Congratulations to ILPS in Canada on their 5th General Assembly!
From June 1st to 4th CPSO along with other organizations participated in the 5th general assembly of the International League of People’s Struggle (ILPS) in Canada. In a short 4 days we met with people from all over Canada and the United states to discuss how we can best resist Canadian imperialism locally and internationally.
On the first two days we blocked the entrance to the CANSEC conference where arms dealers from around the world gathered to promote their weapons and sell contracts, and marched in the streets of Ottawa to highlight Canada’s role in financially supporting the arms trade and imperialist wars around the globe. We made it clear that the people living in so-called Canada will not support the arms trade or wars of aggression on behalf of the Canadian capitalist class and will continue to intensify their resistance to these systems and organizations.
For the remaining two days we held panels on how Canada operates as a unique imperialist power that simultaneously benefits from and supports the main enemy of US imperialism, the necessity in supporting Indigenous sovereignty in so-called Canada and beyond, and the ways we can resist Canadian imperialist aggression. In workshops we discussed topics like rebuilding the anti-war movement, resisting fascism, and organizing at a grassroots level alongside and led by the masses.
To conclude the conference resolutions were passed which called on the ILPS to support causes related to political prisoners and journalists in Palestine, efforts to break siege on Gaza, use of terror label by Israel, abolishing the Child Protective Services, women’s rights and the International Women’s Alliance, opposition to the tar sands in Alberta, the rejection of the Marcos-Duterte tandem in the Philippines, migrant campaigns for those facing deportation, Irish and Haitian self-determination, and a renewed commitment to opposing NATO aggression. As our final item, we elected a new coordinating committee for ILPS in Canada, including our very own Min Zhu and Adrian She from CPSO!
Overall this congress has shown that there is a renewed interest in expanding the anti-imperialist united front in so-called Canada. It was a privilege to meet and learn from others who are staunchly committed to the same goal.
Long Live International Solidarity!