To people down here in the U.S., Thompson, Canada and its fight with the Brazilian mining giant Vale may seem very far away.
It's not.
(Don't be embarrassed if you need a map to find Thompson, though -- blame the U.S. media, which will only tell you about Canadians if they have some connection to Justin Bieber.)
Right now Thompson is fighting a frontline battle in a war that's been raging for the past 30 years -- the global war of the world's rich on the middle class. It's a war the people of Flint and all of Michigan know much too well. It's a war going on right now in Wisconsin. And it's a war where the middle class just won a round in Egypt. (You probably didn't know -- because the U.S. media was too busy telling you about Justin Bieber -- that Gamal Mubarak, son of Egypt's dictator and his chosen successor, worked for years for Bank of America.)
Here's what's happening in Thompson, and why it matters so much:
Canada isn't like the United States -- it's still a first world country, where corporations are supposed to exist to benefit people, not the other way around. They don't just have universal health care -- they even have something called the Investment Canada Act, which says multinationals like Vale can only invest in Canadian industries if it will benefit all of Canada. I know, crazy!
The mine in Thompson used to be run by Inco, a Canadian corporation that made peace with unions and shared the wealth. When Vale bought Inco in 2006, they signed a contract with the government setting out what they would do to benefit Canadians.
Immediately afterward, Vale violated the contract and went on the attack -- forcing miners in Sudbury, Ontario out on the longest strike in their history. And now in Thompson they're trying to shut down the smelting and refining operations that have made the city a major economic hub of the province. Meanwhile, the Conservative government of Stephen Harper -- think of George W. Bush with a Canadian accent -- is actually helping Vale do this to their fellow citizens, with a giant $1 billion government loan which Vale is using to move jobs out of Thompson. Moreover, the largest institutional investor in Vale is Blackrock, an investment firm which in turn is owned by several of America's bailed-out banks ... including Bank of America.
So this is about one thing and one thing only: killing the social contract of Canada. Vale and the Harper government don't want a future where Brazil gradually becomes more like Canada. Instead, they want a future where Canada becomes Brazil. And not just Canada: the corporations' plan is that the Third World will become the Only World.
That's why people everywhere need to support Thompson. As Niki Ashton -- the MP who represents Thompson and the second-youngest woman ever elected to the Canadian Parliament -- says: "It Was Flint Yesterday, It's Us and Wisconsin Today, and Tomorrow It's Going to Be Everyone."
And that's why I'm proud to feature Ashton and voices of the people of Thompson on my website. And it's why I'm asking you to watch their powerful video, hear their stories, and share them with everyone you know.
Regular people across the world are standing up right now and saying "No!" to the future they have planned for us. We won in Egypt. We're waking up and fighting back across the U.S. Let's all stand with Thompson and make it the place where we turn the tide in this awful war. As Kamal Abbas, one of Egypt's most important union leaders, said in a video message to Wisconsin: "We stand with you, as you stood with us."
(Confidential to people of Thompson: we're not saying Americans will only help if you promise to introduce us to Justin Bieber. We're just saying, you know, it couldn't hurt.)
Follow Michael Moore on Twitter: www.twitter.com/MMFlint
Nikolas Kozloff: WikiLeaks: Feudal Social Relations in the Brazilian Countryside
Corporations often ruin a community then leave. To me it's not bad enough corporations with no interest than to extract resources and head to the next acquisition for more are criminal, but to have the support of national leaders (Harper betrayed his peoples interests).
This is not just Thompson’s problem but a global problem. Too often we see the ruined landscape of once nice areas left looking like hell, ripped and torn to shreds, farming is often decimated by the kinds of industry that pollute the environment ruining environments as they toss aside the soil seeking the minerals below.
I have seen mining operations in Arizona where the earth is turned inside out. Much of Arizona is remote and desolate to start with, few feel concern for what happens there. Many places though where people were poor, subsistence farmers or some such occupation was the livelyhood. Mining companies invaded their community and for short time it seems to thrive. Then the company is gone leaving the old ways (maybe centuries of community) trashed beyond use. Those who gained think this is progress but what about ruined communities and people left behind?
Unhealthy life shortening, you work 3 shifts rotating so you are always tired, burned out.
The wages are great but the health concerns have not been discussed here. Lets look at the age common of retirement from these two operation stages the refinery and the smelter and after you look at the retirement age they typically last a year or two before dieing of a wide variety of diseases
but for you to want your children to work there is crazy. I am glad these jobs are gone there are better ways to process this material with less health issues. lets look at the environmental concerns of the residents and the people doing the jobs. Lets move these jobs to China where they can get cancer for working for nothing.
Thompson Resident.
The working class has always done the suffering for the progress of the nation. Keep the jobs and work for better conditions, better safety equipment and so on. The wealth of your community belongs in your community why give it away?
Unless of course you're a lobbyist for Vale.
Glad these types of jobs are gone. btw are you a lobbist for Marx he spoke of how technology is a bad thing for the workers well have fun with that one.
Fanned for the mysterious avitar you Vapegirl you.
They are all the same the bum-butts for the corporate will.
When will we have a movement to make politicle parties illegal ?
To remove corporate interference of government ,remember the government is suppose to represent the people not the corporation$$$$.
Well !What do you all think of this idea?
Now is the time for the CBC to dig into and not let go of these issues.Oh yes they will get the axe from Harper,but come on lad,s don't sit on the fence.We need a true voice,we need true journalism we need the truth.Say no to the corporations stand up to the government .Hold them accountable ,point out CTV's,Global,ABC,NBC,CBS,FOX,and other News agencies Lies.Be that pit bull on that proverbial steak keep on it until the wrongs are corrected .Put the same energy in the truth as the others put into the propaganda.
Will he come clean on Canada's crimes the G20 abuse of it's own citizens and the payola $
Will he sign on to international law...Oh he can't do that or he would have to do right by our own Aboriginal people.The shame of it all Canada,you to U.S.A.Its time to hold all nations accountable how hypercritical of the Harper government... and all other countries .Would he have done this if not for oil and U.S. pressure selective law, pick your spots. Yes !The Libyan people need help the actions taken by the west look like we are more interested in saving oil and our investments then saving lives.Israel has been in violation of international law since the 60's yet no country has taken this stand against them?
I wonder how much money Vale donated to the conservative party coffers in exchange for this deal?
as you see, the GOP has it's counterpart in Canada
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sJ_mh_w0Ie0&feature=related
These forces are alive and well in Canada and if they have their way with a majority conservative government, they will try to take away our Canadian national healthcare too.
Would that be the same Bank of America who are allegedly hiring “contractors†to covertly go after Wikileaks. Because of documents, soon to be released, detailing possible illegal activities. Under a government, who is itself seeking to covertly render Julian Assage into imprisonment. By subverting the legal systems of two other nations. One of which, pronounces that extradition justified. Whilst at the same time providing sanctuary to a host of wealthy individuals, with international warrants on their heads. If so, it’s a small (corrupt) world. Isn’t it?
>> multinationals like Vale can only invest in Canadian
>> industries if it will benefit all of Canada. I know, crazy!
Not crazy, very very sane. The US is crazy, and why?