Gorilla Radio with Chris Cook, Tim Boultbee, Ken Stone May 28, 2022

Welcome to Gorilla Radio, recorded May 28th, 2022

In early May, Cuban president, Miguel Diaz-Canel returned the diplomatic favour, hosting his Mexican counterpart, Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador in Havana. The two signed various agreements tying the two nations closer, while AMLO used the opportunity to further criticize historical US foreign policy in the hemisphere, reminisce about Mexican support for Castro and the Cuban revolution, and to call for the lifting of the decades-long blockade against Mexico’s “sister nation.” None of this likely pleases the United States, but worse still for the Biden administration is Obrador’s hardly veiled threat to boycott next week’s Summit of the Americas confab in Los Angeles.

Tim Boultbee is a long-time activist for Latin American human and democratic rights. From Ronald Reagan’s Dirty Wars against the people of Nicaragua and El Salvador to the financial annexation of Mexico by means of the NAFTA agreement he has borne witness as an international observer at the front lines of the fight for justice. Tim is currently a member of CASC, the Victoria Central America Support Committee, assisted the Building Bridges Human Rights Project in Chiapas, and worked to raise funds for the Fray Bartolome Human Rights Center in San Cristobal.

Tim Boultbee in the first half.

And; just as Canada has supported US belligerence in Latin America, (earning for the trouble exclusion from CELAC, the organization likely to determine the cultural, political, and economic future of the hemisphere) the current administration too has gone along with its larger neighbour’s campaign to isolate China. The lengths Trudeau’s government is willing to go to please Uncle Sam was made painfully obvious in its two-plus years contralegal persecution of Huawei executive, Meng Wanzhou. Now, it has announced the exclusion of Huawei from this country’s 5G communications network development.

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 Coalition fought tooth and nail against the incarceration of Meng Wanzhou and extradition efforts by the United States, and they’ve opposed the odious AUKUS military pact threatening war with China in the Pacific. The danger AUKUS presents to World peace ramped up last fall with the deal to provide nuclear powered submarines to Australia, and more lately with the announced rapid development of hypersonic missile technology and expanded electronic warfare aimed at the People’s Republic.

Ken Stone on Huawei in Canada, and AUKUS going over the top in the Pacific in the second half.

But first, Tim Boultbee and Biden’s Summit of the Americas proving a low point in hemispheric interrelations.

Chris Cook has hosted Gorilla Radio since 1999. Check out the GR blog at: https://gorillaradioblog.blogspot.com

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Gorilla Radio with Chris Cook, John Price, John Helmer February 26, 2022

Welcome to Gorilla Radio, recorded February 23rd and 26th, 2022

As Canada stands on the precipice perhaps of war, what more timely moment could there be to examine Canadian foreign policy past and present, with an eye cast to a hoped for future?

The fire this time is burning in Ukraine, a country in which Canadian objectives – at least those of the political class – has played an instrumental role in the tumult there since 2014, leading to the crescendo of violence and uncertainty being seen today. The intrigues of Canada and its larger allies has ensnared Russia, as intended, and could lead next to similar conflict with China. But is this what Canadians want; following along in an endless parade of NATO-enforced wars and police actions in support of a failing U.S. empire?

John Price is professor emeritus at the University of Victoria, and member of the Advisory Board of the newly formed Canada-China Focus, a project of the Canadian Foreign Policy Institute and UVic’s Centre for Global Studies. He is too author of the book, ‘Orienting Canada,’ and his essays appear at Canadian Dimension.com, where I found his eight-part seriesinvestigating the crisis in Canada-China relations.”

John Price in the first half.

And; John Helmer and I spoke on the eve of what Russia is now calling its “military-technical” operation in Ukraine. Events, as John subsequently said, seem to have overtaken our conversation. Even so, the context he provides is invaluable, especially given the media landscape in this country, Canada where official sources do little more than parrot militarists in Ottawa and Washington – and, truth be told, they have been just that for some time longer.

John Helmer is a journalist, author, and principle behind the web news site, Dances with Bears. He’s a past scholar, and advisor to government at the highest level, and spent decades living in and reporting from Russia. His many book titles include: ‘The Lie That Shot Down MH-17, ‘Skripal in Prison,’ ‘The Man Who Knows Too Much About Russia,’ and his latest, ‘The Jackals’ Wedding: American Power, Arab Revolt‘ is newly out. His recent article, ‘The Body Language of the Speech – Putin has Repudiated Lenin, Stalin, Gorbachev, Yeltsin, & Mobilized Russia’s Defence Against U.S. Attack As Never Before‘ he compares to the great rallying speeches of Lincoln, Churchill, and even Shakespeare’s Henry the fifth. It is he says, “the most extraordinary [speech] in Russian history”

John Helmer and our most dangerous days ahead in the second half.

