Congratulations!
Congratulations to Ariela, Toyin, Christine, Qing, Wendy Chin, Yosief, Lubna, Paul, Betty and Theresa who all recently completed and received credit for the AAISA settlement practitioner training module on Crisis Intervention and Conflict Resolution. EMCN is pleased to see the interest of staff in the settlement practitioner training and accreditation opportunities.
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Homeless
Jeremy Baumung worked at George Spady Centre, down the street from our 101 Street location. "The Spady" is the only shelter for those who are intoxicated or under the influence of drugs. He has written a very good play about the lives of these people. On April 7, 8, 9 and 10 it will be presented with free admission only to people who work in not for profit organizations. If you are interested in seeing this thoughtful and well-presented performance you need to call 496-3666 to reserve tickets. The performances are at Azimuth Theatre (11315-106 Ave.).
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Thanks!
Delmy Garcia-Hoyt and Joseph Luri did a super job last week presenting at a John Howard Society conference on crime prevention. Their work helped present how much cultural issues can influence and affect the things that happen for immigrants as they encounter police and the courts. Their session was also supported by three excellent case studies that groups used in further work, written by Helen Rusich.
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Voices Less Heard
Anyone who did not manage to find time over the past weekend to get to the Winspear for the Community Arts Celebration missed some wonderful stuff. All through the two days there were many very interesting and relevant sharings of creative work that links closely with our own work. But in particular, two of the very best presentations of the whole weekend were those of our own Brown Bag Choir and World of Story groups. I am not sure if all of you who are part of the staff here know just how creative and powerful the work being done in these two projects is. These are two very delightful little areas of our activity that are giving people a powerful chance to celebrate their assets and build relationships, key matters to getting on with good lives here. And the others from the larger Edmonton public who saw these performances probably learned more in a few minutes about what it means to be a diverse community than if they took a university class on the subject.
I extend my deep thanks to Wendy Martin and Judy Sillito for the leadership they provide to these activities and also to all the others who work in these two initiatives and participate in them. I hope we will be able to have a recording of the whole song and poetry cycle the Brown Bag Choir performed to share at our website with the whole world too-- as we are nearly ready to have with the World of Story.
Jim Gurnett
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Avaaz
Dear friends,
EU and US demand for biofuels is pushing up world food prices and increasing climate emissions. We should feed people, not cars--so join the call for global standards to clean up the biofuels industry:
Each day, 820 million people in the developing world do not have enough food to eat1. Food prices around the world are shooting up, sparking food riots from Mexico2 to Morocco3. And the World Food Program warned last week that rapidly rising costs are endangering emergency food supplies for the world's worst-off4.
How are the wealthiest countries responding? They're burning food.
Specifically, they're using more and more biofuels--alcohol made from plant products, used in place of petrol to fuel cars. Biofuels are billed as a way to slow down climate change. But in reality, because so much land is being cleared to grow them, most biofuels today are causing more global warming emissions than they prevent5, even as they push the price of corn, wheat, and other foods out of reach for millions of people6.
Not all biofuels are bad--but without tough global standards, the biofuels boom will further undermine food security and worsen global warming. Click here to use our simple tool to send a message to your head of state before this weekend's global summit on climate change in Chiba, Japan, and help build a global call for biofuels regulation:
http://www.avaaz.org/en/biofuel_standards_now/9.php?cl=60205216
Sometimes the trade-off is stark: filling the tank of an SUV with ethanol requires enough corn to feed a person for a year7. But not all biofuels are bad; making ethanol from Brazilian sugar cane is vastly more efficient than US-grown corn, for example, and green technology for making fuel from waste is improving rapidly.
The problem is that the EU and the US have set targets for increasing the use of biofuels without sorting the good from the bad. As a result, rainforests are being cleared in Indonesia to grow palm oil for European biodiesel refineries, and global grain reserves are running dangerously low. Meanwhile, rich-country politicians can look "green" without asking their citizens to conserve energy, and agribusiness giants are cashing in. And if nothing changes, the situation will only get worse.
What's needed are strong global standards that encourage better biofuels and shut down the trade in bad ones. Such standards are under development by a number of coalitions8, but they will only become mandatory if there's a big enough public outcry. It's time to move: this Friday through Saturday, the twenty countries with the biggest economies, responsible for more than 75% of the world's carbon emissions9, will meet in Chiba, Japan to begin the G8's climate change discussions. Before the summit, let's raise a global cry for change on biofuels:
http://www.avaaz.org/en/biofuel_standards_now/9.php?cl=60205216
A call for change before this week's summit won't end the food crisis, or stop global warming. But it's a critical first step. By confronting false solutions and demanding real ones, we can show our leaders that we want to do the right thing, not the easy thing.
As Kate, an Avaaz member in Colorado, wrote about biofuels, "Turning food into oil when people are already starving? My car isn't more important than someone's hungry child."
