Final reminder for upcoming “Making the Youth Count in Canada’s Future” conference happening this Saturday!
A Conference reminder: Ugnayan ng Kabataang Pilipino sa Canada/Filipino Canadian Youth Alliance presents: Making the Youth Count in Canada’s Future: The Struggles of Young Workers in the Age of Austerity and Neoliberal Globalization A Province-Wide Youth Conference Date: Saturday, August 3, 2013 Location: United Steelworkers Hall 25 Cecil St. (College & Spadina) Toronto, Ontario Time: ALL DAY Registration starts 9AM Opening remarks begin: 10:00AM Join us as we gather with youth and other members of various communities and professions from across Canada to tackle issues youth face today under the increasing attacks of neoliberal globalization. These include: -Rising student debt and unemployment -Environmental degradation -Criminalization of student activity on campuses -Systemic racism and more! All are invited to take part in this conference. Register online now: http://bit.ly/maketheyouthcount Speakers include: Emmanuel Sayo, Co-founder of the Kalayaan Resource Centre • Fay Faraday, Immigration, Labour, and Human Right Lawyer • Reuben Sarumugam, Ugnayan ng Kabataang Pilipino sa Canada/Filipino Canadian Youth Alliance • Karina Francisco & Aizaz Malik, Students Against Israeli Apartheid • Krisna Saravanamuttu, National Council of Canadian Tamils • [...]
Demand Justice for Sammy Yatim!
Demand Justice for Sammy Yatim! Toronto,ON—We, the members of the Ugnayan ng Kabataang Pilipino sa Canada/Filipino Canadian Youth Alliance of Ontario (UKPC/FCYA-ON), condemn the actions by the Toronto Police in shooting and killing 18 year old Sammy Yatim. We demand the Toronto Police be held accountable for their actions and use of deadly force firing almost 10 shots before following up with a taser to kill Yatim. Though the police were called in because Yatim was reported and witnessed to be brandishing a three-inch knife and wielding it inside the streetcar, the police crew escalated the situation to the point where several of them took shots at his body. Sammy Yatim was an 18-year-old young man born in Syria, but lived in Toronto since immigrating to Canada. Our thoughts and condolences go to the family and friends of Sammy Yatim. We are angered that another youth of colour has died at the hands of the police here in Toronto. This is a painful reality faced by racialised youth across this city--across this country--and it is our collective [...]
Fight contractualization! Advance workers’ struggles for secure and sustainable livelihoods!
Solidarity statement for DIGITEL Employees Union July 26, 2013 Toronto, ON—The Congress of Progressive Filipino Canadians (CPFC) extends its solidarity to the membership and allies of the DIGITEL Employees Union (DEU) in their continuing struggle against the neoliberal ploys of the DIGITEL-Philippine Long Distance Telephone Co.’s (PLDT) merged management for illegally terminating DIGITEL employees in Manila, Philippines. The CPFC commends the courageous men and women involved with the DEU members’ hunger strikes, community briefings and protests in opposition to DIGITEL-PLDT management, as well as in exposing the inadequacy of the Department of Labour and Employment (DOLE) in their inaction despite having signed the writ-of-execution order on March 19, 2013, and the Supreme Court’s decision to re-instate the dismissed workers. Such absolution of responsibility over the firing of long-time DIGITEL employees is not only an attack on the workers immediately affected, but is also a maneuver with political implications that affect labour struggles in the Philippines and beyond. In this age of intense corporatization and privatization under neoliberal capitalism, workers all over the world are faced with labour practices [...]
Youth and young workers from various communities share their struggles and resistance
Seventh announcement July 24, 2013 Toronto, ON—With August fast approaching, youth across Canada are set to gather at the upcoming one-day conference, “Making the Youth Count in Canada’s Future: The Struggle of Young Workers in the Age of Austerity and Neoliberal Globalization.” This conference will be taking place on Saturday, August 3rd at Toronto’s United Steelworkers Hall. With the neoliberal agenda of globalization threatening the lives and conditions of youth and their communities, speakers such as Gabrielle Fayant, who organizes with various indigenous youth, and Krisna Saravanamuttu, National Director of the National Council of Canadian Tamils, will look into the current struggles and resistances that youth from various communities are undertaking. With the ongoing roll-out of neoliberal policies hammering youth across Canada, it is undeniable that youth from marginalized communities continue to bear the brunt of these long-standing attacks against their communities. As we have witnessed in the struggle of indigenous communities, for instance, issues such as environmental degradation and the right of self-determination, all within the context of the current global economic crisis, are among their key [...]
A Tribute for Jean-Marc Daga (1978-2013)
Toronto, ON—On July 19th at Beit Zatoun House from 7pm-9pm, the Magkaisa Centre welcomes all family, friends and fellow activists and organizers to celebrate the life of Jean-Marc Daga. An artist, educator, community organizer, activist and loving member of the Daga family, Jean-Marc touched many lives and inspired the best in everyone. Join us as we remember the life and political work of Jean-Marc Daga in hopes to carry forward his legacy and vision for social change. A Tribute for Jean-Marc Daga (1978-2013) Beit Zatoun House 612 Markham St, Toronto, ON M6G 2L8 From 7:00PM to 9:00PM Please RSVP to ukpc-on@magkaisacentre.org with your full name and number of attendants. -12-
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 [...]
