Coming out of its last biennial Convention held this past June in Toronto, the Canadian Network on Cuba resolved to continue a major campaign to reopen Canada’s Visa office in Havana.
For this purpose, activists in solidarity with Cuba have begun gathering signatures for a petition addressed to the Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, the Minister of Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Ahmed D. Hussen, and Chrystia Freeland, Minister of Foreign affairs. It states that “on May 8th, 2019, the Government of Canada made the abrupt decision to shut down the section of its Immigration, Refugee and Citizenship (IRCC) Office in Havana.”
On Wednesday, October 31st, the General Assembly of the UN will be called to vote on a resolution condemning the US criminal blockade imposed to the Cuban people since 1961. Since 1992, the vast majority of the world’s countries votes in favour of the resolution calling to end this blockade, the longest one in contemporary history. The two countries voting against the motion are the US and Israel, although in 2016, in an effort of rapprochement between the two countries, the US abstained. With Trump in office since 2017, Washington is back to its old practice.
For the last 24 years, a group of people from across Canada have gone to Cuba together. Not as tourists, but as solidarity activists and people interested in learning about Cuba from Cubans themselves. The annual “Che Guevara Volunteer Work Brigade”, a two-week solidarity tour of the island, is organized by the Canadian Network on Cuba. It’s purpose: to build Canada-Cuba friendship and solidarity, and celebrate the gains of the Revolution, now in its 57th year.
The Canadian Network on Cuba (CNC) held a very successful
7th Biennial Convention in Toronto from May 30 -31, 2015. Delegates and alternate delegates from 19
member organizations were joined by observers and invited guests including His
Excellency Julio Garmendía Peña, Ambassador of Cuba to Canada, Javier Domokos
Ruiz, Toronto Consul General of Cuba and other Cuban diplomats.
The Convention had the distinct honour and privilege of
hosting Fernando González Llort, one of the Five Cuban Heroes who had been imprisoned unjustly in the United States
for defending Cuba from terrorist attacks launched from the United States
and/or by U.S. citizens and covert agencies and for defending Cuba's right to
independence and self-determination.
Brigade & Ailí Labañino after a morning of volunteer work photo: Denise M.
Drew Garvie
The 38 participants who traveled to Cuba this month as members of the 23rd Che Guevara Volunteer Work Brigade have returned home to
Canada. The annual Brigade, a two-week solidarity tour of the island, is organized
by the Canadian Network on Cuba. It’s purpose: to build Canada-Cuba friendship
and solidarity, and celebrate the gains of the Revolution, now in its 56th
year. This year was especially significant in the broader political context;
the hard-won freedom of the five Cuban heroes, and the groundbreaking
negotiations taking place between the United States and Cuba.
The Brigade members were a diverse group of activists of all
ages, joined together in solidarity with the Cuban people. Members participated
from cities across Canada, including Vancouver, Kamloops, Kelowna, Winnipeg,
Hamilton, Toronto, Ottawa and Halifax. Some members came as individuals and
others as members of organizations involved in Cuba solidarity work across
Canada. Several members of the Communist Party of Canada and the Young
Communist League attended the tour.
This year, larger international delegations with over 1000
members were present in Cuba to attend the May Day celebrations. Because of
this, this year’s Che Brigade was joined by other participants from a variety
of countries. A large delegation from Peru and smaller delegations from Chile,
Costa Rica, New Zealand, joined the group from Canada. This added to the
internationalist flavor of the Brigade and friendships were made with a shared
respect of Cuba’s revolution as the foundation.
Regarding the
2014 Che Guevara
Work Brigade of the Canadian
Network on Cuba
Dear Comrades,
As you are no doubt already aware, the Canadian
Network on Cuba will be holding their 22nd annual Che Guevera Work Brigade tour
of Cuba from April 28th, returning May 17th. This will
be a significant 'once-in-a-lifetime' trip for Cuban solidarity among youth and
students across Canada, and it is important for the Young Communist League of
Canada that the Brigade be a tremendous success.
