Toronto's Social Justice Warriors Hypocrisy Exposed

Meow everyone, Yes, it has been a while since I was here to claw out some news but I do have some interesting news to  share today.

As you all know by now, I have been following the student strike in Quebec rather closely , because, as a student myself, tuition fees do of course have an effect on me as well . I also have been very vocal  in my opposition  to the use of violence and property destruction, as , in  my view, these actions only subtract for the legitimacy  of any action and simply put, it tarnishes the image of good honest and hard working students, as these actions paint us all with the same brush .

Let me talk a little bit about the tuition hikes that have been proposed in Quebec. The hike would take place over a five year term totaling about   $ 1700.00 over the five years it would take to  phase in the full increase in the fees. Yes, this is a lot of money and I will not make light of the  amount of the increase. Tuition fees do put a huge strain on people and it is very stressful if one is already living on the edge. However, the amount on a per year basis works out to about $ 350.00 . Compare that  to universities here in Toronto where  we see increases  of about $ 500.00 – $ 600.00  per YEAR . Now, WHO is getting it worse?  As i said, i am in no way making light of the significance of this increase.

So, what did the Quebec students do? Why they went on a province wide student strike of course to protest these tuition fees. They got so angered , that they simply walked out . OR DID THEY , and was this a spontaneous action? Well, as it turns out, this was a well planned action that was TWO YEARS IN THE MAKING . TWO YEARS of planning went into these student strikes ,  so, what was the REAL motivation to go on strike?

Well, the organizers of this strike, Gabriel Nadeau-Dubois

 … as well as Cloé Zawadzki-Turcotte, pictured second from left ,

…. have been on a cross Canada speaking tour to discuss in detail the planing of this strike and what the possible end goal is . Another key player in this , although fairly silent is Ethan Cox .

Cox writes for Rabble.ca as well as being a CSU Councillor for the Concordia  University Student Union. I must point out as well , and this will be very clear later on, that this speaking tour had heaving involvement of the CFS ( the Canadian Federation of Students ) and remember, the CFS gave CLASSE $ 30,000.00 earlier this year to support their strike. The speaking tour traveled across Canada and stopped off at key CFS member universities. I had a chance to attend one of these speeches and took a video of one of the speakers. Each speaker addressed the assembled for about 20 minutes. I am having some trouble posting the video but will post it in a separate posting once i get the technical glitches solved.  One this that was very clear was that all the speakers mentioned very clearly that this was not a spur of the moment action but rather, a well planned  action that took two years of planning and work to pull it off. The following articles to elude to this as well :

One thing that has always  troubled me was the use of violence and property destruction as part of the protest. In fact, both speakers mentioned several times that part of the planning of this event was to organize with other fringe groups  to get huge masses out. While CLASSE wanted to focus on the tuition fee increase, other, groups were welcomed and asked to protest along side for what ever causes they   saw as important to them. Basically, this was a no holds barred , protest what ever you want action and anything goes. Of course, this was the welcome mat for the anarchist movement to walk in , ( or get invited in ) and do whatever they usually do. Riots were an everyday  sight, sadly . The latest tour stop even had this to offer up :

HOLD ON A SECOND, did I read this correctly? COMMUNISTS? Yes, you do read this correctly, for this was not just a bunch of students getting angry over a tuition fee increase, but rather, a well planned series of events that had the input and backing of communists . The event at Ryerson University was attended by about 175 – 200 persons and there was a significant International  Socialst, Lenin-ist , Tortsky-ist presence. Union organizers were welcomed with open arms as well.

However, what really struck me was the connections they made to the Occupy movement. The speakers told us how they used the now famous general assembly process TWO YEARS before occupy was even a thought. They went so far as to say that all student unions need to make use of this process , as well, all course unions within the student unions themselves. Looking at who the backers are, have been  and what these backers are well known for, it would not be a stretch  to postulate that they are planning something huge that will force the hand of government into action, but what action is unclear.

