CSJ Newsletter
August 21, 2025
CALLS TO ACTION
Fund Schools, Not PolicingBill 33, ‘Supporting Children and Students Act, 2025' was introduced at the Ontario Provincial Legislature by the Minister of Education Calandra. The proposed sweeping legislation makes it easier to take over School Boards and is part of a broader effort to undermine public education. Part of the wide-ranging legislation is to also centralize police power by concentrating police decision-making authority over School Boards. This undemocratic move ultimately mandates police(ing)-in-schools across the province of Ontario.
The Ford Government already knows that equitable access to education is a human right, and structures of policing impede this access including the presence of police-in-schools and police-in-school programs and that this proposed legislation would be violating human rights, yet they are seeking to move forward with it.
win.newmode.net
Suspend All Arms Exports to IsraelWhereas:
- Civilians in Gaza are enduring prolonged periods without food as aid is blocked and seekers are targeted—conditions consistent with the use of starvation as a weapon, in violation of international law;
- UN agencies confirm mass starvation in Gaza is man-made and preventable, with over one million children at risk of dying from hunger and disease;
- More than 875 Palestinians have been killed at food distribution sites since May 2025, in strikes condemned as war crimes;
- Nearly 90% of Gaza's population has been forcibly displaced into increasingly uninhabitable zones without access to food, water, or medical care;
- Hospitals, schools, journalists, UN workers, and aid centers have been repeatedly attacked, in violation of international humanitarian law;
We, the undersigned, residents of Canada, call upon the Government of Canada:
1. To immediately suspend all arms exports to Israel;
2. Support war crimes investigations;
3. Demand unrestricted aid access; and
4. End its complicity in violations of international law.
ourcommons.ca
EVENTS
Health Worker Organizing
When: August 21st, 6pm
Increasing racism, xenophobia, and unaffordability are affecting patients across Ontario, especially those who are already marginalized.
Join fellow health workers at our organizing meeting to brainstorm ways to advance upstream solutions to health inequity.
decentworkandhealth.org
Rally @Israeli Consulate
When: Every Friday, 3-6pm
Where: Bloor-Yonge
Come show your support for Palestinians every Friday between 3 pm and 6 pm. Come anytime for as long as you like. Most people come at 5 pm. The location is the Israel Consulate, located at 2 Bloor Street East, on the northeast corner of Yonge and Bloor Streets. Stand up for Human Rights. Raise your voice to say that the elimination of 50,000 people, including 18,000 children, is NOT okay. Will it only stop when another 2.2 million people are eradicated?
instagram.com
Reclaiming Power
When: August 23rd, 9am to 5pm
Where: IBEW Hall, 1377 Lawrence Ave E
The Ontario Federation of Labour's Black and Racialized Workers' Committee is proud to host Reclaiming Power, a vital conference uniting Black and Racialized trade unionists from across the province.
At a time when diversity, equity, and inclusion initiatives are being quietly dismantled and loudly ridiculed, the labour movement must double down. Workers are watching. And Black and Racialized workers are feeling every cut, every dismissal, and every slogan that replaces substance.
ofl.ca
Gaza in the Compass
When: Saturday, August 23rd, 1pm
Where: Mississauga Valley Park, 1275 Mississauga Valley Blvd
We invite you to join us for a community gathering and fundraiser for Gaza.
There will be food, local vendors, activities for children and families, and performances - all grounded in the theme: Gaza Is the Compass.
instagram.com
BDS Leafletting
When: Every Saturday, 1-2pm
Where: Dufferin Mall, 900 Dufferin St (south entrance by Marshalls)
End the Occupation! Build the Boycott! This is your friendly reminder of D4P's weekly BDS leafleting taking place every Saturday from 1 to 2 pm at Dufferin Mall. Meet outside south entrance to mall, 900 Dufferin Street by Marshalls. No prior experience necessary! We can buddy you up if it's your first time.
instagram.com
Sundays for Palestine
When: Every Sunday 11am
Where: Bathurst and Sheppard
A weekly Sunday pro-Palistine group, counter-protesting the Toronto Jewish-Zionist Community celebrating Ethnic Cleansing.
instagram.com
Gaza Square
When: Every Sunday, 11am to 1pm
Where: 371 Wallace Ave
We'll be at Gaza square once again this Sunday morning with hot chocolate and coffee, buttons and posters, lawn signs and colourful chalk! Come say hi and meet your fellow neighbours/organizers as we make our presence known and continue to build safety in our community!
