By Manuel E. Yepe
http://manuelyepe.wordpress.com/ 

A CubaNews translation.
Edited by Walter Lippmann.

The uniqueness of the relations between Canada and Cuba at the government level was comprehensively discussed in 2008, by Canadian scholars John M. Kirk and Peter McKenna in their book "Sixty Years of Cuba-Canada Bilateral Relations".

Seven years later, this work has a valid and necessary complement in a new work bringing together testimonies of some of the most active representatives of the Canadian movement of solidarity with Cuba.

Fourteen prominent personalities from all walks of Canadian public  life, and from all the regions of Canada’s vast territory, provide the other, non-governmental, face of those links.

The new book is entitled "Cuba Solidarity in Canada: Five Decades of People-to-People Foreign Relations". Professor and activist Nino Pagliccia compiled and edited the book which also has a foreword by the outstanding professor, writer and history researcher John M. Kirk, who studies the life and work of José Martí.

Kenia Serrano, President of the Cuban Institute of Friendship with the Peoples (ICAP), provides the historical context and a current assessment of these relations in the preamble.

The book combines the narration of firsthand experiences with considerations on the significance of this solidarity, always in support of the right of Cubans to self-determination. This is a commitment which –according to Kirk– "Canadians are proud of because it reveals independence of thought, social justice awareness and determination to fight for what is right."

Kirk recalls the extraordinary international solidarity with which Cubans have contributed to the independence, freedom and justice of the countries of the developing world. "Although we in Canada do not get close to that level of mass solidarity, all the initiatives mentioned in this book contribute to these same objectives," he says.

A symbolic example of Cuba's response to Canadian solidarity with Cuba is the fact that the island is the place where the annual marathon in honor of Canadian hero Terry Fox brings together, proportionally, the greatest number of participants in the world.

The tenacious efforts of solidarity organizations to disclose the truth about Cuba confront the reality that Canadian corporate media are reluctant to cover the issue. However, the fact that more than one million Canadians travel to Cuba as tourists every year, neutralizes the effects of the campaign of lies which –unlike in the US– fails to achieve the same harmful results against the friendship between the two peoples.

Although Canadian popular solidarity with Cuba was organized gradually from spontaneous citizen rejection of the abuses and injustices launched against Cuba since 1959 by the elite which rules the United States, it is impossible to ignore the role played by the hundreds of activists and organizers of the various groups which have been build across this vast country. They had to fight also against dispersion and for the unity of their potential in the most diverse organizational forms.

The Canadian Network of Solidarity with Cuba and La Table de Concertation de Solidarité Quebec-Cuba cover, respectively, the Anglophone and Francophone regions of the nation.

The Canadian Network of Solidarity with Cuba and the Roundtable Quebec-Cuba respectively grouped Anglophone regions and Francophone nation.

These organizations promote, organize and finance –with efforts and resources they themselves procure from grassroots solidarity events with national or international participation; Canadian representation at events held in Cuba or in third countries; and support activities in other nations, such as twinning of cities, solidarity caravans which originate in the United States and memorial Lectures such as those dedicated to the study of the work of Che Guevara, among others.

In this book, the reader will find testimonies from Lisa Makarchuc on solidarity since the 1960s; Elizabeth Hill on the origins of the Movement; Diane Zack on projects and campaigns of the Movement; Nino Pagliccia on the Che Guevara Volunteer Work Brigade; Tamara Hansen and Ali Yerevani on the effective range of solidarity to free the five Cuban anti-terrorist heroes; Heide Trampus on Canadian work in solidarity with Cuba; agricultural specialist Wendy Holmes on development prospects in Cuba; Isaac Saney on solidarity with Cuba and Canadian politics; Arnold August on democratic practices in continuous movement in Cuba; Claude Morin on how solidarity should not rely on faith but on a more intimate, direct and personal knowledge about what the Cuban revolution has been and is; Keith Ellis on Cuba's inspiring humanitarian tradition; prominent playwright and Hemingway disciple Brian Gordon Sinclair, on how the work of the great American writer makes it easier to identify with Cubans.

They tell the story of their dedication to learning about and their efforts to support a cause they know is just and has been so since the Cuban revolution was conceived, fought and won; a cause which has had to survive through heroism.

March 1, 2015.




 

EJEMPLAR SOLIDARIDAD POPULAR CUBA-CANADÁ

Por Manuel E. Yepe
http://manuelyepe.wordpress.com/ 

La singularidad y de la relaciones entre Canadá y Cuba en el nivel gubernamental fue abordada exhaustivamente en 2008, por los académicos canadienses John M. Kirk y Peter McKenna en su libro “Sesenta Años de Relaciones Bilaterales Cuba-Canadá”.

Siete años después, esa obra ha tenido un complemento justo y necesario en una nueva obra que compendia testimonios de algunos de los más activos representantes del movimiento solidario canadiense con Cuba.

Catorce destacadas personalidades de todas las esferas de la vida pública canadiense y de todas las regiones de aquel inmenso territorio, aportan la otra cara, no-gubernamental, de esos vínculos.

