Warning: This text has as its primary objective to develop a very honest review, so that
we can collectively we learn from this experience. This report is the result of a
collective reflection of the active members of the collective Emma Goldman in winter 2014.
It reflects, therefore, above all things, the reality as experienced by them. ---- To take
stock of our involvement in the Libertarian Communist Union (UCL), we seem justified to go
back a bit before the founding of the federation and recall thinking that led us to join.
---- For the record... ---- In May 2008, the activists involved UQAC (re) founded a group
called Collective Autonomous Anti -Capitalist Resistance ( CRAC- Saguenay). They consider
it important and then they see important to go beyond the academic world and the only
issues related to education. Their motivation is also enhanced by the absence of a
proposal to the left of Qu?bec Solidaire. Indeed, for many years, there was no alternative
organized outside the electoral arena for the Saguenay radical left.
CRAC -Saguenay therefore its infancy in the anti-military movement in Qu?bec. His
contribution was rather modest (participation in a demonstration in Quebec, picket against
military recruitment and display).
Just months after the overhaul of CRAC- Saguenay, the need to organize a federation
imposed. A long process of reflection ensues within the collective. Members then come to
the conclusion that to develop and embed a radical and militant alternative practice in an
area like the Saguenay - Lac -Saint- Jean, the only resources of an autonomous group and
furthermore isolated remained insufficient. The experiences of the first CRAC- Saguenay,
where the difficulties related to the lack of theoretical unity, which led to the
paralysis of the group and its disappearance, the activists took him then to respond
positively to the invitation to rethink the organized anarchism Quebec. "The organization
is required to share resources, break with localism and maximize the impact of libertarian
practices by coordinating our political activities. "[1] Their choice was also motivated
by the desire to participate in a positive political project ( anti-capitalism to
libertarian communism ).
Balance of the local community : A dissenting voice in this "Kingdom" for 5 years
Officially founded January 28, 2009, following the founding congress of the UCL, the
Collectif Emma Goldman (UCL -Saguenay ) took over the CRAC- Saguenay.
Despite limited financial resources and equipment available to the public when it was
founded, its members were able to lead and develop an analysis and an alternative
discourse and thus exert some influence in the region, the Saguenay -Lac -St- Jean. By
urban displaying, animating a blog, open letters, joint statements and various other media
(brochures, flyers, etc.. ), Members were able to animate some interesting debates,
generate strong reactions and implement some alternative ideas. To gather regional social
left, the group has also made numerous events such as anarchists cabarets, conferences,
book launches, public meetings, quotas in the demonstrations and " food not bombs " ( Free
distribution food). More fun in the summer of 2013, following the course of " anarcho-
soccer", weekly sports friendly and anti-authoritarians were held in different parts of
the city to gather a wider network of people with whom we share affinities.
In addition to having participated in the drafting and distribution of Common Cause, the
journal of the UCL, the collective founded during those five years, a regional libertarian
newsletter, The Pic -Bois, published three times until now. This bulletin, containing a
section of nearly 1,500 words, has enabled us to more comprehensively address issues and
realities of our region ( racism, radio garbage and " resource regions " ). Various
workshops introduction to anarchism were also held over the years in other cities such as
Alma and St -F?licien.
Over time, members, supporters and sympathizers of the group were also able to bring an
original and significant social mobilization and contribution to regional events. Whether
in our participation in autonomous action committee UQAC in spring 2012 or in actions of
solidarity with locked out of garages in the area ( to name them). Before the big " back
to normal " ( Fall 2012 ), an increase in the number of events in the region resorting to
civil disobedience was visible. As pointed Mayor Jean Tremblay in 2012, " the
demonstrations is tanning !" Repression, political profiling and abuse perpetrated by the
police, are in place several activists showed that, for the government, these ideas and
actions have upset a relative efficiency. Although access to justice we be very limited in
the absence of legal aid activist as there is for example in Montreal, the arrested of
events were organized es committee several times in the recent years to assist in the
steps of protest and denounce the repression.
