We are a coalition of organizations uniting and working together to overcome the politics of division,
build community solidarity and fight for crucial issues of social justice.
Who we areWe are unions, faith communities, students, health care advocates, racial and climate justice activists and community organizations working to provide leadership in this political moment. |
What we believe inEquity, human rights and social solidarity, affordable housing, decent working conditions and a living wage. Universal, equitable health care for all. Climate justice and renewable energy for all. Respect for the rights and sovereignty of Indigenous peoples. |
Our goalsStrengthen collaboration and unity between community groups. Educate, organize and mobilize our communities. Broaden and deepen our movements and build collective power. |
Statements
Community Solidarity Manitoba Statement
On the rise of anti-immigrant policies and increasing militarization in Manitoba and Canada
January 27, 2025
Community Solidarity Manitoba opposes all federal and provincial policies that promote racism and militarization. The federal government’s 20% cut to immigration levels panders to anti-immigrant views in advance of a federal election, which is dangerously stoking rising levels of racism. Instead of addressing the cost-of-living crisis, the federal government has chosen to scapegoat migrants and avoid their responsibility for this issue.
By allowing 2.3 million work permits to expire in the next two years, the federal government is demonstrating that it views migrants as a disposable workforce which can be turned on and off like a faucet, rather than as people with needs for security and stability who have responsibilities to families and communities both here and abroad.
Reducing immigration levels harms the economy. Migrants fill vital roles in health care, agriculture, transportation and technology. International students alone contributed $31 billion to Canada’s GDP in 2022. Despite these significant contributions, the government continues to deny the majority of migrants access to permanent resident status, which provides them with their basic rights in Canada. A 2024 U.N. report describes Canada’s temporary foreign worker program as “a breeding ground for contemporary forms of slavery.”
Manitoba’s provincial government is also failing to adequately support migrants. One example of this is their unfulfilled election promise to restore health care coverage for international students. Each day that passes without equal access to public health care leads to unnecessary suffering, illness, financial hardship, and even death.
Provincial and federal governments of all stripes are responsible for the housing crisis due to decades of inaction. They have failed to invest in social housing, have not implemented effective rent control policies, and instead rely on the private market. These are the real causes of the housing crisis, not migrants, who are used as convenient scapegoats.
Community Solidarity Manitoba calls on the federal and provincial governments to uphold their obligations under international law to protect individuals and families seeking asylum. Pouring billions of dollars into border security and military spending raises the risk of racial profiling at the border. This situation forces many migrants with precarious status to live in the shadows, trapped in a constant state of fear and uncertainty. It has also led to injuries and even death at irregular border crossing points.
Militarization is on the rise in Canada. Our multi-billion dollar military budgets destroy the environment while robbing people of their rights to basic needs. Indigenous and migrant communities are hit the hardest. Many migrants seeking work and refuge in Canada have been forced from their homelands in part due to Canadian foreign military policy. This was a reality even before Canada's recent astronomical increase in its NATO commitment— nearly tripling military spending by 2032.
Canada's military spending contributes to conflicts around the world, including the ongoing genocide of the Palestinian people by Israel. The government of Manitoba shamefully awarded $17 million in grants and loans to Magellan Aerospace, one of Canada's largest producers of F35 fighter jet parts which Israel is using to bomb civilians in Gaza.
All levels of government, including Premier Kinew and the provincial NDP government, along with many institutions across the country, have been actively silent in an ongoing genocide, perpetuating anti-Palestinian racism, and avoiding accountability for respecting the human rights of Palestinians both here and in Palestine.
Community Solidarity Manitoba is committed to unity among a diverse and multi-racial working class across borders. The forces that displace people, drive migration, and commit genocides are also those that threaten the livelihoods of working people and have robbed Indigenous peoples of their lands here on Turtle Island and around the world. Our path is clear: we must link our struggles, build solidarity and power, oppose the forces against our very humanity, and create the possibility for a just world.
