California Activist/Politician in Toronto

Take a look at this story in Now Magazine, which talks about the recent visit of Tom Hayden to Toronto, where he met with NDP and Bloc Quebecois politicians to offer advice about how to win refuge for American GIs hiding in Canada.

Hayden was a founding member of Students for a Democratic Society, the focal point of the '60s New Left among (predominantly white) university students in the United States. He received particular attention as one of the co-defendents in the Chicago Eight trial after the Democratic Convention riot by police in 1968. Later in life, he represented, if not the area that I'm living in then an area beginning a few minutes bus ride away from where I'm living, in the California state legislature.

I can't get a good sense from the article about how useful his advice might actually prove to be, but if nothing else I hope his visit facilitates the development of consciousness around this issue in the Canadian public and in the social democratic politicians in Parliament.