The results of our involvement at UCL
Class Six, six cities in Quebec participated in the foundation of UCL. At the end of the
first year two class had disappeared, followed quickly by a third ( Saint -J?r?me,
Drummondville and Sherbrooke). Various factors have led to the loss - es of these groups,
one of them is their majority student composition, the difficulty of renewing the
"membership '' initial and overcome this situation. More broadly, it was equally difficult
in the UCL as the anarchist movement in Quebec to consolidate work / family -life / militancy.
Realities that differ
Participation in an anarchist federation has enabled us to work together to achieve a
large number of campaigns, publications and joint activities. This represents a rather
isolated geographically collective, an important, if not impossible to minimize
contribution in its maintenance and development of a broad and combative libertarianism.
Nevertheless, we made the finding through our struggles and experiences so that our ideas
resonate, we must first they are part of a consistent practice, credible and must be
adapted to a certain local reality. In short, it is necessary to draw on the experiences
of struggle and organization of libertarian circles Montreal, Quebec or elsewhere to learn
and local applications. This has not always been easy due mainly to the nature of social
movements in the region. Because it should be noted that with the exception of a small
fraction of the student movement a little more active, or some permanent and ongoing
initiatives of the community movement, the situation is not rosy in our region. The first
to point the finger are the directions of these movements mired for many years in the
defense of corporate and fixed interest in taking a categorical identity references in the
Quebec social democracy and sometimes even in the Catholic 'left'. These groups have
demonstrated their inability to adjust their discourse and action type to current needs,
while demonstrating extremely effective to act as a snuffer. This fact leads us to affirm
that the radicalization of social movements sometimes goes simply by their creation. The
regional situation has led us in recent years to juggle all federal campaigns and tools of
the Federation ( Common Cause, Out, etc.. ) To adapt as best we could with our reality.
Successful federal projects
If the first year of the UCL was marked by a few teething problems - a difficult campaign
to articulate a draft manifesto too - ambitious 2010 goal for members of the collective
Emma Goldman a positive and promising turn. Indeed, the months from January to February
was marked by a large lecture tour on the experiences of worker self-management in
Argentina with the participation of a member of the Red Libertaria group (Buenos Aires).
The tour stopped in several cities in Quebec ( in the region and Chicoutimi St- F?licien )
and Ontario and allowed the federation to develop many contacts. There is no doubt in our
minds that only the material and financial means of a federal organization allowed to
carry out such a project. We also believe that this kind of project both positive and
unifying allows decompartmentalize anarchism major centers of Montreal and Quebec, which
represents for us anarchists Saguenay a significant step forward. In return, it is rather
difficult to calculate the long-term impact of such events.
In fall 2010, the collective UCL organized a successful series of public meetings that
allowed people from different backgrounds to share their visions and perspectives of the
struggle against the austerity measures of the Liberal government. The federation then
puts the emphasis on social strike, direct action and feeds the debate on public services.
Issues evolving
In early 2011, a smear campaign is jointly organized by the radio trash and the extreme
right in the context of the legal challenge to prayer at City Council Saguenay. This
includes the "mysteries documents" ( libelous unsigned distributed under the mantle on the
internet and media ) and numerous death threats since affect?rent local activists and
local activists. For over a month, the Collective Emma Goldman, Rebels Saguenay and
individuals openly displaying left have been bashing on the airwaves of radio garbage
involving recurrent listeners slavishly repeated that leaders said. Victim of the new "
Fear of Red", the group was waved like a scarecrow to discredit all opposition es prayer
at city council City of Saguenay, as communism was brandished a scarecrow to discredit the
labor movement the Duplessis era. Therefore, members and supporters and sympathizers last
reassess priorities and challenges of the collective. If until this moment, it was fair to
say that the group benefited from the expertise and tools of the federation, it was quite
different to those attacks. This had as effect to accentuate the refocusing of the
activities of the local community.
