Ottawa, Canada. July 2014.
Members of the Green Party of Canada made history at their August 5鈥7 convention in Ottawa, passing a resolution to support the boycott, divestment and sanctions (BDS) campaign targeting economic activities in the Palestinian territories occupied by Israel.
The BDS campaign was first launched in 2005 with a call from more than 170 Palestinian non-government organisations. It has generated growing support across the world.
Derrick O'Keefe
Ottawa, Canada. July 2014.
Members of the Green Party of Canada made history at their August 5鈥7 convention in Ottawa, passing a resolution to support the boycott, divestment and sanctions (BDS) campaign targeting economic activities in the Palestinian territories occupied by Israel.
The BDS campaign was first launched in 2005 with a call from more than 170 Palestinian non-government organisations. It has generated growing support across the world.
In 2012, Quebec鈥檚 student movement carried out a months-long strike, managing to push back and hold off a neoliberal government鈥檚 bid to raise tuition fees.
Repeatedly mobilising upwards of 200,000 people at monthly 鈥渕ega-manifs鈥, the 鈥淢aple Spring鈥 was an all-too rare win against the forces of austerity, and so it captured imaginations around the world.
We interviewed Ali Mustafa live from Egypt on January 24 鈥 the Friday of the weekend marking the third anniversary of the popular uprising that captured the global imagination and put fear in the hearts of despots everywhere.
Over a terrible connection and crackling phone line, Ali鈥檚 voice was difficult to make out as he described the scene: 鈥淭he streets are empty, it鈥檚 almost eerie and ominous the way the streets are deserted.鈥
Nearly 50 years ago, in 1964, Nelson Mandela 鈥 along with many other comrades in the struggle for the liberation of South Africa from racist white domination under apartheid 鈥 was sentenced to life in prison.
His , made when he was facing the real threat of execution, remains a historic demonstration of defiance and resistance.
Canada's colonial past is its present, too, however much Prime Minister Stephen Harper seeks to obfuscate the reality of the history of this land.
Recent events have served as a prime example of how denial of past colonialism helps to perpetuate ongoing colonial relationships. The flash point is the small town of Rexton, New Brunswick, on Canada's east coast.
Hugo Chavez has died 鈥 undefeated. Yes, undefeated. Chavez, no matter how many times the corporate media and the cheerleaders of the status quo call him a dictator, was elected repeatedly with overwhelming majorities. No matter how many times this slur is moronically or mendaciously repeated, people know the truth. No less than Jimmy Carter certified Venezuela's elections as amongst the most fair and transparent his organization has ever observed. And the voter turnouts that elected Chavez were usually far, far higher than those in the U.S.
The shooting of 14-year-old Malala Yousafzai has unleashed a wave of revulsion and protest in Pakistan, along with a wave of media attention around the world.
Across the political spectrum people are, quite naturally, interpreting this brutal crime through their own ideological lenses.
Unfortunately, leaps of logic and aggressive, violent non-sequiturs abound. This is in both the misogyny-addled justifications for this brazen assassination attempt and in the attempts to use this sickening attack as cover or justification for deadly and destructive foreign interventions.
Federal elections were held in Canada on May 2 after the conservative government of Prime Minister Stephen Harper lost a motion of no-confidence in parliament. In the elections, Harper's government was returned -- winning enough extra seats to move from being minority government to a majority one.
A billionaire, mass murdering criminal is dead, but the symbiotic processes of empire and terrorism that breed inequality, war, occupation, torture and dispossession are alive and well.
August 19 marked 91 years since Afghanistan gained its freedom from the British Empire, following three bloody wars of independence.
US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton has issued a video statement to mark the occasion. It鈥檚 worth watching, if only to appreciate the new Empire鈥檚 irony-laden platitudes.
In her greetings of 鈥渇riendship鈥, Clinton wished Afghans a 鈥渉appy and safe Independence Day鈥. She said: 鈥淥n behalf of President Obama and the American people, I want to congratulate the people of Afghanistan on 91 years of independence.
While G20 leaders barely made mention of the climate crisis at the June 26-27 G20 summit in Toronto, Pablo Solon, Bolivia鈥檚 United Nations ambassador, was in town to encourage action on the 鈥淐ochabamba protocols鈥.
It is no surprise that Solon, also Bolivia鈥檚 chief climate negotiator, was not on the list of special invitees to G20 meetings. In April, Solon and the Bolivian government he represents organised the World People鈥檚 Conference on Climate Change and the Rights of Mother Earth in Cochabamba.