Instagram poster
Peoples' Fair
When: Sunday Aug 24th, 1pm
Where: OPSEU Office, 31 Wellesley St E
Connect with local organizers and get organized!
There will be free food, cultural performances, arts & crafts sold by organizations, and face painting for children.
Hosted by: Students and Workers for the Liberation of Palestine, Jewish Anti-Zionist Collective Toronto, All African People's Revolutionary Party Canada, Anakbayan North York, Palestine Solidarity Collective.
eventbrite.ca
Online Course: War, Peace, and Law
When: Mondays, August 6 to Sept 8
War and peace are not only political struggles - they are legal constructs that shape global power, foreign and domestic policy, and everyday life. War is prohibited under international law, and numerous constitutions, treaties, and legal systems restrict, renounce, or seek to prevent it. Yet exceptions persist, enforcement is selective, and legal norms are routinely ignored, undermined, or exploited. The result is a world where war is illegal on paper but legitimized and normalized in practice.
worldbeyondwar.org
Weekly Phone-zap for Palestine
When: Mondays at 12:30pm
Week after week, we're keeping the momentum going with our Monday lunchtime zaps.
Our collective action is making waves, but we need to ensure our elected officials continue to feel the pressure until real change happens.
Instagram poster | Register at
zoom
Canadian Foreign Policy Hour with Yves Engler
When: Mondays at 6pm
Join author Yves Engler on Mondays for a weekly news roundup and interactive discussion about Canada's role abroad. This weekly session will delve into the latest developments on subjects ranging from military affairs and Canada's role in Ukraine to its contribution to Palestinian dispossession, and the exploitation of African resources. Join Yves for a critical take on Canada's foreign policy. Questions, comments, and criticisms are all welcome.
zoom.us
Venezuela's Bolivarian Revolution
When: August 25th, 7pm
Where: Friends House, 60 Lowther St.
It has been 26 years since Hugo Chávez first assumed the presidency of Venezuela in 1999. Since then, Venezuela has gone through enormous ups and downs, and mostly downs since Nicolas Maduro took over from Chavez following his death in 2013.
Given Venezuela's current challenging situation, what lessons can be drawn from the Bolivarian Revolution for future revolutionary projects? And what is the meaning of the Bolivarian project in the larger context of Latin American politics in the 21st century more generally? What do these lessons mean for socialist organizing and activism today?
The Leo Panitch School for Socialist Education is honoured to be hosting Gregory Wilpert, author and longtime journalist covering Venezuela, for a special talk and discussion to explore these questions and more.
tickettailor.com
Justice 4 Workers
When: Tuesday, August 26th, 7pm
At the meeting, we'll be hearing from:
- CUPE airline workers about the lessons to take from this important fight;
- College staff and faculty about why fighting for decent work and public post-secondary education is an urgent fight;
- Canadian Hearing Society Workers who are also joining us to talk about next steps after their courageous 10+ weeks on strike.
justice4workers.org
FilmSocial: L'Argent
When: Wednesday August 27th, 6:45pm
Where: Eyesore Cinema, 1176 Bloor St W.
Free/PWYC
The Leo Panitch School for Socialist Education is very pleased to present
L'Argent (1983) as the first installment in our special series of film screenings on the topic of money.
A forged 500-franc note is cynically passed from person to person and shop to shop, until it falls into the hands of a genuine innocent who doesn't see it for what it is – which will have devastating consequences on his life, causing him to turn to crime and murder…
Partially inspired by the writings of Leo Tolstoy,
L'Argent represents the last film made by acclaimed French director Robert Bresson. Often considered a masterpiece, the film is a sweeping exploration of the destructive power of money.
tickettailor.com
Grandmothers Against Genocide
When: Every Wednesday, 8am - 10am
Where: Bay and Bloor St
Peaceful vigil for Gaza. You don't have to be a grandmother to show your support.
