US Preclearance

United States Border Preclearance

United States Border Preclearance is the United States Department of Homeland Security's practice of operating Prescreening Border Control Facilities at Airports and other Ports of Departure located outside of the United States pursuant to agreements between the United States and Host Countries.

Travelers are subject to Immigration and Customs Inspections by Customs and Border Protection Officers before boarding their transportation onward to the United States.

Preclearance applies to all Passengers (Americans and Foreigners) regardless of their Nationality or purpose of travel.

Upon Arrival, Precleared Passengers arrive in the United States as Domestic Travelers, but may still be subject to re-inspection at the discretion of American Customs.

The Preclearance Agreement is fully reciprocal, meaning Canada is allowed to operate Preclearance Facilities in the United States on the same basis as U.S. Facilities in Canada, including CBSA Agents’ expanded powers under the 2019 Agreement.

As of 2024, Preclearance has not been exercised by the Canadian Government.

 

History of Preclearance:

American Prescreening Border Control in other Countries began in 1894 when American Immigration Inspections were deployed to Sea Ports in Canada (Montreal, Quebec; Quebec City, Quebec;  Halifax, Nova Scotia and Saint John, New Brunswick.)

Once admitted, Americans and Foreigners would be given Documentation to physically cross the Land Border by train within 30 days without additional Inspection.

In 1903, the Pre-Inspection by the U.S. Bureau of Immigration, was extended to Victoria, British Columbia for U.S.-Bound Travelers before boarding their ship to destinations in Washington State.

Modern US Preclearance was introduced, at the request of American Airlines, in 1952 at Malton Airport (today Toronto Pearson International Airport) and Calgary International Airport both in Canada.

Over 250,000 Passengers were processed in the first year of Preclearance.

In 1957, Dorval Airport (now Montreal-Trudeau International Airport) was added to US Preclearance.

By 1970 the 3 US Preclearance Airports in Canada (Toronto, Calgary and Montreal) were processing 3 Million Travelers every year.

In 1970 US Preclearance was opened in its first Non-Canadian Airport on the British Colony of Bermuda.

In 1974, US Preclearance operations became formalized under Domestic Canadian Law with the passage of the Air Transport Preclearance Act.

In 1974 the Lynden Pindling International Airport in Nassau, the Bahamas was added.

In 1979 the Grand Bahama International Airport in Freeport, the Bahamas was added.

In 1979,  the Vancouver and Winnipeg Airports in Canada were added.

In 1982, the Edmonton Airport was added.

US Pre-Inspection for Immigration (but not for US Customs) opened in Shannon Airport in Ireland in 1988 and at the Dublin Airport in Ireland in 1994

In 1994, the Queen Beatrix International Airport in Aruba was added.

In 1997, Ottawa Airport in Canada was added.

In 1999, The Preclearance Act modernized the Process.

In 2001, Precclearance was updated by the Canada–U.S. Agreement on Air Transport Preclearance.

In 2006, Halifax Airport in Canada was added.

In 2011, the Shannon Airport and the Dublin Airport in Ireland were added as full US Preclearance.

In 2014 the Abu Dhabi International Airport in the United Arab Emirates was added.

In 2019, The Agreement on Land, Rail, Marine, and Air Transport Preclearance Between the Government of the United States of America and the Government of Canada was signed.

 

Implementation of US Preclearance:

In Airports with Preclearance, Passengers must first pass Airport Security Inspection before they can proceed to the Preclearance Area.

Security Checks are conducted by Canadian Air Transport Security Authority (CATSA) in the standards of both CATSA and U.S. Transportation Security Administration (TSA) Regulations.

Travelers who have passed through Preclearance Facilities, but whose flight or ship has not departed, remain in the legal jurisdiction of the Host Country.

 U.S. Officials may question and search Travelers with such Passengers' permission. Their power to arrest or detain Travelers (such as for Customs or Immigration Violations or Outstanding Warrants) is limited.

Passengers can choose to abandon their flight and refuse search, and unlike in the United States, US Officers cannot search them without permission absent an immediate threat.

 

Preclearance Issues:

In 2013,  when a departing Airplane full of already-Precleared Passengers in Toronto, Canada couldn’t obtain Takeoff Clearance due to worsening weather conditions and was forced to return to the Gate rather than fly to New York the American and Canadian Officials argued over what to do, the final compromise was that anyone who wished to stay in Toronto had to pass through Canadian Customs and anyone who wished to continue to New York on a later flight had to pass through US Preclearance again.

 

 

Current US Preclearance Locations:

Aruba: Queen Beatrix International Airport

The Bahamas: Lynden Pindling International Airport in Nassau

Note: US Preclearance at the Grand Bahama International Airport of Freeport, the Bahamas was closed in 2022 due to construction at the Airport. It is unknown when it will return.

Bermuda: L.F. Wade International Airport

Canada:

The following Canadian Airports operate U.S. Preclearance Facilities:

Calgary International Airport

Edmonton International Airport

Halifax Stanfield International Airport

Montréal–Trudeau International Airport

Ottawa Macdonald–Cartier International Airport

Toronto Pearson International Airport

Vancouver International Airport

Winnipeg James Armstrong Richardson International Airport

Note: US Preclearance Facilities are currently being constructed at the Toronto Island Airport and Quebec City Jean Lesage International Airport and are expected to open in 2025.

 

US Preclearance Facilities for Rail Passengers in Canada:

There are currently no full Preclearance Facilities for Rail Passengers in Canada.

Since 1995, Pre-Inspection for Immigration (but not for Customs) has been carried out at the Pacific Central Station in Vancouver, British Columbia for Passengers departing on the Amtrak Cascades trains to Seattle and Portland, Oregon.

 

US Preclearance Facilities for Sea Passengers in Canada:

In 2022, US Preclearance was opened at the Prince Rupert Alaska Marine Highway System Ferry Terminal in Prince Ruper, British Columbia.

 

US Pre-Inspection for Immigration (but not for US Customs) in Canada:

The Port of Victoria, British Columbia for both the Black Ball Line's MV Coho Car Ferry Service to Port Angeles, Washington and the Victoria Clipper Passenger-Only Ferry to Seattle, Washington.

The Ferry Terminal in Sindey, British Columbia for the Washington State Ferries' Anacortes–San Juan Islands Ferry Service to Anacortes, Washington.

