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– French. International Workers’ Day is without doubt the most significant political event for the proletariat and revolutionary activists in Canada and elsewhere. Let’s celebrate it as it was meant to be celebrated! |
MAY 1ST, INTERNATIONAL WORKERS’ DAY
On the night of May 4th, 1886, Chicago police ordered striking workers rallying in Haymarket Square to disperse. Union leaders within the United States had set the first of May as the date upon which the eight-hour work day would become standard and had organized a fairly substantial general strike in support of this demand. Although the actions organized by the strikers had been peaceful, the police responded with gunfire. |
For the past year, this newspaper has consistently defended the interests of the working class. Across the board, both nationally and internationally, Partisan condemns the dominant ideology and takes a solid stand in favor of socialism and revolution. It supports acts of resistance from the proletariat and oppressed peoples and popularizes revolutionary actions that attack the very heart of the exploitative capitalist system. |
The capitalist crisis of the last few years opened up a new era of attack against the living conditions of the working class around the world. The CEOs, the bankers and bourgeois politicians launched a large offensive on many fronts. Everywhere the crisis is an opportunity to deepen conditions of exploitation. The prosperity of the capitalist minority directly translates to the impoverishment of the majority: workers, the unemployed, workers with no status, aboriginals, vast numbers of oppressed peoples of which women constitute the majority. |
Like in years past, this year’s International Workers Day gives us the chance to celebrate our struggles and express our hope of living in a new socialist society, free from exploitation of every kind. On May First, we will condemn the capitalist crisis and oppose the designs of the bourgeoisie to make us pay the price. We will celebrate the great struggles and revolts of the oppressed peoples and of our comrades who are rising up in Greece and beyond. We will express loud and clear our solidarity with the people’s wars that are ongoing in India and the Philippines, and with the revolutionary masses of Nepal who are bravely fighting to return to the communist road. The Partisan calls on all revolutionaries, proletarians and anti-capitalist activists to take any initiative in order to make of May First 2012 a great day of revolutionary struggle! In Montreal, the Convergence of Anti-Capitalist Struggles is already calling for a rally at 4:30pm at the Champ-de-Mars, near the City Hall. Check our next issue for full details of the May First 2012 programs! |
At the time of this writing, more than 200,000 students were on strike to protest university tuition fee increases. Meanwhile, the biggest demonstration yet is set for Thursday, a nod to the March 22 occupation at the University of Nanterre, which marked the beginning of the revolutionary spring of 1968 in France. |
MONTREAL—This year’s March 15 demonstration against police brutality was the biggest one since it was launched 15 years ago. The Montreal Police first reported that between 4,000 and 5,000 people attended, before reducing its evaluation to some 2,000 people. Nevertheless, the participation was much greater than usual, and this is the main reason why the police were unable to use their usual tactics of encirclement and mass arrests. |
ANNUAL DEMO AGAINST POLICE BRUTALITY:
Innu people from Uashat mak Mani-Utenam blocked road 138 for five days in the northeast part of Quebec to protest Hydro-Quebec’s plan to build a new hydroelectric complex on their territory. The blockade began Monday, March 5th; only three days later, Quebec’s Superior Court imposed its colonial jurisdiction by issuing a preliminary injunction that would force an end to the blockade. That Friday evening, the Quebec Provincial Police came to dismantle the barricade and made a dozen arrests. Two Innu people subsequently appeared at the courthouse in Sept-Îles on charges of obstruction. |