Facebook
Research ReImagined
When: Wednesday August 27th, 6:30pm
Where: CSI, 192 Spadina Ave
Join us for an inspiring evening where student researchers bring their academic work to life for the community. Through short presentations, posters, and meaningful dialogue, you'll explore urgent sustainability topics in a creative and accessible way — no background in sustainability needed! Feel free to invite your family, neighbours and friends and help amplify student voices and inspire sustainability action!
eventbrite.ca
Science for Palestine
When: August 28th, 7pm
Where: Different Booklist, 779 Bathurst St.
In this issue we focus on the oppression and liberation of the Palestinian people through the lens of revolutionary science, technology, and healthcare. The innovation and ingenuity of Palestinians under the siege and occupation plays an important and often overlooked role in the vitality of their resistance. Nowhere is this more evident than the constant technical and political marvels in care practices that enable collective resistance through birthwork and nourishment for a besieged enclave at the brink of famine. Wahi Mohamad, co-writer of the article "Birthwork as Intifada: A Site of Resistance and Return," will speak on the efforts of birthworkers in Gaza. A Q&A will follow her talk.
eventbrite.ca |
instagram.com
Fighting To Win
A Ten-Week Course for Union and Community Activists Facilitated by John Clarke, Former Organizer with the Ontario Coalition Against Poverty (OCAP).
Unions and social movements today are operating in a very challenging situation. There is great economic uncertainty, the worsening impact of climate change and a global situation marked by the growing threat of conflict and war. When workers strike or communities under attack take to the streets, it seems that victories are much much harder to win, and past gains more difficult to defend.
This course will grapple with these questions by looking at the forms of exploitation and oppression that exist in society and the means by which the power structure acts to limit and contain our struggles. The course will move towards a discussion of how our movements can overcome the factors that hold them back and to fight to win!
tickettailor.com
Workers' Justice
When: Thursdays, September 18 to November 6th
Organized by the Jane Finch Education Action Group, Jane/Finch Centre and the Global Labour Research Centre at York University.
This is a free course for those who live or work in the Jane-Finch/Rexdale/Northwest Toronto communities. Participants will receive a certificate of completion from the Global Labour Research Centre at York University.
instagram.com |
forms.office.com
ARTICLES
Unions in Tunisia Win a Victory for Public Energy and Worker Rights
By Elyes Ben Ammar and Lala Peñaranda
Over the past few days, there have been a series of power outages across Tunisia. During Tunisia's sweltering summer months, electricity demand often surges to record-breaking levels as air conditioning systems run at full capacity everywhere from homes and workplaces to grocery stores and hospitals – for those who can afford it. The state-owned Tunisian Electricity and Gas Company (STEG) is currently implementing electrical load-shedding, or “délestage” – a deliberate power-cutting measure.
Source:
The Bullet No. 3178
BDS@20: Resilience, Resistance, and Regeneration
In the current most depraved phase of the US-Israeli livestreamed genocide against 2.3 million Palestinians in Gaza, what Jewish Voice for Peace calls Israel's “final solution,” we are marking the BDS movement's 20th anniversary to affirm our collective power in isolating Israel's 77-year-old regime of settler colonial apartheid against Indigenous Palestinians like never before.
Source:
The Bullet No. 3179
Nurse-Patient Ratios: Saving Lives and Rebuilding Nurses' Morale
By James T. Brophy and Margaret M. Keith
A new academic study is proposing a bold new solution for Ontario's hospital crisis – life-saving nurse-to-patient ratios. The authors of the study extensively researched the inadequate nurse staffing levels in Ontario, contrasting them with mandated nursing ratios in places like California and Queensland (Australia). The study found that nurse-to-patient ratios make a positive difference for patients and staff, while saving costs and improving the state of the healthcare system.
Source:
The Bullet No. 3180
EMPLOYMENT
USW Staff/Research
The United Steelworkers Canadian National Office is hiring a staff person for an in-office permanent position in the union's Research, Public Policy and Bargaining Support Department in Toronto.
This position offers compensation as determined by the Staff Representatives Agreement, ranging from $102,971.53 – $132,866.47, plus lease vehicle or car allowance, per diem and a generous benefits, pension and pension package.
This position is an in-office position based in Toronto, Ontario. Frequent travel across Canada and occasional travel to the United States and abroad may be required.
Candidates should submit their cover letter and resumé by August 26 to careers@usw.ca. Please indicate “USW research position application, August 2025” and your name in the subject line.
usw.ca