By Peter Miller The Ernesto Che Guevara Volunteer Work Brigade is a highly
recommended trip for workers, students and progressive-minded people in Canada. The trip is organized by the Canadian Network on Cuba, that
represents organizations throughout Canada that do Cuban Solidarity work, and
also organized by ICAP, the Cuban Institute for Friendship with the People,
that puts together a very well organized trip for the "Brigadistas".
The trip often helps motivate Canadians to continue work as Cuban solidarity activists, and makes many
realize the importance of fighting for socialist revolution in Canada. Last year, I attended the Brigade and it exceeded my expectations. Brigadistas get the
opportunity to work some mornings on cooperative farms and urban farms, along
with other volunteer work. The work is modest and not too strenuous but important to show that
Brigadistas do not come to Cuba as tourists but as activists fighting to
support the Cuban revolution.
On
the occasion of the fifty-fifth anniversary of the Triumph of the Cuban
Revolution, the Canadian Network On Cuba extends to the people of Cuba
and its revolutionary leadership warm and heartfelt greetings and
congratulations.
On
January 1, 1959, the people of Cuba led by Fidel Castro firmly took
control of their destiny. The years since then are filled with rich and
inspiring examples of modern nation-building, demonstrating what can be
achieved when a country wins and defends its independence and exercises
its right to self-determination. Despite all efforts of the United
States superpower to bring Cuba to her knees, the resilience and
determination of the Cuban people to defend the independence and dignity
of their homeland, which is the basis of their own freedom and dignity,
has prevailed time and time again. Today, the Cuban people continue to
renew their Revolution; they continue to be an inspiration to humanity, a
living example that it is possible to build societies based on social
relations of genuine solidarity and social love.
By Isaac Saney, National Spokesperson, Canadian Network On Cuba
July 26th, 2013 marks the 60th anniversary of the act that is annually commemorated all over Cuba as the beginning of the movement and struggle that paved the way for the Cuban Revolution. On July 26th, 1953, a group of courageous young men and women - led by Cuba's former president, Fidel Castro - attacked the Moncada Barracks in the city of Santiago de Cuba, and the Carlos Manuel de Cespedes Barracks in Bayamo, in an attempt to overthrow the U.S. supported puppet dictator Fulgencio Batista. As the island’s second largest military garrison, the Moncada Barracks was critical to Batista’s military control of southern Cuba. The goal was to seize the weapons and distribute them to the people and spark a national uprising that would not only overthrow the Batista dictatorship but also establish Cuba’s independence and sovereignty.
A young Canadian activist learns about Cuban history on the 21st annual Che Brigade
From May 18-20 delegates from across the country participated in the Sixth Convention of the Canadian Network on Cuba (CNC), reaffirming their commitment to deepen and strengthen the Canada-Cuba solidarity & friendship movement. Held in the Toronto City Hall, representatives from 21 member organizations were joined by observers and special invited guests, including the President of the Cuban Institute for Friendship Amongst the Peoples (ICAP), Kenia Serrano Puig, His Excellency, the Cuban Ambassador to Canada Julio Garmendía Peña, the Consul General of Cuba to Canada Javier Domokos Ruiz and other Cuban and Canadian guests.
The Convention began with a tribute to the late Venezuelan President Hugo Chávez Frías. Delegates rendered homage through a poignant poem by Cuba based anthropologist and journalist Susan Hurlich read by internationally known playwright and actor Brian Gordon Sinclair, and a moving video of the profound personal relationship of Fidel Castro and Hugo Chavez, centred on the song El Regresso de un Amigo (The Return of a Friend) by Cuban singer Raúl Torres. During the course of the Convention, delegates also stood for a moment of silence to mark the passing of Marvin Glass, a founding member of the CNC and co-chair from 2002 to 2008.
Following the tribute to Hugo Chavez, ICAP President Kenia Serano, and His Excellency Ambassador Julio Garmendía Peña emphasized the importance of the Canada-Cuba solidarity movement to Canada-Cuba relations, and the role it can play in strengthening and deepening these relations, ensuring they remain based on mutual respect and equality. Serano also highlighted the importance of the upcoming Third World Conference in Solidarity With Cuba to be held in Havana from October 27-31, 2014. Messages of greetings were also received from La Table de Concertation de Solidarité Quebec-Cuba and the United States National Network On Cuba, warmly wishing the Convention success.
