Toronto politics – Page 2

Why Only One Month for Black History?

February 2011

Black History Month is a fine thing. It’s a time of year when it’s okay to remind people about racism, to talk about Rosa Parks or the Black Panthers. Just like Christmas, it’s a time when people are called out to show off their finest in moral fibre.

Well, fuck that.

The Salvation Army is around for the other 11 months of the year, and so are black people. It is not okay to just remember centuries of colonialism, ongoing oppression or the reality that racism, in fact, has not evaporated, for just 28 days.

Read complete article on the Canadian University Press website.

Why 2010 was Toronto’s worst year ever

December 2010

Any self-respecting Torontonian knows three simple truths: 1) that he or she lives in the Centre of the Universe; 2) that the rest of Canada is merely jealous; and 3) that we’re closely becoming as hip and dirty (especially after 2009’s garbage strike) as our meaner American counterpart New York City.

But 2010 was not a good year for our fair and growing metropolis. In fact, and allow me to be frank, it kind of sucked. We failed the city and the city failed us. The establishment showed an unprecedented display of violent policing during the G20 Summit earlier this summer, and the citizens displayed a disheartening lack of presence of mind when they elected Rob Ford in October.

Even Mother Nature lost her grip: Toronto streets were rocked in June by what our capital declared to be the most powerful earthquake to hit central Canada in 65 years. This came literally days after Toronto’s other success story of the year, the 2010 G20 Summit.

The Summit, a regular meeting place for world leaders, finance ministers, and bankers, claims that its goal is “to broaden the dialogue on key economic and financial policy issues among systemically significant economies and to promote cooperation to achieve stable and sustainable world growth that benefits all” – at least according to the Statement of G7 Finance Ministers and Central Bank Governors.

Translation? To talk about money and how to get more of it. Systemically significant economies? As usual, the international power dynamic is that a handful determine the fate of many. In this case, that means the 20 countries that were invited out of the 195 on the planet. And “sustainable world growth that benefits all”? I hope they’re not referring to the illustri- ous work of the International Monetary Fund or World Bank Group, organizations that have been successfully increasing the debt of developing countries since their inception in 1945.

But, I digress. That Toronto was hosting an event like the G20 is problematic enough, and definitely worthy of mention when discussing reasons why Toronto should be just a little ashamed of itself right now. But that’s not even the worst of it. Torontonians should be embarrassed about the other blight on our record that week: the $1 billion spent on security for the summit, the 1,100 people arrested and, though this may be a matter of opinion, the fact that anyone thought it would be necessary to bring water cannons into our city.

Water cannons? Seriously? Since when did our thriving cultural capital start masquerading as a police state?

Since when is it okay to flood our streets with not just officers of the Toronto Police Service, but also the Ontario Provincial Police, the Royal Canadian Mounted Police, and the Canadian Forces, and with additional officers from the Peel Regional Police, York Regional Police, Halton Regional Police, Barrie Police Service, Waterloo Regional Police, Niagara Regional Police, Hamilton Police Service, Ottawa Police Service, Service de police de la Ville de Montréal, Calgary Police Service and likely others?

Coverage of the unprecedented arrests that week included dozens of accounts of abuse; “kettling” (a technique of corralling demonstrators and containing them without food, water, or access to toilet facilities); homophobic, sexist, racist, and ableist remarks by police; and instances of outright violence by security forces, who used tear gas, rubber bullets, and physical force on everyone from peaceful protestors to passersby.

One notable citizen, though, had this to say: “I don’t think there should be an inquiry or review … I think our police force was too nice.”

This is coming from none other than our new mayor: Rob Ford. To be honest, there is not much I can say about Mayor Ford that he cannot succinctly explain for himself. The following three quotes, taken from the “Anyone but Rob Ford for Mayor” Facebook page, are some of many gems cropping up in news articles, blogs, tweets, and status updates of GTA residents. They very perspicuously illustrate why I am just a little concerned about the next four years.

Rob Ford on AIDS prevention: “(AIDS) is very preventable, if you are not doing needles and you are not gay, you wouldn’t get AIDS probably, that’s bottom line.”

Rob Ford on the contentious debate over bike lanes: “I can’t support bike lanes. Roads are built for buses, cars, and trucks. My heart bleeds when someone gets killed, but it’s their own fault at the end of the day.”

