Mastodawn

https://www.palestinechronicle.com/canadas-ndp-motion-a-tiny-step-forward-in-palestine-solidarity/

MarkG Apr 2, 2024

@leftylabourtech

Meh. I felt they were unduly hard on Singh. He seems to be very active and doing his best to get shit done. Even Yves Engler (who's also often hypercritical) had at least a smidgen of praise for his efforts (see link).

With the individualism of society today, it's quite difficult for progressive politicians to achieve stuff (and much easier for anti-collective types like Poilievre). Kudos to the NDP for getting some stuff done, I feel.

#cdnpoli

Canada's NDP Motion - A (Tiny?) Step forward in Palestine Solidarity

We must increase the pressure against a Canadian establishment enabling Israel’s mass slaughter and starvation Gaza.

Palestine Chronicle

@markgrieveson I agree with them on Singh. He sux, and should go (as should the entire senior party apparatus).

The CASA (the defacto coalition), has been a strategic blunder of epic proportions and very little of consequence has been achieved. More would have been accomplished without it That allows PP Boy to capture what should be class rage and turn it into culture war rage.

@markgrieveson The number of strikes by workers is on the increase and tens of thousands are protesting weekly in the streets about the Gaza genocide. This is an activist moment. Singh and the NDP apparatchiks have been unable to tap into this activism.

@markgrieveson As for the NDP agreeing to water down their resolution on Palestine in order to get it to pass, that was also a strategic blunder.

Why water down a non-binding resolution? It would have been better to have voted on it as it was and let the chips fall where they fall ...revealing all of the splits in the Liberal Party parliamentary caucus.

The watered down resolution was simply a Liberal rescue plan.

MarkG Apr 2, 2024

@leftylabourtech

I gather the NDP were in consultation with some Palestinian rights groups, & that these groups wanted a motion on the issues to pass. It seems if you're a rep of people, that it's good to listen to them.

Granted, the watered down version doesn't provide much, but, as Engler said, "the motion is a step forward in upending Canadian complicity in Israeli colonialism and violence."

I'm happy with CASA. Start of universal pharmacare, targeted dental, anti-scab law. 'Tis good.

@markgrieveson There was mention of consultation with the NCCM, but quite frankly I think that's just "spin" ever so conveniently leaked to the press. Most leaks come from inside governments. As for the denticare an pharmacare I don't think it's a beginning, I think that what's there is the end. Also what little there is has been dragged out so long that a future PP government will cut it with ease. The federal anti-scab law is a good thing, but we'll probably lose that as well.

Chris Ford Apr 3, 2024

@leftylabourtech 'Smoke and mirrors'. What about outright lies? I guess that's simply too obvious to mention.

@CFord Did you listen to the podcast or just read the headline? Honestly, these are two of the best (genuinely) left commentators in Canada. Of course #PPBoy lies through his teeth. The question is "Why do the lies work?" If you want to combat the lies it's important to understand why they work, and Sandy & Nora examine that in this episode of their podcast.

Chris Ford Apr 4, 2024

@leftylabourtech Probably just the headline, :-( (my device speaker doesn't work.) I heard Eugene Puryearu speak on Alternative Radio about the subject & really felt he'd got it right, so assume he and they are close.

'From Birmingham to Bethlehem' by Eugene Puryearu.

@CFord US historian Thomas Frank (who grew up in Kansas) has been writing about this stuff for decades. Liberal/social democratic parties (depending on the country) abandoned the working class under neo-liberalism to chase more affluent/educated voters often in either the burbs or the now gentrified urban cores. Into the political vacuum the far right goes to turn (what should be) class war rage into culture war rage that benefits the ruling class.

@CFord It's not enough to say "PP Boy Bad" or "Trump Bad" or "Sunak bad" or whoever. You actually have to offer a genuine alternative that would improve working class people's material conditions.

@CFord P.S. always keep a cheap set of $5 speakers handy...or some $5 headphones. :)

@leftylabourtech Tried that, something in my system died, maybe a sound board & no sound comes out, regardless of attachment.

I've been torn for 2 years between 'Buy new', I really want not to, and 'live without this till it's fixed', I really want not to... . :- |

@leftylabourtech First world problems.

LeftyLabourTechToronto Apr 6, 2024

@CFord Or you can try "buy used/refurb". It's much cheaper. Not sure if you're using a computer or a mobile device.

@leftylabourtech Yes, exactly! And to define what 'bad' means is very useful too.

@leftylabourtech Ah, Yes! I'd heard this of the USA, saw it elsewhere, but never said to myself 'They're doing the same thing'. Thanks.