#canadian socialism

[zee-man-chatter]

Very informative video on why things are so expensive in Canada. You can see clearly that for corporations, banks and government owned companies, there's no real competition. Contrast this with immigration, and you can see how these big organizations can dictate both prices and wages, they don't need to compete for employees either.

[if-you-fan-a-fire]

"Should Read Marx' Works," Border Cities Star. June 7, 1933. Page 3. ----- SO LABORITES SAY ---- Think Star Writer's Study Is Not Complete ---- The works of the late Karl Marx, who wrote the Communist Manifesto and who expounded the theory of surplus values, the class struggle and the materialistic conception of history, were recommended last night as additions to the library of W. L. Clark, Border Cities Star columnist.

The suggestion came from School Trustee R. M. Scott at the regular session of Windsor branch of the Labor Party. The recognized leaders of thought in the local branch seemed eager to furnish Mr. Clark with their definitions on Socialism. Mr. Scott suggested he "read Karl Marx" and obtain the true definition.

But John McLean chose to put forth his own interpretation as follows: "It means nothing more or less than a complete annihilation of the syndi-cates which are taking over the wealth. Many are getting less of it while the few are getting more of it."

Mr. McLean bemoaned the apparent fact that "in this modern super-level of intelligence, we are going back to prehistoric days and find The Star groping in the dark."

"And our great friend, Mr. Clark, I don't know whether he is throwing out the life line or the dead line. Or whether he is so benumbed that he is asking what any school boy can answer: What is Socialism? And I see he takes as his leader, a man who, like himself, doesn't know the A.B.C.'s of Socialism."

Mr. McLean evidently was referring to Jean-Francois Pouliot, M.P.. who set forth 55 questions for J. S. Woodsworth, M. P., leader of the Co-Opera-tive Commonwealth Federation.

None of these questions have been answered, although Ben Levert, Labor nominee in North Essex, recently waved them nonchalantly aside with the observation that Mr. Woodsworth couldn't waste time answering questions which, except for nine of them, any school boy could answer.

[intersectionalpraxis]

Where do I even begin? I'm appalled. The Canadian government living up to its roots in colonial-settler violence... this is beyond criminal. Contact your MP's. This erasure and anti-Palestinian racism is unacceptable.

For anyone reading this on or after February 26th, 2024 -here is more information/updates:

[arttheclown]

hey guys, i’m going to keep this brief. today on wednesday, september 20th, 2023, there are anti-lgbt+ protests going on in nationwide in canada (over 77 cities, last i heard). while there are many counter-protests going on in support of the lgbt community, what’s happening is still deeply alarming and deserves more coverage.

• here you can donate to canada’s first trans legal defence fund, which was set up to counter rampant anti-trans discrimination. it’ll be used to fund constitutional cases, support individual plaintiffs in suing anti-trans actors in courts of law, and provide direct support to trans people (in the form of grants, to help pay for their name changes, as well as other court fees).

• list of counter-protests going on today can be found here.

• for my fellow canadians, you can sign this petition to tell the government of canada to #act4queersafety. there is also an option to donate here.

• you can also write to your MHAs and MPs about rise in hate and to demand action! current members of parliament and where they are located can be found here.

for those in need of support right now, here are some hotlines you can call:

• lgbt youthline: www.youthline.ca/1-800-268-9688 txt 647-694-4275

• trans lifeline: translifeline.org +1-877-330-6366

• crisis services canada: crisisservicescanada.ca +1-833-456–4566

• hope for wellness hotline for indigenous people: +1-855-242-3310

• canada suicide prevention services: +1-833-456-4566 or txt 45645

please spread this if you’re able, thank you! 🙏🏻 🏳️‍🌈 🏳️‍⚧️

[virtchandmoir]

tessavirtue17: Had the privilege of celebrating Canadian arts and fashion last night as a presenter at the @cafawards ✨

It was particularly special to don this @whytecouture gown, designed and handcrafted by the incredible mother-daughter duo behind the brand.

Congratulations to all the nominees and @cafawards winners. I was so inspired to be in a room full of risk takers, trend setters, and community difference-makers.

