Gorilla Radio with Chris Cook, Yves Engler, John Helmer May 9, 2022

Welcome to Gorilla Radio, recorded May 7th and 8th, 2022.

Though most Canadians don’t know it they and their country are at war. And, it’s not merely a war against “Putin’s Russia” (started in response to the invasion of Ukraine). While it’s true, Canada has been actively engaged in undermining Russia, it has not been doing so exclusively – at the same time it has in turn tried to undermine China, Venezuela, Nicaragua, Iran, Syria, and a host of other nations, (all conveniently catalogued for it by our friends and neighbours south). Only difference is, now the military aspect of Ottawa’s international campaign of belligerence is glaringly apparent.

Yves Engler is a Montréal-based activist, and author of 12 books, mostly on Canadian foreign policy, including his latest, ‘Stand on Guard For Whom? A People’s History of the Canadian Military’. He’s also a prolific essayist whose many articles appear at numerous sites online, including at his website, YvesEngler.com, where his recent articles have focused on Canada’s growing involvement in the crisis in Ukraine, including ‘Harper pushed conflict with Russia long before invasion.’

Yves Engler in the first half.

And; while investigations by Canada’s Department of National Defense exonerate itself of allegedly training Nazi’s to kill Russians in Ukraine, (and presumably elsewhere) none are disputing the fact Canada’s government is not only training, but also supplying the successors of Kiev’s coupsters with the materiel vital to accomplishing that. And they’re not alone. But, what remains the burning question of the moment is, “Where’s the voice of global peace in this: Where’s the United Nations?”

Last week, UN Secretary-General, Antonio Guterres made his organization’s position clear – sort of – by not only refusing to censure Ukraine’s military for intentionally hiding its forces behind human shields in Mariupol, but possibly too, as my second guest reports, committing a war crime by taking part in a scheme to use those civilians as cover in an attempt to extricate combatants from the besieged Azovstal steel plant.

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, ‘Did UN Secretary-General Guterres Commit a War Crime at Azovstal?”

John Helmer and crimes of commission and omission in Ukraine in the second half.

But first, Yves Engler and Canada’s long subterranean warmaking breaking cover.

Chris Cook hosts Gorilla Radio broadcast on CFUV.ca. Check out the GR blog at: http://gorillaradioblog.blogspot.ca/

Gorilla Radio with Chris Cook, Yves Engler, Steve Poikonen March 26, 2022

Welcome to Gorilla Radio, recorded March 26th, 2022

Fortified with the assurance of a majority government, Canada’s prime minister jetted off to Europe for “emergency” meetings at NATO’s HQ in Brussels last week. It’s fitting too in this instance that Justin Trudeau’s political mandate, like that of the Kiev regime, was neither poll earned, nor an expression of the country’s confidence in his leadership, but rather wrested from an NDP leadership too weak to defend democracy. In Ukraine, power was seized the old-fashioned way – from the barrel of a sniper rifle – as democrats bled in the streets. For Canadians, already hemorrhaging treasure in support the fascists over there, the real bleeding is perhaps yet to come.

Yves Engler is a Montréal-based activist, and author of 12 books, mostly on Canadian foreign policy, including his latest, ‘Stand on Guard For Whom? A People’s History of the Canadian Military’. He’s also a prolific essayist whose many articles appear at numerous sites online, including at his website, YvesEngler.com, where his recent articles have focused on Canada’s growing involvement in the crisis in Ukraine, including ‘Ukraine No-Fly Zone “Could Lead to End of Human Civilization“.’

Yves Engler in the first half.

And; a too brief ray of light shone down on journalist and publisher, Julian Assange last week. The world’s preeminent political prisoner wed behind the walls of London’s Belmarsh Prison, where he’s been held contrary to all norms of British and international justice for nearly three years. The saga of Assange’s struggle for freedom is well known to listeners of my second guest’s Pre-News News Program, Slow News Day, available at Rokfin. It’s where you go to get informed BEFORE the s*it hits the fan!

Steve Poikonen is an activist, documentary filmmaker, contributor to the Union of the Unwanted and MCSC Networks, and host of Slow News Day. He’s also been an organizer with Action4Assange, co-host of the #FreeAssange Vigil, and has participated in and helped organize multiple actions for Assange’s release in Washington, D.C., and elsewhere in the U.S.