The Port of Vancouver in British Columbia for Travelers on Cruise Lines that visit Alaska.

 

US Preclearance Statistics:

Today US Preclearance has 600 Immigration Officers and Agriculture Specialists stationed at 15 Preclearance Locations and US Immigration and Customs Officers have Precleared 27 Million Travelers (or 16% of all Commercial Travelers to the US.)

 

Possible Expansion of US Preclearance:

Brussels Airport, Belgium

Punta Cana Airport, the Dominican Republic

Narita International Airport, Japan

Amsterdam Airport Schiphol, the Netherlands

Oslo Airport, Norway

Madrid-Barajas Airport, Spain

Stockholm Arlanda Airport, Sweden

Istanbul Airport, Turkey

London Heathrow Airport, the United Kingdom

Manchester Airport, the United Kingdom

El Dorado International Airport (BOG) in Bogota, Colombia

Ministro Pistarini International Airport (EZE) in Buenos Aires, Argentina

Edinburgh Airport (EDI) in Edinburgh, the United Kingdom

Keflavik International Airport (KEF) in Iceland

Mexico City International Airport (MEX) in Mexico City, Mexico

Milan-Malpensa Airport (MXP) in Milan, Italy

Kansai International Airport (KIX) in Osaka, Japan

Rio de Janeiro-Galeão International Airport (GIG) in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil

Leonardo da Vinci-Fiumicino Airport (FCO) in Rome, Italy

São Paulo-Guarulhos International Airport (GRU) in São Paulo, Brazil

Princess Juliana International Airport (SXM) in St. Maarten.

 

Note: I have been through US Preclearance in Aruba; Nassau, the Bahamas; Toronto, Canada and Montreal, Canada.

Working Holiday

 

60: Keanu Reeves

 

Bob's Halloween

 

Disney Vs DirecTv

From Yahoo/LA Times:

“ESPN, ABC and other Disney channels dropped from DirecTV in contract dispute”

Disney's eight ABC stations, including KABC-TV Channel 7 in Los Angeles, are no longer available on DirecTV. Above, DirecTV satellite dishes in Culver City. (Allen J. Schaben / Los Angeles Times) Walt Disney Co.-owned channels, including ESPN and ABC stations, were knocked off DirecTV platforms Sunday after talks to reach a new distribution deal collapsed.

The blackout — which affects DirecTV's nearly 11 million customer homes — hit before the kickoff of Sunday's highly anticipated University of Southern California-Louisiana State University college football game and in the middle of ESPN's coverage of the U.S. Open tennis tournament in New York. The impasse came at the deadline for a new distribution deal after weeks of haggling between the two companies over contract terms and fees that Disney charges to carry its programming. Without an agreement, DirecTV and its U-Verse service lost the rights to carry Disney channels. “They want to continue to chase maximum profits and dominant control at the expense of consumers — making it harder for them to select the shows and sports they want at a reasonable price,” Rob Thun, chief content officer at DirecTV, said in a statement shortly after the channels went dark at 4 p.m. PST. Sports fans will quickly feel the pinch. In addition to college football on ESPN and ABC, the new NFL season begins later this week. ESPN is set to start its season with a "Monday Night Football" game Sept. 9 between the San Francisco 49ers and New York Jets, in which Jets quarterback Aaron Rodgers is expected to return after suffering an injury a year ago.

Disney's eight ABC stations, including KABC-TV Channel 7 in Los Angeles, are no longer available on DirecTV. That means viewers of local news and "Jeopardy," "Wheel of Fortune," "Good Morning America" and "Jimmy Kimmel Live" will be without some of their favorite shows. Customers in Fresno, San Francisco, Chicago and New York also lost access to their local ABC station. Other Disney-owned channels, including Freeform, FX and National Geographic, are included in the outage. “While we’re open to offering DirecTV flexibility and terms which we’ve extended to other distributors, we will not enter into an agreement that undervalues our portfolio of television channels and programs,” read a statement from Disney Entertainment heads Dana Walden, Alan Bergman and ESPN Chairman Jimmy Pitaro. "We urge DirecTV to do what’s in the best interest of their customers and finalize a deal that would immediately restore our programming.” It's not clear how long the blackout will last. A year ago, a similar tussle between Disney and Charter Communications, which operates the Spectrum TV service, resulted in a 12-day blackout of Disney channels.

The Labor Day Weekend clash reflects the television industry's economic strain. The shift to streaming and resulting cord-cutting has devastated pay-TV companies. DirecTV has lost more than half of its subscribers in the last decade. The El Segundo company now has about 11 million subscribers, according to industry estimates. This year marked the worse-ever industry drop in pay-TV subscribers, according to the MoffettNathanson financial research firm. During the first quarter, the industry lost nearly 2.4 million pay-TV homes in the U.S. — a 12% year-over-year decline, the firm said in a recent report.

Subscriber declines have squeezed Disney. The Burbank entertainment company has long relied on billions of dollars in programming fees that it receives annually from DirecTV and other providers. The fees are calculated, in part, by the number of subscribers that receive the channels. In addition, Disney's ESPN has historically been the most expensive basic cable channel, costing distributors nearly $10 per month per subscriber home. Disney has sought to maintain those premiums to help pay for its pricey sports rights contracts, including long-term NFL and NBA deals. The challenges set the stage for contentious contract talks at DirecTV's El Segundo headquarters. The environment has changed dramatically since the last time the two companies hammered out an accord. That was in 2019 when DirecTV was wholly owned by AT&T. Since then, the phone giant has spun its television distribution group into a separate entity and taken on a private equity partner, TPG, to manage the business. For the past year, DirecTV executives have been working on plans to increase its offerings to consumers.

DirecTV wants to offer genre-themed packages — think sports or general entertainment — to provide cheaper plans for customers who refuse to pay $100 or more each month for a traditional bundle with more than 100 television channels. Executives want to appeal to customers who have long pined for a way to sign up for only the channels they actually watch. But, according to DirecTV, existing contracts with programmers prevent it from widely offering customers curated packages. "Instead of allowing distributors like DirecTV to also develop smaller, more tailored packages at prices that reflect the value they get from the content, programmers have continued to impose and enforce strict bundling requirements," DirecTV said in a position paper in late August.

