Posts by admin

GroundWire: Labour Day Edition

Submitted by admin on Tue, 09/01/2009 - 16:09

Welcome to a Special Labour Day Edition of GroundWire, where we bring you a series of features on workers' rights in Canada.

But first the headlines: Hosted by Gianna Lauren (CKDU Halifax)

-Environmentalists oppose Hanlan Creek development as it threatens Guelph's old growth forest and protected species: Libby Drew (CFRC Kingston)

-Camp Out discusses LBGTQ Activism in the Maritimes: David Parker (CKDU Halifax)

In Campus and Community Radio Station News: Bill C-61 Update: As parliament resumes, consider writing your MP on the Digital Copyright fight: Charlotte Bourne (CJSF Burnaby)

Labour-Focused Features for Labour Day -Labour History takes Comic Form: Megan Turcato (CJSF Burnaby)

-CUPW supports union drive for Dynamax Couriers: Aaron Chubb and Alex Calderaro(CJSR Edmonton)

-Drop Fees campaign has anti-poverty message for student workers: Candace Mooers CHRY Toronto)

-Conservatives' Expansion of Canada's Temporary Worker Program means restrictions for refugees and fewer rights for racialized workers: Omme Rahemtullah (CHRY Toronto)

-"Scrap the Live in Caregiver Program" Voices of the Filipino Community in Canada: Produced by Candace Mooers and Ashkon Hobooti (CHRY Toronto)

This Edition of GroundWire hosted by Gianna Lauren, produced by David Parker at CKDU Halifax.

Groundwire: July 31-August 13

Submitted by admin on Sun, 08/02/2009 - 21:07

Welcome to Groundwire's latest edition of national news from a grassroots perspective. This is the fourth bi-weekly edition of GroundWire - community news from coast-to-coast-to-coast.
Produced by UMFM in Montreal.

In this edition of GroundWire:

Headlines:

- Winnipeg worried over Privatized Water| Michael Elves UMFM

- Defining Sexual Assault in Winnipeg| Michael Elves UMFM

Features

- Mohammad Mahjoub's Hunger Strike at Kingston Penitentiary | Usman Mushtaak CFRC

- Olympic Update: Charter Battles for Women's Ski Jumpers | Sam Krevia CJSR

-- Simon Fraseer University Funding Mircomanaged by Government| Nina Halliday-Thompson CJSF

The Honduran Coup and the Limits of Hope and Change

Submitted by admin on Sat, 07/04/2009 - 00:49

The recent street rebellions against the Ahmadinejad regime in Iran were touted by many as the first baptism-by-fire of Twitter as a political tool. Celebratory articles abounded for a brief time, before such foolish dreams came crashing back to earth under the weight of a metric ton of misinformation, unsubstantiated rumor, and idle gossip.

…And the Tweeters Fell Silent

Any Iranian foolish to put her hopes in this most fickle of constituencies that is the Tweeter must have begun to doubt the wisdom of such an approach as short attention spans inevitably set in and, most devastatingly of all, the death of Michael Jackson stole the headlines. Ahmadinejad couldn’t have planned it better if he had offed MJ himself (in cahoots, perhaps, with South Carolina Governor Mark Sanford, the other clear beneficiary of Jackson’s untimely demise). Indeed, the Iranian dissidents were the biggest losers of the day, suffering an even worse fate than Ed McMahon, Farrah Fawcett, and Billy Mays, condemned to historical oblivion by sheer bad timing. But to this list of those suffering from the technophiles’ abandonment of their brief flirtation with the political, we must now add Manuel “Mel” Zelaya, legitimately elected president of Honduras, recently deposed in a barefaced military coup from the far right.

Statement in Solidarity with the people of Honduras

Submitted by admin on Sat, 07/04/2009 - 00:41

July 3, 2009

Statement in Solidarity with the People of Honduras, by Vancouver based Latin American and allied Organizations

We express our collective outrage and condemn the coup d’état that has taken place in Honduras by leaders of the right wing military junta-that have been trained as mercenaries and dictators in the School of the Americas.

We express our deepest sentiments of solidarity with the people of Honduras, who have taken to the streets to demand their democratically elected president José Manuel Zelaya be allowed to return and finish his term in office. Taking the led from the people of Honduras, who are defending their democratic rights and the depending of their democratic process, we demand the following from the international community and the Canadian government:

-That they refuse to recognize the de-facto government of Roberto Michelletti or any other government of a similar character.

-That coup leaders recognize President Zelaya as the
constitutional president of Honduras and accept his return. If this
does not occur, Canada must withdraw its ambassador, following the
example set by Venezuela, Cuba, Mexico, Ecuador, Bolivia, and
Nicaragua.

-The immediate lifting of the State of Emergency and the end to all acts of repression again the Honduran people. Canada should demand the liberty of all the democratic leaders that have been detained illegally.

-That Canadian companies active in Honduras, like Gildan Activewear, Goldcorp Inc, Breakwater Resources, and Yamana Gold halt all operations in Honduras until the democratically elected president returns to his post.

- That Canada immediately halt all Free Trade Agreement negotiations with the Central America Four (Guatemala, Honduras, Nicaragua and El Salvador)

Endorsed by La Surda Latin American Collective, Canada-Bolivia Solidarity committee, Café Rebelde Collective, Coalition against Intervention in Latin America

What kind of coverage do you want to see?

Submitted by admin on Tue, 12/23/2008 - 19:43

We're starting a Media Co-op because existing media coverage is often flawed, incomplete, or motivated by the wrong things.

If you're here, we're guessing it's for similar reasons.

So tell us, what kind of coverage do you want to see from the Halifax Media Co-op? Is there a particular place you'd like to hear more about? An ongoing issue that you'd like to be truly informed on? An initiative that should reach a bigger audience?

Post your thoughts below.

Whether the Poor Burn or Freeze, There is No Excuse for Soft-Ball Questions

Submitted by admin on Sat, 12/20/2008 - 17:51

It is telling that the violent death of Tracey, a homeless woman in Vancouver, who burned to death after attempting to keep warm after constructing a small fire in a downtown street corner, has resulted in national headlines while the freezing death of another unidentified homeless man in Montreal the very next night has resulted in only a passing mention in Montreal newspapers.

Media Co-op Coming to Halifax

Submitted by admin on Mon, 12/15/2008 - 16:40

The Media Co-op is coming to Halifax!

For the month of February, we'll be holding events in neighbourhoods across the city, soliciting suggestions and input and recruiting members.

The goal: to establish a reader-funded news organization in Halifax that can provide high quality, investigative coverage. What is covered will be driven by the co-op members, through topic-based working groups.

Fiftieth anniversary of the Springhill Mine disaster

Submitted by admin on Fri, 10/31/2008 - 18:46

Today is the 50th anniversary of the third Springhill coal mine disaster.

The CBC has some archival TV footage from the days following the disaster. Seventy four men were killed in the disaster, and 100 miners were trapped underground for almost nine days before being freed.

Prior to the deadly events of 1958, there were two large mine disasters at Nova Scotia's Springhill Mine, one in 1956, and another in 1891.

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