Community Learning Garden Kick-Off

*INVITATION TO KICK-OFF OF COMMUNITY LEARNING GARDEN
AND REQUEST FOR SEEDS, MATERIALS AND TOIL IN THE SOIL*

*The whole community is invited to gather
Saturday and Sunday May 9th and 10th
at Garden 579 (579 George North)
to clean up, build and plan
for the 2009 community learning garden season.

We will be raking, cleaning, building boxes and creating a community plan
for the garden. Everyone is welcome to lend an hour or more or to just
stop by and lend a smile. We are seeking seed, soil and sage advice.

Garden 579 in an unfunded community driven food security and community
building project.

We are looking for donations of plants, seeds, compost, soil, mulch,
LUMBER, gardening tools, building tools, fencing, straw, rainbarrels
outdoor art pieces, books relevant to growing, sustainability and
community building and any other resources that one might offer to create
a downtown oasis.

We will be having our community planting weekend on the 30th and 31st of
May and our kickoff community potluck that same weekend.

Garden 579 is a collaborative, collective project and it is 'run', planned
and actualized by those who choose to participate. We are seeking persons
to take an active role and be a guardian of Garden 579 in 2009. This
commitment means that you are interested in participating when you can
throughout the season as an active part of a collective organizing and
planning gardening and community learning activities...

Contact Rachelle at 748-6857,
check out garden579.com
or e-mail garden579@gmail.com

No One Is Illegal! *May Day of Action*

Rally and March
2 May - 1pm
Meet: Sherbourne and Carlton

*** Greyhound bus leaves Peterborough at 10:30 (return buses at 5:00 & 7:30) ***
*Cost is $15 for a return ticket*
Contact PCAP if you would like to attend the rally but need the cost of your ticket covered

On April 2nd and 3rd, over 100 temporary and undocumented workers were attacked by armed border guards, dragged in to detention and are now being forcibly deported.
On 2 May, thousands of us will say Enough!

Migrants, poor and working people; undocumented people and people of colour live in constant crisis in Canada. A crisis has always existed in Teesdale, in Regent Park, in farm fields, on factory floors and in hotel service areas.

Power is controlled by global economic and political elites who have made large metropolitan cities their home. From here, they supervise people’s oppression from Turtle Island to Afghanistan to Palestine.

Canada, like other governments, bends to their demands, passing discriminatory laws like Bill C-50 without consultation.

Corporate and political elites are using the economic crisis as an excuse to attack poor, working-class and racialized communities by increasing immigration enforcement; steal public funds; wrecking social services; taking away people’s jobs rather than cut profits and targeting those they perceive as the weakest – indigenous people; the homeless; failed refugee claimants; women in shelters; queer and trans migrants; caregivers; factory workers and temporary workers.

We say there are no illegal human beings, only unjust laws and governments. No one, poor or undocumented, is illegal. The struggle of workers - waged and unwaged, with or without immigration status – is against powerful elites and systems of oppression. Citizenship, jobs and
houses - granted to some and denied to others - are tools to divide us.

We will not be divided.
We say enough is enough. No One Is Illegal!

On May 2, join thousands of us as we take to the streets and demand an end to corporate and state attacks on our communities. We demand an end to detentions and deportations. We demand access without fear to essential services. We demand an end to security certificates and secret trials. We demand a full and inclusive regularization program. We demand justice, dignity, and status for all!

We did not create this crisis, and we will not pay for it.

On May 2nd, take to the streets, create power. Resist.
The May 2nd rally and march will be preceded by a May Day Festival, on May 1st at 6pm, at 25 Cecil Street.

coorganized by: No One Is Illegal-Toronto | Mujeres al Frente | SAWRO |
Migrante Ontario | Canadian HART | Casa Salvador Allende | Basics
Newsletter | OCAP | Jane and Finch Action Against Poverty | Sikh Activist
Network | Toronto New Socialists |Barrio Nuevo | the Stop Community Food
Centre | BAYAN Toronto | PCLS | OPIRG Toronto | CAIA | GGAPSS

Act Now! Raided Workers Facing Deportation

ACT! CALL! WRITE!

This Sunday, 41 workers will be handcuffed, dragged to an airport and
placed on a plane to Thailand. Many of them will never have the chance to
return to Canada. They were arrested with dozens of others on their way to
work or while packing food at Cericola Farms, in southwestern Ontario last
week. CBSA then lied to them and tricked them into waiving their legal
rights. This is a targeted attack by the Tory government against migrants.
Minister Van Loan can stop these deportations; Minister Kenney can grant
them status.

YOU can insist that they do so.

