After almost five weeks on the line, a 96% strike mandate and many concessions, Canadian Postal Workers weren't able to have a say in their contract, yet again.

What does it mean when one of the strongest unions in Canada hasn't been able to negotiate a fair deal in 12+ years? Find out from the rank and file what happened and where they can go from here.

Strike Captain, Stop Steward and Mail Carrier Sera sits down with Host Jessa McLean to talk about the dealings with Canada Post bosses, the attempts to build militancy inside the union and more...

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End Song Credit: "What Unions Did for You", Dave Pomeroy

Resources:

• CBC: Labour minister asks Canada Industrial Relations Board to step into Canada Post contract dispute

Two organizers from this growing coalition unpack their recent action on Parliament Hill, and the identity crisis being purposely crafted by the Israeli lobby to thwart the work being done to liberate Palestine.

Serena Sairan and Lauren Moses-Brettler, both from Jews Say No to Genocide, join Host Jessa McLean, for a discussion about individual responsibility, group decision making in a fluid political environment and finding new ways to keep the pressure on Canadian politicians to realize an #ArmsEmbargoNow

CALL TO ACTION: Sign the Petition to End the Arms Embargo Now

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Resources:

• Democracy Now - Live Report from Action on Parliament Hill - JSNTG
• More Links From: Jews Say No to Genocide
• Jews Say No to Genocide on Instagram

What are we to think of the public's response to United Health CEO Brian Thompson's death?

Cross-posted from our Rabble Rants feed: Hosts Jessa McLean and Santiago Helou Quintero provide a class analysis of the case and the media frenzy around it. They also give insight into just how bad a company United Health is, and what our reactions should be to social murder.

Song credit (end of episode): Jesse Welles, via TikTok

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All of our content is free - made possible by the generous sponsorships of our Patrons. If you would like to support us: Patreon

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Resources:

• There's anger behind the internet's reactions to the death of UnitedHealthcare CEO : NPR
• AP News: Hurry up and wait: Docs say insurers increasingly interfere
• Forbes: How Much Does Health Insurance Cost?
• CNN: US Healthcare Rankings

Climate justice organizers talk about the changing landscape of campus organizing across Turtle Island, divestment as a tactic and the increasingly heavy hand of university administrators in so-called Canada.

Celine, Levi and Evelyn all came to Change Course from different backgrounds and with slightly different political priorities, as we all do, but they have found common ground for growth in targeting the big banks for their role in the systems that oppresses us.

Included are reports from Western University and University of Ottawa on their escalations against student demonstrations, and a workable list of skills we could all be working on.

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Resources:

• Banks OFF Campus Campaign
• CBC: Western University Students Blindsided
• IG Post on UofOttawa Sit-In
• Homepage - Change Course

The Nova Scotia NDP recently removed a candidate over their support for Palestine. This isn't the first time, not for the NS NDP or its counterparts across Canada. This episode provides insight into why so many members choose to stay and what the detriments of that are.

For an even deeper dive, check out our podcast playlist, INSIDE THE NDP.

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All of our content is free - made possible by the generous sponsorships of our Patrons. If you would like to support us: Patreon

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Resources:

• CBC: Ontario NDP Removes Sarah Jama from Caucus
• Global News: NS NDP Candidate Tammy Jakeman Speaks Publicly

COVID AWARE ORGANIZING

If we're going to build accessible, safe spaces to organize, that needs to include ways to reduce COVID transmissions amongst our comrades. Shira Lurie, a COVID aware activist with Protect our Province Nova Scotia (POPNS) and Mask for Mask Queers, joins host Jessa McLean to give easy, affordable precautions we can incorporate into our organizing and event planning.

Filling in the gaps where our governments have failed to protect us isn't new to progressives. Neither is having to buck popular trends, or create new ones. So why the resistance to masking and other initiatives around air quality? We unpack that and how we can start to bring more people along, even after five years.

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All of our content is free - made possible by the generous sponsorships of our Patrons. If you would like to support us: Patreon

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Resources:

• COVID Conscious Under Capitalism - Blueprints of Disruption
• Rabble Rants: Mask Bans (podcast episode)
• Need a Mask? Can you Donate a Mask? DonateMask.ca
• How to build your own Corsi-Rosenthal Box - Corsi-Rosenthal Foundation
• Guest: Shira Lurie

Canada recently adopted the IHRA definition of antisemitism, which is nothing but unmasked anti-Palestinian racism that looks to criminalize criticisms of Israeli State. The Ontario Progressive Conservatives are going to pay organizations like CIJA $550 million to teach that definition in schools. Our hosts remind us all of this is coming at a time where the Canadian state is spending unprecedented resources on weaponizing the legal system against activists. The repercussions are already being felt.

Within days of the adoption of the IHRA, the Crown dropped charges against a woman, not because she didn't commit the violence she was accused of, but because it was justified by the mere mention of a Free Palestine.

Why is Canada so invested in defending Israel's occupation and genocide of Palestinians? People may not like the answer....

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All of our content is free - made possible by the generous sponsorships of our Patrons. If you would like to support us: Patreon

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Resources:

• CBC: Hijab Assault Charges Withdrawn
• CBC: Ontario expands Holocaust education in schools to combat rise in antisemitism
• Harsha Walia: Colonialism, racism and the IHRA | The Monitor

We will remember this 5th of November. A bonus Rabble Rants for the Blueprints of Disruption audience in response to the 2024 U.S. Presidential election.

While some blame voters and activists, our hosts examine how the DNC is to blame and what the results mean for the movements we feature on the show.

To be sure you don't miss another Rabble Rants, subscribe here.

All of our content is free - made possible by the generous sponsorships of our Patrons. If you would like to support us: Patreon

Be sure to catch more RABBLE RANTS on its dedicated feed.

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This installment of the TENANT POWER series features three members of the Ottawa Neighbourhood Organizing Centre (NOC) and their work supporting tenants in their fight against landlords, and of course, capitalism.

The work of the NOC began in the most organic way. By going into their community and talking to as many people as possible. Listening to their neighbours and finding common ground. Overwhelmingly, people needed and most importantly, wanted to fight, as tenants.

Hear how they continue to learn from one another and build power where they are. Quite literally going door by door, building by building and block by block to Activate the Tenant Class.

Guests: Seema Shafei, Shivangi Misra, Ethan Mitchell

CALLS TO ACTION:

• If you are a tenant organization, please reach out to NOC through their Instagram, or email us at [email protected]
• Donations can be made to the Bank Block Tenants here

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All of our content is free - made possible by the generous sponsorships of our Patrons. If you would like to support us: Patreon

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Resources:

• “A So-called Tenants’ Union”: Defining the Organizational Power of Tenants within and outside the Law
• Follow NOC on Instagram

The wealthy bought up the neighbourhood like their own personal game of Monopoly. Now they want to tear down some of the only affordable units in Ottawa - places where some of called home for 40 years.

Demovictions, like renovictions are eating away at the bottom of the housing market, targeting low cost rentals and turning them into places most people can not afford. Even with new renoviction bylaws in place, there is seemingly no help coming from City Hall for the tenants on Bank Street.

We interview Ben Emond from Bank Street Tenants and ask about their beginnings; how they came together after all receiving N13s (eviction notices). We hear about the resistance they've faced from their landlord, the rubberstamping approvals process at City Hall and the tactics the these tenants are using to push back against it all.

All of our content is free - made possible by the generous sponsorships of our Patrons. If you would like to support us: Patreon

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Resources:

• Bank Street Tenants Confront Smart Living Properties to say No to Mass Eviction - The Leveller
• Learn More – Bank Block Tenants