The expiration of the 2019 distribution deal with Disney has given DirecTV an opening to try to change contract terms. The satellite TV company said it has asked Disney to ease a key distribution requirement — minimum penetration rates. For example, Disney's deals require that DirecTV and other distributors provide ESPN to a minimum of nearly 80% of its customer base. DirecTV maintains that such "antiquated" penetration rates "force pay TV customers to subscribe to many channels they may not watch," and the contracts limit DirecTV's ability to offer smaller and less-expensive packages. During the negotiations, Disney said it offered DirecTV with more flexibility to tailor "skinny" genre-themed packages that it wanted for its customers. The Burbank company also agreed to work with DirecTV on the minimum penetration rates, Thun said. "But not enough to really change the game for us," Thun said in an interview. "We moved much further than they have [during the negotiations], and what they put on the table in terms of skinny bundles was not the total amount that we had asked for." Making a wholesale switch could reduce revenue flowing to Disney at a critical time. Disney's stock has been under pressure amid softness at its theme parks and resorts and shares have been trading near five-year lows. On Friday, Disney closed up nearly 1% to $90.38.

Last year's outage of ESPN and other Disney channels on Charter's Spectrum ended with an agreement that saw several smaller Disney channels, including Freeform and Disney Jr., dropped from Spectrum's lineup. In the end, both companies said they came away with a win. Charter didn't force the issue of penetration rates. Instead, Disney and Charter agreed to widen the reach of the Burbank company's streaming services, including Disney+ into Spectrum homes. Disney executives had been hoping last year's Charter agreement can provide a template for a pact with DirecTV. In the end, the weekend talks broke down over economics, executives said. "We continue to invest in really high-quality content — scripted entertainment, ABC News and sports rights," Justin Connolly, Disney’s president of platform distribution, said in an interview last week." All of those things continue to increase in cost for us and ... the rates that we are asking for are in-line with what we have with other providers in the marketplace."

^ As usual two big companies (Disney and DirecTv) are putting themselves over their Customers. ^

https://finance.yahoo.com/news/espn-abc-other-disney-channels-231023183.html

Fête du Travail/Labour Day

Fête du Travail/Labour Day

Labour Day, the first Monday in September, has been a statutory holiday in Canada since 1894. It originated in the first workers’ rallies of the Victorian era. Historically, workers marked the day with various activities. These included parades, speeches, games, amateur competitions and picnics. The holiday promoted working-class solidarity and belonging during a time of rapid industrialization. Since the Second World War, fewer and fewer people have participated in Labour Day activities. Nevertheless, it remains a statutory holiday. Many Canadians now devote the Labour Day holiday to leisure activity and family time.

First Celebrations and American Influence:   Before the 1880s, people held sporadic festivities in connection with larger labour movements. Some historians trace the origin of Labour Day to the Nine Hour Movement (1872). Labour organizations began to hold celebrations more frequently following a labour convention in New York in September 1882. Spurred on by this initial success, the American Federation of Labor and the Knights of Labor actively promoted workers’ celebrations on the first Monday in September in the United States. The Canadian chapters of these organizations did the same. Records show similar gatherings in Toronto (1882); Hamilton and Oshawa (1883); Montreal (1886);  St. Catharines (1887); Halifax (1888); Ottawa and Vancouver (1890); and London (1892).

Statutory Holiday:    As the event grew more popular nationwide, labour organizations pressured governments to declare the first Monday in September a statutory holiday (see National Holidays). Their impact was significant enough that the Royal Commission on the Relations of Labor and Capital in Canada (1886–89) recommended that the federal government establish a “labour day.” Before this, the day had official status in only a few municipalities. Montreal, for example, declared it a civic holiday in 1889. In March and April 1894, more than 50 labour organizations from Ontario, Quebec, New Brunswick,  Manitoba and British Columbia petitioned parliamentarians. These groups included several regional trade and labour councils, as well as local assemblies of the Knights of Labor. They based their lobbying movement on similar initiatives from American unions. In the House of Commons, a bill sponsored by Prime Minister John Thompson prompted the debate about the holiday’s legal status in May 1894. The House passed an amended holiday law without major discussion. It received royal assent on 23 July. The United States federal government also recognized the holiday in 1894. The provinces had no choice but to adapt. For example, Quebec parliamentarians announced that the province’s courts would not sit on the first Monday in September of that year. It wasn’t until 1899 that the province granted the holiday legal status, ordering school boards to delay the start of classes until after the first Monday in September.

Parades and Popular Celebrations:   Canadians celebrated Labour Day with much ceremony on 3 September 1894. In Montreal, the city’s Trades and Labour Congress played a key role in organizing events for the day. A parade set out from the Champ de Mars park at 9:00 a.m. Its divisions grouped together  unions representing the same trade. The Grande-Hermine local assembly of the Knights of Labor led the way. It guided participants to a park where they held speeches, games and a picnic. In Quebec City, the Trades and Labour Congress chose instead to hold a mass followed by entertainment. This included bicycle competitions, foot races and a lacrosse match. Until the early 1950s, labour organizations held similar Labour Day celebrations throughout Canada. They tread a fine line between politics and pleasure, maintaining the tradition of the Victorian-era holidays. The event served as a forum for unions to voice their demands. But it also helped build working-class identity and allowed time for rest and socializing outside the workplace. The image of the tradesman and the male breadwinner was front and centre in the festivities. Although working women attended and helped organize events by preparing food for participants, they rarely featured in the parade. The military-style marching was at odds with the image of respectability imposed upon women at the time. But for a few exceptions, their role was limited to waving at the crowd from floats as wives or ancillary workers (see Women in the Labour Force). The absence of unskilled and non-unionized workers also limited the participation of immigrant workers, members of racialized communities and Indigenous people. The parade was the main event. Depending on the city, it could attract thousands of participants and spectators. It became more elaborate over time. Drawing inspiration from other popular parades, organizers added floats and marching bands. In Quebec, the holiday had a strong religious connotation. This grew with the development of Catholic unionism. Particularly influential in Quebec was the 1921 creation of the Catholic Workers Confederation of Canada. In 1960, it became the Confederation of National Trade Unions.