1. Take public action against your MP, Immigration or Enforcement Office.
(See list of cities below)

2. Spread the word!
(http://rabble.ca/news/2009/04/protests-respond-ontario-immigration-raids)

3. Call Kenney and Van Loan. And call your local MP to pressure the
Ministers.

4. Send a letter to Ministers Van Loan and Kenney (sample below). Ask your
MP to do the same. Write to your local media outlet.

5. Spread the word. Stop the raids. Stop the deportations. Demand status
for all. On 2 May, take to the streets
(http://toronto.nooneisillegal.org/node/275)

Further details in sample letter below.

Peter Van Loan, Minister
Constituency Office
T 1-877-738-3748; T: 613-996-7752
F 905-898-4600; F 613-992-8351
E vanlop1@parl.gc.ca
45 Grist Mill Road, Unit 10, Holland Landing, ON L9N1M7
Room 209-S, Centre Block, Ottawa, ON K1A0A6

Jason Kenney, Minister
P. 613-992-2235; F. 613-992-1920
P. 403-225-3480. F. 403-225-3504
E Minister@cic.gc.ca. AND kennej@parl.gc.ca
325 East Block, House of Commons, Ottawa, ON K1A 0A6
1168 137 Ave SE. Calgary, AB T2J 6T6

Ministers Van Loan and Kenney,

On April 2nd and 3rd, CBSA raided three food processing factories where
they held all workers at gun point. These workers were herded into a
cafeteria where citizens and permanent residents were separated from other
workers.

These other workers, many of whom possess temporary work permits, were
handcuffed and held on a bus for over eight hours. In unprecedented
weekend hearings, most of the detained workers were tricked into waiving
legal advice or the right to dispute their removal.

These illegal and egregious actions were followed by speedy requests for
travel documents, as their original passports are held by unscrupulous,
corrupt agents at TNT Recruitment. The Thai consulate has provided these
papers and 41 of the arrested are being put on a plane on Sunday April
19th.

Removing workers from Canada in this way is arbitrary and illegal. The
recruitment agency and the company which paid these workers $9.00 an hour
for 12 hours of back-breaking and brutal work have not been charged.

Minister Van Loan, sign a notice to stop the deportations. Minister
Kenney, grant all workers arrested full status. Stop using the economic
crisis as an excuse to target migrant workers and their families!

++++++++++++++++++++++
Endorsed by:
No One Is Illegal-Toronto
Justicia for Migrant Workers
Migrante Ontario
No One Is Illegal Vancouver
Solidarity Across Borders (Montreal)
Immigrant Workers Center (Montreal)
Peterborough Coalition Against Poverty
++++++++++++++++++++++

Actions:

18 April
Toronto
Details to be announced

17 April
Montreal
Meet at downtown CBSA Offices

14 April
Calgary
1130, Calgary Chamber of Commerce
100 - 6 Avenue S.W

9 April
Vancouver
http://noii-van.resist.ca/?p=1048

7 April
Edmonton
http://www.metronews.ca/edmonton/local/article/210247

5 April
Toronto
http://rabble.ca/news/2009/04/protests-respond-ontario-immigration-raids

(Please email nooneisillegal@riseup.net if you're organizing an action)

CN: Drop your Racist Lawsuit!

*Call-out for phone and fax campaign* - please forward to interested others.

CN: Drop your racist lawsuit!
Support the Mohawks of Tyendinaga

Call out for a month-long phone and fax campaign

Canadian National Railway is suing Shawn Brant, Jason Maracle, and Tara
Green as well as their families and community (Jane and John Doe, also named
in the suit). CN's lawsuit is a response to a blockade on CN tracks during
April 2007, and another lawsuit against Shawn Brant for a blockade on June
29, 2007. CN has not yet specified the amount in damages they are seeking.

Statements of defence and counterclaims have been filed against CN, claiming
that CN pollutes Tyendinaga lands, creates a nuisance by the noise their
operations cause, and scares away game. CN has filed a motion asking the
courts to strike much of these counterclaims.

That motion will be argued in open court on April 7.

Supporters of the ongoing resistance in Tyendinaga are being asked to
demonstrate their solidarity by faxing (preferable) or emailing letters to
CN during this critical court case. Below is background information and a
sample form letter that can be modified and emailed or faxed to CN
headquarters.

*We are holding the phone and fax campaign from April 1st to 31st.
*We are encouraging supporters to fax or phone because these are more
effective ways to pressure CN, but if you interested in sending an email
please also BCC indigenoussolidaritymontreal@gmail.com so we can track the
campaign.

*There are two important dates we are asking supporters to focus their faxes
and phone calls around:*

The first is *April 7th*, the first day of court in the injunction process
mentioned above.

The second date is *April 21st*, date of CN's shareholder meeting in
Calgary.

