Gorilla Radio with Chris Cook, Tamara Lorincz, Dimitri Lascaris June 14, 2023

Welcome to Gorilla Radio, recorded June 14th, 2023

Over the weekend past, Canada’s prime minister traveled with Chrystia Freeland to Kyiv, and promised, in an address to the parliament there, his undying support for the war’s continuation. Speaking to the Verkhovna Rada, Justin Trudeau pledged $500 million more Canadian dollars, reassuring legislators, “You are the tip of the spear that is determining the future of the 21st century”. Some future – for them and us – war and rumours of war for generations to come! Mr. Trudeau makes it perfectly clear: If the people are to have peace, they’ll have to make it themselves.

Tamara Lorincz is a fellow with the Canadian Foreign Policy Institute, and member of Canadian Voice of Women for Peace. As the prime minister was whipping up the Furies in Kyiv Tamara was in Vienna, hammering out the details of the International Summit for Peace in Ukraine’s ‘Final Declaration of International Civil Society‘.

Tamara Lorincz in the first half.

And; as well as spending billions on the US-directed proxy-war against Russia while Canada’s healthcare system crumbles, and tens of thousands live in the streets, the government here has too sacrificed relations with Russia, China, Iran, and others for no apparent benefit. Sadly, the official opposition too has failed to perform its duty, as has the unofficial media opposition. What’s left but individual efforts in both fields in pursuit of peace?

Dimitri Lascaris is a Montreal-based activist, journalist, and lawyer. He served as Justice Critic in the Shadow Cabinet of the Green Party of Canada and likewise for the Green Party of Quebec. Dimitri’s interviews for TRNN are at TheRealNews.com, and his articles appear at his website, DimitriLascaris.org among other places.

In April, in an example of DIY diplomacy, Dimitri headed to Russia as a sovereign citizen of our Canada, strong and free to gain firsthand knowledge of the country and its people. Now, starting June 19th, Dimitri’s heading across this country – from Halifax to Victoria – on the ‘Making Peace with Russia, One Handshake at a Time‘ tour.

Dimitri Lascaris, bringing a message of peace home in the second half.

But first, Tamara Lorincz and International Civil Society’s unilateral declaration of peace.

Song: Life in Wartime

Artist: Talking Heads

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, Steve Poikonen, Tamara Lorincz June 25th, 2022

Welcome to Gorilla Radio, recorded June 25th, 2022

Last week British Home Secretary, Priti Patel did what was expected of her and signed off on the extradition to the United States of political prisoner, Julian Assange. Assange you may recall has languished in London’s maximum security Belmarsh Prison, enduring the harshest conditions allowable under British law, since being dragged from asylum in the Ecuadorian Embassy April 11th, 2019. But as deplorable as his treatment by British authorities has been – treatment that would illicit howls of protest were it discovered to be inflicted on a caged dog – central to Assange’s defense against extradition is the prospect of an even grimmer fate at the hands of American Justice.

Steve Poikonen hosts Slow News Day on Rokfin, the pre-news news place you go to get hip BEFORE the s*it hits the fan! Steve’s also an activist, documentary filmmaker, and contributor to the Union of the Unwanted and MCSC Networks. He’s also been an organizer with Action4Assange, co-host of the #FreeAssange Vigil, and has gone to the streets for Assange’s release in his home country, the United States of America.

Steve Poikonen in the first half.

And; next week NATO, the 73 year-old alliance to defend Europe against Soviet Russia, will hold its annual summit in Madrid. NATO says it’s meant to, among other things, present and endorse the war organization’s “New Strategic Concept”. Across Europe peace and civil society groups are set to demonstrate against the death and devastation created by NATO’s existing concept and protest the prospect of more of the same. Meanwhile in Canada, coinciding with the Madrid meet up, the Peace and Justice Network here is mounting Days of Action, a coordinated effort to: Stop the Weapons. Stop the War. And, Stop NATO.

Tamara Lorincz is with Canadian Voice of Women for Peace, who last year led the No Fighter Jets days of action held across Canada. She’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 Days of Action to Stop the World’s greatest purveyors of violence and war in the second half.

But first, Steve Poikonen and the the next turn of the legal screw for Julian Assange.

