Yves Engler
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Former Vice President of the Concordia Student Union, Yves Engler is a Montreal writer and political activist. He has published two books, Playing Left Wing and Canada in Haiti. Many of Engler's writings have appeared in the alternative press, with articles also appearing in mainstream publications such as the The Globe and Mail, Toronto Star, Ottawa Citizen and Ecologist.
In June 2005 Engler made national headlines after interrupting a press conference being held by then Canadian minister of foreign affairs, Pierre Pettigrew. Engler walked up to the stage, emptying the contents of a bottle of cranberry juice onto Pettigrew's arms, stating, "Pettigrew lies, Haitians die." This was meant to symbolize the blood on the hands of the Canadian state due to their involvement in the planning of the coup (see: The Ottawa Initiative on Haiti) which ousted Jean Bertrand Aristide, the democratically elected president of Haiti, from office and into exile. Engler also highlighted Canada's subsequent participation in the United Nations occupation of Haiti and the training of the Haitian national police by the Royal Canadian Mounted Police, which has resulted in an ongoing campaign of murder, imprisonment, and political repression targeted against supporters of the Lavalas party and opponents of the un-elected interim government headed by Florida resident Gerard Latortue.(see: The Griffin report)
Pettigrew initially stated that he wanted full charges pressed against Engler, however, within a matter of days Pettigrew changed his mind and decided to drop charges.
Engler was arrested on December 1, 2005, after heckling then Canadian Prime Minister Paul Martin in Montreal, stating again, "Paul Martin lies, Haitians die". He was released days later.
[edit] Published works
- Playing Left Wing: From Rink Rat to Student Radical (RED/Fernwood Publishing, 2005)
- Canada in Haiti: Waging War on the Poor Majority (Co-written with Anthony Fenton, RED/Fernwood Publishing, 2005)
