Rebel Youth remembers Stephen Endicott

Special to RY

Rebel Youth remembers and salutes Stephen Endicott who passed away on May 4th as a giant for the Communist movement in Canada.

Stephen wrote impressive books and articles adding to our collective struggle against Capitalism and Imperialism, the details of which can be found here: http://www.yorku.ca/sendicot/.

Salute to the YCL-LJC Convention

People's Voice Editorial
Issue: May 16-31, 2014

Presidium at 26th Convention of YCL-LJC

The May 24‑25 weekend will see a unique gathering in Toronto - the 26th Central Convention of the Young Communist League/Ligue de la jeunesses communiste du Canada. The editorial Board of People's Voice sends warmest greetings to YCL/LJC delegates from across Canada, who represent the revolutionary potential of youth to challenge the domination of big capital.

            The Young Communist League has never had an easy path in Canada. Yet the organization has played a critical, even leading role in many historic struggles. During the Thirties, YCLers were prominent in the On to Ottawa Trek and the Mackenzie‑Papineau Battalion which fought fascism in Spain. After WW2, Young Communists helped to organize workers in basic industries across the country, and to resist the integration of Canada into US imperialism's war machine. They played important roles in solidarity campaigns with the people of Vietnam, Cuba, southern Africa, Nicaragua and Palestine. YCL members were key activists in the progressive student movement, from the formation of the Canadian Federation of Students to the anti-tuition uprising of 2012 in Quebec. The YCL takes a principled stand against racism, sexism, homophobia, big nation chauvinism and other divisive ruling class ideologies.

YCL-LJC launches convention discussion with Toronto meeting

The Young Communist League of Canada launched its 26th Central Convention discussion with  special series of workshops held in Toronto this past month. The meeting marked the public release of the main political report and call to the YCL-LJC Convention, which is rallying behind the slogan "with unity and militancy, the youth will strengthen the fightback!" and was attended by activists from across southern Ontario and Quebec.

Rebel Youth magazine recently sat down with Johan Boyden,  General Secretary of the YCL-LJC, to talk about the YCL's convention.

So when and where is the convention taking place?

It is at the University of Toronto in three months from now, May 23-25th, and is expected to bring together delegates from across the country and especially Quebec and Ontario. Non-members are welcome to come and check it out, and you can read the documents on our website and the Rebel Youth blog.

More: Read the documents here

Your documents say the convention comes together at an important time for youth. Isn't this just another tired phrase of the left?

Not at all! What we are saying in the documents is that there is a lot at stake for young people and need for a more active, visible and coordinated fight back of youth.  With the economic crisis and the growing threat of war, we won't stay in the same place. Either our future is ripped from the current generation by the capitalists and we are thrust further -- much further than our parents -- into poverty, debt, insecurity, an increasingly dangerous world of imperialist war, and ecological catastrophe.  Or we push back.

Call to the 26th Central Convention of the Young Communist League of Canada

Rebel Youth is publishing notice of this important discussion now beginning in the Young Communist League of Canada. The main political resolution will be available shortly.


In accordance with the Constitution of the Young Communist League of Canada – Ligue de la jeunesse communiste du Canada (YCL-LJC), the Central Committee hereby issues this call to the 26th Central Convention of the YCL-LJC to be held Friday May 23, Saturday May 24, and Sunday May 25 in Toronto, Ontario. The convention will convene at 10:00 am on Friday May 23rd and adopted this call as an initial order of business.