Steve Poikonen and justice denied again for Julian Assange in the second half.

But first, Yves Engler and the dreadful inertia dragging Canada further into the mire of 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 November 4th, 2021

Welcome to Gorilla Radio, recorded October 30th, 2021

Next week, Canadians will again gather in towns and cities across the nation to commemorate Armistice Day, (November 11th, 1918) and celebrate the fulfillment of The Great War’s promise to be the “End of All Wars”. But you needn’t worry about putting to knee the youth of the land and painfully instructing them on the glorious horrors, or forgotten methods and meaning of human warfare. The promise was a lie. And the wars and the lying about war persist a century and more later – obviously. Less obvious to even the most engaged citizens of this Canada however is the depth and breadth of the lies sustaining both the country’s military and militarism in the country. The reasons for that dearth of Canadian incredulity are many, but primary among them is the dismal grasp of history here.

Yves Engler is a Montreal-based political activist, essayist, lecturer, and author whose eleven books – mostly on Canadian foreign policy – are joined now by a twelfth title, ‘Stand on Guard for Whom? A Peoples’ History of the Canadian Military.’ Yves is preparing now for the far western swing of his book tour, which will see him presenting in Nanaimo, Victoria, Duncan, and Vancouver from November 10th to 14th.

Today, Yves Engler and revealing, remembering, and recognizing the pervasiveness of Canada’s militarist past and present.

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, 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, Yves Engler August 15th, 2021

Welcome back to Gorilla Radio’s Home Edition, recorded August 15, 2021.

Haiti has again suffered a massive earthquake close to urban centres. So far, Sunday August 15th, the toll is reported as 724 killed, and many more injured and made homeless by the 7.2 magnitude tremblor. For Haitians, it’s reminiscent of the 2010 earthquake that killed as many as 300,000 and from which the country is yet to fully recover. Making matters more dire, Tropical Storm Grace is heading for the island, due to make landfall there sometime Monday, August 16th.

Yves Engler is an independent, Montreal-based journalist and author. He’s written ten books on Canadian foreign policy, including ‘Canada in Haiti: Waging War on the Poor Majority’, co-authored with Anthony Fenton. His latest article, ‘Earthquake devastates Haiti, Canada shouldn’t make it worse‘ warns off those who would wreck more havoc in Haiti with kindness after the calamity.

Today, Yves Engler and with “friends” like Canada, Haiti is in deep trouble.

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/

Gorilla Radio with Chris Cook, Yves Engler October 9, 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 is instead taking advantage of 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’.

Today, Yves Engler and the burgeoning blowback for the Israel Lobby coming.

Gorilla Radio with Chris Cook, Dimitri Lascaris, Yves Engler, Janine Bandcroft August 20th, 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 in the first half.

And; Bolivians reacted to news their September 6th general election is off by taking to the streets and declaring a General Strike. It’s a dangerous move considering interim caretaker president, Janine Anez has shown little hesitation, or contrition, loosing the military and police to lethal effect on perceived enemies of her nine-month old coup regime. But then Anez can afford to be unrepentant because no-one is holding her accountable.
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.

Yves Engler and ‘Canada’s Support for Bolivian Coup Deserves Closer Scrutiny’ in the second half.

And; CFUV broadcaster and host of Plant Powered Radio, Janine Bandcroft will be here at the bottom of the hour to bring us up to speed with some of what’s good to do in and around our town in the coming week. But first, 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, Yves Engler August 7, 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 7th, 2020.

Bolivians reacted to news the September 6th general election is off by taking to the streets and declaring a General Strike. It’s a dangerous move, considering interim caretaker president, Janine Anez has shown little hesitation, or contrition, loosing the military and police to lethal effect on perceived enemies of her nine-month old coup regime. But then Anez can afford to be unrepentant about the lives lost through both her jack-boot political sensibilities and tragically incompetent mishandling of the Covid-19 pandemic, because no-one is holding her responsible. Neither the Organization of American States as a body, nor its northernmost members the United States and Canada seem concerned about the destruction of Bolivian democracy, let alone over the fate of those crushed underfoot in the process. In fact, in Canada’s case, it’s a welcome development.

