Being a graduate student is in some sense in the middle of two extremes: being a student primarily benefiting oneself and being a paid worker benefiting society. Before graduate studies, one is an undergraduate where nobody would expect to be paid to be an undergraduate. After graduate studies, one is (hopefully) going
Continue readingTag: Society
Politics, Re-Spun: Vancouver’s Co-Working Co-op Stimulates Worker Empowerment
Tuesday night in the back room of The Tipper bar/bistro/restaurant on Kingsway at Victoria we are holding our Inception Meeting for a new kind of co-working space in Vancouver, one structured as a co-op. You can read about the project in The Georgia Straight piece last week, and on the
Continue readingPolitics, Re-Spun: What’s Wrong with Canada? We’re Not Denmark-ish
And I don’t mean we need to become Denmark, but we need to have the dialogue about why they can do what they do and we choose not to. When Canadians are surveyed, a very large majority of us support these public goods. But those desires get subsumed with corporate,
Continue readingPolitics, Re-Spun: Reject the Slow Motion Privatization of K-12 in BC
Privatizing education in BC has been largely subtle and hidden. Absurd conflicts like this below [Restricted Vancouver playground access sparks angry exchange between [PRIVATE!] school principal, parent] help the general public see what’s actually been going on for a long time with private schools. Mine mine mine mine mine mine
Continue readingPolitics, Re-Spun: Being a Better Ally: #IWD
Click me; it’s good for you! International Women’s Day is a check-in point for me: I try to take stock of what has improved or worsened since last year. Doing so helps me be a better ally. Our soul as a nation has suffered this past year. It has suffered
Continue readingThe Canadian Progressive: Free trade to blame for growing income inequality in Canada
A study recently released by the Canadian Centre for Policy Alternatives found that the modern free trade era has exacerbated income inequality in Canada. The post Free trade to blame for growing income inequality in Canada appeared first on The Canadian Progressive.
Continue readingPolitics, Re-Spun: Pink Washing: Does This Pink Shirt Really Say Enough?
By Emily Griffiths Pink Shirt Day is almost upon us. The annual campaign to raise money and “awareness” on the issue of “bullying” takes place on February 25. As this date approaches, I’m sure you’ve noticed an inundation of bright pink. Even at this very moment, I am sipping my
Continue readingThe Canadian Progressive: How the people can stop the tide of police militarization
Norm Stamper, a 34-year veteran police officer and retired Seattle chief of police, suggests 5 ways to stop the burgeoning trend of police militarization. The post How the people can stop the tide of police militarization appeared first on The Canadian Progressive.
Continue readingPolitics, Re-Spun: Ever Wonder How the 1% Talks to Each Other? Shhh. Listen!
It’s not a secret language, it’s a style, an effervescence. A whimsicality. It’s like how people stand when they’re shopping in Tiffany’s. You feel me? Read on about a new luxury property on Georgia in downtown Vancouver [emphasis is mine]: The Penthouse Upstairs, in the 48th-floor penthouse, it is a
Continue readingThe Canadian Progressive: CRA Guts Dying With Dignity’s Long-Standing Charitable Status
Leading death with dignity lobby group announced Tuesday that it’s losing its charitable status after a recent political-activity audit by the Canada Revenue Agency (CRA). The post CRA Guts Dying With Dignity’s Long-Standing Charitable Status appeared first on The Canadian Progressive.
Continue readingThe Canadian Progressive: Man Implicated Rehtaeh Parsons Sexual Assault Spared Jail
A judge in Nova Scotia has decided that there will be no jail term for one of the four boys implicated in the fatal gang-rape and online shaming of Rehtaeh Parsons. The post Man Implicated Rehtaeh Parsons Sexual Assault Spared Jail appeared first on The Canadian Progressive.
Continue readingPolitics, Re-Spun: Science World Ignores Climate Science
Well, why would you support something called Science World when it participates in a program to brainwash students into supporting the liquid natural gas industry, despite the science indicating how harmful it is to the world. Climate change deniers deny science. The BC government pretends to care about climate change
Continue readingPolitics, Re-Spun: Does YOUR Favorite Corporate Exploit Tragedy for Sales?
It’s not like capitalists deserve your pity when they accidentally offend people while they try to embrace their communities to build spirit. And profit. It is partly because corporations are pretend human beings, with no emotions, no social conscience [beyond PR gains] and no capacity for human empathy, which is
Continue readingThe Disaffected Lib: The "Meh" Society
There’s really no better way to understand another society that to live there. I have never known the United States better than during the years I spent studying there back in the Vietnam war era. This is why I was drawn to the observations of Volker Stanzel, former undersecretary of
Continue readingPolitics, Re-Spun: Who Cares About Fixing Poverty in BC?
Well, it’s the Poverty Reduction Coalition! One of their many activities is to send recommendations to the government when the government deigns to ask people for their ideas. The Finance Committee is an all-party committee of the legislature, so the government usually ignores their recommendations. As citizens, we need to
Continue readingPolitics, Re-Spun: Which BC Corporations Would YOU Like to Euthanize?
Oh, what a list it would be! Enbridge? Kinder Morgan [the zombie child of Enron]? Imperial Metals [fanciful producers of the Mount Polley Mine disaster]? Other companies that treat workers badly like IKEA or Rocky Mountain Railtours? Capitalism is all about worshiping Frankencorporations that are immortal, legally a human being,
Continue readingThe Canadian Progressive: Compassion creates happiness, freedom and better relationships
Kozo Hattori, a writer and counselor, explains how compassion creates happiness, freedom from gender stereotypes, and better relationships with others. The post Compassion creates happiness, freedom and better relationships appeared first on The Canadian Progressive.
Continue readingThe Canadian Progressive: Chris Hedges: Predatory capitalism’s perversion of Christmas charity
Chris Hedges and Detroit’s Rev. David Bullock discuss predatory capitalism’s perversion of Christmas charity, justice and revolution on The Real News Network. The post Chris Hedges: Predatory capitalism’s perversion of Christmas charity appeared first on The Canadian Progressive.
Continue readingPolitics, Re-Spun: Does Cuba Get an MLB Team Now?
So, there have been 181 Major League Baseball players from Cuba [population 11 million], 230 from Puerto Rico [population 3.5 million] [which is kind of like America, despite its second class political status], and 557 from the Dominican Republic [population 9.5 million]. My friend, who cares not about baseball, asked
Continue readingThe Canadian Progressive: Conservative MP’s Stay Home Comments Insult Women, New Immigrants
Conservative MP Bob Dechert insulted Canadian women, immigrant women and new Canadians’ cultures when he said “moms can stay at home, which they’re used to.” The post Conservative MP’s Stay Home Comments Insult Women, New Immigrants appeared first on The Canadian Progressive.
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