Seven empty lots that could be used to create desperately needed housing in a poor community have been left sitting empty in Toronto’s Downtown East. For years, anti-poverty activists and community members have been demanding that the city expropriate the vacant lots at 214-230 Sherbourne Street and build affordable housing on them. Now, they’re gearing up for a fight with developers.
If we want the recent changing of the guard in the mayor’s office to make any difference, the very worst approach would be to leave it all in Chow’s hands. She will need vigorous social movements pushing at her back, and ready to push harder at the first sign of retreat. If we can muster those forces, some real victories are entirely possible in the days ahead.
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Much has been said about the criminal syndicalism laws in the United States and the outlawing of syndicalist organizing under the first Red Scare in 1919. Yet it is often overlooked that similar laws targeting the Industrial Workers of the World (IWW) were passed in Canada in the context of capitalist attacks on militant working class organizing, and ruling class xenophobia, and fear of transnational labor solidarity, during World War One. Indeed, this September marks the 105-year anniversary of the passing of the most far-reaching anti-syndicalist law in Canada one that explicitly targeted the IWW making membership a crime. Notably, the Canadian criminalization of syndicalism predated the criminal syndicalism laws in the US. More than a century later we should reacquaint ourselves with these acts of government, which are largely forgotten today. Not only for our understanding of the role of the state in advancing the interests of capital and quashing resistance. But also because of re
Intentional endings are important. I know very little about the deliberations that went into the decision by OCAP members to retire their organization. But I have deep respect for groups of people that do the difficult, unglamorous work of reflecting on their efforts, determining that their organization is no longer viable, and purposefully bringing it to a close.