LOCAL NEWS:

THE LAST MAN STANDING:

Last Wednesday December 21 the Province of Manitoba finally moved to evict Occupy Winnipeg from Memorial Park at, of course, 7:00 am. According to what I read Occupy Winnipeg was the last Occupy camp to be evicted in Canada. Not bad strategy on the part of the City and Province actually, especially considering the dispute about who is responsible for "peace"-keeping on Provincial land within the City. In the end Manitoba Conservation and the Winnipeg City Police outnumbered the hardy souls, three in number, who were still braving the cold in the early morning by 10 to one. Once more the mosquito was swatted with a sledgehammer.

Unlike other cities Winnipeg (along with the Province) elected to let cold and the street demons deal with their problem which they did in the end. Other jurisdictions elected to apply the iron fist much earlier. As can be seen this delaying tactic was, from the point of view of authority, much less damaging to said authority than showing off earlier. The final decision to evict was because of what I believe was fire number three at the site. The most likely arsonists are the street demons, especially those who were previously booted out.

The wife and I actually visited the site only three times, twice to bring food and once for a failed offer to cook Christmas dinner for them. On the last evening visit I saw evidence of the security patrols that they had instituted to try and prevent further arson, though Molly thinks that a weapon is better to clear thugs than a dragged along kid (for sure). If Occupy here and elsewhere want to attempt this tactic again in the Spring instead of moving on to new things as many have done they're going to have to be a lot better at security next time around. That, however, may be beside the point as many (most ?) locations are already doing new things. For local updates you can still check out the Occupy Winnipeg Facebook page.

AS I SEE IT:

FOR WHOM THE BELL TOLLS:

The 104 year old Bell Hotel which closed in August 2007 was just one other downtown flophouse, but when it closed it forced 50 people living there to scramble and find other accommodation. Well the years have passed and 5.3 million dollars has flowed under the bridge. This "heritage" minded town has kept the external facade because, after all, frontage is more important than people.

So now the reopening is celebrated with much breaking of arms as various social service bureaucrats pat themselves furiously on the back. You can guess where I'm going with this can't you ? The upgraded premises now have a toilet for every room and, guess what, several social service outlets in the building. Not unexpected and neither is the self congratulation of the bureaucrats as they talk about opening space for 42 new tenants who will be housed whether they have substance abuse problems or not. Oh goody, goody, goody you're so liberal guys !

Let's have a little look at this wonderful gift to Winnipeg's down and out. In case some people are truly mathematically "challenged" it is hard to accept that it isn't obvious that 42 is smaller than 50. That's right. $5.3 million and three years have provided exactly eight fewer places for the poor than there were before. Look at another way. I have little doubt, having grown up without same, that a private indoor toilet is a very good thing , but each of the suites cost about $126,000 each. This in a city that recently spent a goodly amount of tax money hunting down "backyard huts" that otherwise homeless people rented to escape the unwanted "help" of social service bureaucrats. I don't think I'm out of line in saying that there are large numbers of abandoned properties in this town (a lot of which would cost nothing as they are long overdue for expropriation for non-payment of taxes)that could be upgraded far faster at a fraction of the cost. Ah, but palaces for social workers to pretend to work in wouldn't be part of such deals.

There is actually a local initiative that shows a totally different way of doing things. When the infamous Occidental Hotel was morphed into the 'Red Road Lodge' there was indeed government support for putting something else in place of the booze can. Somehow I don't think it was $5.3 million. The RRL also decided to make a go of it by renting out part of the premises to various other businesses and community groups, but no, no social workers (or booze). And the residents were not summarily evicted like they were at the Bell.

Let's look at in yet another way. It's true that this little "initiative" has managed to build accommodation of 42 people at $126,000 per person. Yet it has also managed to "dehouse" eight people at a cost of $664,000 per person. What an advance !

There is, of course, no silver lining for those displaced by this project. Neither is there any sense of accomplishment (whatever the propaganda says) for the taxpayer who has been forced to cough up the millions to do less than was being done before. Who actually benefits from this ? The answer was given in a recent Winnipeg Free Press article where it was stated that "tenants at the Bell must commit to staying in touch with social service agencies". Ah huh ! The big liberal/conservative argument was whether the tenants had to be "clean" before being housed. The answers were predictable. But one thing that both leftists and conservatives agree on in this society is that people have to be controlled.

The Bell Hotel fiasco is a prime example of how NOT to help the poor ie don't throw millions at a problem where there are bureaucracies that stand to benefit financially. And peoplke ask me why I'm an anarchist.

CANADIAN LABOUR WINNIPEG:

MALTEUROP STRIKERS HOLD FIRM:

Strikers at the Winnipeg branch of the international Malteurop corporation are holding firm since going on strike on December 9th. The workers, represented by UFCW Local 832 have received extensive community support since the strike began at the malting plant at 3001 Dugald Road. Here's a report from the UFCW website.

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Malteurop members’ spirits remain high on picket line
The 22 UFCW Canada Local 832 members at the Malteurop facility in Winnipeg continue to hold strong on the picket line, since voting down the company’s last offer on December 9.

The support from the community has been tremendous as many people, friends, family and the labour movement have come to join the workers walk along Dugald Road in Winnipeg.

Support from CUPE, CAW, Manitoba Hydro, Winnipeg firefighters, the Manitoba Federation of Labour, as well as and many small businesses in the area has been greatly appreciated.

UFCW Canada Local 832 has kept in contact with the conciliation officer, who has indicated that currently the employer is not interested in returning to the negotiating table.

Because of the strike, the Holiday party scheduled for December was cancelled, but that didn’t dampen the holiday spirit and solidarity on the picket line Christmas Eve and throughout the holiday season.

The holiday get-together has now been rescheduled for members and their families for a day of fun on Friday, January 14.

WWWWWWWWWW

Here's another similar report from the website of Local 832 that gives a little more information.

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Malteurop members’ spirits remain high on picket line.

The 22 UFCW Local 832 members from Malteurop have been walking a picket line for 30 days, since voting down the company’s last offer. The support from the community has been tremendous as many people, friends, family and the labour movement have come to join the workers walk along Dugald Road in Winnipeg. Support from CUPE, CAW, Manitoba Hydro, Winnipeg firefighters,the Manitoba Federation of Labour and many other small businesses in the area has been greatly appreciated.

The picket line has been calm with the exception of initial incidents when managers, contractors and scabs tried to cross the picket line. Cooler heads prevailed and after a couple visits from the Winnipeg Police ensuring we were following the proper picket line protocol, all has been quiet.

The union has kept in contact with the conciliation officer, who indicated that the employer is not interested in returning to the negotiating table.

The members will be enjoying a late holiday party next week as a company Christmas party was cancelled due to the strike. Members will have a chance to bring their families together for a day of fun on Friday the 14.

CANADIAN LABOUR:

MAYBE BY UKRAINIAN CHRISTMAS:

Two more days to go until Christmas by the Julian calender, known in these parts as "Ukrainian Christmas". Yet down in the post offices of Winnipeg Christmas packages meant to be delivered by December 25th still sit undelivered according to the following article from the Winnipeg Free Press. The reason...the so-called "improvements" mandated by Canada Post management, "improvements" that have been discussed before at this blog and at The Workers' Struggle With The Modern Post blog by postal workers here in Winnipeg. This "modernisation" is one that Canada Post hopes to apply across the country. Because of this Winnipeg workers have received support from other Canada Post workers across the country in their struggle to prevent what is not just against their own interests but against those of the general public. As the backlog in Winnipeg demonstrates. Here's the story from the local press.

