I’m in New York for a few days, visiting my mom and some friends. Today at a Whole Foods, my mother said to the cashier, “Don’t make the packages too heavy.” And cashier said, “OK.” I was a bit surprised. My mother is a very polite, friendly person. Yet I
Continue readingTag: Canadian Culture
wmtc: 11.11: honour the dead by committing to peace
Robert Fisk, in The Independent: But as the years passed, old Bill Fisk became very ruminative about the Great War. He learned that Haig had lied, that he himself had fought for a world that betrayed him, that 20,000 British dead on the first day of the Somme – which
Continue readingwmtc: kevin vickers, nathan cirillo, and canada’s response to recent acts of violence
I’ve been thinking a lot about Kevin Vickers. By now the world knows Vickers’ name: he is the sergeant-at-arms of the Parliament of Canada, and his quick thinking and courage undoubtedly saved lives. Vickers shot killed Michael Zehaf-Bibeau, who had already killed one person and appeared intent on killing others.
Continue readingwmtc: will canada become a country continually at war? or, stephen harper gets his wish in iraq
I had been living in Canada but a few short months when Stephen Harper, as leader of the Conservative Party of Canada, formed his first minority government. At the time, this blog hosted an active and lively ongoing discussion about Canadian culture and politics, and my personal acculturation. I did
Continue readingwmtc: what i’m reading: indian horse by richard wagamese, a must-read, especially for canadians
Indian Horse, by Richard Wagamese, is a hauntingly beautiful novel about an Ojibway boy’s journey into manhood. It was the Readers’ Choice winner of the 2013 Canada Reads, CBC Radio’s book promotion program. But if you’re like me and don’t listen to the radio, you may have missed it. Don’t miss
Continue readingwmtc: government destruction of environmental archives: the harper govt’s war on facts marches on
At year’s end, The Tyee reported that a memo – marked “secret” and first reported on OCanada.com – cast grave doubts on the Harper Government’s claim that environmental archives were destroyed only after they had been preserved digitally. In other words, the memo proves what progressive and concerned Canadians have long
Continue readingwmtc: 11.11: lest we forget, let’s not forget: there is no glory in war.
For Canadians who fear and distrust the steadily growing militarism suffusing the culture of our country, two recent books are indispensable: What We Talk About When We Talk About War, by Noah Richler, and Warrior Nation: Rebranding Canada in an Age of Anxiety by Ian McKay and Jamie Swift. Richler’s
Continue readingwmtc: noah richler on the language of war propaganda, and the dishonesty of present ideology
From Noah Richler’s What We Talk About When We Talk About War: We have a duty to be honest and rigorous, with ourselves and with others, and to be able to brook contradiction and argument in our discussions of past wars and the present one in Afghanistan. But instead, in today’s
Continue readingwmtc: noah richler: canada was shaped by discussion and compromise, not through war
[The over-emphasis on Canadian military history] distorts and downplays the significant roles that Canadian politicians, diplomats, jurists and a variety of other civilians (such as artists) have had in shaping not just the domestic Canadian polity but abstract, universal ideas about statehood that have served as examples internationally – in
Continue readingwmtc: the harper government’s vision of canada, in our passports and in our wallets
Some years ago, I analyzed the “Discover Canada”, the most recent guide for immigrants studying for the Canadian citizenship exam. I compared the booklet to the previous citizenship guide, “A Look At Canada”, and found within its pages the Harper Government’s vision of Canada. Later, we learned that the citizenship
Continue readingwmtc: sports without war: canada out of aghanistan, and military out of our sports
I have written a bit about the use of professional sports as a vehicle for war propaganda and militarism, such as when the Harper Government used the Olympic torch relay to promote its war in Afghanistan. My partner Allan has covered this ground more consistently, since he writes a sports blog.
Continue readingwmtc: a people’s history of british columbia, and a chance to preserve it for the future
Here’s a chance to preserve Canadian history – the real history, not the government-approved kind – and to preserve art and creativity and alternative media, all at the same time. Please consider giving $7.00 – or any amount – and sharing this excellent campaign with your friends and on social
Continue readingThe Ranting Canadian: Canada is an un-developing country. It has been for decades….
Canada is an un-developing country. It has been for decades. Here are some of the signs. * Crumbling infrastructure. * Irresponsible deregulation of industry and cutbacks to enforcement of the few, weak regulations that remain. This resulted – and will continue to result – in otherwise-preventable deaths, injuries and illnesses;
Continue readingThe Canadian Progressive: The Impacts of the Neighbourhood Immigrant Settlement Worker In Canada
She Fixes So Many Problems By: Canadian Centre for Policy Alternatives: The Neighbourhood Immigrant Settlement Worker (NISW) is one of the programs established by the Province of Manitoba to help newcomers adjust to life in Canada. The program is funded by Citizenship and Immigration Canada and Manitoba Immigration and Multiculturalism,
Continue readingThe Ranting Canadian: Ignorant scapegoating: a feel-good pastime for the thick-headed…
Ignorant scapegoating: a feel-good pastime for the thick-headed and big-mouthed Anyone who doubts that racism and religious bigotry are alive and well in Canada in 2013 simply needs to read the online comments for articles about natives or Muslims, or listen to the callers (and sometimes the hosts and guests)
Continue readingwmtc: andy barrie, war resister, awarded order of canada
Congratulations to Andy Barrie, former CBC broadcaster, on being awarded the Order of Canada, the country’s highest civilian honour. This CBC story says that Barrie “left the U.S. and moved to Canada during the Vietnam War”. But if you listen to this interview, you will hear how Barry “left” and
Continue readingwmtc: a people’s history of the war of 1812
At last, this is the fourth post of the talks I attended in November and December. Allan and I organized this in Mississauga, through the Mississauga “twig” of the IS. The talk was given by our friend and comrade John Bell. The other recent talks: noah richler, u.s. war resisters,
Continue readingwmtc: tell stephen harper you support chief theresa spence and idle no more
As Attawapiskat Chief Theresa Spence enters her twelfth day without food, solidarity actions with the IdleNoMore aboriginal movement are growing throughout Canada and around the globe. In Winnipeg, demonstrators blocked the Trans Canada Highway. In freezing weather in Edmonton, protesters filled downtown streets. At least 1,000 people came out in
Continue readingwmtc: talking radical: a history of canada through the eyes of activists
This the third of the four talks I attended semi-recently. Other recent talks: noah richler, u.s. war resisters, and the militarization of canadian culture, and from greece to chicago to toronto, workers fighting back against austerity. * * * * Scott Neigh, who writes the blog A Canadian Lefty in
Continue readingwmtc: in toronto: noah richler, u.s. war resisters, and the militarization of canadian culture
Something else I resumed after quitting my crappy day-job: attending events with friends, or, socializing through activism. Few things make me happier. I have four events to blog about. * * * * Last Friday night at Innis Hall, the War Resisters Support Campaign put on “Telling Our Story: A
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