The fight for full LGBTQ rights is one of the central human rights struggles of our time.

My partner Natalie, my kids and I were proud to to be able to take part in the Lakeshore LGBTQ solidarity initiative #LS4Love recently.

To me the fight for equality rights and against intolerance in our own communities, as well as expressing solidarity with the LGBTQ community in countries like Russia and Uganda is one of the central human rights struggles of our time.

Initiatives like Lakeshore LGBTQ and Social Action for Equality make our community a better and stronger place through their actions for LGBTQ rights and for human rights locally and around the world.


Links about LGBTQ issues in our community:

http://www.thestar.com/news/gta/2013/09/16/residents_rally_in_restaurant_dispute.html

http://rabble.ca/blogs/bloggers/michael-laxer/2013/09/love-time-homophobia-right-lgbt-couples-to-be-couples-public

http://dailyxtra.com/toronto/life/food-and-drink/day-at-the-lakeshore

http://www.insidetoronto.com/news-story/4502772-lakeshore-lgbt-community-launches-ls4love-media-campaign-to-combat-homophobia-in-russia-uganda/

Rob Ford: The misogyny, bigotry & conduct have to end.

From: Breaking very bad: Rob Ford's season four finale.
 

Ford has now taken a "leave of absence" from being mayor in name only and from his campaign. Presumably this is a last ditch effort to try to stay in  the race at all.  Presumably it seeks to distract, at an early stage, from  the appalling behaviour, misconduct and criminal activity.

We must ensure that it does not. Quite apart from civic policy, where Rob Ford's agenda is profoundly reactionary, his personal misconduct is a political issue of tremendous import.

If a wealthy white male with many political connections is never held to account for misogyny, homophobia, racism, intimidation of opponents, self-admitted criminal activity and obviously outrageous and unacceptable behaviour "on the job" that would get any other worker doing any other job fired, then one has to think that the political and judicial system that we live in now is just as corrupted and compromised as it ever was. Maybe it is.

Stepping "aside" to supposedly get "help" is not enough. Ford's conduct is not wrong because he has "problems." It is wrong because of who he is and what he represents. Rehab will not change the fact that he is an abusive bigot. 

That was what he always was and is intrinsic to not only his politics, but also the politics of those who support and supported him.

Read the full article here:  http://rabble.ca/blogs/bloggers/michael-laxer/2014/05/breaking-very-bad-rob-fords-season-four-finale

Free Transit: Can we do it?

Often when the idea of Free Transit is raised people like it, but wonder, understandably, if it is possible.

It is!

Tallinn, the capital of Estonia, has had it for over a year and the Free Transit movement is growing worldwide.

On April 11, 2014 I wrote in rabble.ca about how Free Transit is not only possible, but is a truly important environmental and social goal:

You can read that full article here:

http://rabble.ca/blogs/bloggers/michael-laxer/2014/04/free-transit-three-reasons-it-idea-whose-time-has-come

For many other transit related articles and ideas, check out our Transit Issue Page here: Transit

Free Transit is achievable, is environmentally and socially just and is the right thing to do!

Public Services Must Be Put Back into Public Hands!

In yesterday's mayoral debate all of the candidates affirmed their support for either the "status quo" or the further privatization of garbage collection in Toronto.

This is wrong. Garbage collection is a public service that should be in public hands and that should be operated solely for the public and environmental good, not for profit.

A fundamental part of the right wing austerity agenda is to make public services private. Eventually they would like to see all government privatised and run for the profit of corporations and Bay St. instead of for the needs of the community. They want to drive down wages and make the people pay for what should be free services.

If elected to council I will fight not only against the further privatization of any public services, including garbage collection, but also to put back into public hands all services that have been privatized.

Public services must be in public hands and operated in the public interest, not for corporate profit and greed.

Bringing an anti-austerity program of social justice, public services & higher wages to Ward 6

Our first election leaflet is in! I am very proud of this first campaign piece and want to thank all of my friends and supporters for their input, corrections and advice in the process of putting this together.

It would not have happened without you!

We want to get the first batch of these out to Ward 6 over the next few days and then print another round.

Bringing directly to the community an anti-austerity message of hope centred around:

- Public services, higher wages and fighting for a $15 an hour minimum wage
-The expansion of transit and the fight for FREE transit
-Housing and landlord licensing
-Police accountability
-Democratizing City Hall

And much more!

You can read the campaign manifesto here:
http://electmichaellaxer2014.blogspot.ca/2014/01/michael-laxer-for-city-councillor-ward.html

I also need your help to get this message out. If you can distribute the piece where you live in the ward or can come out to help distribute it...please let me know! And if you can make a financial contribution to help pay for this and future pieces it will be greatly appreciated and put to immediate use. Any amount helps. $25, $50 or whatever is possible.

Contributions of $25 or more are eligible for a rebate. Contributions of less than that can be made, but are not eligible.
For full details on donating please visit:
http://electmichaellaxer2014.blogspot.ca/2014/01/i-need-your-help-to-get-our-anti.html

Thanks to everyone who has donated and thanks again to everyone for their help and input.

I am looking forward to our campaign over the coming months!

Join us for drinks and discussion at our first Ward 6 campaign social - Monday, March 31!

Come out Monday, March 31, 2014, for our first Ward 6 campaign social. It will be an informal evening of drinks and discussion at Sloppy Joe's.

Everyone is welcome! Meet or catch up with me, other friends and supporters and members of the community.

Where: Sloppy Joe's,  3527 Lake Shore Blvd W. (It is on the 501 Queen Streetcar line, and is in between Kipling and Brown's Line).
When: Monday, March 31st, 7 p.m.

I also think Sloppy Joe's has the best chicken wings in the city. I even went for some with Irish Socialist leader Joe Higgins when he was in town. I wrote about it:

http://leftyfoodblog.blogspot.com/2013/06/going-for-torontos-best-chicken-wings.html

This will be your chance to let me know if I am right...about this or any other issue!

There is no charge or donation required to attend this event. Sloppy Joe's is fully licenced with a full menu but drinks and food are not provided. Children are welcome at Sloppy Joe's, but only until 9 p.m.

Please email with any questions!

I need your help to get our anti-austerity message out to the people of Ward 6!

Our first piece is soon to go to print...and we need to raise money to pay for it and find volunteers to distribute it so that we can start to take an anti-austerity message door-to-door. A message centred around expanding public services, improved and free transit, a comprehensive housing strategy and higher wages!

 

If you might have some time over the coming weeks to help us take the message door-to-door to the people of Ward 6, please email us at electmichaellaxer@outlook.com and we will get in touch! We have lots of doors to knock on and mailboxes to drop, so your help can allow us to get the message out!

 

If you can help out with a donation, it will be greatly appreciated and put to immediate use!

Any resident of Ontario can donate, and is eligible for a rebate. Contributions may only be made by individuals, not corporations, businesses or unions.

The donation can be sent via cheque or money order to:

Michael Laxer Campaign
c/o 2858 Lake Shore Blvd. W.
Toronto, Ontario
M8V 1H9

Or you can donate via Paypal or credit card by using the Donate button on the side.

 Any contribution of between $25 - $300 will be eligible for a 75% rebate from the city. Contributions over $300 to a maximum of $750 are also eligible for rebates. Please email us for any further information or details regarding the rebate program.

Please note that contributors who contribute over $100 will have their name and address posted on the City's website.

Help me advocate for and bring to City Hall a Socialist alternative to cutbacks and austerity, an alternative that will allow us together to build a truly better Toronto.