Based on  the stated two years worth of planning that this student strike required, only it was not really a student strike , I look at the calendar  and notice that two significant events are on the horizon at about this time frame. One being the  Pan-Am games here in Toronto and the other would be the federal elections the following year( keep in  mind that  the year before an election, all the parties are already in campaign mode )  One thing that has been stated by CLASSE was that they wanted to get rid of Harper ( our Prime Minister ) so, a concentrated and aggressive campaign against him would not be out of the question .

Meow everyone.

Well, its that time of year when we, as students are just about set to get back to class and continue, or in many cases, start our post secondary education and with some luck, this may lead to bigger and better things. I know that as a student myself, I feel that I am in a very unique position to be able to take a stand on various issues, popular or not and  have a voice that can be heard. After all, history has shown that students at a plethora of universities  have been at the forefront  of activism  for decades, 

Now let me clear here, i do not oppose activism at all. Indeed, i am one myself, as an activist for disability and accessibility related issues. However, having been involved in this for many years,  I have learned the right way to take actions  and how the correct method of taking actions is what will yield results

Lets take another look at the student strike in Quebec right now. Yes, tuition fees are high and the students are upset, and rightfully so. HOWEVER, they are not doing themselves any favors by rioting, getting arrested and not going to school, something they have paid for.  The question i have , that no one is either able to , or willing to answer is: What is accomplished by rioting, breaking windows, setting fires and getting arrested , and how will this result in lowering tuition fees. The answer is simple. I twill NOT have  any such result, but rather, it will show , it will ONLY show that activists are nothing more than a cheap form of terrorist. Case in point :

Image and text sourced from here at :

http://www.cp24.com/montreal-police-arrest-10-for-assaulting-officers-1.933537

 

 

Meow everyone. Some of you out there in internet land may know of this online reporting site called rabble.ca. OK, i refer to it as rubbish.ca myself  and based on the content, i am overly kind with the rubbish reference.

Here is an example of the rubbish i am referring to as can be found in this link :

http://rabble.ca/blogs/bloggers/krystalline-kraus/2012/08/activist-communique-toronto-police-face-lawsuit-over-activi

Here , one of their ” reporters ‘ who, i will add asks people to use small  and non-intellectual sounding words writes about police profiling on G20 persons. Lets have a closer look at her rubbish :

… profiling by police was based on their style of dress

… wore backpacks

… women they had “hairy legs”

… people wearing black clothing

… people speaking French

As you can see, this is a very serious list of grandiose offenses indeed that would have certainly created unwanted attention to those persons… or would it ?

Lets break this down a bit to find it numerous flaws .

Style of dress, Wow, in that case, i should be locked up and the key thrown away, I live in  legwarmers, I must therefore, as a career criminal of fashion would have certainly been picked up and cuffed and stuffed.

Wore backpacks , OK, so , we need to arrest every single student in Toronto, from grade school on because everyone wears backpacks.

Hairy legs, Wow, yup that would get you twenty years minimum . Wait, what if, as a guy, and a guy who has NON-hairy legs, would that get me time in crow bar hotel ?

People wearing black clothing, well, there you have it, the crime of the century for sure. every person in formal wear, every person who is goth  is  now about to get new fashions, orange fashions.

People speaking french, OK, i am guilty of this hideous  crime as well , I mean , being from Quebec and all , i am quite well versed in my French.

Other stories I have heard that are equally as stupid and idiotic were storied such as taking pictures, wearing certain types of foot wear, and being in groups. People, THIS DID NOT HAPPEN as this so called reporter from the so called news agency wants to suggest. i am a photographer, and O took thousands of pictures, ALL without one question being asked of me. i LIVE in red and black clothing, I always carry a back pack. I found that while the cops were more on their toes with respects to policing, i was NEVER once detained for any reason. i spoke to several cops whom I knew previously and not one ever acted badly towards me, NOT ONE.