But first, John Price and decolonizing Canadian foreign policy in the face of a new global 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, Yves Engler, Ken Stone September 30th, 2021

Welcome to Gorilla Radio, recorded September 25th and 26th, 2021

And welcome to a new Canada! The country’s 44th federal election results are in and the minority government of Justin Trudeau has been replaced by the new minority government of Justin Trudeau. Yes, the most expensive election in the country’s history can also boast the lowest voter participation, and arguably the least return of any election for any office held in history when measured on the dollar to interest ratio index. So is it even worth parsing a post mortem on this summer doldrums? “Yes!” says my first guest, who argues the results reveal much about what Canadians think of the federal parties’ foreign policy stances, and instructs on our future direction in World events.

Yves Engler is an independent, Montreal-based journalist and author. He’s written ten books on Canadian foreign policy, and his latest is‘Left, Right — Marching to the Beat of Imperial Canada’. His articles appear at a variety of sites across the internet, including CanadianDimension, foreignpolicy.ca, and at his site, YvesEngler.com where I found his recent piece, ‘How Foreign Policy Shaped Election Outcome‘.

Yves Engler in the first half.

And; in breaking news: Chinese political prisoner, Meng Wanzhou is free! That is, the political prisoner of Canada from China, and CFO of mega-corporation, Huawei now has leave to exit the country of her imprisonment, and in fact has left Vancouver, where she suffered house arrest for nearly three years.

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 have led the nation-wide FREE MENG WANZHOU campaign to restore both the prisoner Meng’s liberty and justice to Canada’s legal system.

Ken Stone and the release of Meng Wanzhou in the second half.

But first, Yves Engler and what we can glean from this latest exercise in Canadian democracy.

Chris Cook hosts Gorilla Radio, airing live every Thursday between 11-Noon Pacific Time. In Victoria at 101.9FM, and on the internet at: https://cfuv.ca. He also serves as a contributing editor to the web news site, http://www.pacificfreepress.com. Check out the GR blog at: http://gorillaradioblog.blogspot.com

Gorilla Radio with Chris Cook, Ken Stone, Joe Emersberger September 2, 2021

Welcome back to Gorilla Radio’s Home Edition, recorded August 28th and 29th, 2021

Faerie tales always begin with a great wrong done. The evil deed, invariably committed by some grand Potentate or schemer to the throne often entail endungeoning a hero or heroine seen as a potential threat to power. What make Faerie tales different and apart from the tedious litany of yarns about injustice meted by the mighty upon the heads of the meek is that, more than being merely about crimes against the innocent, these universal and enduring stories detail the greater – and unforgivable – crime against innocence itself. Today this country, Canada is the villain in just such a grim story; but it’s no faerie tale, it’s the true-life case of Meng Wanzhou, held captive in Vancouver a thousand and more days.

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 joined forces with online investigative journalism site, The Canada Files and rank and file Canadians upset with the country’s legal traditions traduced in this case to pursue the nation-wide FREE MENG WANZHOU campaign. They say,

… it’s clear to Justice Holmes as well as Justin Trudeau, his entire cabinet, and indeed the whole world, Meng Wanzhou has committed no crime…”

Ken Stone in the first half.

And; if Meng Wanzhou is an entowered princess-prisoner of a petty tyrant eager to please a larger monster, Alex Saab is a knight errant, mired in that monster’s own web of intrigue and mass murder. Saab was in the service of besieged Venezuela, en route to Iran, another nation similarly blockaded by America, when he was intercepted by Cape Verde authorities and thrown into prison there. More than a year later, Alex Saab sits still in that prison awaiting the local judiciary’s decision on his appeal of its acquiescence to extradition requests by the United States.

Joe Emersberger is a Canada-based engineer, writer, activist, and co-author with Justin Podur of the newly released book, ‘Extraordinary Threat: The US Empire, the Media and 20 Years of Coup Attempts in Venezuela‘. Emersberger’s articles, focusing on the Western media’s coverage of the Americas, can be found at FAIR.org, CounterPunch.org, TheCanary.co, Telesur English, and ZComm.org, where his recent piece, ‘Alex Saab, Afghanistan, and the limits of US power‘ appears.

