From any vantage point on earth, the Northstar is the indicator of the true north. Because of this phenomenon, it was always used as a guiding light in the sky, by sailors and explorers, to help determine their position on the oceans of the world. Of course this was long before the launching of earth-satellites and the development of the GPS (Global Positioning Systems) that are in use today, and which to a large extent replaced the old compass.
But in terms of having provided direction to mankind, the Northstar and the Compass have been intrinsically connected and have been extremely reliable tools for hundreds of years. And that is why the name of our monthly publication Northstar Compass is such an appropriate name. For it too seeks to be a navigational tool, providing much information, guidance and direction to the affairs that take place on our earth, affairs that affect humanity in major ways.
This August we’re going to celebrate 10 years of publication. Thanks to a handful of extremely dedicated people and under the constant leadership of our current Editor-in-Chief, Michael Lucas, Northstar Compass was built upon the ruins of the Canada-USSR Association, which was left more or less rudderless after the demise of the Soviet Union. This Association had branches in 42 Canadian cities and did a tremendous job of informing Canadians about the USSR with constant visits, exchanges, delegations, trade union groups, cultural groups and Festivals of Friendship. The origins of the Canada-USSR Association was in 1918 when in many countries of the world, including Canada, there were set up the "Hands Off Russia" committees to help the young Soviet state against intervention by the imperialist forces.
It began as a search for answers regarding what had happened, to the "unbreakable union" that was the USSR. With virtually all of the old contacts gone, new contacts were made, both within and outside the former USSR. Northstar Compass gained new contributors and gradually built a large base of supporters around the world. The culmination of all this came in 2001, with the holding of a World Congress in Toronto, Canada and the formation of the International Council for Friendship and Solidarity with Soviet People and the adoption of Northstar Compass as its official publication by the delegates from 17 countries of the world.
For all this time, and in line with our historical role, our focus had been on events in the former Soviet Union. Many of us hoped that a quick turnabout was possible and that, in some way, the USSR could be restored or rebuilt within a few years, making it possible for us to reclaim our role as builders of friendship and understanding between our two countries. This hope was based on the Soviet people themselves, the Communists, the trade unions, the public organizations and institutions, veterans etc. It did not happen. Regrettably, I think that the people of former USSR suffer much the same loss of confidence and faith in their politicians, governments and also institutions and in their own ability to take control, as people in the capitalist world, where skepticism ruled supreme, opportunism is king, and individualism is the driving force of the society. The loss of peoples’ democratic control over the community, environment and a way of life is indeed being felt around the world. It will take more time to rebuild, but it will be rebuilt! People’s power is undeniable and, once motivated to act, it is unstoppable. The people of Venezuela recently showed us that people power is capable of re-taking the government that was overthrown by the hostile forces.
So, there is no reason to despair! After all, we DO live in revolutionary times. With the emergence of one single superpower in the world, determined to impose ITS rules and ITS rules only upon the rest of the world, peoples’ opposition is growing everywhere. Events in the former Soviet republics are now integrally interwoven with events in other parts of the world. A growing peoples’ solidarity is manifesting itself around the globe, seen in constant demonstrations in which millions are participating. We, at the Northstar Compass and in the International Council for Friendship and Solidarity with Soviet People are part of this global movement.
After ten years, our course is clear:
Friendship, Solidarity and Socialism.
Peoples of Former Soviet Union Unite!
Peoples of the World Unite!
Click here to return to June 2002 index.