Faced with wars, economic crisis and the collapse of liberalism, the central committee of the Revolutionary Communist Party met this past weekend to discuss the main political issues of the day and chart a course forward for the forces of communism in Canada.
Joel Bergman from the Executive Committee of the RCP opened the meeting with a presentation on the situation in Canada. With the Canadian economy lagging behind, the relative stability that underpinned Canadian politics is now melting away. The ruling class, through the Liberals, has done its best to avoid outright class war, but the crisis of capitalism is inescapable. All of the things that have kept Canadian capitalism afloat (deficit spending, exploiting migrant labour, the housing bubble, etc.) are now leading to its downfall.
In this context, mass anger has developed in the Canadian population and people are looking for a way out. But the leftwing in Canada has never been more bankrupt and has tied themselves to the establishment. This is exactly why the Trumpian John Rustad and the B.C. Conservatives almost won the provincial election. With Poilievre waiting to take power in Canada, many are asking what to do to fight against the rise of the populist rightwing.
The re-election of Donald Trump and the rise of Poilievre demonstrate conclusively that establishment liberalism and reformism cannot fight right populism. This is why the RCP fights for a genuine revolutionary left that doesn’t constantly compromise its principles. We need to not simply fight against the Trump type politicians, we need to provide an alternative to decaying capitalism. This is why we are building the RCP.
The storminess of world relations was the topic of the second discussion, as Communist Revolution editor Benoit Tanguay presented on “Imperialism Today”.
Internationally, the crisis of capitalism is expressing itself in the form of the decline of old powers (the U.S.A. in particular) and the rise of new ones (like China and Russia). The change in this balance of power inevitably gives rise to conflicts as imperialists of various countries test the boundaries of the old world order. The numerous conflicts around the world, and the looming possibility of direct conflict between the great powers, are an indictment of capitalism.
The Sunday was opened up with Communist Revolution editor Julien Arseneau giving the organizational review. The RCP has seen explosive growth recently, doubling our numbers within a year as thousands of new communists have flocked to our banner.
However, it’s not enough to just have numbers. The party needs a wide layer of comrades who have absorbed Marxist theory, and are capable of winning over others and confidently defending communist ideas in the movement.
That begins with building strong communist cells, the units of the party that meet weekly and are the centre of education and activity. The Central Committee passed a resolution on this topic, in order to arm the dozens of new party cells that have been established across the country with the tools they need to build the party in their area!
Following this, RCP activist Marcus Katryniuk introduced a review of the Student Strike for Palestine campaign, which the RCP launched this September.
With activity on 45 campuses across the country, this is by far the most extensive campaign our party has ever launched. After over two months of activity, there are now strike organizing committees established on many campuses and many campuses have held rallies, walkouts and other activities to popularize the idea of a student strike in the minds of the student population.
These mobilizations will coalesce on Nov. 21 when all campuses are mobilizing for a strike. At least 25 student associations are holding strike votes in Quebec, representing tens of thousands of students!
When we launched this campaign, the aim was to create a broad popular front of student unions and pro-Palestine organizations to mobilize for a student strike. There is no doubt that with a united effort, we could shut down the universities.
But this strike campaign has also highlighted differences within the pro-Palestine movement. While some groups are working towards a strike and want to escalate, others have resorted to liberal demands and have opposed the strike as being too radical. This shows that there are two trends in the movement, a revolutionary trend and a liberal/reformist trend.
We appeal to all groups who want to fight for revolutionary class struggle methods in the movement to join the RCP and help us fight to shut down imperialism!
2025: $450,000 for the war to end all wars!
The central committee meeting ended with an enthusing session on financing the party. The RCP is proud to announce its financial campaign for the next year: $450,000 to fund the party of socialist revolution.
The party has made some exciting advances in the past year, hiring more full-time staff, getting a larger office in Montreal, and moving into a real national headquarters in Toronto.
However, the current size of the party apparatus is not enough to support an organization of 1,000, much less the many thousands who are flocking to our banner. That is why in 2025, the party plans to hire four new full-time staff members—including, for the first time, an organizer in British Columbia, which has been one of the areas where the RCP has grown the quickest.
But we need all the help we can get to make this a reality. If you’re sick of the state of the world; if you believe that capitalism has to be overthrown to end war, poverty, oppression; and if you want to help build the party that is going to do this, donate to the RCP today.
Every penny goes a long way in funding the greatest war of all: the class war to put an end to capitalism, once and for all.
Ever growing numbers are coming to the conclusion that the system has to go. The RCP is the tool to achieve this.
