Turn Left - Winter 2009

8/9/2019 Turn Left - Winter 2009

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THE NDP SOCIALIST CAUCUS in Ontariohas voted to extend critical support tocandidate for Leader of the Ontario NDP,Michael Prue, MPP for Beaches-EastYork.

The Socialist Caucus Ontariosteering committee made the decision ata well-attended open SC meeting onNovember 22 in Toronto. Severalobservers, including former NDP candi-dates from across southern Ontario, par-ticipated in the discussion.

The gathering occurred three

weeks after the highly successful SC-sponsored Leader candidates' debateheld at OISE Auditorium at U of Torontothat attracted an audience of 150 on theafternoon of November 1.

Earlier that same day, theSocialist Caucus approved 27 resolu-tions, and prioritized 11 of them, for thewidest possible circulation. The SC asksNDP riding associations, youth clubs,affiliated unions and delegates to sup-port them at convention in early March2009. The Ontario New DemocraticYouth convention, held Nov. 21-23 inToronto, adopted SC resolutions on the

minimum wage, the right to strike, socialhousing and electric/hybrid vehicles.It was up to the SC steering com-

mittee to assess the progress made insparking socialist policy discussionsacross the province thus far, to make

plans for the ONDP conven-tion in Hamilton, March 5-8,and to determine whether toback any of the candidatesfor ONDP Leader.

Michael Prue wonthe endorsement of theSocialist Caucus over theother candidates for ONDP Leader,namely MPPs Peter Tabuns, Andrea

Horwath and Gilles Bisson, because Prueis campaigning to increase democracy inthe NDP. The NDP membership is enti-tled to set policy for the party, and con-troversial issues should be debated anddecided at convention, and not be

blocked by the party establishment, saysPrue.

He also leans towards putting anend to public funding for Catholic sepa-rate schools in Ontario, and has endorsedmany of the SC's current crop of policy

Turn Left www.ndpsocialists.caVoice of the ONDP Socialist Caucus Winter 2009 Suggested Donation: $1 Put Union Bug Here

The NDP Socialist Caucus is a group of party members whobelieve that in order to survive, the New Democratic Partymust move sharply to the Left and join working Canadiansand their allies in the struggle for socialism, democracy andfreedom.

Founded by NDP members in Toronto in 1998, the SC standsfor the creation of a democratically-controlled economy anda cooperative commonwealth. We believe that the strugglefor peace and environmental sustainability is central to thecreation of a better world. We invite you to join with us inthis most important endeavor.

www.ndpsocialists.ca | 416.535.8779

Introducing the NDP Socialist Caucus

Nationalize the Auto Industry Now!BY JOHN ORRETT

THE CANADIAN auto industry is goingthrough its greatest trial in decades.Auto exports are second only to petrole-um products in dollar value to theCanada economy, but they are declining.

Off shore auto imports havebeen increasing their market share forthe last decade and job losses are pilingup. New automobiles are stacked up indealerships with few purchasers in sight.Statistics Canada reports that manufac-

turing job losses in the manufacturingsector for January 2009 totaled 101,000,the largest decline on record for the sec-tor.

Over twenty countries world-wide have given financial aid to theirdomestic auto industry. Here, big busi-ness is lining up at the public trough,while at the same time attempting toblame unionized workers for ourpredicament, claiming unionized wagesare too high and benefits too lucrative.These claims are not supported by acareful scrutiny of the situation.

Chief economist for theCanadian Auto Workers' Union (CAW),Jim Stanford, clearly shows that wages

are competitivewith those ofAmerican, Japaneseand German pro-ducers. When ourdollar is 80-85cents to the US dol-lar, we actuallyhave a NorthAmerica cost advantage. Furthermore,the labour cost of assembling an automo-bile in Canada represents only 7% of theprice of the vehicle.

The quality of workmanship isalso not a factor. Several assembly plantsin Canada have won awards for the high-est quality in North America. Toyota haschose Cambridge, Ontario to assemblethe Corolla compact -- in recent years thelargest selling automobile in Canada.Toyota's luxury RX330 Lexus is also builtin Ontario, the only place outside Japanwhere it is produced. Quality is not aproblem.

The irony of the situation is thatunemployment among auto workers is

not due to lack of productivity or com-petitiveness. It is due to a world wideoverproduction of automobiles. Thisproduction overcapacity, coupled withthe financial meltdown and consumerdrop in spending, has seen sales dropsharply for auto companies world wide.

The big three North Americanauto producers are being particularlyhard hit since they have been laggards inintroducing more fuel efficient automo-biles and alternative fuel vehicles, andhave been steadily losing market share toimports for over a decade.

CAW President Ken Lewenza ina Nov. 20, 2008 letter to the Globe andMail wrote, We didnt write the free

trade deals and wedont manage thecompanies. Wedont design thevehicles-we justbuild them. Thebest that we can doas auto workers isto keep building

vehicles in the most efficient high-qualityplants in the hemisphere, at fully com-petitive costs.

This raises the discussion to a

new level. If quality and cost competi-tiveness are not the issues, perhaps it is

time that we manage the companiesand design the vehicles. Perhaps it istime to question the branch plant econo-my that dominates the Canadian autoindustry. Perhaps it is time that the cru-cial decisions affecting Canadians bemade by working people.

Socialists and environmentalistshave been calling for a shift away fromthe gas guzzling, oversized automobilesfor over a decade. We have been advo-cating a retreat from a private-autobased economy, emphasizing the need

for environmentally-friendly vehiclesand for more spending on public trans-

port.Now that our predictions are

validated we face the gloom and doombig business interests. They trumpet tothe heavens the importance of the autoindustry to Canada, and call for billions inpublic funding to the same companiesand the same managers that got us intothis mess in the first place. It is anotherexample of the elite expecting socialismfor the rich and dog eat dog capitalism

Autoworkers are facing further wage cuts and job losses. Only socialownership and democratic workers control can save the industry

continued on page 2

Elect Michael Prue Ontario NDP Leader

IN THIS ISSUEElite Pick Ignatieff for Liberals 2

Whos Afraid of Social Ownership? 3

People Behind the Collapse 3

Socialist Caucus Resolutions 4

Neo-Liberalisms Failed Legacy 6

For One School System 6Book Review: Venuzuela 7

Economic Stimulus 8

Turn Left is the officialnewspaper of the Ontario

NDP Socialist Caucus.

Now is the time for the NDP and

the CAW to campaign for the cre-

ation of a publicly owned autoindustry in Canada... There should

be no public investment without

democratic workers control.

Photo:EyeTower

continued on page 2

Right: Michael Prue ispromising to bring

greater democracy to theOntario NDP

Photo:Donna-LynnMcCallum


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2 Winter 2009 Turn Left

for everyone else.Now is the time for the NDP and

the CAW to campaign for the creation of

a publicly owned auto industry inCanada. If we invest money in this indus-try we need to be assured that we are incontrol of planning and production.There should be no public investmentwithout democratic workers control.

We need a public corporationthat will design and build fuel efficientmeans of transportation for the benefitnot only of the workers in that industry,but for all the people. This willentail a re-tooling of existingplants to produce electricand hybrid vehicles, morebusses and trains, andother vehicles of masstransportation. This

may also mean moreinput into ensuring aviable and substantialauto parts industry inCanada. Tertiary indus-tries in steel, plastics andrubber also need to be rational-ized and planned where they interfacewith the auto industry.

The other great challenge for theONDP is re-establishing formal links withthe CAW, and gaining their support. Witha new CAW President and the electionMarch 9 of a new ONDP leader we havethe opportunity to do this.

