Thursday, 21 November 2024

Month: February 2018

Shades of Green podcast, episode 2: Toxic legacy – setting a context for environmental racism in Nova Scotia

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Episode 2 of the Shades of Green podcast looks at the 500-year old roots of environmental racism in Nova Scotia, and features Dr. Wanda Thomas Bernard, James Desmond, Jaden Dixon, El Jones, Lynn Jones, Roger Lewis, Barbara Low, Catherine Martin, and Dr. Ingrid Waldron. Join us as we pull back and take a bit of a long view, exploring some of the histories of colonization on these lands and how these severed relationships with the land connect to the environmental racism we see today.

Welfare woes: Power bill increase puts family of three in dire straits

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We featured Brent and Donna, the Sheet Harbour couple on income assistance, in an earlier story about the terrible state of disrepair of their public housing unit. Community Services used to pay their entire power bill, but last week they contacted me because all of a sudden they are saddled with a $60 monthly share. They don’t know why, and they don’t know how they are going to deal with it.

Media release: Atlantic teacher organizations give failing grade to Nova Scotia government′s response to flawed Glaze recommendations

News release issued by the Council of Atlantic Provinces and Territory Teachers’ Organizations. “Of equal interest to the education leaders meeting in St. John’s, NL were the major issues that the Nova Scotia government decided not to address. Notably absent from immediate action are many items that might have led to meaningful changes and improvements in the education system.”

Selection of prison based on gender identity a victory, but alternatives to incarceration still needed, says advocate

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Rebecca Rose takes a look at a new Correctional Service of Canada (CSC) policy that means that Transgender women can now be sent to women’s prisons while Transgender men will serve their time in a men’s prison, if that is their preference. Under the old policy inmates were sent to the federal institution that “matched” their genitals, not their gender identity. Rene Callahan-St John, a member of the Prisoners Correspondence Project views the change as a victory, but says much more remains to be done.

Op-ed: Jokes no cover for racist ignorance

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Blankets infected with smallpox were handed by early settlers to indigenous peoples as a biological weapon. That’s no joking matter, writes Jackie Davis, who earlier this week went to a local pub where a white comedian thought otherwise. “Comedy should not be exempt from criticism. It should not be a cover for complete ignorance,” she writes.

Letter to minister Lloyd Hines: Guysborough does not need a boom and bust economy

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Recently the Municipality of the District of Guysborough asked the province to lift the moratorium on fracking. Alexander Bridge has been on a mission to tell the world that the municipal council doesn’t speak on behalf of all its residents, and in fact never bothered to find out what people think about this plan.This is Alexander’s letter to Lloyd Hines, his local MLA and minister of Transportation and Infrastructure Renewal.

Media release: Government not committed to working with concerned citizens on collaborative welfare reform

Earlier today we posted a letter to premier Stephen McNeil written by a new coalition of poverty organizations and advocates who want a substantial increase in income assistance rates and real input in the Employment Support and Income Assistance transformation that is mostly happening in secret and without real community input. That letter was a bit long, this press release is the Coles notes version.

Open letter to Premier Stephen McNeil requesting a response to the Community Agenda for Social Assistance Adequacy and Reform

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Last December a coalition of more than 25 anti-poverty organizations and advocates released A Call to Action: Community Agenda for Social Assistance Adequacy and Reform. Not satisfied with the response by a civil servant, the coalition once again makes its case, asking for a a substantial increase in Income Assistance rates, meaningful consultation, and a meeting with the premier. Meanwhile, there are way more signatories now.