July 4th: Anti-Cap Conference

Where: July 4-6, Ontario Institute for Studies in Education, 252 Bloor St, Toronto

What:
"Making the Movement Matter", an anti-Capitalist Conference


**WEEKEND AGENDA: PUBLIC FORUMS + WORKSHOPS**

Public Forums

THURSDAY, JULY 4th 7:00 pm @ OISE, 252 Bloor Street

FROM EMPIRES TO ASHES: RESISTING IMPERIALISM
Speakers: Samer Elatrash (Palestinian liberation activist)
Magaly San Martin (Latin American Coalition Against Racism)
Claudio Katz (Argentinian active in Neighborhood Assemblies)

FRIDAY, JULY 5th 7:00 pm @ OISE, 252 Bloor Street

FROM ANTI-GLOBALIZATION TO ANTI-CAPITALISM
An assessment of anti-G8 organizing, with speakers from Take the Capital and Toronto-Mob4Glob, and book launch for David McNally's Another World Is Possible: Globalization and Anti-Capitalism (Arbeiter Ring Press).

**WORKSHOPS**

FRIDAY JULY 5th at Sid Smith Hall, 100 St. George Street

10:00 am - 12:00 pm

THE CANADIAN SECURITY STATE: ANTI-TERRORISM AND CLASS STRUGGLE
Rm 1078

The "War on Terrorism" involves warfare abroad and the curtailment of democratic rights and freedoms under the pretext of "national security" at home. In this workshop, Gary Kinsman highlights the class, racial and sexual dimensions to the new Canadian National Security State. He addresses the following questions: how has "national security" been used historically against workers and the oppressed? How has the current Canadian State changed? How do class, race and sexuality fit into these changes? Will the changes affect our activist work? And
how should radicals orient themselves towards state agencies?

Presenter: Gary Kinsman (Sudbury New Socialists, co-editor 'Whose National Security?')

CRIP POLITICS
Rm 1080

This workshop addresses the systemic oppression of people with disabilities from an anti-capitalist perspective and advances strategies for fighting ableism within activism and beyond.

Presenters: Leah Dolmage (crip ally, Toronto care collective)
A.J. Withers (queer and disability rights activist, OCAP)

INTERNATIONAL SOLIDARITY AND CROSS-BORDER ORGANIZING
Rm 1084

Governments around the world are pushing forward international trade agreements, but labour unions and other social movements are still largely nationally based. Following the slogan an injury to one is an injury to all, this workshop will look at strategies for building international solidarity and new forms of cross-border organizing.

Presenters: Bruce Allen (1st Vice-President CAW local 199)
Claudio Katz (Unemployed Workers Movement, Argentina)
Eva Grueso (Black People's Process - Colombia)

1:00 pm - 3:00 pm

INTIFADA! PALESTINE AND THIRD WORLD LIBERATION
Rm 1078

The struggle in Palestine has enormous implications for activists in the global justice and anti-war and anti-imperialist movements. In this workshop, Samer Elatrash and Mughir Hindi discuss the connections between neoliberalism and the crisis in Palestine, the space of the Intifada in the global struggle against imperialism, and the forms of "international solidarity" that are required, including a divestment campaign and support for the right of Palestinian return.

Presenters: Samer Elatrash (Palestinian liberation activist),
Mughir Al Hindi (Al-Awda)

PROTEST TACTICS AND MOVEMENT BUILDING
Rm 1080

Moving beyond the moralistic debate on violence versus non-violence, activists need to be asking the political question of how we can build a movement that is both broad and militant, one that aims to be a mass movement but not "legitimate" in the eyes of the state, capital and media. How does the CLAC's idea of "diversity of tactics" or the Ontario Common Front's call for "militant but disciplined" action seek to overcome the falsely posed divide between "militant" and "mass" forms of action, to be effective and dynamic with an eye to drawing broader layers of people into our movements?