The CAW and its predecessor inCanada, the UAW, have an honored histo-ry of fighting for and gaining landmarkvictories like union recognition, collec-tive bargaining rights, shorter working

hours and Cost of Living Adjustments.The North American strikes of 1937were particularly important not only forthe gains made, but also for the pioneer-ing strategies of fighting back against thecorporate bosses. In Flint, Michigan andOshawa, Ontario workers occupied thefactories and began their famous sitdown strikes.

By sitting down in the factories,right alongside the assembly line,

workers were able to betterdefend themselves and

their livelihood. In onestroke they preventedthe use of scab labortaking over production

and prevented theremoval of the means

of production from thefactory they occupied.

These strategies andtactics should have been

revisited when corporate head-quarters ordered the dismantling andremoval of robotics and machinery fromGeneral Motors Oshawa plant inDecember 2008. As Sam Gindin states ishis book, The Canadian Auto Workers,The logic of sit-downs is, in fact, so com-pelling that the real question isnt whyworkers once used this strategy, but why

and how it so quickly disappeared fromlabours arsenal.

The ONDP and the CAW need tosupport each other. The struggle to pro-tect jobs and production not only in theauto sector but in the many sectors theCAW now represents, will take place inthe workplace, in communities and in thepolitical arenas at Queen's Park and

Parliament Hill.The political agenda the NDP

and the CAW should adopt must includethe fight to create a publicly owned autoindustry. There should be no bail outs ofany of the auto giants without seriouspublic equity involved. The presentguarantees of Canadian content in autoparts and assembly must also be vigor-ously defended.

Auto production is the mostimportant manufacturing industry inOntario. We have all the attributes thatmake it possible: hydro power for theplants, locally produced steel for thevehicles, a central and heavily populatedlocation with good transportation, and

most importantly, a skilled, industriouswork force. These same elements make apublicly owned corporation viable.

The crisis in the auto industrycan not be isolated from the economy asa whole. We are part of a NorthAmerican economy that is in crisis. Thefinancial sector meltdown in the UnitedStates was caused by greed and corrup-tion on an unprecedented scale. Thefinancial derivatives they invented werea fraudulent method of creating capitalwith no basis in the real economy.

An important part of the realeconomy is dominated by war industry(weapons, military transport, surveil-lance systems, etc.) that create death and

destruction, with no benefits to workingpeople anywhere. War production andthe military apparatus are used to graboil and other natural resources fromoppressed nations under the speciousclaim of our national interest. It is real-ly the interest of the super-rich who sellout their workers at the drop of a hat.

Working people need a politicalparty and labour organizations that fightfor socialism, the only solution to thedeepening depression. Both the OntarioNDP and the CAW should turn sharply tothe left, towards public ownership underworkers' control.

With this as our goal we canforge a partnership between the NDP andCanada s largest union that will beunstoppable.

resolutions.

Notwithstanding Prue'sbreak with the pack on party democ-racy, he falls short on presenting aclear programme to cope with thechallenges of the deepening globalcapitalist depression.

Instead of public ownershipof the commanding heights of theeconomy under workers' control,Prue talks about a hike in publicinvestment in the private sector andputting one or two workers on anymajor recipient company board ofdirectors.

By giving critical support,the SC preserves its programmaticand tactical independence, while

seizing the opportunity to getinvolved in the leadership race andpossibly influencing the outcome infavour of the most progressive can-didate running.

Policy debate, agitation formass action inside and outside theNDP, and consciousness-raisingabout the capitalist crisis and social-ist solutions, remain the prioritiesfor the SC in the days ahead.

That means getting socialistideas and proposals for direct actioninto the hands of as many NDP mem-bers, youth, unionists and workingpeople as possible. Check out the SCweb site (www.ndpsocialists.ca) andsee if you can agree with ourapproach.

The NDP Socialist Caucusdoesn't claim to have all theanswers. We want to work withother groups and individuals, likethe new Ginger Project, like studentsfighting to reduce and eliminate uni-versity tuition, like CAW memberswho want their union to re-join theNDP in fact with everyone who iswilling to work, shoulder to shoul-der, to turn the NDP sharply to theLeft.

The

ONDP and the

CAW need to sup-

port each other...

Working people need apolitical party and

labour organizations

that fight for

socialism.

Photo:SimonHayter/GettyImages

Auto industry... continued from page 1

Prue... continued from page 1

A LITTLE JOKE heard recently goessomething like this: Stephen Harpertook 4 years to unite the right. He took 4days to unite the left. He took 1 1/2 daysto find the Liberals a new leader.

Setting aside the egregious errorabout what constitutes the Left, we

could add this: And at the same time, hekilled the Liberal-NDP coalition.

Stephane Dion stepped down,replaced as federal Liberal Leader byEtobicoke-Lakeshore MP MichaelIgnatieff, Bay Street's original choice forthe job in 2006. The quick switch wasexecuted by the Liberal parliamentarycaucus and an enlarged backroom coun-cil of advisors.

This slimy manouver usurpedthe constitutional role of the party's con-vention, set for May 2009. It is a fittingcounterpart to how Conservative PrimeMinister Stephen Harper undemocrati-cally 'prorogued' Parliament to avoiddefeat in an early December non-confi-

dence vote.Once Tory Finance Minister Jim

Flaherty puts a few more billion corpo-rate bail-out dollars into his much-antici-pated January 27 budget, Ignatieff will

have an excuse to sustain the govern-ment, dump the Liberal-NDP coalition.

Like Harper, Ignatieff is pro-war,pro-torture and a George Bush cheer-leader. The 61 year-old patrician aca-demic, the author of sixteen books,comes by his reactionary politics honest-ly. Ignatieff is the son of Russian royalty(Canadian diplomat George Ignatieff)and a Canadian Establishment mother(Alison Grant).

He has written about weAmericans, and praised the Empire evenafter President George W. Bush legislatedthe rights-suppressing National SecurityStrategy in 2001. He supported the U.S.-led invasion of Iraq. He ridiculed theUnited Nations' refusal to back the inva-sion over justified suspicion about the

mythical weapons of mass destruction.Retroactively, Ignatieff tried to

excuse his pro-imperialist position byarguing that he had been wrong for theright reasons (saving the Kurds from

Saddam Hussein), while opponents of thewar may have been right for the wrongreasons (ideological opposition to Bush).In The Lesser Evil, he argued that to

defeat evil, we may have to traffic in evil,referring to coercive interrogation, tar-getted assassinations, even pre-emptivewar. Along with the rest of the Liberalcaucus, he voted to extend the Canadian

occupation of Afghanistan to 2011. Lookfor him to find ways to extend further theimperialist military operation in future.

Like his life-long friend, former

college room-mate and recent NDP turn-coat, Bob Rae, Ignatieff is a staunch sup-porter of the Israeli apartheid state and a

Elite Pick of Ignatieff Sets the 'Right' CourseRight: Ignatieff - the choice of the

wealthy and powerful - who wouldrather form a coalition with Stephen

Harper and the Conservatives

continued on page 3

Photo:SeanKilpatrick/LaPresseCanadienne


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Turn Left Winter 2009 3

Why Not Social Ownership?

Turn LeftPublished by the NDP Socialist Caucus at each Federaland Ontario Provincial Convention.Made by Union Labour.

Editors: Sean Cain and Ross Ashley

firm opponent of Quebec sovereignty.But unlike Rae, Iggy worries more aboutcovering his right flank. Ergo, he willrapidly fold the coalition with thelabour-based New Democratic Party,backed by the Bloc Quebecois.

