This week @ rabble.ca: The fight against gun violence
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- Published on Sunday, 19 June 2016 01:15
- Written by editor
16 Jun 2016
Hey rabble readers,
This week we heard from the Centre for Social Innovation's CEO Tonya Surman -- who also happens to be a rabble co-founder -- on why rabble's 15th anniversary is so darn important. Find out what she had to say about the crisis in corporate media here. You'll definitely agree we need more independent media in Canada. Take action! Become a rabble supporter now. For a limited time, we're giving away copies of Michael Moore's latest film Where to Invade Next? and Lawrence Hill's latest book The Illegal, as well as our own Best of rabble 15th anniversary edition to our supporters.
If you think 15 years of progressive news coverage is a remarkable milestone... or that it's impressive to run Canada's largest alternative media website for less than the salary of one solitary news broadcaster... or that Tonya Surman is right and corporate media is too big, too sensationalist, too concentrated, then help out rabble and become a supporter of our independent media mission now.
Early Sunday morning, 49 people were killed and 53 people were injured when a shooter opened fire in Orlando's Pulse nightclub, in what is being called the worst mass shooting in U.S. history. Across the world, people came together to give comfort and stand in solidarity with the queer community in Orlando. In Toronto, hundreds of members from the city's LGBTQ community and their supporters gathered in Barbara Hall Park in a candlelight vigil for the victims and survivors.
In the wake of a week marked by gun violence, rabble contributors are reflecting on the long line of anti-LGBTQ violence in culture and policies enacted in the U.S., coupled with a dangerous gun culture, while others are considering the consequences in a volatile political landscape and presidential race. You can find all of our analysis and coverage here.
This week, activists, advocates and families celebrated the end of the Canadian Border Services Agency's participation in the controversial reality television show Border Security: Canada's Front Line. The Cancel Border Security campaign has been working for three years to cancel the show, which exploits vulnerable migrants and citizens, and violates their privacy and dignity. Learn more about this important victory in Sophia Reuss's report.
This week's top news
Student seeks access to information on McGill military ties as legal battle begins
After a four-year legal battle with McGill, former student Cadence O'Neal is set to appear before the Commission on Access to receive access to emails between McGill and private weapons contractors.
By Sophia Reuss
Unions brace for anti-worker legislation in Manitoba
The Manitoba Federation of Labour warns this new bill could disrupt more than a decade of peaceful labour relations in the province.
By Teuila Fuatai
A benefit system disadvantaging Canada's poorest children
EI's maternity benefits system favours mothers from higher-earning families. Teuila Fuatai speaks to Brock University researcher Lindsey McKay about why.
By Teuila Fuatai
Photos: Candlelight vigil in Toronto for victims of Orlando nightclub massacre
Hundreds of members of Toronto's LGBTQ community and their supporters gathered at a vigil in Barbara Hall Park for the victims of the Orlando nightclub massacre.
By rabble staff, Elizabeth Littlejohn
Record-high numbers reveal housing and homelessness crisis in B.C.
Alliance Against Displacement staged an occupation of the B.C. Housing office to demand the government address Vancouver's growing homelessness crisis.
By Sophia Reuss
This week's top blogs
'The Witness' documents colourful life of Kitty Genovese, perennial icon for bystander apathy
This documentary is a sibling love story about a brother unravelling the mysteries surrounding her death, while celebrating her colourful life.
By Doreen Nicoll
Brad Wall misrepresents energy research, is destroyed on Twitter
And it is beautiful.
By Sarah Beuhler
Don't stop with gun control. After the Orlando massacre, security forces need to demilitarize
Queer bodies cannot be free when state security apparatuses are militarized.
By Nora Loreto
Wildrose 'coup' bid pushes party toward social conservative fringe, former leader Danielle Smith says
Former Wildrose Party leader Danielle Smith says current leader Brian Jean has the same problem she did: the Opposition party's social conservative faction.
By David J. Climenhaga
New resource for university teachers demonstrates how to acknowledge Indigenous territory
The CAUT has released a territorial acknowledgement guide but some argue it is not inclusive enough.
By Emily Blake
We've gone back to the age of political dynasties
Hillary Clinton is the first woman to, most likely, become a major party's nominee for president. She's also the spouse of a former president; just as our PM is the son of a revered PM. Dynasty time?
