Gorilla Radio with Chris Cook, Yves Engler February 11th, 2023

Welcome to Gorilla Radio, recorded February 11th, 2023.

This past week, Canadian Forces redeployed a CP-140 Aurora surveillance plane from its dedicated mission assisting U.S.-led drugs smuggling interdiction efforts in the Caribbean to spend two days flying reconnaissance over Haiti. Foreign Affairs Minister, Melanie Joly characterized the escalation of Canada’s military involvement in the country as a “demonstration of Canada’s commitment to Haiti”. Last month, Canada demonstrated that commitment in the form of an unspecified number and type of armored vehicles being sold to a government that has already called for foreign military intervention to quell wide-spread public discontent with its corrupt and entirely unelected leadership.

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, ‘Ottawa’s support for repressive Haitian police grows as democracy fades’ appears at his website, YvesEngler.com, and puts to the lie – again – Canada’s “concern for the people” of that benighted island.

Today Yves Engler and Canada’s caring military gestures to Haiti.

 

Song: Watch the Buildings Crumble

Album: May Day

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: https://gorillaradioblog.blogspot.com/

 

Gorilla Radio with Chris Cook, Dimitri Lascaris, Dan Kovalik December 10th, 2022

Welcome to Gorilla Radio, recorded December 10th, 2022.

As the war in Ukraine grinds on one casualty of the conflict rarely discussed is that on the environment, both in the war zone and beyond it. War and the preparation for war is one of the most ecologically costly of all human endeavours – not only because of the vast amounts of nature laid waste in the production of tanks and planes, and bombs and bullets, but also for the diversion of the time and talents of legions of scientists, engineers, and others which would be better occupied working on solutions to the precarious moment humanity finds itself in.

Dimitri Lascaris is a Montreal-based activist, journalist, and lawyer. He very nearly became leader of the Green Party of Canada, finishing second in a tightly-contested race with the now-departed Annamie Paul. Dimitri’s interviews for TRNN are at TheRealNews.com, and his articles appear at his website, DimitriLascaris.org, where I found his recent piece, ‘As Ukraine War Escalates, the Climate Movement Goes AWOL‘.

Dimitri Lascaris in the first half.

And; the nature of the conflict in Ukraine has been mischaracterized from the start. How and why we find ourselves at the precipice of perhaps the final war cannot be gleaned reading, watching, or listening to a western press which has, by turns, acted as propagandist and cheerleader for World War III. And, understanding that has never been more vital than it is now.

Dan Kovalik is a lawyer, educator, labour, peace, and justice activist, democracy defender, journalist, author, and filmmaker. His book titles include: ‘Cancel This Book: The Progressive Case Against Cancel Culture,’ the “Plot to” series on American efforts to undermine the governments and economies of Iran, Venezuela, Russia, and the World entirely. His latest is, ‘No More War: How the West Violates International Law by Using ‘Humanitarian’ Intervention to Advance Economic and Strategic Interest.’ Dan’s just back from a fact-finding mission to Russia and the Eastern Republics of Ukraine.

Dan Kovalik and life in World War time in the second half.

But first, Dimtri Lascaris and Canada’s Green movement, missing in action when needed most.

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, Steve Poikonen, Ron Ridenour June 24, 2021

Welcome back to Gorilla Radio’s Home Edition, recorded on the dates, June 13 and 19th, 2021.

On June 11 agents working for the American government arrested American “hacktivist” and man behind the Anonymous mask in some of that entity’s early public releases, Commander X from his home in Mexico City. Chris Doyon had been on the run, evading charges of masterminding a denial of service attack against the computer systems of the town of Santa Cruz more than a decade ago. The size of the operation to take Doyon into custody is curious, given the minor nature of the action he’s accused of participating in and the many years passed. Regardless, Commander X is back in the USA and in federal custody.

Steve Poikonen is an activist and hosts the ‘Slow News Day‘ podcast, available at Rokfin. He’s also an organizer with Action4Assange, and co-host of the #FreeAssange Vigil and has participated in and helped organized multiple actions in Washington, D.C., to bring attention to the plight of the imprisoned journalist and publisher. Steve’s hosted Doyon several times on Slow News Day and is now organizing support for his release.

Steve Poikonen in the first half.

Weeks past election day and still there is no clear winner declared in Peru’s presidential election. The contest pitted convicted felon and daughter of former president, Alberto Fujimori (himself currently in prison) against leftist upstart and political novice, Pedro Castillo. Castillo had a lead going in to the second round of the poll, but that’s when things started to get funny. In what looks eerily similar to election reversals in Bolivia in 2019, and earlier this year in Ecuador, a leftist contender could be defeated when all the numbers were going his way.

Ron Ridenour is a journalist, author, editor, and peace and social justice activist. The ex-pat American has lived and worked in Cuba, Nicaragua, and Bolivia and currently calls Denmark home. He’s worked too as a special correspondent and freelancer for numerous publications in Europe the US, and Latin America, and served as press aid to Bolivia’s president, Evo Morales and the governments of Cuba and Nicaragua.

Some of Ridenour’s many book titles include: ‘The Russian Peace Threat: Pentagon on Alert’, ‘Cuba: Revolution in Action’, and ‘Backfire: The CIA’s Biggest Burn’. Ron’s articles also feature at numerous online sites, including on ThisCantBeHappening.net, and CovertAction Magazine, where his latest, ‘Left-Wing Populist, Pedro Castillo, Leads Polls Before June 6th Election in Peru’.

Ron Ridenour and will Pedro Castillo follow in the footsteps of Evo Morales and Andres Arauz? in the second half.

But first, Steve Poikonen and freeing the Commander.

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, Peter Ewart, Ellen Moore May 20th, 2021

Welcome back to Gorilla Radio’s Home Edition, recorded on the dates, May 11th and 17th, 2021

Five centuries after Cortez, Mexico is again defending colonization by a foreign army. This time the Conquistadores come in the guise of transglobal corporations, their goal the gold to be gleaned from Mexico’s greatest treasure, maize. But first, Bayer-Monsanto would transmogrify, through the magic of Genetic Modification, the ancient grain into a more malleable form of glyphosate-resistant corn, ready for the application of millions of tons of Bayer-Monsanto marketed pesticides.

The one kink in the scheme is Mexican president, Andrés Manuel López Obrador’s vow to rid his country of GMO’s by 2024. And that’s where the sword leaves the scabbard for the chemical lobby and its U.S. Trade Representatives.

Peter Ewart is a Prince George, B.C.-based writer whose articles feature online and at the PG Daily News in Prince George. In his latest, ‘Mexico, Glyphosate and Bayer-Monsanto‘ he warns of the threat posed to the original staple crop of Turtle Island and its progenitors, the “People of the Corn”.

Peter Ewart in the first half.

And; last week, after nearly thirty years, the founder and board chair of Pan American Silver stepped into a golden sunset retirement made comfortable by the millions of dollars he made for himself and his shareholders at the expense of indigenous peoples and the natural environment throughout Latin America. In the meantime, he’s burnished a public image as philanthropist leader of corporate responsibility, and environmental champion; all belying a “legacy of community harm and environmental destruction“.

Ellen Moore is the International Mining Campaign Manager at Earthworks, a U.S. based non-profit that supports communities impacted by oil, gas and hard-rock mining. Before joining Earthworks Ellen worked in Nevada and Guatemala on issues related to human rights, environmental justice and mining. Moore moderated an event held last week to mark the toxic reality of Pan American Silver.

Ellen Moore and the false glitter of Pan American Silver in the second half.

But first, Peter Ewart and the cancerous return of Bayer-Monsanto, Mexico’s new Conquistadores.

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