04) CANADIAN NETWORK ON CUBA CONVENTION SETS PRIORITIES

            The Canadian Network on Cuba (CNC) held a successful 7th Biennial Convention in Toronto from May 30-31, 2015. Delegates from 19 member organizations were joined by observers and invited guests including His Excellency Julio Garmendía Peña, Ambassador of Cuba to Canada, Javier Domokos Ruiz, Toronto Consul General of Cuba and other Cuban diplomats. 

            The Convention had the honour of hosting Fernando González Llort, one of the Five Cuban Heroes who had been imprisoned unjustly for defending Cuba from terrorist attacks launched from the United States. Fernando Gonzalez participated in his capacity as Vice-President of the Cuban Institute for Friendship with the Peoples (ICAP).

            Also present was Dr. José de Jesús Portilla García, who had just completed a nine-city tour to raise awareness about Cuba's contribution to addressing the Ebola crisis in West Africa.

            A public meeting on the evening of May 30 was the highlight of the Convention. Fernando González Llort spoke to a standing room-only audience at the United Steelworkers Hall to celebrate the freeing of all the Five Cuban Heroes. Fernando declared his appreciation for the contribution of the Canada-Cuba solidarity movement to the struggle to win their freedom, stating: "On behalf of my four brothers and our families, thank you. This victory belongs to all of you."

            Fernando also emphasized that the international solidarity movement still faces the task of ending the U.S. policy of hostility and aggression. He noted that the struggle "hasn't ended. We won a battle but the blockade remains and Guantanamo base is still there [illegally on Cuban territory]. The blockade impacts all aspects of Cuban life." He reiterated that Havana is committed to maintaining its internationalist foreign policy. In Cuba "solidarity is part of our culture," he stated.

            Dr. José de Jesús Portilla Garcia explained the human-centred health care system that has emerged in Cuba despite the economic blockade. He emphasized that in Cuba healthcare is a human right enshrined in the Constitution and guaranteed by the Cuban state. Despite being a poor country Cuba has provided medical assistance to other countries in Africa, Asia, Latin America and the Caribbean based on a spirit of internationalism.

            At the public meeting, Ambassador Garmendía Peña announced the launch of Cuba Pan Am 2015, a new website http://cubapanam2015.ca designed to provide news and information in English, French and Spanish about Cuba's participation at the 2015 Pan American Games being held July 10-26 in Toronto.

            Interesting panel discussions were held during the Convention, within the context of steps toward the establishment of formal diplomatic relations between the U.S. and Cuba, as well as the celebration of 70 years of uninterrupted Canada-Cuba diplomatic relations.

            During the panel Canada-Cuba Solidarity & 70 Years of Canada-Cuba Diplomatic Relations, Ambassador Garmendía Peña pointed out that despite the recent victories, the U.S. economic blockade is still in force, and the illegal U.S. occupation of Guantanamo Bay continues. He emphasized the need to continue building and deepening the existing relations of friendship and cooperation that exist between Canada and Cuba.

            Jean Augustine, a  former Liberal MP and Speaker of the House of Commons, focussed on the role of parliamentarians in fostering Canada-Cuba relations. She regaled the audience with vignettes of her various trips to the island nation, especially her various meetings with the historic leader of the Cuban Revolution, Fidel Castro.

            Nino Pagliccia, editor of the recently released book Cuba Solidarity in Canada: Five Decades of People-to-People Foreign Relations, outlined how Cuba's internationalism provides a foreign policy model in which solidarity is the fundamental principle.

            The Convention's final panel, Cuba-Today and Tomorrow, featured Professor Emeritus Keith Ellis from the University of Toronto, Javier Domokos Ruiz and CNC Co-Chair Isaac Saney. They presented lively information on the ongoing renovation and updating of the Cuban economy and the significance of U.S. President Obama's new policy. The panel stressed that the economic measures being implemented by Cuba are taking place within the process of the renewal and continuity of the Cuban revolutionary and socialist project, and that while Cubans welcome normalization of relations with the United States, they would never renounce their independence, sovereignty or socialism.

            Extensive reports covering the two years since the 6^th Convention illustrated the breadth and depth of Canada-Cuba solidarity activities from Vancouver to Halifax. Highlights of the CNC's work included the very successful cross-Canada tours of Geraldo Alphonso and Dr. Portilla Garcia, and the international symposium Africa's Unknown War: Apartheid Terror, Cuba & Southern Africa Liberation.

            Recognizing that Cuba has arrived at a new moment which poses specific challenges, CNC delegates resolved to mobilize public and political opinion to end the U.S. economic blockade, return Guantanamo Bay and to challenge the disinformation campaign against Cuba. Resolutions were adopted to strengthen and guide the CNC's work over the next two years and measures were taken to update the CNC's by-laws.

            Special attention was paid to the highly successful Ernesto Che Guevara Voluntary Work Brigade and the annual Pastors for Peace Caravan, and the ongoing work with Canadian parliamentarians. The Convention committed to support a symposium in Toronto in 2015 to commemorate the 40th Anniversary of Operación Carlota, the beginning of Cuba's internationalist mission in Angola that was crucial to the success of the southern African national liberation and anti-colonial struggles.

            A new CNC executive was elected for 2015-2017, including Michel Dugre, Julio Fonseca, Dave Forman, Elizabeth Hill, Isaac Saney, Aaron Shields and Saleh Waziruddin. The executive subsequently selected Hill and Saney to continue as co-chairs. Isaac Saney was also re-appointed National Spokesperson and Elizabeth Hill as Treasurer, with Saleh Waziruddin assuming the position of Secretary.

(The above article is from the July 1-31, 2015, issue of People's Voice, Canada's leading socialist newspaper. Articles can be reprinted free if the source is credited. Subscription rates in Canada: $30/year, or $15 low income rate; for U.S. readers - $45 US per year; other overseas readers - $45 US or $50 CDN per year. Send to People's Voice, c/o PV Business Manager, 706 Clark Drive, Vancouver, BC, V5L 3J1.)