Mark Carney's War Bank

 

Hi Christopher,   Earlier this month, the government proposed what they’re calling a “Defense, Security and Resilience Bank”. If that sounds technocratic and reassuring, I’m sorry to say it’s not.     This is an international War Bank.     One that: Doubles down on militarizing our economy  Sidesteps transparency and public scrutiny  Binds us even more tightly to the US defense-industrial complex   Canada doesn’t need a War Bank designed to enrich American weapons contractors. We don’t need to hand our public dollars to war profiteers, and we don’t need to tie ourselves to Donald Trump’s seemingly endless assault on global stability and international law.     What we do need are the public servants and services that keep us safe and secure in our everyday lives. Sadly, this government would rather cut food inspectors, climate scientists, and farming researchers to pay for an international investment bank specializing in warfare.    We can’t let this happen, Christopher. Please sign and share the petition below to put an end to this War Bank before it goes into business.     Stop the War Bank   Mark Carney pledged to reduce our military integration with the United States. With this proposal, he not only seeks to expand it, but seeks to do so outside of the public eye.     Military budgeting and procurement decisions ought to be made by Parliament. If this War Bank happens, many of those decisions will be made behind closed doors at a shadowy institution led by American finance giants like JPMorgan Chase. In all likelihood, weapons manufacturers like Lockheed Martin, General Dynamics, and Raytheon will be at the table too.     We could be investing in a Green New Deal that would create a million good green jobs. We could build a million public homes, or finally fulfil Tommy Douglas’ dream of truly universal, head-to-toe healthcare for all.     Instead, Mark Carney wants to invest massive piles of public money into America’s war machine.    The people don’t want this, Christopher – please sign and share the petition below to make sure this government knows Canadians don’t want their dollars going toward Trump’s military industrial complex.     ndp.ca/stop-the-war-bank   In passionate solidarity,   Avi    Avi Lewis Leader Canada’s NDP  New Democratic Party of Canada 300-279 Laurier West, Ottawa, ON, K1P5J9 1-866-525-2555 You are subscribed as: zenriver@sympatico.ca Unsubscribe

Reflections from a Democratic Hoser: Charlie Angus

 