Filipino Canadian youth take the stage tomorrow at the 4th annual “Roots, Rhymes, and Resistance”
Toronto, Ontario – This is a final reminder of the upcoming fundraising concert, “Roots, Rhymes, and Resistance” organized by Ugnayan ng Kabataang Pilipino sa Canada/Filipino Youth Alliance (UKPC/FCYA). The concert, titled Taking Back Our Future, will be held tomorrow, Saturday, July 13th at the Hart House Music Room, on University of Toronto’s downtown campus. The event will feature performances by: Ace Real, No Class Today, Jewstice League and Alarm Her Majesty, and many more young talented artists. There will also be a raffle draw with various prizes to be won. Doors open at 7:30PM, but please come early as there is limited seating. “Roots, Rhymes and Resistance: Taking Back Our Future” Saturday, July 13 2013, 8:00 PM – 10:00 PM Doors open at 7:30 PM, show starts at 8:00 PM Music Room, 7 Hart House Circle University of Toronto Downtown Campus Tickets $10.00 each (All funds will go towards our upcoming conference “Making the Youth Count in Canada’s Future: The Struggle of Young Workers in the Age of Austerity and Neoliberal Globalization ”) -12- For more information, contact: [...]
Province-wide conference to bring out common resistances of youth and young workers
Fifth announcement July 11, 2013 Toronto, ON—Anticipation continues to build for this summer’s historic one-day youth conference “Making the Youth Count in Canada's Future: The Struggle of Young Workers in the Age of Austerity and Neoliberal Globalization,” set to take place on Saturday, August 3rd at Toronto’s United Steelworkers Hall on 25 Cecil Street. Organized by the Ugnayan ng Kabataang Pilipino sa Canada/Filipino Canadian Youth Alliance of Ontario (UKPC/FCYA-ON), the province-wide conference aims to create resonance amongst all youth and young workers across various communities on their common struggles and as forerunners of genuine social change. Bringing together critical perspectives on the collective struggles and resistances of youth within Canada, the conference will feature panel speakers Fay Faraday, labour and human rights lawyer, Emmanuel Sayo, long-time community organizer with the Congress of Progressive Filipino Canadians and Reuben Sarumugam, Chairperson of UKPC/FCYA-ON, among others. Emmanuel Sayo will set the context for the day’s conference by speaking on the dynamics and impacts of the recent economic crisis on all working Canadians, particularly on migrants and immigrants as members of the [...]
Make the youth count and register now for the “Making the Youth Count in Canada’s Future” youth conference
Fourth announcement June 26, 2013 Toronto, ON—With the month of August fast approaching, everyone is reminded to register for the upcoming youth conference, “Making the Youth Count in Canada’s Future: The Struggle of Young Workers in the Age of Austerity and Neoliberal Globalization.” The day-long conference will be held at the United Steelworkers Hall in Toronto on August 3rd. All are invited and everyone is welcome to register. Youth in Canada and across the world are confronted with neoliberal globalization’s attacks on their lives and futures, whether in the form of rising unemployment and tuition fees, the implementation of low-wage strategies and cutbacks or the repression of activism and resistance. Youth everywhere are also readily meeting these challenges and are taking part in social movements as a form of resistance. All are invited to take part in this conference. Conference objectives To understand the impacts of the global economic crisis and neoliberal globalization on the youth in Canada. To develop strategies to advance the struggle of the youth against neoliberal globalization. “Making the Youth Count in Canada’s Future: [...]
Youth take back their future as future leaders at annual “Roots, Rhymes and Resistance” concert
For immediate release June 26, 2013 Toronto, ON—The Ugnayan ng Kabataang Pilipino sa Canada/Filipino-Canadian Youth Alliance Organization (UKPC-ON) is celebrating their upcoming annual “Roots, Rhymes and Resistance” concert on the 13th day of July this year. The theme for this year is “Taking Back Our Future,” which will focus on the youth and their roles as empowered leaders in our society. The concert is taking place at the University of Toronto’s Hart House Music Room. Doors open at 7:30 PM and show starts 8:00 PM. The theme of “Taking Back our Future” speaks directly to the current generation’s organizing work in educating one another by utilizing the arts and cultural venue to express their struggles as transnational youth within Canada. As UKPC member Patricia Guerrero says, “It is essential to learn and express the issues we face as a community so that we can become involved in making the changes that we need in our society.” As years have gone by, this has been a key thread of each “Roots, Rhymes and Resistance” annual concert and this year [...]
Excitement continues to build for upcoming youth conference, “Making the Youth Count in Canada’s Future”
Third announcement June 21, 2013 Toronto,ON—This summer’s upcoming youth conference “Making the Youth Count in Canada’s Future: The Struggle of Young Workers in the Age of Austerity and Neoliberal Globalization,” organized by the Ugnayan ng Kabataang Pilipino sa Canada/Filipino Canadian Youth Alliance of Ontario (UKPC/FCYA–ON), is set to bring dynamic discussions led by youth organizers from across various communities in Canada, and is scheduled to take place at Toronto’s Steel Workers Hall at 25 Cecil St. on August 3rd. Foregrounding experiences amassed from beyond mainstream media’s split-second exposure of today’s local and global social movements, the conference will bring up the crucial point that youth have the capacity to continue sustaining these movements as long-term commitments for social change. UKPC/FCYA–ON organizers John Nerier and Aila Comilang will be part of the day’s panel speakers along with the National Alliance of Philippine Women in Canada (NAPWC)’s current Executive Director, Cecilia Diocson. Within the Filipino Canadian community, the Philippine Women Centre (PWC) has provided a strong voice in advocating for the community and specifically for women’s rights, and has been [...]