Presenters: CLAC
Shiraz Vally (Ontario Common Front, New Socialists)

GRRRL POWER, THEN AND NOW
Rm 1084

This workshop explores the trajectory of the feminist movement from the early struggles around wages for housework to the present-day anti-globalization movement. Speakers will discuss the role of feminism and feminists in these movements. Particular attention will be given to the obstacles preventing the spread of feminist ideas and principles in the anti-globalization movement. Participants will explore ways to enhance radical feminist ideas and forms of organising in today's struggles.

Presenters: Denise Hammond (Toronto New Socialists, Mob4Glob)
Sue Fergusan (Toronto New Socialists)

3:30 pm - 5:30 pm

THE OPENING AND COMMODIFICATION OF QUEER SPACE UNDER NEOLIBERALISM
Rm 1078

The last decade and a half has seen the opening and commodification of queer space occur alongside the moral deregulation of capitalism and the decline of the heterosexual family form. This workshop uses a historical analysis of the relation between capitalism and social spaces to examine current struggles around the commodification of queer space. It argues for the development of a queer marxism, for queer class struggles against commodification and ruling class notions of social respectability and responsibility.

Presenter: Gary Kinsman (author of The Regulation of Desire, Sudbury New
Socialists).

ANTI-WAR MOVEMENTS: 1960's & TODAY
Rm 1080

This session examines today's anti-war movement from a historical perspective and attempts to develop successful movement building strategies. The workshop addresses the power of the capitalist class, the effects of neo-liberalism and racism on anti-war movements, the weakness of the Left, and strategies, based on lessons from the 1960's, for rebuilding the movement.

Presenters: Charlie Post (member of US group Solidarity)
Dani (Detroit Solidarity organizer)

ORGANIZING AGAINST GLOBAL CAPITALIST ATTACKS IN OUR COMMUNITIES: OCAP & the PIQUETEROS
Rm 1084

As many global justice activists are increasingly aware, "summit-hopping" is not a viable long-term strategy for building movements. Two groups that have been on the frontlines in their respective communities are OCAP in Toronto and the Piqueteros (the unemployed workers movement) in Argentina. In this workshop, speakers from OCAP and the Piqueteros discuss the nature of their work and the ways in which it fits into a longer-term vision of fundamental social change.

Presenters: PJ Lily (OCAP)
Claudio Katz (Argentinian activist)


SATURDAY JULY 6th Workshops @ OISE, 252 Bloor Street

10:00 am - 12:00 pm

THE ROAD TO THE BARRICADES RUNS THROUGH THE NEIGHBORHOOD: ANARCHISM, SQUATTING, AND URBAN STRUGGLES
Rm 4410

Much to the chagrin of Old School and Academic Leftists, the new
anti-capitalist movement is being organized increasingly under the banner of revolutionary anarchism. This workshop focuses on Anarcho-Communist strategies for re-building community-based working class movements. Topics include: the ongoing squat action in Quebec City's St. Jean Baptiste neighborhood and the upcoming plan to open a public squat in Toronto during the Pope's visit; the role of local struggles in building anarchist movements; the role of political organizing in facilitating radical agitation; and strategies for popularizing
anarchist politics within the movement.

Presenters: Nicolas Phebus (Northeastern Federation of Anarcho-Communists, Comite populaire Saint-Jean-Baptiste, Quebec City).
George Sweetman (OCAP, Northeastern Federation of
Anarcho-Communists, and future resident of the Pope Squat).

NO ONE IS ILLEGAL: TAKING ON IMMIGRATION CANADA
Rm 4412

This workshop investigates how the immigration system acts as a crucial tool of global capitalism. Participants will have an opportunity to examine issues such as how immigration policies bar poor people and people of colour from entering Canada, seek to control people when they get here, and expel them when they are no longer economically or politically "useful". Strategies for fighting back will also be discussed.

Presenters: Sarah Vance (OCAP)

REFORM & RADICALISM IN THE CANADIAN LABOUR MOVEMENT
Rm 4414

This workshop looks at contending political trends in the Canadian working class and labour movement throughout the 20th and the beginning of the 21st century. In particular this workshop will look at working class radicalization, its relationship to the trade union leadership, and the role of socialists and workplace activists in building a militant, democratic and class conscious labour movement.