Chris Cook hosts Gorilla Radio, airing since 1998. In Victoria at 101.9FM, and on the internet at: cfuv.ca.  Check out the GR blog at: http://gorillaradioblog.blogspot.com/

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

 

Gorilla Radio with Chris Cook, Nick Mottern, Tamara Lorincz July 22, 2021

Welcome back to Gorilla Radio’s Home Edition, recorded July 17th, 2021

Almost twenty years since its beginning, America is quitting the war against the Taliban. Or so the papers say. Though it’s clearly too late for a good news spin on stories coming from what was Afghanistan – where more than a million have perished violently since 2001, with uncounted multiples more being maimed, orphaned, and rendered homeless – there is too another story not making the frontpage, or leading the evening news; that is the fact America’s president has promised to continue bombing in Afghanistan anyone, anywhere, anytime he sees fit from somewhere “over the horizon”.

Nick Mottern is a journalist, author, and coordinator of Knowdrones.com, an organization founded in 2012 expressly to “inform the American public about the illegality, immorality and dreadful human consequences of U.S. drone attacks…

Nick’s worked as a reporter, researcher, writer and political organizer over the last 30 years, and his book, ‘Suffering Strong’ recounts his travels in Africa. His recent article, ‘”Biden Acknowledges “over the horizon” Air Attacks Planned Against Taliban’ appears at KnowDrones.com, where they’re also engaged in a campaign to keep military whistleblower, Daniel Hale out of prison. Hale’s sentencing is scheduled for July 27th.

Nick Mottern in the first half.

And; as there are no other problems in the country, the Canadian government is entertaining bids for billions of spare tax dollars from international fighter jet manufacturers. The competition is fierce, with the winner expecting to cash in on what opponents of the purchasing spree say will amount to as much as 77 billion Canadian buckaroos, with untold riches to be had for parts, maintenance, and (constant) repairs.

Tamara Lorincz is with Canadian Voice of Women for Peace. VoW are the organizers of the No Fighter Jets days of action held across Canada since the military procurement was announced. She’s also served on the advisory committee of the Global Network Against Weapons and Nuclear Power in Space, and has contributed her knowledge and talents to the organizations World Beyond War, and the No to NATO Network. She and VoW joined up recently with the Canadian Foreign Policy Institute to recruit more than a hundred personages of repute on both sides of border in a public campaign to kill the Liberals’ war spending plans.

Tamara Lorincz and opposing Canadian militarism in the second half.

But first, Nick Mottern and Biden’s not so sunny Afghan horizon.

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, Yves Engler, Tamara Lorincz, Janine Bandcroft October 15, 2020

Welcome to Gorilla Radio’s continuing ‘Home Edition’, not broadcast live, but recorded on this date, October 9th, 2020.

In reacting to times of extreme societal stress there are two options: People can come together; or things can be pulled apart. The latter is exemplified by Canadian writer, Naomi Klein’s seminal work, The Shock Doctrine, and by the ominously interpreted phrase, “never let a good crisis go to waste.”

Right now, as the global pandemic wrecks havoc on individual lives and economies, the Israeli lobby is clearly not using the opportunity to mend fences, but instead is using the media cover the crisis affords to attack perceived foes and further silence critics of Israel’s egregious Palestine occupation.

Yves Engler is a Montréal-based activist, essayist, and author whose articles appear at Ricochet, The Palestine Chronicle, and at his site, YvesEngler.com among other places. The latest of his 11 published titles is, ‘House of Mirrors — Justin Trudeau’s Foreign Policy’.

Yves Engler in the first half.

And; the second No Fighter Jets manifestation crossed hands across Canada October 2nd to stand in the doorways of MP offices in every province and territory. The second Pan-Canadian National Day of Action was led by Canadian Voice of Women for Peace, Canada’s longest-lived national feminist peace group.

Tamara Lorincz is a PhD candidate in Global Governance whose research focus is climate and the environmental impacts of the military. Tamara’s also served as VoW’s lead person for the second No Fighter Jets day of action.

Tamara Lorincz and Canadians saying “No!” to an unjust and ecocidal war economy in the second half.

And; Victoria-based broadcaster, and host of CFUV’s Plant Based Radio, Janine Bandcroft will be here at the bottom of the hour with the 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, Yves Engler and burgeoning blowback for the Israel Lobby.

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/