Gorilla Radio with Chris Cook, Yves Engler, Pitasanna Shanmugathas March 29th/April 2nd, 2023

Welcome to Gorilla Radio, recorded March 29th and April 2nd, 2023.

And welcome to the Spring of discontent! While leaders In the capitals of Europe and America promise to carry on the Ukraine proxy war no matter the price, the People are already in the streets protesting the real and rising costs of that belligerence. For Canadians, whose government is already full-throatedly behind: the bellicose stance against Russia, prospects of an expanded war against China and Iran, battles by sanction in Venezuela, Nicaragua, and elsewhere, there is too Haiti.

Last week, the Trudeau Liberals blithely announced another $100 million dollars to be delivered to the tiny island nation’s military and police effort to keep the restive population under heel. This on top of millions already delivered. It’s almost as if Ottawa believes the fatted tax goose’s golden eggs will never flag.

Yves Engler is an independent, Montreal-based journalist and author. He’s written twelve books on Canadian foreign policy, including ‘Canada in Haiti: Waging War on the Poor Majority’, co-authored with Anthony Fenton. His recent article, ‘Canadian government prioritizes war over climate crisis‘ is a troubling portrait of a country few here in our home and native land would recognize.

Yves Engler in the first half.

And; just what is Canada’s place in the world? Generations of us have been taught we are global agents of good; fair-minded, and justice-seeking. You know, “Wherever they’s a fight so hungry people can eat, we’ll be there. Wherever they’s a cop beatin’ up a guy“, etc., etc.

It’d be a great story, if only it were true.

Pitasanna Shanmugathas completed an advanced degree at one of Canada’s world-class Universities but found, beyond Canada’s “two solitudes” another bifurcation – one not in the curriculum – separating the real from an imagined nation. And so, he says, he set out on an epic three year journey of discovery, from coast to coast to coast, and across the tractless prairies. He documented his Canadian quest in the film series, ‘Truth to the Powerless: An Investigation into Canada’s Foreign Policy‘.

Pitasanna Shanmugathas and the hunt for Canada’s elusive identity in the second half.

But first, Yves Engler and Trudeau of the Tropics, taking Haiti.

Song: The Panic Is On

Artist: David Rovics

Chris Cook hosts Gorilla Radio, broad/webcasting since 1999. Check out the Archive at Gorilla-Radio.com, GRadio.Substack.com, and the GR blog at: http://gorillaradioblog.blogspot.com/

Gorilla Radio with Chris Cook, James Bissett, Ken Stone September 3, 2022

Welcome to Gorilla Radio, recorded September 3rd, 2022

In Serbia last week the drought-stricken Danube revealed the scuttled hulls of Hitler’s Black Sea fleet, sunk in hopes of slowing the Soviet advance west. Seventy-eight years later the potentially explosive hulks serve the perfect metaphor for both an increasingly volatile political situation in the “Western Balkans”, and as low-water mark in European East-West relations.

James Bissett is a former Canadian Ambassador whose tenure in Yugoslavia coincided with its 1991 dissolution. At century’s end, he was one of the very few government insiders to oppose NATO’s 78 day bombardment of Serbia in the name of “humanitarian intervention.”

James Bissett in the first half.

And; Europe’s economy has fallen victim to the war in Ukraine, and the destructive effects will likely supersede the financial sector before it’s done. The question begging to be asked now is whether that – highly predictable – outcome was merely collateral, or intentional.

Ken Stone is an executive member of both the Syria Solidarity Movement and Hamilton Coalition to Stop the War, who fought four-square the incarceration of Huawei executive, Meng Wanzhou, extradition efforts by the United States, and stand opposed to the odious AUKUS military pact threatening war with China in the Pacific. The Coalition’s website current features two excellent articles, by Moon of Alabama and economist Michael Hudson.

Ken Stone and addressing the aspect of the Ukraine war remaining sotto voce in the imperial presses, “Cui Bono?” in the second half.

But first, James Bissett and back to Kosovo to get a look at Ukraine’s future.

Chris Cook hosts Gorilla Radio, airing since 1999; in Victoria at 101.9FM, and on the internet at: cfuv.ca.  Check out the GR blog at: http://gorillaradioblog.blogspot.com/