Staff Meeting
March 28 noon to 1:00 p.m.
Room #2-4
Don't miss this month's staff meeting and the opportunity to learn about the work of the City in our new neighbourhood.
Brief presentations on services available to families through Health For Two and Brick Sports Central will also be included.
Win a prize, if you know the answer to the following question. What program is available for parents and preschool children in the afternoons at EMCN starting April 14?
Please note: lunch will be provided
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Good Friday Thanks
Much appreciation to Karen Gabert and Yohannes Yirsaw for sharing some of their Good Friday day off to present about the work of EMCN as part of the Good Friday Outdoor Way of the Cross, where nearly 1000 people heard them describe our work with refugees. And also to Wendy Martin who shared about our work at a Good Friday service of all the Mennonite churches in Edmonton.
Thank you all for helping us reach people with good news of our work.
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The Stranger Who Snored – On Sale Now
The Stranger Who Snored Story is now available on CD in 36 languages. Individual CD's are $10.00. The complete set of recordings is $30.00. Drop by the reception desk at #101, 10010-107 A Avenue and purchase your copy.
For Sale Language List
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Quality of Life Commission / A Social Justice Talk
Monday April 07, 2008 / 7:00 p.m. (Free Admission)
@ EPL - Stanley A. Milner Library, Edmonton Room.
You're cordially invited to hear Marjorie Bencz (Edmonton Food Bank) on the food difficulties of low income people, Bill Moore Kilgannon (Public Interest Alberta) on the need for a living wage/benefits for the working poor, and Jim Gurnett (Mennonite Centre for Newcomers) on the lack of safe housing and the special challenges facing new immigrants. Moderator: Senator Douglas Roche.
Background: The Quality of Life Commission has reacted to the boom in Alberta incomes by pointing out that the working poor & many other citizens, are not benefiting from the boom; indeed, are suffering as a result of the growing wage gap. With the working poor struggling to feed themselves & to find a place to live, Alberta has an issue which demands attention from society & governments.
For more information, please contact:
Don Mayne, The Quality of Life Commission
T: 466.2757 / E: dmayne@compusmart.ab.ca
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International Call for Shorts about Immigration
Following the success of Digital Diversity and Métissé serré (its French counterpart) in 2007,Radio Canada International breaks new ground with the launch of the second edition of this unique competition... by going international!
Filmmakers, 18 years and over, from anywhere in the world, are invited to submit their 4 to 9 minutes short films, whether fiction, documentary or animation, once again on the theme of immigration.
Sign up now, get out your cameras and spread the word!
Details are available at www.RCIviva.ca/migrations
The deadline for submission by Internet is June 30, 2008.
This competition is organized by RCI viva, Radio Canada International's Internet service with programming in 8 languages.
Infos:
migrations@rcinet.ca
+ (1) 514-597-4877
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JRF Findings: 'Immigration, faith and cohesion'
Just published on the JRF website:
Immigration, faith and cohesion
An exploration of the factors that affect community cohesion in urban areas in England with significant Muslim populations.
JRF email newsletter:
Sign up for monthly updates on JRF activity.
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Brown Bag Seminar
Prairie Metropolis Centre & Alberta Employment, Immigration and Industry
Are co-hosting a Brown Bag Seminar
Michael Haan
University of Alberta
The Place of Place: Location and Immigrant Economic Wellbeing in Canada
In recent years, successive cohorts of immigrants to Canada have experienced a striking level of deterioration in their economic wellbeing. At the same time, more immigrants than ever before are choosing to live in Montréal, Toronto, or Vancouver, Canada's three first-tier or 'gateway cities'. This paper determines the extent to which these two phenomena are related. It identifies whether employment status, earnings, and employment suitability would significantly improve if more immigrants chose to live outside of Canada's three gateway cities. The results suggest that immigrants do experience marginally higher earnings, similar rates of unemployment, and higher rates of employment mismatch than their non-gateway counterparts. Overall, however, only marginal improvements to economic well-being would result from an increase in non-gateway immigration, and that there are other factors that seem to be more closely linked to labour market success.
Time: Noon until 1:00 p.m.
Date: Friday, April 11, 2008
Location: Great Room 8th Floor
South Tower of Capital Health Building
10030 – 107 Street, Edmonton
RSVP to: Marlene Mulder - Tel: 492-0146 or Email mmulder@ualberta.ca
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Tibet: The pressure is rising
Dear friends,
The global outcry over Tibet is rising fast - In just 5 days, 751,472 of us from 192 countries have come together to call for restraint and dialogue with the Dalai Lama. Even more amazing, we have told over 5 million of our friends about this important campaign - that's 1 million people per day!
