SA conference condemns capitalism’s crimes
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Members and supporters celebrated the 20th anniversary of Socialist Action / Ligue pour l’Action socialiste with an international educational conference and a party convention held May 2325, 2014 at the University of Toronto.
The conference theme “Capitalism is Organized Crime” echoed across the agenda. Topics were “Capitalism Damns the Environment” (with speak ers Malu Baumgarten, Toronto Social ist Action; and Robbie Mahood, mem ber of SA/LAS and Quebec Solidaire in Montreal)
Also: Scandals, Repression and Corporate Dictatorship (with Barry Weisleder, federal secretary, Socialist Action—Canada; Jaime Gonzalez, LUS (Socialist Unity League)—Mexico; and Chris Hutchinson, Socialist Action USA, Connecticut), Also: “Science: For Profit, or for Peo ple?” with special guest speaker Cliff Conner. And: “When Labour Won,” with Julius Arscott, SA Toronto; Chris Hutchinson, SA U.S.A.; and Robbie Ma hood. And: “Is Inequality Inevitable?” with Claudia Espinoza, president, USGE Local 00079 (Public Service Alliance of Canada) and an organizer with Justicia for Migrant Workers; Kaylie Tiessen from the Canadian Centre for Policy Alternatives; and John Orrett, member, Toronto Professional Firefighters’ As sociation and SA Thornhill.
And finally: What Would Socialism Look Like? (with Cliff Conner, who coauthored the new book “Imagine: Liv ing in a Socialist USA”).
Over 50 people attended one or more of the conference sessions, all of which exhibited a high degree of audience participation. Folks purchased over $500 in literature and other items. During the conference two participants asked to join Socialist Action, in addi tion to the six people who joined SA in the month preceding the conference.
At the SA/LAS convention held on the Sunday, members adopted a plan of action and a budget, welcomed new members, and elected a bi-national leadership body.
The unanimously adopted central priorities of SA/LAS for the coming year include: (1) Participation in the campaign to elect an NDP government in Ontario—while honestly explain ing our criticisms of the policies, tac tics and undemocratic methods of the Horwath leadership—leading up to the Ontario NDP Convention in November 2014. To prepare the party left wing for the convention, we urge the Socialist Caucus to hold an Ontario conference in early September.
2) Continuing efforts to oppose the cuts to postal services, and to resist the ruling-class drive towards more auster ity, autocratic governance, surveillance Socialist Action