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Christmas gifts undelivered: CUPW
By: Katie Dangerfield

Thousands of Christmas packages sat undelivered in the former downtown post office as late as New Year's Eve, a local union official said.

"A good chunk of the parcels sitting in the 266 Graham Ave. building are Christmas wrapped," said Bob Tyer, president of the Canadian Union of Postal Workers.

Missing presents?
Are you missing Christmas presents you were expecting in the mail? If so call the Free Press at 697-7292 or email city.desk@freepress.mb.ca .


Since the introduction of Canada Post's modern delivery system in September, Tyer said there has been a considerable backup of undelivered mail -- especially during the holidays.

During the New Year's weekend, Canada Post employees were set to work overtime s to catch up on deliveries, Tyler said.

This fall, Canada Post introduced what it called a new, more efficient delivery system designed to cut costs. The new system requires letter carriers to carry two bundles of mail, instead of one. Routes and work days are also longer.

Some Winnipeg letter carriers went on strike in November to protest against the new system. Carriers have said it can cause back and neck injuries.

A spokeswoman for Canada Post, Anick Losier, said in an email that the corporation's employees are still adjusting to the new system.

"We just finished our busiest time of year," said Losier. "Our volumes in Winnipeg reached over 1.4 million pieces of mail daily, while normally it is just under one million pieces."

"We even had our people ensure all holiday-themed packages and cards were delivered to customers on time for the holidays," she said.

Tyer said mail service in Winnipeg wasn't as smooth as Losier makes it sound. Since the new system was implemented, the corporation "doesn't care if they don't cover all their routes anymore," he said.

One Winnipeg post office employee who asked not to be named said the corporation is sweeping its problems under a rug, hoping they will go away,

"At one of the depots, supervisors were throwing out 300 to 400 flyers that were a day late, instead of delivering them," the employee said.

Tyer said Canada Post has had countless complaints from businesses and employees regarding the new system, but Losier said the changes were necessary "to help our company stay efficient and viable."

"That's what will protect the future of the company and our employees' incomes and pensions," said Losier.

Tyer said that since September staff injuries have risen "astronomically," and Canada Post has not hired enough people to fill vacancies due to injury and staff retirements.

During the holiday rush, Canada Post brought in retirees and supervisors from across the country to deliver the additional mail.

katie.dangerfield@freepress.mb.ca

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Meanwhile the national Canadian Union of Postal Workers (CUPW) has been circulating a petition for some months asking that the Canadian postal system be strengthened rather than destroyed (perhaps the "modernization" is really part of some long term plan for "privatization"). Please go to their website or this link to sign the following petition to your MP and to the federal Minister in charge of Canada Post. And don't forget to keep up to date on what is happening out here on the windswept prairies by reading The Workers Struggle With The Modern Post.
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Please tell Minister Merrifield: Stop cutting public postal service and jobs
I am writing, as both a user and an owner of Canada Post, to voice my concern about the future of our public post office.

Canada Post has plans to cut thousands of jobs in hundreds of communities across the country by modernizing and reviewing its operations and privatizing philatelic and call centres. The corporation is also cutting services by eliminating rural mail box delivery, closing post offices and removing street letter boxes.

To me, these cuts indicate that Canada Post is focusing increasingly on commercial interests, rather than the public interest.

I believe that Canada Post, as a public institution, should put the public interest first. One of the ways it could do this is by sharing the benefits of its $2 billion modernization program. At the moment, Canada Post intends to use all the productivity gains from this program to cut jobs and save millions annually. This is our post office -- the public should share in the benefits too.

Please tell Rob Merrifield, the Minister responsible for Canada Post, to instruct the corporation to:

1) Put the public interest first.
2) Share the benefits of postal modernization with the public by preserving and improving public postal service and jobs.

CANADIAN LABOUR MANITOBA:

LET THE "THREE AMIGOS" STAY:

Three Filipino workers are now awaiting a deportation hearing here in Winnipeg. The decision about whether they can stay has been set for December 23, 2 days before Christmas. As the following article in the Winnipeg Free Press makes plain they have been the victims of unscrupulous immigration agents and a negligent employer. As we type these words a fund raising dinner for the trio is being held at the Legion Hall on Logan Avenue.

The case of the three men has been taken up by Damayan Manitoba, affiliated with the national organization Migrante Canada. Both organizations advocate for the rights of "temporary workers" here in Canada who are far too often the victims of crooked recruitment agents, lawyers and employers. Here's the story, and I hope you will join Molly in wishing the three men well. This story has special relevance here in Manitoba with our large Filipino community.

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Foreign dads fear deportation
Were working with expired permits to support families in Philippines
By: Carol Sanders


Three dads trying to support their families in the Philippines hope they won't be home for Christmas.

The temporary workers face an Immigration and Refugee Board hearing Dec. 23 after working in a gas bar in Thompson with invalid work permits.

"I hope they let us stay and work," said Ermie Zotomayor, 45. "It's the only means we have to support our families," said the man with a bachelor of science degree in electrical engineering. He and his two educated co-workers -- Antonio Laroya, 45, and Arnisito Gaviola, 42 -- each paid $3,000 to a recruiter in 2007 to find them service jobs in Canada. They shared a trailer in High Prairie, Alta., and worked at a gas station and a restaurant, sending money home to their wives and children in the Philippines. Following a local downturn in the economy, they were offered similar jobs in Manitoba.

The men said their prospective Thompson employer was supposed to take care of their work permits and needed them to start work right away. They went to work in February for $10 an hour, sharing an apartment in the northern city and sending the bulk of their pay home.

"We were caught in a situation where we have to do what we have to do," said Zotomayor, who's been advised not to identify the employer. "We don't want to be a burden."

On June 24, the men were arrested at their Thompson apartment by the Canada Border Services Agency and held at the RCMP detachment for eight hours.

"We were scared," Laroya said. They paid another $1,500 to an immigration consultant in Calgary to help them, not knowing they cannot work while awaiting their Dec. 23 admissibility hearing.

All three have jobs lined up in Thompson with another employer, but can't take them.

"Filipino friends in Thompson have been helping us out... giving us food (and shelter)," Zotomayor said. Now they're in Winnipeg sleeping on the floor of a friend's apartment awaiting their hearing two days before Christmas.

A fundraising dinner and dance is being held this evening at the Royal Canadian Legion on Logan Avenue for the "three amigos" as they're known in the community, said Diwa Marcelino with Bayan Manitoba. It's part of Migrante Canada, a national organization of 16 groups advocating for the rights of Filipino temporary workers.

The three amigos' case is far too common, Marcelino said.

"They were duped by employers and criminalized for trying to work and survive," he said. "Their only crime is working to provide a better life for their family."

Employers benefit from cheap, reliable labour and the workers end up losing their livelihood and being sent home, he said.

If the adjudicator decides Dec. 23 the three men have to leave Canada, they have no right to appeal, said a government spokeswoman in Vancouver.

