[opirgyork] Weekly Digest - May 5th 2010

[Aruna]

Greetings all!
Watch out for many upcoming workshops and events hosted by OPIRG York.
Feel free to come by the office - we are open monday to thursday 11am - 
6pm.

Also - check out the Making Media Public conference this weekend, where 
this friday May 7th, OPIRG York is co-sponsoring a panel on "Anti-racism 
and Alternative Media".
It's happening...

Friday May 7th
1:45pm - 3:15pm
York University Campus
Accolade East Building (ACE)

Anti-Racism and Alternative Media (ACE 011)
Sponsored by OPIRG-York

Chair: Sharmeen Khan

Ladan Mohamed (AQSAzine)
Sheila Sampath (Shameless Magazine)
Criag Fortier (No One Is Illegal Radio)
Steve da Silva (Radio Basics/BASICS)
Noaman Ali (School of People’s Journalism Project of BASICS)

For more information about the conference check out the website: 
http://makingmediapublic.wordpress.com/schedule-2/

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EVENTS:

1) Organize for Gender Justice
2) Old Struggle, New Strategies: Building a radical disability movement
3) Moving Bodies on film
4) Public Briefing on hotel workers rising 2010
5) Report back from Cochabamba
6) Mining (IN)Justice: At Home and abroad conference
7) Launch of Dominion g8/G20 special issue! @ Mining (in)Justice conference
8) Serious people invoking Bob Marley
9) Fires of Resistance Conference!
10) Asian Arts Freedom School Cycle 10!! THIS TUESDAY!!!
11) Mapping our own stories: A Four-part collective art project
12) May 15th, 2010 - Consulta! Toronto! G20!
13) Asian Activist Mish Mash
14) Workshop: Activist Groups and the law
15) Shut up and DANCE!! Party, Performances and fundraiser for G20!!!
16) Justice for Byron Debassige - 2010 Walk of Hope
17) GlamTACHE - a TRIGGER Fundraiser
18) We love Sex!...Join Us! Acsexxxable social!
19) Feed Our Souls - Fundraiser for The Stop
20) Montreal Anarchist Bookfair 2010

URGENT ACTION/Calls for submission
1) Open Letter Protesting the Presence of Anti-Native “Militia” Leaders 
at the May 5th Aboriginal Policy Forum
2) Call Out for Zine Submissions! *Transitive*

-----------------------------------------------------------

1) Organize for Gender Justice!

The leaders of the wealthiest countries in the world are coming to 
Toronto from the 25th to the 27th of June. Groups and individuals are 
being invited to organize events and actions that reflect the agenda and 
demands that should be on the table when the G8/G20 Leaders meet.

The Shelter.Sanctuary.Status campaign invites women, transpeople and 
male allies to come together to build a gender justice action during the 
week leading up to the meetings.

The cat is out of the bag on the Harper governments' willingness to 
sacrifice poor and racialized women's health to anti-choice ideology. 
Now is the time to expose the many ways women's and queer/trans people's 
rights have been undermined, ignored and reversed in a very short period 
of time in Canada.

Let's find creative ways together to bring the issues that should be 
talked about to the world's attention, such as:
• ongoing systemic and personal violence and oppression faced by 
Indigenous women and their communities
• universal access to safe legal abortion for women in
every country around the world, and in all provinces and territories in 
Canada
• policies and actions of Canadian government, military and corporate 
actors in poor countries that create violence and the displacement of 
women and their families; and the racist, classist and sexist treatment 
experienced by those who manage to migrate to Canada.
• the systemic and personal, often state-sanctioned, violence and 
barriers queer and trans people face in Canada and around the world.
• the poverty and neglect faced by poor, senior and disabled women and 
their families in Ontario and the rest of Canada while corporations get 
bailouts and tax cuts.
• and many others ...

Come to the first Gender Justice For All organizing meeting to share 
ideas and make plans for feminist resistance during the G8/G20.

Learn more about the G8/G20
Hear about community mobilization in Toronto and other cities

Thursday May 6th
7:00 pm
17 Phoebe Street (2 short blocks north of Queen St., east of Spadina)
Wheelchair accessible
Child friendly space

For more information - awillats at sympatico.ca
For more information about the Shelter.Sanctuary.Status campaign go to: 
http://toronto.nooneisillegal.org/sss

--------------------------------------

2) Pissed off that the province cut the Special Diet money? Angry 
because cops, immigration ministers, social workers and teachers target 
you or your allies, and can't meet your needs?

So are we.

Ableism - systemic discrimination against disabled people - affects 
everyone. There is power and strength in our shared stories and 
struggles. We have what it takes to fight back.

Join DAMN2025, a cross disability direct action coalition, for a PUBLIC 
MEETING to brainstorm new campaigns to combat ableism in Toronto. Share 
a meal, share your ideas; let's build a movement together.

MEAL PROVIDED (vegetarian options / nut-free)
WHEELCHAIR ACCESSIBLE
ASL PROVIDED

Please contact damn2025 at gmail.com or (416) 889-3037 with any questions

------------------------------------------

3) Moving Bodies on film
Thursday May 6th, 2010
8pm - 11pm
163 Sterling Road Unit 2

A screening of films about bodies in motion, of pink girls navigating 
the traffic of São Paulo, of dancers falling from the sky into water.

