Gorilla Radio with Chris Cook, Glenn Michalchuk, Alex Boykowich October 4, 2023

Welcome to Gorilla Radio, recorded October 4th, 2023.

News of the Canadian Parliament’s recent celebration of the career of veteran 14th Waffen SS Division ‘Halychyna’ soldier, Yaroslav Hunka has now circled the globe, projecting in glaring relief the stark contrast between this nation’s public pronouncements of principles, and the base reality of its actions.

But more than shining light into the shadowed corners of Canada’s past, the Nazigate Affair reveals too extant fascist sympathies of the country’s leaders in government, business, and the media – where even now the chorus of denial and pleas of ignorance -reminiscent of those heard in Nuremberg – serve to obliterate the memory of the murdered, muting the voices of those massacred in Ukraine in their tens of thousands by Hunka’s brothers in arms.

As at Babi Yar, where the bodies of the dead were disinterred the burial pits and burned, their ashes spread across the verdant fields around Kyiv to better conceal from the World the atrocities conducted there, another “scattering” is being conducted for the same purpose. This time, those throwing ashes in the eyes of History are doing so from the Parliament. Like our government leader of the House of Commons, Karina Gould, who responds to the indignation and disgust of her fellow citizens, and that of those elsewhere made aware of hers and her colleagues egregious behaviour, saying,

“Like all MPs, I had no further information than the Speaker provided… As a descendant of Jewish Holocaust survivors I would ask all parliamentarians to stop politicizing an issue troubling to many, myself included.”

Troubling indeed.

Glenn Michalchuk is President of both Peace Alliance Winnipeg, and the Association of United Ukrainian Canadians, or AUUC. He’s been active in the peace movement for forty years, going back to Ronald Reagan’s Dirty Wars in Latin America.

And; Alex Boykowich is a third-generation Ukrainian-Canadian, president of the Edmonton Branch of the Association of United Ukrainian Canadians, and active member of the Edmonton Peace Council and the Communist Party of Canada.

Today, the Ukrainians in Canada: The tale of a people divided in two nations with Glenn Michalchuk and Alex Boykowich.

 

Song: Work for Peace

Artist: Gil Scott-Heron

 

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: https://gorillaradioblog.blogspot.com/

Gorilla Radio with Chris Cook, Glenn Michalchuk, Jeremy Kuzmarov July 19, 2023

Welcome to Gorilla Radio, recorded July 19th, 2023.

In the early hours Monday local time, the bridge connecting the Crimean peninsula to Russia was targeted for a second time – again killing civilians, and forcing traffic closures. The first attack was done via suicide bomber in a large truck. This latest assault is more sophisticated, naval drones reportedly being used. Kyiv security sources have claimed responsibility for the attack, which comes as Russia’s Black Sea Grain Initiative agreement with Ukraine expires; guaranteeing – if Russia had a mind to – renewal will not happen.

Predictably, the European Union, United Nations, and the NATO countries all rolled out media releases condemning Russia, blaming it for “using food as a weapon” and threatening “emerging nations'” food security.
Glenn Michalchuk is President of both Peace Alliance Winnipeg, and the Association of United Ukrainian Canadians, or AUUC. He’s been active in the peace movement for forty years, going back to Ronald Reagan’s Dirty Wars in Latin America of the 1980’s.

Glenn Michalchuk in the first half.

And; Daniel Ellsberg, the man Richard Nixon once declared the “most dangerous” in America, died last month. Ellsberg famously leaked the so-called Pentagon Papers, revealing to the World the true face of America’s war against Vietnam, Laos, and Cambodia. This month, a special Whistleblowers Summit & Film Festival and Legacy Tribute to Dan Ellsberg is slated for Washington, D.C. CovertAction Magazine, founded by the almost equally famous agent of revelation, Philip Agee, will be taking part, hosting the festival’s final day event, ‘Blowing the Whistle on Covert Warfare & Coercive Economic Sanctions Bonus Day’.

Jeremy Kuzmarov is a journalist and author who also serves as Managing Editor at CAM. Jeremy’s book titles include, ‘Obama’s Unending Wars’, and ‘The Russians Are Coming, Again’, written with John Marciano. He’s also one of the star-studded Blowing the Whistle panel honouring “Daniel Ellsberg’s commitment to uncovering U.S. crimes against humanity“. His latest article at CAM, ‘House Foreign Affairs Committee Marks Anniversary of Cuba’s July 2021 Uprising With Renewed Calls For Regime Change‘ examines America’s ongoing war against the country that sheltered the magazine’s founder.

Jeremy Kuzmarov and blowing a horn for the whistleblowers in the second half.

But first, Glenn Michalchuk and NATO’s determination to stop peace breaking out anywhere at all costs.

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: https://gorillaradioblog.blogspot.com/

Gorilla Radio with Chris Cook, Glenn Michalchuk, Tamara Lorincz February 4, 2023

Welcome to Gorilla Radio, recorded February 4th, 2023.

Last month, the German government of Olaf Scholz relented to NATO pressure, agreeing to donate Leopard 2 tanks to the Kiev regime’s war effort. The United States was quick to follow, delivering the first 60 of a promised 109 Bradley M2A2-ODS Fighting Vehicles to Ukraine. Canada’s Trudeau administration in the last week too pledged tanks, the minister of defense, Anita Anand saying four Leopard 2’s would be given over, including ammunition, parts, and a deployment of Canadian soldiers to “train” Ukrainian tank crews. This while countries like Turkey work for a ceasefire agreement to end the near year-long conflict between Ukraine and its neighbour, Russia.

Glenn Michalchuk is chair of Peace Alliance Winnipeg, and president of the Association of United Ukrainian Canadians. Glenn’s been active in the peace movement since the Dirty Wars of Ronald Reagan in the 1980’s.