Hair: @hello.kells Makeup: @hannahbronwynmu Content and +1 👯‍♀️: @rebeccapilozo Dress: @whytecouture

[i-hate-it-here-too]

Messy hair and a new onesie I think it's cute

[allthecanadianpolitics]

A U.S.-based research group that specializes in gauging geopolitical risk says Canada is showing signs of the same political contagion and polarization that has afflicted American politics.

The warning is contained in Eurasia Group's annual "Top Risk" report for the new year, released Tuesday.

While Canada does not make the consultancy's "Top 10" in terms of geopolitical or instability risks, the group produced three standalone sub-reports on countries affected by worldwide political turbulence: Canada, Japan and Brazil. [...]

In its analysis, the group sees most of the risk to Canada coming from the political convulsions in the United States — which Bremmer described as the "Divided States of America."

He said the toxic political culture in Washington and throughout the U.S. is spilling across the border and it is likely to get worse in the coming year.

"The media environment in Canada, and the social media environment in Canada is increasingly resembling the media and social media environment in the United States," Bremmer said Tuesday.

"It is dysfunctional. It is rife with disinformation. It is deeply polarized. [The online discourse] is a bunch of people that do not reflect the average Canadian, do not reflect the average American in both countries."

Continue Reading.

Tagging: @politicsofcanada

[sparksinthenight]

Have a Heart Day 2024

This is a letter I wrote to the Canadian Government for Have a Heart Day 2024. I am asking the government to stop discriminating against First Nations children, to stop giving them inadequate services, education, and support, to stop treating them unequally compared to non-Indigenous children, and to stop taking them away from their loving families. I really hope that you read my letter and that you either copy paste it or write your own, and email the Canadian government yourself.

Hello. Our names are ____ and we are people from various parts of so-called Canada. We are writing to you to ask that you ensure the government stops discriminating against First Nations children, by signing a Final Settlement Agreement on Reform that meets and goes beyond the Agreement in Principle on Reform, and by following the Spirit Bear Plan and enshrining it into law. 

First Nations children and families on reserves are being discriminated against in many ways. Most communities do not receive the same amount of and access to social services that non-Indigenous people receive. Most communities do not receive as good quality social services as non-Indigenous people. While there has been progress, Jordan's Principle, which is about meeting children's needs, is still not being properly applied. Most children don't have access to an equal quality of education as children off reserves, and many children receive very inadequate education services. And, very horrifyingly, children are being separated from families who love them and want to take care of them. This all needs to stop. We need to make, follow, and enforce laws that stop this discrimination. 

First of all, let's talk about the fact that social services are inadequate on most reserves. As you know, the federal government funds services on reserves that the provincial or municipal governments fund elsewhere. The government generally funds services on reserves far less than services are funded off reserves. These include education, water infrastructure, housing, financial assistance, transportation, basic infrastructure, utilities, healthcare, mental healthcare, addiction support, job training, childcare, youth programs, cultural programs, recreation programs, libraries, child welfare, and more. These services are human rights and should be well-funded for everyone. It's not fair that non-Indigenous people have better services to better meet more of their fundamental human rights and basic needs while people on reserves don't. 

The fact that people don't have access to the services they need is part of why there are high levels of poverty on reserves. Ongoing and historical racism, trauma, and discrimination have caused a lot of people on reserves to be poor. And this lack of services is part of that discrimination that is causing people to be poor. If people had the healthcare, education, housing, childcare, mental healthcare, addiction support, cultural support, job training, basic food and water, disability support, and other things they needed, they would be able to have the peace of mind, mental strength, knowledge, support, and resources necessary to pull themselves and their communities out of poverty. Also, since there is so much poverty on reserves, these communities need even more services to help meet their basic needs and human rights. 

Services delivered need to be good and effective for the communities they are delivered in. This means that services need to meet each community's different needs. Because each community has different needs due to different connectivity to the outside world, poverty levels, local prices, etc. Service providers need to first see what services people need and how to best deliver them, then work out how much money is needed. Money should be the last thing considered. What each person, family, and community needs should be the first thing considered. And of course, services must all be culturally sensitive and relevant. 