What concerns me about stories like the pile of crap that reporter puts out is that she is also a huge supporter  of the anarchist movement, black bloc tactics and what is going on  with the student strike in Quebec right now. She wants this to migrate here to Ontario as well with the same sort or results. So, to anyone who does read this, my suggestion is that when approaching her and wishing to have a conversation with her, use big and intellectual sounding words, she won’t understand a word your saying. Oh yes, and when she starts her tirade about native rights and all, ask her  exactly where  she moved to Canada from. ( hint, small European country that starts with ” N ” )  )

Meow everyone. yesterday and in previous blog postings, i wrote about how the student strike is not about lowering tuition fees  but more about how this cause is being co-opted by mindless anarchists bent on creating havoc, destruction and violence. Well here is a quote from the National post about this  sourced from here at :

http://news.nationalpost.com/2012/07/11/quebec-student-leader-takes-protest-on-road-as-ontario-group-looks-to-create-radical-democratic-strike-movement/

” … Quebec student protest leader Gabriel Nadeau-Dubois, known for his telegenic looks and refusal to condemn violence, has been recruited to teach Ontario student leaders about Quebec’s paralyzing student strikes, as Ontario students appear to be setting the stage for their own season of discontent.

The Canadian Federation of Students has organized and funded Mr. Nadeau-Dubois and other Quebec organizers to tour 10 Ontario universities for its Quebec-Ontario Student Solidarity Tour.

“We are optimistic that a general student strike in Ontario can and will succeed, given the right ingredients,” an open letter from Quebec activists to the CFS said, adding the letter “represents a first step towards creating a radical, democratic strike movement in Ontario and beyond.”

The nine-day tour will kick off Thursday at the University of Ottawa, and Mr. Nadeau-Dubois said Tuesday his group, CLASSE, is considering a September tour to other provinces.

“They contacted us a few weeks ago to say that there were a lot of students organizations in Ontario who were interested in receiving us,” according to Mr. Nadeau-Dubois. “It’s really an opportunity to share what we have learned in the last months; to share our knowledge of mobilization, of social organization.”

Asked if the CFS wishes to see the same paralyzing strikes here in Ontario, spokesperson Sarah King said the CFS is a member driven organization and does not currently have a mandate to support a strike. All decisions regarding policy and campaigns are made at bi-annual general meetings. The meetings typically host 120 of Ontario’s nearly 400,000 students.

The University of Toronto will also host a separate Student Strike Training Program this month. The workshops include “creating and/or radicalizing student associations,” and methods of “enforcing strikes.”

“For me, the main point is just sort of, let’s help people not make the same mistakes we made and replicate the successes,” Quebec student and event organizer Jamie Burnett said.

The event has also received a shower of support from unions, including the Ontario Union of Postal Workers local 538 and the Public Service Alliance of Canada.

“Our union recognizes that the fight to keep tuition affordable is linked to the fight for decent wages and working conditions,” the Postal Workers wrote in a statement. The union has donated money for the CFS event, but a union spokesperson was unable to confirm the amount.

Rodney Diverlus, president of Ryerson University’s graduate association, said its own CLASSE event is being funded, in part, by the student association.

“You need to show solidarity with Quebec and the work they’re doing and student power across the country but it’s making sure we’re still having the conversation in our province with students on our own particular campuses to talk about our issues too,” Mr. Diverlus said.

The CFS is best known for its annual Education is a Right and Drop Fees campaigns, which lobby the provincial and federal governments to lower tution fees.

“Our tuition fees are the highest in Canada and have gone up since 2006 by 71%,” CFS spokesperson Sarah King said. “Ontario students definitely have a lot to work on and definitely should be inspired to do so.”

Not all students, however, are happy about the program. Alexandre Meterissian, a student journalist and outspoken opponent of the student strikes, said the student groups are “playing politics” with students’ money.

“I would not advocate to stop the workshops,” he said. “I just don’t want my money to pay for it in any way or if I was a university of Toronto I wouldn’t want my money in any of these workshops.”

Mr. Meterissian said students’ time would be better spent by getting involved in politics.

“There’s other ways to influence policy than going into the streets. Getting involved politically would have a much better return on their investment in terms of money than organizing these gigantic rallies that cost thousands of dollars to organize.”

Mr. Meterissian has been the voice of what he calls Quebec’s “silent majority.” Despite calls for solidarity, roughly two-thirds of Quebec students, primarily from McGill, remained in school and finished writing their final exams.