The Canadian corporate elite isnot facing a robust challenge from theworkers' movement, so the need to tryto co-opt the labour party in English

Canada is not yet pressing.But in scuttling the class collab-

orationist coalition, Ignatieff and Harpergive NDP Leader Jack Layton an unin-tended New Year's gift a chance toassert the independence of the NDP byfighting for the interests of workingpeople in the face of a global capitalistdepression, rather than trying to co-manage the crisis with parties of thebusiness class.

Ignatieff... continued from page 2

THE CURRENT market tailspin was pre-ceded by a so-called boom in whichworkers wages actually stagnated or

declined, and social benefits shrank.Studies and statistics about that periodare now appearing. They make it lookmore like a bust time than a boomtime. Here is what we are learning aboutthe early years of the new millennium:* The Organization for EconomicCooperation and Development (OECD)issued a report, Growing Unequal?,that says Canadas growing inequalityand entrenched poverty rates are nowhigher than any other OECD country,except Germany. The OECD noted thatCanada spends less than most countrieson cash transfers such as unemploymentand family benefits.* Canadians are in debt as seldombefore. In 1984, at the peak of the worsteconomic downturn since the 1930s,Canadian households held 70 cents ofdebt for every dollar of income. Today,households owe $1.27 for every dollarthey bring home. A new Environics pollshows four in 10 Canadians say they areone or two pay cheques away from beingpoor.* The Childrens Aid Society ofToronto sees child poverty rising at analarming rate across Torontos suburbs.In areas such as Mississauga, Markham,Richmond Hill and Oakville, child pover-ty rates have soared since 1990, comingclose to levels formerly known only indowntown Toronto, says the report,based on data from 2006.* While Torontos child povertyrate (before taxes) is the highest at 32per cent, up from 24 per cent in 1990,the suburbs have seen more dramaticincreases.* Toronto Public Healths TheUnequal City, found a clear link betweenpoverty and poor health. It reportedthat the top 20 per cent of male earnerslive 4.5 years longer than the bottom 20per cent; females live 2.0 years longer.* More recently, a team of econo-mists, bankers and food bank directorsreleased a study about the cost of pover-ty which shows that poverty hurts both

the health of those caught in its grip andhits the wallets of almost everyone insociety.

The inescapable conclusion ofboth reports is that to improve overallhealth and reduce health costs, start byreducing poverty.* Incidentally, the poorest areasalso tend to be the most polluted.PollutionWatch, after a two-yearresearch project, found that many ofTorontos poorest residents live nearindustries that spew the highest levels oftoxic chemicals and pollutants into theair. Air pollution contributes to almost

9,500 premature deaths each year inOntario.* Speaking of food banks, across

Canada over 700,000 people use them inan average month, says a federal charitycalled Food Banks Canada. It found that14.5 per cent of the users are consideredworking poor,' up from 12 per cent in2002.

There has been a 13 per centjump since last Fall in the number ofOntario residents seeking food aid,according to a report on December 2 bythe Ontario Association of Food Banks.

If the trend continues, next yearabout 350,000 Ontarians will be liningup at food banks each month to get thebasics they cant afford to buy. And asthings get worse, it affects donors too.Gail Nyberg, executive director of theDaily Bread Food Bank, said food andfinancial donations are down 15 per centthis year.

And this is only a glimpse ofwhats to come. Canadian employersslashed nearly 71,000 jobs in November,the worst single month drop in 26 years.600,000 more jobs are expected to dis-appear. According to BMO CapitalMarkets economist Doug Porter, unem-ployment will rise to 7.5 per cent by theend of 2009. Is Porter even countingthose whove totally given up looking forwork, and the chronically under-employed? Ten years of economicboom delivered a 59 per cent increasein temporary and contract jobs.

Almost four in ten jobs are nowimpermanent and part-time forms ofwork. For all of this we have capitalismto thank in good times. As for thefuture, dont we deserve something aheck of a lot better than this? Or morespecifically, dont we deserve a differenteconomic system based on democracy,participation and fairness?

The People Behind theEconomic Collapse

A Tale of Two Classes: Newspapers are filled with pictures of stockbrokers withhead in hands. Yet ignored by the corporate press are those losing their jobs andhomes. Which one of these two people will be bailed out by the government?

Photo:Manatsu

Photo:Artemuestra

Elect Socialist Caucuscandidates for

ONDP Executive

Peter CassidyJohn Orrett

Gerrit OlthoffJudy Koch

Barry Weisleder

BY EDITOR SEAN CAIN

The New DemocraticParty has a long histo-ry of creating and pro-tecting important pub-lic services like healthcare, education, socialhousing and child care.

Socialists believe that these aretoo important to be left to the privatesector. Everyone should have basic eco-

nomic and social rights, and the mostefficient and equitable way to do that isto have a democratic government pro-vide them on a non-profit bases, paid forthrough progressive taxation.

At party councils and conven-tions, NDP delegates howl against thethought of Liberals and Conservativesprivatizing such programs. But if theseservices should be owned by the publicsector and provid-ed universally,then why should-nt we own otherimportant indus-tries such as oil,banking or insur-

ance. Why are New Democrats will-ing to lay down their lives against priva-tizing hospitals, yet we run for the hillsevery time someone brings up the ideaof socializing the oil industry?

Free, universal health care?Absolutely. Public education? Definitely.A socially owned and environmentally-responsible auto industry? Not on yourlife.

Yet why should importantindustries that create so much wealth beowned by a group of investors who haveno responsibility to the working peoplewho created that wealth in the firstplace?

As New Democrats, surely weunderstand that our economic systemisnt geared towards creating good-pay-ing jobs with strong benefits and a pen-sion for everyone. The private sectorsonly purpose is to maximize profits forshareholders. Period. End of debate.

On the other hand, a public sec-tor that includes industries such as oiland gas, transportation, energy, bankingand insurance could be run democrati-cally by workers, with significant partic-ipation of consumers and citizens, andmanaged on a non-profit basis for thebenefit of everyone.

This would create real account-ability and prevent the kinds of financial

transgressions that have recently

thrown the world economy into yetanother massive crisis. And as decadesof labour research has shown, industriesthat are self-managed by workers are,under static conditions, more produc-tive and cost-effective than companieswhich possess traditional, top-down,bureaucratic forms of administration.But of course, were not supposed toknow this.

If universal health care has any-thing to say about it social ownership

would result in better service and moreaffordable costs to consumers. If thepublic medical systems of Scandinavialiterally cost half as much (as have supe-rior health indicators) than the privatesector catastrophe of the United States,why couldnt other public industries bejust as efficient?

By social ownership, we meangenuine economic democracy, NOT the

inefficient, super-b ureauc rat i z edform of publicownership thatexisted in Britainduring the post-war era, for exam-

ple, when indus-tries taken over by the governmentwhere run by some of the same peoplewho managed them previously in theprivate sector.

Social ownership will also allowus to make sensible, environmentally-friendly plans for the future. Why not anauto industry that produces smaller,electric cars. Or an energy industry thatcreates thousands of wind turbinesinstead of throwing billions more intothe black hole of nuclear power? Or howabout a public housing industry thatproduces quality, tenant-controlledapartments that could end homeless-ness in Canada, once and for all.

Of course, none of this will takeplace over night. To buy out theseindustries, the government would usecurrent profits and the payment of long-term bonds to compensate the formerowners, and by owners we mean thegenuine working and middle-class own-ers of stock, not the millionaires whoown large shareholding majorities inmany of these businesses. This maysound radical, but its something thatsocial democratic and even some con-servative governments did on a regularbasis in Europe after World War II.