And finally, Rob Ford on the work ethic of a certain racialized population: “Those Oriental people work like dogs. They work their hearts out. They are workers non-stop. They sleep beside their machines. That’s why they’re successful in life…I’m telling you, the Oriental people, they’re slowly taking over.”

Again, there is little I can add to the words of our esteemed mayor that could further illustrate how I, and many other Torontonians, feel about the result of the 2010 municipal election.

But overall, what is it about these three things (other than the obvious) that makes me worry for Toronto? What is it about militant force by the police or the fact that we are now facing conservatives in every level of government that makes me concerned? That should make you concerned? What is it about a simple 5.0 on the Richter scale that makes me cringe for future generations?

Maybe it’s the fact that these events were all preventable (excepting possibly the earthquake, but that’s a point to be debated by environmentalists and weather experts).

Torontonians know, deep down, that these are not just everyday news items. These are frightening and depressing historical events that deserve our attention. They deserve our derision and critique, and they deserve to be challenged and protested.

If we really care about our city, our families, or ourselves, we will care about these issues, and we will speak out against everything that’s wrong about them.

We will speak out against violence and oppression, against the environmentally destructive policies, against the underfunding of Toronto’s Pride Parade, and against the baseless condemnation of streetcars (Ford again).

And only when these messages of peace, solidarity, and change reach the right ears, will Toronto have a real future.

as published in the Ryerson Free Press, December 2010

Toronto Women’s Bookstore may not survive the fiscal year

March 2010

Last month, the Ryerson Free Press published an excerpt of the Toronto Women’s Bookstore’s (TWB) letter to the community asking for financial support.

“In the past,” it reads, “when feminist bookstores were closing down all across North America, the support of the community is what kept TWB alive. You are the reason that we are still here today, and we believe that with your help we can once again work together to save this organization where so many of us as readers, writers, feminists, artists, and activists have found a home.”

Unfortunately, the situation for “the largest non- profit feminist bookstore in Canada” is still looking pretty bleak.

Despite the fact that the response from custom- ers and members of the community was “amazing,” the same publicity that helped raise almost $40, 000 (through donations, volunteering, fundraisers and auctioning services like massage sessions and yoga classes), may have also contributed to the end of the Toronto Women’s Bookstore, as we know it.

The letter, posted on the store’s website, (womensbookstore.com), asked for donations, as well as encouraging readers to hold fundraisers, promote other fundraisers in any way possible and generally spread the word about the TWB’s situation.

According to Janet Romero, co-manager and book buyer, all the fantastic media coverage, (meant for those that love the Toronto Women’s Bookstore and would sorely miss it if it was gone), also reached the store’s Canadian suppliers.

In anticipation of the store having to close down, and in true capitalist and compassionless fashion, the majority of the these suppliers decided to close their accounts, cancel orders, switch to prepaid terms and/ or set very tiny credit limits.

Negotiations with suppliers have so far been disheartening, creating additional stress on the store, its board members and its many fantastic staff and volunteers.

The battle with this new enemy may be TWB’s last, but staff are remaining hopeful that negotiations will enable the store to stay open longer. The fear is that that the store will have to close altogether by the end of this fiscal year (which ends on the May 31).

Another option that has been considered is sell- ing the business, as a way of ensuring that it could remain as a resource for the community.

Clearly the board is considering every possible option to keep TWB and everything it provides, and stands for, alive. Unfortunately, capitalism is prov- ing to be an onerous and resilient enemy, constantly resurfacing in new, more demanding ways.

The threat of corporate giants is not a new one to Toronto’s streets, (we mourned the loss of Queen St.’s Pages last summer), nor is it new to the Toronto Women’s Bookstore. The store was hoping that the beginning of textbook sales this past September would help bring TWB out of its two-year deficit.

“However,” says Romero, “course book sales were much lower than expected and we found ourselves in a position where we realized we were not going to be able to pay our bills – that is when we decided to send the call out for help to the community.”

After almost forty years, the Toronto Women’s Bookstore is not just a bookstore, it is a veritable trea- sure trove of information, inspiration, support and advocacy for “political actions, women’s health care, anti-violence advocacy, and anti-oppression politics for individuals and community groups.” Invaluable to students and non-students alike, it is a true prize on the streets of Toronto.