It's time to put the life of our fellow people, and our planet, above the politics and profits that too often drive international decision-making.
This will be a long fight. But it's one that we join eagerly--because the stakes are too high to do anything else.
With hope,
Ben, Ricken, Iain, Galit, Paul, Graziela, Pascal, Esra'a, Milena -- the Avaaz.org team
SOURCES:
[1] World Food Programme. "Hunger Facts." Accessed 10 March 2008.
http://www.wfp.org/aboutwfp/facts/hunger_facts.asp
[2] The Sunday Herald (Scotland). "2008: The year of global food crisis."
9 March 2008.
http://www.sundayherald.com/news/heraldnews/display.var.2104849.0.2008_the_year_of_global_food_crisis.php
[3] The Australian: "Biofuels threaten 'billions of lives'" 28 February, 2008.
http://www.theaustralian.news.com.au/story/0,25197,23336840-11949,00.html
[4] AFP: "WFP chief warns EU about biofuels." 7 March 2008.
http://afp.google.com/article/ALeqM5hpCFf3spGcDQUuILK5JFV-6NL1Dg
[5] New York Times: "Biofuels Deemed a Greenhouse Threat." 8 February 2008. http://www.nytimes.com/2008/02/08/science/earth/08wbiofuels.html
[6] The Times: "Rush for biofuels threatens starvation on a global scale." 7 March 2008.
http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/environment/article3500954.ece ...
also see BBC: "In graphics: World warned on food price spiral." 10 March 2008. http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/7284196.stm
[7] The Economist: "The end of cheap food." 6 December 2007.
http://www.economist.com/opinion/displaystory.cfm?story_id=10252015
[8] See http://www.globalbioenergy.org, http://cgse.epfl.ch/page70341.html, and http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/environment/article3489640.ece.
[9] Government of Japan. "Percentage of global carbon dioxide emissions (FY 2003) contributed by G20 nations."
http://www.env.go.jp/earth/g8/en/g20/index_popup.html
ABOUT AVAAZ
Avaaz.org is an independent, not-for-profit global campaigning organization that works to ensure that the views and values of the world's people inform global decision-making. (Avaaz means "voice" in many languages.) Avaaz receives no money from governments or corporations, and is staffed by a global team based in London, Rio de Janeiro, New York, Paris, Washington DC, and Geneva.
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Call for Submissions: Teens @ The Turn Festival, Citadel Theatre
Teens @ The Turn is the Citadel's annual teen theatre festival - running April 17-27, 2008. The festival provides mentorship and performance/ production opportunities for teen performing artists.
Participants must be 15 to 19 years of age.
Teens @ The Turn is now accepting applications for:
The Teens @ The Turn Cabaret:
- singer-songwriters, bands, musicians, dancers, poets, cultural performers, magicians, theatre artists, anyone in between, and those who defy labels
- The Teens @ The Turn Cabaret is an eclectic celebration of teen performance artists in our community. Anything and everything goes . from hip-hop to classical music, magic to beat-poetry.
- The Cabaret takes place in the Citadel's Rice Theatre on Saturday, April 26 at 7:30pm.
- Applications will be assessed on a first-come, first-served basis. Closing date: March 20.
One Step Closer: drummer and bassist
- One Step Closer (a musical theatre review) is looking for two teen musicians - a drummer and a bassist. Previous musical theatre experience preferred. Must be able to sight read.
- Applications will be assessed on a first-come, first-served basis.
- Closing date: March 20.
Front of House Volunteers
- Apply to be a member of the Citadel's awesome Front of House Team during the festival and see festival productions for FREE! Duties include ticket taking, seating festival patrons, and more!
- Applications accepted on an ongoing basis.
Dance Percussion Studio Society Presents: African Drumming Workshops
with Matthew Marsolek & Lawrence Duncan / W: www.drumbrothers.com
Monday, March 31 @ Riverdale Community Hall 9231 - 100 Avenue
(South on 95 St. off Jasper Ave. Continue to Cameron Ave. RC Hall on left.)
. Workshop I: 6:15-7:45 p.m. - all welcome; extra drums provided.
. Workshop II: 8-9:30 p.m. - intermediate; some previous experience necessary.
Cost: $25; children 12-17: $12 payable in advance or at the door.
Reservation/Info: Janet, 439-6028; Srutika 433-4752/485-2515
About: The Drum Brothers (www.drumbrothers.com) is a well known & highly energetic world percussion group. Their performances of ethnic sound include West African Djembe, Doun-doun drums, Australian didgeridoos, ethnic flutes, guitars, vocals & hard percussion. They teach classes in the U.S. and Canada to enthusiastic groups of all ages.
A Reminder: Dance, Song, Drumming and Percussion Workshop with Rwandan artists Vincent Nsengiyumva (www.nsengiyumva.com) and the Vanginanga Cultural Troupe Tuesday, March 25, 7:30-9:30 p.m. / Cost $20 adults, $10 children (8-12 years). Registration required - limited space. Call 433-4752 or 485-2515.