Films by:
Ayelen Liberona and Joseph Johnson Cami
Sarah Shamash
Caetano Britto


We’ll bring the popcorn. You just have to join us.

PWYC – suggested donation $5

Peace,
Rose, Aisha, Andreea
in collaboration with COMMUNITY CENTRE

163 Sterling Rd, unit 2
between Bloor street and Dundas West just West of Lansdowne

unit 2 is located on main floor, with street level access....do not go 
inside the maze of a building!

+

Title:
Falling [5min]

Title:
Becoming [8min]

By:
Ayelen Liberona(Canada/Chile) and Joseph Johnson Cami(Spain/U.S.A.)

Synopsis:
The tetralogy that begins with Falling and Becoming began many years ago 
when I envisioned a film series that explored our increasing 
disconnection with nature through what I feel is the most primal 
connection to nature that we know, our physical body. Specifically, I 
wanted to investigate this relationship through the lens and wisdom of a 
feminine archetype. In Falling, part one of the tetralogy, a womanly 
creature is born from a cocoon and uses movement to transform through 
the elements. In Becoming, part two, she becomes nature's assassin 
emerging from the ancient forest to confront Man in one final battle.

+

Title:
Sao Paulo - Pink Girl [4min]

By:
Sarah Shamash

Synopsis:
How to Dance in the World: Sao Paulo - Pink Girl is a collaboration 
between dancer / choreographer Toshiko Oiwa and video artist Sarah 
Shamash. The last installation of a trilogy of videos that were carried 
out in three metropolises; Tokyo, London and Sao Paulo, Sao Paulo - Pink 
Girl is a street intervention, performance and dance video which 
reflects the larger concept and overarching title of the trilogy How to 
Dance in the World. The title can be read as a metaphor and rhetorical 
question for how to live, maneuver, co-exist, and balance in the, often 
desensitized, chaos of a daily urban reality. Sao Paulo - Pink Girl is 
not only a dance video but also a document for what transpired the 
moment the camera rolled when the Pink Girl character intervened in the 
streets of the famous Avenida Paulista during lunch hour.

Credits:
Camera, Editing, Location Sound: Sarah Shamash
Pink Girl: Toshiko Oiwa
With the spontaneous participation of a street clown and Companhia 
Linhas Aéreas.
Sound Design: Inaam Haq
Shot on location in Sao Paulo 2010

+

Title:
Variations on Elevators and Pink Girls [5min]

By:
Sarah Shamash

Variations on Elevators and Pink Girls is an elaboration and 
continuation of a collaboration between video artist Sarah Shamash and 
dancer / choreographer Toshiko Oiwa. The pink girl character from Oiwa’s 
metropolis trilogy has now multiplied into two pink girls and instead of 
a street intervention, the pink girls transform in a 1920’s cage 
elevator in the historical center of Sao Paulo. This short dance video 
is also likened to a music video as Juliane Elting’s (one of the pink 
girls) voice dominates the sound track. The video reflects a moment of 
limbo and escape into a fantastic pink girl dance reality as the two 
cage elevators ascend to an implausible floor.

Credits:
Direction, Camera, Editing, Location Sound: Sarah Shamash
Pink Girls: Toshiko Oiwa, Juliane Elting
With the participation of: Rachel Mascarenhas, and the workers of the 
Lutetia building.
Sound Mix: Inaam Haq
Music: Der Fliegende Robert Performed by Heimat, (Juliane Elting and 
Marcelo Pellegrini)
Shot on location in Sao Paulo 2010

+

Title:
Contornos de Existencias [7min]

By:
Caetano Britto

Synopsis:
Video of a performer's work trying to put the forgotten urban places 
into the spectator's conscience.

Performance: Juliana Liao.
Edition, Camera: Caetano Britto.
Pictures: Fabio Giorgio, Flavia Hausseman.
Location: Salvador, Bahia, Brazil.

--------------------------------

4) Join hundreds of hotel workers for a Public Briefing as we kick off 
city-wide hotel negotiations

Where: Council Chambers, Toronto City Hall, 100 Queen St. W
When: 4:30-7:00, Friday May 7, 2010

The movement started in 2006. Together, we have made major strides in 
building good, sustainable jobs for immigrant workers and their 
families. Now, as our economy moves out of a difficult year, over 5500 
hotel workers in the GTA are negotiating new contracts this summer - in 
tandem with 60,000 hotel workers across North America. We have a vision, 
and we're determined to make a difference. Join us as we get ready for 
an exciting summer!

Topics include:

* Recession and recovery: what is the outlook for Toronto's hospitality 
industry?
* Hear from hotel workers: 8 urgent issues we need to address this summer
* Hear from community leaders: building economically and environmentally 
sustainable jobs
* Employer and industry responses
* How can we fight for and win these issues as a citywide movement?

Please contact info at uniteherecanada.org for more information or to RSVP!

---------------------------

5) Report back from Cochabamba
Friday May 7th, 2010
Toronto - Steelworkers Hall
25 Cecil Street (east of spadina, south of college)

Your chance to hear from participants in the World People's Conference 
on Climate Change and the Rights of Mother Earth, held in Cochabamba, 
Bolivia, April 19-22.