Social ownership isnt onlyabout economic democracy, an environ-mentally-healthy future or even social-

ism per se. Its just common sense.

Why are New Democrats willing to

lay down their lives against privatiz-

ing hospitals, yet we run for the hills

every time someone brings up the

idea of socializing the oil industry?


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ONDP Socialist Caucus Resolutions


The Ontario NDP Socialist Caucusadopted a package of 27 resolutions atits annual conference in November2008. Those listed as Priority aremost important. We hope you speakout and support them when they arepresented at convention.

Raise the Minimum Wage Priority

Whereas the current minimum wage isfar too low to support a single person, letalone a family;

And whereas the current minimum wageunfairly punishes the young, and thoseworking in the service sector;

Be it resolved that the Ontario NDPactively campaign for, and seek to legis-late, the elimination of distinctions in theminimum wage law based on age or

occupation.

Be it further resolved that the ONDPactively campaign for, and seek to legis-late during the first year of office anincrease in the minimum wage to a livingwage of $15.00/hour in Ontario, andinclude a permanent, annual cost of liv-ing adjustment for it to keep pace withinflation.

Welfare Priority

Whereas the Mike Harris Conservative

government, as part of its war on thepoor, reduced welfare rates by 21.6% in1995, and the Ontario Liberal govern-ment has decided to restore only 3% ofthe 21.6% cut;

Therefore Be It Resolved that the ONDPactively campaign for the immediaterestoration of rates of social assistance atleast to the level existing before theHarris government cuts, plus inflationsince then, and will increase social assis-tance rates to a level which allows recip-ients a decent quality of life.

Work Week

Whereas the Canadian work week isamong the longest in the industrializedworld, a situation proven to causeincreased stress, illness and lower pro-ductivity;

Whereas tens of thousands of new jobswould be created if the work week wasreduced appropriately;

Therefore be it resolved that the NDPactively campaign to reduce the workweek to 32 hours, without loss of pay orbenefits to workers, and to outlawmandatory overtime.

Right to Strike Priority

Whereas governments increasingly seekto erode, restrict or eliminate workersright to strike, falsely arguing that unionsand strikes pose a threat to public health

and safety, while governments them-selves trample human needs by de-regu-lating capital, privatizing public services,and facilitating growing corporate con-trol over all facets of life;

Therefore Be It Resolved that the OntarioNDP actively campaign for, and seek tolegislate the unfettered right to strike forall working people, and that the partyrespect the integrity and competence ofunions to safeguard public health andsafety and provide for the delivery ofgenuinely essential services during astrike by their members.

Employment Equity

Whereas the Tory government repealedthe employment equity law passed bythe 1990-1995 NDP government,

Be it resolved that an employment equitylaw for natives, people of colour, disabledpeople, women, gays, lesbians, and trans-gendered persons be reintroduced.

Elimination of

Tuition

Whereas the cost ofpost-secondary tuitionhas skyrocketed inOntario in recent

years;

And whereas manystudents are nowgraduating from post-secondary institutionswith student-debt ofover $50,000 each;

Therefore Be itresolved that theOntario NDP activelycampaign to immedi-ately freeze tuition in

Ontario, and through annual reductions,completely eliminate tuition during itsfirst term of office.

Therefore Be it further resolved that theOntario NDP actively campaign for amore equitable and progressive taxationsystem that would help to fund freeaccess to post-secondary education.

No Public Funding for ReligiousSchools Priority

Whereas Canada/Ontario was found inviolation of its international humanrights obligations by the United NationsHuman Rights Committee in 1999 andagain in 2005 by virtue of discrimination

in the funding of Roman Catholic schoolsin Ontario;

Whereas the termination of public fund-ing for religion-based schools by the gov-ernments of Quebec and Newfoundland

has negated the constitutional rationalefor public funding of Roman Catholicschools;

Whereas the Ontario Legislature has thepower to eliminate public funding to theRoman Catholic school system by passinglegislation to that effect, as was done bythe legislature of Manitoba;

Whereas the religious segregation ofOntario children undermines the role ofpublic schools in fostering tolerance andrespect between Ontarians of differentbackgrounds; and

Whereas the ONDP has always advocated

and supported equality and equity for allOntarions in the delivery of public servic-es;

Therefore Be It Resolved that the ONDPsupports one publicly funded school sys-tem and will actively campaign for anend to public funding of any kind for anyreligion-based schools in Ontario, whilepermitting, where appropriate, religiousinstruction in any faith in publicly fundedschools outside regular instructionalhours.

Health Care

Whereas the Liberal government has ini-

tiated a health premium and de-listedsome of the OHIP services.

Therefore be it resolved that OntarioNDP will campaign to eliminate HealthCare premiums immediately, and expandHealth Care to include free and universalDental Care, Physiotherapy, Drug plan,Optometrist, Psychotherapy provided bysocial workers, and psychologists,Alternative Therapies and Medicines,Preventive Medicines, Home Care, andSenior Care.

Housing Priority

Whereas homelessness is unacceptable,

and,

Whereas many people are living in mar-ginal housing and on the verge of becom-ing homeless and,

Whereas homelessness has increased inthe last ten years and homeless peopleare dying on the streets and,

Whereas developers are not interested increating affordable housing,

Therefore be it resolved that the NDP ingovernment will take initiatives, with the

cooperation of other levelsof government, to create uni-

versally affordable andaccessible cooperative andsocial housing,

And further be it resolvedthat the NDP must have bothlong term and short-termpolicies for creating univer-sally affordable and accessi-ble cooperative and socialhousing for all people,

And be it further resolvedthat the NDP actively cam-paign for the demand that

the federal government allocate 2% offederal expenditures for cooperative andsocial housing.

Public and Democratic Hydro

Whereas the old Ontario Hydro wasbureaucratic, undemocratic, debt-ridden,and lacked the accountability necessaryto provide environmentally friendlyenergy to the people of Ontario (includ-ing solar, wind and geothermal energy);

Whereas the Ontario ConservativeParty's partial privatization of OntarioHydro has led to radically higher rates,poorer service, power shortages, andeven greater environmental harm, andthe Ontario Liberal government is pursu-ing the same agenda;

Therefore Be It Resolved that the OntarioNDP will actively campaign to put what

was formerly known as Ontario Hydro,including its energy production and dis-tribution facilities, under social owner-ship with minimal compensation for pri-vate owners (in the form of long-term,low interest bonds), and commit to legis-late to that purpose.

Therefore Be It Further Resolved that thenew public Ontario Hydro would be con-trolled democratically and managed byits workers, with direct election of plantmanagers and directors (subject torecall), and integrate significant andmeaningful participation in decision-making by consumers and local commu-nities.

All-electric or Hybrid engine Vehicles

Priority

Whereas all-electric or hybrid engine,non-biofuel vehicles would be moreenergy efficient and environmentally

compatible;

Therefore Be It Resolved that the OntarioNDP actively campaign for and pledge tolegislate a requirement that 50% of allnew motor vehicles sold in Ontario beall-electric or hybrid engine, non-biofuelvehicles.

Social Ownership and EconomicDemocracy Priority

Whereas large corporations and financialinstitutions are undemocratic and hier-archical, seeking profits and power over

Below: One of the many failures of capitalism.Homelessness is likely to increase during yetanother economic crisis.

Below: Hospital waiting rooms are get-ting more crowded as expendituresare not keeping up with need.

Above: NDP Parliamentarians, together with allies inthe labour movement, pressed the Ontario governmentto raise the minimum wage to $10.25, but further gainsmust be made to lower rates of poverty.