Dubious moves on immigration
Toronto Star
EDITORIAL
Mar 17, 2008
Immigration Minister Diane Finley patted herself on the back last week for admitting more than 429,000 foreigners in 2007 – the highest number in history – as a way of emphasizing that the Conservatives really do like all kinds of immigrants.
But behind the touted numbers, which include just 251,000 permanent residents and a 12 per cent jump in temporary foreign workers, was a controversial move by the government to limit the number and type of immigrant applicants accepted and processed each year.
The reason for the move is ostensibly to deal with a backlog of more than 850,000 applicants already waiting in the system, which the Conservatives mostly inherited from the previous Liberal government of Paul Martin.
Amendments in the budget implementation bill introduced by the government on Friday give the immigration minister sweeping powers to pick and choose types of immigrants, to cap the number of applicants "by category or otherwise," and to reject any applicant already approved for admission by immigration officers.
The measures are needed, Finley told Canadian Press, because it now takes three to six years for someone to get an application even seen. "That's not fair to them, it's not fair to their families and it's not fair to the employers who want to hire them," said Finley.
Nor is it fair, however, to close the door to would-be immigrants who want to come here and have the necessary qualifications. And last week's move raises questions about whether the government plans to use the new powers as a way to favour certain groups, such as "economic class" immigrants, at the expense of others, or to discriminate on the basis of country of origin. Already some immigrants wait far longer than others to be processed because of their country of origin or their immigration category.
If the government really wants to speed up the immigration application process, it could start by hiring more staff to deal with a backlog instead of slapping a cap on new applications.
And the measures introduced last week belie Finley's stated goal to "bring more newcomers here to fill the jobs and be reunited with their families." That depends, of course, on what category of immigrants that the minister chooses to let in.
To its credit, the Conservative government is creating a new category of immigrant called the Canadian Experience Class. This will allow temporary workers and foreign students to apply for landed status without first returning to their home countries. And it is creating SWAT teams of workers to process files from countries and immigration categories where the waits are longest. But clearly more needs to be done, and that doesn't mean denying family reunification immigrants or discriminating against certain countries of origin.
By 2012, immigration is expected to account for all net labour force growth in Canada due to our aging work force, declining birth rate and growing labour shortages. And there will be fierce competition for talented workers abroad.
The government, then, should be doing everything possible to welcome eager and talented newcomers, not giving itself new powers to slam the door in their faces.
ESPA Exhibitions & Films: March-Nov. 2008
Edmonton Small Press Association (ESPA)
780-434-9236
http://www.edmontonsmallpress.org
http://www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=18332213920
ESPA Upcoming Exhibitions & Film Screenings, March-Nov. 2008:
March 1 - April 26: EXHIBIT: Political Cartoons by Ingrid Rice
Date/Time: March 14 - April 26
LOCATION: HAPPY HARBOR COMICS v.III, 10326 81 Ave.
Ingrid Rice was born in England in 1956 and attended high school in North Vancouver. After attending Langara College for a year, Rice worked in the graphics department of BCTV. She then became the Art Director of TV Week magazine and then Art Director of Westworld. Since 1985 she has been self-employed as a graphic designer. Ingrid Rice is the only western-based national female editorial cartoonist. Rice freelanced for the Vancouver Sun from 1992 to 1994, after which she pursued self-syndication, producing 2 to 3 cartoons per week and publishing in major dailies and community newspapers across the country.
See her work at: http://cagle.msnbc.com/politicalcartoons/PCcartoons/rice.asp
March 22 @ 8PM: FILM: "No End in Sight" (to commemorate the 5th Anniversary of the U.S. invasion of Iraq).
Date/Time: Sat., March 22 @ 8pm
LOCATION: BEING RE-SCHEDULED, MORE INFO TBA
ADMISSION: by donation (pay what you can)
EVENT PAGE: http://www.facebook.com/event.php?eid=8926956858
Film Synopsis: The first film of its kind to chronicle the reasons behind Iraq’s descent into guerilla war, warlord rule, criminality and anarchy, NO END IN SIGHT is a jaw-dropping, insider’s tale of wholesale incompetence, recklessness and venality. * AWARDS: 2007 Special Jury Prize at Sundance; Best Documentary, Los Angeles Film Critics; Best Documentary Nominee, 2007 Academy Awards.
"The most important movie you are likely to see this year." - TIME Magazine.
VIEW TRAILER: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3MdU09oD-OU
March 31 @ 8PM: FILM: "Encounter Point", a remarkable film about the Israeli/Palestinian conflict resolution movement, presented in conjunction with Theatre Yes' production of the play "My Name is Rachel Corrie".
Date/Time: Mon., March 31 @ 8pm
LOCATION: Catalyst Theatre, 8529 Gateway Blvd.