Reflections from a Democratic Hoser What will it take for the left to rebuild a movement rooted in ordinary Canadians? CHARLIE ANGUS / THE RESISTANCE MAY 31   READ IN APP   Canada is in uncharted territory. The threat to our border, our economy, and our democracy is as serious as it gets. There is no road map for what comes next. We are dealing with a predatory nation whose leader has stated his determination to break Canada and reduce us to a vassal state. To get through this, we’ll need a clear-eyed understanding of what we’re up against. The threat is not simply a narcissistic president or unreasonable tariff demands. The threat is fascism. What gives me hope is that ordinary Canadians understand the mission. Every day, I hear from people who are ready to do their part to defend democracy. It’s a message of solidarity from farm folk in New Brunswick, retirees in Quebec, urban dwellers in Toronto, energy workers in Calgary, and activists in British Columbia. They are united in their determination to defend the bedrock values of Canada. You would think this groundswell of patriotic democracy would be a focus of all major political parties. But that hasn’t happened. So many political leaders, media and pundits have missed the gravity of the moment. A few get it. Wab Kinew has been inspiring. Doug Ford used it to push an unnecessary election and then went off to his cottage. But with fascism on the move, and I ask myself: where is the left? Where are the labour leaders? Where are the progressive groups that should be embracing the flag as a symbol of our shared values? Ed Broadbent and Tommy Douglas presented a vision of bold nationalism. Firebrands like Bob White of the UAW/CAW marched in the streets for an independent Canada. I joined the NDP because I shared Jack Layton’s belief in the goodness of Canadians. He embraced the grandeur of the country in his politics and life. People remember him for his deathbed call to embrace “love, hope and optimism.” But my favourite Jack expression was a little less inspiring. “Bums in seats.” It’s what he used to tell our caucus all the time — that in order to make our policies a reality, we had to get out and do the hard work of electing more NDP MPs. Jack was a bridge builder, and he assembled an incredible team that turned a dream into reality with the extraordinary Orange Wave election of 2011. But by the end of that summer, Jack had been taken by cancer. Jack Layton and Charlie Angus As the votes were being counted for Tom Mulcair’s leadership win, the key advisors who had made the Orange Wave a reality were packing their bags. They were seen as the old guard. Their knowledge and expertise were replaced by a new team loyal to the incoming leader. In the next election, we dropped from 100 seats to 44. And when Tom Mulcair was defeated, his team were put out the door as Jagmeet Singh brought in his crew. I ran in the 2017 leadership. It gave me the opportunity to see this immense and beautiful country. In leadership races, people like to debate policy and the big ideas. My offer was simpler. To be a truly social democratic movement, we had to rebuild our relationship with working-class folk who had been the roots of our party. I warned that we were losing touch with the grassroots. I believed politics was about stripping away the jargon and coded language and sitting in a Legion Hall to hear what people actually thought about the issues. That’s how I ran my campaign and have great memories of meeting grassroots members from Vancouver Island to Nova Scotia. I’ll admit, I didn’t do so well navigating the divisive internal party politics or convincing those who believe that policy and political purity should define our standing in the political order. At one town hall, a woman came up to me and fired a hardball question. “Are you a social democrat or are you a democratic socialist?” For her, it was the defining question of whether to support me or not. I attempted a bit of humour. “I dunno,” I replied, “I guess I am a democratic hoser.” I failed the test. Big time. I think Jack would have got the joke. More importantly, I think he would have found a way to bring that woman back into the fold. I lacked the tools. My run against Jagmeet Singh was friendly and respectful. I put together a great team from across the country. But few of my organizers or brain trust were invited into the fold after the votes came down. The leader takes all. My team dispersed and went on to other projects. In the next election, we went from 44 seats to 24 seats. Then came the disaster of 2025 that reduced the NDP to a mere seven seats. On the eve of that election, I tried to warn the party that we were headed into the rocks. We had long forgotten the “bums in seats” mantra. We were becoming disconnected from our working-class base, having become too focused on internal battles over identity and language. The Trump election upended everything. The threat to Canada’s sovereignty was a clear and present danger. It was obvious that the election would be about articulating a vision for Canada. Mark Carney wrapped himself in the flag and used the Elbows Up language. The NDP bet the house on Jagmeet’s likability. The disastrous result was so predictable. But the numbers revealed a disturbing sign: key New Democrat constituencies voted for the Poilievre Conservatives’ Maple Maga pitch. Reclaiming those voters will be key to stabilizing Canada’s political landscape. I wish the new leader, Avi Lewis, well in the task before him. He faces the same challenge every Social Democrat leader before him faced: building trust with ordinary Canadians so that they see the NDP as a viable alternative. Some of his supporters have told me of their determination to clear house and establish a new vision. Perhaps it will work. But I am doubtful that a new Orange Wave will emerge simply from bolder language and a new team at the helm. My advice to the new leader is to be a builder of bridges. There is a lot of goodwill and ideas out there. I served a quarter-century in the trenches of partisan politics and learned some very positive and some very hard lessons. I believe that social democracy will succeed if it is rooted in the stories and experiences of people who live in places like Nickel Belt, Swift Current, Chicoutimi and St. John’s. I don’t write that as a partisan. My focus these days is Canada. But I believe that, given the threats we face, Canada needs a social democratic vision now more than ever. The Prime Minister has done extraordinarily well representing Canada on the global stage, but as a former Goldman Sachs banker, the tendency towards austerity on the home front will be strong. The lessons from the global march of fascist ideology are clear — they fester in times of growing inequality and lost opportunities. Only the NDP can provide that credible voice for those suffering from increasing economic precarity and wage stagnation. I encourage the progressive left to embrace the red-and-white Maple Leaf at this crucial time. It is a powerful symbol of our shared commitment to a democratic, inclusive and sovereign Canada. As Jack used to say, “What binds us together as Canadians is so much stronger than the issues that divide us.” What keeps my faith strong is the goodness of ordinary Canadians and their innate sense of fairness. We can survive the threat of fascism. And where do I stand on the political spectrum? Consider me a democratic hoser. Perhaps, now more than ever. Election night 2021 after winning my 7th and last election battle. If any photos or images on this site are under copyright, please let us know and we will provide appropriate credit. This content is used in accordance with applicable copyright laws, including “fair dealing” under Canadian law and “fair use” under Section 107 of the U.S. Copyright Act, for purposes such as criticism, comment, and news reporting. Charlie Angus / The Resistance is a reader-supported publication — please consider becoming a paid subscriber. Upgrade to paid This post is public — feel free to share it. Share Thank you for reading Charlie Angus / The Resistance. If you’d like to upgrade to a paid subscription your support will help keep this project independent and sustainable. I’m grateful to have you here - thank you for your support. Upgrade to paid   LIKE COMMENT RESTACK   © 2026 Charlie Angus PO Box 74173, Ottawa RPO Beechwood, Ontario K1M 2H9  Unsubscribe