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and above the interests of citizens andthe environment;

And whereas social ownership is a neces-sary precondition for democratic controlof the economy, full employment And anequitable distribution of income andpower;

And whereas workers control wouldcontribute greatly to economic justice,greater efficiencies, and most important-ly, improve the quality of life of workingpeople and our allies;

Therefore Be It Resolved that the Ontario

NDP is committed to actively campaignfor and implement social ownership,including but not limited to the followingindustries: natural resources, manufac-turing, energy, mass media, medicaldrugs, transportation, banking, commu-nications, education, health care, insur-ance.

Therefore Be It Further Resolved thatthese industries be democratically con-trolled and managed by their workers, byinstituting direct election of plant man-agers and enterprise directors, with theright of recall by their electors, and inte-grate significant and meaningful con-sumer participation in the decision-mak-

ing process.

Social Ownership of PrimaryIndustries

Whereas Canadas primary industriessuch as forestry, mining, and fishing arevital to economic development and jobcreation, especially in smaller communi-ties;

Whereas many of these industries contin-ue to be controlled by small groupings ofpowerful shareholders who seek profitsand power over and above the interestsof citizens, workers and the environment;

Whereas these industries, under privateownership, threaten smaller communi-ties with de-investment and capital flight;

Be it resolved that an Ontario NDP gov-ernment socialize all major primaryindustries in Ontario over a period oftime with compensation to the formerowners by means of low-interest, long-term bonds;

Be it further resolved that an ONDP gov-ernment place all public enterprisesunder democratic control by their work-ers, instituting direct election of plant

managers and enterprise directors, withthe right of recall by their electors, andhave significant and meaningful partici-pation in decision-making by consumers,environmental groups and local commu-nities.

Be it further resolved that public enter-prises undergo a green screen andmove towards the use of environmental-ly friendly forms of energy, the buildingup of resource capacities and other vari-eties of sustainable development.

Social Ownership of Banking andInsurance

Whereas large banks and insurancemonopolies in Ontario are concernedmainly with maximization of profits andbigger dividends for shareholderss;

Whereas private ownership of banks andinsurance companies leads to greedy andcorrupt practices, wasteful advertisingand duplication of services, higher trans-actions costs, and thus higher costs forconsumers;

Be it resolved that an Ontario NDP gov-ernment place all large private financialinstitutions and large insurance compa-nies (including life, home and auto insur-

ance firms) under social ownership withcompensation over a period of years tothe former owners in the form of low-interest, long-term bonds;

Be it resolved that publicly owned indus-tries be managed democratically by theirworkers, instituting direct election ofmanagers and enterprise directors, withthe right of recall by their electors, andhave significant and meaningful partici-pation in the decision-making process byconsumers, small business persons andfamily farmers.

For Democracy in Practice andLeadership Accountability

Whereas the Ontario NDP still suffersfrom the legacy of the party leaders whoviolated NDP policies and principlesadopted at convention;

Therefore Be It Resolved that adoptedpolicies and priorities are binding onparty elected officials and staff for imple-mentation, and that NDP leaders be sub-ject to recall and replacement for viola-tion of party principles, and for failure toimplement democratically adopted poli-cies and priorities.

For More Policy Discussion atConventions Priority

Whereas substantially greater democra-cy and political pluralism are an urgentnecessity within the NDP;

Therefore Be It Resolved that this partymandate and provide more accessible,more democratic, membership-delegatedriven party conventions and provincialcouncil meetings, with low/minimal reg-istration fees, and at least 80% of conven-tion and provincial council time dedicat-ed to debate and voting on resolutionsfrom grassroots organizations.

Building the Party as a MassMovement of the Working Class andAllies Priority

Whereas the NDP must restore andexpand its links to the working class,including the unemployed, the under-employed, and the non-waged workers,and to the social protest movements thatbattle the depredations of globalized cap-italism;

And whereas NDP links to labour unions,including its receipt of their financial con-tributions, proudly distinguish the NDPfrom the parties of big business as thedemocratic political expression of theworkers movement in this country;

And whereas we can learn much from thelegacy of the CooperativeCommonwealth Federation (CCF), prede-cessor to the NDP, which was founded asa Federation of local clubs, farmers'unions, cooperatives, labour and socialistparties, workers unions, intellectual

societies, and other grassroots workingclass organizations, united initially on thebasis of the Regina Manifesto in 1932-33.

Therefore Be It Resolved that the NDPactively campaign to increase union affil-iation to the party and invite progressivesocial movements and groups of activistindividuals to form clubs and to affiliateto the party. The party actively promotesthe idea of an expanded movement ofaffiliates which would enjoy direct in-putto conventions and councils of the NDP,and which would constitute an expandedworking class and activist base on whichto build the party as an instrument fordemocratic socialist transformation of

society.

Uphold NDP Federal Convention-Adopted Policy -- Canadian troops Out

of Afghanistan Now

Whereas the 2006 NDP federal conven-tion voted overwhelmingly for a safeand immediate withdrawal of Canadiantroops from Afghanistan,

And whereas NDP federal Leader JackLayton spoke on CBC radio on September23/06 to clarify his stand on the issue,indicating that he favours withdrawal ofCanadian troops only from the war the-atre in Kandahar, and that he supports

the continuation of the 3D approach ofCanadian foreign policy which is thepolicy of the previous Liberal govern-

ment, Defence, Development andDiplomacy in other words, the ongoingforeign occupation and control of thecountry, arguably designed by theLiberals to secure a pipeline route forJean Chretiens friends in the oil patch.

Therefore Be It Resolved that this bodydemands that the Federal NDP Leaderand Parliamentary Caucus adhere to theconvention-adopted troops out ofAfghanistan now policy; and re-affirmthe longstanding NDP call for Canada toget out of the cold-war relic NATOalliance;

And Be It Further Resolved that this bodycommits itself, and calls on the NDP lead-ership at all levels, to mobilize for thebiggest and broadest possible participa-tion in mass actions against the wars ofoccupation in Afghanistan and Iraq.

Boycott apartheid Israel, upholdPalestinian rights Priority

Whereas boycott, divestment and sanc-tions worked to help end apartheid inSouth Africa.

Whereas the same tactics, endorsed byCUPE Ontario and CUPW, seek to help toenforce the rights of the Palestinian peo-ple, including the right of refugees toreturn to their homes and properties.

Therefore Be It Resolved that this bodyexpress its support for the internationalcampaign of boycott, divestment andsanctions until Israel meets its obliga-tions to recognize the Palestinian peo-ple's inalienable right to self-determina-tion and fully complies with international

law, including U.N. resolution 194, whichcalls for the right of return of Palestinianrefugees.

Fair and Democratic Trade

Whereas the so-called free trade agree-ments of the FTA, NAFTA, GATS, and theinstitution of the WTO are undemocratic;

Whereas this corporate agenda is a seri-ous threat to social programmes, theenvironment, human and labour rights,and the goals of democratic socialism;

And whereas the Bolivarian AlternativeTrade Agreement (ALBA) pioneered by

Venezuela and Cuba, demonstrates thatthere is a way to foster internationaltrade on a cooperative and non-exploita-tive basis;

Therefore Be It Resolved that the OntarioNew Democratic Party is committed toactively campaign for abrogation andwithdrawal of Canada from the FTA,NAFTA, GATS, and the WTO.

Therefore Be It Further Resolved thatthe NDP is committed to developing andpromoting a democratic and participa-tory system of trade that supports andprotects the rights, freedoms and inter-ests of working people, unions, women,

Aboriginal peoples, farmers and peas-ants, seniors, and the poor, dispossessedand marginalized peoples.

