dispatches from ola 2016, part 2: libraries and prisons
I've had a longstanding interest in prison libraries, and was happy to meet another librarian-friend who shares this. But I was very pleasantly surprised at the large turnout for the…
indigenous peoples
dispatches from ola 2016, part 1: choosing to walk a path
I attended OLA* for only one day this year, partly because I'm already missing so much work for bargaining and other union business, and partly because one day is often…
Climate Change Threatens Coastal British Columbia First Nations Fishing Traditions
A new study says climate change threatens fishing traditions that have sustained First Nations along Canada's Pacific coast for thousands of years. The study found that climate change could reduce…
bernie sanders, the pope, and the politics of amnesia
I see a lot of excitement online, in places like Common Dreams and The Nation, and in my Facebook feed, about Bernie Sanders, supposedly remaking US politics, and Pope Francis,…
Transparency?
I don’t think that word means what you think it means. We just passed the deadline by which First Nations bands are required by the Federal Government to disclosed audited…
Baby, tell the truth
I was going to make a post about the upcoming election, but since there are TEN GODDAMNED WEEKS left, I think I have some time. And then I heard something…
truth and reconciliation, past and present: why this matters to all of us
The Truth and Reconciliation Commission of Canada has just completed its week-long closing event in Ottawa. The Commission was part of the historic settlement between the Canadian Government and the…
what i’m reading: this changes everything by naomi klein, one of the most important books you’ll ever read
This Changes Everything: Capitalism vs. the Climate, by Naomi Klein, is incredibly difficult to write about. I’ve been putting sticky notes beside important paragraphs as I read, and my copy…
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…
"humility is the foundation of all learning"
My grandmother had always referred to the universe as the Great Mystery. “What does it mean?” I asked her once. “It means all things.” “I don’t understand.” She took my…
what i’m reading: the spirit catches you and you fall down, truly excellent nonfiction
The Spirit Catches You and You Fall Down: A Hmong child, her American doctors, and the collision of two cultures by Anne Fadiman contains dozens of passages that I’d like…
UN special rapporteur calls for inquiry into missing and murdered aboriginal women in Canada
A long-awaited United Nations report has confirmed that there is a crisis in Canada when it comes to how the Canadian government treats aboriginal peoples. by: Obert Madondo | May…
what i’m reading: four youth books and some kind-of spoilers
Flight is a thought-provoking short novel by one of my favourite youth writers, Sherman Alexie. The main character in Flight, a Native American boy who goes by the derisive nickname…
CHRC statement on meeting with UN Special Rapporteur on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples, James Anaya
Canadian Human Rights Commission statement on meeting with James Anaya, the visiting United Nations Special Rapporteur on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples. The post CHRC statement on meeting with UN…
discoveries make me happy
I am always astonished to see stories such as these. A tree-dwelling animal with a teddy-bear-like face and rust-coloured fur has become the newest mammal species discovered by scientists. The…
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.…
dave zirin writes to dan snyder: why the washington nfl team must change its name
Here is the definitive piece on why the NFL team in Washington DC must change its name, written by – who else – Dave Zirin: Enough: An Open Letter to…
1500 kilometres by foot through the arctic winter: the journey of the nishiyuu nears ottawa
On January 16, 2013, six young Cree men and an experienced guide left their community on Hudson’s Bay, in the far north, on foot. Their destination: Parliament Hill, Ottawa. Along…
CASWE and CASW joint statement supporting Indigenous peoples of Turtle Island
A Canadian Association of Social Work Education (CASWE) and Canadian Association of Social Workers (CASW) joint statement supporting the aspirations of Indigenous peoples of Turtle Island and their aspirations, currently…