ADMISSION: by donation (pay what you can)
EVENT PAGE: http://www.facebook.com/event.php?eid=10959612789
Film Synopsis: "Encounter Point" is a feature documentary about everyday leaders - a former Israeli settler, a Palestinian ex-prisoner, a bereaved Israeli mother, a wounded Palestinian bereaved brother - who risk their lives and public standing to promote a nonviolent end to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. In the face of violence and immense loss, these individuals step forward to end the circle of hate and promote reconciliation. *AWARDS: Winner, 2006 San Francisco International Film Festival Audience Award for Best Documentary; Official Selection, Vancouver Film Festival, Tribeca Film Festival, Jerusalem Film Festival, Hot Docs, Dubai Int'l Film Festival; Top 5 Picks, Hot Docs. VIEW TRAILER: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SiZ7vlRf8aI
April 6 @ 4pm: PANEL DISCUSSION: "My Name is Rachel Corrie" presented in conjunction with Theatre Yes' production of the play "My Name is Rachel Corrie" (follows the Sunday afternoon matinee).
Date/Time: Sun., April 6 @ 4pm
LOCATION: Catalyst Theatre, 8529 Gateway Blvd.
ADMISSION: Free Admission (donations appreciated)
EVENT PAGE: http://www.facebook.com/event.php?eid=10733721562 or 434-9236
Synopsis: The play “My Name Is Rachel Corrie” chronicles the human, social, and political evolution in the life and controversial death of the American peace activist crushed to death by an Israeli bulldozer in Gaza. Though she never actually wrote a play, Corrie has been described as “the most talked about playwright in America today.” Since her death, Corrie has become a potent symbol for both sides of the conflict. The battle over the play and its meaning is still causing great uproar in the theater world. Originally produced to great acclaim by the Royal Court Theater and based on Corrie’s prolific writings, diaries, letters and e-mails edited by the acclaimed actor Alan Rickman and the Guardian journalist Katharine Viner, this powerful one-woman play offers a unique perspective into the horrors and humanity of the conflict between the Palestinians and the Israelis. This Panel Discussion, running in conjunction with Theatre Yes' production of the play, will focus on the controversy surrounding "My Name is Rachel Corrie", including issues of freedom of expression and criminalization of dissent. We expect an eye-opening and intense discussion, as panel members (literally) represent 'both sides of the fence' in the Gaza/Israeli conflict; the objective of the panel is to create meaningful dialogue and conflict resolution and reconciliation. The panel is being represented by: Prof. Emeritus Baha Abu-Laban, Vanesa Ali from Palestinian rights group HumanServe, Netta Phillet of the Jewish/Arab Women's Peace Group, Karen Farkas of the Edmonton Jewish Federation, and possibly more TBA. Moderated by Ann McDougall of the U of A Middle Eastern & African Studies Program.
* NOTE: "My Name is Rachel Corrie" PLAY runs March 28-April 12 @ Catalyst Theatre, 8529 Gateway Blvd. See Theatre Yes' website for more info: http://www.theatre-yes.ca
April 19 @ 8PM: FILM: "5-Ring Circus" documents the growing environmental and human rights consequences surrounding the 2010 Olympics in Vancouver (film being introduced by Made-in-Alberta eco-vids), to commemorate Earth Day.
Date/Time: Sat., April 19 @ 8pm
LOCATION: BEING RE-SCHEDULED, MORE INFO TBA
ADMISSION: by donation (pay what you can)
INFO: 434-9236 / (Facebook page coming soon)
Film Synopsis: The "Five Ring Circus" exposes a side to the Vancouver 2010 Olympics which has not been revealed before, and shows how this three week event is changing Vancouver forever. With two years to go before the games, this documentary examines how the commitments to environmental, social and economic sustainability have not been kept and how the preparations for the games are affecting diverse communities. Is Vancouver getting into the spirit of the Olympics? Find out what mayors, activists and residents think. The documentary features interviews with George Monbiot, regional mayors, professors, legal experts, MLAs, 2010 Watch, the Canadian Taxpayers Federation, Premier Gordon Campbell, members of the Vancouver police department, and many, many activists opposed to the games. Simultaneously entertaining, infuriating and eye-opening. "The games have skewed all the priorities for the entire region... Everything's become devoted to this three-week party that's going to happen in 2010. It's like imagining that everything you do in your own life is all designed and built toward your next birthday." - Mayor Corrigan, Burnaby, BC.
May 1 - June 28: EXHIBIT: "Celebrate People's History" & "Street Art Workers"
Date/Time: May 1 - June 28
LOCATION: BEING RE-SCHEDULED, MORE INFO TBA
Celebrate People's History is a series of 38 posters that profile legendary radical folks, historical events and revolutionary movements such as anarcho-feminist Emma Goldman, Wangari Maathai (creator of the Greenbelt Movement), Crazy Horse's defeat of General Custer in the Battle of Little Bighorn, Hitler's White Rose resisters, and many, many more inspiring activists from the past century. The newest project from the Street Art Workers (SAW) takes a look at how corporate globalization has affected our world, how it has impacted the land, and how people are fighting back. This collection of 25 posters represents artists from 20 cities in 10 different countries, and illustrate specific struggles in countries like Brazil and the United States, tackling international issues around poverty and gentrification. Along with a strong critique of imperialism, the posters show how communities throughout the world are resisting corporate power for a more just and sustainable world.
