On June 21st, legendary Ontario labour leader Sid Ryan was scheduled to introduce Dimitri Lascaris’ lecture on ending the conflict between Russia and Ukraine.
However, the venue in Toronto was deluged with hostile phone calls and e-mails, demanding cancellation of the Lascaris talk. Consequently, the venue withdrew from the event, and it was cancelled.
In the following interview, Sid Ryan discusses the ominous politics of censorship and deplatforming of dissenting voices in Canada.
[Taylor Report] June 26th, 2023.
Sid Ryan: Dimitri Lascaris’ fight for peace in Ukraine is also a fight for free speech in Canada
Featured Guest: SID RYAN, veteran labour leader, former President of the Ontario Federation of Labour, and author of “A Grander Vision.”
Listen:
Download MP3:
Description (11 Minutes):
Phil Taylor interviews Sid Ryan, who was to be the chair of the Toronto meeting for Dimitri Lascaris’ lecture in Toronto. Ryan criticizes the UCC and other organizations which prevented Torontonians from hearing a call for a negotiated peace in Ukraine.
Ryan also decries the sending of endless arms and money to Ukraine, because Ukraine has virtually no chance of winning the war.
Dimitri wants Canadians to consider the large number of Ukrainians that have perished so far in the conflict and the many more who will do so if the war continues. Canadians should be grateful of the chance to hear Dimitri.
For his part, Phil Taylor describes the pro-war position of the Trudeau government as “tunnel vision.” It can’t seem to consider the view of Lascaris and the peace movement in Canada to change course and seek a negotiated end to the war.