The FTAA is coming to Quebec City. It brings with it, the head of every government in North America (except Cuba), 6000 cops (with tear gas and plastic bullets), a 4m high and 4km long "security" fence, a freshly emptied prison for up to 800 political prisoners, and the possibility of the largest youth and worker mobilization since Seattle 1999. Members of Youth For International Socialism will be there in force, putting forward the Marxist solution to Globalization. Over the next few days we will include analysis of the movement plus eyewitness reports from the demonstration itself. The first of these is published here below. Watch this space.

Today, the mass movement of youth united with immense élan to oppose Capitalism and its institutions. As I write this I am yet to see the news reports, so these are my impressions from the street and of those I talked to.

Capitalism is presently in crisis. Western economies have been in slump since March 2001, and despite the wishful thinking of bankers and government politicians the end is nowhere in sight. Everywhere we see layoffs, closures, cutbacks and shortage, and yet only one year ago all the pundits were praising the virtues of the economy. A thinking member of the working class can be left with only one conclusion; the capitalists do not understand their own system.

The recent election in Québec has once again brought to the fore the question of Québec separation. The Parti Québecois and the Liberals espouse their opinions on separation and federalism. Both clearly represent the bourgeois perspective and interests. But who talks about issues facing workers and youth? What are the socialist alternatives to the problems in Québec?

Following in the footsteps of Tony Blair, Labour leader Alexa McDonough has been trying to steer Canada's New Democratic Party to the right.

Tony Blair gets into government and declares he is not for socialism, but for a brand new 'Third Way'. Alexa McDonough tours Europe to discuss with Danish bankers and Blairite enthusiasts and comes back to Canada preaching friendship with Business. In a recent article Alexa calls for "A Third Approach to Change". Workers and youth looking to the NDP to change society want to know exactly what kind of change is proposed and what it means for them.

The events this weekend in Quebec City mark a clear turn in the situation for Canadian youth and workers. The mainstream media reports are a series of lies and distortions from start to finish and it increasingly becomes the job of the movement itself to get the news out. This article follows on from the previous eyewitness report, "And the wall came tumbling down."