Book review: Polar Imperative by Shelagh D. Grant
History
Norman Bethune: Stepping forward to revolution
Extraordinary Canadians: Norman Bethune
(Penguin Canada,
2009;
$26.00)
When Norman Bethune left Montreal for Spain in 1936 to help the Republicans in their doomed effort to hold back Franco's fascists, he spoke no foreign languages and had no fixed role waiting for him. But he was among a group of determined individuals who believed "if fascism could be stopped in Spain, a larger war would not break out," and he wasted no time making himself useful. When Bethune left Madrid less than a year later, he had created and implemented a mobile blood transfusion unit, the first of its kind, that treated soldiers right at the front and drastically reduced fatalities. He was also on the verge of collapse, drinking heavily and making enemies on all sides.
Occupy The Workers Arts & Heritage Centre
Feb 10 2012 - 11:00am
Feb 10 2012 - 10:30pm
Location
The Workers Arts & Heritage Centre
51 Stuart St. in the historic Hamilton Custom House
Hamilton, ON Canada
Phone:
(905) 522 3003 x22
43° 15' 59.3208" N, 79° 52' 2.4888" W
See map: Google Maps
Members of the Occupy Movement from across the region will stage OCCUPY WAHC an "occupation of solidarity" at the Workers Arts & Heritage Centre in Hamilton.
The event, coordinated by WAHC aims to create not only an awareness about the Occupy Movement, which has been out of the headlines since high profile evictions from public squares across North America in the late fall, but create a chance for the public to participate, learn about and meet participants from the Occupy Movement.
Contact name:
Andrew Lochhead, Labour Arts Coordinator
Contact email:
Egyptian Revolution
On January 25, 2011, the Egyptian revolution began. Spurred by the success of the Tunisian protests earlier in the month, activists coined the "Day of Rage" on the same day as the national holiday honouring police. Thousands take to the streets to march against the 30 year reign of dictator Hosni Mubarak. Protesters are met with tear gas from police.
The uprising was breathtaking as thousands, then hundreds of thousands more joined the protests in Tahir Square spanning almost a month. What wasn't broadcast were the days, months and years of activism leading up to the historic revolution.
Youth Dialogue - Social Justice through Art
Jan 28 2012 - 11:00am
Jan 28 2012 - 5:00pm
Location
Theatre Passe Muraille
16 Ryerson Avenue
Toronto, ON Canada
Phone:
416-299-0111
43° 38' 55.2372" N, 79° 24' 9.072" W
See map: Google Maps
Toronto ALPHA and Toronto Article 9 invite youth to take part in an ongoing platform for inter-community dialogue based on a shared understanding of our common humanity and commitment to social justice.
Engage with Jasmine Wong from Facing History and Ourselves and Sheena Resplandor from Harmony Movement to use art as a tool for unearthing history and moving towards social justice. This will be followed by a live play performance of Diana Tso's Red Snow, a new Canadian play inspired by survivors of the 1937 Nanjing Holocaust.
$15 includes show and lunch
Contact name:
Sarah Bleiwas
Contact email:
Dismantling racism workshop resource guide
This extensive 120 page resource guide from Western State Centre covers everything you need to know to facilitate an effective workshop on dismantling racism. The guide is full of easy to understand theory and poetry that embodies anti-racist work. It covers:
How to dismantle racist assumptions
The construction of racism
Terms to understand
Models for understanding how racism works
Turning internalized repression in to empowerment
How to be a white ally
Moving towards racial justice
Conservative MP David Sweet's attempt to obstruct Norman Finkelstein lecture on campus
Information received through a freedom of information (FOI) request has revealed that Conservative MP David Sweet intervened in February 2011 to help obstruct a lecture by Israel-Palestine expert Dr. Norman Finkelstein. Finkelstein, author of numerous books on the Palestine-Israel conflict -- and often critical of Israel -- was scheduled to speak at Mohawk College in Hamilton, Ontario at an event organized by Canadians for Justice and Peace in the Middle East (CJPME.) Although the room booking had already been confirmed and paid, within days of a meeting organized by Sweet with college officials, Mohawk College quadrupled the price of the room booking by applying an additional $1500 in security fees.