Decline of Labour Day:   In the 1950s, Labour Day festivities began to draw fewer and fewer participants. In Montreal, organizers tried for a time to replace the parade with a performance and ceremonies. They saw little success, however. There were several reasons for this decline. According to historian Jacques Rouillard, the emergence of a leisure and consumer society meant that people were more likely to leave town or relax with family than attend a parade. Participation decreased further due to changes in the world of trade unions. Craft unions had traditionally organized Labour Day events. But the rise of industrial unionism, representing unskilled and semi-skilled workers, changed the day’s impact and meaning. Not everyone identified with the traditional “pride in the trade” message repeated during the celebrations. Furthermore, the Cold War divided organized labour into various rival factions. This made organizing festivities more difficult. Competing events also took participants away from Labour Day festivities. Socialists, communists and Marxists celebrated May Day, or International Workers’ Day (1 May). Over time, this holiday acquired a more militant character than Labour Day. Many unions chose to hold their parade on that day instead. Similarly, in the mid-1970s, International Women’s Day (8 March) became an alternative celebration for feminist unionism. Formal Labour Day celebrations nevertheless continue today alongside informal celebrations. For example, parades are still held in Toronto and Ottawa on the first Monday in September.

 

Fête du Travail au Canada

La fête du Travail, célébrée tous les premiers lundis de septembre, est un jour férié au Canada depuis 1894. Elle tire ses origines des premiers rassemblements ouvriers de l’époque victorienne. Historiquement, les travailleurs soulignaient l’occasion par plusieurs activités, telles des défilés, des discours, des jeux et compétitions amateurs ainsi que des pique-niques. La fête promouvait la solidarité et un sentiment d’appartenance à la classe ouvrière à une époque d’industrialisation accélérée. Depuis la Deuxième Guerre mondiale, de moins en moins de personnes participent aux activités de la fête du Travail. Malgré tout, elle demeure un jour férié, que beaucoup de Canadiens utilisent pour se reposer ou passer du temps en famille.

Les premières fêtes et l’influence américaine:   Avant les années1880, le peuple organise sporadiquement des fêtes associées à des mouvements de revendication ouvriers plus larges. Certains historiens établissent d’ailleurs l’origine de la fête duTravail au Mouvement pour une journée de travail de neuf heures (1872).  À la suite d’une convention ouvrière à New York en septembre 1882, des organisations ouvrières commencent à organiser des célébrations plus fréquemment. Forts de ce premier succès, la Fédération américaine du travail (American Federation of Labor) et les Chevaliers du Travail s’activent à promouvoir des célébrations ouvrières le premier lundi de septembre dans les États américains. Présents au Canada, ces syndicats y font de même. On trouve trace de pareils rassemblements à Toronto (1882), Hamilton et Oshawa (1883), Montréal (1886), St. Catharines (1887), Halifax (1888), Ottawa et Vancouver (1890) et London (1892).

Une fête légale:   Alors que la fête gagne en popularité dans l’ensemble du pays, les organisations ouvrières font pression sur les gouvernements pour que le premier lundi de septembre soit déclaré fête légale (voir Jours fériés nationaux ). Leur influence est assez importante pour que la Commission royale d’enquête sur les relations du travail avec le capital au Canada (1886-1889) recommande l’instauration d’une « fête du travail » par le gouvernement fédéral . Avant cette date, la journée ne jouit d’un statut officiel qu’auprès de quelques municipalités, comme Montréal qui en fait un jour civique dès 1889. Entre mars et avril 1894, plus de 50 organisations syndicales de l’Ontario , du Québec , du Nouveau-Brunswick , du Manitoba et de la Colombie-Britannique envoient des pétitions aux parlementaires. Ces groupes incluent plusieurs conseils régionaux des métiers et du travail de même que des assemblées locales des Chevaliers du Travail, qui appuient leurs revendications sur des initiatives similaires orchestrées par les syndicats américains. À la Chambre des communes, un projet de loi parrainé par le premier ministre John Thompson suscite le débat entourant le statut légal de la fête du Travail en mai 1894. La Chambre adopte la loi modifiée relative aux jours de fête sans grandes discussions. Le 23 juillet, elle reçoit la sanction royale., En 1894, le gouvernement fédéral des États-Unis reconnaît lui aussi la fête du Travail. Les provinces n’ont d’autre choix que de s’adapter. Par exemple, les parlementaires québécois réagissent en annonçant que les tribunaux provinciaux ne seraient pas en fonction le premier lundi de septembre de cette année-là. Ce n’est toutefois qu’en 1899 que la province accorde à son tour un statut légal à la fête, enjoignant les commissions scolaires à retarder le début des classes jusqu’après le premier lundi de septembre.

Défilés et fêtes populaires:   C’est en grande pompe que les Canadiens célèbrent la fête du Travail, le 3 septembre 1894. À Montréal, le Conseil des métiers et du travail de la ville joue un rôle important dans l’organisation des célébrations. Un défilé se met en branle dès 9 heures, le 3 septembre, à partir du Champ-de-Mars. Ses divisions regroupent les syndicats d’un même métier . C’est l’assemblée locale Grande-Hermine des Chevaliers du Travail qui ouvre la marche, conduisant les participants jusque dans un parc où les attendent discours, pique-nique et jeux. À Québec , le Conseil des métiers et du travail choisit plutôt d’organiser une messe suivie de divertissements tels des compétitions de vélo, des courses et une partie de crosse. Jusqu’au début des années 1950, les organisations ouvrières organisent de telles célébrations partout au Canada. En effet, elles puisent dans le répertoire des fêtes de l’époque victorienne afin de négocier la fine ligne entre politique et loisirs. Car si l’évènement doit servir de tribune aux syndicats pour exposer leurs revendications, il participe aussi à la construction de l’identité de classe des travailleurs et se veut un temps de repos et de sociabilité hors des lieux de travail. L’image du travailleur de métier et de l’homme pourvoyeur domine lors de ces festivités. Bien que des travailleuses soient présentes et jouent un rôle dans l’organisation des activités en préparant la nourriture pour les participants, elles sont rarement l’objet du défilé. La marche de style militaire du défile ne cadre pas avec l’image de respectabilité que l’on impose alors aux femmes. Malgré quelques exceptions, leur rôle est ainsi souvent limité à saluer la foule à partir des chars allégoriques en tant qu’épouses ou travailleuses auxiliaires (voir Femmes dans la population active ). L’absence de travailleurs non qualifiés et non syndiqués restreint également la participation des travailleurs immigrants , des communautés racialisées et des Autochtones . Le défilé est l’évènement phare et attire, selon la ville, des milliers de participants et de spectateurs. Au fil du temps, il se complexifie. Prenant exemple d’autres défilés populaires, on y ajoute des chars allégoriques et des fanfares. Au Québec, la fête possède une forte connotation religieuse, qui s’accroît avec le développement du syndicalisme catholique. Cela est particulièrement vrai avec la création en 1921 de la Confédération des travailleurs catholiques du Canada, devenue la Confédération des syndicats nationaux (CSN) en 1960.