Above: If governments have enough money to bail out banks and businessesin times of crisis, why cant they buy them and place them under social own-ership and democratic controls?

OTHER RESOLUTIONS FROM THE ONDP SOCIALIST CAUCUS

Remove One Member One Vote MechanismFood Safety First: Rebuild the Public Service PriorityRepeal the Clarity ActParty Internal FinancingSolidarity with CubaJustice for Wal-Mart workers; Stop Run-Away-Shop Union Busting TacticsDefend Venezuela and Bolivia

Photo:JohnSherffius,BoulderDailyCamera


6/8

School Board Trustee Jan Johnstone asks how a

social democratic party can idly stand by whileyoung students are separated on the basis of reli-

gion at schools every day in Ontario

OBSCURED BY the media coverage of the educationfunding war in the last Ontario election is the fact thatwe already waste a whack of money by running fourduplicate systems of education. Why continue towaste more? Some wanted to fund religious schools,some wanted to fund none. But all liked to abuse theword fairness.

In all fairness, wars are costly and peace ispriceless. Our present system is financially unsustain-able due to declining enrolment. Decorating it withprivate religious schools wont address decliningenrolment. Futuristic promises to create equity acrossthe boards by renovating the old flawed school fund-ing formula wont addressdeclining enrolment either.

Not even a move backto the old funding model inwhich school boards, cap-in-hand, beg for direct municipaltaxpayer support will addressdeclining enrolment. Schoolboard partnerships might help,but are limited in their ability tocapitalize on cost efficiencies that are available butunderused among boards (such as combining ourfinancial resources, staff expertise, and school build-ings).

Schools are social hubs in our

communities. Students, parents andthe community are very generous withtheir time, donations and fundraisingactivities because they care. But theseuser fees and individual sweat equitywont change the bottom line.

School fees and endlessfundraising demands are stressing outpublic education, parent and studentsalike. As one parent said to me: I amsick of fundraising for every little logand swing seat - let alone an entirenew piece of playground equipment!

I see red when I see systemicfunding inequity. Here, EnglishCatholic school boards generallyreceive a lot more dollars per pupil

funding thantheir neighbour-ing EnglishPublic boards.Similarly, French Public boardsalways receive more than theirFrench Catholic counterparts do.This friendly war increasesoverall educational costs andschool boards are forced to com-

pete with each other over the same student popula-tion, in the same geographical area.

Four educational systems serving overlappingjurisdictions have created too many inefficiencies, too

much red ink and huge waste of money and resources.Buttressing a crumbling infrastructure and duplicat-ing administrative costs is already a misuse of tax dol-lars. Putting educational dollars into funding religiousschools would only worsen community destabiliza-tion. We dont need to throw more money at educa-tion. We need to preserve our publicly funded schoolsystem.


Neo-Liberalisms Failed LegacyYork University Ph.Dstudent Simon Blackdiscusses the implica-tions of thirty years offailed neo-liberal eco-

nomic theory

THERE'S A HOLE in Canada's socialsafety net and the evidence is all aroundus: from the homeless on our streets tothe growing number of our fellow citi-zens who rely on food banks for theirdaily sustenance.

The hole was made by succes-sive governments whose mantra of pay-ing down the debt and controlling infla-tion at any and all costs has put ourcountry in a precarious position as weslide further into economic despair.

What Happened to Our Safety Net?

It didn't have to be this way.The Great Depression highlighted the

need for a stronger social safety net. Inthe post-war years, countries in theindustrialized world set about buildinga welfare state and implementing aregime of social citizenship.

The idea of social citizenshipand the social rights it entailed, asBritish sociologist T.H. Marshall soeloquently theorized, was nec-essary for the fulfillment ofcivil and political rights.For Marshall, without aguarantee of the basicnecessities of life andprotection againstthe vicissitudes ofthe market, civil andpolitical rights couldnot be exercised totheir fullest extent andcitizenship thus remainedincomplete.

Post-war legislation, frompublic pensions and social housing, min-imum wages to welfare, guaranteed citi-zens the right to retire in a state of dig-nity, the right to shelter and the right towork at a decent wage and have access

to material support from the state whenunemployed.

Racialized Groups Excluded fromSocial Rights in Canada

There have always been exclu-

sions and silences in Canada's regime ofsocial rights. Aboriginal people, immi-grants and other racialized groups couldnot enjoy the benefits of social citizen-ship to the same extent as others. Andprior to the struggles waged by the fem-inist movement in the 1960s and 70s,women primarily had access to thesocial wage through their male-bread-winner husband.

But despite these limitations,social citizenship was widely recog-nized by states and citizenry alike as alegitimate and worthwhile ideal. As theeconomic clouds of the 1970s formedand governments turned their attentionto fighting inflation, social citizenship

lost favour among ruling elites.In the era of neo-liberalism,

where governments are concerned withrolling back the state and allowing themarket to work its magic for the wellbeing of all, social rights fell victim tocutbacks in government expenditureand an ideology of individualism.

Neo-Liberalism's

Devastating Impact

Social policybecame synonymouswith, and subsumedunder, employmentpolicy: The goal of

government was notto provide protection

from the vagaries of themarket, but to put people

to work so they could protectthemselves. The social safety net

became a trampoline, bouncing thosewho had fallen on hard times and hadbecome reliant on government supportback into jobs, no matter what theirwages or working conditions.

The impact has been devastat-ing. Not only do we see rising inequali-ty and poverty, the growth of the work-ing poor and the homeless, but the econ-omy's ability to recover from economicdownturns has been severely hamperedby the withering away of what econo-mists call the automatic stabilizer.

Typically, as the economyenters a downturn, government taxreceipts fall, expenditures on incomesupports rise (as more people are laidoff) and the government likely runs adeficit (assuming it make no cuts inexpenditures).

The automatic stabilizer refersto that increase in government expendi-

ture on income supports (such as wel-fare and EI) that occurs in an economicdownturn and thereby props up aggre-gate demand (people's ability and will-ingness to buy goods and services) andin theory, eases out the recession. Yetthe stabilizer loses its impact as the gov-ernment dismantles the welfare stateand undermines social citizenship.

Employment Insurance Now a Luxury

For the FewTake the case of Employment

Insurance. What was once a right hasbecome a luxury for the few, as millionsof workers facing unemployment duringthis crisis will not be able to access EIand instead must rely on that programof last resort, welfare or social assis-tance, which has been severely under-mined by cutbacks and downloading.

Currently, only 54 per cent ofthe unemployed are eligible for EI bene-fits with 41 per cent actually receivingthem. In an effort to make our labourmarket conform to the neo-liberalmantra of flexibility and competitive-ness, these reforms can have the per-

verse impact of drawing out recessionsover a longer period of time.

A Failed Economic and Social Model

As the economic crisis has sodevastatingly demonstrated, neo-liber-alism as a financial model has failed.Deregulation of financial markets and a

Deregulation

of financial markets

and a skewed distribution

of the economic surplus hascreated a series of speculative

bubbles, from dot-com to real

estate, that have done little to

promote sustainable econom-ic growth and have left

markets floundering intheir wake.

The ideological dead end of capitalism and neo-liberalism has left humanitywith one last alternative: socialist democracy.

Standing Up for One Publicly Funded School System

If not us, then who? Who will stand

up for a one publicly-funded school

system with only French and English

boards? We are the political partythat advocates and supports equali-

ty and equity for all Ontarians in the

delivery of public services.