Yves Engler is a Montréal-based activist, essayist, and author whose articles appear at The Palestine Chronicle, Pacific Free Press, and at his site, YvesEngler.com among other places. The latest of Engler’s eleven books, ‘HOU$E of MIRRORS: Justin Trudeau’s Foreign Policy‘ questions the Liberals’ progressive pretense, while challenging the persistent national delusion that Canadians are “a benevolent force in the world”. His recent article, ‘Canada’s Support for Bolivian Coup Deserves Closer Scrutiny’ appears at Ricochet.

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, Yves Engler, Patricio Zamorano, Janine Bandcroft June 11th, 2020

Welcome back to GR, where we are NOT reporting live from the CFUV studios in the basement of the Student Union Building at the University of Victoria, but instead are recording live to tape via Skype on this day, May 21st, 2020.

Canada’s prime minister has little to show for his time in office. Over six years, the Liberal party, that began it’s mandate with such sunny prospects, has both failed to fulfill its soaring rhetoric, and revealed itself as little more than a pale reflection of its opposition in the Parliament. Through everything though, Justin Trudeau has kept a vigilant eye on his personal legacy, and for him that glory lay on a larger stage than his parochial, peripheral Canadian homeland. No, Justin’s destiny is global, and the first step in that direction is conquering the World, in the body of the United Nations Security Council. But, Justin has a small problem. The people unhappy with the country’s human rights and foreign policy record are using Canada’s shameless lobbying and self-promotion to get on the council as opportunity to highlight all the reasons it should be considered unfit for the job.

Yves Engler is a Montréal-based activist, essayist, and author whose articles appear at The Palestine Chronicle, Pacific Free Press, and at his site, YvesEngler.ca among other places. Yves is also a key organizer with Disruption Network Canada, which has mobilized activists to challenge politicians through peaceful, direct action.The latest of Engler’s eleven books, ‘HOU$E of MIRRORS: Justin Trudeau’s Foreign Policy‘ questions the Liberals’ progressive pretense, while challenging the persistent national delusion that Canadians are “a benevolent force in the world” despite ample evidence to the contrary. Yves is also signatory to ForeignPolicy.ca’s international petition calling for refusal of Canada’s petition to join the UNSC.

Yves Engler in the first half.

And; In the wee hours of May 3rd, a flotilla of lightly armed commandos raced across the Caribbean, headed for landings carefully chosen as beachheads for the invasion and liberation of Venezuela. Their mission though immediately foundered, with eight men being killed outright, and most of the rest captured immediately by local authorities aided by local citizens.

Patricio Zamorano is an academic, political scientist, journalist and television and radio commentator on U.S. foreign and domestic policy.He’s co-Director and Senior Editor at COHA, the Council on Hemispheric Affairs, where I found his recent article, ‘Guaidó and the Failed Military Operation against Venezuela: A Story of Betrayal and Financial Corruption.'”

Patricio Zamorano and the men who would be behind Juan Guaido’s throne in the second half.

And; long-time Gorilla Radio contributor, 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 – both real and virtual – to ge gotten up to in and around our town in the coming week. But first, Yves Engler and counting the reasons Canada’s ambition at the UN should be thwarted.

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, Yves Engler May 21, 2020

Canada’s prime minister has little to show for his time in office. Over five years, the Liberal party, that began it’s mandate with such sunny prospects, has both failed to fulfill its soaring rhetoric, and revealed itself as little more than a pale reflection of its opposition in the Parliament. Through everything though, Justin Trudeau has kept a vigilant eye on his personal legacy, and for him that glory lay on a larger stage than his parochial, peripheral Canadian homeland. No, Justin’s destiny is global, and the first step in that direction is conquering the World, in the body of the United Nations Security Council. But, Justin has a small problem. The people unhappy with the country’s human rights and foreign policy record are using Canada’s shameless lobbying and self-promotion to get on the council as opportunity to highlight all the reasons it should be considered unfit for the job.

Yves Engler is a Montréal-based activist, essayist, and author whose articles appear at The Palestine Chronicle, Pacific Free Press, and at his site, YvesEngler.ca among other places. Yves is also a key organizer with Disruption Network Canada, which has mobilized activists to challenge politicians through peaceful, direct action.The latest of Engler’s eleven books, ‘HOU$E of MIRRORS: Justin Trudeau’s Foreign Policy’ questions the Liberals’ progressive pretense, while challenging the persistent national delusion that Canadians are “a benevolent force in the world” despite ample evidence to the contrary. Yves is also signatory to ForeignPolicy.ca‘s international petition calling for refusal of Canada’s petition to join the UNSC.

