Here we are in the middle of a global pandemic, and I feel (to paraphrase my favourite baseball player) like the luckiest person on the face of the earth.* I’m healthy, my partner is healthy, and no one in our extended families has gotten covid. Thanks to my union, and
Continue readingTag: indigenous peoples
wmtc: art in our new home
When we were in Salt Spring Island, we went to the Saturday Market, and I instantly fell in love with this man’s work. Salt Spring artist Lorne Tippett uses wine-barrel stays to create a hanging frame, and carves the designs from reclaimed wood. We splurged and bought one. It’s not
Continue readingwmtc: africans were involved in the slave trade. why do you think that matters?
The statement If you are exposed to any bigoted, right-wing media or social media — whether by misfortune, sport, or a delusion that you must counter their arguments — and someone raises the subject of slavery, you will doubtless see on this trope. They were sold by their own people.
Continue readingwmtc: the deadliest organized-crime and terrorist enterprise in the history of humanity: the catholic church
In the entire history of human beings on this planet, has there ever been a criminal enterprise more devastating — to as many people, over as long a period of time — as the Catholic Church? The largest empires of the world — Roman, Spanish, Dutch, British, American — lasted
Continue readingwmtc: what i’m reading: political graphic nonfiction: this place: 150 years retold
This Place: 150 Years Retold, foreward by Alicia Elliott. In keeping with my posts about political graphic nonfiction, here is a quote from This Place. The book is an anthology of 10 stories by 10 or 11 writers and illustrators. Each writer prefaces their story with context, including something about
Continue readingwmtc: essential reading on anti-racism: "we can’t tinker around the edges. we need to dismantle systems."
During the current focus on systemic racism, this is likely the best essay I’ve read. It’s written in a US context, but it applies to Canada, both for Indigenous people and black Canadians. I hope you’ll read it and share it. * * * * * What the Courage to
Continue readingwmtc: what i’m reading: prairie fires: the american dreams of laura ingalls wilder
I read Little House on the Prairie when I was very young, and eventually went on to read the whole Little House series. I didn’t know any other girls named Laura — there were at least five in my Master’s program, but it wasn’t a popular name back then —
Continue readingTHE FIFTH COLUMN: COVID-19 and Education in Ontario – An Imaginative Approach
Let me start by saying that I understand that hindsight is a big advantage and some may ask why didn’t I think of this sooner and my response is that thinking about education in Ontario is not my full time job but it is for Ontario’s Ministry of Education. While
Continue readingThe Progressive Economics Forum: Affordable housing, homelessness and the upcoming federal budget
I’ve written a ‘top 10’ overview of things to know about affordable housing and homelessness, as they relate to Canada’s upcoming federal budget. The overview is based on the affordable housing and homelessness chapter in the just-released Alternative Federal Budget. A link to the ‘top 10’ overview is here.
Continue readingThe Progressive Economics Forum: the 2020-21 Alberta budget
I’ve written a ‘top 10’ overview of the 2020-21 Alberta budget, tabled on February 27. The link to the overview is here.
Continue readingThe Progressive Economics Forum: income support for low-income households in Alberta
Next week, Jason Kenney’s UCP government will table its second budget. With that in mind, I’ve written a blog post titled “Ten things to know about income support for low-income households in Alberta.” Points raised in the blog post include the following: -Low income is associated with lower food expenditures,
Continue readingThe Progressive Economics Forum: Ten things to know about subsidized rental housing in Alberta
In anticipation of next week’s Alberta budget, I’ve written a ‘top 10’ overview of subsidized rental housing in the province. Points raised in the blog post in include the following: -On a per capita basis, Alberta has far fewer subsidized housing units than the rest of Canada. -In 2017, BC’s
Continue readingwmtc: solidarity with wet’suwet’en land defenders and their allies on the frontlines
Thank you to the Wet’suwet’en people who are courageously defending their land for the greater good of us all. Thank you to the Kahnawake people who are courageously blocking the rail lines in solidarity. Thank you to the non-Indigenous allies who blocked the main highway on Vancouver Island, and disbanded
Continue readingwmtc: solidarity with wet’suwet’en land defenders and their allies on the frontlines
Thank you to the Wet’suwet’en people who are courageously defending their land for the greater good of us all. Thank you to the Kahnawake people who are courageously blocking the rail lines in solidarity. Thank you to the non-Indigenous allies who blocked the main highway on Vancouver Island, and disbanded
Continue readingwmtc: solidarity with wet’suwet’en land defenders and their allies on the frontlines
Thank you to the Wet’suwet’en people who are courageously defending their land for the greater good of us all. Thank you to the Kahnawake people who are courageously blocking the rail lines in solidarity. Thank you to the non-Indigenous allies who blocked the main highway on Vancouver Island, and disbanded
Continue readingThe Progressive Economics Forum: My review of Robert Clark’s book on Canada’s prisons
Robert Clark has written a very good book about Canada’s prison system. Mr. Clark worked from 1980 until 2009 in seven different federal prisons, all located in Ontario. The book is a compilation of personal accounts based on the author’s various assignments. Since prisons can be a pipeline into homelessness,
Continue readingwmtc: write for rights 2019 #write4rights
Today, December 10, is Human Rights Day. The date commemorates the adoption of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights on December 10, 1948, the first document of its kind. Every year on December 10, Amnesty International holds a global letter-writing event: Write For Rights (in Canada). Hundreds of thousands of
Continue readingwmtc: write for rights 2019 #write4rights
Today, December 10, is Human Rights Day. The date commemorates the adoption of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights on December 10, 1948, the first document of its kind. Every year on December 10, Amnesty International holds a global letter-writing event: Write For Rights (in Canada). Hundreds of thousands of
Continue readingwmtc: what i’m reading: the marrow thieves, the glass beads
Cherie Dimaline’s The Marrow Thieves, winner of multiple Canadian awards, is a brilliant book — and a frightening one. Set in a future Canada after climate change has devastated the planet, Indigenous people are being hunted. The government believes Indigenous people are useful for survival. “Recruiters” kidnap them, and force
Continue readingwmtc: what i’m reading: the marrow thieves, the glass beads
Cherie Dimaline’s The Marrow Thieves, winner of multiple Canadian awards, is a brilliant book — and a frightening one. Set in a future Canada after climate change has devastated the planet, Indigenous people are being hunted. The government believes Indigenous people are useful for survival. “Recruiters” kidnap them, and force
Continue reading