Quote of the week:

"You don't need to have meetings to be effective." - former CSIS informer Grant Bristow, on why the notion of "leaderless resistance" was growing among violent white supremacists well before the shooting death two weeks ago of Wolfgang Droege, a former leader.

No Indians too many

Though Canada is now renowned for an immigration policy that is seen as relatively liberal and open, it has a dark history too often marked by racist attitudes.

With his latest documentary, Continuous Journey, Toronto-based filmmaker Ali Kazimi examines a particularly shameful chapter in our nation's immigration policy history. The film examines the effects of the 1908 policy titled the Continuous Journey Regulation, a piece of legislation set up specifically to severely restrict any immigration from India.

In 1914, that policy would have consequences when a ship, the Komagata Maru, arrived in Vancouver's harbour from India; on it were 376 passengers. Many were former members of the British Indian Army and therefore believed they would be welcomed in a Commonwealth country. The boat was surrounded by Canadian officials and the passengers on board became prisoners, stuck for two months as the standoff proceeded.

The filmmaker will be present at a screening of Continuous Journey this Thursday, May 5, at 7 p.m. in McGill's Leacock Building Room 132. » Matthew Hays

Anarchists ahoy!

Anarchy is in the air once again as the Festival of Anarchy kicks off with its opening panel, "The State of Education and Anarchist Alternatives," on Thursday, April 28, at 7 p.m. at L'Alizé (400 Ontario E.), $5 suggested donation. Panellists include Mexican student activist and political refugee Oscar Carillo.

Newly added this year is the arts and culture fair "Mayworks!" which begins this Friday, April 29, at Kola Note (5240 Parc). Doors open at 7 p.m. Performers include Paul Cargnello and Kalmunity, tickets cost $10–$15.

On April 30, the "March Against Poverty and Precarity: For the Rights of Immigrants and Refugees" begins at noon at Nelson Mandela Park (Plamondon metro).

On Sunday, May 1, anarchists will take to the streets at Sherbrooke and McGill-College for a noon march, to be followed immediately by an inaugural anarchist soccer game at Jeanne-Mance Park, with a league sign-up afterwards. Ultra-competitive macho jock types not welcome.

And don't miss the 6th Annual Anarchist Bookfair, Saturday, May 21, from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m., 2515 Delisle (Lionel-Groulx metro), free. For info call 859-9090 or visit http://anarchistbookfair.taktic.org. » Chris Hazou

Halfway homeless

Traditionally, a homeless guy had to pull himself up by his own bootstraps to return to the mainstream. Now there's another way. In 2001, the Welcome Hall Mission bought a three-storey building at Acorn and de Courcelle in St-Henri. They fixed it up and this weekend it's ready with posh little apartments where the homeless can live until they can return to the world.

The facilities offer a library, a gym and a food bank, with the second floor housing 50 men chosen from the 165 regular bunkers at the downtown branch. "Half [of the units] will be for the men starting the resident recovery program, to help them get off the street and build a life," says Mission PR rep David Lussier. "The other 25 units are for graduates who feel they need that community environment to get some support."

The newbies can stay for a year and the grads can stay up to two years. On April 30, the Octet Plus choir will perform a benefit for the centre. For tickets call Lussier at 523-5288 or 602-9389. » Kristian Gravenor

Free press day

Last November, the Mirror sponsored jailed Chinese cyber-dissident Yang Zili as part of a global campaign by Reporters Without Borders-Reporters Sans Frontières (RSF). According to RSF, Zili was arrested on March 13, 2001, and sentenced to eight years' imprisonment for "subversion" - operating a Web site that criticized China's crackdown on the Falun Gong and the economic hardship faced by peasants. His wife, a primary school teacher, was also imprisoned for several days.

With Tuesday, May 3, marking International Press Freedom Day, it's worth noting that China remains a poor place indeed for truth-seekers. RSF says there are, as of last January 1, at least 27 journalists currently incarcerated, making China the "world's biggest prison for information professionals."

This year, RSF will honour the "fixers," locals who assist foreign correspondents in everything from translation to taxis. "We want to focus on what these individuals do for freedom of the press and for democracy," says Emily Jacquard, RSF's Montreal representative. » Patrick Lejtenyi

REAR-VIEW MIRROR

10 YEARS AGO THIS WEEK
April 27–May 4, 1995

On the cover: A collage of Leonard Cohen's face, Jojo's hair, Chilean wine and a souvlaki, for the Mirror's sixth Best of Montreal issue. Montrealer You Lust After: Mitsou ("Again? Montreal, you've been watching too much television," the Mirror editorializes); Montrealer Closest to Sainthood: 1. Father Emmett Johns, 2. Leonard Cohen (same as 1994); Best New Trend: Inline skates; Worst New Trend: Body piercing; Best Strike: Baseball.

• Chris Sheridan reports undercover from Human Life International's 14th annual world conference on "Love, Life and the Family." On the Friday of the previous weekend, HLI, an extremely conservative, militantly pro-life Catholic group, was greeted by protesters. Riot police stepped in and arrested four. Sheridan notes that during the convention, "HLI leaders denounce the Mirror more than once as a ‘homosexual publication.'"

• The Mirror runs two photos, one in Artsweek (p. 45), the other in Listings (p. 52) of "Tigerbeat heartthrob Leonardo Decaprio [sic]," starring in The Basketball Diaries.

Angel >> More daylight-saving time The U.S. Congress is mulling over doing something right for a change. As part of a wide-ranging energy bill (the same one, alas, that would open up the Alaskan wildlife refuge for oil drilling), bipartisan lawmakers insisted on a measure that would extend daylight-saving time two months. If approved, DST would begin on the first Sunday in March, and end the last Sunday in November. If passed, pressure would then be on the Canadian government to follow suit, to avoid cross-border trade and travel chaos. Sunnier times also curb electricity use, so the move would be both economically and environmentally friendly. All hail the Sun, giver of life!
Insect >> The Tax Man Saturday, April 30, marks the end of the fiscal year. That means it's Tax Day, woe upon anyone who's late filing. Meanwhile, federal auditors, headed by the fearsome Auditor-General Sheila Fraser, blasted Revenue Canada recently over its poor security. According to a report based on an investigation of Revenue Canada's computers, government-issued laptops used outside the office were not properly secured, confidential information is being kept on easily-hacked computers and - this should fill taxpayers with confidence - bureaucrats didn't know they're required to report criminal activity. Revenue Canada now stands alongside the Departments of Fisheries and Oceans, Defence and Transport for coming up short when it comes to security.