Quebec students took to the streets in February to protest a proposed increase in tuition fees of $1,625 over five years. The daily marches included violence from masked Black Bloc activists, and soon developed into a movement calling for free education across Canada. Quebec students currently pay about half of what other Canadian students pay.

In Ontario, the McGuinty government introduced a 30% tuition rebate for students last fall but, according to Mr. Burnett, the funds are not reaching enough students due to the program’s strict qualifications. In addition, Ontario students said the government hiked tuition rates shortly after the rebate took effect. … “

 

What really makes me angry about this , among other things is that MY student money is being used to pay for these actions, actions which I neither want, or support. how dare people like Diverlus of the Ryerson Students Union , the university I attend, speak for me, without  asking me what i think about this issue. Diverlus NOT speaking for the entire student body at Ryerson. In fact, the VAST majority of the students here want nothing to do with this strike. Further, the vast majority of these same students  want nothing to do with the CFS.

Meow everyone. Yesterday and the day previous, i wrote a bit about the student strike seminar that was held at the University of Toronto and put on the the UTGSU ( University of Toronto graduate students union ) I made mention that this was not really a student run event but rather, an anarchist convention with these same anarchists wanting to co-opt the students movement for their own agendas. I made references in previous posts about how  these anarchists are there to cause problems and create animosity between students, police and government.

Well, it did not take long for these anarchists to prove me right, and moreover, doing so in their own words. Let us see some examples of this now :

and ,

and 

Can someone pleas tell me what ” no social justice until we get rid of the police ”  , and  ” fuck the police ” have to do with lowering tuition fees? Secondly, these anarchist claim that they stand for the average working person, yet here, clearly, they deface a truck that the driver will have to answer for with respects to the property damage caused by anarchists. Now, the driver will likely have to pay out of his or her own pocket the cost of removing the work of such caring and loving anarchists.

 

However, as i write this, i find myself having to quietly have some pity for these same anarchists. Recently my good friend who has a great blog has discovered one of these anarchists actually thinks she is JESUS. Look, its Tuesday today and  reading that story really made my otherwise average day, awesome. check this out :

https://kitty.protestnerd.com/2012/07/31/g20-anarchist-kelly-pflug-back-compares-herself-to-jesus/

 

These guys can provide hours of entertainment, not quality entertainment  but if you’re not picky about what you wish to read , see or watch, these guys will give you a laugh,  and not the funny kind of laugh. However, the3se images did have a few telling tales about them. Clearly one such tale is that the person who wrote this is still learning to use crayons as the writing is very child like . Lets just hope they are edible crayons. Secondly,  and perhaps more clearly, the author of these wonderful works of art, needs a better education as clearly , there is a great deal lacking in the art as projected here.  Frankly, my CAT is a far superior artist .

 

As many of you know by now, i am a student at one of the universities here in Toronto and i know first hand what the  tuition fees are , how high they are and how these fees have an effect on those who want to attend university but are financially unable to attend.  I consider myself to be one of the very fortunate persons  to be able to attend university. Let me be very clear on this: I support the students desire to seek lower tuition fees, as lower fees would make post secondary education accessible and equal to all who desire it. An educated work force only helps the economy and removes more persons from poverty. i have NO ISSUE with lower fees.

What i DO have a huge issue with  the means that some, and I point out that only SOME, people are using the students as pawns to further their own agendas. What has been going on in Montreal is a perfect example of how some groups, some persons have co-opted the student movement as a means to create anarchy , to enact violence and property damage . let me make this very clear.  Those of you who are doing these acts are NOT speaking for me .

This past weekend there a student seminar held here at the University of Toronto  but this was more of a who’s who within the anarchist community as opposed to  actual concerned students. Here is more of what they had in mind with respects to  what types of actions they think works to lower fees:

Sorry but occupations don’t work. The occupy movement has been an utter and complete failure because it was co-opted by fringe groups, unions, anarchists, so called environmentalists  and just about anyone who is pissed of at any form of government or authority.

