Youth to speak out against state attacks on dissent at Ontario-wide conference

Sixth announcement
July 18, 2013

Toronto, ON—With little more than two weeks until the one-day conference “Making the Youth Count in Canada’s Future: The Struggle of Young Workers in the Age of Austerity and Neoliberal Globalization,” youth from across Ontario are gearing up to make their voices heard. Organized by Ugnayan ng Kabataang Pilipino sa Canada/Filipino Canadian Youth Alliance–Ontario (UKPC/FCYA–ON), the youth conference aims to unite community organizations, students and young workers by bringing together various speakers and sparking critical discussion. The second set of panelists during the conference will focus on the criminalization of social movements, public demonstrations and protests within this era of neoliberalism. Among the speakers in this panel will be Mike Leitold, a criminal lawyer and activist, Karina Francisco and Aizaz Malik from Students Against Israeli Apartheid at York University (SAIA York), and Andrew Sayo, community organizer and member of UKPC/FCYA.

As it is evident that youth across Canada have been made to bear the brunt of the impacts of neoliberal policies implemented by the Conservative government, it is necessary to look at how such policies coincide with the increasing state repression of public demonstrations social movements. With this theme in mind, the speakers will highlight their experiences as students and activists. Mike Leitold, whose experiences have included working with the Filipino Canadian community in the case of Jeffrey Reodica, will share his experiences during the recent G20 protests in Toronto. As well, SAIA members Karina Francisco and Aizaz Malik will speak about York University’s attempts to curtail their rights as students and to silence their voices against Israeli apartheid. In addition, Andrew Sayo will share his experiences as an organizer during last year’s Quebec student protests, as well as the intensifying suppression tactics used by the Quebec police against students, workers and activists during public demonstrations.

In the face of such repressive measures and tactics against growing resistance movements, the panel’s discussions will bring to light the importance of heightening the struggle for social change. The one-day conference will be held on Saturday, August 3rd at Toronto’s United Steelorkers’ Hall. Registration is open to all.

REGISTER NOW: http://bit.ly/maketheyouthcount

“Making the Youth Count in Canada’s Future: The Struggle of Young Workers in the Age of Austerity and Neoliberal Globalization”
Ontario-wide conference
August 3, 2013
Registration opens at 9:00 am; conference starts at 10:00 am
United Steelworkers Hall
25 Cecil Street
Toronto, Ontario
Registration fee is $15 (includes meals and conference materials)

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For more information, contact the conference secretariat:
Charie Siddayao
(416) 519-2553
www.magkaisacentre.org
ukpc-on@magkaisacentre.org
Facebook: Ugnayan Ontario
Twitter: @ugnayanontario