Migrant Matters

Guelph celebrates May Day (1 of 3)

migrant matters — Thu, 02 May 2013 19:22:00 +0000

With the aim of contributing, no matter how small or large, to building a worldwide common front against capitalism, austerity, war, and the increasing marginalization of workers, a group of 30 chanting and sign waving residents of Guelph, Ontario rallied in front of City Hall on the early eve of April 30th to pay our respects and spread the word about our Labour history and International Workers’ Day! The rally's speakers list included members of: Fuerza/Puwersa, CUPE 3913, CAW Local 1917, Migrante Canada, Young Communist League Guelph, Guelph Student Mobilization Committee, and OPIRG Guelph. Guelph-based hip-hop folk talent Fellow Worker added sweet soulful spice to the mix.

MaryCarl Guiao (Fuerza/Puwersa), Sarah Scanlon (OPIRG), Denise Martins (CUPE 3913), Drew Garvie (YCL)

Guelph celebrates May Day (2 of 3)

migrant matters — Thu, 02 May 2013 18:56:17 +0000

With the aim of contributing to building a worldwide common front against capitalism, austerity and war, a group of 30 chanting and sign waving residents of Guelph, Ontario rallied in front of City Hall on the early eve of April 30th to pay our respects and spread the word about our Labour history and International Workers’ Day! The rally's speakers list included members of: Fuerza/Puwersa, CUPE 3913, CAW Local 1917, Migrante Canada, Young Communist League Guelph, Guelph Student Mobilization Committee, and OPIRG. Guelph-based hip-hop folk talent Fellow Worker added sweet soulful spice to the mix. Excerpts of interviews with some of the speakers and rally attendees, particularly about what May Day means to them, are also included.

Fellow Worker, Roisin Lyder (GSMC), Perry Sorio (Migrante Canada), Tristan Dineen, Fellow Worker

Guelph celebrates May Day (3 of 3)

migrant matters — Thu, 02 May 2013 18:22:38 +0000

In honor of May Day and in the spirit of solidarity and celebration of the international labour movement, 30 chanting and sign-waving fellow workers recently rallied in front of City Hall in Guelph, Ontario on the early eve of April 30th. The rally's speakers list included members of: Fuerza/Puwersa, CUPE 3913, CAW Local 1917, Migrante Canada, Young Communist League Guelph, Guelph Student Mobilization Committee, and OPIRG Guelph. Guelph-based hip-hop folk talent Fellow Worker added sweet soulful spice to the mix. Excerpts of interviews with some of the speakers and rally attendees, particularly about what May Day means to them, are also included.

Audio Part 1:

MaryCarl Guiao (Fuerza/Puwersa), Sarah Scanlon (OPIRG) - 00:8:40

Eduardo Huesca (Fuerza/Puwersa), Josh Gilbert, Byron, Sarah Scanlon

On strategic 'violent' resistance

migrant matters — Mon, 18 Jun 2012 02:34:17 +0000

Gord Hill and Peter Gelderloos talk about how strategic 'violent' resistance can work.

Gord Hill is a longtime organizer for indigenous sovereignty and a Vancouver-based writer and illustrator who's launching a new thoroughly-researched comic book called The 500 Years of Resistance Comic Book. As the titles of the book's three sections read, it's about: Invasion, Assimilation and Resistance and adds to proof that opposing hierarchy, not 'violence' (that's used in strategies of resistance), should be our moral and strategic compass.

Hill & Gelderloos_on_strategic_violent_resistance - Migrant Matters.MP3

Escalating migrant and refugee repression in Canada - Panel

migrant matters — Thu, 24 May 2012 07:03:16 +0000

The panel of the May Day potluck, which has been celebrated in Guelph, Ontario for four years now, illuminates the experiences of working-class migrants and immigrants in relation to Canada's continually failing immigration and labour legislation. Guest speakers at this year's celebration include: Juan, Melissa Paciulan, Lizzie Neale and Teresa Edge.

00:04:21 - Juan works as a migrant farm worker in Waterloo, Ontario. He talks about his experience living and working under Canada's Seasonal Agricultural Workers Program.

4th_Annual_May_Day_Panel_2012_-_Migrant_Matters.mp3

Guelph hosts vigil to honour 11 victims of migrant worker van tragedy

migrant matters — Tue, 21 Feb 2012 20:17:25 +0000

On Monday, February 6th, a van carrying 13 Peruvian farm workers as well as one farm worker from Nicaragua collided with a transport truck in Hampstead, outside Waterloo, Ontario. *Eleven lives were lost, including 11 migrant farm workers and the driver of the truck.

Guelph_ON_vigil_for_recent_crash_victims_-_Migrant_Matters.mp3

Roma civil rights activist Aladàr Horvàth's call to Canada: Have empathy for the Roma

migrant matters — Tue, 20 Dec 2011 02:11:53 +0000

Aladàr Horvàth, chair of the Roma Civil Rights Foundation in Hungary and a former member of the Hungarian Parliament, provides an overview of the history of the Roma people in Hungary and the social and political landscape in the country that has brought so many of them to Canada seeking refugee status in recent months.*

He identifies the hate speech prevalent in Hungarian media as central to the overall societal disdain for the Roma, and describes the hardships faced by locals resulting from routine police brutality, structural violence, and aggression from local governments. Context is provided around the practice of forced labour camps that separate families and destroy Roma communities.

Horvath to Canada, Have empathy for the Roma - Migrant Matters.MP3

Mapuche communities deserve liberation of their land and people

migrant matters — Mon, 12 Dec 2011 00:19:18 +0000

I sat down with Jaroslava, an organizer with the Women's Coordinating Committee For a Free Wallmapu (WCCFW), to talk about the struggles of her community.

