Editorial

Mini-Conference Report
On Preparations for the
World Congress of
Friendship and Solidarity
with Soviet People

September 21-23, 2001
Toronto, Canada


On Saturday, October 28th, Michael Lucas, Editor of NSC and also Chairman of the Organizing Committee for the International Council for Friendship and Solidarity with Soviet People, called to order the 27-30 delegates gathered at the Friendship House. We began deliberations to prepare for the upcoming World Congress for Friendship and Solidarity with Soviet People which will take place on September 21-22-23, 2001 in Toronto, Canada.

The first order of business was the selection of Michael Lucas and Ray Stevenson, NSC's Associate Editor, as chairpersons of this Mini-Conference. Due to illness, brother Stevenson was unable to attend, so Michael Lucas chaired the two-day event from beginning to the end. Rose and Ray Light were then elected to provide the official minutes of the proceedings. A decision was then taken to send the minutes to all signatories of the call to the World Congress and to communicate the news of this Mini-Conference to the readers of NSC also, plus an overview of it to be published in the December issue.

There were delegates from Canada, USA, Spain and Brazil. The composition of the delegates reflect the fact that this has been a Canadian-based initiative from the beginning and that it is the Canadian brothers and sisters who will be hosting the World Congress in 2001.

Michael Lucas provided the political leadership and initiated an upbeat, "can-do" spirit for the Mini-Conference with his Conference Report. Among other things, the Report raised the fact that, "as of now there shall be 37 countries represented by at least 94 delegates. That is a great achievement that all of us should be proud of!"

The Main Report also guides us on the kind of organization we should construct at the coming World Congress.

"The most important task now is for us to succeed in 2001 to set up an International Council for Friendship and Solidarity with Soviet People. Our grandparents did so in 1918 in many countries of the world when they set up the "Hands Off Russia" Committees. We are going to be the forum and the UNITED FRONT of people who are determined that the Soviet Union and Socialism be resurrected in the first land of Socialism. We cannot allow American imperialism to carry on the work that Hitler's fascism was not able to accomplish."

There was a lengthy discussion about the united front character of the existing Organizing Council for Friendship and Solidarity with Soviet People and how the struggle against revisionism and imperialism relates to this Council's work. While Michael Lucas emphasized the united front character of the Council, the representative of the Communist Party of Spain (Reconstituted) emphasized the need to follow the teachings of the classic leaders of Marxism-Leninism and wage constant struggles against revisionism and imperialism. In the course of discussion and debate of our differing views which in essence pointed to the intertwining of revisionism and imperialism, all aimed in creating disunity in the progressive movements. Despite its intense character, this debate was carried out by the main protagonists with a fraternal and optimistic spirit. In the end there was general agreement with the approach as outlined in the Conference Report: "Shall we allow all of these differences to be debated at our World Congress...? Of course we cannot allow this since we are NOT A COMMUNIST PARTY FORUM! But we shall give all these comrades a chance to express their ideas..."

Michael and Helen Lucas at the mini-conference.

Following the acceptance of the Report, which was passed unanimously, a strong round of applause was given to Michael Lucas for his excellent leadership of Northstar Compass and of the Organizing Committee. A second ovation was given to Helen Lucas for all her dedication and hard work in these efforts.

Michael Lucas read a strong message of solidarity from Luis Jalandoni of the National Democratic Front of the Philippines. The Editor also reported on the excellent work being done by Pedro Castllho of the Organizing Committee in Brazil.

Among the many decisions taken at this Mini-Conference with regard to the upcoming September 2001 World Congress were the following.

* Registration fee was set at $40.00 Canadian for all delegates to the Congress.

* A committee to host delegates coming from former USSR was initiated.

* A procedure for handling resolutions was adopted. Translation work at the Congress was addressed. Finances were fully discussed. Five chairpersons for the Congress were proposed.

Criteria for Participation in the World Congress:

There was agreement with the suggestion of Ray O Light that anyone who agrees with the Credo, as published in the March 2000 issue of NSC, should be welcomed to participate.

"Northstar Compass is the organ of the Organizing Committee to establish in 2001 an International Council for Friendship and Solidarity with Soviet People as a Socialist State. Northstar Compass carries on the traditions of "Hands Off Russia Committees" which were internationally established in 1918 to help protect the young Soviet Republic from foreign intervention. The aim of all Friends of Soviet People is international cooperation in building socialism and solidarity with Anti-Imperialist forces of the world who are struggling and fighting against U.S. Imperialism - the main enemy of mankind. Northstar Compass is the voice of all Friends of Soviet People.

Northstar Compass acts as a unifying force to consolidate and help to also co-ordinate the Anti-Imperialist forces of the world with the ongoing movement to restore the Soviet Union. We act as a united front, but we are not a forum for ideological debates. Soviet people themselves will choose the path towards socialism."

At Michael Lucas' suggestion, the Mini-Conference added eight people to the organizing Committee. They are: Professor Michael Ukas, George Hess, Dr. Adelard Paquin (all of Canada); Helen Blau (Georgia, former USSR); Mate Zalka (pseudonym, Spain); Teddy John Frank (Sweden); George Gruenthal and Ray O Light (both of USA).

Highlights of the Mini-Conference included the following:

* The commitment of Dr. Adelard Paquin to organize a French Canada (Quebec) branch of the Canadian Friends of Soviet People "Amis Quebecois du Peuple Sovietique, Section de Canadian Friends of Soviet People". Dr. Paquin also volunteered to lead efforts to spread NSC in the French language.

* A generous financial donation from the Communist Party of Spain (Reconstituted) and their commitment to help spread NSC to the Spanish-speaking world.

* The writing and adoption of a solidarity greeting and invitation to the participants gathered at the 2nd World Congress of Friendship with Cuban Peoples in November in Havana, Cuba.

* The decision to send up to three delegates of NSC to the International League of Peoples' Struggle Founding Assembly, May 25-27, 2001 in Europe.

* Financial pledges were made by almost all of the delegates in attendance to support the work of the upcoming World Congress.

* A letter to Soviet friends was written and adopted regarding the decisions of the Mini-Conference. The decision had been taken to ask each one of the dozen or so affiliated organizations, publications and parties from the former USSR to be prepared to answer the following two questions in the course of their 15 minute presentations at the Congress: (1) What is your party-organization doing to further the cause of restoring socialism in former USSR? (2) What do you believe that we (the International Council of Friends of Soviet People) can do to assist in this effort?

The final session was devoted largely to a frank assessment of the strengths and weaknesses of NSC and the Organizing Committee and how to improve the influence and quality of this valuable publication and promotion for the World Congress through Internet. With an international spirit, determination was expressed to extend NSC publication into French, Spanish and Russian languages in the future.

The Mini-Conference concluded with the singing of the Internationale and toasts were made to the future success of the September 2001 World Congress in Toronto, Canada for Friendship and Solidarity with Soviet People.

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