Photo Credit: Flickr, sylvar https://www.flickr.com/photos/sylvar/3054077849

In December 2018, as “Yellow Vests Canada” organized their first spate of protests, rabble.ca’s Brent Patterson wrote a great analysis of the Yellow Vests Canada movement, focusing on how it differs from its French counterpart. The Canadian yellow vests continue to use right-wing media and are gaining support of Conservative Party politicians despite the hate and bigotry that they spread.

With elections coming up, Karl Nerenberg nailed it when he asked “Will 2019 be the year of white backlash in Canada?” We know the danger that organizing using hate poses. It quickly gets out of control and people can get hurt. We need to organize against it. Here are some groups, both new coalitions and old hats, who are currently active in the fight against racism.

Anti-Racist Canada (The ARC Collective) has been around since 2007 as a group of diverse but like-minded individuals. The members of ARC have come together in their common desire to fight hatred, bigotry, intolerance and violence because of the harm these anti-social behaviours cause to our society. Currently their website has great posts digging into who is behind the yellow vest movement and exposing the internal stories and rifts. Yellow Vests Canada Exposed is another great resource which digs into the underbelly of the yellow vest movement.

In 2017, organizers who have been standing up against hate came together to form SAFE, Solidarity Against Fascism Everywhere. They are a great resource to find out about actions against the yellow vest organizing. Also rely on your local antifa organizations. 

And finally you are integral. All the bombast on social media makes so many of us shy away from issues which seem controversial. You need to stand for the planet and for progressive ideals. Get out and make it clear that you think the Global Compact on Migration and carbon tax don’t go far enough and should be stronger to make a real impact. Make it clear that you stand against the yellow vest fury and let’s win against hate. 

Maya Bhullar is rabble’s Activist Toolkit Coordinator. The Activist Toolkit Blog is the place to catch up on what’s new with the Toolkit. With roundups of newly added tools, highlights of featured tools and extra multimedia content, you’ll get up to date info on grassroots organizing.

Photo: sylvar/Flickr

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Maya Bhullar

Maya Bhullar has over 15 years of professional experience in such diverse areas as migration, labour, urban planning and community mobilization. She has a particular interest in grassroots engagement,...