Joe Emersberger on Alex Saab and the increasing diplomatic acceptance of American atrocity in the second half.

But first, Ken Stone and making an election issue of the odious Canadian case against Meng Wanzhou.

Chris Cook hosts Gorilla Radio, airing live every Thursday between 11-Noon Pacific Time. In Victoria at 101.9FM, and on the internet at: https://cfuv.ca. He also serves as a contributing editor to the web news site, http://www.pacificfreepress.com. Check out the GR blog at: http://gorillaradioblog.blogspot.com

Gorilla Radio with Chris Cook, Dimitri Lascaris January 18th, 2021

Welcome back to Gorilla Radio’s Home Edition, recorded on this date, January 18th, 2021.

And Happy Martin Luther King Day to all who admire the man murdered for opposing the military-industrial complex. Today, almost fifty-three years after that tragic event, Canada is intent on following full-heel America’s lead deeper into the Big Muddy of forever war and preparation for war.

In the House of Commons, despite pleas for sanity from the commonality, all parties there agree on the course charted by militarists and empire builders. Nowhere is this sad fact more egregiously demonstrated than in the Canadian government’s determination to sink billions into a new generation of war ships that will, in part, conduct “freedom of navigation” exercises meant to “counter China’s growing influence in Asia.”

Dimitri Lascaris is a Montreal-based activist lawyer/journalist, past Real News Network correspondent, Green Party of Canada member, and very nearly its leader, falling just short of taking the job after eight ballots in last Fall’s leadership contest.

Today, Dimitri Lascaris and Canada marching into the mire of endless warfare.

Chris Cook hosts Gorilla Radio, airing live every Thursday between 11-Noon Pacific Time. In Victoria at 101.9FM, and on the internet at: https://cfuv.ca. He also 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, John Helmer December 10, 2020

Welcome back to Gorilla Radio’s home edition, recorded on this date, December 9th, 2020.

While elections-manipulating mastermind, Vladimir Putin has fallen off the front pages in America, across the pond in Jolly Old, ‘Evil Russia’ still serves as nemesis and fictional bete noire for scriptwriters and semi-autobiographical memoirists alike. A case in point is former GCHQ honcho, Sir David Omand’s hot New Cold War release, ‘How Spies Think, Ten Lessons in Intelligence’.

To hear Sir David tell it, the West is at war with disinformation artists who would have us believe: “…Ukraine was responsible for downing […] Malaysian airliner MH17, [and…] there are fascist roots to the government in Kiev, […] COVID-19 was covert bio-warfare by the US against China, and that NATO is planning aggression against Russia…”

If I’m to apply the time-tested axiom, “Never believe anything in politics until it has been officially denied...” David Omand’s book may have more to teach us than his Ten Lesson’s intended.

John Helmer is a journalist, author, broadcaster, former political advisor to government, and principal behind the news website, Dances with Bears. Among Helmer’s many books titles are, ‘The Man Who Knows Too Much About Russia’, and his latest, the two-plus year chronicle of the Skripal case, ‘Skripal in Prison’.

His recent article, ‘THE ENRICHMENT OF BRITISH INTELLIGENCE OFFICERS – HOW THEY THINK THEY ALWAYS GET IT RIGHT ABOUT THE RUSSIANS, NEVER DO, BUT GROW RICH TRYING’ is a revelation of the disquieting future currently being prepared by the folks of the Intelligence Community.

Today, John Helmer in search of British Intelligence.

Chris Cook hosts Gorilla Radio, airing live every Thursday between 11-Noon Pacific Time. In Victoria at 101.9FM, and on the internet at: https://cfuv.ca. He also 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, John Philpot November 23, 2020

Welcome back to Gorilla Radio’s home edition, recorded on this date, November 23rd, 2020.

On December first 2018, Meng Wanzhou, Huawei executive and daughter of the Chinese telecom giant’s chairman, was detained, interrogated, and arrested at Vancouver International Airport. She has been living ever since under house arrest in one of her Vancouver properties as the courts there hear arguments for her extradition to the United States for fraud.

China derides the charges, saying they’re tantamount to industrial blackmail. Ottawa’s insistence the case is legitimate and must be given the opportunity to go through the system has soured relations with China, and damaged Canada’s reputation as both an independent, and “rule of law” nation.