Yves Engler and counting the reasons Canada’s ambition at the UN should be thwarted.

Gorilla Radio with Chris Cook, Ken Boon, Yves Engler, Janine Bandcroft September 5th, 2019

Last week, prime minister Justin Trudeau met in Surrey with BC premier, John Horgan to announce a joint effort that will increase BC Hydro’s contribution to fracked gas production.

The former provincial government bet big on the future of hydrocarbons, (as has Trudeau’s Liberals) and the NDP has picked right up where Christie Clark’s BCLiberals left off.

The announcement came on the very day West Moberly First Nations Chief, Roland Willson vowed the contentious Site C Dam project would not receive their support saying,

Stopping this dam has always been the right thing to do. It would have taken some courage and some leadership, but it could have saved British Columbia billions of dollars and produced a clear example of reconciliation with First Nations. ….

And, the West Moberly are not alone in their opposition to the mega-dam.

Ken Boon is a Peace Valley farmer and president of the Peace Valley Landowners Association. Ken and his family have lived at the heart of the resistance to the Site C dam project from the beginning and it’s a fight that’s cost he and his dearly.

Ken Boon in the first half.

And; Tuesday, August 27th 2019 members of Canada’s national police force paid a surprise visit to a citizen’s house hoping to catch him at home. It was not a criminal matter, the subject had broken no law; so what warranted such attention?

Montreal-based author, journalist, and social justice activist, Yves Engler is well known to authorities. He’s made no secret of his effort to make our political leaders accountable to both the laws of this country and international statutes Canada is a party to. But, with almost four years of bad faith governing behind it, and an expected Autumn election looming ahead, it seems the government would prefer not to hear from critics like Monsieur Engler.

Yves Engler and using the RCMP to silence political criticism in the second half.

And; Victoria-based activist and long-time Gorilla Radio contributor, Janine Bandcroft will be here at the bottom of the hour to bring us up to speed with some of what’s good going on in and around our town in the coming week.

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, Dougie Strang, Yves Engler, Janine Bandcroft August 22nd, 2019

How does one determine when it’s time to quit? When do you know your relationship with a partner, relative, job, or even the way you engage with the World has led to a dead-end? And, what then is to be done?

Ten years ago, two English writers, each convinced ecological campaigning in hopes of changing the trajectory of our modern consumptionist society was both doomed to failure and ultimately delusional, united to create, ‘Uncivilization: The Dark Mountain Manifesto‘. It proved the beginning of a project that continues yet, questioning “the stories our societies like to tell about the world and our place within it…

Dougie Strang is a Scotland-based writer and performer who’s been involved with the Dark Mountain Project from near its inception.

He currently serves as chair of the Steering Group, and also writes for the project’s books and website, and helps organise DM events and collaborations with other organisations. Strang says his performance work, “explores human/animal interactions, and our relationship to ritual and ceremony.

Dougie Strang in the first half.

And; with a Fall election call expected any day, the time couldn’t be better for Canadians to examine anew the state of the country’s political system; paying especial attention to Ottawa’s players as at their quadrennial electoral games.

Yves Engler is a Montréal-based activist, essayist, and author whose numerous articles appear at his site, YvesEngler.com, Dissident Voice, The Palestine Chronicle, and Pacific Free Press among other places. His latest, ‘Unifor aligns with Liberal foreign policy instead of international solidarity‘ is as round an evisceration of both the largest private sector union in Canada and it’s bosom pals in the Liberal party you’re likely to find.

Some of Engler’s ten book titles include: ‘A Propaganda System-How Canada’s Government, Corporations, Media and Academia Sell War and Exploitation’, ‘Canada in Africa – 300 Years of Aid and Exploitation’, ‘The Ugly Canadian – Stephen Harper’s Foreign Policy’, and his latest, ‘Left, Right: Marching to the Beat of Imperial Canada’.

Yves Engler and Our Canada, Ourselves in the second half.

And; Victoria-based activist and long-time Gorilla Radio contributor, 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, Dougie Strang, going to the Dark Mountain.

