Perspectives from Londoners

PERSPECTIVES – Blame Billionaires, Not Immigrants: Confronting Far-Right Rhetoric with Working Class Unity

On May 16, the far-right group “Stand United Canada” called for a convoy to provincial and national borders across the country. The choice of a disruption on Victoria Day long weekend was specifically to align the protest with far-right UK activist Tommy Robinson’s rally, similarly dubbed “Unite the Kingdom.” British far-right organizers used Nakba Day, knowing there would be mass demonstrations of Palestinian solidarity, to rally anti-immigrant hatred out on the streets. “Stand United Canada” and Nazi Propaganda “Stand United” is one of many far-right groups that has cropped up and is vaguely calling for government accountability. Rooted in anti-vaxx…

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PERSPECTIVES – It’s Time to Convert General Dynamics Land Services from Weapons Manufacturing to Building Rail Transit: A conversation with Kurt Holman

I arrived at MP Kurt Holman’s office on a sunny Tuesday morning. The treats I had brought for the meeting did not make it to the door as the chocolate truffles melted in the spring sun. I waited for a moment as a moving truck from the Brick dropped off a new sofa for the office. Kurt and other office staff were quite excited to put that sofa to work, and I was intrigued to see all the volunteers abuzz in the board room working on citizenship packets for new residents to the area. I wondered to myself, how many…

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PERSPECTIVES: Bill C-22 poses a very serious risk to privacy rights

In an unprecedented move, the Liberal government led by Prime Minister Mark Carney is in the process of passing a controversial bill that’s garnered concern both at home and abroad. Bill C-22, the “Lawful Access Act” is currently in committee consideration and awaiting third reading in Parliament this coming Tuesday. This legislation, in its current form, is looking to provide law enforcement with the power to force service providers, including secure VPNs, to provide users’ personal information and metadata. It also requires said information to be stored for up to a year.  Although federal authorities defending the bill have stated…

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Three Community Living London workers belonging to OPSEU Local 166 take a photo in front of sign for MPP Rob Flack's office.

PERSPECTIVES: Worth fighting for: Community Living London workers ready to strike

Community Living London workers are preparing to walk off the job on Monday, joining thousands of workers across Ontario in a growing labour dispute driven by chronic underfunding, low wages, and worsening working conditions.  This action is a part of the “Worth Fighting For” campaign, a coordinated, province-wide community and labour action in Ontario led by frontline workers in the community and social services sectors, including members of OPSEU/SEFPO and CUPE. Workers are demanding retroactive pay to compensate for wage increases being unfairly capped at 1 percent in 2019 by the Ontario government’s Bill 124, which was ruled unconstitutional in…

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PERSPECTIVES: Stevenson for Mayor? Thanks, Josh Morgan

In this increasingly polarized political climate that we find ourselves in today, Londoners don’t seem to agree on much. But if there’s one sentiment that’s almost unanimous across all 14 wards, it’s that our city is headed in the wrong direction. The genuine anger and frustration at the state of our city is palpable, much of it justifiable and righteous within itself. But it is commonly misdirected towards our unhoused neighbours, immigrants, or the “other” – whoever that may be at any given moment. No one has better capitalized upon this smouldering rage than current Ward 4 councillor – now…

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PERSPECTIVES: It’s About Time We Take Our City Back From Corporate Interests 

On March 28, I had the pleasure of participating in the province-wide Fight Ford protests right here in London, Ontario at Victoria Park. I was incredibly grateful to have the opportunity to speak to an issue that Londoners across this city know all too well— our city being an increasingly unaffordable rental market with working-class Londoners priced out of housing by corporate developers and predatory landlords.   Now, with the news that our city has officially earned the unfortunate distinction of having the highest unemployment rate in the country at 9.1%, this housing emergency has become all the more dire.   As…

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PERSPECTIVES: Recollections and Reflections on the 2026 NDP Convention

There was much speculation going into convention that the NDP was a spent force in Canada’s political scene. I and many attending the 2026 bi-annual convention in Winnipeg were not of this view. That said, I venture to guess that many of the over 2000 delegates believed that, beyond electing a new leader, the organization must change to meet the moment.  Overall, I felt that the mood at this convention was hopeful. London was well represented by new and long-time members of all four London area ridings, including active union members, disability and education activists, and all four 2025 federal…

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PERSPECTIVES: We Must Fight Ford’s Policies that Hurt the Working Class  

On March 28, in cities across Ontario, thousands of people gathered in protests to ‘Fight Ford’ including London. Doug Ford and his Conservative government have spent years attacking the very things that make our communities strong—our schools, our healthcare system, our workers, our environment—all while handing public wealth over to private corporate interests. We must be clear about something right from the start: this government does not have a real mandate. In the 2025 provincial election, they won a majority with just 43% of the vote—on only 45% turnout. That’s less than 20% of eligible voters. Twenty percent is not…

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PERSPECTIVES: Iran and the Contradictions of “Humanitarian Intervention”: A Philosophical Perspective

The following is an edited version of a speech delivered by an Iranian community member at a recent teach-in on Iran. The teach-in emphasized popular struggle against clerical tyranny in Iran while resisting the right-wing, monarchist call for imperialist intervention.   From a fringe far-right position, Iranian monarchism has grown in its relative popularity over the past two decades. It has become one of the main ideological forces shaping the political mentality of the Iranian diaspora in North America, especially after the recent round of street protests starting in Tehran and brutal repression in January 2026. Exclusivity and impulsive hostility toward…

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The Rise of Anti-Immigrant Racism Led to Violent Attacks and Silence in London Community

On January 18, a group of South Asian youth from the Malayali community were targeted and attacked in Victoria Park. This racist violence seriously injured four of them, including one suffering a critical eye injury. They are workers in the London community, having recently graduated as international students from local post-secondary education.   The London Police didn’t release a media statement for public safety.  Only days after the attacks, upon seeing statements by London Malayali cultural groups raising community safety concerns, did anyone from the wider community respond.  Both the racist attacks and the following silence are symptoms of anti-immigrant racism.  …

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