That doesn't seem fair to Jomay Amora-Mercado, the Manitoba representative for Migrante Canada.

"They've contributed to the economy of Canada." The national body is pushing for temporary workers to have the right to apply for permanent resident status, she said.

The former temporary worker was a "Timmy's girl" at a Tim Hortons in Sherwood Park, Alta., who paid $5,000 to a recruiter for the privilege. Migrante Canada wants the federal government to change the way it issues temporary work permits so workers aren't at the mercy of a single employer, she said.

"It should be work-specific, not employer-specific," she said. When a labour market opinion proves there's a demand for workers, the worker issued the permit shouldn't be chained to a single employer in that market, Jomay said.

For information or fundraiser tickets, call 218-7100 or 414-5902.

CANADIAN LABOUR WINNIPEG:

DIRECT ACTION AND CUPW WINNIPEG LOCAL 856:

Great new interview on Black Mask Radio with two Winnipeg posties about the direct action tactics they have used in their struggle with Canada Post's "test scheme for speedup" here in Winnipeg. Go to the Winnipeg Wobbly Blog to access the file. Also keep up to date with the struggle at The Workers Struggle With The Modern Post blog.

CANADIAN LABOUR WINNIPEG:
WINNIPEG WILDCAT AT CANADA POST:


After weeks of frustration and gradually building tension workers at several Winnipeg Canada Post depots walked out today. The precipitating cause is a new mail sorting and delivery system, actually a wild management scheme that pushed the concept of speedup to the point of disastrous confusion in terms of service and heights of injury on the part of the workers. At the Wilkes depot one worker was disciplined for refusing the new system and sorting his mail in the traditional fashion. The other workers walked out in solidarity with him. On the radio today management a spokesman gave his version of the dispute, basically totally ignoring both the complaints of the workers and the chaos in mail delivery (or non-delivery) that the scheme has caused. His line was "change is always difficult, and some people have a problem with change". I kid you not ! That is the sort of psychobabble that they teach in schools of management in lieu of actually having any useful skill to impart to order givers.

Here's how the strike was reported by the Financial Post.

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Canada Post face wildcat strike in Winnipeg

Don Healy/Postmedia News
In implementing its modernized methods of sorting and delivering mail, part of the corporation’s transformation project, Canada Post has been facing resistance from employees in Winnipeg, the first city to operate under the new “two-bundle” system.
Tim Shufelt, Financial Post · Sunday, Nov. 21, 2010

Dozens of letter carriers walked off the job in Winnipeg on Monday in protest over a new mail delivery method they call unsafe.

In implementing its modernized methods of sorting and delivering mail, part of the corporation’s transformation project, Canada Post has been facing resistance from employees in Winnipeg, the first city to operate under the new “two-bundle” system.

When one worker refused to follow the new rules, he was cited for insubordination and immediately suspended. Dozens of other carriers from the mail depot — 76 in total — then walked out in solidarity.

About 15% of the city’s routes were affected, said Jon Hamilton, a spokesman for Canada Post.

The new system requires the employee to carry a second bundle of mail on their forearm. But that method obscures the feet from view, causing falls and injuries, and results in back and neck pain, said Bob Tyre, head of the Canadian Union of Postal Workers’ Winnipeg local.

“Our letter carriers tell us it’s absolutely and completely unsafe,” Mr. Tyre said, noting that after just a month in use, the two-bundle system is much hated among employees. “The number of injuries have skyrocketed since then.”

Mr. Hamilton said the delivery process is currently subject to arbitration.

“There are other avenues where the union could address their concerns, make their views known without hurting or impacting service to Canadians and the businesses that depend on us,” he said.

And he insisted that Canada Post needs to evolve to improve efficiency and to reflect the changing behaviours of Canadians when it comes to mail. In the last four years alone, mail volume fell by more than 11% in Canada, he said.

“We need to make changes in order to maintain the service that Canadians depend on and also be able to secure the future for employees in terms of their pensions and job security and their wages,” he said. “This isn’t just a change for change’s sake.”

But Denis Lemelin, CUPW’s national president, said the union and the corporation have a responsibility to ensure the safety of letter carriers.

“We’re telling the employer they have to stop this new method and maybe sit with the union and find a new way to address the issue,” he said, noting that complaints are also starting to come in from employees in other parts of the country, as Canada Post rolls out the new system to Toronto, Montreal, Halifax, and, eventually, the rest of the country.

Meanwhile, in Winnipeg, it’s unclear how long the mail disruption might continue.

Mr. Tyre said his colleagues will not abide the two-bundle system any longer. “They’re pretty irate. I don’t know what they’re going to do tomorrow.”
..

Read more: http://www.financialpost.com/news/Canada+Post+face+wildcat+strike+Winnipeg/3868455/story.html#ixzz164pPLlfj

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Here's how the walkout was reported by the CBC.
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Canada Post employees walk out

About 40 Canada Post employees walked off the job Monday to show solidarity with a worker who was suspended for flouting the new mail-sorting methods. (CBC)
Dozens of Canada Post employees in Winnipeg walked off the job Monday to protest a change in the mail-sorting procedure.

Canada Post's website says the corporation is undergoing a "postal transformation," and Winnipeg is the first location rolling out new sorting equipment and delivery methods before they're implemented across the country.

The new, automated way results in postal carriers having to carry three bags along their routes. Under the old sorting method, done by hand, carriers ended up with two bundles because the sorters were able to combine flyers with mail destined for each place of delivery.

A man sorting the mail the old way on Monday at the Wilkes Avenue facility was suspended, according to Bob Tyre, head of the Canadian Union of Postal Workers' Winnipeg local.

That prompted 40 other employees at the facility to walk out in solidarity.

"They [Canada Post] suspended him on the spot. And the other carriers decided that that was the line in the sand and they left, too," Tyre said.

About 60 carriers at the downtown sorting plant then left their jobs for similar reasons, but only walked out for about a half-hour, said Tyre.

He noted seven carriers at the Transcona plant were also threatened with suspension for sorting mail the old way.

Workplace injuries
Tyre said the new procedure is causing an increase in workplace injuries and slowing down mail delivery.

Carrying the three bags "makes walking treacherous [and is] hard on their necks and their backs," he said, adding "there's been a skyrocketing increase in injuries.

'They've gotten nowhere with Canada Post, so they just decided that they can't work that way and they went home.'
—Bob Tyre, Canadian Union of Postal Workers"And [the carriers] have tried to, and the union has as well, talk to Canada Post about the delivery method, how it's causing injuries, and it's not safe and it slows the delivery down on the streets, so they're all working overtime. They've been working that way now for about six weeks.

"And they've gotten nowhere with Canada Post, so they just decided that they can't work that way and they went home."

Canada Post spokesman John Hamilton said the corporation is still working out the bugs on the new sorting equipment and hopes employees will adapt to the change.

"The simple fact is that this is a big change, not everybody likes change, and there are going to be some issues from time to time," he said.

He would not discuss whether any disciplinary action would be taken against the workers who walked out.

Last week, Winnipeg Liberal MP Anita Neville said she has been inundated with complaints from people in her Winnipeg South Centre riding because mail has been arriving late or not at all.

One seniors residence with 183 units had no mail for three days, she said.


