Fredericton Peace Coalition

Fredericton Palestine Solidarity, Jews for Just Peace, the Fredericton Islamic Association and Wilmot United Church invite you to attend a Community Gathering for Gaza at the Wilmot United Church (corner of King and Carleton) on Sunday, February 1st at 4:00 pm. The event provides an opportunity for the general public to learn more about the causes of the latest crisis in the Middle-East while sharing authentic Asian-Middle-Eastern cuisine. The Community Gathering will also offer music, speeches, information tables, and a short film screening. Attendance is free and childcare will be available.

For more information, contact info@frederictonpeace.org

This February, the Haitian people will commemorate the fifth anniversary of a seminal date in their long and proud history. But it won’t be a celebration. They will mobilize in angry protests to condemn the overthrow of the elected government of President Jean-Bertrand Aristide on February 29, 2004. They will also condemn the decades of foreign domination that has brought the country to ruin; made all the worse since 2004.

Interview with Terry Sapier of the Tobique First Nation

Between November 12-14, 2008, the historic “Defenders of the Land” gathering took place in Winnipeg. The gathering brought together dozens of grassroots activists, elders, youth, women and men from Indigenous communities across “Canada” who are in active struggle to defend their land and assert self-determination. A new grassroots Indigenous network was created from the gathering, entitled the “Turtle Island Defenders of the Earth” (TIDE).

On 13 January, George W. Bush presented “presidential freedom medals”, said to be America’s highest recognition of devotion to freedom and peace. Among the recipients were Tony Blair, the epic liar who, with Bush, bears responsibility for the physical, social and cultural destruction of an entire nation; John Howard, the former prime minister of Australia and minor American vassal who led the most openly racist government in his country’s modern era; and Alvaro Uribe, the president of Colombia, whose government, according the latest study of that murderous state, is “responsible for than 90 per cent of all cases of torture”.

An Open Letter to Hon. Keith Ashfield, MP for Fredericton

January 22, 2009

Dear Hon. Keith Ashfield,

We write to urge you to vote no to ratifying the Canadian-Colombian Free Trade Agreement.

Colombia is the most dangerous country in the world for trade unionists, with over 2,500 union leaders and human rights defenders murdered there in the past ten years.

The government of Colombia ignores and violates workers’ rights, and Colombian courts have found ties between high ranking government officials and the deadly paramilitary forces.

No trade agreements should be forged with Colombia until there is effective prosecution of killers of civilians and enforcement of minimum International Labour Organization standards on the rights of workers.

Prime Minister Harper made a very undemocratic move when he went ahead and signed an agreement with President Uribe of Colombia without waiting for the completion of a report prepared by a Standing Committee on Foreign Affairs and International Trade. The Committee’s recommendations included
requiring an independent assessment of human rights violations in Colombia before ratifying and implementing any trade agreement. Canada’s most important trading partner, the United States, has decided not to proceed because of widespread concern with U.S. Congress Democrats about the level
of violence, impunity and the role of the paramilitary in Colombia.

Canadians and Colombians need fair trade, not free trade agreements that undermine worker protections, the environment and human rights.

We urge you to take a stand for justice by voting no to the Canadian-Colombian Free Trade Agreement.

Sincerely,

Tracy Glynn, Fredericton Peace Coalition
Cathy Holtmann, Development and Peace, Diocesan Council
Cindy Doucet, Development and Peace – Latin America International Development Committee
Tara Hurford, Development and Peace

Plea from an Israeli woman associated with Machsom Watch – Check Point Watch

Vigil for Gaza
When: Saturday, Jan. 24 at 6:00 pm.
Where: Fredericton City Hall (Queen and York).
Stand in vigil for the victims of Gaza.

For more information, contact info@frederictonpeace.org

“Operations at the open-pit mine were suspended temporarily in December after hundreds of people invaded the area and fought with security personnel, leaving one person dead and $7 million in damage.”

Barrick Gold is a Canadian-owned gold mine.

Peace activist Tamara Lorincz tried to disrupt Monday’s breakfast, quietly holding up a sign at the front of the crowd protesting the Canadian military’s role in Afghanistan.

But the general’s security detail soon grabbed Ms. Lorincz and forced her out of the hall where he was speaking.

“Afghanistan is an illegal war,” she shouted as they took her away.