PRINCIPAL SPEAKERS:
• Robert Lovelace, a leader of Ardoch Algonquin First Nation
• Ben Powless, Mohawk from Six Nations in Ontario, member of the 
Indigenous Environmental Network.
• Kimia Ghomeshi, Campaign Director, Canadian Youth Climate Coalition
• Danny Beaton: 2010 recipient of the National Aboriginal Achievement 
Award (NAAA) for Environment and Natural Resources
• Delegation from Toronto Bolivia Solidarity

PLUS:
• Messages from supporters and sponsors
• Bolivian dance troupe and First Nations indigenous drumming.
• Bolivian food and beverages.

Donation $5 or pay what you can.

Sponsoring organizations
• Canadian Youth Climate Coalition
• CAW-Sam Gindin Chair in Social Justice and Democracy at Ryerson
• Climate and Capitalism
• Coalition Against Israeli Apartheid (CAIA)
• Common Frontiers
• Canadian Union of Postal Workers (CUPW)
• Council of Canadians
• Ecosanity.org
• Educators for Peace and Justice (EPJ)
• KAIROS Toronto Center
• Krittibas Literary Group of Toronto
• Latin American Solidarity Network
• Ontario Public Interest Research Group (OPIRG)
• Public Service Alliance of Canada (PSAC)
• Rabble.ca
• Salvadorean Canadian Association Network of Ontario
• Toronto Bolivia Solidarity
• Toronto Climate Campaign
• Toronto Forum on Cuba
• Toronto Haiti Action Committee
• Venezuela We Are With You Coalition (CVEC)

To add your organization to the Sponsors' list, email 
Torontoboliviasolidarity at gmail.com

Find Toronto Bolivia Solidarity on Facebook here: 
http://www.facebook.com/pages/Toronto-Bolivia-Solidarity/116064481749710?ref=ts

------------------------------------

6) Mining (In)Justice: At home and Abroad

Friday May 7th - 8pm to Sunday May 9th 7pm
Earth Sciences Building, UofT

Mining (in)justice: at home and abroad is a conference on the Canadian 
mining industry (including Tar Sands) set to take place in Toronto on 
the weekend of May 7-9, 2010. It will feature leaders in movements 
against Canadian mining companies both within and outside of Canada and 
provide space for growing our own movements in alliance with communities 
impacted by this industry.

This is a follow-up conference to last year’s mining conference, which 
brought over 20 front line defenders to share their stories and 
strategize solutions to ending corporate impunity and strengthening the 
struggles against destructive mining projects around the world.

This year, we are expanding the conference into a 3 day event, providing 
more space for participants to meet each other, form alliances, and plan 
actions to foster a movement in solidarity with impacted communities.

Reports will be heard from delegates from Honduras, Guatemala, Carrier 
Sekani First Nation, Papua New Guinea, El Salvador, Ardoch Algonquin, 
Northern Ontario, Fort Chipewan, Mexico and more! Clayton Thomas Muller 
of the Indigenous Environmental Network is MCing the event!

For more information and to find out how to get involved! 
solidarityresponse.net, e-mail: csrtoronto at gmail.com

http://www.solidarityresponse.net/mining-injustice-conference/

----------------------------------

7) Launch of Dominion G8/G20 Special Issue @ Mining (in)justice conference
Friday May 7th
8pm - 3am
Ram in the rye Pub
55 Gould Street, Corner of gould and church

[NOTE: Organized by Toronto Media Co-Op]

[Part of the Mining (in)Justice Conference, check it out: 
http://www.facebook.com/#!/event.php?eid=112912948735691&ref=ts]

The mainstream media portrays the G8/G20 summits as rigid dichotomies of 
mask-clad protesters clashing with faceless riot police in a cloud of 
tear gas, all while world leaders try to right the global economic ship.

We think that there is more to be told! Come and support the launch of 
the Dominion's special issues on the G8/G20!!

The event is also the opening night of the Mining (in)Justice Conference.

There will be bands and fun times!

http://www.dominionpaper.ca/g20

---------------------------------

8) Invoking Bob Marley is a Serious People event, no doubt about it.

Saturday May 8th 2010
9pm - 2am
163 Sterling Road Unit # 2

Come catch a screening of clips from the film "Coping with Babylon"

The night is MC'd by Kalmplex

Live performance by CoCo La Cream & Whitney Ashley along with Gervais De 
Souza!!

Dance Proper all night long!!!!!!
Dj Kalmplex spins at 1130

$10 at the door
$5 cover on Gueslist >> GET ON GUESTLIST!!
Wray and nephew specials !!!

Cooked Food for $5 !!!

Nuff to fill ya

Come now, Much more on site!!!!

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9) ----------FIRES OF RESISTANCE 3---------

SUN, MAY 9
10 am - 5 pm
Student Centre, Ryerson University
55 Gould Street, Toronto
Workshops, performances, engagement.
registration encouraged.

FREE Event. ALL youth welcome. FOOD provided. ACCESSIBLE space.

Did you know that May is South Asian Heritage Month? No? Interested in 
moving the dialogue of South Asian-ness beyond saris and samosas? Yes? 
We invite you to the 3rd annual Fires of Resistance conference, focused 
on social justice struggles that South Asian youth are engaged in, from 
across the Greater Toronto Area.

With the aim to create awareness about political and social issues 
affecting South Asian diasporic peoples, the full-day conference gives 
youth the opportunity to be inspired, excited and empowered. We welcome 
ALL youth to attend the conference, especially youth of colour.

9:30 registration. 10:30 am conference starts.