Several young Brigadistas fresh from three weeks working on the 43-member Che Guevara Volunteer Brigade, along with brigade coordinator, Dave Thomas, enthusiastically talked of their experiences in Cuba. In addressing Canada-Cuba relations, John Kirk (Dalhousie University), provided an overview of the long established Canadian ties with Cuba. He expressed concerns about the Harper regime’s attitude to Cuba, which contrasts sharply with the high esteem in which Canadians hold Cuba. A message of support from Carolyn Bennett (MP for the the constituency of St. Paul's in Toronto) was also read to the delegates.
Jorge Garcia Orgales (Global Affairs Department, United Steel Workers) and Dave Bleakney (National Representative, Canadian Union of Postal Workers) discussed Canadian Unions & Cuba Solidarity, stressing the importance the unions place on Cuban solidarity and, in particular, on the campaign to make sure all Five Cuban Heroes being held in U.S. jails are freed. They outlined their close collaboration with Cuban unions and emphasized the need for closer cooperation with the CNC. Local CNC organzations were encouraged to continue collaborating with unions in order to develop closer working relationships.
Extending over two sessions, the discussion of the ongoing economic and social measures being adopted in Cuba proved of considerable interest to delegates and observers. Isaac Saney (Dalhousie and Saint Mary’s Universities) gave a detailed elaboration of the unfolding renovation and updating of the Cuban economy, followed by Miguel Figueroa, (National Leader, Communist Party of Canada) who spoke on his recent visit to the island. The Cuban guests enriched the discussion, stressing that these changes were taking place within the process of the renewal and continuity of the Cuban revolutionary and socialist project.
Extensive reports by the CNC executive and CNC member organization were presented covering the two and a half years since the Fifth Convention. The reports illustrated the breadth and depth of Canada-Cuba solidarity activities from Vancouver to Halifax. Highlights of the accomplishments are the CNC's fundraising hurricane and earthquake relief for Cuba and Haiti, which raised over one million dollars, the tour across Canada of Cuban Dr. Jorge Balseiro and the People's Tribunal and Assembly held in Toronto last September 21-23. The scope and diversity encompassed a variety of arenas, from political work with parliamentarians, municipal councillors and unions to cultural performances, plays and festivals to ongoing information meetings, pickets and leafleting.
CNC delegates resolved to continue their efforts to mobilize Canadian public and political opinion to end the U.S. economic blockade of the island and to challenge and break the wall of silence and disinformation erected around the Five Heroes. Delegates adopted several resolutions, which reaffirmed their commitment to continue the struggle to free all of the Five Cuban Heroes unjustly incarcerated in the United States for defending their country from terrorism. Special attention was also paid to other areas of ongoing work including among others, the highly successful Ernesto Che Guevara Volunteer Work Brigade and Cuba For Haiti and Hurricane Relief Campaigns. The Convention also committed to support the upcoming symposium Africa's Unknown War: Apartheid Terror, Cuba & Southern African Liberation to be held at the University of Toronto on September 27 & 28. 2013, and to ensure vigorous Canadian participation in the Third World Conference in Solidarity With Cuba to be held in Havana from October 27-31, 2014.
Delegates elected a new executive to implement the Convention's decisions and realize the work plan for 2013-2015: Laura Chesnik, Julio Fonseca, Vincent Guihan, Elizabeth Hill, Peter Noble, Isaac Saney and Saleh Waziruddin. The executive subsequently selected Elizabeth Hill and Isaac Saney to continue as co-chairs. Isaac Saney was also re-appointed National Spokesperson, with Laura Chesnik resuming the position of Secretary and Elizabeth Hill that of Treasurer.
The exciting and full three-day program reflected the rich and dynamic Canada-Cuba solidarity & friendship movement, which has been in existence for more than fifty years. A movement rooted in the overwhelming respect of Canadians for Cuba’s right to independence and self-determination, and a profound admiration for what the Cuban people have accomplished despite facing the unceasing aggression of the United States. This respect and admiration have forged unbreakable ties of friendship and solidarity between the people of Canada and Cuba.