Following a campaign of opposition to the radio garbage by citizens of the region
Collectif Emma Goldman was published with modest means and limited his first book, Radio
X: The sellers hate. To date, three launches were organized ( Montreal, Quebec City and
Saguenay) and the book was presented and distributed at many events.
Organizational duality
Maintaining a significant number of activists involved es within the group was and remains
a challenge at all times. However, the tasks ( invisible ) to ensure the functioning of
the group and ensure follow federal records remained the same. Fluctuating participation
in planning and organizing collective activities resulted in a limited Saguenay for
federal secretariat and other tasks related to the UCL contribution. In return, the amount
of federal caseload at regular meetings decreased energy and time to the organization of
local control. This reality of a doubt increased the task comrades [2] without shade. In
sum, the lack of turnover and specialization of tasks has led to some investment and some
comrades and exhaustion. This led subsequently serious organizational deficiencies during
disengagement ( collective and UCL ) for certain and some friends.
(Dis ) Union Communist Libertarian or the end of the only anarchist organization in Quebec
We dare say without too fool us, the experience of the UCL has shown that it may be
difficult to say the least (this is the least we can say ) to bring together activists and
campaigners various horizons while sparing the ego and sensibilities. Issues related to
the goals and visions that should take an organization to the location of its members or
differences militant culture ( Montreal, " ASS?iste "...) have thus proved important
factors disunity. This situation has led some members of discomfort within the
organization or limited participation in projects such as the drafting of Common Cause, to
name just one ci.Nous had also stressed this from the foundation of the UCL and
subsequently introduced into our practices and activists within the organization tools to
clarify the discomfort ( among others).
Ultimately, it is easier and quite understandable, given the voluntary nature of activism
to leave an organization when living disappointments (repeating ). And disappointments
have been many in the last five years: Whether it is in relation to the variable
involvement of members of ambitious action plans (too), projects deferred and unrealized (
manifest), a often too heavy organizational structure, an elusive theoretical and tactical
unity, difficulty managing conflicts. Insufficient communication tools sometimes
inappropriate communications, the nature of some debates ( baffles cock ) also proved
important factors of disunity.
With respect to male / female relationships within the organization, we recommend reading
the following texts :
http://chasseurdepuces.blogspot.ca/2014/02/de-celles-qui-resistent-ou-limplosion.html
http://yaastarougeetnoir.wordpress.com/2014/02/18/nous-naccepterons-pas-que-vous-re-inventiez-lhistoire-de-la-fin-de-lucl/
http://ucl-saguenay.blogspot.ca/2014/02/a-ceux-et-celles-qui-resistent.html
Finally, the organization is literally " dissolved" in 2012 as part of the student strike
( with the involvement of its members in the movement) and has really learned later
recover. The federation then appeared for some and some as inadequate in times of social
conflict. Obviously, this reality has been experienced differently a class to another.
During our meetings to produce this report, we pointed out, when we were out of our
perceptions of the UCL, the support we received from the federation in recent years was
more the fact that some comrades support of an organization. This can be explained because
the UCL was primarily a Montreal organization by the simple fact that the majority of its
members were located and the Montreal anarchist movement has a tendency, than stand on its
own. We note with regret that the path "normal" remains today: the resource region to
urban centers, leading to the activists of the region choose between isolation or many trips.
Finally, experience has shown us that share a common platform and ideas is not a guarantee
of unity and maintaining a group, network or organization. We believe that we need federal
projects and activist practice is also oriented on how to do that on the results. But to
do so, must still have the opportunity to collaborate with other collectives everywhere (
also putting forward a common core of anarchist ideas ) to organize campaigns on various
issues and join efforts. This kind of coordination responds to a need for efficiency in
our collective struggles that participate and support. We would go further and this is
probably what is currently missing in Quebec for the anarchist movement could spread and
take off the island of Montreal.
Collective anarchist Emma Goldman (ex- UCL- Saguenay)
Related Link: http://ucl-saguenay.blogspot.ca
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