Déclin de la fête du Travail:   À partir des années 1950, les festivités de la fête du Travail commencent à attirer de moins en moins de participants. À Montréal, on essaie pendant un certain temps de remplacer le défilé par un spectacle et des évènements protocolaires, mais sans grands succès. Plusieurs raisons expliquent ce déclin. Selon l’historien Jacques Rouillard, l’avènement de la société de loisirs et de consommation fait en sorte que les gens sont plus tentés de quitter la ville ou de se détendre en famille que d’aller au défilé. La participation baisse aussi en raison des changements dans le monde syndical. En effet, ce sont traditionnellement les syndicats de métier qui organisent la fête, mais avec la montée du syndicalisme industriel — regroupant des ouvriers non qualifiés et semi-qualifiés — la portée et la signification de la fête du Travail sont grandement modifiées. Tous ne se reconnaissent pas dans le discours traditionnel appelant à la « fierté du métier » véhiculé lors des célébrations. De plus, la Guerre froide vient scinder le travail organisé en différentes factions rivales, ce qui rend l’organisation des festivités plus difficile.D’autres manifestations concurrentes viennent aussi amoindrir le nombre de participants à la fête du Travail. Les socialistes , communistes et marxistes célèbrent notamment le Premier mai, ou Journée internationale des travailleuses et des travailleurs. Celle-ci acquiert avec le temps une signification plus militante que la fête du Travail, et bon nombre de syndicats choisissent de défiler plutôt à cette occasion. De même, à partir du milieu des années1970, la Journée internationale des femmes (8 mars) devient une célébration alternative pour le syndicalisme féministe. Aujourd’hui, la fête du Travail continue d’être soulignée formellement, aux côtés d’autres célébrations informelles. Des défilés se tiennent notamment toujours à Toronto et à Ottawa le premier lundi du mois de septembre.

https://www.thecanadianencyclopedia.ca/en/article/labour-day

https://www.thecanadianencyclopedia.ca/fr/article/fete-du-travail

Labor Day

Labor Day

Labor Day pays tribute to the contributions and achievements of American workers and is traditionally observed on the first Monday in September. It was created by the labor movement in the late 19th century and became a federal holiday in 1894. Labor Day weekend also symbolizes the end of summer for many Americans, and is celebrated with parties, street parades and athletic events.

Why Do We Celebrate Labor Day?:   Labor Day, an annual celebration of workers and their achievements, originated during one of American labor history’s most dismal chapters. In the late 1800s, at the height of the Industrial Revolution in the United States, the average American worked 12-hour days and seven-day weeks in order to eke out a basic living. Despite restrictions in some states, children as young as 5 or 6 toiled in mills, factories and mines across the country, earning a fraction of their adult counterparts’ wages. People of all ages, particularly the very poor and recent immigrants, often faced extremely unsafe working conditions, with insufficient access to fresh air, sanitary facilities and breaks. As manufacturing increasingly supplanted agriculture as the wellspring of American employment, labor unions, which had first appeared in the late 18th century, grew more prominent and vocal. They began organizing strikes and rallies to protest poor conditions and compel employers to renegotiate hours and pay. Many of these events turned violent during this period, including the infamous Haymarket Riot of 1886, in which several Chicago policemen and workers were killed. Others gave rise to longstanding traditions: On September 5, 1882, 10,000 workers took unpaid time off to march from City Hall to Union Square in New York City, holding the first Labor Day parade in U.S. history. The idea of a “workingmen’s holiday,” celebrated on the first Monday in September, caught on in other industrial centers across the country, and many states passed legislation recognizing it. Congress would not legalize the holiday until 12 years later, when a watershed moment in American labor history brought workers’ rights squarely into the public’s view. On May 11, 1894, employees of the Pullman Palace Car Company in Chicago went on strike to protest wage cuts and the firing of union representatives. On June 26, the American Railroad Union, led by Eugene V. Debs, called for a boycott of all Pullman railway cars, crippling railroad traffic nationwide. To break the Pullman strike, the federal government dispatched troops to Chicago, unleashing a wave of riots that resulted in the deaths of more than a dozen workers.

Who Created Labor Day?:     In the wake of this massive unrest and in an attempt to repair ties with American workers, Congress passed an act making Labor Day a legal holiday in the District of Columbia and the territories. On June 28, 1894, President Grover Cleveland signed it into law. More than a century later, the true founder of Labor Day has yet to be identified. Many credit Peter J. McGuire, cofounder of the American Federation of Labor, while others have suggested that Matthew Maguire, a secretary of the Central Labor Union, first proposed the holiday.

Labor Day Celebrations:   Labor Day is still celebrated in cities and towns across the United States with parades, picnics, barbecues, fireworks displays and other public gatherings. For many Americans, particularly children and young adults, it represents the end of the summer and the start of the back-to-school season.

Holidays That Fall on Mondays:    The Uniform Monday Holiday Act of 1968 changed several holidays to ensure they would always be observed on Mondays so that federal employees could have more three-day weekends. The Act, signed into law on June 28, 1968, moved Washington’s Birthday Memorial Day, and Columbus Day to fixed Mondays each year.

https://www.history.com/topics/holidays/labor-day-1

Day 4 Medals

 

Day 4 Medal Count at the Paralympic Games in Paris:

Besides those on this list:

Ukraine has 3 Gold, 10 Silver and 14 Bronze Medals.

Israel has 3 Gold, 1 Silver and 2 Bronze Medals.

Spain has 3 Gold, 3 Silver and 9 Bronze Medalls.

Poland has 3 Gold, 0 Silver and 3 Bronze Medals.

Germany as 2 Gold, 2 Silver and 5 Bronze Medals.

Cyprus has 0 Gold,  1  Silver and 0 Bronze Medals.

Kazahstan has 0 Gold, 1 Silver and 0 Bronze Medals.

Latvia has 0 Gold,  1 Silver and 0 Bronze Medals.

Canada has 0 Gold, 4 Silver and 4 Bronze Medals.