Read more: http://www.cbc.ca/canada/manitoba/story/2010/11/22/mb-canada-post-dispute-winnipeg.html#ixzz1652xUEUm

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Two local blogs here in Winnipeg are following these events closely. One is the Winnipeg Wobbly Blog, the local organ of Winnipeg's IWW. The other has been featured here before. The Workers' Struggle With The Modern Post is a blog set up by members of CUPW here in Winnipeg, and it has been reporting the problems with Canada Post's weird little experiment for the past month. This blog is the best source for up to the minute news about what is happening with the post and the struggle that Winnipeg posties are fighting. Unfiltered through the mass media of course.



The Workers' Struggle blog has received numerous expressions of support from both other postal workers across the country and members of the general public. Even internationally. Feel free to send them your greetings of solidarity. Winnipeg is a "test case" for a management scheme backed by a government that would be more than happy to see the public postal system destroyed entirely.If the Winnipeg posties lose than postal workers across the country lose, and in the end the general public loses as well.

Here's a report on the job actions today from the Workers' Struggle blog. Make sure to check in there tomorrow as the struggle continues.
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Monday, November 22, 2010

Here is a more detailed look at today's actions
After weeks of struggling to work under the employers' new delivery model, Winnipeg letter carriers have reached the breaking point. The multiple bundle delivery method imposed by the boss has resulted in many members sustaining injuries and has made the work dangerous and unsafe.

Over assessed routes and the refusal to provide proper time values for all of the work performed has resulted in many carriers being forced to work overtime to complete delivery. So far, the employer has refused to take any concrete measures to resolve the concerns of the membership.

This morning at the South West Depot, wave 1 letter carriers decided that the safest way to perform their work was to sort the sequenced mail into their cases and deliver with 1 bundle on the street. Members were ordered by the boss to cease the sequenced mail sortation and when 1 temporary letter carrier refused to comply, he was advised that he was being suspended. Other members in the depot left the work floor in support of the disciplined worker and refused to work as dictated by the boss. After a brief coffee meeting in the parking lot, the members then went home.

The second wave for South West reported for work and learned of the earlier events and made the decision to support one another, refuse the dangerous work method and go home for the day.

Meanwhile, in the other corner of the city, wave 1 letter carriers in the Transcona depot also made the decision to sort their sequenced mail into their cases. The employer did not prevent them from doing so and those workers then left and commenced their delivery. When wave 2 reported for duty, they attempted to sort in their sequenced mail and were advised by the employer that they could not do so and would face a 5 day suspension if they disobeyed. These members then invoked their right to refuse the unsafe work method and are still in the office. The employer has not issued any further instructions or orders to them. Our stewards are working with those members in the article 33 process.

Will the employer escalate the situation and respond with heavy handed discipline or will they realize that its time to put the health and safety of workers ahead of the unworkable new delivery model?

It's time for all us to stand up and demand a safe workplace and a 1 bundle delivery method.

An Injury to One is An Injury to All.

Solidarity,

CANADIAN LABOUR - CANADIAN POLITICS MANITOBA:

A MODEST PROPOSAL FOR THOMPSON:

Out here in the middle of nowhere the news has been hot as the infamous Vale Inco of Sudbury strike fame has decided to close their smelter in Thompson Manitoba citing both a lack of nearby refinable ore and difficulty in meeting federal pollution control regulations. Some may see this as a "feint" designed to get either an exemption from the regulations or yet another government subsidy to meet them. Yet, believe it or not, I'm inclined to believe at least part of the company's rationale as it makes little sense to truck ore half way across the country to be processed in northern Manitoba. This latest move, however, may be a cause for regret for Thompson members of the USW when they didn't go on a sympathy strike with their brothers and sisters in Ontario (and the still striking miners in Labrador).

Be that as it may, let's assume the die is cast. the following article from the Winnipeg Free Press shows how cynical the federal Conservative government is in regards to the people of Thompson. Business interests trump all after all. Meanwhile here in Manitoba the local Conservatives are playing politics claiming that the provincial NDP government should "have anticipated" the closure. Did their friends in Ottawa anticipate it ? Maybe they did, but they certainly don't care. After all smelter workers and natives rarely vote Conservative anyways. Bugger them as long as Vale gives donations to the Party and offers soft jobs to its nominees.

MOLLY, HOWEVER, HAS ANOTHER PROPOSAL. ONE THAT ACCEPTS THE NON-VIABILITY OF THE SMELTER, BUT ALSO ONE THAT WOULD PRESERVE AND PERHAPS EXPAND JOBS. SURE IT WOULD INVOLVE SOME POLITICAL COURAGE, AND SUCH COURAGE IS UNLIKELY FROM OUR PROVINCIAL GOVERNMENT. IT IS STILL, HOWEVER, SOMETHING WORTH CONSIDERING. SEE THE ADDENDUM TO THIS POST.

Meanwhile here is the item from the Winnipeg Free Press.

MAMAMAMAMAMA

Thompson's loss of jobs Canada's gain: Clement
Miner downsizing in Manitoba, investing $10B elsewhere
By: Mia Rabson and Larry Kusch


OTTAWA -- He's sorry for Thompson but a $10-billion investment in mines is good for the rest of Canada, Industry Minister Tony Clement said Thursday in the House of Commons.

Clement was responding to a question from Churchill MP Niki Ashton about a plan by Brazilian mining company Vale SA to close the Thompson nickel smelter and refinery by 2015.

It will result in the loss of 500 jobs in Thompson, about 40 per cent of the Vale SA workforce in the northern Manitoba city.

Clement told Ashton he would speak to the Manitoba government about it and said his officials would meet with her to get "all the facts on the table."

Then he said the news might be bad for Thompson but there is good news for the rest of Canada -- a $10-billion investment in Vale's other operations in Sudbury, Ont., Long Harbour and Voisey's Bay, N.L., and Saskatchewan that will result in 1,000 permanent jobs.

"The context of this, however, is that the announcement that is so affecting her community in a negative way is also part of a larger announcement where thousands of jobs will be created throughout the rest of the country," said Clement. "I know she has to defend her people. I understand that, but this is good for Canada in the overall."




Ashton was incensed by Clement's response. "The guy is not committed here," said Ashton. "Manitobans are just as Canadian as people in Sudbury, in Long Harbour and Voisey's Bay."

The Thompson smelter and refinery will be closed because there is a shortage of mineral reserves for it to process. Vale SA also decided it could not meet tough new federal sulphur dioxide emissions standards that would require it to cut emissions from the Thompson smelter by 88 per cent in five years.

Ashton said if its federal standards involved, clearly the federal government can be part of the solution.

Ashton said Clement needs to show he is committed to the people of Thompson and that he should be the one to bring Vale SA to the table to figure out how to save the smelter and refinery.

"He's a cheerleader for Vale and isn't standing up for Canadian workers who are losing their jobs," Ashton said.

Manitoba Premier Greg Selinger flew to Thompson for a meeting Thursday morning with city officials. He said it's premature to discuss any incentives the province may offer Vale SA not to close the refinery.

"We first want to meet with them and find out what their thinking is and ask them to consider alternatives (to closing the nickel smelter and refinery)," said Selinger.

The premier said he was confident the province would be able to arrange a meeting with the company soon.