And part of why services are so low quality, as well as part of why so much discrimination and cruelty happens, is because Indigenous Services Canada has biases in its systems and people, and must be reformed. Indigenous Services Canada doesn't listen to experts about what communities need and how things should be done. They don't try to do their actual job, which is ensuring good services are provided to Indigenous people. They need to be reformed and communities need to lead their own service provision. 

The Spirit Bear plan must be properly implemented and properly followed. It must be enshrined in law and the law must be completely enforced. The Spirit Bear Plan is the following:

"Spirit Bear calls on:

CANADA to immediately comply with all rulings by the Canadian Human Rights Tribunal ordering it to immediately cease its discriminatory funding of First Nations child and family services. The order further requires Canada to fully and properly implement Jordan's Principle (www.jordansprinciple.ca).

PARLIAMENT to ask the Parliamentary Budget Officer to publicly cost out the shortfalls in all federally funded public services provided to First Nations children, youth and families (education, health, water, child welfare, etc.) and propose solutions to fix it.

GOVERNMENT to consult with First Nations to co-create a holistic Spirit Bear Plan to end all of the inequalities (with dates and confirmed investments) in a short period of time sensitive to children's best interests, development and distinct community needs.

GOVERNMENT DEPARTMENTS providing services to First Nations children and families to undergo a thorough and independent 360° evaluation to identify any ongoing discriminatory ideologies, policies or practices and address them. These evaluation must be publicly available.

ALL PUBLIC SERVANTS including those at a senior level, to receive mandatory training to identify and address government ideology, policies and practices that fetter the implementation of the Truth and Reconciliation Commission's Calls to Action." This information is from the First Nations Child and Family Caring Society. 

Another huge factor contributing to the inequality faced by many First Nations children is the fact that Jordan's Principle isn't being properly implemented. 

The federal government, not the provincial government, typically pays for the services on reserves. But many times disputes arise about who should pay for a service, and the children don't get the services non-Indigenous children would get as a matter of course. Jordan's Principle is named after Jordan River Anderson, a young disabled boy from Norway House Cree Nation who passed away in the hospital after the provincial government and the federal government couldn't decide which one should pay the costs of his healthcare. The Principle states that if a First Nations child needs something for their well-being, they need to be given that service first and payment disputes should get addressed later. This includes medical, psychological, educational, cultural, disability, and basic needs support. Non-Indigenous children get these supports without having to ask because they have access to many more and better services. These supports are human rights that everyone deserves, especially children going through generational and contemporary trauma. 

Jordan's Principle is not being properly implemented, and this is hurting kids. Though there has been much progress, Jordan's Principle requests, which are for things children need, are often denied, which goes against children's rights. Indigenous Services Canada, which runs the Jordan's Principle approval process, doesn't have an adequate complaints mechanism to hold to account its provision of the Principle. The government isn't making data available on whether they're meeting children's needs. Many children have delays in getting help, including time-sensitive medical, psychological, educational, and development help. 

The application process, though easier than before, is still difficult and many families don't have adequate help and guidance through it. As well, most doctors don't know which children are eligible for Jordan's Principle supports, 40% don't know which services are covered, and ⅓ don't know how to access funding through it.

Long term reform is needed. An Agreement in Principle on long term reform has been drafted by the government and First Nations advocates, and it looks promising. It talks about increasing funding for Jordan's Principle services and trying to root out prejudice in the system. But the Agreement in Principle is not legally binding. It's not something the government has to follow, or is following, but rather what they claim they might do eventually. Negotiations for the creation of a Final Settlement Agreement based on the Agreement in Principle were underway but have been on standstill for months. A Final Settlement Agreement would be legally binding and would if done right increase the chances of achieving change. 

The school system is also horribly unfair. Many First Nations schools on reserves get less funding than schools off reserve, with an average of 30% less funding per school. They don't have adequate funding for computers, software, technology, sports equipment, field trips, labs, lab equipment, extracurriculars, cultural learning, job training, and the list goes on. They don't even have enough money to have adequate heating, good quality infrastructure, adequate and safe ventilation, enough textbooks, and reasonable class sizes. Many schools don't have a safe and appropriate learning environment. All children, including First Nations children, deserve good education. 

There is no clear plan to eliminate education and employment gaps.