Russia continues to have 0 Gold, 0 Silver and 0 Bronze Medals – since they were banned for their War Crimes in Ukraine.

AFD Elections

Elections were held today in the eastern German States of Thuringia and Saxony.

Alternative for Germany (AfD) – A Far-Right Political Party which is often compared to Hitler’s Nazi Party won a historic vote for being the first Fascist Party in Germany to win a major lead in an Election since 1933.

AfD wants to bring back the Völkisch Nationalism used by Hitler’s Nazis to make German Society and Culture “Pure.”

Sounds just like 1933 Germany and has no place in 2024 Germany.

The AfD’s Leader in Thuringia, Björn Höcke, a Former History Teacher from western Germany, uses famous and illegal Nazi Slogans at his rallies: "Everything for our homeland, everything for Saxony-Anhalt, everything for Germany!" at the end of a speech he gave at an Election event for his Party in Merseburg on May 29, 2021.

The Slogan "Everything for Germany" ("Alles für Deutschland") was introduced by the Nazi SA’s and its public use is punishable by law in Germany.

Höcke claimed he did not know the origin of the saying, and argued he was "completely innocent.” Maybe he was just a very poor an unintelligent History Teacher too.

He was charged in September 2023 and convicted in May 2024. He was fined €13,000.

In December 2023 he used the same Slogan at another Rally and  on July 2024, Höcke was fined by a Court in Halle again for using the Nazi Slogan "Everything for Germany.”

AfD is also officially Anti-Muslim and not only wants to forbid new Muslim Immigrants into Germany, but also to remove the Muslims who have been living legally in Germany for Decades.

In January 2024, it was revealed that Senior Members of the AfD, including an Advisor to Party Co-Leader Alice Weidel, attended a meeting alongside neo-Nazi Influencers, where plans for the Deportation of Millions of "Asylum Seekers", "Non-Assimilated People", and those with "Non-German Backgrounds" were discussed, including those with German Citizenship and Residency Rights.

The event triggered the 2024 German Anti-Extremism Protests.

in 2023, Felix Klein, the Federal Government Commissioner for Jewish Life in Germany and the Fight against Antisemitism, stated that leading forces within the AfD relativize the Holocaust and that the Party condones Antisemitism.

Björn Höcke has also made several Speeches about Jews in Germany and about the Memorial to the Murdered Jews in Europe in Berlin saying that Germans "need to make a 180 degree change in their politics of commemoration.”

It also opposes Same-Sex Marriage in Germany and calls for a return to “Traditional German Family Values” (which is odd considering its Co-Leader, Alice Weidel, is a Lesbian and lives with her Partner, Sarah Bossard, and their 2 Children.)

In August 2023 a Journalist Investigation was published by “The Insider”, describing how money was funnelled from Moscow to AfD Politicians who initiated a constitutional complaint in Germany against the supplies of weapons for Ukraine.

AfD won 32.8% of the vote in Thuringia and CDC won 23.6% of the vote there.

The CDC won 31.9% of the vote in Saxony and AfD won 30.7% of the vote there.

Sadly, eastern Germans continue to openly support Authoritative Political Parties.

I guess living through the Nazi Dictatorship from 1933-1945 and the Soviet/East German Communist Dictatorship from 1945-1990 only brings back fond memories for most People living there and they want a return to the dark days of a Police State which forces its will on the People.

With German Federal Elections only a year away, the AfD is second in National Opinion Polls.

Without the support of other Parties, the AfD cannot govern in Thuringia, and the CDU has made clear it will not consider ruling with the Far-Right.

Mathematically, the Conservatives will need support from Parties on the Left to form a Majority.

It should be noted that 85 years ago today Nazi Germany invaded Poland and started World War 2 which resulted in the Germans murdering an estimated 50 Million Men, Women and Children throughout Germany, Europe and North Africa from 1939-1945 (that doesn’t include the number of Victims the Japanese killed.)

They say those that don't learn from History are doomed to repeat it and sadly, it looks like Germany is starting to repeat their mistakes from 1933-1945.

 

Favorite Place

 

20: Beslan

20 years ago today (September 1, 2004) the Beslan School Siege occurred.

(Hundreds of hostages packed into the school gym with wired explosives attached to the basketball hoop.)

33 Islamist Terrorists took over a School in Beslan, Russia on the first day of classes for the year.

1,000 Hostages (including 777 Children) were taken Hostage for 3 days.

The Terrorists mined the Gym and the rest of the Building with Improvised Explosive Devices (IEDs) and surrounded it with tripwires.

 In a further bid to deter rescue attempts, they threatened to kill 50 Hostages for every one of their own Members killed by the Police, and to kill 20 Hostages for every Gunman injured.

The Terrorists refused to give the Hostages food, water or medicine.

The Crisis was met with a near-total silence from President of Russia Vladimir Putin and the rest of Russia's Political Leaders.

Only on the second day did Putin make his first public comment on the Siege during a meeting in Moscow with King Abdullah II of Jordan.

In protest, several People at the scene raised signs reading: "Putin! Release our children! Meet their demands!" and "Putin! There are at least 800 hostages!" The locals also said that they would not allow any storming or "poisoning of their children" (an allusion to the 2002 Moscow Nord-Ost Theater Hostage Crisis where Putin ordered the use of a banned Chemical Agent and where 132 Hostages were killed and 700 (out of the 912 Hostages) were wounded and sickened from the Chemical used.)

On the 3rd Day explosions started (it is unclear if it was from the Russian Government or the Terrorists) and set the roof of the Gym on fire, collapsing the roof and killing 160 of the Hostages inside.

Russian Forces then stormed the School.

(Beslan Memorial Cemetery)

The Russians fired 9 powerful Shmel Rockets at the school from the Special Forces' positions.

The use of the Shmel Rockets, classified in Russia as Flamethrowers and in the West as Thermobaric Weapons, was initially denied, but later admitted by the Russian Government.

After the conclusion of the Crisis, many of the injured died before Patients were sent to better-equipped Facilities in Vladikavkaz, as the only Hospital in Beslan was unprepared to deal with the Casualties.

The day after the storming, bulldozers gathered the debris of the building, including the body parts of the Victims, and removed it to a garbage dump – to hide what Putin and his Forces had done.

The handling of the Siege by Vladimir Putin's Administration was criticized by a number of Observers and Grassroots Organizations, among them “Mothers of Beslan” and “Voice of Beslan.”