...Except, of course, for children in Catholic schools acrossOntario.

continued on next page

continued on page 8


7/8


BY BARRY WEISLEDER

VOICES FROM VENEZUELA Behind the

Bolivarian Revolution, by Jim McIlroy andCoral Wynter (Resistance Books, 2008,Australia, 313 pages), is a must-readanthology for everyone interested in thepath to radical social transformation.The book presents a wide range of inter-views with people involved in the ongo-ing revolutionary process challengingboth Venezuela's ruling economic eliteand foreign capitalist domination.

Shanty dwellers, workers whohave occupied their factories, aca-demics, and government offi-

cials describe gains made,and persistent obstacles tochange. In their ownvoices they express hopeand frustration, andprovide a vivid, livingaccount of a broadmovement set on turninga situation of grave socialinjustice upside down.

The book's authors aremembers of the Democratic SocialistPerspective of Australia and write for itspublication Green Left Weekly. McIlroyand Wynter spent 2006 touringVenezuela, transmitting reports andinterviews about major events and grass-

roots organizing efforts. The book con-

sists of many brief, easy to read itemsthey gathered, along with useful histori-cal background.

New readers will learn thatthree hundred years of Spanish colonial-ism was challenged by the continentalwar of liberation led by Simon Bolivar,but foreign domination laid a scheme forgenerations of bourgeois political manip-ulation, severe repression and structuralunderdevelopment. This pattern wasbroken by the 1998 electoral victory ofHugo Chavez, a rebellious senior armyofficer.

The two capitalist parties thattook turns running the national

government were defeated,but the old elite still domi-

nates the state and econ-omy. Chavez aims atfinding a 'third way', aroute around the domi-nant system to over-

come staggering povertyand despair. Venezuela's

fabulous oil revenue wealthseemed to provide the means.

But obstacles remain in the form ofpower structures, corporate executives,corrupt union bureaucrats, and foreigninterests championed by Washington.

By 2005 Chavez openly calledfor getting rid of capitalism and replacing

it with socialism of the 21st century.

This means a rejection of Stalinism,which deformed and discredited social-ism in the eyes of millions worldwide.

The question, not answered in

the book or in real life, is whether theChavez perspective embodies a radicalrupture with private ownership of thecommanding heights of the economy andthe development of a democraticallyplanned economy, or is merely a regimeof reforms that seeks to co-habit withprivate business rule.

Voices from Venezuela describeshow the Bolivarian Revolution of HugoChavez has struggled to overcomeobstruction by the ministries of the capi-talist state. With significant help fromrevolutionary Cuba, Chavez launched'missions' that directly brought free,quality health care and education, as wellas low-priced food supplies, to the poor-

est urban neighborhoods and rural vil-lages.Such efforts improved living

conditions for millions. Grassrootsorganizations spawned by these pro-grams, including new unions, farmers'associations, women's groups and com-munity radio outlets, helped to mobilizethe population, especially at crucialmoments.

That enabled workers and thepoor to overturn the military coup ofApril 14, 2002, the capitalist oil strike ofDecember 2002, and to defeat the rightwing-initiated president-recall referen-dum of August 14, 2004.

Now there is an extensive net-

work of social welfare 'missions' and

tens of thousands of cooperatives smallbusinesses launched with governmentassistance. Communal councils, withfunding from the government, directlyinvolve masses of local residents in mak-ing local improvements to roads, walk-ways, water and electricity provision,and sewage disposal.

The neighbourhood councilscompete with the old municipal state

bodies for authority and popular partici-pation. Rural reform has begun too.Some land has been distributed to poorfarmers, but it is mostly governmentland, not the large holdings (often idle) ofprivate estates.

Voices informs us that coops,even large ones encompassing hundredsof workers in nationalized industrialplants, jostle in the capitalist market withone another and bump up against largerfirms, foreign and domestic.

The coops seek to maximizeprofits for their own members. Thisprocess fuels waste and greed, ratherthan economic planning and overallsocial development.

Venezuela is the site of impor-tant advances for women, youth, andindigenous peoples. Self-organization,from the bottom-up, is extensively illus-trated in Voices. Many inspiring stories ofpreviously marginalized people, now ani-mated and vigorously asserting theirrights, fill the pages. This is the strengthof the book.

To make the revolutionary rup-ture with capitalism is not easy. Chilean-born author and Bolivarian participant,Marta Harnecker, makes the soberingobservation, If we compare the generalculture of politics (in Venezuela) withChile (during the period of left-wing

If my Public school board amal-gamated with our neighbouring Separateschool board, we could reduce capacityof 5,500 student surplus spaces that weshare between us. Not only would we beable to get rid of partially filled schools,but also we would be able to eliminatethe redundant administration and dupli-cated services that these two boardsprop up.

Doing this, we would free upover 3.6 million dollars annually andanother million dollars if we calculatedaccording to our smaller coterminousboards per pupil funding allocation.

If these are the annual cost sav-ings in amalgamating these two smallboards who serve the same area, can youimagine the cost savings across theprovince? Instead of dividing, we shouldbe measuring and aligning our legacy.We should be calculating the potentialsavings across the province.

Imagine what we could dotogether in education, for all kids, from

all communities, with a one publiclyfunded school system with French andEnglish school boards only. We coulddirect our savings into effective and sus-tainable student programs, services, andschool classrooms.

Therefore, re-investments instudent programming becomes the pri-ority over investment in organizationalstructures. A student-centered fundingstrategy will enable us to provide qualityeducational programs and better-spe-cialized supports with more overall

choice for all students, as well as betteroverall supervision to increase safetyand to optimize education outcomes.

A properly funded transporta-tion system would treat all student ridersequally and provide better bussing serv-ice. We could clear the air by upgradingand retrofitting our remaining schoolbuildings, do much needed capitalrepairs and complete long overdue main-tenance orders to make our schoolshealthy and environmentally friendly.

By properly funding music, art,drama, sports programs, and popularextracurricular activities, we could final-

ly dispense with student fees andfundraising for these essentials.

My Ontario Public School BoardAssociation, OPSBA, represents over 1.2million students and about 2.4 millionvoting parents. We have historically sup-ported a one publicly funded school sys-tem for each of Canadas official lan-guages. Association des conseillers(eres)des ecoles publiques de LOntario -ACPO - is also on record as supportingone school system, and representsover 20 thousand students and

about 40 thousand voting parents.I say to all my fellow NewDemocrats across the province, ifnot us - then who? Who will standup for a one publicly fundedschool system with only Frenchand English boards? We are thepolitical party that advocates andsupports equality and equity forall Ontarians in the delivery ofpublic services.

And if not now, thenwhen? When will we stand up fora one publicly funded school sys-tem that is non-discriminatory,

equitable, and efficient. It only takespolitical will and the courage to do it.Our kids live together and play togetherin their communities, lets have themlearn together too! Let them teach us.

Jan JohnstonePublic School Trustee and Vice Chair(Bluewater District School Board)Vice Chair (Western Region OPSBA)Vice President (NDP Huron-BruceRiding Association)

School boards ...continued from page 6

SOCIALIST CAUCUS TABLEAT CONVENTION

Located in the main hall.

We will have Socialist Caucusliterature, buttons, informationon our panel discussions, sign-up sheets, and more.

COME BY FOR A VISIT!

Book Review: Voices from Venezuela -Behind the Revolution

Fighting for Socialism andEconomic Democracy isnt Cheap

The Socialist Caucus spends its resources publishing editionsof Turn Left, issues literature to promote SC candidates forONDP executive, promotes public forums and produces SCposters, stickers, buttons and more.