On the rise of anti-immigrant policies and increasing militarization in Manitoba and Canada
January 27, 2025
Community Solidarity Manitoba opposes all federal and provincial policies that promote racism and militarization. The federal government’s 20% cut to immigration levels panders to anti-immigrant views in advance of a federal election, which is dangerously stoking rising levels of racism. Instead of addressing the cost-of-living crisis, the federal government has chosen to scapegoat migrants and avoid their responsibility for this issue.
By allowing 2.3 million work permits to expire in the next two years, the federal government is demonstrating that it views migrants as a disposable workforce which can be turned on and off like a faucet, rather than as people with needs for security and stability who have responsibilities to families and communities both here and abroad.
Reducing immigration levels harms the economy. Migrants fill vital roles in health care, agriculture, transportation and technology. International students alone contributed $31 billion to Canada’s GDP in 2022. Despite these significant contributions, the government continues to deny the majority of migrants access to permanent resident status, which provides them with their basic rights in Canada. A 2024 U.N. report describes Canada’s temporary foreign worker program as “a breeding ground for contemporary forms of slavery.”
Manitoba’s provincial government is also failing to adequately support migrants. One example of this is their unfulfilled election promise to restore health care coverage for international students. Each day that passes without equal access to public health care leads to unnecessary suffering, illness, financial hardship, and even death.
Provincial and federal governments of all stripes are responsible for the housing crisis due to decades of inaction. They have failed to invest in social housing, have not implemented effective rent control policies, and instead rely on the private market. These are the real causes of the housing crisis, not migrants, who are used as convenient scapegoats.
Community Solidarity Manitoba calls on the federal and provincial governments to uphold their obligations under international law to protect individuals and families seeking asylum. Pouring billions of dollars into border security and military spending raises the risk of racial profiling at the border. This situation forces many migrants with precarious status to live in the shadows, trapped in a constant state of fear and uncertainty. It has also led to injuries and even death at irregular border crossing points.
Militarization is on the rise in Canada. Our multi-billion dollar military budgets destroy the environment while robbing people of their rights to basic needs. Indigenous and migrant communities are hit the hardest. Many migrants seeking work and refuge in Canada have been forced from their homelands in part due to Canadian foreign military policy. This was a reality even before Canada's recent astronomical increase in its NATO commitment— nearly tripling military spending by 2032.
Canada's military spending contributes to conflicts around the world, including the ongoing genocide of the Palestinian people by Israel. The government of Manitoba shamefully awarded $17 million in grants and loans to Magellan Aerospace, one of Canada's largest producers of F35 fighter jet parts which Israel is using to bomb civilians in Gaza.
All levels of government, including Premier Kinew and the provincial NDP government, along with many institutions across the country, have been actively silent in an ongoing genocide, perpetuating anti-Palestinian racism, and avoiding accountability for respecting the human rights of Palestinians both here and in Palestine.
Community Solidarity Manitoba is committed to unity among a diverse and multi-racial working class across borders. The forces that displace people, drive migration, and commit genocides are also those that threaten the livelihoods of working people and have robbed Indigenous peoples of their lands here on Turtle Island and around the world. Our path is clear: we must link our struggles, build solidarity and power, oppose the forces against our very humanity, and create the possibility for a just world.
Community Solidarity Manitoba Statement
On the Violence in Israel-Palestine and the Need for Local Governments and Communities to Promote Peace
November 1, 2023
Community Solidarity Manitoba was created to overcome the politics of division and build solidarity on crucial issues of social justice. Our local community includes people affected and in pain in the Jewish, Palestinian, and Muslim communities, and many others affected by colonialism, occupation, and war.
We unequivocally condemn all violence perpetrated against civilians.
We call for an immediate ceasefire of all hostilities in Israel-Palestine.
We call for an end to the blockade of Gaza and for the restoration of humanitarian aid and access to the basic necessities of life.
We call for the safe and immediate return of all hostages and civilians being held in detention without charge.
We call on all levels of Canadian governments and society to work towards a just peace, ensure the safety and security of communities here in Canada, and actively work against Islamophobia, antisemitism, anti-Palestinian racism, and hate.