The work of the WCCFW towards justice and sovereignty for their land and people, and against both the ongoing increasing incarceration of indigenous Mapuche people by the Chilean State, and the termination of their culture and people. The youth being criminalized -- like Matias Matrileo Quezada, Alex Lemún Saavedra, and Jaime Mendoza Collío, who were silenced permanently by the murderous repression and racist authority of the Chilean State. How Canada is not an innocent bystander in all this. Ending with boycotting Chilean fruit and wine, and fighting off logging and uranium mining as solidarity.

Jaraslava - Dec 2011 - Migrant Matters.mp3

The powerful sacred life stages of women, Cree, Métis and Ojibway

migrant matters — Sat, 12 Nov 2011 05:28:50 +0000

Dr. Kim Anderson's book, Life Stages and Native Women: Memories, Teachings and Story Medicine, launched into Turtle Island and the world beyond this year. The book is a collection of powerful truths, morals and lessons-learned generously passed on by fourteen northern Algonquian elders from the prairies and Ontario, and is based on stories about the girls and women of their childhood communities during the mid-twentieth century. In it, Dr. Anderson stresses the importance of having reverence for women and the different gifts women bring to their friends, loved ones, community, and culture at different stages throughout their lives (or along "the life stage continuum") such as during/at pregnancy, birth, puberty and death.

The Sacred Feminine and story as healing forces in the decolonization and recovery of Aboriginal communities.

Michael Parenti's 'The Face of Imperialism'

migrant matters — Sun, 23 Oct 2011 04:05:23 +0000

In this interview, Seigfried Barazov speaks with progressive scholar Michael Parenti, mainly talking about two of his recent books: The Face of Imperialism and The Assassination of Julius Caesar: A People's History of Ancient Rome.

www.michaelparenti.org

Recorded for Back in the USSR and Migrant Matters Radio on 93.3 FM CFRU.

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migrantmatters@riseup.net

Michael Parenti - The Face of Imperialism [Migrant Matters Radio].mp3

Seven Deadly Myths: Denying the Palestinian narrative

migrant matters — Sat, 15 Oct 2011 20:42:15 +0000

What if what we believe we are fighting for is based solely on our own narrative? What if our narrative is based on the denial of the experience of "the other"?

Lia Tarachansky is the Middle East reporter for The Real News, and is currently finishing up production on her debut documentary called Seven Deadly Myths (slated for a 2012 release). The film is about the collective denial of the narrative of the Palestinian people that has led to emotional, mental, social and physical walls between the Palestinian and Israeli people.

Lia Tarachansky - 7 Deadly myths [Migrant Matters].mp3

Queer discussions on im/migration and criminalization

migrant matters — Mon, 10 Oct 2011 04:11:15 +0000

The bodies of indigenous people, queer people, migrants, people of colour and the poor have been exploited, governed, labelled and regulated by the Canadian and U.S. states. The state has tried to interfere in our communities, our languages, our families, our love relationships and our ability to seek refuge. But we have seen that if we resist, we can win! On Septempter 28, No One Is Illegal-Toronto (NOII-TO), along with Queers Against Israeli Apartheid (QuAIA) called on queers, trans folks, two-spirted people, people of colour, migrants, workers, students, radicals, and allies to converge for an evening of discussion, reflection and celebration.

Panel discussion on queer organizing and (im)migration - NOII-TO, QUAIA and HAVOQ .MP3

Sophisticated vigilantes C.R.I.M.E. take on France over Haiti restitution

migrant matters — Sun, 18 Sep 2011 17:41:58 +0000

This past August 26th, I was joined by special guest Laurence Fabre of C.R.I.M.E. (Committee for the Reimbursement of the Indemnity Money Extorted from Haiti).

CRIME, an international group of activists who have impersonated French government officials, have called on the French government to repay Haiti, its former colony, more than $20 billion that had been extorted in the 19th century as penalty for Haiti's fully-deserved and arduous revolution.

What can we expect from one of the most boundlessly and violently cruel of the European colonizers? CRIME explains their actions. Plus, the mechanics of public relations 101 for good prank activism measure.

Laurence_Fabre_-_August_2011_[Migrant_Matters].MP3

It's the ReadNex Poetry Squad

migrant matters — Sat, 30 Jul 2011 16:13:43 +0000

Three-fifths of the New York-based spoken word hip-hop team whipped up one spectacular fundraiser show this summer in Guelph. A long overdue shout-out and thanks to them for supporting the "We Are Jose" campaign (wearejose.com) with the talents up their b-boy and b-girl art sleeves!

FreeFlowin, Decora, DJ H20 and myself packed into their tour van after the show to talk about all things at the heart of hip-hop - releasing truths through rhythm and words, motivating youth through workshops, towards more women in hip-hop, and why there is no hip-hop without embracing the most socially disempowered in society with compassion.

ReadNex_Poetry_Squad_[Migrant_Matters].mp3

Shameless U.S. news personality Lou Dobbs still given a mainstream platform

migrant matters — Wed, 18 May 2011 19:07:11 +0000

Lou Dobbs is the former CNN host of Lou Dobbs Tonight, generating big money for Time Warner Inc. for decades. He is currently the host of a new television show of the same name on Rupert Murdoch's Fox Business Network, no doubt trying to hold on to his reign as a very influential spokesperson for the anti-immigrant movement. Dobbs is acclaimed by former CNN president Jonathan Klein for his "fearless reporting and commentary," but independent journalist Isabel Macdonald has uncovered hidden truths that tell otherwise. She reveals in her October 2010 article, "Lou Dobbs, American Hypocrite," how Dobbs is yet another affluent white American reliant on the labour of poor racialized people with no or precarious status.

Isabel_Macdonald_on_hypocrite_Lou_Dobbs_[Migrant_Matters].mp3