May 17: FAIR & FILMS: ESPA's 5th Annual Fair Trade Fair & Film Festival
Date/Time: Sat., May 17 from 12-6pm
LOCATION: TBA
ADMISSION: $5 admission includes THREE excellent films and a copy of Co-op America's 2008 Guide to Fair Trade
MORE INFO COMING SOON: http://www.edmontonsmallpress.org and http://www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=18332213920
Our 5th annual event as part of TransFair Canada's National Fair Trade Weeks includes an afternoon marketplace with artists, NGOs, unions and vendors selling Fair Trade-certified, sweatshop-free or otherwise ethically-produced clothing, textiles, fashion accessories; soccer and volleyballs; chocolate, coffee, tea, sugar; plenty of arts & crafts; mouth-watering Eritrean (vegetarian) dishes and salads, good vibes, good karma, short videos and...
FEATURE FILMS:
Date/Time: Sat., June 21 @ 8pm
LOCATION: BEING RE-SCHEDULED, MORE INFO TBA
ADMISSION: by donation (pay what you can)
INFO: 434-9236 / (Facebook page coming soon)
Film Synopsis: The cycling phenomenon known as Critical Mass is a reclamation of public space that started in San Francisco in the early 1990s and spread by the internet throughout the world. On a set day, at the end of every month, cyclists and other self-propelled people ride en masse through city streets. Vancouver has become renowned for its big Critical Mass bike rides, and particularly the party spirit that attracts all types of cyclists. YNBA charts the development of these mass rides in Vancouver over the last decade, from the (pre-Critical Mass) protest rides across the historic Lions Gate Bridge in the early to mid-Nineties, through the "No Fun City" years of the late 1990s and early 2000s, where cyclists were routinely arrested for riding together, up to giant Critical Mass rides of more recent years. Along the way, YNBA strips down for the Wholesome Undie (an underwear ride protesting the Molson Indy race) and throws caution to the wind for the World Naked Bike Ride (founded by Vancouver's Conrad Schmidt, Director of 5-Ring Circus). YNBA catches up with the local "freak" bike collective who make choppers and art bikes from recycled machines, and looks at how cyclists are sharing the "velo love" through buildathons, street theatre, and rides. A great film exposing an under-represented but growing subculture in all it's myriad forms.
VIEW TRAILER: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZFYnz4JHRwM
July 1 - August 30: EXHIBIT: War & Peace: Ten Years of Edmonton Protest Graphics from the ESPA Archives
Date/Time: July 1 - Aug. 30
LOCATION: BEING RE-SCHEDULED, MORE INFO TBA
An energy-packed collection of some of ESPA's favourite anti-war, pro-peace and protest graphics and photographs from our permanent collection and the Raise My Voice independent media photo-archive.
Sept. 1 - Nov. 1: EXHIBIT: "Collapsing Colonies" featuring the Beehive Collective & other socio-visual pollinators.
Date/Time: Sept. 1 - Nov. 1
LOCATION: BEING RE-SCHEDULED, MORE INFO TBA
INFO: 434-9236 / http://www.edmontonsmallpress.org (see NoN Expo below) - (Facebook page coming soon)
The Beehive Collective is an all volunteer, non profit art-activist collective from Maine who are dedicated to making astonishingly beautiful and intricate artworks as socio-political and environmental educational tools. Their mission is to "cross-pollinate the grassroots", and they value collaborative work, creative problem solving, and dismantling colonial mentality. As the bee metaphor dictates, they are endlessly busy in the effort to illuminate the connections between single issues and the "big picture". The collective's work will also be complimented by other pollinator-centric works, and featured right through our 2008 North of Nowhere Expo as part of our exploration of Colony Collapse Disorder. This exhibit is not to be missed!
Sept. 17: FILMS: "Darfur Diaries" & "The Devil Came on Horseback" to commemorate the Sept. 17 International Day for Darfur and pressure the UN to take meaningful action on the genocide. Darfur is this decade's Rwanda. People need your help.
LOCATION & TIMES: TBA
Darfur Diaries: In October, 2004 a team of three independent filmmakers left for Darfur, Sudan and eastern Chad. After monitoring the worsening political and humanitarian crisis for months and recognizing that the mainstream media offered marginal and inadequate coverage, the team set out with the goal of providing a platform for the people of Darfur (both those displaced inside Darfur and those living in refugee camps in Chad) to speak for themselves about their experiences, their fears, and their hopes for the future. The conflict serves as the ongoing narrative in the film, but the focus is on the people who are living through what has been termed a “genocide.” Through the voices of refugees, displaced persons, and in particular women and children, who are always among the most vulnerable in any conflict situation, this film seeks to provide space for the marginalized victims of atrocities to speak and to engage with the world. The film probes the history, culture and heritage of Darfur as a means of deepening understanding of the crisis and a people undergoing traumatic loss but who demonstrate inspiring strength and resilience.