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, Yves Engler, William S. Geimer, Janine Bandcroft March 14th, 2019

Justin Trudeau’s government began the new year much as it left the old; mired in the mess of bad decision-making, and a foreign policy devoid not only of a moral compass, but lacking any coherent direction at all.

The scandale du jour surrounding the Liberals’ blind-eyeing of SNC/Lavalin’s Libya bribes and kickback schemes has Trudeau’s enemies seeing their opportunity to sunset at last the seemingly impervious prime minister; but are they and the hounds of the Ottawa press corps missing the real scandal?

Yves Engler is a Montréal-based activist, essayist, and author. Some of his ten book titles include: ‘A Propaganda System-How Canada’s Government, Corporations, Media and Academia Sell War and Exploitation’, ‘Canada in Africa – 300 Years of Aid and Exploitation’, ‘The Ugly Canadian – Stephen Harper’s Foreign Policy’, and his latest is, ‘Left, Right: Marching to the Beat of Imperial Canada’.

Yves’ numerous articles appear at his site, YvesEngler.com, Dissident Voice, The Palestine Chronicle, and Pacific Free Press among other places.

Yves Engler in the first half.

And; Wednesday night UVic hosted, Human Rights in Israel and Palestine: Canada’s Response and Responsibility. The expert panel, sponsored by the University’s Social Justice Studies, Independent Jewish Voices, KAIROS Victoria, and the Vancouver Island Peace and Disarmament Network questioned this country’s unquestioning support of Israel as no party in Parliament, or Big Media is willing to do.

William S. Geimer is an author, peace activist, Professor Emeritus of Law at Washington and Lee University, and military veteran who resigned his 82nd Airborne commission in opposition to the war against Vietnam. He’s gone on to represent U.S. conscientious objectors of subsequent wars, and advised peace groups near Fort Bragg, North Carolina, long the focus of peace demonstrations. William serves too as advisor on peace and war policy issues for the Green Party of Canada, and his book, ‘Canada: The Case for Staying Out of Other People’s Wars‘.

William Geimer, arguing for peace in the second half.

And, Victoria activist and long-time Gorilla Radio contributor, 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 SNC/Lavelin bringing Canada’s corrupt foreign policy practices coming home to roost.

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, Yves Engler, 2018 Year-Ender December 27th, 2018

Welcome to the last show of this busy 2018. The year ends with Canada’s foreign policy in a mess; and it’s all of our own making. Prime Minister Trudeau has staggered the globe from one policy dumpster fire to the next, his ultimate misstep, (assuming he can manage the year’s four remaining days diplomatic disaster-free) being the ill-advised December 1st arrest of Huawei executive Meng Wanzhou.

Though the Chinese government denies it, the arrest triggered the retaliatory nabbing in China of two Canadians, one an entrepreneur taking tourists from China into North Korea, and the other former Canadian diplomat and current Senior Adviser for North East Asia of NGO, the International Crisis Group, Michael Kovrig.

Kovrig’s detention, (and rumoured mistreatment) shines a light on the intersection of NGO’s, international diplomacy, and spycraft.

Yves Engler is a Montréal-based activist, essayist, and author. Some of his ten book titles include: ‘A Propaganda System—How Canada’s Government, Corporations, Media and Academia Sell War and Exploitation’, ‘Canada in Africa — 300 Years of Aid and Exploitation’, and ‘The Ugly Canadian — Stephen Harper’s Foreign Policy’. His new book, ‘Left, Right: Marching to the Beat of Imperial Canada’ is freshly off the press.

Yves’ numerous articles on the NGO/Neoliberal Order nexus appear at his site, YvesEngler.com, Dissident Voice, The Palestine Chronicle, and Pacific Free Press among other places, and his latest, ‘Why do Raptors associate with blood-stained dictator?’ explores the Giants of Africa charity and its partner, the Toronto Raptor’s celebration of continental tyrant Paul Kagame.

Yves Engler in the first half.

And; as it’s year’s end, a look back at some of the stories covered in 2018.

The Left Coast Events Bulletin hiatus continues this week, but Janine will be back in the New Year to keep us up to date with the weekly good goings on in and around our town. So first, Yves Engler and getting to know the NGO’s.

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/