Over the June 29 and 30 long weekend, more than 90 communists from across Alberta congregated for a fantastic weekend of Marxist theory at the Edmonton Communist Summer School. We have hosted this school for a number of years with one goal in mind: to inspire a new generation of Albertan communists with the methods and ideas to overthrow capitalism and build a new society free of the bankers, bosses and billionaires!
We believe that it is only through Marxist theory that we can change the world, and we are proud to host the Communist Summer School to arm our comrades. Our emphasis on theory has continually attracted communists from across Alberta and the Prairies!
To add to the strong section of attendees from Edmonton, 21 comrades came from Calgary, the centre of Canadian conservatism. The oil barons dominate this province for now, but we are organizing for their downfall. Comrades also made the trip from Red Deer, Whitecourt, Fort McMurray, Camrose, Leduc, St. Albert, and Spring Lake. Some traveled from as far as Abbotsford, Regina, Toronto, Montreal, and Laval! With RCP cells forming in Winnipeg, it won’t be long before the entirety of the Prairies is represented at our school.
The discussions focused on answering the key questions that will arise for communists at their workplaces, schools, and demonstrations. Comrade Daniel kicked off the school with a talk on “Why we are communists”, speaking about the wars and crises that plague the world today and explaining how these are tied to the laws of the capitalist system. By understanding these laws, we can understand how to overthrow this system.
Comrade Simon, from Montreal, then gave a presentation on Lenin’s approach to national liberation. He highlighted all the nuances to Lenin’s position: the need to fight against any manifestation of national oppression and side with the oppressed against the oppressor; the need to forge genuine unity of the workers of all nations and remove any barrier to this; the need to distinguish what is progressive from what is reactionary in any national movement; and the need for Marxists to fight against their own ruling class and nationalist prejudice both in the oppressor and the oppressed nation.
The first day concluded with Josie, a Revolutionary Communist Party member from Edmonton, presenting on the history of the Communist Party of Canada. She focused on the early days of the party, before its transformation under a Stalinist leadership—where for the first time in Canada’s history, a Marxist party was dominant on the entire left. The discussion was filled with comrades drawing out the necessary lessons that could be applied to building a revolutionary party today.
The next day featured a fantastic session on the “ins and outs” of the Soviet economy, then another on the ideas contained in Friedrich Engels’ famous book The Origin of the Family, Private Property, and the State.
Comrade Holly of Toronto closed out the school by presenting on Lenin’s ideas and methods for winning the masses to communist ideas. Lenin has been universally slandered by the ruling class, with all kinds of mud flung on his name, because he was able to make his mark by consciously expressing the will of the Russian peasants and workers. His firmness in Marxist principles while being enormously flexible in tactics allowed the Bolsheviks to win the confidence of the poor and downtrodden and lead them to victory.
The energy was palpable at the end of the school. Despite a long weekend jam-packed with theory and political discussion, comrades expressed their enthusiasm to take these lessons forward and advance the cause of communism in Western Canada. Comrades left the event packed with literature, books and the ideas to go forward and lead the working class to victory.
Every communist in attendance can and must go on to play the part of being the communist wherever they are in Alberta or the rest of Canada, and to work resolutely to win over workers and youth to the party. By building on the foundations laid at this school, we will turn the Prairies into a stronghold of communism for the entire country.
This school was the first of three regional schools over the coming months. Next up is the Quebec City school on Aug. 10 and 11, for which you can register here. The other is our British Columbia school, which will be held in Vancouver on Sept. 29 and 30. Stay tuned for details!
