Once the bustling heart of Christian pilgrimage, Bethlehem now faces shuttered hotels, empty streets and a shrinking Christian community, while Israel’s assault on Gaza and the tightening grip of occupation destroy hopes of peace at the birthplace of Christ, writes Father GEOFF BOTTOMS
Canadian unions break with Trudeau
Trade unionists have rejected promises of ‘access’ to the ruling Liberal Party government under their former president by wiping the slate clean and electing a new leadership with a fighting stance, writes TONY BURKE
THE three-million-strong Canadian Labour Congress (CLC — the umbrella body for Canada’s unions) took a landmark decision at its Congress last week, as 4,000 delegates attending the virtual meeting voted for a new leadership after unions formed the Team Unite coalition to oust the current leadership.
Unions in the CLC have been unhappy with the leadership of Hassan Yussuff, who they say had grown too close to Justin Trudeau’s Liberal Party and had failed to deliver on policies that would benefit working people.
They accused Yussuff of backing the Liberal government’s Finance Minister Bill Morneau for a top position at the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development — a decision which outraged unions that were not consulted.
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DAVE McKEE argues that Canadian unions should immediately organise to set the agenda before the next election, as monopoly capital is now rallying to the Conservative Party after Justin Trudeau’s political demise



