Speaking Up Winter 2022
February 10, 2022:
Zoom Link: Killing Bill 64: What Now for Education in Manitoba?
7 - 8:15 pm. With James Bedford
The education landscape has changed somewhat with the withdrawal of Bill 64 Yet, there it is far from clear what the government's next steps will be. Will the government start with a fresh page and ignore the K-12 Review Commission's recommendations, many of which have great promise. A look at why MTS opposed Bill 64 and some of the Commission's recommendations points to some progressive next steps.
James Bedford is President of the Manitoba Teachers Society.
March 10, 2022
Zoom Link: Food Security: Corporate Control and Climate Crisis
7 - 8:15 pm. With Katie Ward
How can we create a secure and delicious food system for all Canadians? There are concrete actions over the next 10 years that will reduce our dependence on multinational corporations and reduce farming’s ecological footprint. The results - Canadian agriculture is more sustainable, food supplies are more dependable, farm incomes are higher, and greenhouse gas emissions are lower.
Katie Ward is a 9th generation family farmer from West Carleton-March, Ontario. With her husband, Mathieu-Andre Chiasson, she raises sheep, pigs, and chickens on pasture which she direct markets to farmer’s markets and restaurants. She also grows hay, wheat, oats and barley.
Recently, Katie turned over her CSA market garden after eight years to her former vegetable business partner and fellow NFU farmer to start her own farm business, because she is committed to the belief that farmers must work toward ensuring land access for future generations of farming.
April 14, 2022
Zoom Link: Spinning COVID: Politicians and the Media Kept us in the Dark
7 - 8:15 pm. With Nora Loreto
During the worst pandemic in a century, Canadian media struggled to tell the story. Newsrooms, struggled to make broader connections. Politicians and public health officials were mostly given the benefit of the doubt. Politicians and uncritical media shaped the popular understanding and helped to justify maintaining the status quo that created the worst ravages of the crisis.
Nora Loreto is a writer and activist from Quebec City. She is the author of Take Back the Fight: Organizing Feminism in the Digital Age and From Demonized to Organized: Building the New Union Movement; and is the editor of the Canadian Association of Labour Media and co-hosts the popular podcast Sandy and Nora Talk Politics.
May 12, 2022
Zoom Link: Future on Fire: Is a Just Transition Possible?
7 - 8:15 pm. With David Camfield
What would it take to implement a just transition from fossil fuels and other causes of climate change? David Camfield argues that disruptive mass social movements are the key.
David Camfield is the author of Future on Fire: Capitalism and the Politics of Climate Change and is an Associate Professor of Labour Studies and Sociology & Criminology at the University of Manitoba.