In reviewing a report by Roger Harris in Mint Press News,
about the international trade union conference in Damascus which both Harris and Lafleur attended, past Ontario Federation of Labour President Sid Ryan made the following observations about Canadian Labour Congress President Hassan Yussuff putting Brother Lafleur on administrative leave.
Sid Ryan wrote:
"one view of a complex picture, a view not often seen in the West. But whatever view one takes in the Syrian conflict, the US policy of economic sanctions, restricting access to food and medicines, is an illegal and unconscionable collective punishment of the Syrian people".
It appears the president of the CLC is taking his cue from the pages of the country's ultra right wing newspaper the National(com)Post. Donald Lafleur, an elected full time officer of the CLC, used his own money and vacation time to attend an international trade union conference in Syria.
Lafleur decided to use his vacation to educate himself and by extension the Canadian labour movement on the complexities of the Syrian conflict rather than simply accepting the biased viewpoint of the US or Canadian governments. Travelling to dangerous and troubled spots in the world to observe and report back is a time-honoured tradition in the Canadian labour movement. For Lafleur to be called onto the carpet because he gave up his vacation to learn of the effects the illegal US economic sanctions are having on Syrian trade unionists and their families is an affront to the principle of international solidarity. These are the principles we champion at every convention. Solidarity is not just a song we sing at the opening of conventions, sometimes it means putting the words or lyrics into practice by going into the heart of a conflict and observing first hand the plight of people impacted by years of imperial aggression and civil war.
Donald Lafleur made a statement to the media calling for the end of the inhumane US economic sanctions against the Syrian people. The sanctions amount to the collective punishment of the elderly, women and children. What could be more trade union like than a Canadian union leader standing in solidarity with fellow Syrian trade unionists in calling for the end to the inhumane US economic sanctions?
How we wish that Hassan Yussuff and his advisers who whisper their poison into the ears of the National (com)Post had the courage and integrity of Donald Lefleur to travel to Syria on his own dime to listen, to learn and to report back.