Held under the slogan: “Now is time to organize against imperialism and reaction; honouring our past, we build our socialist future”, this Convention happened under hostile conditions marked by the resurgence of imperialist wars, the rise of the ultra-right and of fascist ideas, imperialist and capitalist barbarity, with the Convention taking place right in the middle of the anti-communist playground. Braving these circumstances, the delegates proved once more that the communist youth in Canada is present and determined.

The political report was discussed during the first two days of the convention and adopted unanimously. It provides a picture of the political, social and economic context that surrounds us and the struggles we are involved in.

On the international level, delegates all shared their political analyses regarding the possibility of a new world war or globalized conflict and identified imperialism as the main enemy of the youth, the working class and the peoples. The imperialist policies of the Canadian government was denounced and the delegates pronounced themselves in favour of a foreign policy based on peace, international solidarity and the respect of every country’s sovereignty and integrity throughout the world. The YCL-LJC expressed its particular solidarity with the Syrian people and its representatives, the socialist Cuban Revolution by denouncing the economic blockade imposed on this island of the Caribbean for over 50 years, Western Sahara (Africa’s last colony) and against any imperialist intervention in the Korean peninsula.

Concerning Canada, the delegates outlined the important role played by the YCL-LJC in the fightback against austerity and neo-liberal policies imposed by federal and provincial governments. Outlining the end of the honeymoon between social movements and the Trudeau government, the young communists insisted on the importance to mobilize for a fundamental change in favour of policies that guarantee the interests of the youth and the people instead of the interests of the monopolies. The delegates clearly stood against the corporate policies of the Trudeau government and shared their concerns about the danger of the rise of the ultra-right and of fascism. They also stood in favour of a democratic and egalitarian solution to the national question, a solution that would move away from the actual status quo based on the genocide of indigenous nations and the oppression of Québec and Acadian nations. The discussion on the political and social situation in Canada also allowed members to analyse fully the situation of social movements and of the role that young communists must play.

Strengthening the young communists’ analysis and work within racialized and oppressed communities, the Convention adopted our analysis that connects struggles against oppression and Marxism-Leninism. This is in continuity with the 94 years of struggles against oppression of all kinds, where young communists played a vanguard role.

The Convention was also the occasion to discuss the strategies to adopt in order to approach youth on campuses and in their workplaces to present the revolutionary political project of the YCL-LJC. These discussions concluded with the adoption of an action plan focusing on three main campaigns to be prioritized in the next few years. One campaign attacks imperialism, racism and the rise of the ultra-right, and shows the direct link between all three. The other focuses on our action amongst young workers through the campaign to raise the minimum wage to at least $15 per hour. The third reinforces our action in the student movement across Canada with free education as the main and uniting demand. Discussion on the action plan was also the occasion to review the strengths of our collective and evaluate how the YCL-LJC can play a more proactive role in mass movements.

The Convention also adopted an updated version of the Declaration of Unity and Resistance, the political programme of the YCL-LJC. This declaration was elaborated through the re-founding convention of 2007. Its update 10 years later was mandatory considering the political evolutions and the new experiences in struggle which comrades throughout the country benefited.

Allies participate

As mentioned in the political report, “Our basis of unity is young people struggling for a socialist future”. However, this basis is not sufficient to get from where we are now to socialist revolution.’’ Participation in the Convention of numerous allies with whom we have struggled for many years has proven that our revolutionary strategy develops strong connections with mass movements.

Amongst those who greeted the Convention, we must outline two special guests : Liz Rowley, Leader of the Communist Party of Canada and Miguel Figueroa, from the Canadian Peace Congress. Both supported all efforts of the YCL-LJC since its re-founding. Delegates also benefited from the greetings of Beixi Liu from the “Fight for 15 and Fairness’’ campaign with whom the YCL-LJC has collaborated with for many years. Rajean Hoilett from the Canadian Federation of Students, also addressed the Convention, discussing future plans for the student movement and outlining the efforts made by the young communists in the student movement against tuition fees, notably last November 2nd. Another important guest was Orion Keresztesi from CUPE local 1281 who outlined the important role played by the young communists in the struggle against right-wing student unions and their significant commitment to collaborate with these associations’ employees as a way to strengthen mobilization.

A Convention held under the banner of international solidarity

The Convention took place while the deepening of the crisis of Capitalism leads to the headlong rush of imperialism and the resurgence of increasingly bloodier wars. Delegates, therefore, reiterated their solidarity with peoples struggling against imperialism by adopting two special resolutions: one in support of the hunger strike of the Palestinian prisoners, the other in solidarity with the Venezuelan people, its representatives and its revolutionary process.

Abroad, the Communist Youth of Venezuela (JCV) wanted to assist the works of the Convention and salute the young communists of Canada in person, but for administrative reasons this project could not come to fruition. Nevertheless, in a special resolution adopted unanimously, the Convention mandated the incoming Central Committee to evaluate the possibility of organizing as soon as possible a Pan-Canadian tour of the JCV.