I understand student solidarity , respect it and advocate for it. however, solidarity does need to include violence and destroying things for the sake of destruction. Imagine what a voice these students CAN HAVE  by lobbying as one voice  with an issue , but done respectfully. People WOULD listen . You cannot ignore thousands of students , however, if even ONE decided to use this as a opportunity to enact violence , the media will pick up on that and THAT will be the sole sound bite that the general public will see, and identify the student movement with.

Here are two articles written about the event of this past weekend. i do not agree with what is being said, nor  do i support the groups who write this article, however, i offer everyone a fair chance to explain their reasons and / or their motivations.

http://viewpointmag.com/2012/07/20/translating-the-assembly-student-organizing-beyond-quebec/#comment-2227

 

http://socialistworkercanada.com/2012/07/29/student-strike-training-camp-brings-lessons-of-quebec-to-ontario/

 

I mentioned above how opposed I am to the co-opting of the student movement by fringe groups. the above links are two such groups  that i think the students really need to be aware of  as there are hidden  motives these groups have for  wanting to participate.  I think that the students really need to do their  home work  before they commit to participating with these groups or under their umbrellas. The sad truth is that many of these students  are not aware of who is really behind this, and why .

 

Meow everyone. Well, i knew it would not take long. the anarchists had nothing to do for the past few weeks so they created a ” student strike ” seminar at U of T to try and revive this movement and bring it to Ontario. First of all, lets get one thing very clear here, Ontario is NOT Quebec, never has been , never will be. However, these brain dead anarchist seemed to have missed a few classes , since they clearly do not know this. 

I went to the event which started off Friday night with a social at the U of T grad students Union lounge. There were already several person here from Montreal and it was nice to talk about the city from where i am from as well. I left after a few hours as I was really not into the drinking thing anyway. I came back Saturday morning only to be greeted by Anarchist Ashleigh Ingle who along with a few choice words proclaimed that i was not welcomed there. ya, right i said. Not quite sure who dies and made her god , but hey, if she likes to go on power trips, all the best to her I say. She was of course about as successful in getting rid of me as i would be as a space shuttle pilot, but give her props for trying. Here is a nice photograph taken via smart phone of the opening of the event:

As you can clearly see from this image, i was either able to invent time travel by being in two places at the same time, or the more likely possibility that  her ability to keep me out was an epic FAIL.

Next, the group decided to sent out a few twitter messages. One caught my eye in particular in that they were basically asking the students to violate their own schools policies around the non academic student code of conduct, and further, that the CFS friendly student union create committees   to  get around these same non academic codes of conduct. Behold :

Note as well that by default, university administration is to be considered  as repressive. Great, noted for future reference, oh, wait, never mind, i don’t plan to break my schools non academic code of conduct.

Lastly, allow me to really dig deep into my litter box to show you that power and impact these strikes are about to have. Why almost 250 people showed to participate in the utter disruption of civilization in Toronto on a Saturday night.  the march started from Kings college Circle at the University of Toronto, made is way east to Yonge Street, south on Young to Dundas where they, decided to block aid the intersection for a few minutes. I love how Trey Winney, Jessica Denyer and Danial Vandervoort were all tough trying to incite the drivers into submission. Yup, another FAIL. Guys, look, if you really want to piss people off, forget about occupying an intersection, block air a beer store. Oh , wait, you would then  be oppressing those who drink, sorry, my mistake. How evil of me to think that perhaps there is a person sitting in the traffic you just created who has to take a person to a hospital as a result of an emergency.

Trey, Jessica, Danial, look, and please, take this as a respectful suggestion. . cops have big cars, with lights and sirens. that sort of mean that they are allowed to go even the wrong way on a one way street if need be, so, your brilliant plan of going north on Spadina Ave. in the south bound lanes, and then west on Adelaide st. which is one way going east from west is again a pure and simple FAIL .

Oh yes, one last thing, please try a new chant, the usual ones are really not resonating with the people you are trying to convince. My guess, and this is only my guess, people will be less than supportive of those who advocate for things like ” fuck the cops ”  and  ” kill the 1% ” , something about the whole killing thing seems be a huge turn off.