Fires of Resistance 3 (FoR3) is a full-day FREE conference with 
workshops and performances. Youth can look forward to talking through 
issues related to mental health, Indigenous solidarity, poverty, and 
forced marriages, and g8/g20 organizing. Youth can gain skills around 
event planning and organizing on your campus. Youth can engage in art 
through storytelling and graffiti as well. Performances include dance 
(with a social justice bend), singing and spoken word.

REGISTER at http://firesofresistance3.webs.com or via email at 
southasianyouth at gmail.com or anu at cassa.on.ca

Come, hear, watch, speak, engage, make art, take action.

Presented by the South Asian Youth Advisory Committee (SAYAC) - an 
initiative of the Council of Agencies Serving South Asians (CASSA) - and 
the Continuing Education Students' Association of Ryerson (CESAR)

For more info, to support and to register: southasianyouth at gmail.com or 
anu at cassa.on.ca
Call arv at 416 993 4221
http://firesofresistance3.webs.com

At past conferences, there have been amazing workshops on topics including:
** mental health
** yoga
** spoken word
** photography and video
** dis/ability

At past conferences, there have been amazing speakers including:
** No One Is Illegal
** Always Question/Fight Fees

At past conferences, there have been amazing performers including:
** Stolen From Africa
** Humble the Poet
** Gurpreet Chana
** Sheniz Janmohamed
** Farheen Beg

WANT TO GET INVOLVED? GET IN TOUCH: southasianyouth at gmail.com OR 
anu at cassa.on.ca

---------------------------------

10) Asian Arts Freedom School Cycle 10
Tuesday May 11th, 2010 to July 13th 2010
Kapisanan in the basement
167 Augusta Ave

Because you’re sick of being asked “Where’re you from? No, where are you 
really from?” Because Asian is not just curry paste, John Cho, and 
keffiyeh scarves. Asian is not just being obscure one day and trendy the 
next, being quiet and well- behaved or being stopped every time you go 
to the airport or cross a border. Because you’re sick of being profiled 
and harassed by the cops. Because feeling inauthentic is okay.

*Asian = South Asian, West Asian (a.k.a. Arab or Middle-Eastern), 
Southeast Asian, East Asian, Central Asian, Pacific Islander ... 
mixed-race, adoptee, suburban, hood... just got here or been here since 
the 1800s. Asian stretches from the Philippines to Palestine, North 
China to Sri Lanka, Trinidad to Tibet, and all of it ends up in Toronto.

youtube: radicalasians
gmail: asianartsfreedomschool


Cycle 10 runs EVERY TUESDAY, May 11 - July 13 2010

10 weeks of creative writing and arts workshops facilitated by Shaunga 
Tagore and Aruna Zehra featuring the stuff they don't teach you in school:

- indigenous solidarity: putting plans in action
- community and family “lost and stolen, blood and chosen”
- turn on the radio: recording your own work
- trauma and health: mental, sexual, spiritual, physical,
emotional, ect
- you!

Special guest facilitators Punam Khosla and Shani Mootoo

In choosing to use the term, ‘Freedom School’ to describe our project, 
we give respect to the history of African-American and worldwide 
indigenous resistances that gave birth to the phrase. We also chose to 
use it because of we believe learning about the histories we were never 
taught in school, learning about Asian struggles and resistance, and 
learning how to tell our stories through writing and spoken word, is to 
search for and find freedom together.

All workshops are free, have snacks and ttc tokens, and are run for 
asian* youth (aka asian folks under 29).

------------------------------------

11) Mapping our own stories: A Four-part collective art project
Tuesday May 11th 6:30pm to 8:30pm
Kapisanan in the basement - 167 Augusta Avenue

“Mapping our Own Stories: A Four-Part Collective Art Project”
facilitated by Shaunga Tagore

come out to the beginning of freedom school cycle 10!

maps tell us stories about who we are and where we come from. but just 
like so many narratives told from dominant voices, the story conveyed by 
your everyday world map found at the dollar store does not do justice to 
what we know and have to say about our complex lives, journeys, 
relationships, and experiences.

in this four-part workshop, we’ll have the chance to work together on a 
collaborative creative writing & art project to create our OWN map. by 
exploring different themes each workshop, we’ll have the chance to 
create our own stories of who we are, where’ve been, what we remember, 
who/what we love, how we cope and survive, and how we build community. 
we’ll be able to picture our stories in relation to others’ and see how 
they interact with each other.

in this first workshop we will focus on exploring our relationships to 
our histories (personal, generational, global) and to our memories – 
what we remember or forget of these histories.

note: although this is a four-part workshop, you don't have to 
participate in all four workshops in order to participate in one. in 
other words, come to one, come to some, or come to them all!

optional to bring: some old magazines you don’t mind cutting up and sharing

------------------------------------

12) May 15th, 2010 - Consulta! Toronto! G20!
Saturday May 15th 9am to Sunday May 16th 3pm

May 15, 2010! Consulta! Toronto! G20!

Looking for a little bit of resistance love this summer?

As whispers, dreams, and plans to be in Toronto this June to confront 
the G8 & G20 build, we are hoping to gather, meet, plan, and vision 
together as anti-colonial, anti-capitalist organizers and community 
activists.
In Toronto, community groups are working together to build structures to 
coordinate their work and plans to resist, confront and disrupt the 
illegitimate so-called powers that meet behind walls of privilege. As we 
lay the groundwork for a mass mobilization, strengthened by the power of 
our local struggles we are excited by the opportunities that lay before us.

