Over seventy people jammed into the Free Times Cafe for the 31st annual Toronto Socialist Action celebration of International Workers’ Day on April 30., 2017.
On stage, the event featured five solidarity speakers and half a dozen world class musical and spoken word performers. It was an evening of spirited defiance of the corporate ruling elite, and a celebration of struggles for socialism and freedom. A raffle of desirable items, including a bottle of Santiago Cuba rum, classic DVDs, Ontario wine and Sandino T-shirts.
The chair, Elizabeth Byce, welcomed the participation of Kurdish socialists, members of the Russian Canadian Congress, and a comrade visiting from Nicaragua. She also led the crowd in honouring a number of prominent socialists who passed away in 2016-17. A video recording of the event as well as photos will be posted soon.
The photos below are from the last years’ events.
Toronto’s 30th Annual Socialist May Day Celebration
When: April 30, 2016 7 p.m.
Where: Free Times Cafe, 320 College Street, Toronto (map)
Speakers
- Cheri DiNovo, NDP MPP Parkdale-High Park
- John Clarke, organizer for the Ontario Coalition Against Poverty
- Megan Whitfield, President, Toronto Local, Canadian Union of Postal Workers
- Crystal Sinclair, Idle No More
- Melisse Coyote Watson, Black Lives Matter – Toronto
- Myles Magner, Vice-President, Ontario Public Service Employees’ Union
- Barry Weisleder, Federal Secretary, Socialist Action, and substitute teachers’ organizer
- Plus a message from Javier Domokos Ruiz, Cuban Consul in Toronto
- M.C.: Elizabeth Byce, federal Treasurer, NDP Socialist Caucus, and retired member of the Toronto Local, Canadian Union of Postal Workers
Celebrate with entertainers
- James Gordon, as a solo singer-songwriter and with the ground-breaking trio Tamarack, has released over 35 albums, and has toured relentlessly around the world. He is also a Guelph city councillor and two-time NDP candidate for the Ontario Legislature;
- Fraser & Girard, Marianne Girard, roots/alternative country singer-song writer, and her accomplished partner Allan Fraser, now form a great musical duo with an acclaimed CD ‘Fraser & Girard’;
- Mohommad Ali Aumeer, Toronto hip-hop rap artist;
- Husain Mojtahedy, 15 year-old spoken word artist, writing and performing for 3 years;
- Lynn Harrison, recording artist, writer and educator;
- Glen Hornblast, folk singer on the social justice scene with a CD titled “Once in a Blue Moon”;
- Linda Saslove, Ottawa’s sweetest vocalist; and Bill Heffernan, activist, teacher and song smith.
sponsored by:
Socialist Action / Ligue pour l’Action socialiste
(Fourth Internationalists in the Canadian state)
Event endorsed by:
- Canadian Arab Federation;
- Greater Toronto Area Council – OPSEU;
- Toronto Local – Canadian Union of Postal Workers;
- Ontario Coalition Against Poverty;
- Toronto Haiti Action Committee;
- NDP Socialist Caucus;
- Toronto Forum on Cuba; and Workers’ Action Movement.
Click here to view and download the event poster.
You can watch the video recording of the last year’s May Day celebration below.