Election of So-Called Progressives Requires More, Not Less, Organization of the Left

John Clarke, former major organizer of the Ontario Coalition Against Poverty (OCAP), recently posted this on Facebook: In my column for Canadian Dimension this month, I argue that the election of Olivia Chow as Toronto Mayor calls, not for passivity, but for intensified community resistance and social mobilization. https://canadiandimension.com/articles/view/cheers-for-chow-must-be-accompanied-by-vigilance?fbclid=IwAR17XNekbUm5L5sG1M6WaZLsNJDAhFAxHdyg-1W2IxSNrC2uamFtmA9Ba5k Unfortunately, although there are some like … Continue reading Election of So-Called Progressives Requires More, Not Less, Organization of the Left

Realistic Expectations from Social Democrats or Social Reformers Elected to Political Positions: The Need to Organize and Provide Pressure from Below

John Clarke, former major organizer for the Ontario Coalition Against Poverty (OCAP, posted this recently on Facebook: John Clark I think back many years to the night that the Bob Rae NDP government was elected in Ontario in the early 90s. I went to one of the victory parties and the sense of joy and … Continue reading Realistic Expectations from Social Democrats or Social Reformers Elected to Political Positions: The Need to Organize and Provide Pressure from Below

The Vote Yesterday Resulted in an Election of a Social-Reformist Olivia Chow for Mayor of Toronto, the Largest City in Canada: A Microcosm of the Illusions of the Left

John Clarke, former major organizer of the Ontario Coalition Against Poverty, posted this recently on Facebook: One of the problems with a focus on electoral politics is the almost hypnotic effect it has on those caught up in it. The Toronto mayoral race is almost over and a significant section of leftists are backing the … Continue reading The Vote Yesterday Resulted in an Election of a Social-Reformist Olivia Chow for Mayor of Toronto, the Largest City in Canada: A Microcosm of the Illusions of the Left

Electoral Politics as Secondary Tactics, Not the Primary Focus of Social Change

John Clarke, former major organizer fot the Ontario Coalition Against Poverty (OCAP), posted this yesterday on Facebook: Several people have asked me in the last while whether the points I've been making about electoral politics mean that I'm against participating in elections altogether. I'm not suggesting my views on the subject should be held up … Continue reading Electoral Politics as Secondary Tactics, Not the Primary Focus of Social Change

Ontario Election of Conservatives: Will the Social-Reformist Left Learn?

Leer este post en español The following was written over six years ago. The next election saw the "Progressive" Conservatives elected once again--and the following election again. The article still applies--to the social-reformist left. Now that the "Progessive" Conservatives have won a clear majority of seats in the provincial legislature, should not the social-reformist left … Continue reading Ontario Election of Conservatives: Will the Social-Reformist Left Learn?

Management Rights, Part One: Private Sector Collective Agreement, British Columbia

Leer este post en español The following was written over six years ago. It is still relevant today. Social reformists or social democrats still ignore the fact of employer power in the form of managerial rights. The radical left has little to say about the issue either. In Ontario, Canada, there will be an election … Continue reading Management Rights, Part One: Private Sector Collective Agreement, British Columbia