Glenn Michalchuk in the first half.

And; throwing tanks, ammunition, spare parts, and soldiers onto the fires of a hot war is not the only evidence of Canada’s new self-understanding as a warrior nation. In January too the contentious purchase of a fleet of American F-35 jets was approved by the Trudeau government.

A press release from Public Services and Procurement Canada reads in part, “Through Canada’s defence policy, Strong, Secure, Engaged, the Government of Canada is acquiring modern military equipment to keep Canadians safe and protected, and to support the security of our international allies and partners.”

The release did not explain just how expediting nuclear winter makes Canadians strong, safe, or protected.

Tamara Lorincz is a fellow with the Canadian Foreign Policy Institute, member of Canadian Voice of Women for Peace, and a PhD candidate in Global Governance at the Balsillie School for International Affairs at Wilfrid Laurier University, where her thesis focus is climate and the environmental impact of the military. Tamara’s also served on the advisory committee of the Global Network Against Weapons and Nuclear Power in Space, and contributed her knowledge and talents to the organizations World Beyond War, and the No to NATO Network.

Tamara Lorincz and militarism’s two ecological doomsday scenarios in the second half.

But first, Glenn Michalchuk and Canada’s all-in move on Ukraine.

Artist: David Rovics

Song: 116 Degrees

Album: May Day

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: https://gorillaradioblog.blogspot.com/

Gorilla Radio with Chris Cook, Colin Stuart, Glenn Michalchuk April 2, 2022

Welcome to Gorilla Radio, recorded April 2nd, 2022

Mid-March marks the anniversary of what’s been called the World’s greatest humanitarian crisis. While that somber appellative may be moot, the war against Yemen continues into its eighth year with exactly the same horror and heartbreak you’ve seen amply depicted coming from Ukraine these past weeks – and rightly so – the difference though being the dearth of media coverage of Yemeni suffering. Pictures of schools and hospitals bombed, or the stories of parents and children maimed, killed, and rendered homeless still find little purchase in Canadian media.

But just because Canada’s business, government, and media elite ignore the suffering of those in that benighted place does not mean Canadians don’t care. Last week, members of the Victoria Peace Coalition took part in the Canada-Wide Peace and Justice Network event, Canada Stop Arming Saudi Arabia. It’s an effort to end Canada’s role in “fueling the war in Yemen”, as the United Nations has repeatedly charged.

Colin Stuart is with the Victoria Peace Coalition, and is a supporter too of the Canadian Friends Service Committee, and a serving board member of World Beyond War.

Colin Stuart in the first half.

And; the wars in Yemen and Ukraine are not the only ways Canada’s new self-understanding as a ‘warrior nation’ manifest. Right here at home the militarization of the nation is moving forward on the double. Last week, the Trudeau government, newly reinforced by the party formerly known as the New Democratic Party, announced it would go ahead with its plan to spend billions on Lockheed Martin’s F-35 attack jet. The purchase guarantees monies needed for the health and well-being of Canadians will instead be devoted to enriching one of the World’s biggest purveyors of death and misery – for generations to come. And, it couldn’t come at a worse time.

Glenn Michalchuk is chair of Peace Alliance Winnipeg. He’s been active in the peace movement going all the way back to the era of Ronald Reagan’s Dirty Wars in Latin America.

Glenn Michalchuk and Canada becoming a force against the people internationally in the second half.

But first, Colin Stuart and Canada’s part in Yemen’s “forgotten war”.

Chris Cook hosts Gorilla Radio and serves as a contributing editor to the web news site, http://www.pacificfreepress.com. Check out the GR blog at: http://gorillaradioblog.blogspot.ca/

Gorilla Radio with Chris Cook, Tamara Lorincz, Glenn Michalchuk, Ken Stone January 27th, 2022

Welcome to Gorilla Radio, recorded January 22nd, 2022

Unsurprisingly, Canada has joined America’s sabre-rattling chorus in issuing threats against Russia should it behave as the U.S. says it shouldn’t. It’s a very old song and overplayed song. And, just like those once catchy radio tunes whose ubiquity condemns them to background oblivion, Ottawa’s reflex bellicosity is in danger too of becoming just more white noise static in the martial cacophony. Today’s selection may be Ukraine – but we’ve heard the lyric and the tune again and again and again.

Tamara Lorincz is a fellow with the Canadian Foreign Policy Institute, member of Canadian Voice of Women for Peace and a PhD candidate in Global Governance at the Balsillie School for International Affairs at Wilfrid Laurier University; her research focus the climate and environmental impacts of the military. Glenn Michalchuk is Chair of Peace Alliance Winnipeg and has been active in anti-war and peace movements going back to the Reagan Era of the 1980’s.

Tamara Lorincz and Glenn Michalchuk in the first half.

And; Canada’s dyspeptic diplomacy is not limited to Russia; China too is disfavoured by the Trudeau government’s truculence. Its latest ill-mannered gesture is an announced boycott against February’s Beijing Olympics, which the prime minister says without irony is due to the concern of his “many partners around the world” for “repeated human rights violations” alleged against the People’s Republic.

Ken Stone is a long-time antiwar activist whose served as an executive member of both the Syria Solidarity Movement and Hamilton Coalition to Stop the War. Ken and the Hamilton Coalition are launching two petitions and one statement next week regarding the dismal state of Canada-China relations under Trudeau.

Ken Stone and reigning in Canada’s running dog diplomacy in the second half.

But first, Tamara Lorincz and ending Canada’s military support of the civil war in Ukraine and its cheerleading for a broader war against Russia.

Chris Cook hosts Gorilla Radio, and serves as a contributing editor to the web news site, http://www.pacificfreepress.com. Check out the GR blog at: http://gorillaradioblog.blogspot.com