If only metaphoric riches could count against the Chapters chequebook.

as published in the Ryerson Free Press, March 2010

Deaths on Christmas Eve a status issue: Why five men fell almost 130 feet from a faulty construction platform

February 2010

This year, Christmas Eve passed in Toronto as it always does, snowless, but still cold, malls filled to the brim with frantic shoppers. But while most of us were trimming the tree, singing carols and watching Miracle on 34th Street, the families of five Rexdale construction workers were devastated with the news of a ‘workplace accident’ that would cost them almost everything.

The six men, ranging in age from 21 to 35 years old, were working on high-rise balconies from a swing stage that split completely in two. Unfortunately, these men were not in a union, and safety equipment was only provided for one, so five of the six fell thirteen stories to the concrete unprotected.

One of these men, 21-year-old Dilshod Mamurov, survived. He was saved only by the fact that he managed to hang on to one half of the scaffolding as it split. He swung down two stories before he fell and while that 20-foot difference saved his life, the other four men fell to their deaths.

Mamurov is currently in critical condition at a local Toronto hospital. Both his legs are broken and his spine shattered, and he will most likely need constant medical attention for the rest of his life. Mamurov’s family is reportedly in the process of trying to come to Canada, despite financial restrictions.

Farrah Miranda, from the Toronto chapter of No One Is Illegal, (a collaborative organization that fights for rights, dignity and protection of immigrants and refugees), said, “All of these men had precarious immigration statuses and reason they died, the reason they didn’t have access to the most basic safety precautions is because they didn’t have permanent status [in Canada].”

Both the Ministry of Labour and the Toronto Police are cur- rently investigating the scaffolding malfunction. Just over a week before the accident, alternate reports say, a month and a half long stop-work order relating to other swing stage concerns was lifted on the site. But are they investigating why only two safety lines (enough for one man) were provided for six?

“Employers always try to cut cost,” said Chris Ramsaroop, a legal aid from the Workers’ Action Centre in Toronto, “and they don’t produce and provide workplaces that are safe.” At the same time, “undocumented, foreign [and] recent workers are being exploited because [Canada doesn’t] have the necessary government framework to protect workers.” It is a fact that a migrant, foreign, or recently immigrated employee attempting to raise concerns about the workplace risks not only being fired, but also being deported, or “repatriated” as it is euphemistically referred to. “It’s the larger structure that needs to be held accountable.”

Miranda agrees. “The real problem here is there isn’t a full and inclusive program for workers to get status when they come to Canada,” she said, “that’s what we need for workers’ rights.” Right now there are 200,000 undocumented workers, working in the most dangerous workplace situations all over Canada.

The owners of 2757 Kipling Ave, identified as ‘2058876 On- tario Ltd. have refused to apologize or promise better workplace safety but have released the following statement: “We wish to express our condolences to the loved ones of those who died, and extend our hopes for a speedy recovery to the individual who was injured.”

A month later, spokesperson Danny Roth refused to answer any more questions, stating that they are “not having any further comment at this time,” and that the above statement (released on December 25), is still the “position for ownership.”

This story is not only illustrative of our country’s treatment of foreign workers, it is a human tragedy. What’s worse is that, as Ramsaroop said, it is “representative of tens of thousands of workers across this country.”

These five families, most with no family support in Canada, (or in Mamurov’s case, are not even in Canada), with temporary work visas or refugee claims in place, are living in uncertainty. They lost their foothold in the gruesome and humiliating battle for status in Canada, and worst of all, they lost a father, a hus- band, a brother or a son.

Undocumented workers are, says Miranda, “treated as commodities, used and abused and then disposed of when they’re no longer needed.” This dehumanization is not acceptable. “The company is to blame [and] the government is to blame,” she con- tinues. Those who are responsible for unnecessary death should be held accountable.

Visit http://toronto.nooneisillegal.org and http://www.workersactioncentre.org for more information.

as published in the Ryerson Free Press, February 2010

Quick-hit news can create distorted image

May 01, 2009

In order to better understand situations and people in other parts of the world, consumers of the 24-hour news cycle need to be especially critical of the information they absorb, says one university professor.

“We need to become more aware of how the language itself is being appropriated and utilized within those discourses,” says Anna Agathangelou, a Global Politics Professor at York University.

When information is presented in such concise, instantaneous reports, important details are often overlooked. A prime example can be found in the portrayal of Muslims as radical, anti-democratic, and fundamentalist.