A press conference was held today in Toronto’s City Hall to welcome back and hear from the most recent Che Guevara Work Brigade, a group of 43 people aged from 15 to 82 years of age, from 5 provinces across Canada and 1 American state, who spent three weeks engaging in a variety of volunteer work projects across the island of Cuba. The highly diverse group included 12 students and 9 retirees, 13 people on their first Che Guevara Work Brigade experience, 12 who were present last year and one person for whom 2013 saw their fifth Brigade excursion. Many of the Brigade participants are active in Canada with Cuba Solidarity campaigns, work with their local Cuban Friendship Associations, and take part in the global campaign to free the "Cuban 5" prisoners held in US prisons. Rene Gonzales, one of the 5, has recently been given leave to remain in Cuba and no is longer obliged to fulfil the restrictive bail conditions that were imposed upon him after his release from incarceration due to the popular pressure of the international "Free the Cuban 5" campaign. Members of the Young Communist League of Canada were also proud participants of the Brigade. The Brigade's press conference was led by Niagara's Dave Thomas, who has been the coordinator for the Work Brigade for the past three years, and heard contributions from four of the Brigadistas. Examples of the activity of the Brigade were discussed, including work on a cooperative farm and visits to schools and hospitals. Work Brigade members of all ages were given tasks according to their abilities; on a Mango farm this meant sorting fruit for distribution or weeding out in the fields, since the overwhelming majority of Cuban agriculture is organic. The Brigade participants related how their efforts were always warmly and gratefully received by local Cuban workers. A visit to a housing complex for victims of recent hurricane damage was also discussed, the Brigade members relating how impressed they were that even this small community on an island off the mainland was still generously served by education and health services, both of which are world class and free to all citizens. This community has seven teachers for ten students, four daycare workers for around a dozen young children, and a doctor and nurse in residence in the community. One of the Brigade participants, a nursing student from Vancouver, spoke of how trainee nurses in Cuba receive excellent levels of one-on-one training with qualified doctors, and how the average wait time in ER in Cuba is just 30 minutes. In Canada, the average wait times are over four hours, among the highest in the world. Cuba’s health service provided a dramatic and lasting example to the Brigadistas of how even a relatively poor country can have excellent health provision if resources and spending priorities are set accordingly. One of the highlights of the three weeks was, as anticipated, May Day in Havana. The Brigade participants spoke of their admiration for the enthusiasm and collective spirit of the million or so participants, who from first thing in the morning began to gather with great pride at the achievements of their country, their ranks being led this year by scientific workers currently engaged in ground breaking cancer research. This year’s May Day parade also saw a giant tribute display to the late Hugo Chavez, recently deceased president of Venezuela, who was a great friend of Cuba and much loved by the people there.
May Day 2013 - Havana Cuba
In the words of some of the Brigadistas themselves: “I have great hope that the Cuban Revolution is strong and surviving, and has answers for the problems we have here in Canada" “I was greatly impacted by the warmth and humanity of the Cuban people” “Cuba is a beautiful and powerful example of what a country can achieve when its people work together”
Organising for the next Che Guevara Work Brigade will begin a little later this year. See http://www.canadiannetworkoncuba.ca/ to keep up with the latest news on Cuba and more information on the Brigade.
Rebel Youth Blog will be publishing more on this year's Brigade and hearing from some of the participants themselves... so stay tuned!
The Canadian Network on Cuba on behalf of all its member organizations expresses its heartfelt condolences to the people of Venezuela on the loss their beloved president and leader Hugo Chávez Frías. Hugo Chávez was a steadfast fighter for self-determination, social justice and independence. His vision and politics went beyond the boundaries of Venezuela to encompass the struggle for dignity not only in Latin America and the Caribbean but for the entire world. Hugo Chavez may have passed on but the ideals that his life embodied live on.
We express our deepest sympathy to his family, friends, comrades and loved ones. As the peoples of Venezuela and the world absorb this hard blow, this immense loss, we are confident that they will able to meet any challenge on the path to create a country and world as envisioned by Hugo Chávez a nation and planet fit for humanity.
