Episode 16 - Austerity and the Arts

From left to right: Carmen, Jim and Louis.

 LISTEN - 61:16

This week, we headed down to the Junction highlight Smash, a beautiful, vast, locally-owned showroom for high quality vintage material, furnishings, and fixtures to catch up with Carmen Victor. Carmen is an artist, curator and board member of YYZ Artist Outlet, one of Toronto's most established artist-run centres, who has a long and varied history of engagement with arts and culture  organizations in Canada.

Thanks again to Alder for being such a great host!

We had a loose, fiery and funky chat about the nature and effects of Harper's austerity cuts on the arts, the enduring 
value of the arts of Canada 
and some rays of hope for the 
future.

That's an extra for a movie being filmed outside of Smash
during our interview.

Song List:

Starfucker by Julius
Frankencottage by Dark Mean
Gravity's Rainbow by Klaxon

Guest Links:
Carmen Victor

YYZ Artists' Outlet

Fuse Magazine
Smash

Episode 15 - Mi'kmaq Warriors Speaking Tour Comes to Toronto

LISTEN - 52:08

This show catches a fiery talk by Mi'kmaq Warriors Suzanne Patles and Coady Jipol at The Toronto Council Fire Native Cultural Centre in Toronto's East end. 

Patles and Jipol were on a speaking tour to spread information about their work resisting the encroachment of industrial fracking in the area surrounding Elsipogtog First Nation in New Brunswick, and the legal battles that followed in its wake.

Song List:
Warrior Song - Live From Event


Guest Links:
Mi'kmaq Blockade
Toronto Council Fire Native Cultural Centre

Call for an Inquiry into the 2011 Election Fraud

I asked Jim what I should write a blog post on and he suggested this petition calling for an inquiry into the fraud in the last federal elections, and the robocalls that targeted non-conservative voters.  As always, Jim's innate understanding of important current issues are keen, especially in light of The Fair Elections Act being presented by the Conservatives.  This Act- written and proposed without any input from the Chief Electoral Officer- does nothing to try and ensure that similar fraud cannot happen in the future.  And it's no coincidence that it's being presented in the election scandal's wake.  It feels more like an attack and a strategy than a genuine attempt to improve the election process.  If you think this Act is in anyway something to be proud of, try finding any reference to it on the Conservative's website.

Episode 14 - Sistering, A Woman's Place - Interview with Carol Allain

from left, Carol, Louis and Jim at Sistering

LISTEN - 59:05

Jim and I visited Carol Allain at Sistering, in Toronto, for this episode.  Sistering is a women's organization providing support through programs that enable greater control over their lives. 

This interview is our contribution to the twelfth annual NCRA Homelessness Marathon airing Feb 26th, 2014 from 5pm to 7am on 88.5FM CJSR in Edmonton and streaming from their website at cjrsnews.com. 

Items from Inspirations Studio on sale at Sistering

Carol Allain presently manages Drop In services for the women who need Sistering’s supports and services. 

Items from the Spun Studio on sale at Sistering.

Song List:
Faith Nolan - The Richest in the World
Mighty Diamonds - I Need A Roof
Pete Seeger - Banks Of Marble



Guest Links:
Sistering
Spun Studio
Inspirations Studio
Homelessness Marathon

Episode 13 - Dylan Powell's Activist Life and Fight Against Marineland

LISTEN - 62:44

We spoke to him via Skype from Jim's place.
Yes, Jim's in his pajamas.

Dylan Powell is an organizer in St. Catharines, Ont. Co-Founder of Marineland Animal Defense, #OurScars and the Live Free Collective, Dylan is active in the animal and earth liberation movements, as well as involved in solidarity organizing with the Haudenosaunee of the Grand River, the migrant justice advocacy community and at risk youth in the Niagara Region. Dylan is graduate of Brock University (Honours History) and current Addiction Education student at McMaster University in Hamilton. Through advocacy work Dylan has lectured and spoken across North America and been featured in International news media outlets. Dylan Powell is a life-long activist currently living in Hamilton and being sued by Marineland in a SLAPP Lawsuit.  Among other things, Dylan spoke to us about his upcoming Festival for the Animals.

Song List:
Ted Leo - Nobody's Driving (Amebix Cover)
Test Their Logik - Table's Turnin'
Eric Smith - They're All Fucking Assholes

Guest Links:
www.dylanxpowell.com
Festival for the Animals
Dylan's SLAPP Suit

Episode 12 - The NDP Under Mulcair - A Panel Discussion by Nora Loreto, Katie Arnup and Ritch Whyman

LISTEN: 55:14

For this week’s show we will be listening to a Panel Discussion from the Marxism 2013 Conference to Change the World which was held at Ryerson University from May 31 to June 2, 2013.  The conference was organised by the International Socialists, an organization of activists committed to helping in the construction of such a party through ongoing activity in the mass organizations of the working class and in the daily struggles of workers and the oppressed. Jim recorded the panel discussion titled, “From Orange Wave to Third Way? – The NDP Under Mulcair.”  

Song List:
Phil Ochs: Love Me I'm a Liberal
The Dead Kennedys: The Stars and Stripes of Corruption
The Nightwatchmen: Union Town

Guest Links:
Socialist.ca
on twitter 
on facebook
Marxism2013 Conference
Nora Loreto's Blog

Episode 11 - Why Is Capitalism In Crisis? - A Talk by Pam Frache

LISTEN: 49:00

Jim went to the Marxism2013 Conference at Ryerson University where they graciously allowed him to record some talks, including this one called "Why is capitalism in crisis?” from Pam Frache, a leading member of the International Socialists. She is a former labour researcher and current gracuate student at McMaster University. The conference was organised by the International Socialists, an organization of activists committed to helping in the construction of such a party through ongoing activity in the mass organizations of the working class and in the daily struggles of workers and the oppressed.

Song List:
The Coup: The Guillotine
Billy Bragg: Power in a Union
Tracy Chapman: Talking about a Revolution

Guest Links:
Socialist.ca
on twitter 
on facebook
Marxism2013 Conference