The Devil Came on Horseback exposes the tragedy taking place in Darfur as seen through the eyes of an American witness who has since returned to the US to take action to stop it. Using the exclusive photographs and first hand testimony of former U.S. Marine Captain Brian Steidle, The Devil Came on Horseback takes the viewer on an emotionally charged journey into the heart of Darfur, Sudan, where an Arab run government is systematically executing a plan to rid the province of it’s black African citizens. As an official military observer, Steidle had access to parts of the country that no journalist could penetrate. He was unprepared for what he would witness and experience, including being fired upon, taken hostage, and being unable to intervene to save the lives of young children. Ultimately frustrated by the inaction of the international community, Steidle resigned and returned to the US to expose the images and stories of lives systematically destroyed. * AWARDS: WINNER: SEEDS OF WAR AWARD & FULL FRAME/WORKING FILM AWARD Full Frame Documentary Film Festival; WITNESS Award SilverDocs Film Festival 2007; Lena Sharpe / Women in Cinema Persistence of Vision Award / Seattle International Film Festival 2007, Adrienne Shelly EXCELLENCE IN FILMMAKING Award /Nantucket Film Festival.
VIEW TDCOH TRAILER: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6UyvoSaocUQ
SEE WEBSITES: http://www.darfurdiaries.org and http://www.thedevilcameonhorseback.com (Facebook page coming soon)
Sept. 21: FILM: Re-screening of "Encounter Point" to commemorate the Sept. 21 International Day of Peace.
LOCATION & TIME: TBA
Film Synopsis: "Encounter Point" is a feature documentary about everyday leaders - a former Israeli settler, a Palestinian ex-prisoner, a bereaved Israeli mother, a wounded Palestinian bereaved brother - who risk their lives and public standing to promote a nonviolent end to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. In the face of violence and immense loss, these individuals step forward to end the circle of hate and promote reconciliation. *AWARDS: Winner, 2006 San Francisco International Film Festival Audience Award for Best Documentary; Official Selection, Vancouver Film Festival, Tribeca Film Festival, Jerusalem Film Festival, Hot Docs, Dubai Int'l Film Festival; Top 5 Picks, Hot Docs. VIEW TRAILER: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SiZ7vlRf8aI
Coming Oct. 17-31, 2008: FESTIVAL: "The 2008 North of Nowhere Expo" a multidisciplinary festival of independent media & underground art - films, visual art, skillshares & more. Feature exhibitions by 'living legend' Mail Artist Anna Banana; Iranian artist Lida Sherafatmand (creator of the Humanitarian Art Manifesto); a multidisciplinary exploration of Colony Collapse Disorder featuring the Beehive Collective and educational documentaries; our 2nd Annual Pinwheels for Peace; plus a 10th Anniversary Retrospective of ESPA's first decade of rabble-rousing (hosted by ArtsHab), featuring a remarkable exhibition of the best small press, zines, mail art, artistamps, political prints and underground art from our permanent collection. Various venues including ArtsHab, Happy Harbor Comics and more TBA.
ANNA BANANA: http://mypage.uniserve.com/~a_banana
LIDA SHERAFATMAND: http://www.lida-sherafatmand.com
CCD FILM LINKS: http://www.pbs.org/wnet/nature/bees and http://www.vanishingbees.com
PINWHEELS FOR PEACE http://www.pinwheelsforpeace.com
More details coming soon!
* All dates & times subject to slight change - see our website or Facebook group page for updates.
--
Edmonton Small Press Association (ESPA)
P.O. Box 75086 RPO
Edmonton, Alberta
T6E 6K1 Canada
780-434-9236
http://www.edmontonsmallpress.org
http://www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=18332213920
Missing in Action – Diplomacy in Afghanistan
On the 5th Anniversary of the Invasion of Iraq, Edmonton Chapter of the Council of the Canadians & Edmonton Coalition Against War and Racism & U of A Campus Chapter of the Council of Canadians Present a public talk by:
GERALD OHLSEN, Vice Chair of the Group of 78
"Missing in Action – Diplomacy in Afghanistan"
7:00 pm, Wednesday, March 19, 2008
Room 150, Telus Building, University of Alberta
Mr. Ohlsen will discuss a peace process alternative to Canada’s combat role in Afghanistan.
A Q & A session on Afghanistan, the Middle East and the “War on Terror” will follow.