(Museum of the Terrorist Attack at the School in Beslan.)

334 People (including 186 Children) were killed.

783 Civilians (including Children) were wounded.

The majority of the Children were treated for burns, gunshot injuries, shrapnel wounds and mutilation caused by explosions.

Some had limbs amputated and eyes removed, and many Children were Permanently Disabled.

I was living in Russia at the time of Beslan and only received the Official Russian Government Censured Version of events from TV and the Internet (Foreign Internet Sites were blocked.)

I learned the truth of what happened when I left Russia 3 months later.

Hersh Goldberg-Polin

From the CBC:

“Family confirms Israeli-American Hersh Goldberg-Polin among hostages found dead in Gaza”

(Hersh Goldberg-Polin, a 23-year-old Israeli-American from Jerusalem, was among those taken hostage from a music festival in southern Israel during the Oct. 7 Hamas-led militant attacks. His family confirmed his body was located in a tunnel under the Gaza city of Rafah on Saturday.)

The family of Israeli-American hostage Hersh Goldberg-Polin says he has been killed in the Gaza Strip. The family issued a statement early Sunday, hours after the Israeli army said it had located bodies in Gaza. "With broken hearts, the Goldberg-Polin family is devastated to announce the death of their beloved son and brother, Hersh," it said. "The family thanks you all for your love and support and asks for privacy at this time." The Israeli Defence Forces (IDF) confirmed on Sunday the deaths of Goldberg-Polin and five other hostages — Carmel Gat, Eden Yerushalmi, Alexander Lobanov, Almog Sarusi, and Master Sergeant Ori Danino.

President Joe Biden issued a statement late Saturday night, he was "devastated and outraged" by the news of Goldberg-Polin's death. "It is as tragic as it is reprehensible," read the statement from President Joe Biden. "Make no mistake, Hamas leaders will pay for these crimes. And we will keep working around the clock for a deal to secure the release of the remaining hostages."

The announcement is certain to put pressure on Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to reach a deal to bring home remaining hostages. The Israeli leader has said military pressure is needed to win their release as ceasefire efforts falter. Before Israel's announcement, Israel said it believed 108 hostages were still held in Gaza and about one-third of them were dead.

Hamas-led gunmen killed some 1,200 Israelis and foreigners and abducted around 250 hostages on Oct. 7, according to Israeli tallies. Since then, Israel's military has levelled Gaza, driving nearly all of its inhabitants from their homes and killing at least 40,000, according to Palestinian health authorities. Israel says it has killed some 17,000 militants.

Goldberg-Polin, 23, was seized by militants at the Nova music festival in southern Israel on Oct. 7. The native of Berkeley, California, lost part of his left arm to a grenade in the attack. In April, a Hamas-issued video showed him, his left hand missing and clearly speaking under duress. The video sparked new protests in Israel urging the government to do more to secure freedom for him and other hostages.

Goldberg-Polin's parents became perhaps the most high-profile relatives of hostages on the international stage.

(Jon Polin and Rachel Goldberg)

They met with Biden, Pope Francis and others and addressed the United Nations. On Aug. 21, they addressed a hushed hall at the Democratic National Convention, where the crowd chanted: "Bring them home." Goldberg-Polin's parents were among a number of hostages' families who protested in Kibbutz Nirim, near the border with Gaza, on Thursday to demand to secure their release.  "Hersh, it's dada," yelled Jon Polin. "What you need to know, and all 107 of you need to know, is not only are the families here today and nine million people of this country, but people all over the world are fighting for you," he said. His mother, Rachel Goldberg, raised her hand to the sky as she spoke into the microphone: "We love you. Stay strong. Survive."

^ This is extremely sad. The US and Israel should have done more to save him and to save all the other Hostages. ^

https://www.cbc.ca/news/world/israel-gaza-hostages-killed-1.7310758

85: Invasion

85 years ago today (September 1, 1939) the Germans invaded Poland starting World War 2.

(Kazimiera Mika, a 12 year old Polish Girl, mourns the death of her older Sister Andzia who was 14 years old and killed in a field near Jana Ostroroga Street in Warsaw, Poland during a German Air Raid by Luftwaffe in September 1939.This photograph was taken by American Photographer Julien Bryan. Kazimiera Mika died in 2020 at 93 years old.)

The invasion of Poland lasted 35 days (until October 6, 1939.)

The German Invasion began one week after the signing of the Molotov–Ribbentrop Pact between Nazi Germany and the Soviet Union and one day after the Supreme Soviet of the Soviet Union had approved the Pact (which allowed the Nazis to invade western Poland and the Soviets to invade eastern Poland, Latvia, Lithuania and Estonia: the Soviets invaded eastern Poland on September 17, 1939.)

200,000 Polish Men, Women and Children were killed by the Germans during the Invasion.

During the 1939 Siege of Warsaw (killed 7,000 Poles and destroyed 10% of the Capital’s Buildings.)

The German Forces (both SS and the Regular Wehrmacht) murdered tens of thousands of Polish Civilians (such as the Leibstandarte SS Adolf Hitler was notorious throughout the campaign for burning villages[ and committing Atrocities in numerous Polish towns, including Massacres in Błonie, Złoczew, Bolesławiec, Torzeniec, Goworowo, Mława and Włocławek).

From September 1, 1939 until May 5, 1945 the Germans murdered 6 Million Poles (17% of its 1939 Population.)

3 Million of the 6 Million Poles killed during the War were Jewish Men, Women and Children.

3 Million of the 6 Million Poles killed during the War were Non-Jewish Men, Women and Children.

150,000 Polish Men, Women and Children were killed by the Soviets during their Occupation of western Poland (from September 1939-June 1941.)

375,000 Polish Jews survived the Holocaust in the Soviet Union (either fleeing by choice or being forcibly deported by the Soviets.)

60,000 Polish Jews survived the Holocaust in Hiding.

50,000 Polish Jews were liberated from Nazi Concentration and Death Camps.

200,000 Polish Children were kidnapped from their Families by the Nazis and sent to Germany to have the “Polish beaten out of them.” 30,000 of these Children returned to Poland after the War.

The Polish Military had 140,000 of their Soldiers killed during the War.

The Polish Resistance had 100,000 of their Soldiers killed during the War.

695,000 Polish Soldiers became PoWs during the War.