The government claims it's negotiating with Indigenous groups but there's no evidence that they're actually doing anything to lower inequality. They also claim that they're funding education on reserves equally but all the evidence says they're not. You need to actually, genuinely fund education on reserves adequately and equitably, and make sure that children on reserves are actually receiving a good and equal and equitable quality of education. 

A lot of communities don't have self-determination over their own education systems, meaning they can't teach about the history of their people and other important cultural knowledge. First Nations children need and deserve to learn about their culture, about the ecosystems their people are connected to and how to interact with those ecosystems, their history, their language, their traditions. And if communities have self-determination over their own education systems, and they have adequate resources and funding from the government, they'll be able to teach these things so that children grow up proud of who they are. 

And what is perhaps the most horrible thing is that so many children are being separated from families who love them. This is the most traumatic thing that can happen to a child, and all children deserve and need to be with the families who love them. 

At the height of residential schools, many children were separated from their families. Currently, 3 times as many children are in foster care, away from their families. One tenth of First Nations children have been in foster care. Children in foster care experience higher rates of physical and sexual abuse and do not get as much cultural immersion. Not to mention, even in the best circumstances, they're away from their families. 

Most Indigenous children in foster care have loving families that try their best to take care of them, who they want and need deeply. But their families are poor or mentally ill or disabled, or have other factors that make it hard for them to meet their children's needs. Preventative support like financial, housing, health, and mental health aid could keep many families together. If child and family service agencies have the resources and the empathy to help families with what they need so that families stay together, that would be a great relief. Child and family service agencies need adequate money, infrastructure, and personnel to give families real help instead of taking children away. Most agencies do not have these. Programs that help the wider community such as healthcare, financial aid, housing services, mental healthcare, parenting classes, food support, community programs, youth programs, cultural programs, pregnancy support, and others would greatly decrease the number of children taken from their homes. Most communities do not have adequate levels of these programs. 

Child and family service agencies need to be completely reformed, and should be led by First Nations communities themselves. Most child and family service agencies are not. This is especially important since there is bias against First Nations people in many agencies. Some communities are getting the opportunities to start their own child and family service agencies, but most communities do not have this opportunity. Canada needs binding laws to ensure child and family service agencies are led by First Nations communities and are based in the unique culture of each community, which they often aren't. Each community has unique needs depending on local prices, remoteness, poverty levels, and other factors. The way child and family services should be funded is by first seeing what services the children truly need, then seeing how to best deliver them, then determining how much money will be needed. 

There is a promising Agreement in Principle on Reform, created by the government and First Nations advocates. It discusses increasing funding for child welfare services and trying to root out prejudice in the system. However this is not a legally binding agreement that the government has to follow. It's just something that they claim they'll maybe do in the future. A Final Settlement Agreement based on the Agreement in Principle would be legally binding. It would, if done right, enact more funding and reform. But negotiations for this have been on pause for months. Canada needs to implement evidence-based solutions to keep kids with their families. This means creating a legally binding and well-enforced Final Settlement Agreement on Reform that meets and goes beyond the Agreement in Principle on Reform. 

Some communities are trying a new funding model for child and family services that may give more funding, allowing them to do more preventative services instead of taking children away. However, the results of this new funding model are not clear yet, and most communities do not have the opportunity to be funded by it. And there is no guarantee that the new funding model will be applied to all communities if it indeed does work. There is no guarantee that enough funding for prevention services will be given to all communities, whether or not the new funding model works. 

The government often promises to create reform or adequately fund things, but they don't follow through on those promises. If the government does make progress, safeguards need to be in place to stop them from backsliding. 

So here are our asks for you: 

-Implement the Spirit Bear plan and adequately fund all social services on reserves. 

-Make sure all services are available de facto just like they are off reserve. 

-Fund cultural services and make sure all services are culturally-rooted. 

-Eliminate all discrimination and bias in service providers. 

-Listen to experts such as doctors and teachers, the community, and community-led service providers. 

-Allow and help First Nations communities to lead their own social services rooted in their own cultural values. 

-Keep funding flexible and adaptable to changing needs. 

-Have adequate accountability measures for all service providers. 