Ottawa moves to slash immigrant backlog
National Post
Ottawa moves to slash immigrant backlog Amendment would reduce number of new applications accepted John Ivison, National Post Published: Thursday, March 13, 2008
OTTAWA -- The federal government is set to reduce the number of new immigration applications it accepts in a dramatic change of policy aimed at cutting the backlog of nearly 900,000 people who have already applied to enter Canada.
Sources say Immigration Minister Diane Finley will table an amendment to the Immigration and Refugee Protection Act as early as Thursday. The new legislation will limit the number of new applications accepted and processed annually.
The act currently requires the government to process every application that enters the system -- a provision that has led to the huge backlog and a wait-time of around four years for an application to be processed.
"It isn't sustainable," said one source, who added that the overall number of immigrants admitted to Canada is more likely to increase than fall in the coming years, even if the number of new applications accepted drops dramatically.
It is believed the amendment will be included as part of the legislation to implement the federal budget, making it a confidence matter.
Maurizio Bevilacqua, the Liberal immigration critic, said the Conservatives don't understand the role immigration plays in Canada's history. "The Conservatives are shutting the door on immigration because they fail to understand its importance to our labour markets and our nation-building. The lack of resources devoted to this issue shows they are not serious about immigration," he said Wednesday.
In this year's budget, the government allocated $22-million to modernizing the immigration system. "It is not fair for prospective immigrants to wait for years before being considered, and it is not desirable to wait that long for the immigrants the country needs," the budget said, adding that the proposed changes will "more effectively manage the future growth in the inventory, such as addressing the number of applications accepted and processed in a year." The changes are designed to establish a "just-in-time" immigration system, where the wait time is reduced to an average of a year.
Ms. Finley has emphasized that the government is seeking to bring the "best and the brightest" to Canada.
"Immigration will play an increasingly important role in our long-term growth and prosperity, and we will continue to look for innovative ways to bring in talent from around the world," Ms. Finley told an audience in Mumbai, India, last November.
But critics contend that the new policy will target "economic class" migrants coming to Canada for work, rather than "family class" immigrants being re-united with Canadian family members, or cases where immigrants are admitted on humanitarian and compassionate grounds.
"The Conservatives are attacking family re-unification but it attracts many skilled workers to come here," Mr. Bevilacqua said. The government has made no secret of the fact it sees itself in competition with countries such as Australia and the United Kingdom for the most qualified immigrants. This is likely to mean the vast majority of applications accepted in future are from the "economic class" of migrants that currently make up around 60% of newcomers.
Canada accepts about 250,000 immigrants a year, a figure that has increased since the Conservatives took office. The backlog of applications grew from 50,000 when the Liberal party took office in 1993 to around 500,000 in 2000. By the time the Conservatives came to power in early 2006, it was around 800,000 and in the past two years that number has grown to around 875,000.
Some estimates suggest that as many as one-quarter of current applications are more than six years old.
The Liberals made a number of attempts to eat into the backlog. For example, when Liberal MP Dennis Coderre was immigration minister in 2002, he raised the total number of points required for admission to 75 from 70 (points are allocated on the basis of language skills, education and job offers).
However, under pressure from the Liberals' ethnic voting base, the party backed down and reduced the number of points required to 67.
In 2005, with an election pending, then Liberal immigration minister Joe Volpe announced he would increase the number of immigrants by 100,000 a year -- a rise of 40% from existing levels at that time.
The Conservatives have long argued the Liberals allowed political, rather than economic, factors to dominate their immigration and refugee policy.
A report by the Fraser Institute in 2005 suggested that only 23% of immigrants are net fiscal contributors to Canada at a cost to the taxpayer every year of more than $18-billion (although 60% of immigrants are from the "economic class," fewer than half that number pass the points test -- the remainder are spouses and children).
The government says it has already taken a number of measures to make the system more flexible and efficient, including the establishment of Foreign Credentials Referral offices in China and India and moves to make it easier for foreign students and temporary workers to obtain visas.
Sierra Leone's Refugee All Stars- Screening and Discussion
Wednesday, March 19th
5:00 p.m.
CEB 325 (Civil Engineering Building/Physics) University of Alberta Campus
Film: Sierra Leone's Refugee All Stars
Speaker: Megan Murphy-Mackenzie, Department of Political Science
During the 1991-2002 Sierra Leonean civil war, the government and various rebel factions terrorized civilians by killing, mutilation, rape and forced conscription on both sides. Hundreds of thousands of Sierra Leoneans were forced from their homes and fled to refugee camps in neighbouring Republic of Guinea. There, traumatized by physical injuries and brutal losses, a group of six refugees fight back with the only means they have—music—and form Sierra Leone’s Refugee All Stars. (78 Minutes, 2005)
Following the film, join us for a brief discussion on post-conflict Sierra Leone with political scientist Megan Murphy-Mackenzie.