*MONTREAL SPECIFIC:*
We are also giving a workshop on the history of CN railway and the
resistance at Tyendinaga on April 6th, 2009 at the Carrefour d’Education
Populaire (2156 Centre St., Metro Charlevoix) at 6pm. The workshop is in
French, whisper translation is available. Printed letters will be available
to be signed, and we will fax these in following the presentation.

In solidarity,
The Montreal Tyendinaga Support Committee
a working group of QPIRG-Concordia.

indigenoussolidaritymontreal@gmail.com
514-848-7583
www.amp-montreal.net


************************************************************************
Sample form letter


E. Hunter Harrison, President and CEO
CN Railway
935 De La Gauchetiere Street
 West
16th floor Montreal, Quebec, H3B 2M9

March 31, 2009

Mr. Harrison,

I am writing to encourage you to drop CN’s lawsuits against three
activists, Shawn Brant, Jason Maracle and Tara Green, of the Tyendinaga
First Nation.

In April and in June of 2007, some of the Tyendinaga Mohawks blockaded a
CN rail line between Toronto and Montreal in protest against the injustices
suffered by their First Nation. Specific issues included their
impoverishment and the lack of action with respect to the pollution of their
water so that it is not fit to drink or even to bathe in and with respect to
the return of lands that were unlawfully taken from them. Shawn Brant has
spent months in jail as a result of his participation in those blockades.

It is my opinion that CN (and the previous railroad companies that
became part of CN) played a significant role in creating the impoverishment
of First Nations people, and that CN continues to unjustly profit from its
so called “rights of way” through First nations territories. I feel
that it
is completely inappropriate for CN to pursue these lawsuits in these
circumstances.

Your website claims that "CN seeks to promote a harmonious working
relationship with the many Aboriginal communities along its rights-of-way
across Canada... through a climate of mutual trust and understanding".

Your continuation of these lawsuits is not an act of mutual trust.

I understand that lawyers representing CN will be arguing in a Toronto
court on April 7, 2009 that much of the statements of defence and
counterclaims of the Defendants should be struck out. I urge you to
reconsider and to instruct your lawyers to simply drop the lawsuits.

Sincerely,

__________


*Please fax to: *514-399-5985

*Email **Robert Noorigan (Vice-President) or Janet Drysdale (Investor
Relations) from the link: **
http://www.cn.ca/en/investors-shareholder-contacts.htm**

Mail to:
*E. Hunter Harrison, President and CEO
CN Railway
935 De La Gauchetiere Street
 West
16th floor Montreal, Quebec, H3B 2M9
*
Or call in your dissent at:
514-399-6450 *
(you will reach the office of Bryan Tucker, the Senior Manager of Public
Affairs and Media Relations)
*514-708-6450 *(Bryan Tucker's cell phone)


************************************************************************
Background
Tyendinaga is a Mohawk community located on the shore of the Bay of Quinte
between Toronto and Montreal, in eastern Ontario. The Mohawk Nation is one
of the five original nations of the Iroquois Confederacy.

As part of long-standing struggles for land and self-determination –
including unresolved land claims, poverty, suicides and polluted water --
members of the Tyendinaga Mohawk community have organized to defend their
territory. In particular, several actions, including blockades, have taken
place to expedite the slow negotiation process over the Culbertson Tract, a
piece of land the government has long acknowledged was taken illegally from
the Mohawks. A quarry on the land was reclaimed in March 2007, and Mohawks
have maintained a fulltime presence on-site ever since.

CN is seeking damages for lost revenue as a result of the blockades. Though
CN has not yet named the amount of money it will seek in the suit, we
understand this threatening process as a blatant form of financial
persecution against Jason Maracle, Tara Green and Shawn Brant as well as
their families and community (Jane and John Doe, also named in the suit).
We also see it as an attack on the struggles of Native peoples to obtain
justice in the face of ongoing neo-colonial attacks on their sovereignty and
lands.

Info:
indigenoussolidaritymontreal@gmail.com
514-848-7583.

Register for Waiting List for Family Doctors

The Primary Health Care Services are in the process of phoning everyone on
their existing list to tell them that they need to call to register their
name on the NEW provincial list. People on the existing list will NOT be
automatically transferred to the new list, and new vacancies will be
filled ONLY from the new list.

The new number to call at Health Care Connect is :

1-800-445-1822

To register, you need to have your Ontario Health Card number, and know the
address it is registered to. If you don't know the address, you will be
given another Ministry number to call to verify the health card.
Individuals are asked about any chronic health conditions, state of health
and mental health, disabilities, and if female, whether or not they are
pregnant. This allows them to priorize people on the list according to
their need for a doctor.

Please pass this information along to anyone you know who doesn't have a
family doctor.