We are calling on all anti-colonial, anti-capitalist radicals. You know 
who you are, you are the ones active in your communities across Turtle 
Island in a million different amazing ways, committed to building an 
active and effective movement rooted in a culture of solidarity and respect.

Come to Toronto on May 15, 2010.Share your skills, plans and vision, 
hear about what has been planned thus far, help us fill in the gaps and 
figure out how were all going to work/live together come a (hopefully) 
sunny June weekend.

Plans for the day include spokescouncil meetings, discussions on a 
number of actions as well as ideas for shaping the network in June 
please send agenda items to community.mobilize at resist.ca

Please RSVP so we can plan for numbers for food and billeting to: 
community.mobilize at resist.ca with the subject: Consulta RSVP

-----------------------------------

13) Asian Activist Mish Mash
Saturday May 15th, 2010
10am - 12:45pm
215 Spadina Avenue, Rm. 120

Please be invited to our upcoming event our upcoming event "Asian 
Activist Mish Mash" at CCNCTO.

Asian Activist Mish Mash is part of the Ripple Effect program - CCNCTO's 
youth civic leadership program for 2010. It will be held on
May 15th (Sat)
10am - 12.45pm
@ 215 Spadina, Room 120.

What we want to do on that day is to gather Asian activists in Toronto 
and provide a networking platform for Ripple Effect youth to meet 
like-minded people and role models. On the day, three guest speakers 
will be invited to share their experience in community activism work, 
followed by a meet-and-greet kind of activity for everyone to exchange 
ideas and friendship. The Mish Mash Sandwich Club will start at 12.00pm 
and end at around 12.45pm. It's a potluck lunch and we invite you to 
bring two ingredients that can be added to two/three slices of breads :)

I am excited to extend this invitation to you and hope you can join us 
on May 15. Please contact Yishin yishin at ccnctoronto.ca if you are coming 
so that we can make arrangement accordingly.

Cheers,
Yishin

Ripple Effect 2010
Ripple Effect 2010 is a 4-month leadership training program for Chinese 
youth between 18 – 30 years old residing in Toronto. It aims to nurture 
civic leadership within the Chinese community for the development of an 
inclusive and healthy Toronto.

Objectives
- to provide 15-20 Chinese Canadian youth with the skills and knowledge 
needed to express themselves, take action and contribute to the equity 
and social dev't of Toronto, as well as their own community
- to understand what civic leadership means to Chinese Canadian youth 
for the advancement of Chinese Canadian participation in Toronto
- to promote a network of civically engaged and politically involved 
Chinese Canadians in Toronto.

-------------------------------------------

14) Workshop: Activist Groups and the law
Saturday May 15th, 2010
10am - 4pm
Beit Zatoun
612 Markham st.

A full-day workshop for individuals and formal or informal groups 
seeking expert information and guidance about Canadian law relating to 
Non-Profit Organizations ((NPO) and Charities. Presented by legal expert 
and area specialist, Richard Bridge, this workshop is a must for 
activists, directors, officers, board members, staff and administrators, 
etc. Main areas of coverage include:

General Overview
----------------------
Review the main principles and features of law governing NPOs and 
Charities. Special focus on the differences, potential and limitations 
of NPOs and charities, collaboration between charities and NPOs, 
Canadian charities working internationally and limits on political 
activity by charities.

How to Incorporate an NPO and Register a Charity
-------------------------------------------------------------
Cover the fundamentals of deciding to set-up an organization, including 
the legal consequences of incorporating, the process for incorporating 
and the process for registering as a charity. Is a new NPO or charity 
really what is needed? What is best way to create one?

Governance
---------------
Examine the legal duties of directors and good practices that boards 
should adopt to ensure their NPO or charity is well governed.

Financial Management
---------------------------
Provide an overview of key records to keep, the annual financial return, 
the proper handling of charitable receipts and entrepreneurship by 
charities.


About Richard Bridge
-------------------------
Richard Bridge is a lawyer based in Nova Scotia’s Annapolis Valley. His 
primary area of practice is charity and non-profit law. His clients are 
a wide range of charitable organizations, foundations, non-profit 
organizations and philanthropists across Canada.

Other areas of work include cooperative development and public sector 
organizations and issues. Richard has worked internationally, most 
recently in China. He has also created and taught courses at the 
University of Victoria Law School and given dozens of public workshops 
and training sessions across Canada.

You can learn more about Richard at http://www.lawyerforcharities.ca

---
Need to know:
- Spaces are limited, first come basis
- Registration $50 (in advance only); refundable to May-03
- Substitutions permitted
- Vegetarian snacks and lunch provided
- Sorry, not wheelchair accessible

For more information or to register: 
http://beitzatoun.org/cms/Events/registration.aspx

----------------
For more events at Beit Zatoun, please visit our website: 
http://beitzatoun.org

------------------------------

15) Shut up and DANCE!!! Party, performances and fundraiser for the G20!
Saturday May 15th - 9pm
The rearview
193 1/2 Baldwin Avenue

with the G20 upon us, it's time for all of our collective energies to 
come together and just DANCE! srsly. cheap pints, drinks.

here's the deal:

Triple Gangers - dance/electronic
Testament and Illogik - hip hop duo

these groups will keep us dancing all night!

trust.

now, we're asking for 10$ for the door, but when money is tight, we'd 
love 5$ and a can of non-perishables. and no one will be turned away for 
lack of funds. Door will go to the Toronto Community Mobilization 
Network and the efforts being put into a fair protest for the upcoming 
G20 summit in Toronto.

food will be stored and cooked and served later at the protests, to keep 
folks fed and hunger-free while we rally!

what's wrong with the G20?

www.attacktheroots.net

come out and find out ways to get involved! but most importantly, come 
out and dance!