John Philpot is a Montreal-based defence attorney in International Criminal Law. Long active in Palestinian and African support organisations, and the peace movement, Philpot is too a distinguished panel member of the Cross-Canada Campaign to Free Meng Wanzhou.

The panel’s virtual events, sponsored by the Canadian Foreign Policy Institute, the Canadian Peace Congress, Just Peace Advocates, the Hamilton Coalition To Stop The War, and World BEYOND War, are a response to what it says is Meng Wanzhou’s “unjust incarceration by the Trudeau government at the request of the Trump Administration.

Today, John Philpot and Canadians standing up for Canadian Justice in the Meng Wanzhou case.

Chris Cook hosts Gorilla Radio, airing live every Thursday between 11-Noon Pacific Time. In Victoria at 101.9FM, and on the internet at: https://cfuv.ca. He also 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, Dimitri Lascaris August 11, 2020

Welcome back to Gorilla Radio’s continuing efforts, NOT broadcast live from CFUV Radio in the basement of the Student Union Building at the University of Victoria, but emanating live-to-tape via Skype from our home-based … studios on this date, August 11th, 2020.

The Old World Order is busted and Canada’s foreign policy is gonna need to adapt quick to a whole New Order of things. Or so Canada’s self-styled “national paper” the Globe and Mail informs. But what’s a middle nation to do? Caught between behemoths baring their teeth in a fight for what looks like the last piece of the pie, at whose feet shall we prostrate in waiting to snatch up first the best crumbs fallen from the planetary dinner table? It’s a stark choice in a darkening World, according to the Globe, who helpfully whittle down our options to a Manichean menu choice between China and our more familiar supper partner, America. But can we pick our own foreign policy plate, without starving in the choosing?

Dimitri Lascaris is a Montreal-based lawyer, journalist, Real News Network correspondent, and political activist. He’s also one of nine aspirants spending their Summer campaigning for the leadership of the Green Party of Canada. Dimitri is on the stump in BC again this week, as the October leadership convention looms ever nearer.

Dimitri Lascaris and finding finally a truly Canadian foreign policy.

Chris Cook hosts Gorilla Radio, airing live every Thursday between 11-Noon Pacific Time. In Victoria at 101.9FM, and on the internet at: http://cfuv.ca. He also 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, Christopher Black, David Rovics, Janine Bandcroft August 13, 2020

Welcome back to Gorilla Radio’s continuing efforts, NOT broadcast live from CFUV Radio in the basement of the Student Union Building at the University of Victoria, but emanating live-to-tape via Skype from our home-based … studios on this date, August 5th, 2020.

Twenty months in to her Vancouver house arrest, Huawei CFO, (and daughter of the Chinese corporate leviathan’s founder) Meng Wanzhou entered a new court filing in B.C.’s Supreme Court. In late July Meng’s legal team charged that, among other things the proceedings against their client had quote, “been poisoned” and “can no longer be reasonably regarded as fair…”. Meng has already lost one appeal to throw out the extradition petition filed by the United States in B.C. courts, and the case has predictably proven a particularly prickly political sticking point in Canada-China relations.

Christopher Black is a Toronto-based criminal lawyer specializing in international war crimes cases. He’s also an executive member of the Canadian Peace Congress. Black’s articles on international law, politics, and World events appear at New Eastern Outlook among other places. And, his timely novel, ‘Beneath the Clouds‘ “a story of how people, acting collectively, can defeat tyranny” is newly out.

Christopher Black in the first half and the international tug-of-war testing Canada’s “Rule of Law” credentials.

And; federal troops are in Portland. Nearly two months in to daily police brutality demonstrations there, the president decided to deploy the “Minneapolis” treatment; or as Attorney General, Bill Barr calls it, the “Occupy Model”. And there are other cities slated to receive the same.

Itinerant musician and now covid-caged broadcaster, is in Portland, where his relatively mild-mannered home city has suddenly become the center of Civil War 2.020. As he can’t tour, David is doing the next best thing, raising Hell on the internet, and helping foment a Renters strike.

“Welcome back to the program, David. I think it’s three of the last four years, fire has been the big story out of Portland. We’ve had a late summer up the road here in BC, what’s your forest situation like down there?”

David Rovics and tearing down community in Portland in the second half.

Chris Cook hosts Gorilla Radio, airing live every Thursday between 11-Noon Pacific Time. In Victoria at 101.9FM, and on the internet at: http://cfuv.ca. He also 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, Christopher Black August 5, 2020

Welcome back to Gorilla Radio’s continuing efforts, NOT broadcast live from CFUV Radio in the basement of the Student Union Building at the University of Victoria, but emanating live-to-tape via Skype from our home-based … studios on this date, August 5th, 2020.