Many times the word “terrorist” is thrown about and on occasions it is used interchangeably with terms like “islamist” or “jihadist,” says Agathangelou — terms that have been misconstrued.

Criticism of non-secular states in the Middle East has been a hot topic in the media for some time now, mainly in the post 9/11 era.

But, when certain terms from Islam are associated with conflicts overseas, it can contribute to misconceptions of Muslims, says Agathangelou.

It is so easy to be misinformed about a situation, especially one that appears so far away and detached from us. However, when the media shapes how people understand cultures and religions that are different from their own, problems can arise.

Generalizations are made, fear is created, and innocent people in turn can be affected.

“We have to be more savvy in the way we read, the way we understand and the way we ask questions,” she says.

Originally published on thestar.com as part of the Global Voices program

Centre helps immigrant workers overcome barriers

March 09, 2009

When many people think of worker exploitation, the first thing that comes to mind is a sweatshop in a foreign country, something far away and detached from most. But worker exploitation is not as foreign as some might think.

With Canada being seen as a welcoming and accepting nation for newcomers, it may be a surprise that many immigrants here are exploited.

Certain barriers including language, culture, and documentation put immigrants in a vulnerable position. Consequently, many newcomers are reduced to manual labour and will accept whatever work is available to them in order to provide for their families.

In the past five years, accusations have been made in the news about underpaid Chinese workers in the oil sands of Alberta, Mexican migrant farm workers in British Columbia and overqualified nurses from the Philippines.

Workers without sufficient language ability are easily taken advantage of, and completely undocumented workers are at the mercy of their employers.

In spite of the difficulties immigrant workers face, they do have a few options at the local level. The Workersʼ Action Centre (WAC) in Toronto is “a worker-based organization committed to improving the lives and working conditions of people in low-wage and unstable employment,” according to the organizationʼs website. The majority of these employees are recent immigrants.

Chris Ramsaroop is a legal aid worker who works with and advocates for WAC.
“Itʼs an extremely important organization in the city,” he says, “and a leading organization in fighting for workers’ rights in the province.”

There are two main aspects to his work with WAC. First, he educates newcomers about Canadian labour laws and their limitations, and second, he works towards changing these laws, so that they are more worker-friendly.

He recommends that any workers, especially immigrants, who feel mistreated or taken advantage of at work should make a visit to WAC and explore their personal and legal options.

“We individualize problems,” Ramsaroop says, “but itʼs not the worker’s fault when an employer is exploiting them. We need to come together to push for change.”

Organizations like the Workersʼ Action Centre show that in the end, it is not the idealized, internationalized Canadian community that recent immigrants will depend on, but their local community, full of people all facing the same issues and inequalities.

Originally published on thestar.com as part of the Global Voices program

When values conflict with paycheques

December 11, 2008

Many of todayʼs youth who are employed work in the fast food industry, the grocery business or in retail sales. These jobs are often taken to pay for food, school and other daily expenses, and rarely, it seems, with any kind of genuine enthusiasm.

Not only are youth willing to take jobs that they hate, but they might also find themselves working in an industry they otherwise speak out against – a vegan flipping burgers, for example, or an anti-sweatshop advocate working in a clothing store.

Cathy Zhao, a first-year University of Toronto student, served fast food in a mall for more than a year. “It sucked,” she says, as she confesses she would take a job that violated her personal views if she needed the money.

For some youth, the minute they put on their nametags, they are swept up into the consumerism that outside of work they might just as easily condemn.

Sue, who asked to not have her last name printed, has been working for a well-known corporate company for nine years, despite her anti-corporate views.

“I believe corporations are the root of all evil,” she says, “but I canʼt afford to look for another job.”

She says that corporations have played a role in war, poverty, even the financial crisis. But she, like most Canadians struggling to find a foothold in the growing void between rich and poor, has had no choice but to protect herself from a personal financial crisis before worrying about an international one.

Both of these people show that in todayʼs consumerist, capitalist society, personal views can sometimes be put on the backburner as youth get caught up in the vicious cycle of “adulthood.”

“It’s about survival,” Zhao says, and in Canada, surviving doesnʼt mean dodging bullets, avoiding religious persecution or having just enough food to live another day, it means having money.

Originally published on thestar.com as part of the Global Voices program