As international observers, including the Human Rights Council of the United Nations, continue to sound the alarm regarding the risk of a genocide against the Palestinian people, we reject the portrayal of Israel and Palestine as equal participants in this catastrophe, which is the product of one of the longest military occupations in modern history. Canada’s military support for Israel creates an additional responsibility to the current situation, and we call for an end to Canada’s arms sales to Israel. The precondition for peace is for Israel to end the occupation and respect international law.
We are firmly opposed to any retribution against Palestinians, anti-war activists, workers, students, politicians, and others who voice their support of the Palestinian people at this time. Canada is a country that should support, without fear of retribution, the free expression of diverse views that do not contravene our hate speech legislation.
We call on the Government of Manitoba to recognize these calls and for the Government of Canada to uphold international law.
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The following members of Community Solidarity Manitoba have signed on to this statement to date.
Association of United Ukrainian Canadians
Better Manitoba
Canadian Federation of Students Manitoba
Communities Not Cuts
CUPE 204
CUPE Local 2348
CUPE Manitoba
Independent Jewish Voices Winnipeg
Labour for Palestine Winnipeg
Peace Alliance Winnipeg
Mennonite Central Committee Manitoba
Migrante Manitoba
MB Northern Ontario Synod, Evangelical Lutheran Church in Canada
Northwestern Ontario Manitoba KAIROS
Social Planning Council of Winnipeg
Winnipeg Police Cause Harm
Women’s March Winnipeg
Community Solidarity Manitoba Statement in Support of 2SLGBTQQIA+ youth
September 19, 2023
Community Solidarity Manitoba stands with all 2SLGBTQQIA+ kids. Those who are out and those who cannot come out due to the proposed policies of ‘parental rights’ advocates.
The United Nations Convention of the Rights of Children demands that “the child should be fully prepared to live an individual life in society, and brought up in the spirit of ideals proclaimed in the Charter of the United Nations, and in particular in the spirit of peace, dignity, tolerance, freedom, equality and solidarity”.
We call on everyone, including our political leadership, to ensure that all 2SLGBTQQIA+ folks can be their authentic selves.
Article 2 of the Convention on the Rights of Children of which Canada is a signatory is unequivocal:
We demand that everyone have access to safe(r) spaces to be valued and respected for who they are.
Parents and caregivers play an extremely important role in the education of children. Parent and family involvement in schooling creates better outcomes for students. During the pandemic, we saw parents and families cope with the challenge and unpaid labour of supporting their children and teens with remote school with very little support, significantly increasing the stress families experienced. Teachers and school support staff do an incredible job working with parents to provide the best education possible for students. But the fact is, schools have been dealing with the strain of the cuts and underfunding for years. All while the needs of students continue to become more complex and classroom sizes continue to grow. Our public schools and those who work in them need more resources to meet the needs of students, parents, and communities.
While acknowledging the important role many parents and caregivers play, we must give greater precedence to the rights of children and the accompanying responsibilities of parents, caregivers and educators to respect these rights. When schools or educators “out” 2SLGBTQQIA+ students to their parents or school community before they are ready, it can potentially leave them vulnerable to abuse and is a direct threat to their right to safety, as well as a violation of their right to privacy.
The Parental Rights movement seeks to expand parent oversight on how gender and race are taught in public schools. It seeks to create a false moral panic. It purports that by teaching basic facts on race and gender diversity, schools are seeking to impose a damaging ideology on youth and children.
Their movement is growing. There is Action4Canada which is a COVID-19 conspiracy group and Blueprint For Canada which opposes gender-inclusive sex education to name just two. In Manitoba we have seen multiple attempts to have gender-inclusive materials removed from public and school libraries. There has been a concerted effort to elect a slate of anti-2SLGBTQQIA+ school trustees. One was elected and proceeded to share social media posts that targeted the 2SLGBTQIA+ community with transphobic and homophobic comments. The Progressive Conservative party is the most recent to align themselves with this movement in Manitoba.
The evidence is clear that 2SLGBTQQIA+ people, children and adults have higher rates of mental health issues and suicidality through isolation, non-inclusive policies and actions. Through the various Winnipeg Street Census reports and Here and Now: Winnipeg’s Plan to End Youth Homelessness, there is evidence that youth first became homeless after coming out to families who then threw them out of their homes. Forcing schools to ‘out’ children and youth to their families will put those children and youth at risk if their families are not accepting.