------------------------------------

16) Greetings!

On Sunday, May 16, the family and friends of Byron Debassige will be 
participating in the Schizophrenia Society of Ontario’s annual Walk of 
Hope in memory of Byron. Byron was a young Aboriginal man who suffered 
from schizophrenia. He was fatally shot by Toronto Police on February 
16, 2008.

We are putting a team together to raise awareness for 'JUSTICE FOR BYRON 
DEBASSIGE'. The family is in the process of requesting an inquest from 
the Coronor's Office for Byron's senseless death.

WALK WITH US!

Join team 'JUSTICE FOR BYRON DEBASSIGE' by clicking on the link below:

http://my.e2rm.com/TeamPage.aspx?Lang=en-CA&TSID=263648

 From our Team Page, click on the ‘Join My Team’ button to register. 
IT'S FREE TO REGISTER! If you are not able to join us, there is also an 
option to sponsor our team. :)

DATE: Sunday, May 16, 2010

TIME: 11:30 AM to 2:30 PM

LOCATION: Metro Hall Square, Toronto ON (55 John Street)

I hope you will join our walk and support this good cause!

For more information, please contact Angie @ justiceforbyron at yahoo.ca

--------------------------------------

17) GlamTache 2010
The TRIGGER Fundraiser May 21st

Come out to the MEGAdance party of the year!

GlamTache promises to transform your night into a Glamtasia
All attending will receive a FREE personalized Glitter Moustache
Showcasing the Museum of Modern Mustaches (MMM)
Butch Cuts Five Dollars: T K Lasky
50/50 Draw!

Queeraoke Hosted by Ahmed G-Hottest 9pm - 11pm...it's your chance to shine!
MEGAdance Party 11pm onwards DJ Colin D (from Menage a Totally)
Only $5 entry
ALL drinks $3 ONLY!
Doors 9pm
Raging Spoon: 761 Queen Street West
Venue Accessible

TRIGGER Festival 2010
June 11th & 12th Toronto
Raging Spoon (venue is accessible)

The provocative and diverse TRIGGER COLLECTIVE is hosting Toronto’s 
second ever annual TRIGGER FESTIVAL 2010

A militantly unapologetic group of performers, facilitators, speakers, 
musicians and activists will transform, evoke and stimulate with 
outrageous interactive performances & workshops. TRIGGER reclaims the 
notion of the queer survivor through art as activism and activism as art.

TRIGGER identifies the queer survivor in the relation to the individual 
experiences of: Aboriginal queers, refugee queers, sexually assaulted 
queers, disordered queers, diagnosed queers, queers of colour, poor 
queers, fat queers, struggling queers, disabled queers, abused queers, 
working queers, anti-capitalist queers, homeless queers, trans 
identified queers, gender non-conforming queers, questioning queers and 
unstable queers. TRIGGER celebrates the strength of each queer within 
our community and their ability to survive.

Full program will be available at the Fundraiser. Thank you for 
supporting TRIGGER!

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18) Acsexxxable social
We Love Sex... Join Us

Interested in organizing hot sex parties that are accessible and 
anti-oppressive?

Acsexxxable is looking for more organizers. Come join us for an informal 
hangout where we can answer your questions about the group, talk about 
building hot and dirty parties, eat, drink and flirt.

The Elephant and Castle
378 Yonge St. (just south of Gerard)
Saturday, May 22 6 PM to 9 PM
wheelchair accessible
ASL interpretation provided

Questions or access requests?
Contact acsexxxable at riseup.net or 416-889-3037.

www.acsexxxable.ca
all genders, all abilities, all hotness all the time!

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19) Feed Our Souls - Fundraiser for The Stop

Start Time:
Thursday, May 27, 2010 at 9:00pm
End Time:
Friday, May 28, 2010 at 2:00am
Location:
Wrong Bar 1279 Queen st. W
Description

A Food & Fundraiser for the Stop Community Food Centre
Sliding Scale $7-12 &/OR
HEALTHY FOOD DONATIONS!

Featuring Bands (10-12am):

Love Maker - electronic folk
One Hundred Dollars Duet
Angel Hair & Unicorn Spit - electronic duo rappers
MgO (live band hip hop / soul/ alt)


djs (12-2am)
Nik Red
rose / Murr of lal
Damian of Fucked Up
dj leatherDATA

sponsors:
The Stop
OCAP
NOII Toronto
TOVACO PRODUCTIONS
TORONTO WOMEN'S BOOKSTORE
COMMUNITY CENTRE

More info soon

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20) The Montreal Anarchist Bookfair -- and month-long Festival of 
Anarchy -- brings together anarchist ideas and practice, through words, 
images, music, theatre and day-to-day struggles for justice, dignity and 
collective liberation.