"When we do, we'll sit down and see what they have to offer and what their thinking is and also put the case forward for why Thompson is a good place to do business."

Opposition Leader Hugh McFadyen criticized the province for failing to anticipate Vale's decision. He cited a 2005 Free Press article that said Thompson would only be processing ore from Newfoundland until Vale's smelter there was completed.

He said it would have been easier to mitigate the impact of Vale's announcement on the northern Manitoba community if Selinger "hadn't failed so miserably to anticipate (Wednesday's) announcement."

mia.rabson@freepress.mb.ca larry.kusch@freepress.mb.ca
MAMAMAMAMAMA
MOLLY'S MODEST PROPOSAL:
Let's accept the idea that the Thompson smelter is an essentially bad idea. It is both uneconomic and heavily polluting ( without either government exemptions or subsidy). Let us also, however, understand that the smelter has benefited from decades of government subsidies in terms of unpaid infrastructure and low power rates (smelters don't operate on 60 watt bulbs). Does the Province of Manitoba owe Inco's heir, Vale Inco, anything ? No !!! If anything the balance is all on the other side. However, to be generous let Vale strip the premises of whatever they want except things that might contribute to a more appropriate use. Chalk up the premises and such amenities to the decades of subsidy.


What would be such an alternative use ? The answer is just a little (little in Northern terms) bit down the road in Flin Flon. The Flin Flon operation for growing medical marijuana is due to be closed in 2012 due to a dispute between the operators Prairie Plant Systems and the 'landlord' Hudson bay Mining and Smelting. This operation produces Canada's 'medical marijuana' crop (to my understanding of poor quality). What I would suggest is that the province of Manitoba, the City of Thompson and the United Steelworkers representing present workers in Thompson make a bid to convert the smelter to a new facility for growing this crop. I further recommend that the ownership of this facility be tripartite between the above mentioned parties.


Is this advantageous to the Province ? Yes ! The energy subsidies to such an operation would be far less than those for a smelter. Is this advantageous to Thompson and the workers ? Yes ! Jobs are preserved, and the local economy thrives. Here is where political courage comes into play. In Canada the Narcotics Control Act is a federal law. Yet, just as in the USA where California has all but legalized marijuana by "over-defining medical use" it is within the powers of a Canadian province as they have responsibility for health to act likewise. It is also a fact that the RCMP are contracted by the Province and are thus subject to directives from the Province as to what law enforcement priorities they should have.


With an expansion of the present piddling Canadian marijuana growing operation it is entirely feasible that all the jobs in Thompson could be preserved, and let me say that the new jobs would be a lot more pleasant than the old ones. We will say nothing about "medical tourism" for now except to briefly mention it. Who would oppose such an enterprise ? Certainly Conservative politicians and organized crime (whose prices would be undercut tremendously). Perhaps Conservative politicians and organized crime are two words for similar things. Perhaps even crime and policing costs in Winnipeg would drop dramatically. But Conservative politicians would be very unhappy about that because it would undercut their "market share" of the vote just as it would undercut the "market share" of the marijuana trade of the gangs..


Does the provincial NDP have the courage to do such a thing ? I doubt it, but it is a policy worth considering. Perhaps the only realistic way to save jobs in Thompson.

LOCAL NEWS WINNIPEG:

A DEAL FROM THE WINNIPEG ART GALLERY:

Here's an offer from the Winnipeg Art Gallery. Good for a Christmas gift for the artsy-fartsy in your life.

WAGWAGWAGWAG
Warm up at the WAG with this hot membership offer!

The WAG and Winnipeg Transit are offering a special promotion for Winnipeg Transit Monthly Bus Pass holders – buy one annual membership and get the second one free!

Buy two gifts for the price of one this holiday season with WAG gift memberships - also buy one get one free! It's the gift they'll enjoy all year.

To redeem this offer present your valid monthly Show & Save bus pass at the WAG admission desk, call 786.6641 ext 212, or email
development-associate@wag.ca with your monthly pass bus code.

Some restrictions apply.

LOCAL EVENTS WINNIPEG:

FALL TIME AT POLLOCK'S HARDWARE CO-OP:

It's near the end of the time of fallen leaves. Halloween is on its way. So is the goddamn snow. But things are warm and cozy at Pollock's Hardware Co-op, Winnipeg's cooperative answer to the big box stores. Here's what's happening there this season.

PPPPPPPPPP
Just a quick update on events coming up at Pollock's:
Annual General Meeting on November 8th, 2010 at Luxton Community Centre, 210 St.Cross St.
Registration starts at 6:30pm, meeting starts at 7:00pm
The meeting will include:
– The annual report
– Board elections
– Appointment of auditor
– New business
– Door prizes and refreshments!!

Paderno Sale: Starts Wednesday, November 17th, 2010
We have tons of stuff coming in, it's the biggest sale we have had to date!

Benjamin Moore Paint: We are in the process of upgrading our paint equipment. Coming soon: Aura, Ecospec and others! Of course, we will continue to sell our previous lines.

New with your membership card:

10% off at The Tallest Poppy located at 631 Main St.
10% off parts at Minute Muffler located at 1011 Main St.

Membership Cards: We have several hundred membership cards waiting to be picked up. Next time you're at the store, just ask at the cashier!

Just a reminder, we always offer these services:
– Window and screen repair
– Lock re-keying
– Sharpening
– Tool rentals – We have a snow blower in stock!

Our store hours are :
Monday-Friday 8:00am-8:00pm
Saturday 8:00am-6:00pm
Sunday 12:00pm-5:00pm

Contact us at 582-5007, or by email at manager@phco-op.ca! You can now also visit us on Facebook!

CANADIAN LABOUR MANITOBA:

NURSES UNION TAKES CARE HOME TO COURT:

Molly has blogged before on the union busting tactics of the Kildonan Personal Care Home here in Winnipeg. As the following new story from the CBC relates management's tactic of redefining workers as "management" seems to have reached some record height in this case where there will be 14 workers and 13 managers. The Manitoba Nurses Union has filed a case with the provincial labour board. We can only wish them well. This sort of scenario belongs on a Monty Python sketch.

CLCLCLCLCL
Union busting alleged at care home

The Manitoba Nurses Union is accusing a Winnipeg care home of union busting and is taking its case to the provincial labour board.

Last November, a group of nurses at the Kildonan Personal Care Centre joined a union. Their positions were recently eliminated but the company has now reposted the jobs.

However, the jobs are now classified as management positions, which makes them ineligible for union representation, according to MNU president Sandy Mowat.

"They reposted them, adding some little added duties to them to make them what they believe are management-type positions now," she said.

"And then they're saying that because they're manager positions they don't belong in the union."

If all position are filled as management, there will be 13 managers overseeing 14 nurses at the facility, Mowat said.

The labour board will hear the case in November.

The 120-bed personal care home is located on Henderson Highway in North Kildonan.