Community Solidarity Manitoba stands in opposition to any movement that seeks to do harm. We are a coalition of organizations uniting and working together to overcome the politics of division, build community solidarity and fight for crucial issues of social justice.
Community Solidarity Manitoba Statement in Support of 2SLGBTQQIA+ youth
September 19, 2023
Community Solidarity Manitoba stands with all 2SLGBTQQIA+ kids. Those who are out and those who cannot come out due to the proposed policies of ‘parental rights’ advocates.
The United Nations Convention of the Rights of Children demands that “the child should be fully prepared to live an individual life in society, and brought up in the spirit of ideals proclaimed in the Charter of the United Nations, and in particular in the spirit of peace, dignity, tolerance, freedom, equality and solidarity”.
We call on everyone, including our political leadership, to ensure that all 2SLGBTQQIA+ folks can be their authentic selves.
Article 2 of the Convention on the Rights of Children of which Canada is a signatory is unequivocal:
- States Parties shall respect and ensure the rights set forth in the present Convention to each child within their jurisdiction without discrimination of any kind, irrespective of the child's or his or her parent's or legal guardian's race, colour, sex, language, religion, political or other opinion, national, ethnic or social origin, property, disability, birth or other status.
- States Parties shall take all appropriate measures to ensure that the child is protected against all forms of discrimination or punishment on the basis of the status, activities, expressed opinions, or beliefs of the child's parents, legal guardians, or family members.
We demand that everyone have access to safe(r) spaces to be valued and respected for who they are.
Parents and caregivers play an extremely important role in the education of children. Parent and family involvement in schooling creates better outcomes for students. During the pandemic, we saw parents and families cope with the challenge and unpaid labour of supporting their children and teens with remote school with very little support, significantly increasing the stress families experienced. Teachers and school support staff do an incredible job working with parents to provide the best education possible for students. But the fact is, schools have been dealing with the strain of the cuts and underfunding for years. All while the needs of students continue to become more complex and classroom sizes continue to grow. Our public schools and those who work in them need more resources to meet the needs of students, parents, and communities.
While acknowledging the important role many parents and caregivers play, we must give greater precedence to the rights of children and the accompanying responsibilities of parents, caregivers and educators to respect these rights. When schools or educators “out” 2SLGBTQQIA+ students to their parents or school community before they are ready, it can potentially leave them vulnerable to abuse and is a direct threat to their right to safety, as well as a violation of their right to privacy.
The Parental Rights movement seeks to expand parent oversight on how gender and race are taught in public schools. It seeks to create a false moral panic. It purports that by teaching basic facts on race and gender diversity, schools are seeking to impose a damaging ideology on youth and children.
Their movement is growing. There is Action4Canada which is a COVID-19 conspiracy group and Blueprint For Canada which opposes gender-inclusive sex education to name just two. In Manitoba we have seen multiple attempts to have gender-inclusive materials removed from public and school libraries. There has been a concerted effort to elect a slate of anti-2SLGBTQQIA+ school trustees. One was elected and proceeded to share social media posts that targeted the 2SLGBTQIA+ community with transphobic and homophobic comments. The Progressive Conservative party is the most recent to align themselves with this movement in Manitoba.
The evidence is clear that 2SLGBTQQIA+ people, children and adults have higher rates of mental health issues and suicidality through isolation, non-inclusive policies and actions. Through the various Winnipeg Street Census reports and Here and Now: Winnipeg’s Plan to End Youth Homelessness, there is evidence that youth first became homeless after coming out to families who then threw them out of their homes. Forcing schools to ‘out’ children and youth to their families will put those children and youth at risk if their families are not accepting.
Community Solidarity Manitoba stands in opposition to any movement that seeks to do harm. We are a coalition of organizations uniting and working together to overcome the politics of division, build community solidarity and fight for crucial issues of social justice.