El nuevo libro se titula “Solidaridad con Cuba en Canadá: cinco décadas de relaciones exteriores entre los pueblos”. El profesor y activista Nino Pagliccia ha sido su compilador y editor y tiene un prólogo del destacado profesor, escritor e investigador histórico John M. Kirk, estudioso de la vida y obra de José Martí.

Kenia Serrano, Presidenta de Instituto Cubano de Amistad con los Pueblos (ICAP), aporta en el preámbulo el contexto histórico y una valoración actual de estas relaciones.

La obra conjuga relatos de experiencias de primera mano con consideraciones acerca del significao de esta solidaridad, siempre en apoyo al derecho de los cubanos a la autodeterminación, un compromiso del cual –según Kirk- “los canadienses se enorgullecen porque revela independencia de pensamiento, conciencia de justicia social y determinación de luchar por lo que es justo”.

Kirk recuerda la extraordinaria solidaridad internacionalista con que los cubanos han contribuido a la independencia, la libertad y la justicia en los pueblos del mundo en desarrollo. “Aunque nosotros en Canadá no nos acerquemos a ese nivel de la solidaridad masiva, todas las iniciativas de que se habla en este libro contribuyen a esos mismos objetivos”.

Una simbólica muestra de la respuesta cubana a la solidaridad canadiense hacia Cuba es el hecho de que la isla sea el lugar del mundo donde el Maratón anual en honor al héroe canadiense Terry Fox, reúne proporcionalmente a un mayor número de participantes.

Aunque los tenaces esfuerzos de las organizaciones solidarias por divulgar la verdad sobre Cuba enfrentan la realidad de que los medios corporativos canadienses son omisos en cuanto al tema, el hecho de que más de un millón de canadienses viajan a Cuba como turistas cada año, neutraliza los efectos de la campaña de mentiras que, a diferencia de Estados Unidos, no logra los mismos frutos nocivos para la amistad entre los dos pueblos.

Aunque la solidaridad popular canadiense con Cuba se ha ido organizando paulatinamente a partir del rechazo espontaneo que provocaban en la ciudadanía los atropellos e injusticias que la élite gobernante en Estados Unidos ha evidenciado contra Cuba desde 1959, es imposible desconocer el papel que han desempeñado los cientos de activistas organizadores de diversas agrupaciones que a ese fin se han constituido a todo lo largo y ancho de este inmenso país, luchando, además, contra la dispersión y por la unidad de sus potencialidades en las más diversas formas organizativas.

La Red Canadiense de Solidaridad con Cuba y la Mesa de Concertación Quebec-Cuba, respectivamente, agrupan las regiones anglófonas y francófonas de la nación.

Estas organizaciones promueven, organizan y financian con esfuerzos y recursos que ellas mismas gestionan a nivel popular, eventos solidarios con participación nacional o internacional, la representación canadiense en eventos celebrados en Cuba o en terceros países, y el apoyo a actividades en otras naciones como los eventos de ciudades hermanadas, caravanas de solidaridad con origen en Estados Unidos, conferencias conmemorativas como las dedicadas al estudio de la obra de Che Guevara, entre otras.

En este libro, halla el lector testimonios de Lisa Makarchuc sobre la solidaridad desde la década de 1960; Elizabeth Hill sobre los orígenes del Movimiento; Diane Zack sobre los proyectos y campañas del Movimiento; Nino Pagliccia sobre la Brigada de Trabajo Voluntario Che Guevara; Tamara Hansen and Ali Yerevani, sobre el alcance efectivo de la solidaridad para liberar a los Cinco héroes antiterroristas cubanos; Heide Trampus sobre la solidaridad laboral canadiense con Cuba; la especialista en temas agrícolas Wendy Holmes sobre perspectivas del desarrollo en Cuba; Isaac Sarney sobre la solidaridad con Cuba y la política canadiense; Arnold August sobre las prácticas democráticas en continuo movimiento en Cuba; Claude Morin acerca de que la solidaridad no debe basarse en la fe sino en conocimiento más íntimo, directo y personal de lo que ha sido y es la revolución cubana; Keith Ellis sobre la inspiradora tradición humanitaria de Cuba; y el destacado teatrista discípulo de Hemingway, Brian Gordon Sinclair, acerca de cómo la obra del gran escritor americano propicia identificarse con los cubanos.

Ellos cuentan la historia de su entrega de saber y esfuerzos a una causa que saben justa desde que la revolución cubana se gestó, combatió, triunfó y ha tenido que defenderse con heroísmo.

Marzo 1º de 2015.




 

A lovely report. Medicines aren't quite "free" as this says, but are extremely low-priced and available to Cubans in Cuban pesos. Foreigners like us would consider it virtually free. Medicines which aren't available in the Cuban pharmacies can sometimes be found at the synagogue pharmacy at places like the Patronato or in the informal sector, which is a US euphemism I like to use for what Cubans typically refer to as the black market. My guess, which should have been obvious to the author of this article is that Fidel wanted to avoid any charge that the Cuban authorities were preventing the Jewish residents of the island from following the requirements of their religion. Others may know more about this and, hopefully, will share what they know.