ON JUNE 17TH, an important teleconference meeting brought several Cuba solidarity organizations (CCFA-Vancouver, Vancouver-Cuba Friendshipment, Winnipeg Solidarity Committee, CCFA-Toronto and Nova Scotia-Cuba Association) together with Raul Macias, representative of the Cuban Institute for Friendship with the Peoples. Enthusiasm and a commitment to stand behind Cuba's sovereignty was felt through the phone lines.

First on the agenda was the Pan American Games in Winnipeg, July 23 to August 8. The Games will see a Cuban delegation of about 700 athletes, coaches, and officials. Since Cuban athletes always stand out in international competitions, they are expected to perform very well. But "sport scouts" will also be present in Winnipeg, such as the unfortunately named Joe Cuba, targeting athletes not to return to Cuba with the promise of millions of dollars. Whenever Cuban athletes leave, this is exploited by the mainstream media as an indication of "discontent" with the Cuban social system.

The solidarity committee in Winnipeg is working hard to provide a great welcome and moral support to the Cuban delegation. Many people and solidarity organizations across Canada will also provide support. Just a few days after the conference call, the executive of the Canadian-Cuban Friendship Association in Vancouver pledged financial assistance of $3,000 for the work of the Cuba solidarity committee in Winnipeg!

It was also suggested that if Cuban delegates could each take back a couple of pounds of medical supplies, that would instantly translate into 1400 pounds of needed supplies! If you would like to make a financial contribution towards this goal, please call CCFA-Vancouver at (604)940-0420.

Next on the agenda was an important World Solidarity meeting taking place in Havana in November 2000. Much has changed since the first such meeting in 1994, yet the inhuman U.S. blockade against Cuba is still in place and getting tighter. The world meeting will bring together all countries that reject the Helms-Burton Law, to look at the new challenges that Cuba (and many other countries) confront today. Participants in the conference call pledged to work together to promote this event and to ensure strong representation from Canada.

Finally, the teleconference discussed the future of the Cuba solidarity movement across Canada. The First Cuba-Canada Meeting in Havana last August resolved "to establish an ad hoc committee whose first objective is to organize an appropriate cross-country coordinating structure to make more effective [our] common efforts." This "ad hoc committee" was established by the participants in the conference call. The committee will identify Cuba solidarity groups and NGOs, and develop a process and a mandate for a Pan-Canadian coordinating structure. Realizing that the flow of information is essential, the meeting agreed that Vancouver will be the "distribution centre" for information about Cuba solidarity work in Canada. The committee has given itself until the end of this year to fulfill its mandate.

Certainly challenging, but the goal is worth the effort!

(Nino Pagliccia is a Cuba solidarity activist and a member of the CCFA-Vancouver.)