YCL TO HOLD ON-LINE ORGANIZING MEETING

YCL TO HOLD ON-LINE ORGANIZING MEETING

The Young Communist League of Canada is gearing up for a major on‑line organizing meeting of all members, the YCL announced in early March.

The meeting, to be held on Sunday, March 26, will bring together YCLers from across the country to discuss planning for a founding central convention. Since an initial conference in Vancouver three years ago, the re‑launched YCL has joined in high school and university campaigns, worked on picket lines, engaged in the peace movements and helped build the Canadian delegation to the 16th World Youth Festival in Caracas Venezuela.

"I think we've made some excellent steps forward," Johan Boyden, Ontario YCL organizer told People's Voice, adding that the CPC has allocated funds to a YCL budget and is assigning young people in the party to help build the YCL. "It is an extremely exciting development. It means we will be able to welcome international guests, and launch an organizing drive before the convention."

Educational/cultural events are another idea, he notes. "All these things will be discussed by membership in detail on the 26th."

The YCL Central Preparatory Committee has issued a letter to all members and applicants and is planning to attract participants in areas where the League has little base. So far, clubs have been set up across BC and Ontario, plus a start in Winnipeg.

"Our goal here, however is bigger and broader," Boyden stated. "We want to build a pan‑Canadian organization, one that brings together revolutionary youth in Quebec and English Canada, as well as the First Nations, with a common unity of purpose. That will mean expanding the preparatory committee also, to reflect this goal."

Recent YCL statements for International Women's Day and the March 18th Peace Rally have emphasized the need for a strong pan-Canadian youth movement as critical to defeat the new, Harper‑style corporate agenda. "To really confront this anti‑youth and student assault and we're talking about a country that is one of the richest in the world, where our youth unemployment policy has not dropped below 14% in thirty years - we need a strong resistance. Now." Boyden stated.

"Thousands are marching against war and US empire. The NDP's lack of action and youth policies have discredited their claim to be the only forum for a `new politics' of `left' and progressive youth ‑ especially after their stance on crime in the last election. More and more young people see real alternatives in Cuba and Venezuela, creating tremendous hope in Canada for broad resistance, uniting youth and students, and making a sharp break with the corporate agenda. Now is the time to join the YCL," he said.

For more information about the March 26 meeting, please write to ycl_ljc@ycl‑ljc.ca.