-Make a binding law to adequately fund all social services and have communities lead social service provision. 

-Create a binding law to ensure that once you start adequately funding social services you don't stop. 

-In a reasonable timeframe, reach a Final Settlement Agreement on Long-Term Reform that meets and goes beyond the Agreement in Principle. 

-Make sure all Jordan's Principle requests in the best interests of children are accepted. 

-Give presumptive approval for Jordan's Principle requests under $250.

-Support organizations and communities already providing Jordan's Principle services. 

-Accept urgent requests within 12 hours and non urgent requests within 48 hours. 

-Don't require more than one document from a professional or elder for making requests. 

-Make data available on Jordan's Principle provision effectiveness. 

-Make sure all supports are given in a timely manner without delays. 

-Make it easy and convenient for families and professionals to make Jordan's Principle requests. 

-Fund schools on reserves as much as schools off reserve. This includes funding for computers, libraries, software, teacher training, special education, education research, language programs, cultural programs, mental health support, support for kids with special needs, extracurriculars, ventilation, heating, mold removal, vocation training for students, and more. 

-Make sure all schools have the resources, funding, and support necessary to teach culture. 

-Make a clear joint strategy to eliminate the education and employment gap.

-Make sure all school staff are non-discriminatory. 

-Make sure communities have self-determination to create culturally rooted education. 

-Adequately fund child and family services on reserves, and make sure they can hire enough people and have good infrastructure.

-Stop discrimination within child and family service agencies. 

-Allow and help all First Nations communities to lead and run their own child and family service agencies that are based on their cultural values. 

-Enact evidence based solutions to keep families together. 

-Don't take children from families that love them. 

-Have and fund adequate preventative services so families can take care of their children and no child is taken away.

-Keep funding for child and family services flexible and responsive to each community's needs, and listen to communities to learn what their needs are.

-Have adequate accountability in child and family services so that any underfunding, discrimination, or failure is stopped and remedied. 

-Family support needs to start at or even before pregnancy.

-Fund culturally-based healing of people who have been harmed and are being harmed by the government's discrimination. 

———

Find your MP here: https://www.ourcommons.ca/en/members

justin.trudeau(at)parl.gc.ca- Prime Minister Trudeau

chrystia.freeland(at)parl.gc.ca- Deputy Prime Minister Freeland

patty.hajdu(at)parl.gc.ca- Minister of Indigenous Services 

gary.anand(at)parl.gc.ca - Minister of Crown-Indigenous Relations

[tessalationstation]

1445-09-20/2024-03-30

Ideas shared for the boycott effort in Canada. Do what's easiest first, than go from their.

http://boycotzionism.com/ (Source for recommended brands)

Links:

https://www.ethicalconsumer.org/ethicalcampaigns/boycotts/alternative-ethical-brands-support-palestine

https://www.ethicalconsumer.org/ethicalcampaigns/boycotts/bds-israel-boycott

https://bdscoalition.ca/guide-for-canada-of-economic-boycott/

[zee-man-chatter]

Ronald Reagan summarized his long-held suspicions about the effectiveness and morality of the role of government in people’s lives by saying, “The nine most terrifying words in the English language are ‘I’m from the government and I’m here to help.’”

Big, greedy corporations and a very socialist Trudeau government are turning Canada into a country that is producing less and costing more to live in. Food companies are enjoying record profits, while workers can barely afford to eat. Considering the corporations fund the politicians, it's not looking good for the future, but this can't last forever either. Somethings got to break!

[if-you-fan-a-fire]

"Clark Raps “Planned Economy"," Windsor Star. July 22, 1943. Page 5. ---- Assails C.C.F. Platform; Likened to Program Followed by Italy and Germany ---- Other countries such as Italy and Germany have not proven so successful under a "planned economy" such as that advocated by the C.C.F., Major James H. Clark, K.C., Liberal candidate for re-election in Windsor-Sandwich, warned executive members of the Othmar Grotto last night.

Major Clark spoke briefly and informally at a meeting of the executive in the clubrooms on Ouellette avenue,

EXAMINES PLATFORM Mentioning in his opening remarks that political platforms and those who advocate them must be carefully examined before entrusted with legislative power, Major Clark first referred to the "planned economy and fluid money," he said the C.C.P. were advocating.