The Global Education Program, University of Alberta International is pleased to present the Welcome to the Reel World film series, which seeks to raise awareness about global issues both on campus and in the larger Edmonton community. By pairing award winning documentaries with academics, experienced NGO partners and remarkable individuals with firsthand international experience, the series provides a platform for open dialogue on the most pressing issues confronting us today. These screenings are free of charge and everyone is welcome to attend. Information on this 2008 listings can be found at: http://www.international.ualberta.ca/globaled/
Eilis Pourbaix
Global Education Coordinator
University of Alberta International
172 HUB International
Edmonton, AB T6G 2E1
Tel: (780) 492-6442
Fax: (780) 492-1134
E-mail: eilis.pourbaix@ualberta.ca
www.international.ualberta.ca
The City of Edmonton: Master Composter/Recycler Program 2008!
Master Composter/Recycler Program
City of Edmonton, Waste Management Branch
Once a year, the Waste Management Branch hosts the Master Composter & Recycler Program. This award winning program, hosted in partnership with the J.W. Grant MacEwan Environmental Studies Program, is open to citizens of Edmonton only. It includes classroom instruction, workshops and trips to various waste-handling facilities.
Course Dates: April 15 - May 3, 2008 / Class schedule: Tuesday & Thursday evenings, Saturday morning and afternoon - 30 minute interviews will be held Saturday March 29.
Successful applicants receive training in environmental stewardship including, home composting, household hazardous waste, vermicomposting and residential recycling. In return, graduates commit to at least 35 hours of volunteer activity promoting the 3 Rs (reduce, reuse, recycle) to citizens of Edmonton.
Volunteer work may be self-directed or may include: providing help and encouragement to friends and neighbours with composting problems, in small groups or one-on-one; Demonstrating and mentoring positive environmental practices in your workplace.
In addition: providing assistance to associated groups such as the Community Garden Network, Edmonton Naturalization Group, and community Reuse Fairs; staffing City of Edmonton's public education display booths at community events and trade shows; assisting with programs and maintenance at the City's compost education sites; providing presentations to public/school groups.
Interested in learning more about recycling & composting? Sharing your knowledge with others? Become a Master Composter/Recycler Volunteer!
To apply on-line: www.Edmonton.CA/waste
For more information, please call 496-5991.
Or email: Karen.Lewis-Caron@Edmonton.CA
Note: Application deadline March 20, 2008.
University of Alberta Visiting Lectureship in Human Rights Presents: Mary Robinson
Wednesday, April 2, 7:30 pm
Citadel Theatre
Tickets: $10
Website: www.ualberta.ca/~lecture
Mary Robinson, the first woman President of Ireland and former United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights will deliver the 10th Visiting Lectureship in Human Rights. Devoted to addressing issues of injustice and inequality, Mary Robinson founded and currently leads Realizing Rights: The Ethical Globalization Initiative. Realizing Rights is tackling three critical issues: the imbalance in global trade and development, the HIV/AIDS crisis in Africa and the barriers to facilitating more humane international migration. From 1997 to 2002 during her term as UN High Commissioner for Human Rights she challenged governments to address human rights issues regardless of those governments’ international or economic stature. She brought the lens of human rights to all UN activity; she emphasized the link between advanced human rights and economic and social development; and she traveled widely bringing attention to situations requiring our most urgent action. Her lecture, as part of the University of Alberta’s Centennial celebrations, will reflect on the 60th anniversary of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, health as a human right and will highlight current efforts to address critical human rights issues in the world today.
Tickets are $10 and are available now at the International Centre (172 HUB, University of Alberta) or the Citadel Theatre 425-1820 or www.citadeltheatre.com. Please note this is a change in date from the originally scheduled lecture. A limited number of free tickets will be available for University of Alberta students. Tickets will be distributed at the Citadel box office starting at 6:30 pm on April 2. Students will be required to present their Onecard to receive a ticket. Only one ticket will be provided per student.
Nancy Hannemann
Director, Global Education
University of Alberta International
International Centre
172 HUB International
Edmonton, Alberta, Canada T6G 2E1
ph. (780) 492-5962
fax. (780) 492-1134
nancy.hannemann@ualberta.ca
Who Belongs: Immigration, Democracy and Citizenship
All interested members of the university and general public are warmly invited to attend
The 12th Annual Distinguished Lecture in Political Science
JOSEPH H. CARENS (Professor of Political Science, University of Toronto)
"WHO BELONGS: IMMIGRATION, DEMOCRACY AND CITIZENSHIP"
WHEN: Thursday March 27, 3:30-5:00 PM
WHERE: Humanities Centre Lecture Theatre 1 (HCL1) University of Alberta
Dr. Carens work focuses on issues of justice, equality and freedom. He is a recipient of the Bora Laskin Fellowship in Human Rights Research as well as a winner of the C.B. Macpherson Best Book Award from the Canadian Political Science Association.
Earth Hour
Prayer Service for the International Day for the Elimination of Racial Discrimination
Spring 2008 Programs
The Alberta Association of Services for Children and Families - Leadership Bursary
