez and the exploited and excluded of Venezuela.

Video: Watch OCAP crashing Liberal heritage dinner

OCAP Organizes to Raise Welfare/Disability Rates.

On Thursday, February 25th, 2010, diners at a lavish Ontario Party Liberal fundraising event, which cost attendees $950 per plate and $9,500 a table, did not finish their meals in comfort.

Members of the Ontario Coalition Against Poverty (OCAP) organized to crash the fundraiser, at which Premier Dalton McGuinty was scheduled to speak, in an act of outrage at the fact that rich Liberal Party supporters could spend more on a meal than people on welfare and disability have to live on for a month. While the Liberals feast, literally thousands of people in this city go without food or shelter.

At about 7:00 p.m. at the Metro Convention Centre, 50 low income people
and OCAP supporters managed to disrupt the fine dining and cocktails, walking past police and security and proceeding right to the front of the banquet hall. Just as hundreds of dinner attendees gathered in the reception area sipping on champagne, OCAP occupied the centre area chanting Raise the Rates and We are hungry, we’re angry, we won’t go away!. The group was loud, energetic and determined despite physical attacks by Toronto Police and Liberal Party members.

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Daniel Serge reviews “the best book on food politics.” Special to newsocialist.org

Mike Constable cartoon.

Mike Constable cartoon.

Emergency Community Meeting
March 8 (International Women's Day)
17 Phoebe Street, Toronto Rape Crisis Centre
10:00am Sharp

The Shelter | Sanctuary | Status Campaign invites shelter workers, residents, managers, counselors and anti-violence against women advocates and activists to attend an urgent community meeting on March 8th.

It has come to our attention, that the Canada Border Services Agency invaded a shelter for women - on February 27, looking to track down Jane, a single mom and survivor of violence from Ghana.

“It’s so scary,” Jane says, who wishes to keep her real name anonymous but is willing to speak to the media. “I thought the shelter was supposed to be a safe space for me and my baby. I’m scared not just for myself, but for non-status women in shelters everywhere who are facing the same fear,” she continued.

read more

Emergency Community Meeting
March 8 (International Women's Day)
17 Phoebe Street, Toronto Rape Crisis Centre
10:00am Sharp

The Shelter | Sanctuary | Status Campaign invites shelter workers, residents, managers, counselors and anti-violence against women advocates and activists to attend an urgent community meeting on March 8th.

It has come to our attention, that the Canada Border Services Agency invaded a shelter for women - on February 27, looking to track down Jane, a single mom and survivor of violence from Ghana.

“It’s so scary,” Jane says, who wishes to keep her real name anonymous but is willing to speak to the media. “I thought the shelter was supposed to be a safe space for me and my baby. I’m scared not just for myself, but for non-status women in shelters everywhere who are facing the same fear,” she continued.

read more

For Israeli Apartheid Week, newsocialist.org reproduces Hazem Jamjoum’s article, “Not an Analogy.”