Twenty months in to her Vancouver house arrest, Huawei CFO, (and daughter of the Chinese corporate leviathan’s founder) Meng Wanzhou entered a new court filing in B.C.’s Supreme Court. In late July Meng’s legal team charged that, among other things the proceedings against their client had quote, “been poisoned” and “can no longer be reasonably regarded as fair…”. Meng has already lost one appeal to throw out the extradition petition filed by the United States in B.C. courts, and the case has predictably proven a particularly prickly political sticking point in Canada-China relations.

Christopher Black is a Toronto-based criminal lawyer specializing in international war crimes cases. He’s also an executive member of the Canadian Peace Congress. Black’s articles on international law, politics, and World events appear at New Eastern Outlook among other places. And, his timely novel, ‘Beneath the Clouds‘ “a story of how people, acting collectively, can defeat tyranny” is newly out.

Christopher Black in the first half and the international tug-of-war testing Canada’s “Rule of Law” credentials.

Chris Cook hosts Gorilla Radio, airing live every Thursday between 11-Noon Pacific Time. In Victoria at 101.9FM, and on the internet at: http://cfuv.uvic.ca.  He also 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, Harry Glasbeek, Stephen Corry, Janine Bandcroft July 16th, 2020

Welcome back to Gorilla Radio’s continuing Post-Covid broadcast. We are NOT broadcasting live from the basement of the SUB building at the University of Victoria, but are instead recording live to tape via Skype from our home studios this day, July 6th, 2020.

Or, put another way; 583 days since the arrest of Huawei Chief Financial Officer, (and daughter of company founder) Meng Wanzhou’s forced stay in Canada. Those with long media memories may remember the tech. executive’s arrest at Vancouver International airport in 2018; an arrest made at the behest of the United States for the purpose of extradition to that country to face fraud charges. Mung’s arrest has soured China/Canada relations and led to what Canada charges is the “arbitary” arrest of two of its citizens in retaliation.

Harry Glasbeek is Professor Emeritus and Senior Scholar at York’s Osgoode Hall Law School and author of books on both Canadian and Australian law. His latest book titles, (the eleventh and twelfth) are ‘Class Privilege: How law shelters shareholders and coddles capitalism’, and ‘Capitalism: A Crime Story’. Harry has written scores of articles on tort and labour law, corporate law, and on corporate criminality and social responsibility. Glasbeek’s popular articles are too published at numerous sites on the internet, including at the SocialistProject.ca where I found his recent piece, ‘Meng, Huawei and Canadian Law: Soap, Rinse and Dry-Laundered’.

Harry Glasbeek in the first half.

And; the World Wildlife Fund recently announced an astonishing development of vital import for all those concerned about the ecological survival of we and the natural world. “Suddenly” spokesperson, Sir David Attenborough informs, “saving our planet is within reach!” It’s an enticing prospect, something none in their right mind wouldn’t welcome; if only all was as is presented by Attenborough and the WWF.

Stephen Corry is CEO of Survival International, an organization dedicated to “A world where tribal peoples are respected as contemporary societies and their human rights protected.”

Corry and Survival International have interceded on behalf of the rights of tribal peoples in South America, Asia, and Africa. He’s written numerous articles on the subjects of “scientific racism” and the ideology of “fortress conservation”, and is the author of the book, ‘Tribal Peoples for Tomorrow’s World’. Stephen Corry’s articles too appear online at, among other places, CounterPunch where I found his recent article, ‘The Big Green Lie’.

Stephen Corry on Green idylls and the World Wildlife Fund’s uncomfortable allusions in the second half.

And; long-time Gorilla Radio contributor and Green Vegan Grandma Youtuber, Janine Bandcroft will be here at the bottom of the hour with this week’s Left Coast Events Bulletin of some of the good things to be gotten up to in and around our town in the coming week. But first, Professor Harry Glasbeek and Huawei, Meng Wanzhou, and Canadian law out of its depth and beyond its borders.

Chris Cook hosts Gorilla Radio, airing live every Thursday between 11-Noon Pacific Time. In Victoria at 101.9FM, and on the internet at: http://cfuv.ca. He also serves as a contributing editor to the web news site, http://www.pacificfreepress.com. Check out the GR blog at: http://gorillaradioblog.blogspot.ca/