If you can help, now is the time. Please send a cheque to:Ontario NDP Socialist Caucus, 526 Roxton Road. Toronto,Ontario. M6G 3R4. We really appreciate your support!

continued on page 8Chavezlaunched mis-

sions that directly

brought free, quality

health care and education,as well as low-priced food

supplies, to the poorest

urban neighborhoods

and rural villages.


8/8

Despite all the talk about economicstimulus for hard times, it is clearthat capitalist politicians plan to usethe current depression to hammerdown popular expectations and tomake workers pay for the crisis. BarryWeisleder explains.

THIS IS NOTHING new, but the latestexamples are breathtakingly instructivefor those consciously experiencing aneconomic depression for the first time.

Start with massive tuition hikesfor college and university students. TheEducation Policy Institute, a private bodybased in Toronto, Virginia and Australia,predicts (actually it recommends) thatfees be boosted 25 per cent in the nexttwo years. This would generate $1 bil-lion to $2 billion for crisis-wracked cam-puses which are also urged by the EPIto cut the ranks of higher-pay-earningsenior faculty.

The average net tuition a stu-dent pays in Canada is already over$4,000 (the average would be much high-er were it not for exceptionally low feesin Quebec), and the debt of graduates is

in the tens of thousands of dollars evenmore for grads of the professional facul-ties like engineering, law and medicine.

John Milloy, Ontarios minister

of training, colleges and universities, toldthe Toronto Star (February 26) he wasnot willing to get into a numbers game.We do not want finances to ever be a bar-rier. Well, too late. They have been fora long time.

But obviously were in a tougheconomy and its no secret our resourcesare limited, said Liberal Minister Milloy.In other words, if the government can getaway with it, it will direct or encourageuniversities to hike fees substantially.

Shelley Melanson, chair of theCanadian Federation of Students Ontariobranch, said that any fee hikes during arecession are an absolutely absurd pro-posal. The Federation is urging QueensPark to actually roll back tuition once the2010 cap is lifted, and then cut it eachyear after that.

An important battle is takingshape, as universities face reduced dona-tions and government grants, as workersand students suffer job and income loss-es, and capitalist governments just playdumb.

Another battle brewing is overcuts to the Canadian Broadcasting

Corporation. CBC president HubertLacroix said the Crown corporation mayhave to sell or downgrade assets to copewith financial crisis measures that

would change thevery nature ofour service toCanadians. Moreads, moreAmerican pro-gramming, reduc-ing parts of itsTV/radio servic-es, and consoli-dating local sta-tions are all onthe table, accord-ing to Lacroix.

Due to abudget shortfalland a severe dropin advertisingrevenue, CBCinsiders fear600-700 layoffsin the comingyear, and full-scale commercialization of English-lan-guage radio. The CBC is asking the feder-al government for a line of credit, or a $1billion advance, not an increase in fund-ing.

Tory Finance Minister JimFlaherty recently said that the CBCalready has substantial financing fromthe government. Conservative MP DeanDel Mastro, parliamentary secretary tothe Minister of Canadian Heritage, insist-ed there will be no funding cuts to theCBC.

However, government spendingestimates released on February 26 showa $62 million drop in funding to the CBCin 2009-2010, or 5.6 percent of thebroadcasters annual budget. Add to thata $65 million drop in advertising rev-enue. Thus, the Tories can achieve theirlong-standing goal of stripping and pri-vatizing the CBC just by playing a shell

game. That much was made plain byKory Teneycke, Prime Minister StephenHarpers spokesperson, who said thegovernment doesnt plan to insulatethe CBC from tough economic times.

Meanwhile, the stimulus spin-doctors continue to prescribe billions ofdollars for the chief executives of theauto giants to play their games. InDecember 2008, about $3.4 billion inemergency aid was given by the federalgovernment to GM, Chrysler and Ford,without a single share of public equity inreturn.

The Ontario Liberal governmentpromises to add to that sum, on the samebasis. Still, a plan to re-tool the industryto produce socially useful, energy-effi-cient vehicles is no where in sight.

And when it comes to warspending, there seems to be no shortageof stimulus. The occupation ofAfghanistan will have cost Canadian tax-payers about $11.3 billion by 2011, whenCanadian forces are scheduled to with-draw, the government says.

Ottawas latest estimates do notinclude the costs of disability and healthcare for veterans once the mission isfinished. Parliamentary budget officeKevin Page factored that in when he cal-culated total costs in 2011 at $18.1 bil-lion.

A majority of Canadians wouldend the military occupation much soon-er, and plough the resulting savings into

genuine job creation, environment-sav-ing measures, and making employmentinsurance much more accessible. Amajority would invest in needy areas likehealth care, education, and culture.Those are some good ways to fight adepression.

But thats a completely differentagenda than the one envisioned on BayStreet and Parliament Hill. As we knowfrom history, the first steps towardsadvancing a workers agenda are to cutthrough the corporate nonsense andscuttle the capitalist shell game.

skewed distribution of the economicsurplus has created speculative bub-bles, from dot-com to real estate, thathave done little to promote economicgrowth and have left markets floun-dering in their wake.

As a social model, neo-liber-

alism cut a hole in the post-war safetynet, weakening the welfare state andthe social protections and regime ofcitizenship it entailed. Living throughboom times, although evidence of thishole was apparent amongst society'smost marginalized, buoyant marketsand consumer credit meant less peo-ple fell back on the safety net.

For many, the size of the holewas masked. The markets are nolonger buoyant and consumer creditis drying up. As the economy plungesinto a deep recession and unemploy-ment grows, if government's at alllevels don't act, we are about to seehow big that hole really is.

President Salvador Allende), Chile wasmore advanced. But as the Chileantragedy of 1973 reminds us, advancedradicalization of the masses withoutrevolutionary leadership is insufficientfor victory.

There are some deficiencies inVoices as well. There is no subject or

author index. The chapter introductionsare rife with inconsistencies, and thesequence of topics takes the reader for-ward and back in a way that is a bit dis-concerting, although perhaps unavoid-able given the thematic organization.

Voices from Venezuela makes apowerful case for solidarity with theVenezuelan revolution. It inspires. Italso reminds us of the revolution's ene-mies, especially those in the imperialcapitals. Though disappointing in itsstrategic analysis, it is a useful introduc-tion to a society at a critical cross road.But we have a right to expect more froma socialist source on such a critical sub-ject.


C A P I T A L I S M

The astounding belief that the wickedest ofmen will do the wickedest of things for the

good of everyone

Friday, March 66 p.m. Dinner BreakWhy the Ontario NDP Should Fight for

a Unified, Secular Public School System

Jan JohnstoneTrustee, Vice-chair, Bluewater District

School Board

Vice-chair, Western Region, Ontario

Public School Boards Association.

Malcolm BuchananHamilton Mountain delegate to

Ontario NDP Provincial Council

Past President of the Ontario

Secondary School Teachers

Federation.

Saturday, March 712 Noon Lunch BreakThe NDP and the Economic Crisis

Michael PrueMPP Beaches-East York, candidate forLeader, Ontario NDP.

Barry WeislederCo-chair, NDP Socialist Caucus

Organizer, Toronto Substitute

Teachers.

NDP Socialist Caucus Panel Discussions:Hamilton Convention Centre,

Chedoke Room

Over the convention weekend, the Socialist Caucus is holding workshopsand panel discussions. We warmly invite you to attend.

Neo-Liberalism...continued from page 6

Venuzuela ...continued from page 7

Economic Stimulus - But Not for Education or Culture

Victims of Capitalist Crisis: Federal Conservatives andOntario Liberals are sharpening their knives to make deepcuts to education, culture and other important services.

Documents

Turn Left - Winter 2009