The Convention also got attention from our sister organizations, members of the World Federation of Democratic Youth, of which many expressed their solidarity with the struggles of the communist youth in Canada. Amongst them, we must outline the greetings received by EDON (Cypriot Democratic Youth Union), the Syrian Communist Youth Union Khaled Bakdash, the youth of the Algerian Party for Democracy and Socialism, the Communist Youth of Portugal (JCP), the Union of Communist Youth of Spain (UJCE), the YCL of South Africa and many other organizations that we are to meet with when we go to Sochi next October for the occasion of the 19th World Festival of Youth and Students.

We must also outline that the delegates received greetings in-person from the youth of the Communist Party of Turkey (TKP) and from the National Union of Eritrean Youth and Students delivered by their representatives based in Toronto.

The evening of the Friday, May 19th was an important activity of the Convention and the occasion to salute the young communists returning from the 25th Che Guevara Volunteer Work Brigade. They shared their experience of their solidarity with the Cuban revolution with enthusiasm to the joy of the audience.

Honouring our past, we build our socialist future!

On Saturday evening, a banquet organized to celebrate the occasion of the 27th Central Convention of the YCL-LJC gathered friends and allies. The programme, combining politics and culture, included the participation, amongst others, of Chris Frazer, LGBTQIA+ rights activist and former General Secretary of the YCL-LJC in the 1980s, who recalled some episodes of the YCL-LJC history (notably the participation to the 13th World Festival of Youth and Students in 1989 in Pyongyang). He also outlined the important role played by this organization in the youth and student movement in Canada.

Mariam Abo Nokerah, Palestinian activist originally from Gaza and active in the BDS movement, challenged the guests who, in solidarity with the Palestinian prisoners on hunger strike, were asked to drink salted water. Jaime R. Brenes Reyes, president of PSAC Local 610 denounced the cuts in education and insisted on the necessity of large mobilization for free education.

The banquet was also the occasion to honour the past struggles of the youth and of the international communist movement, starting with the October Revolution. This event changed the world by proving that socialism isn’t a utopia and that it is possible to overthrow capitalist order and establish a state by the people and for the people. Despite the difficulties that led to the temporary victory of the counter-revolution in the USSR and in Eastern Europe, we know that the October Revolution represents a beacon for all progressive youth around the world, including in Canada.

Continuity and renewal

After the 3 Convention days, the young communists elected a new Central Committee composed of 15 full members and 7 alternate members. Selection of CC members was done on the basis of experience – both within the YCL-LJC and in mass movements -, regional and national considerations as well as the advancement of gender-oppressed and racialized people. About half of the officers of the incoming CC served on the outgoing leadership and are in a good position to ensure continuity in the collective. They will also have the task of forming newer members and ensuring the renewal of cadres.

The Central Committee elected a new Central Executive Committee composed of 5 people of which the majority (3) are women. Comrade Adrien Welsh, member of the outgoing Central Committee and chair of the International Commission, was elected as General Secretary of the YCL-LJC. He succeeds comrade Drew Garvie, who will now have the responsibility of Central Organizer of the Communist Party of Canada and remains member of the Central Committee of the YCL-LJC.

Comrades also saluted the efforts of three members of the outgoing leadership who now take new steps in their militant life. Comrade Marianne Breton-Fontaine, who served on the CC and the CEC for ten years, will now focus on the activities of the Ligue de la jeunesse communiste du Québec, although she will remain a member of the incoming Central Committee. Comrades Zidane Mohamed and Brent Jantzen, members of the outgoing Central Executive Committee, will continue to be active locally and will assume sectoral responsibilities, both of them being assigned to respectively chair the Anti-Racist Commission and the Labour Commission.

Now is time to organize!

Strengthened with the discussions and conclusions of the Convention, it is with determination and greater unity than ever that the delegates went back home, ready to present and defend the orientations adopted by the highest body of the YCL-LJC alongside members and allies in all workplaces, on campuses, in the peace movement, in anti-racist and anti-fascist collectives, in the international solidarity groups, solidarity organizations with indigenous peoples, in feminist and LGBTQIA+ movements, in labour and student unions, and everywhere we are active across Canada.

In the face of the urgent situation which necessitates the strengthening of the youth and student fightback against anti-popular and reactionary policies carried by provincial and federal governments, the young communists have a strong presence. Now is the time to unite and organise against imperialism and wars of aggression supported by Canada. Now is the time to organise against racist policies and the rise of the fascist ultra-right. Now is the time to organise for the expansion of social services and for advanced democracy. Now is the time to organise for a democratic resolution of the national oppression in Canada so the Québécois, Acadian, Indigenous youth as well as the youth of national minorities can live in a Canada where their national rights, up to and including the right to separate, are guaranteed.  Now is the time to organise and demand immediate gender equality and for the end of patriarchy, racism and discrimination in all its forms. Now is the time to organise for environmental justice and against the danger of the destruction of our planet resulting from the corporations’ unbridled race for profits.

Now is the time to organise to overthrow capitalism, to put an end to the exploitation of humans by humans and to build our socialist future, the only guarantee for the total emancipation of humanity.

Now is the time to organize, unite and fight for socialism!