The Bookfair is as much for people who don't necessarily consider 
themselves anarchists, but are curious about anarchism, as it is a space 
for anarchists to meet, network and share in a spirit of respect and 
solidarity. All are welcome.

The Bookfair is organized in a spirit of openness towards the different 
traditions, visions, and practices of anarchism. Together we share a 
commitment to promoting anarchism through the values of mutual aid, 
grassroots democracy, direct action, autonomy and solidarity, while 
opposing oppression in all its forms. The Bookfair principles are linked 
here: http://www.anarchistbookfair.ca/en/node/4

The Bookfair is one of the largest anarchist events in North America, 
and for the past decade, an important gathering and reference point for 
anti-authoritarian ideas and practice.

What Happens at the Montreal Anarchist Bookfair?; read more here: 
http://www.anarchistbookfair.ca/en/node/3

Accessibility Statement: http://www.anarchistbookfair.ca/en/node/6

-------------------------------------

URGENT ACTION/CALL FOR SUBMISSIONS:

1) Open Letter Protesting the Presence of Anti-Native “Militia” Leaders 
at the May 5th Aboriginal Policy Forum

THE LETTER

Please add your signature and circulate widely.

An Open Letter Protesting the Presence of Anti-Native “Militia” Leaders 
at the May 5th Aboriginal Policy Forum at Mount Royal University

As scholars, students and concerned citizens we are deeply troubled by 
the invitation of grass roots anti-Native organizers and leaders of the 
“Caledonia Militia” to the New Directions on Aboriginal Policy Forum to 
be held on May 5th, 2010 at Mount Royal University. Dr. Frances 
Widdowson personally invited Mark Vandermaas and Gary McHale to be 
discussants on a panel entitled “Aboriginal Sovereignty and the Rule of 
Law.” McHale and Vandermaas are leading figures in grassroots 
anti-Native organizing against the Six Nations people of the Grand River 
Territory in south-western Ontario; they have played key roles in the 
formation of a non-native “militia” aimed at repressing Indigenous land 
protests and they have also organized a variety of anti-Native protests, 
a number of which have attracted the support of neo-Nazis and far right 
racists. While Vandermaas and McHale claim to speak for Caledonians, 
their activities have consistently increased tensions in this community 
facing a well documented land claims dispute.

The groups that McHale and Vandermaas are involved with falsely describe 
Indigenous people resisting the ongoing theft of their land and the 
abrogation of treaty rights as “organized criminals”, “terrorists”, 
“lawless” and continually refer to Six Nations people protesting as 
“Native thugs.” McHale and Vandermaas describe themselves as 
‘non-violent’ ‘human rights activists’ inspired by the vision of Martin 
Luther King, working to dismantle a “two-tiered justice system” that 
benefits Indigenous people. On March 21st 2010, the International Day 
for the Elimination of Racism, McHale organized an ‘anti-racist’ rally 
claiming that white people in the area are oppressed by ‘race-based 
policing’ and “Canadian Apartheid.” These alarming appropriations are an 
insult to the histories of anti-racist and anti-colonial struggles and 
to all who uphold anti-racism. The re-naming of anti-Native organizing 
as anti-racist struggle is an affront to the struggles of Indigenous 
peoples and peoples of color across the globe who have survived and 
continue to struggle against genocide, apartheid, and colonialism. As 
scholars, students and people of conscience we need to expose the 
violence of this appropriation by McHale and Vandermaas, not legitimize it.

While McHale loves to sue people for defamation of his character, his 
inflammatory campaigns have smeared Six Nations grandmothers and 
mothers, the Canadian Union of Public Employees, the Canadian Auto 
Workers, Christian Peacemaker Teams, the provincial and Canadian 
governments and the OPP as either being “terrorists” or aiding and 
abetting “terrorism”. McHale and Vandermaas consistently portray 
assertions of Indigenous sovereignty as lawless, terrorist, racist and 
evidence of what they term a “Native Supremacy Movement.” These 
understandings are not far removed from the perspectives of conference 
organizer, Dr. Frances Widdowson, who claims that “current demands for 
‘aboriginal nationalism’ and ‘sovereignty’, because they connect land to 
ancestry, have more in common with the ideology of Nazi Germany than 
left-wing ideas.” Not surprisingly, while movements for Indigenous 
sovereignty gain little support from neo-Nazis, Gary McHale and his 
anti-Native activities certainly do. Paul Fromm, a high profile white 
supremacist leader, best known for his support of holocaust denier 
Ernest Zundel, has actively publicized McHale and his events on the 
neo-nazi website Stormfront. Fromm has been photographed at McHale led 
events, as have other members of neo-Nazi organizations such as the 
London, Ontario “Northern Alliance” group.

While McHale claims he is the “National voice of Caledonia”, neither he 
nor Vandermaas reside in Caledonia and they do not speak on behalf of 
all Caledonians. Indeed Mr. McHale was from 2007 to 2010 banned from 
entering Caledonia due to bail conditions stemming from the eruption of 
violence at one of his protests. The Commissioner of the OPP has 
described McHale et al.’s actions as a ‘lightning rod’ for confrontation 
and violence. Many Caledonia residents are fed up with their antics, 
especially those who are working to heal the tensions between Caledonia 
and Six Nations.

