Guess they didn't need a fleet of SUV tanks to patrol neighbourhoods.

What was and what should never be... There is a line that gets trotted out again and again whenever someone is confronted with their own past words, jokes, or writing.

"That is why the claim that something was acceptable then but is not acceptable now falls apart under even light scrutiny... The harm existed then just as it does now. The difference is that today, more people feel empowered to name it."

open.substack.com/pub/theradco...

Donate to Help 12 Laid-Off Democracy Workers Pay Rent This Christmas!, organized by Kelsea Swackhammer Hi, I'm Kit, a family member and friend of Democracy on Locke… Kelsea Swackhammer needs your support for Help 12 Laid-Off Democracy Workers Pay Rent This Christmas!

Please share and donate in solidarity!

🔗 Link: www.gofundme.com/f/help-12-la... @hamiltonlabour.bsky.social 2/2

A purple graphic with a cafe illustration and text that reads: Help 12 Laid-off Democracy Cafe workers pay rent this Christmas!

SEIU Local 2 members at Democracy Café have been laid off right before the holidays following the sudden announcement that the café will be shut down. The community, friends, and family have come together to support them after this devastating news by starting a GoFundMe campaign. 1/2 #HamOnt

Capitalism's Breeding Ground for Gender-Based Violence It is impossible to look honestly at capitalism and pretend that toxic masculinity and gendered violence are unfortunate side effects rather than features baked into the system.

My latest Substack post...

"When everything is measured by productivity and profit, aggression is praised because it gets results. Empathy is brushed aside because it slows things down. Toxic masculinity does not just fit inside capitalism, it is built to serve it."

The Plight of the Labour Professional Many institutions within the broader labour movement, including unions, federations, labour councils, and affiliated non-governmental organizations, pride themselves on being democratic and rooted in ...

“The strength of labour has always come from people who were willing to fight without guarantees. People who walked into boardrooms with no safety net. People who went back to the plant, or the classroom, or the hospital after holding office, then continued to organize with pride."

Notwithstanding Optimism The fine apex of dual slippery slopes

My latest Substack piece...

"When the federal Liberal government signals its intention to place new restrictions on [the provincial notwithstanding] clause, many Canadians have reason to be cautiously optimistic."

open.substack.com/pub/theradco...

"A huge part of the old dream was the faith that hard work would be rewarded. Many young workers with degrees patch together freelance gigs or contract work with no benefits [that] rarely offer the security that unionized positions did for earlier generations."

open.substack.com/pub/theradco...

The Best Defence is Offensive Combatting poverty is where the grass is greener

"$150 billion is not a marginal increase; it is a colossal sum, dwarfing many existing federal budgets for crucial social programs. What could that money do if directed elsewhere? Specifically, what could it do to finally, truly, eliminate poverty in Canada?"

open.substack.com/pub/theradco...

Respecting Those Who Hold The Line Whether you know them or not!

"Even if you are not part of a unionized workforce, the wages you earn, the benefits you enjoy, and the working conditions you benefit from are in large part thanks to the sacrifices and struggles of workers who took to picket lines before you."

open.substack.com/pub/theradco...

Fighting Our Own Hydra Fascism’s Three-Headed Advance: How Federal, Provincial/State, and Local Governments Slide Toward Authoritarianism With Working-Class Consent

"When people imagine the rise of fascism, they tend to look upward—toward national crises and sweeping legislative crackdowns. But the real danger is more insidious: fascist tendencies often emerge and consolidate across all levels of government simultaneously."

open.substack.com/pub/theradco...

"When Canadians are worried about external threats, whether from economic instability, military conflicts, or geopolitical competition, the NDP often struggles to offer a vision that resonates."

open.substack.com/pub/theradco...

When HR only looks through a liability lens...

open.substack.com/pub/theradco...

Today at 5:30 p.m. at #HamOnt City Hall!

The HDLC has endorsed four candidates in the federal election. We encourage affiliate members to support these candidates wherever possible!

@matthewgreen.bsky.social - Ham Centre
@robertohenriquez.bsky.social - HWAD
Peter Wehrun - FlamGlan/BrantNorth
Shannon Horner Shepherd - Haldimand-Norfolk.

Bubble-wrapping our institutions sets a perilous precedent Protecting one group’s comfort should not come at the cost of another’s constitutional liberties.

Back in The Spec...

"Today, it may be aimed at anti-vaxxers or street preachers with controversial messages. Tomorrow, it could be striking teachers, environmental activists, or Indigenous land defenders."

www.thespec.com/opinion/cont...

The Creeping Authoritarianism of Protest Bubbles In recent years, a worrying trend has emerged across Canada.

The idea of protest bubbles in your community needs to be popped before it starts.

open.substack.com/pub/theradco...

Abridging the right to protest in public is one step towards fascism. That Carney wants to take this step national is a threat to our Charter rights to freedom of assembly and ends with people being locked up for legal protests.

Hate-based protests are already illegal and police can enforce.

Canadian labour leaders want to know where parties stand on workers' rights this federal election | CBC News Hamilton labour leaders say workers want to know where candidates in this federal election stand on issues including the right to strike, supporting public services and protecting workers affected by…

Hamilton labour leaders say workers want to know where candidates in this federal election stand on issues including the right to strike, supporting public services and protecting workers affected by the Canada-U.S. trade war. buff.ly/rFt0teq #HamOnt #Burlington #Labour #CdnPoli

The Need for Postal Banking in Canada A Public Solution to Economic and Financial Inequality

"At its core, postal banking reaffirms a fundamental principle: that financial services are a public good... the argument for restoring postal banking is not only economically sound, it is morally imperative."
open.substack.com/pub/theradco...

The Epic Fail of P3 Housing Where People Pay the Profiteers

With an election around the corner, beware politicians who suggest P3s are a solution to the housing crisis. P3s are just a way for the public to subsidize the profiteers.

open.substack.com/pub/theradco...

I was this day old when April Fools lost all meaning because reality has gone beyond foolishness.

How asinine is it that you can make 25% below the median income and still be considered middle class?

Demand that your politicians speak to working class issues, not middle class issues!

"The Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development defines a member of the middle class as anyone who earns between 75 per cent and 200 per cent of the median household income after tax."

What better way to pacify a disenfranchised working-class person than to console them by telling them "at least you've reached the middle class".

In this article, they define "middle class" as being "anywhere from $52,875 to $141,000."

What does 'middle class' mean in Canada, and who does it leave behind? | CBC News Liberal Leader Mark Carney and Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre both promised middle-class tax cuts this week. But the former hallmarks of a middle-class lifestyle — like owning a home or taking a...

The "middle class" is a construct to divide up working-class people and make people feel like they're in some kind of dream middle ground to aspire to while struggling against exploitation your entire life. You're on a hamster wheel striving to reach invisible plateaus.

www.cbc.ca/news/canada/...

Max the Tax Inc. It’s Time for Corporations to Pay Their Fair Share!

Max the Tax Inc. - It's time for corporations to pay their fair share of public housing, healthcare and education!

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The Politics of Unity and Fracture - Why the Left Must Rethink Coalition Building

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