A personal email from a friend is a powerful thing – it is helping to drive the global tide of concern. Let's push now to tell 5 million more friends, get over 1 million signatures this week, and deliver the largest global online petition in history to the Chinese government. Just forward the email below to a few more friends and family with a personal note from you…
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Dear friends,
After decades of repression, the Tibetan people are crying out to the world for change. The spotlight of the upcoming Olympic Games is now on China, and Tibetan Nobel peace prize winner the Dalai Lama is calling to end all riots and violence through restraint and dialogue--he urgently needs the support of the world's people.
China's hardliners are lashing out publicly at the Dalai Lama--but we're told that President Hu Jintao may believe dialogue is the best hope for stability in Tibet. China's leadership is right now considering a crucial choice between repression and dialogue that could determine Tibet's--and China's--future.
We can affect this historic choice – for President Hu, China's global reputation matters. He needs to hear from us that the 'Made in China' brand and the upcoming Olympics in Beijing will succeed only if he chooses dialogue over the hardliners' repression. An avalanche of global people power is moving to get his attention. We're closing on our goal of 1 million signatures and the largest global online petition in history - click below to join the global outcry, and then forward this email to friends and family right away:
http://www.avaaz.org/en/tibet_end_the_violence/32.php?cl=65735122
China's economy is dependent on "Made in China" exports that we all buy, and the government is keen to make the Olympics in Beijing this summer a celebration of a new and respected China. China is also a sprawling, diverse country with much brutality in its past, so it has good reasons to be concerned about stability -- some of Tibet's rioters killed innocent people. But President Hu must recognize that the greatest danger to Chinese stability and development today comes from hardliners who advocate escalating repression, not from those Tibetans seeking dialogue and reform.
We will deliver our petition directly to Chinese officials in New York, London and Beijing, but it we must reach our goal of 1 million signatures first. Please forward this email to your address book with a note explaining to your friends why this is important, or use our tell-a-friend tool to email your address book--it will come up after you sign.
The Tibetan people have suffered quietly for decades. It is finally their moment to speak--we must help them be heard.
With hope and respect,
Ricken, Pascal, Graziela, Iain, Paul, Galit, Milena, Ben and the whole Avaaz team
Here are some links with more information on the Tibetan protests and the Chinese response:
Crackdown in Tibet, but protests spreading:
http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2008/mar/19/tibet.china
and
http://www.theage.com.au/news/world/crackdown-on-protests-widens/2008/03/17/1205602289349.html
Dalai Lama calling for dialogue and restraint, and an end to violence:
http://www.dalailama.com/news.216.htm
and
http://www.agi.it/world/news/200803191258-pol-ren0032-art.html
Leaders across Europe and Asia starting to back dialogue as the way forward:
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/asia-pacific/7300157.stm
Chinese Prime Minister attacks "Dalai clique", leaves door open for talks:
http://news.xinhuanet.com/english/2008-03/18/content_7813194.htm
Other Chinese signals:
http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/China_looks_at_India_to_talk_to_Dalai_Lama/articleshow/2875142.cms
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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.
Don't forget to check out our Facebook and Myspace pages!
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The Workus: A Program of the Alberta Worker’s Health Centre
Welcome to the Workus
The Workus is a story-collecting, story-telling “mobile installation” that is travelling around Alberta collecting and sharing your workplace illness stories. The Workus exposes the hidden epidemic of workplace-related illnesses and ailments that you experience.
For more detailed information visit www.workershealthcentre.ca
Listen: to stories told by workers who have suffered chronic workplace illnesses and ailments.
Research: hazards and potential illnesses associated with your job. Research common workplace illnesses and ailments.
Share: visit AT HOME, our mobile recording studio. Tell your own story and record it to share with others. Pick sounds to accompany your voice from a database of recorded workplace sounds and sound impressions.
The Workus is a story-collecting “mobile installation” designed to help workers share their stories. The Workus gives voice to workers suffering from debilitating and often painful occupational ailments.
The Workus engages the community in processes of change.
Change is:
- Making occupational illness a public issue.
- Taking action on occupational illness.
- Eliminating or reducing the workplace hazards that lead to illness.
- Fair compensation for damaged workers.
- Healthier workplaces and healthier communities.
Want the Workus to visit your community or event?
Want to hose a Workus session to collect stories or sounds?
Call or e-mail the Centre
Alberta Workers’ Health Centre
300 – 10140 117 Street NW
Edmonton, Alberta T5K 1X3
Phone: (780) 486-9009
Toll Free: 1-888-729-4879
Fax: (780) 483-7632
Grow a Food Garden on Your School Grounds
Get Your Taxes Done for Free!
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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 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.
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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