Read more: http://www.cbc.ca/canada/manitoba/story/2010/08/10/mb-union-busting-care-home-winnipeg.html#ixzz0wGUTaJm4

CANADIAN LABOUR MANITOBA:

UNION BUSTING MANITOBA STYLE:

This one is probably a bit dated. The relevant events belong to last month, and it was duly reported in the local press, at least briefly. The story is an old and hoary one about how management fends off union organization by declaring portions of their employees as "managers" even if their supervisory actions rarely extend beyond seeing that their shoelaces are tied. Managers, of course, are out of the sphere of union bargaining, and they can be squeezed to the hilt if they are actually workers who have taken this legal loophole on the chin. The case, however, is hardly over as can be seen from below where , at least in my mind, there could be some doubt about the legality of what the real management has done in the face of a Labour Board ruling that authorized the MNU to represent the people involved. Still, you have to hand it to those "caring" social service bureaucrats for trying every possible avenue to avoid disgorging a few more shekels. Oh, they "care" so much. here's the story from the website of the Manitoba Nurses' Union.

CLCLCLCLCL
Nurses lose jobs after Union obtains certification
Nine nurses from the Kildonan Personal Care Centre have had their positions eliminated after seeking representation from the Manitoba Nurses Union for the purpose of collective bargaining. MNU is taking legal action against the employer. During an initial meeting in November 2009 with representatives of the MNU, the Centre’s Resident Care Coordinators, raised concerns about workload issues, salary, lack of shift and weekend premiums as well as proper overtime provision.

MNU agreed to represent the nurses and on January 8,2010 filed an application for certification pursuant to the provisions of the Labour Relations Act, in order to obtain an automatic certification to bargain a collective agreement for these nurses.

The employer claimed that the Resident Care Coordinators were in fact managers and were not appropriate to be unionized because they were performing “primarily management” functions.

The MNU disputed this allegation and description of the work actually being performed. Hearing dates were set by the Labour Board to determine whether the nurses were eligible to join the MNU for collective bargaining and representation rights, but shortly before the scheduled hearing the employer withdrew their objection to the application.

On May 17, 2010 the Labour Board issued a certification order enabling these nurses to be represented by the MNU. After a five month ordeal, the nurses had a victory – or so they thought.

Three days later, on May 20,2010, Revera Living, the corporation that runs Kildonan Personal Care Centre, eliminated the position of Resident Care Coordinator, thereby terminating all of the members of the newly certified bargaining unit, effective August 20,2010.

After terminating these nurses the employer posted Resident Care Manager positions which contain many shifts, duties, and responsibilities which appear similar to those of the eliminated positions.The terminated nurses have been offered the chance to apply for these positions, but there is no guarantee that these nurses will even be considered for the newly created positions.

The employer alleges the new “manager” jobs will meet the test to keep these positions excluded from being unionized in the future. The MNU shall continue to monitor and communicate with all nurses in the eight Revera Living workplaces and requests that all interested nurses continue to communicate with us in regard to representation.

CANADIAN ANARCHIST MOVEMENT/LOCAL NEWS-WINNIPEG:

THE "A QUILT" RAFFLE:

As mentioned before here at Molly's Blog the tenants of our local 'A-Zone' (the Old Market Square Autonomous Zone) are funding raising in hopes of purchasing 91 Albert St as a cooperative venture. Part of this fundraising is a raffle for the 'A-Quilt'. See the picture above. The draw will be held on May 1, followed shortly by the 24 hour fund raiser telethon. See details on the appeal below and check out the A-Zone website for what will be happening at the fundraiser. You can purchase tickets for $5.00 at Mondragon, Natural Cycle, Junto Library (all at 91 Albert St) or from various individuals.

The perfect thing for keeping warm on cold Winnipeg nights. Here's a repeat of the details about the appeal for support.

@@@@@@@@@@
Fundraising Campaign

“The A-Zone is what every activist in every city or town dreams of and few get to experience: a physical space that is under the control of those who work in it, part of a network of alternative institutions where people can learn, together, what could be accomplished in a better society. When I saw it years ago, my first reaction was happy surprise. It was only a little later that envy started to sneak in… one major problem I can think of is that there aren’t more of them.” — Justin Podur, ZNet

The Old Market Autonomous Zone, or the A-Zone, has provided affordable space to activist collectives, worker cooperatives, and small businesses since 1995. Beyond access to space, the A-Zone has brought together a diverse and complementary range of people and organizations with commitments to ethical, equitable, and sustainable business practices, the cooperative movement, radical organizing, anarchism, and grassroots cultural projects and events.

We are a meeting place, a training site, a work site, and hub of political organizing, discussion and debate. We aim to foster values such as non-hierarchical organizing, anti-racism, workplace democracy, solidarity with Indigenous peoples, feminism, refugee support, anti-police brutality work, and prisoner solidarity. For this, we’ve become known locally and internationally as an inspiring site of leftist dissent, collective organizing, and resistance to all forms of oppression and exploitation.

In the autumn of 2009, we, the tenants of 91 Albert Street were presented with the opportunity to collectively own and manage the A-Zone. Natural Cycle Courier, Natural Cycle Cycleworks, Winnipeg Copwatch, Canadian Dimension Magazine, Anarchist Black Cross, Mondragon Bookstore & Coffeehouse, the Rudolph Rocker Cultural Centre, and the Junto Local 91 radical library, among other tenants, have come together to form a non-profit, democratically-run tenant cooperative.

We come together as a diverse set of organizations that, in different ways, provide energy and spirit to Winnipeg’s radical community. We aim to build a co-op that fosters self-sufficiency and mutual aid – not only for ourselves, but for a larger local and global commons. We hope to strengthen new and broaden existing social movements by continuing to make space available for public discussion, political organizing, and everyday mud-rucking.

The A-Zone needs your support! We are embarking on a 4-month international fundraising campaign to raise the funds needed for the downpayment. Donations of any amount are gratefully welcome. In-kind donations are also welcome.

Ready to donate? Cheques can be made out to “Winnipeg Parecon Worker Council”, and sent to the address and post box listed below. Please put our name in the notes section of the cheque.

Address:
Old Market Autonomous Zone Co-op
2D - 91 Albert Street
Winnipeg, Manitoba
R3B 1G5

LOCAL NEWS WINNIPEG:

ASSAULT WITH A DEADLY BROOM:


Ah Winnipeg mon amour. Like pretty well every other burg with a population greater than three people and one dog Winnipeg has its "boosters". Sometimes they actually make a good "score" in terms of publicity as in the ever cost escalating Museum of Human Rights. Such things, however, rarely live up to even 1/10th of the original hype. What Winnipeg is is basically a city that failed to live up to its original promise and which has drifted ever since. This may not necessarily be a bad thing as the consequences of "greatness" can often be negative rather than positive. Winnipeg is also unique in Canada as being in the only province where the capital city accounts for 2/3rds of the provincial population. Only St. john's and Newfoundland comes even vaguely close. This may also be good as it is an early start towards the idea of Winnipeg as a self- governing "city state".


That being said the efforts of the "civic boosters" are even more patently absurd in a place like Winnipeg. No, this place will never be the first choice for a neurosurgeon's convention, though it is in the running against Bedrock for holding the next convention of the Imperial Order of the Water Buffalo. Now I don't say that Winnipeg is the deepest pit in Canada. Far from it. I spent 14 years in "beautiful" downtown Regina, and if efforts to promote Winnipeg may be termed "pathetic" then efforts to promote Regina might qualify as "crimes against humanity". Winnipeg's "firsts" include its long running title as "car theft capital of Canada" in which it surpasses almost all American cities. It is also always in the running for "murder capital of Canada" even when you include the pest holes that are less than half a million in population. In this, of course, there are many American cities that top anything Canada may have.