RIP Stephen Lewis: Another Canadian Legend - Ontario NDP

 The Ontario NDP Mourns the Loss of Stephen Lewis: email today 

We have lost Stephen Lewis, and the world feels smaller  without him.   Stephen Lewis had a voice that could fill a room, a  convention hall, the United Nations General Assembly.  When he spoke, you felt it: the moral clarity, the  righteous anger, the unshakeable belief that suffering  was not inevitable and injustice was not acceptable. He  made you truly believe a better world was possible, and  he made you want to fight for it.   For eight years, Stephen was the leader of the Ontario  NDP. In 1975, he doubled our seats in the legislature  becoming Leader of the Official Opposition. What people  remember mostly is how he campaigned: telling the story  of a different Ontarian in trouble each day, humanizing  what others reduced to statistics, making people see  themselves in each other’s struggles. He championed  the Elliot Lake miners when no one else would. He  forced a Conservative premier to bring in rent control.  He fought for the Occupational Health and Safety Act.  Stephen Lewis with federal NDP Leader Ed Broadbent after securing the nomination to defend his seat in Scarborough West, 1975 // Toronto Star Photograph Archive. © Toronto Star. But Stephen Lewis became legendary on the world stage,  not because of titles, though he held many, but because  of what he did with them. As the UN Special Envoy for HIV/AIDS in Africa, Stephen stood  before presidents and prime ministers and refused to let  them look away. He had seen the overflowing hospital  wards, the endless funerals, the villages full of women,  so many women, dying while the world debated whether  they were worth saving.   Stephen saw what others wouldn't: that gender inequality  was driving the pandemic. That women were being  denied treatment, living with violence, carrying the  burden of care for entire households while dying  themselves. That grandmothers were raising  AIDS-orphaned children with no support. He was  relentless in demanding testing, treatment, funding, and political will. And when the world moved too slowly,  he came home and built the Stephen Lewis Foundation  with his daughter Ilana, turning rage into action, and  compassion into survival.   The honours piled up. Companion of the Order of  Canada, TIME's 100 most influential people, the  Pearson Peace Medal, Knight Commander of Lesotho,  42 honorary doctorates. But ask anyone who knew  Stephen's work, and they won't talk about the awards.  They'll talk about the 300 grandmothers who gathered in Toronto in 2006  and raised $40 million for African grandmothers caring for AIDS orphans.  They'll talk about the lives saved by the Foundation's  work. They'll talk about the community organizations in  Africa that finally got the funding and respect they deserved. Stephen Lewis with Patricia and Nonhlanhla at Blue Roof in South Africa. Photo by Gillian Mathurin Even at 87, even after being diagnosed with cancer and  given just three months, his conscience would not let him  rest. As the world witnessed genocide unfolding in Gaza,  Stephen went out to his old riding of Scarborough West  and stood at the roadside with signs calling for an end  to the violence, demanding justice for Palestine. He  refused to look away. He never did.   There’s one more extraordinary part of Stephen's story.  His father David Lewis was a founding architect of our  movement. In the 1970s, father and son led the federal  and provincial NDP together, a rare moment in the history  of our party. Stephen knew what that meant. He knew what  it felt like to carry that torch. Two days ago, from his  hospital bed, Stephen watched his own son, Avi Lewis,  elected leader of Canada’s NDP.  Stephen Lewis gives the eulogy for late NDP leader Jack Layton at his state funeral service in Roy Thomson Hall Toronto on Saturday, August 27, 2011. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Nathan Denette To Michele, to Ilana, Avi and Jenny, to his grandchildren  Zev, Yoav, Zimri, and Toma, to his siblings Michael, Janet,  and Nina, and to everyone who loved him: we share in your  grief. We will carry him forward in everything we do.   Rest in power, Stephen Lewis.    In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to the  Stephen Lewis Foundation.     New Democratic Party of Ontario 2069 Lakeshore Blvd West, Suite 201, Toronto, ON M8V 3Z4