Presenter: David McNally (Ontario Common Front, New Socialists, author of 'Another World Is Possible')

1:00 pm - 3:00 pm

FIGHTING TO WIN AND SOCIALISM FROM BELOW
Rm 4410

The Ontario Coalition Against Poverty (OCAP) has made a name for itself through its "Fight To Win" methods of activism. According to OCAP, the Fight To Win strategy also reflects its commitment to revolutionary anti-capitalist change. In this workshop, speakers examine the intersection of OCAP's Fighting to Win strategy and the revolutionary politics of socialism from below. Speakers ask how the Fight To Win strategy affects where we organize, whom we organize with, the tactics we use, the alliances we make, the messages we spread and the
visions we present - and how all of this is consistent with revolutionary socialist politics.

Presenters: Todd Gordon (New Socialists, Ontario Common Front)
Clarice Kuhling (CUPE 3903, New Socialists)

ORGANIZING AGAINST POLICE REPRESSION
Rm 4412

Both at demonstrations and in local communities, police presence has become both greater and more violent over the last several years. In this session presenters ask how activists and community members are fighting against police brutality and why should this struggle be at the forefront of our resistance to global capitalism? Policing and class struggles in the sex trade industry are also discussed.

Presenters: Susan Bender (Committee to Stop Targetted Policing, NSG)
Others TBA

LABOUR ACTIVISM FROM BELOW
Rm 4414

Socialists and radicals have always had a relationship to the labour movement. Though taking differenct forms at different moments, this relationship has always had to account for questions of strategy, tactics, and the relationship of both of these to political analysis. This workshop will focus on several questions which those interested in working class organization have had to confront: what should be the relationship of radicals to the labour movement? How should radicals relate to union bureaucrats? What different strategies have
socialists and radicals relied on to build working class fightback? Why do we try to encourage activism from below, and what does this mean anyway?

Presenters: Claudia White (CUPE 79)
John Clarke (OCAP)
Rodney Ward (Association of Flight Attendants activist)

3:30 - 5:30

BEYOND 'ANTI-CAPITALISM': MARX'S CRITIQUE OF CAPITALISM
Rm 4410

This session tries to give meaning to popular terms such as "Anti-Capitalism". It argues that any "anti-capitalist" project needs to be informed by Marx's critique of capitalism as a system of alienated and exploitative social relations. The usefulness of Marx's critique for understanding sexual, racial, gender and ability oppressions will also be discussed.

Presenter: Charlie Post (New York - Solidarity)

COLOURS OF RESISTANCE: ANTI-RACIST COMMUNITY ORGANIZING
Rm 4412

This session analyses how race, class and gender congeal in global cities like Toronto, especially around issues like immigration and immigrant-rights activism. After witnessing the class, raced and gendered responses of the Canadian State to September 11, this workshop highlights the importance of anti-racist community organizing for rebuilding anti-capitalist movements.

Presenters: Heads Up Collective (Colours of Resistance-Toronto)

RHYTHM ACTIVISM: MUSIC AND REVOLUTION
Rm 4414

This interactive session examines the role of music in political action. It includes a hands-on component where participants can engage in musical dialogue and discuss the resistance some people feel towards making music or using it as a political tool. This workshop aims to highlight the relationship between music and the development of new political sensibilities.

Presenters: Activists in the Guerrilla Rhythm Squad

SATURDAY PLANERY SESSION 5:30 - 7:00
Anti-Capitalism: From Reflection to Action

After two days of forums and workshops on key issues and challenges facing anti-capitalist activists, this plenary will pose a number of questions to conference participants about the ways of developing anti-capitalist politics and struggle for the coming year. Questions we'll seek to address include: What political tasks should anti-capitalists prioritize for the next year? How can anti-capitalists more effectively promote our politics within the broader movements? Are common front strategies between different anti-capitalist
organizations useful political tools to pursue? How will we relate to union activists and to union bureaucrats?

9:00 - ... BIG PARTY: COMMIE FUNK: Party For Your Right To Fight
at the COMFORT ZONE, 484 Spadina Ave.

Featuring:
Lal (electro/acoustic set)
Warsaw Pact
Palenke Orchestra
Moonstar
and DJ Jack Spade