November 8, 2017

Dear friends,

I have received today this query from our faithful friend in Winnipeg, Diane Zack.  I thank her for giving me permission to reply to it in a letter that is open to all members of the Canadian Network on Cuba.

Some long-time supporters of Cuba, said they preferred to give their money to Oxfam as the Canadian government matched the funds raised and Oxfam has a long-standing relationship with Cuba and has been involved in many worthwhile reconstruction projects there in the past. They are also able to issue tax receipts. Assuming that you are aware of their work and credentials, I wanted to ask why we don't direct some of our monies raised to them. Other supporters have asked about this also.

For the 26th consecutive year, the world on November 1st, 2017 massively and resoundingly repudiated the U.S. economic war against the people of Cuba. By a vote of 191 to 2, the member countries of the United Nations overwhelmingly condemned the U.S. economic blockade of that heroic island nation by voting in favour of the resolution, "Necessity of Ending the Economic, Commercial and Financial Embargo imposed by the United States of America against Cuba." Only 2 voted against the resolution: the United States and Israel.

On November 1st international protest actions will he held to coincide with the annual United Nations vote against the U.S. economic blockade of Cuba. We encourage member groups of the Canadian Network On Cuba to participate in this day of international protest by organizing actions in their various communities. At present, protests are being organized in Halifax, Montreal, Quebec City, Toronto and Vancouver.

Statement by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Cuba in response to recent measures taken by the Trump administration following incidents involving U.S. diplomatic personnel in Havana.

On September 29, 2017, the US Secretary of State Rex Tillerson announced the decision to significantly downscale the diplomatic staff of the US embassy in Havana and withdraw all their relatives, claiming that there had been “attacks” perpetrated against US Government officials in Cuba which have harmed their health.

by JOHN KIRK – STEPHEN KIMBER

Consider this. The United States government doesn’t know who’s responsible for the so-called acoustic attacks on its embassy personnel in Havana. Then consider this. Cuban president Raúl Castro didn’t simply claim his government had nothing to do with the incidents, he did the unthinkable and invited the FBI to investigate. FBI agents haven’t been able to figure it out. Neither have American acoustics specialists or medical experts. Even Canada’s Mounties, whose own diplomats reported similar attacks, are stymied.