We the undersigned condemn the “New Directions on Aboriginal Policy 
Forum’s” decision to give these anti-Native agitators an academic stage 
to parade their false allegations and half-truths. Anti-Native activism 
and militias are not a “New Direction”, in Aboriginal policy, — in fact 
they represent a very old pattern of colonial activity that seeks to 
increase and justify violence and injustice against Indigenous peoples. 
We believe that the inclusion of McHale and Vandermaas in a discussion 
on Aboriginal Policy will serve to normalize racism, aggression, 
appropriation, and citizen-led militias as tools to solve localized 
conflicts over Indigenous lands, whereas what is needed is a recognition 
of Indigenous land rights, nation to nation negotiations and the 
peaceful settlement of land claims. We stand for peace and justice in 
Caledonia and Six Nations, and decry those who attempt to increase 
violence and tension through inflammatory actions and speech.

For more information and background on these issues, please go to 
http://6nsolidarity.wordpress.com/

To add your signature to this open letter, please email 
concernedacademics at gmail.com and we will add your name along with 286 
names that have signed so far. Please include: your full name, email 
address, province, country, university or other affiliation and any 
comment you would like added to the petition. It is also encouraged that 
you send a letter of concern yourself directly to the Mount Royal Dean 
and Associate Dean of the Faculty of Arts.

Dean of the Faculty of Arts:

Manuel Mertin, PhD Dean, Faculty of Arts
E-mail: mmertin at mtroyal.ca

Sabrina Reed, PhD, Associate Dean, Faculty of Arts
E-mail: sreed at mtroyal.ca

NEW INFORMATION:

Frances Widdowson and Mark Vandermaas have posted responses to this 
letter of Protest on their respective blogs. In both posts the authors 
claim that Vandermaas and McHale were never a part of the Caledonia 
“Militia.” Vandermaas was in attendance at the first meeting of the 
“Militia” in June of 2009, claimed on his blog that he fully supported 
it, and in a Brantford Expositor news article is described as a leader. 
McHale is the media spokesperson for this group. McHale also spoke at 
the first meeting for an hour, a clip of the speech given that day can 
be seen on the youtube link below. The clip is from CHCH news, and shows 
McHale telling the first meeting of the Caledonia “Militia” that 
citizens can pressure the OPP ‘into doing their jobs,’ by saying either 
you arrest that person “or I will.” After much negative media coverage 
McHale, the spokesperson for the group, announced that the group would 
be renamed the “Caledonia Peacekeepers” and claimed that naming the 
group “militia” was designed to create press for the group. Whatever the 
reasoning the group planned to effect citizens arrests of people 
engaging in what McHale has termed “native lawlessness.” While Flemming, 
a close associate of both Vandermaas and McHale, claimed that the group 
would arrest anyone breaking the law, the group was clearly organized 
with respect to Six Nations resistance to the ongoing theft of their land.

Caledonia “Militia”:
http://www.thespec.com/article/588406
www.caledoniawakeupcall.com/updates/090622simcoe.html
http://www.dunnvillechronicle.com/ArticleDisplay.aspx?e=1615957
http://www.dunnvillechronicle.com/PrintArticle.aspx?e=1636760
http://www.voiceofcanada.wordpress.com/2009/06/14/caledonia-militia-seeks-volunteers-to-defend-haldimand-property-owners/
http://www.brantfordexpositor.ca/ArticleDisplay.aspx?e=1622935
www.voiceofcanada.wordpress.com/2009/06/24/cupe-and-criminals-work-together-against-haldimand-victims/
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z-inRqTEPGM

------------------------------------------

2) Call Out for Zine Submissions!
*Transitive*

All trans people, trans allies, trans lovers: send us your work, your
thoughts, your stories!

The Trans Inclusion Group of The Centre for Women and Trans People at U of T
will be publishing a zine focusing on trans people, trans issues, and
transitions. We invite you to submit your stories (fiction or non), essays,
poetry, photos, comics, art, reviews, manifestos, or anything else you
want to submit for inclusion in Transitive.

Possible topics include: identity, the body, transition/not
transitioning, community, safety, allies/being an ally, activism,
support, love/sexuality, or whatever you want to relate to trans-ness.

DEADLINE TO SUBMIT: Submissions must be received by May 15th, 2010
(by midnight, for email submissions).

The Centre believes those who are on the margins often have insights
and understandings of how systems of oppression, power and privilege
work and are maintained.

First Nations people, people of colour, mixed race folks, intersex
people, sex trade workers, people with disabilities, psychiatric
survivors and those within the psych. systems, those in prison or who 
have been
incarcerated, gender fluid people, genderqueers, cross dressers, users,
people living in poverty, refugees, migrants, Transitive would be
honoured to hold your stories.

Submissions are open to everyone and may be anonymous or signed. You
may also include a short bio with your submission (1-3 sentences max).

HOW TO SUBMIT: Email us your submission to tigzine at gmail.com, along
with any questions you might have. Or, drop off your submission in
the Transitive Zine Submissions mailbox located on the door of The
Centre for Women and Trans People. Or, mail your submission to The
Centre.

http://www.facebook.com/event.php?eid=104070829634561&ref=mf


We will be publishing both print and online versions of Transitive,
with the online version available from the Centre website. The
publication date is still to be determined; if you would like to be
notified when Transitive is published please include contact
information with your submission. Submissions are not guaranteed to be 
published in the online or print versions of Transitive.