FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:

Anarchists call Police report comparing activism to hate crime "chilling"

May 24, 2009

HAMILTON- Local members of the provincial anarchist organization
Common Cause fear Hamilton police are seeking to criminalize local
organizers after a Hamilton police report identified the 2nd annual
Hamilton Anarchist Book Fair as a potential source of hate crime.

While presenting the Year-End Hate Crime report (available online)
to the Hamilton Police Board on May 19, acting sergeant Michael Goch
stated police would be “actively monitoring” the book fair scheduled to
take place on June 6.

Alex Diceanu, Ontario Treasurer of Common Cause responded, "As the
organizers of the annual book fair, and as local anarchists and
activists, Common Cause is deeply disturbed by these statements.

"This is a manipulation of hate crime laws to criminalize activism. At
this time of economic and environmental crisis, alongside increasing

For the second year in a row, Hamilton will be home to Ontario's only Anarchist Book Fair, happening June 6, from 10am to 4pm at Westdale Collegiate, 700 Main St. West . Over 300 people from all over southern Ontario took part in Hamilton's first anarchist book fair, held last June.

For those not familiar with anarchist book fairs you can expect a couple dozen or so publishers and book stores to be on hand offering literature in various forms (as well as the occasional t-shirt) at affordable prices. You can expect to find just about every social justice issue covered from the environment, to women's struggles to radical history and theory. Many local activist groups will also be on hand to share information about important struggles happening in our community and beyond.

A newly designed issue of Linchpin, Common Cause's free paper, is now out for April/May.

As the recession deepens, employers continue to discard their workers, many of whom are experiencing the inadequacy of government safety nets for the first time. This issue reviews steel and auto worker responses in Hamilton and Windsor. It also provides an anarchist perspective on health care as the McGuinty government quietly leaves hospitals with no choice but to layoff staff, introduce service fees or allow services to erode.

Sarah Lawrance of Ottawa's EXILE Infoshop explains the staples of anarchist activity as educational and liberatory. Kim Mackrael of the Indigenous Peoples Solidary Network shines a light on the latest indications the Harper government wants to undermine Barriere Lake's autonomy.

This is the text from the leaflet Common Cause distributed at the March 21, 2009 JobsFirst! labour rally in Hamilton, Ontario. The pdf is available below for download.

They Didn't Share the Wealth, Why Should We Share the Pain

For the past 30 years the rich got richer off our backs. Speed-ups, wage cuts, longer hours, precarious jobs, cuts to social services. The rich got super-profits and the rest of us got insecurity, poverty and debt. Governments have been only too happy to lend a hand.

Now that they've squandered their ill-gotten gains (along with our savings) on the global financial casino, they want to squeeze us even more to make up their losses! Layoffs, concessions, cutbacks...they are turning their crisis into our pain.

By Petre Marin
December 5, 2008

This past Thursday, December 4, the Hamilton branch of the Ontario Health Coalition (OHC) held a town hall meeting at the United Steelworkers hall to inform the public of a wave of health care cuts planned by the provincial government. About 80 people filled the hall. Among them were health care and steel workers, union representatives, senior citizens, and various community groups. I attended the meeting on behalf of Common Cause Hamilton. The following is a brief report highlighting the main points that were made on the night.

31 seperate listings, from Oct 29 through Dec 1

25 events, 1 course, and notice of 2 upcoming gatherings for November

The Ottawa Anarchist Discussion Group is one of the longest-running anarchist projects in Ottawa (since January 2005) and is now affiliated with Common Cause Ottawa.

The discussion group was founded for two main reasons.

First it was created by and for people already engaged in local struggles. It is intended as a forum to allow for reflection on the links between theory and action. We aim to deepen our analysis and understanding of how the present system works in order to be more effective in our struggles to change it.

Secondly and just as important, the discussion group is aimed at those new to anarchism. We seek to engage people on the level of ideas. Too often we anarchists fail to explain our ideas to ordinary people.

This fall the dicussions may see something of an evolution as we rethink the focus and format to ensure continued relevance to those involved in local activism.

Held the first Saturday of every month:

September 6th
Detroit: I Do Mind Dying: A Study in Urban Revolution. by Dan Georgakas and Marvin Surkin

October 4th
Welcome to the Terrordome:The Pain, Politics, and Promise of Sports. by Dave Zirin

For times and locations check the 'events' sidebar at www.linchpin.ca

Hamilton’s first ever anarchist bookfair proved a remarkable success with more than 250 visitors attending from as far away as Buffalo. Vendors came from across southern Ontario, as well as Quebec and Alberta. Workshops were held on labour organizing, anarcha-feminism and Indigenous struggles. Common Cause Hamilton plans to build on this year’s success with another bookfair next year, promising a better publicized event and more material for children.

Note: Common Cause Hamilton is now hosting an Anarchist Discussion Group the third Tuesday of each month, 7:00pm at the Sky Dragon Centre, 27 King William St.