Rebuilding the Left; Canada: Activists Face the Future

A position proposed by Sam Gindin, former assistant to Buzz Hargrove (President of the Canadian Auto Workers) and now professor at York University in Toronto, was that of a "structured movement," something, he suggested, to be "more than a coalition" but "less than a party." The first workshop was devoted to drawing links between "anti-oppression" politics (such as issues of gender, race and sexual orientation) and "anti-capitalist" politics. The second workshop was devoted to discussing the challenges and opportunities that would arise in trying to move ahead with any new organization. An "activism and outreach" working group has already begun working on a multifaceted antipolicing initiative. An "organization" working group is meeting to develop recommendations for establishing an effective structure for the group. Finally, an "education and culture" working group has been established that, among other things, hopes to make the left a fun place to be.