By Karl Nerenberg
This week's top columns
Twenty years after Port Arthur Massacre, Australia shows gun control works
The largest massacre in Australia's post-colonial history so shocked the nation that within 12 days, comprehensive gun-control law was brought in. There has not been another mass shooting since.
By Amy Goodman, Denis Moynihan
The eyedropper and the leaky faucet: Rethinking the subscription model
Consumers are reaching peak subscription fatigue. We are much happier to give away money from an eyedropper than from a dripping tap we're afraid will never stop leaking.
By Wayne MacPhail
A messy Parliament session, while big decisions await Trudeau government
The legislative stumbles over legalization of marijuana, democratic reform, and assisted dying have not affected the Liberals' popularity. But, there are some big decisions that still need to be made.
By Duncan Cameron
Israel and the real 'new anti-Semitism'
If Israel is to survive and flourish as the democratic nation it claims to be, the status quo cannot continue says Murray Dobbin.
By Murray Dobbin
MORE FROM...
Naomi Klein, Linda McQuaig, Rick Salutin, Duncan Cameron, Wayne MacPhail, Murray Dobbin and others! Read columns...
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This week's top podcasts
Solidarity Winnipeg: Grassroots renewal against austerity in Manitoba
Sofia Soriano and David Camfield talk about the work of a new multi-issue, grassroots group called Solidarity Winnipeg.
By Scott Neigh
Think Before You Appropriate
Cultures have always exchanged ideas with each other. But sometimes the exchanges more closely resemble theft. The IPinCH project has produced a guidebook on appropriation from First Nations cultures.
By Redeye Collective
Shell's oily shell game
Why you aren't hearing about most of the oil spills happening in the world.
By Daryn Caister
This week's top rabbletv
WATCH: June 17 walk to protect Ottawa's sacred site
Walk with Algonquin Elders to protect the Asinabka sacred site at Chaudière Falls, Ottawa, also known as Akikodjiwan.
By Organizing For Justice
This week's top books
Women lead the fight against corporate agriculture around the world
Around the world, women are pushing back against GMOs and corporate agriculture and building a food system that promotes health and justice for all.
By Mark Karlin
In this issue
Upcoming events
OttawaSacred Water Walk
Help protect Asinabka, the most sacred site in Ottawa!
VancouverThe Art of Reconciliation
Renae Morriseau brings together writers and artists to consider what reconciliation means.
MontrealRock 'n Roma III
Join us to support the Lakatos family and learn more about the struggle of Roma in Europe and Canada, all the while enjoying captivating music!
By Solidarity Across Borders
This week's top in cahoots
Shooting in Orlando, Florida reminds us all of the danger of hate
This horrifying act is a stark reminder of the danger of homophobia and transphobia and the violence that members of the LGBTQ community face every day.
By Unifor
Banning two-tier pensions
Steelworkers are leading a labour movement campaign to compel Quebec's Liberal government to actually adopt its own policy on pension fairness for young workers.
By United Steelworkers
Unpacking our racist baggage
Justin Trudeau told a group of U.S. students that Canada was suited to peacekeeping roles because it lacks "some of the baggage that so many other Western countries have..." Oh, really?
By Socialist Worker
Active babble topics
Brexit
By montrealer58
Forty-nine dead, 53 injured in Florida nightclub shooting
By 6079_Smith_W
America, wake up: It's time to repeal the Second Amendment
By NorthReport
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Support our work
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This week's top tool
Get transgender people off the wait lists
Help ensure the resources for gender-affirming care.
Poll
What do you think about the proposed security oversight committee?
The Liberal government is tabling multiple public safety-related bills this week, including the bill "An Act to establish the National Security and Intelligence Committee of Parliamentarians" tabled on Thursday.
The bill proposes a joint oversight committee, composed of seven MPs and two senators, which will have the ability to "scrutinize" any national security matters.
Public Safety Minister Ralph Goodale, who helped draft the bill, stated the goal of the committee would be to help ensure Canada's security and intelligence agencies are protecting Canadians and to protect Canadians' rights and freedoms.
What do you think about the proposed security oversight committee?
Choices Um, so when are the Liberals going to amend the unconstitutional Bill C-51? Glad to see this election promise kept and that there will be security oversight. Seems pretty useless to me! Question: who does the committee report to? *blinks* The Liberals have proven untrustworthy on national security issues. "Protecting Canadians" -- what a load of garbage! None of the above.Forward to a friend
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