At 1:25 a.m. on Thursday, Oct. 25th, Hurricane Sandy entered Cuba just west of Santiago de Cuba as a category 2 hurricane. However the extent and speed of Sandy gave it a destructive capability as great as any of the category 5 hurricanes. Its central path took it rapidly through the provinces of Santiago de Cuba, Holguín and Guantánamo, the former two provinces being the most populous in Cuba after the City of Havana.
The hurricane devastated the heroic city of Santiago de Cuba, destroying houses, damaging public buildings and monuments, leaving the city without water supply, electricity, shops, markets and trees. Despite massive evacuations, it took a toll of some 11 human lives, an unusually high number in Cuba for hurricanes (mainly by collapsing buildings) — 132,733 houses were affected with 15,322 totally destroyed and 43,426 losing roofs. Massive damage, not yet fully calculated, was caused in Guantánamo and Holguín before the hurricane left this province near Banes, precisely where hurricane Ike had entered four years earlier.
President Raúl Castro, visiting Santiago de Cuba on Sunday, Oct. 28, said that only urgent temporary measures can be taken and that the recovery of Santiago would take years.
The emergency measures are well underway. Roads to healthcare centres and other essential services were speedily cleared. Linemen have been arriving from seven provinces to work together with local ones to restore electricity and telephone services. Roofing materials are arriving from neighbouring provinces such as Las Tunas. Temporary systems have been set up to provide 85% of the affected population with drinking water, and food supplies have been arriving from throughout Cuba to Santiago and other severely affected parts of eastern Cuba. Cultural activity has not been overlooked, with some cultural centres being promptly and reopened, with artists from different parts of the country to join local artists in lifting the spirits of the people.
Good friends of Cuba have also been prompt to supply assistance. Venezuela, for example, has given 650 tons of help including non-perishable food, drinking water and heavy machinery to Cuba, with some going to Haiti. However, the need remains great. Cuba continues to give its help to Haiti, which, although not directly hit by Sandy, suffered much destruction from flooding, with scores of lives lost.
Cuban provinces as far east as Villa Clara and Cienfuegos suffered from high winds and flooding due to heavy rainfall.
Canadians have responded generously in the past to disasters affecting Cuba and other Caribbean countries suffering from natural disasters. With great gratitude we recall that from coast to coast they responded to requests from the Canadian Network on Cuba, the umbrella group representing friendship organizations with Cuba. We forwarded to Cuba after 2008, when the country was ravaged by three hurricanes, more than $404,000.00cad.
When on January 12, 2010, Haiti suffered the horrific earthquake, the CNC, recognizing that the most effective way of helping Haiti was by doing so through Cuba, mounted its TO CUBA FOR HAITI Campaign, which so far has collected and sent to the Cuban Medical Brigade in Haiti $453,728.12 cad.
Cuba needs substantial help, both immediate and long term, in order to overcome the crisis brought on by hurricane Sandy. Cuba’s Ministry of External Commerce (MINCEX) is establishing an account to receive the financial contributions. As in all our previous fundraising efforts, every single penny donated will go to Cuba. Charitable tax receipts will be provided.
Our experience with regard to Cuba's response to natural disasters is that it knows how to multiply the value of any donations it receives. We feel confident, based on the island's unsurpassed humanitarian work both within Cuba and in other countries, that it has the skills, the organization and the ethical and moral values to put whatever aid it receives to the best possible use.
The CNC urges everyone who can afford to do so to support this effort by giving a donation:
1) payable to your local Friendship organization and please also write "CNC Sandy Relief Fund" on your cheque's memo line. They will forward the info/money for tax receipts to the Mackenzie-Papineau MF.
2) payable to the ‘Mackenzie-Papineau Memorial Fund’ and mail to the
Mackenzie-Papineau Memorial Fund, Att: Sharon Skup 56 Riverwood Terrace Bolton, ON L7E 1S4
Please also write "CNC Sandy Relief Fund" on your cheque's memo line.
Charitable receipts will be issued by the Mackenzie-Papineau Memorial Fund in 4-8weeks (Charitable Org - Revenue Canada Reg, #88876 9197R0001). There will be no administrative charges, not even for postage stamps or anything else.
Keith Ellis, Coordinator, CNC Sandy Relief Fund (905 822 1972; zellis@yorku.ca)
Isaac Saney, CNC Co-Chair and National Spokesperson
