Sudbury Social Justice News - February 23, 2014

EVENTS & MEETINGS:

1) Monday, February 24: Planning Meeting for 3rd Annual March Against Austerity
2) Tuesday, February 25: Appeal Hearing for the S-CAP 11
3) Wednesday, February 26: Open Stage for Radicals and Progressives
4) Saturday, March 1: Omnibus March Against Stephen Harper - Sudbury
5) Saturday, March 1: Black History Month Celebration - Sudbury
6) Saturday, March 1: Half Way to Pride Party!
7) Tuesday, March 4: Meeting of Sudbury Cyclists Union
8) Tuesday, March 18: Labour-sponsored Meeting to Stop Tim Hudak

NEWS, ANALYSIS, & CALLS TO ACTION:

1) Callout for Sudburians Who Want to Go To "Raise the Rates" Action in Toronto on March 22

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Monday, February 24: Planning Meeting for 3rd Annual March Against Austerity

Time: 6:30pm
Location: Offices of the Sudbury and District Labour Council (Suite 209 upstairs in 109 Elm Street, which is across the street from the Native Friendship Centre)

The provincial budget is coming out in the spring, so it's time to start planning our Solidarity Against Austerity 3 pre-budget march and rally! We will be having our first planning meeting this Monday February 24th at 6:30pm at the Labour Council office (109 Elm unit 209). Anybody who is interested is welcome to attend!

This event would be held under the banner of the Raise the Rates campaign, calling for major increases in social assistance rates and for minimum wage. But there are many others affected by our government's austerity agenda as well! The event could include the struggles of the labour movement, First Nations, students, and other community groups against the austerity agenda.

We must work together to be effective against austerity, and we are hoping that anybody and everybody who is invested in any of these issues will come out to the meeting on Monday.

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Tuesday, February 25: Appeal Hearing for the S-CAP 11

Time: 2pm
Location: Court Room B, Court House, 155 Elm Street
 
In 2012, eleven members and supporters of the Sudbury Coalition Against Poverty were arrested for setting up a homeless shelter in the office of Liberal MPP Rick Bartolucci. In late 2013, the activists were acquitted, but the Crown has decided to appeal that ruling. The hearing will be on Feb. 25th at 2pm in Court Room B, Court House, 155 Elm Street. S-CAP regards this as a waste of resources and an attempt to intimidate activists. Please come out and show your support. For more information on the case, check out this link:
http://sudburycap.com/2013/11/25/s-cap-criticizes-campaign-harassment-an....

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Wednesday, February 26: Open Stage for Radicals and Progressives

Time: 8pm to 10pm
Location: Townehouse Tavern (206 Elgin Street, Sudbury)

One Struggle Sudbury presents our second monthly Open Stage for Radicals and Progressives! We want to advance radical and progressive culture in Sudbury! Political radicals and progressives are invited to come out and share songs, poems, raps, skits, and excerpts. Time slots will be allotted on a first come, first serve basis. This is a monthly event, so mark your calendars for the last Wednesday of every month!

This event on Facebook:
https://www.facebook.com/events/634170926655405/

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Saturday, March 1: Omnibus March Against Stephen Harper - Sudbury

Time: Noon to 3pm
Location: Starting from Tom Davies Square (200 Brady Street, Sudbury)

N̲a̲t̲i̲o̲n̲a̲l̲ ̲C̲a̲l̲l̲-̲O̲u̲t̲!̲

This is a call out to Northerners in the Sudbury Region! Bring all of your energy to Sudbury’s response to the March 1st National Day of Action denouncing Steven Harper’s Omnibus Bills and his growing Anti-Democratic Regime. We will rally and march together, and unite in spirit with others at home and abroad who will be rallying elsewhere the same day. The list of towns and cities committing to this cause is ever-growing! This is a very exciting and absolutely critical time to come together in the spirit of justice and peace in order to make our voices heard so we can protect our precious ecosystems & waterways, human rights, labour rights, farmers’ rights...the list goes on!

W̲h̲a̲t̲ ̲i̲s̲ ̲a̲n̲ ̲O̲m̲n̲i̲b̲u̲s̲ ̲B̲i̲l̲l̲ ̲a̲n̲d̲ ̲w̲h̲y̲ ̲i̲s̲ ̲i̲t̲ ̲P̲r̲o̲b̲l̲e̲m̲a̲t̲i̲c̲?̲

An omnibus bill seeks to amend, repeal, or enact several Acts under one bill. Instead of voting on each amendment to each act separately, the vote will be to pass the entire bill. The obvious issue here is that should a politician disagree with one amendment to a specific act, but agrees with the majority of the other amendments to other acts, she/he is likely to vote in favour of passing the bill despite this disparity. Omnibus Bills also cover an overwhelming number of amendments to several acts, making it a dense read for the public and making it harder for the public to get a good grasp on what is being changed. This allows the government to make large changes without properly informing the public or the media, an action that many consider undemocratic.

