Toronto Media Democracy Conference Denounces Corporate Media and Coup Plots in Bolivia and Venezuela

On Saturday September 20^th, approximately 80 people attended, "Media Democracy - a conference on corporate control of the media." This conference at Ryerson University in Toronto was held in conjunction with protests in Vancouver and Montreal as part of a Canada-wide day of action against coup plots in Bolivia and Venezuela. Given the title, the conference particularly focused on the role of the corporate media in promoting or justifying the attempt by US and allied imperialism to destabilize popular movements in Latin America.

The conference begun with Key-note speaker Linda McQauig, a prominent journalists and author of such books as "It's the crude, dude." McQuaig gave a lively and entertaining speech which focused on how Canadian Media has a structural pro-corporate bias. For example, when "The National," (the main news show for the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation), discusses Canada's war in Afghanistan, all four of its panelists are pro-war, even though a significant majority of the Canadian population opposes the war.

Through the day there were workshops on alternative popular forms of media, about the link between the struggles in Latin America and Africa, a workshop titled "What is Socialism of the 21^st Century?" and another one detailing recent conflicts in Latin America. Unfortunately, keynote speaker Eduardo Rothe, from the Venezuelan Ministry of Communications and Telesur, had to cancel at the last minute due to a car accident. Thankfully nobody was hurt. Eduardo apologized, explaining that while there have been many advances in the Bolivarian Revolution, there is still much work to be done on the quality of the roads!

The workshop on Latin America was presented by Maria Paez from the Toronto Bolivarian Circle Louis Riel and Camilo Cahis from Hands Off Venezuela Canada. This workshop gave participants a chance to discuss the role of the corporate media in organizing the Venezuelan coup of 2002 and in downplaying the frankly fascist actions of the Bolivian oligarchy over the last few months.

All the attendees at the conference were united in opposing the actions of the corporate media against working people in Latin America, Canada and worldwide. Mirna Quero de Peña, the Consul General of the Bolivarian republic of Venezuela in Toronto, gave the following welcome: 

"I would like to extend a warm greeting to you all, especially to Louis Riel Bolivarian Circle and Hands Off Venezuela, organizers of this important Forum: "Media and Democracy", and at the same time I would like to thank them and you the participants in this event, for your solidarity with our Bolivarian Process, led by our Honourable President Hugo Rafael Chávez Frías."

In turn, HOV and the Bolivarian Circle would like to thank the Venezuelan Consul, Ryerson University Student Union (RSU), the Continuing Education Students Association at Ryerson (CESAR), Ryerson Social Work Student Union and the Canadian Media Guild for their help and assistance - without whom this successful conference would have been impossible. Also, many thanks go to the presenters, Linda McQuaig, Camilo Cahis, Maria Paez Victor, Luis Granados, Anita Krajnc, Karen Wirsig, Carmelle Wolfson, Alex Grant, Asad Ismi, Omme-Salmar Rahemtullah and Samira Amndan. Political Hip-hop artists Stolen From Africa also entertained the conference attendees over lunch and helped round out this conference that is an important building block for the Latin America solidarity movement. With increased coordination by activists across the country, the movement can only go from strength to strength.

Photos by Peter Rzazewski

Greeting from the consulate to the conference