Lapankas (Round-Ups) the Germans would block off an entire Street and any Polish Man, Woman or Child caught on the Street or in their Home or Business would be taken as Forced Labor to Germany. From 1939-1944 an average of 400 Poles living in Warsaw were caught in Lapankas every day.

83: Stars

83 years ago today (September 1, 1941) the Germans required Jews in Germany, Austria and Czechoslovakia  to wear a Yellow Star of David with the German Word “Jude” for “Jew.”

(A Polish Jewish Man forced to wear a White Armband with a Blue Star of David on it by the Germans during World War 2.)

Every Man, Woman and Child over the age of 6 had to buy these Badges (using their own Clothing Ration Coupons) and have them clearly visible on their outer clothing (including a coat) so that they could easily be identified and discriminated against for being Jewish.

When Germany invaded Poland on September 1, 1939 they required Jews there to wear a White Armband with a Blue Star of David for the same purpose.

Parts of Poland had different Badges. In German-Occupied Warsaw Jews had to wear the Armband and in German-Occupied Lodz Jews had to wear the Yellow Star (because that part of Poland was illegally annexed into Germany.)

(Belgian Jews forced to wear a Yellow Star of David with a "J" for "Juif" (French) or "Jood" (Dutch) by the Germans during World War 2.)

In every European and North African Country/Territory that Germany occupied during World War 2 the Jews there had to wear similar Identifying Badges with the local name for “Jew” on it (French: “Juif”, Dutch: “Jood”, Croatian: Ž for “Židov”, English: “Jew” for the British Channel Islands which Germany occupied, etc.)

Failure to not wear the Armband or the Star or to “hide it” and not have it clearly visible resulted in instant death.

(A Croatian Jewish Girl forced to wear a Ž for “Židov” - or “Jew” in English - by the Germans during World War 2.)

This requirement was on top of every Jewish Man, Woman and Child having to carry an Identity Card with a large “J” on it – since 1938 in Germany and every German Jewish Man, Woman and Child having to add either “Israel” for Men or “Sara” for Women to their Names to be “more easily recognizable as Jews” – since 1936.

The Germans wanted to first identity the Jews and then to murder them.

Knowledge Day

Knowledge Day

Today (September 1st) is Knowledge Day (День знань) in Ukraine.

It is the first day of the new School Year. After almost 3 years of War here is how this Knowledge Day is different from others.

For Ukrainian Children Forced to Flee Ukraine: They have to go to a new School, meet new Friends, learn a new Language in a new Country.

For Ukrainian Children in Ukrainian-Held Ukraine: They have their classes in bombed-out schools. They have to run to the Air Raid Shelter when the Russians bomb them.

For Ukrainian Children in Russian-Occupied Ukraine: They have their classes in bombed-out schools. They have to run to the Air Raid Shelter when the bombs fall. They are forced to use the Russian Language and learn the Russian Nazi Curriculum. They are punished severely if they use the Ukrainian Language.

Millions of Ukrainian Children have been killed or wounded by the Russians and those that haven’t continue to be traumatized by Russian Bombs, Bullets and Soldiers on a daily basis.

Holidays

September 2024 Calendar with Holidays

September Monthly Celebrations

Baby Safety Month

Chicken Month

Better Breakfast Month

Classical Music Month

Fall Hat Month

Happy Cat Month

Hispanic Heritage Month

Honey Month

International Square-Dancing Month

Little League Month

National Blueberry Popsicle Month

National Courtesy Month

National Mushroom Month

National Piano Month

Self Improvement Month

National Sewing Month

World Beach Month

Whole Grains Month

 

September Weekly Events National Indoor Plant Week – third week of month

 

September 2024 Calendar with Daily Holidays, Special, Wacky Days

 

September 1

Emma M. Nutt Day, the first woman telephone operator

National Cherry Popover Day

National Tofu Day (UK)

September 2

Labor Day

VJ Day, WWII

September 3  Skyscraper Day 

September 4

Bring Your Manners to Work Day

Newspaper Carrier Day

September 5

Be Late for Something Day

Cheese Pizza Day   

September 6

Fight Procrastination Day

Read a Book Day 

September 7

National Salami Day

National Tailgating Day

Neither Rain nor Snow Day

World Beard Day

September 8

Date Nut Bread Day

Grandparent’s Day

International Literacy Day

National Ampersand Day

National Pet Memorial Day

Pardon Day

Star Trek Day

September 9

International Sudoku Day

Teddy Bear Day

September 10

Sewing Machine Day

Swap Ideas Day

September 11

911 Remembrance

Make Your Bed Day

No News is Good News Day

September 12

Chocolate Milk Shake Day 

National Day of Encouragement

National Video Games Day –

September 13

Blame Someone Else Day

Defy Superstition Day

Fortune Cookie Day

Friday the 13th

National Peanut Day

Positive Thinking Day

Uncle Sam Day

September 14

International Crab Fest Day

National Cream-Filled Donut Day

September 15

Make a Hat Day

Felt Hat Day

National Women’s Friendship Day

 

Wife Appreciation Day

September 16

American Legion Day

Collect Rocks Day

Step Family Day

Mayflower Day

Mexican Independence Day

National Play-Doh Day

Working Parents Day

September 17

Chinese Moon Festival

Citizenship Day

Constitution Day

National Apple Dumpling Day

September 18

National Cheeseburger Day 

World Bamboo Day

September 19

International Talk Like A Pirate Day

National Butterscotch Pudding Day

National Dance Day

September 20

National Pepperoni Pizza Day

National Punch Day

September 21

International Peace Day

International Red Panda Bear Day

Miniature Golf Day

Oktoberfest  begins in Germany

World Gratitude Day

September 22

Autumn Equinox – Fall begins!

Business Women’s Day

Elephant Appreciation Day

Hobbit Day

September 23

Checkers Day / Dogs in Politics Day

September 24

National Cherries Jubilee Day

September 25

National Comic Book Day

National Quesadilla Day

World Dream Day

September 26

Johnny Appleseed Day

UK’s National Fitness Day

September 27

Crush a Can Day

Native American Day

September 28

Ask a Stupid Question Day

Breakfast in Bed Day

International Rabbit Day

National Good Neighbor Day

National Hunting and Fishing Day

September 29

Confucius Day

September 30 National Mud Pack Day

https://www.holidayinsights.com/moreholidays/september.htm

September