In fact, Stephen Harper himself recognized these problems in the past: “Mr. Speaker, I would argue that the subject matter of the bill is so diverse that a single vote on the content would put members in conflict with their own principles.”
“…Second, in the interest of democracy I ask: How can members represent their constituents on these various areas when they are forced to vote in a block on such legislation and on such concerns? We can agree with some of the measures but oppose others. How do we express our views and the views of our constituents when the matters are so diverse? Dividing the bill into several components would allow members to represent views of their constituents on each of the different components in the bill.” - Stephan Harper, March 1994 (http://www.theglobeandmail.com/news/politics/in-praise-of-stephen-harper...)

Omnibus Bills are a mechanism of a system of government which consistently tries to keep the public in the dark. They are intentionally made to be dense, inaccessible documents that people will throw their hands up at, due to their nature. The number and nature of Omnibus Bills tabled and passed by the current government have presented some of the biggest challenges to keeping our planet safe, keeping our people safe, and keeping our country a thriving one.

T̲h̲e̲ ̲L̲a̲r̲g̲e̲r̲ ̲P̲i̲c̲t̲u̲r̲e̲

These issues related to omnibus bills are symptoms of a larger problem. The government is not working to meet our needs. We are seeing a hollowing out of democracy, with sham ‘consultations’ and the increasing corporatization of government. It is time for the government to begin advocating for people and the planet, instead of handing over unprecedented amounts of power and control to multinational corporations set on extracting resources until there is no oxygen left to breathe, and no potable water left to drink. If there has ever been a time to join with fellow humans to stand up for justice, democracy, transparency, and peace THIS IS THE TIME. The existence of life on Earth depends on it, and this is no exaggeration.

M̲a̲r̲c̲h̲ ̲1̲s̲t̲ ̲E̲v̲e̲n̲t̲ ̲D̲e̲t̲a̲i̲l̲s̲

We will rally at 12pm on Saturday March 1st at (location TBA). We will come together first for a teach-in featuring different speakers, and delight in some snacks and warm beverages and good old socializing! Then, empowered and satiated, we will take to the streets with our family and friends, make our voices heard, and join the rest of our country and the world in this epic day of resistance.

This event on Facebook:
https://www.facebook.com/events/1436654833233445/

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Saturday, March 1: Black History Month Celebration - Sudbury

Time: Cocktails @ 5:30pm, Speech @ 6:30pm, Dinner @ 7pm
Location: Upper Hall, Caruso Club (385 Haig Street, Sudbury) Tickets: $30 each, cash bar
 
The Afro-Heritage Association of Sudbury invites you to our Black History Month Celebration. The guest speaker will be Joseph W. Ricahrds II (LL.L., J.D., LL.M. (Cantab.), M.T.S.), Barrister and Soliciter at Law.
 
Event poster on Facebook:
https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=617160898354984&set=a.4956154271...

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Saturday, March 1: Half Way to Pride Party!

Time: 10pm to 2am
Location: Zig's Bar (54 Elgin Street, Sudbury)

Can't Wait Until July To Celebrate Pride???? Well...Turns "OUT" You Don't "Half" To!!! Fierte Sudbury Pride Is Holding A Half Way To Pride Party!!!!! Come On Out And Show Your Pride, Support, And Gratitude For Being Able To Be Who We Are (Our Fabulous Self's) All door proceeds will be donated to Sudbury Pride. Lets Help Make Sudbury Pride 2014 An Awesome One!!..$3 entree fee (includes coat check) Dj Kottik Will Be Pumpin OUT The Jams That Set The Festive Party Mood Pride tables will be set up.

This event on Facebook:
https://www.facebook.com/events/610227315699087/

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Tuesday, March 4: Meeting of Sudbury Cyclists Union

Time: 7pm
Location: reThink Green (Suite 305, 176 Larch Street, Sudbury)
 
Agenda TBA.

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Tuesday, March 18: Labour-sponsored Meeting to Stop Tim Hudak

Time: 7pm to 9pm
Location: Steelworkers' Hall (66 Brady Street, Sudbury)

Your Members Can’t Afford...
- Lower Wages - A Weaker Voice - Unsafe Workplaces
Help Stop Tim Hudak.
URGENT: All Unions, All Locals Sudbury Regional Meeting

Everyone Needed: All local union leaders, executive board members, staff, stewards, committee members, activists, retirees, etc.

Visit www.RightsatWork.ca for regional meetings and materials

Hosted by the Sudbury and District Labour Council, Ontario Federation of Labour and Canadian Labour Congress - Congrès du travail du Canada.

This event on Facebook:
https://www.facebook.com/events/1403652456559772/

NEWS, ANALYSIS, & CALLS TO ACTION:

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Callout for Sudburians Who Want to Go To "Raise the Rates" Action in Toronto on March 22

The Raise the Rates campaign is organizing a march and rally on Saturday, March 22 against the Liberal Convention in Toronto. CUPE is organizing bussing for people to get to and from Toronto. The event in Toronto is to start at 1 pm in the square in front of Metro Hall at King and John.  Please call the Sudbury Coalition Against Poverty number at 249-878-7227 or e-mail at sudburycap@gmail.com if you plan to go. Let us know as soon as possible as there is a meeting this week in Toronto and they want to start organizing the buses!