Still, believe it or not I actually like Winnipeg, and not just because I know of places that are worse. It has its virtues, and one of them is that the average citizen knows enough to treat the boosters with the mockery they deserve. It's a place of common sense in other words. There are many other places where the population generally believes the Chamber of Commerce booster bullshit. The "unofficial anthem" of this ville is the Weakerthans' 'I hate Winnipeg', and even our Mayor (Sneaky) Sammy Katz has enough of a Winnipeger's sense of humour to like this tune. Says something. Says a lot.


Now the efforts of the civic boosters may be futile in terms of attracting tourist dollars. Most of them revolve around the concept of of "being within driving distance of something actually worth visiting" anyways. Despite this Winnipeg has repeatedly received worldwide publicity in the last month due to three incidents, all of them ,of course, connected more or less with (ahem) "sex". One of them, reported previously here at Molly's Blog, is the case of Pizzeria Gusto where the firing of the chef was connected with a supposedly salacious tell all book by a community college student. Reality beats reality TV in this case, and the student's future career is firmly established. She's probably selling rights in New York as we speak. Then there was the "lap dance heard round the world" where the "pep rally" antics of two teachers went viral on You Tube. Finally, there is what follows, a replay of the old buggery in the private school story (told for the 250,000th time), about criminal events at the St. John's Ravenscourt boarding school. What can I say ? Winnipeg may not be able to support a major league hockey team, but it seems we can support a major league humping team.


The story below from our local paper the Winnipeg Free Press tells the latest news about the case with four students and ex-students charged and the police in "search" of two others". As a bit of a "backgrounder" to our non-Winnipeg readers St. John's Ravenscourt is a private school established by the Anglican Church (though I think it is independent today). To our British readers "private school" in Canada equals "public school" in England. To everyone else the reverse is the case. The criminal charges involve senior students swarming younger ones, stripping them down and either actually sticking a stick up their asses or threatening to do so. One can imagine the adolescent hard-ons in the mob that participates. Sexy, sexy, sexy.


Now you have to understand that private schools in Canada are very much like private schools elsewhere in the "anglosphere". They are places where the ruling class sends their miserable little progeny for training on how to be...members of the ruling class. Stands to reason doesn't it ? As such one can only speculate whether the Winnipeg City Police (not the largest outfit in the world) will ever catch up with the two others they are looking for. The 'Reginalds' and the 'Percivals' may be enjoying Tuscan skies as we speak. I wonder what the weather is like in Provence this time of year ?


Now there are lots of other things that one may speculate on. How much of the "tradition" of this sort of thing comes from the old idea of the English boarding school ? The British Empire (now happily deceased) was ,after all, founded on buggery, maintained on buggery and died with its bad thing in the wrong place. I may be wrong, but I'd say less than you might imagine. I put this down to a failure on the part of teachers in such places in imparting good English usage to their students. The students at such places are, of course, being trained as members of the ruling class, to do exactly what they did to the younger students to the working class. The problem revolves around the fact that their teachers haven't been able to communicate the difference between literal and figurative to the little Lords. Time for some serious "in-service" ( a greater term of evasion I have never heard) for these "educators".


Then there's another problem here that I brought up with the wife over dinner last night. Being part of the "onlooking mob" is actually a criminal act even if you never personally shove the stick up the ass yourself. Oh Oh !! What percentage of the senior students actually took part in these little fun and games ? Can you say close to 100%, excluding the nerd that nobody else wanted anything to do with ? Can you actually charge the entire progeny of the province's ruling class ? Think about it. The whole idea is absurd. It's about on the level of declaring an anarcho-communist society tomorrow. So, if nothing else, as the actual law will be ignored in this case, this is one more demonstration of how "law" actually operates in our society.


Oh, lest you think I forgot. here's the news item.
WWWWWWWWWWWW
Police seek more suspects
Judge orders two accused youths to surrender passports
By: Kevin Rollason and Gabrielle Giroday

Winnipeg police are looking for two more St. John's-Ravenscourt School students as suspects in a sexual-assault investigation that has already led to the arrests of four students.

And a judge has ordered two of the accused youths who were granted bail Thursday to turn in their passports over fears they might flee the country.

Three are youths who appeared at the Manitoba Youth Court on Thursday. An 18-year-old suspect, a student from China in his second year at SJR, was charged as an adult. He has no prior record.

The accused appeared by video from the Winnipeg Remand Centre but said nothing. He remains in custody there.

Eight days after a student first talked to school officials, police charged four teens Thursday with sexual assault with a weapon, forcible confinement, and uttering threats.

It's alleged the senior boarding students threatened the younger male boarders, holding them down and placing a wooden stick up against their buttocks, sometime during the fall session between September and December. As many as 15 students may have been targeted.

Police said the charges were based on an interview with one victim Wednesday, and more charges are pending.

"There are a number of victims, or possible victims, that will be interviewed in the near future," said city police spokeswoman Const. Jackie Chaput.

CFS will also be investigating the school.

"We want to make sure that this investigation is conducted as quickly and as thoroughly as possible. We don't want to put any undue pressure on other potential victims that are out there," she said.

Chaput said the WPS child-abuse and sex-crimes units are handling the investigation.

"It's clearly another level of concern," said Stephen Johnson, head of the elite private school in Fort Garry. "Those are very serious charges."

A letter to parents last Friday said two students were to face a disciplinary committee and two students were suspended for five days in connection after information emerged "students were assaulting other students in boarding."

At least four boys from grades eight, nine, 10 and 11 were affected, said Johnson.

"It just redoubles our efforts to make sure we work with our boys in boarding and the boarding staff to get to the bottom of what happened," said Johnson. "Whether it was four or 14 (victims), it doesn't matter, it's still a problem."

Johnson said school officials did not delay giving information to police before officers arrested and charged the four students.

He said additional information from an internal SJR investigation was turned over to police on Tuesday, after school officials asked officers to put down what they needed in writing.

Johnson said legal counsel instructed the school to consult with the affected families before going to police.

The two suspended students will be able to continue their studies, and the two who withdrew will be able to get an SJR diploma through online work and distance education.

Two of the accused voluntarily withdrew from the school Tuesday after a disciplinary committee recommended expulsion.

Two more, who were suspended for five days last week, will not be allowed to return to school until CFS officials clear it.

A source said the charges announced Thursday relate to a single incident involving a roommate of one of the four teen suspects. The charges only came to light after an SJR teacher allegedly overheard a remark made by an SJR student that led to further questions, said the source.

As of Thursday, the victim and one of the accused were still friends on the social-networking site Facebook.

Parents at the school originally learned of the allegations last Friday after a letter was sent about an assault. A letter this Monday said police had been contacted, after school officials spoke to the affected families.

One St. John's-Ravenscourt parent said he was "disgusted" with the way the incident was handled and is investigating other schools. Parents were asked by St. John's-Ravenscourt not to speak to the media.

"I don't know what the hell they were waiting for," he said.

A letter sent to SJR parents Thursday afternoon said none of the accused students was allowed back in the school.