The speaker of the last Legislature then reminded that Italy and Germany started out on a "planned economy" program that resulted in s clique getting all the power and everyone else working for starvation wages.

"The people we had on relief were better off than the people working over there," he asserted.

"It is very nice to promise a lot of things but it is different to try and put them through such as a plan to do away with recurring depressions and periods of prosperity," he continued.

Referring briefly to the 22-point program advocated by Lieutenant- Colonel George Drew, leader of the Ontario Progressive Conservative Party, Major Clark stated: "After reading it I decided I never wanted to die because here was peace and prosperity for ever waiting for us. Taxes were to be eliminated and everyone was to get more.

"I never promised anything in my life except to represent the people to the best of my ability," Major Clark continued.

QUERIED ON U.S. HOOK-UP Major Clark had completed his regular talk when he was asked, "When are you going to hook us up with the United States?"

The Liberal member then repeated his statement that he never advocated such action but had just voiced his belief that there should be closer unity between the two countries and removal of immigration, custom and monetary barriers.

"I never said I was in favor of annexation," he added.

[intersectionalpraxis]

The Canadian government sends arms to the US -that's where the paper trail is able to conveniently end. The US then can export these weapons to the IOF. There are zero regulations and transparency about this. So we don't know -and I imagine the estimates each year probably exceed the amount frustratingly so. I'm glad to see that steps are being made to suing the federal government for their complicity. To all folks living in Canada, keep an eye on the House of Commons website. Some MPs are still introducing bills for more transparency about weapons sales and exports. I will track this case and update here when information is available.

[cozylittleartblog]

I want to buy a sticker from your shop, but shipping (to Canada) is down as $22 before tax. May I ask why it costs so much to ship a single sticker? Is it Etsy being weird, or does it really cost that much to send an envelope over the border?

I'm not trying to be snarky or passive aggressive or anything, I'm genuinely just kind of befuddled atm.

A fair question honestly! USPS sets the rates for international shipping, and shipping to canada really is about that expensive 😭 I considered sending stickers via envelopes, but 1. if I send them with a stamp (less than $2) they don't have tracking, and etsy Does Not Like That. I gotta send packages with shipping to qualify for star seller, plus it covers your ass in case USPS loses it. and 2. apparently it's illegal to send merchandise internationally in envelopes!! so sadly we're all stuck dealing with the super crazy international rates. I don't like it either because as someone who deals in trinkets, people generally do not want to pay $16 for a charm that costs $12, and they especially don't want to pay that for a sticker that costs $4... I would ABSOLUTELY have way more international sales if USPS wasn't fucking us with the prices but it's out of my control dssdjkfjksdf

I give this advice a lot, but if you don't want to pay international shipping (or just live in a country I don't ship to myself), you can borrow the address of a friend that lives in the states and they can forward it to you! I don't actually know if this is cheaper, but some people have said it is. it's def cheaper for stickers though if your friend uses a stamp!

TL;DR yeah etsy and USPS are Both Weird, sorry ; - ; i assure you i hate it even More than you do lmao

[virtchandmoir]

Tessa's Instagram Stories (October 16th)

[i-hate-it-here-too]

More work bathroom pics

[allthecanadianpolitics]

The B.C. government is putting its proposed online harms legislation on hold after reaching an agreement with some of the largest social media platforms to make people safer online.

Premier David Eby says in a joint statement with representatives of the firms Meta, TikTok, X and Snap that they will form an online safety action table, where they’ll discuss “tangible steps” towards protecting people from online harms.

Eby says the social media companies have “agreed to work collaboratively” with the province on preventing harm, while Meta will also commit to working with B.C’s emergency management officials to help amplify official information during natural disasters and other events.

“We have had assurance from Facebook on a couple of things. First, that they will work with us to deliver emergency information to British Columbia in this wildfire season that (people) can rely on, they can find easily, and that will link into official government channels to distribute information quickly and effectively,” Eby said at a Tuesday press conference.

“This is a major step and I’m very appreciative that we are in this place now.” [...]

Continue Reading.

Tagging: @newsfromstolenland