Statement against "World Unity Convoy" 2023
February 16, 2023
We, the undersigned, denounce the return of a “Freedom Convoy” to Manitoba, rebranded as the “World Unity Convoy 2023.” Last year, we witnessed the rapid spread of misinformation and the frequent use of harassment, intimidation and other threatening tactics against downtown inhabitants. On the first anniversary of this divisive movement, we stand with the many communities across Canada who understand that these convoys are not about freedom in the abstract, but are part of a movement fueled by anger and hate.
The white nationalist agenda of the Freedom Convoy is well documented and precedes the COVID-19 pandemic. As many have observed, its original organizers were not from the trucking industry as claimed. Rather, these were former leaders of the Yellow Vest Movement, the Wexit Party, and other far-right interests, and a substantial number of its leaders were politically active in opposition to parliamentary motion 103 on systemic racism and religious discrimination. These organizers have previously attempted to stoke movements against immigration on behalf of the political right and against carbon taxes on behalf of the Canadian oil industry. The Freedom Convoy and its associated gatherings are just the next iteration.
The pandemic laid bare how inequitable our society has become. Far too many people struggled prior to the pandemic and lock-downs, job loss, and public health regulations added to financial and emotional strain. Our communities face many overlapping crises, including rising inequality, a broken health care system, systemic racism, and climate change. Community Solidarity Manitoba is a coalition of local community organizations who are committed to the actual practice of creating a safer and more just world. Together, we are members of labour unions, abolitionist groups, student movements, and social justice organizations with longstanding commitments to economic justice, equity, and public health.
We honour and stand in solidarity with the Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women, Girls, and Two-Spirit Plus Implementation Committee, and other Indigenous-led organizations who have denounced the convoy for its white supremacist values and practices, including its blatant appropriation of the issue of MMIWG2S+ to further a colonial agenda.
Last year, we witnessed first-hand the chaos and hostility that the convoy brought to our city, where downtown residents were menaced with symbols and epithets of hate for consecutive weeks. We call on the Province of Manitoba and the City of Winnipeg to prepare to actively respond to protect the rights of residents and ensure their health, safety and well-being during the presence of the convoy in the province. This requires a holistic response engaging multiple departments, including transit, social services, fire and paramedic, and more.
The right to gather and to protest is crucial, and our organizations have defended this practice time and again, on picket lines and in solidarity with marginalized groups in their struggles for liberation; but freedom of assembly does not extend to targeted harassment. As we continue to call for real solutions to deepening inequality and systemic injustice in our communities, we steadfastly oppose this new iteration of the Freedom Convoy for what it is--a movement of the far-right that recruits from desperation, and a distraction from the real concerns facing the communities where we organize.
Community Solidarity Manitoba believes that we must unite and work together to meet the multiple crises we currently face and to fight for crucial issues of social justice. We are working to overcome the divisions between us that are exacerbated by the Freedom Convoy and to provide leadership alongside working and low- income people at this moment. Our many organizations invite your participation. Working together is our only way forward to build, demand, and achieve a better world.
Association of United Ukrainian Canadians (AUUC)
Bar None
Canadian Centre for Policy Alternatives
Canadian Federation of Students Manitoba
Canadian Union of Postal Workers (CUPW)
Canadian Union of Public Employees (CUPE) Manitoba
Canadian Union of Public Employees (CUPE) Local 2348
Canadian Union of Public Employees (CUPE) Local 744
Healthcare For All
Independent Jewish Voices Winnipeg
Manitoba Federation of Labour (MFL)
Manitoba Health Coalition
Manitoba Northwestern Ontario Synod, Evangelical Lutheran Church in Canada
Mennonite Central Committee
Migrante Manitoba
Peace Alliance Winnipeg
Prairie to Pine Regional Council, The United Church of Canada
Social Planning Council of Winnipeg
United Food and Commercial Workers (UFCW) Local 832
Union of National Employees (UNE) Local 50773
Winnipeg Labour Council
Winnipeg Police Cause Harm
Women’s March Winnipeg
Together we canBuild
fairness for all
inclusive communities a social safety net |
Together we canDemand
a just transition
liveable wages decent work |
Together we canAchieve
education for all
climate justice a sustainable future |