The theme was “Lives in the Revolution”. The tenth annual Socialist Action Trotsky School, held at OISE University of Toronto, made the case that while social classes fundamentally determine the course of history, individuals lead the social classes, and can inspire us all to fulfill our potential to transform ourselves and the world. Over eighty people attended all or part of the two-day educational conference. Participants came from as far away as Victoria, B.C. and Saint John, New Brunswick, and included a delegation from Montreal, Quebec.
The conference began with a timely session titled Fascism: What it is and How to Fight It, with speakers Yasin Kaya, a leading member of Socialist Action Canada who joined the socialist movement in Turkey, and Steve Ellis, a pro-Palestine BDS activist and a veteran socialist.
On Saturday, November 18, the topic was Canadian Revolutionaries: Papineau, Riel, Ginger Goodwin, Jack MacDonald, Maurice Spector, Ross Dowson, and 1980s Women into Industry, with speaker Robbie Mahood, SA/Ligue pour l’Action socialiste leader and pro-choice physician based in Montreal.
Next up was the topic Rosa Luxemburg: Revolutionary and Internationalist, featuring speaker Zarrin Mortezaian, a long time political activist from Iran, followed by Che Guevara: The enduring and inspiring revolutionary icon, 50 years after his murder, with presenter Bob Lyons, Socialist Action correspondent based in Central America, and former NDP MLA in Saskatchewan.