"Police still have more interviews to do with students and there may be more charges laid against these four individuals resulting from those interviews," said the letter.

It continues later: "As you can imagine our boarders have families living halfway across the world and speak many languages. Keeping the parents of the affected children informed and getting parental permission at different steps in the process takes time and patience."

Sheldon Pinx, who represents the adult charged, said his client is anxious to proceed with a bail hearing, possibly this afternoon.

"He's never been in this kind of a situation before," said Pinx, who had wanted to have a bail hearing Thursday. The Crown, however, asked for a one-day adjournment, after apparently getting a package of material from police just 10 minutes before court, with other materials still to come.

Pinx said all he had is a two-page summary of the case. "We're waiting on a significant amount of disclosure, which hasn't been sent over to us yet."

He has no family in Winnipeg, but does have good family and friends here who will be supporting him as part of the bail plan, Pinx said.

Pinx said a special hearing may go as early as 2 p.m. today, although he conceded it could be pushed to next week if he still doesn't have disclosure and the Crown is not consenting.

Meanwhile, at the Manitoba Youth Centre on Thursday, the three suspects looked calm as they listened to the proceedings. At the side of the courtroom, the parents of one of the youths and a family member of the third looked sad during the hearing.

Judge Sid Lerner agreed to let all three out on bail as long as they agreed to certain conditions, including the surrendering of their passports, not having any contact with the alleged victim, not going within two blocks of the private school, making weekly personal appearances with justice officials and putting up $10,000 sureties.

-- with files from Mike McIntyre

kevin.rollason@freepress.mb.ca
gabrielle.giroday@freepress.mb.ca

LOCAL NEWS WINNIPEG/BLOGGING:

THE RETURN OF THE REPRESSED:

Molly is happy to see the return of the Insurrectionary People's Picture Show Theater from here in Winnipeg after a far too long hiatus (since last October). The IPPST comes back with an improved design and also a commitment to cover music as well as video and film. Well worth checking out. See their website from which the Godzilla graphic has been stolen.

LOCAL NEWS WINNIPEG:

ISRAELI APARTHEID WEEK PRESS STATEMENT:

The following press statement from the Israeli Apartheid Week Winnipeg gives their point of view about the mercifully recently concluded debate in the Manitoba Legislature about a statement of condemnation of the event. The motion, sponsored by the provincial Conservatives was (let's say it again- mercifully ) defeated. The outstanding thing to my point of view is how few people see that the proposers of the motion should be set to work cleaning latrines for at least six months (the equivalent in minimum wage as opposed to their bloated salaries) for wasting the public's money on such nonsense. Is a university debate really a matter of pressing priority for a provincial legislature ? You be the judge.

All that being said this whole subject makes me "itchy" and not just because both sides operate from the twin assumptions that a)one has to chose sides in a dispute on the other side of the world where both opponents have their unsavoury aspects and b)that doing this side choosing actually has a real effect on the world. It also makes me itchy because over the course of decades I have seen that neither pro-Israel nor anti-Israel nor right nor left in this country seems to have much respect for the principle of free speech. I've expressed myself on this matter before, both in terms of the local IAW and on other matters. I have little to say to the "right". Let them conspire away and depend on the likes of Sneaky Stevie Harper to push their agenda that is barely hidden. I have a lot to say to the "left" whose general response to assaults on free speech from their side is cheerleading rather than criticism. In terms of recent events, totally unconnected with the subject at hand, I am not so much disgusted by fools who give a right wing clown the publicity she thrives on as I am by apologists who try to explain away what happened and pretend it was something other than what it was. I can think of better uses for language fluency than low evasion.

That's beside the point. I'm a firm believer in free speech, and I find the attempts of IAW's opponents to stop it before it began and to waste the time of the Legislature when it was over as good evidence that they shouldn't be trusted with power over anything beyond their own bodies. Perhaps not even that. Any volunteers for bathroom monitors for the Conservative caucus ? All that being said I hope though not expect that at least some who oppose Israel's policies will remember their arguments about this sort of thing when they are tempted to do similar things.

OK enough pontificating. Here's the press release.

WWWWWWWWWW
Israeli Apartheid Week organizers saddened by debate in Manitoba Legislature


While organizers of Israeli Apartheid Week in Manitoba are temporarily relieved that the Manitoba Legislature did not pass Heather Stefanson’s anti-free speech motion to condemn Israeli Apartheid Week, there is still concern that this motion will return at a later date.


While Stefanson and Leader of the Opposition Hugh McFadyen spoke in favour of the motion, they claimed to support free speech in Manitoba. Sadly, their actions in the weeks prior to IAW contradict these claims. Stefanson has stated on her website that she wants to “eradicate” IAW, and McFadyen stood next to David Matas of B’Nai Brith as he called for IAW to be banned. “Despite their protestations to the contrary, this motion is clearly part of a campaign to prevent IAW from occurring in the future,” stated Brian Latour, spokesperson for the Winnipeg IAW Coordinating Committee.



Organizers of Israeli Apartheid Week were saddened by the tone of the debate. During the course of the debate, various MLAs made false accusations of anti-semitism, harassment, and intimidation, and MLA Ron Schuler even made the absurd and offensive on many levels comparison between IAW and its organizers and the Nazis through his references to Neville Chamberlain.



“The entire debate in the Manitoba legislature was a depressing display of ignorance and slander,” stated Latour. “It is a sad day in Manitoba when so many members of the legislature decide to single out a small group of dedicated people fighting against oppression with so many false accusations. Had any member of the legislature even bothered to contact IAW organizers or done the most basic of research, this harmful and pathetic display could have been averted.”



Israeli Apartheid Week is an anti-racist event designed to educate people about apartheid as a system of oppression which Palestinians face on a daily basis, and promote the Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions campaign against the apartheid practices of the Israeli state which was initiated by over 170 Palestinian civil society organizations and is now supported by hundreds of organizations around the world. Palestinians face many forms of racist discrimination on a daily basis in the Occupied Territories and Israel, including discrimination before the courts, restrictions on access to clean water, and a system of checkpoints, walls, and travel restrictions.



Last month’s Israeli Apartheid Week was the sixth one held since it was started at the University of Toronto in 2005. It was held in 60 cities in 2010, including Winnipeg for the first time. Events in Winnipeg discussed Israel as an apartheid state, as well as connections between gender discrimination and apartheid, Canadian apartheid and indigenous solidarity, and the freedom to speak and organize against apartheid on campus. The Winnipeg events were sponsored by ActLeft, the Canada-Palestine Support Network, and Independent Jewish Voices.



There were zero incidents of racism, threats or harassment during IAW at the University of Manitoba. The events put on during IAW not only upheld the University of Manitoba's Respectful Work and Learning Environment Policy and the Manitoba Human Rights Code, but were also opened with a statement opposing racism and other forms of discrimination. Minutes of the March 16th meeting of the University of Manitoba Board of Governors cited the University President stating that the IAW events had "proceeded as anticipated and were orderly" and that the University's position to not shut down IAW was the correct choice. Contrary to the fear-mongering by some individuals at the time, IAW turned out to be a positive discussion of the issues around Israeli Apartheid.
Media contact:
Brian Latour
iaw.winnipeg@gmail.com
phone: (204) 226-4186
http://winnipeg.apartheidweek.org/