Alert! Radio

ALERT’S last show of the season! Pensions sufficient to keep retirees from growing old in poverty are under frontal attack. Joel Harden of the Canadian Labour Congress Research Department and CD collective member Andrea Levy explain why. This week’s episode also celebrates MayDay week and discusses Canadian mining companies in the global south. And, as always, Mitch Podoluk is here with Music is the Weapon. You can subscribe to our podcast via iTunes and listen to past episodes by clicking the links below. A new season of ALERT will begin in September 2010.

ALERT’S last show of the season! Pensions sufficient to keep retirees from growing old in poverty are under frontal attack. Joel Harden of the Canadian Labour Congress Research Department and CD collective member Andrea Levy explain why. This week’s episode also celebrates MayDay week and discusses Canadian mining companies in the global south. And, as always, Mitch Podoluk is here with Music is the Weapon. You can subscribe to our podcast via iTunes and listen to past episodes by clicking the links below. A new season of ALERT will begin in September 2010.

Ian Angus, editor of the on line journal Climate and Capitalism and member of the Canadian Dimension collective talks about the outcome and the climate movement politics emerging out of The World People’s Conference on Climate Change and the Rights of Mother Earth convened by Bolivia’s President Evo Morales in Cochabamba. Clayton Thomas-Muller of the Indigenous Environmental Network (IEN) talks about the message he delivered to the UN Permanent Forum on Indigenous Issues last Saturday about the woeful example of First Nations rights in Alberta’s Tar Sands. Ron Mackay, spokesman for British MP George Galloway talks about why Canadian Immigration Minister Jason Kenny ordered Galloway banned from Canada. Elle Flanders, driving force behind Queers Against Israeli Apartheid, talks about the campaign to bar QAIA from this year’s Toronto Pride parade. Mitch Podolak brings songs of the environment to this week’s Music Is The Weapon.

Ian Angus, editor of the on line journal Climate and Capitalism and member of the Canadian Dimension collective talks about the outcome and the climate movement politics emerging out of The World People’s Conference on Climate Change and the Rights of Mother Earth convened by Bolivia’s President Evo Morales in Cochabamba. Clayton Thomas-Muller of the Indigenous Environmental Network (IEN) talks about the message he delivered to the UN Permanent Forum on Indigenous Issues last Saturday about the woeful example of First Nations rights in Alberta’s Tar Sands. Ron Mackay, spokesman for British MP George Galloway talks about why Canadian Immigration Minister Jason Kenny ordered Galloway banned from Canada. Elle Flanders, driving force behind Queers Against Israeli Apartheid, talks about the campaign to bar QAIA from this year’s Toronto Pride parade. Mitch Podolak brings songs of the environment to this week’s Music Is The Weapon.

Honduras-based Rights Action worker, Karen Spring, explains that because the current post military coup government is particularly friendly to Canada’s mining interests in Honduras that the Canadian government is blind to that country’s numerous human rights violations including those conducted by death squads. Richard Fidler talks about the life and thoughts of Quebec firebrand Michel Chartrand who passed away last week at the age of 93. Chris Webb describes the latest activities and campaigns of a new project called the Toronto Workers’ Assembly. For Music is the Weapon, Mitch Podolak plays a short list of some of the songs he has carried in his head since he was a kid.

Honduras-based Rights Action worker, Karen Spring, explains that because the current post military coup government is particularly friendly to Canada’s mining interests in Honduras that the Canadian government is blind to that country’s numerous human rights violations including those conducted by death squads. Richard Fidler talks about the life and thoughts of Quebec firebrand Michel Chartrand who passed away last week at the age of 93. Chris Webb describes the latest activities and campaigns of a new project called the Toronto Workers’ Assembly. For Music is the Weapon, Mitch Podolak plays a short list of some of the songs he has carried in his head since he was a kid.

Former Chief Arthur Manuel exposes what lies behind Tom Flanagan’s proposal to convert reserve lands to private property. Professor Darlene Juschka tells why she and 15 other University of Regina faculty members oppose the Project Hero program on their campus. John Clarke, organizer of the Ontario Coalition Against Poverty, explains how Ontario’s 2010 budget penalizes the poor. Mitch Podolak’s Music is the Weapon features songs of resistance that focus on Latin America and Iraq.

Former Chief Arthur Manuel exposes what lies behind Tom Flanagan’s proposal to convert reserve lands to private property. Professor Darlene Juschka tells why she and 15 other University of Regina faculty members oppose the Project Hero program on their campus. John Clarke, organizer of the Ontario Coalition Against Poverty, explains how Ontario’s 2010 budget penalizes the poor. Mitch Podolak’s Music is the Weapon features songs of resistance that focus on Latin America and Iraq.

RebELLE spokesperson Barbara Legault talks about how Quebec feminists view Bill 94 which would refuse government services, public employment and most medical care to Muslim women whose face is covered by the niqab. She also describes the massive opposition to Quebec’s new budget that establishes a user fee on health care and increases fees on other government services. York University’s David Noble talks about the significance of his court victory requiring York University administrators to answer questions about an alleged pro-Israel orientation shared by members of a key governing body which he contends influences that university’s actions against him and others on campus who question Israeli policy in the Middle East. Steven Staples, President of the Rideau Institute argues that contrary to the request put by Hillary Clinton, Canada should quit Afghanistan now. He also explains that NATO has just about outlived its role in world affairs. Mitch Podolak’s Music is the Weapon is all about trains.

RebELLE spokesperson Barbara Legault talks about how Quebec feminists view Bill 94 which would refuse government services, public employment and most medical care to Muslim women whose face is covered by the niqab. She also describes the massive opposition to Quebec’s new budget that establishes a user fee on health care and increases fees on other government services. York University’s David Noble talks about the significance of his court victory requiring York University administrators to answer questions about an alleged pro-Israel orientation shared by members of a key governing body which he contends influences that university’s actions against him and others on campus who question Israeli policy in the Middle East. Steven Staples, President of the Rideau Institute argues that contrary to the request put by Hillary Clinton, Canada should quit Afghanistan now. He also explains that NATO has just about outlived its role in world affairs. Mitch Podolak’s Music is the Weapon is all about trains.

Professor Arthur Schafer, director of the Centre for Professional and Applied Ethics at the University of Manitoba, discusses issues of free speech and hate speech that arise from the cancellation of Ann Coulter¹s talk at the University of Ottawa. Art Sterrit, executive director of the Coastal First Nations describes the inevitable damages expected from the proposed Enbridge Norther pipeline and its supertankers that would penetrate into the heart of BC’s Great Bear Rainforest. Art outlines the campaign mounted by a coalition of 150 native bands, several environmental organizations and dozens of prominent individuals including Margaret Atwood, David Suzuki, Thomas Berger, Bruce Cockburn and ten Olympic athletes. Some are saying that the Enbridge dispute may be the defining battle for a new generation concerned about climate change and global dependence on oil. Mitch Podolak’s Music Is The Weapon this week is all about money!

Professor Arthur Schafer, director of the Centre for Professional and Applied Ethics at the University of Manitoba, discusses issues of free speech and hate speech that arise from the cancellation of Ann Coulter¹s talk at the University of Ottawa. Art Sterrit, executive director of the Coastal First Nations describes the inevitable damages expected from the proposed Enbridge Norther pipeline and its supertankers that would penetrate into the heart of BC’s Great Bear Rainforest. Art outlines the campaign mounted by a coalition of 150 native bands, several environmental organizations and dozens of prominent individuals including Margaret Atwood, David Suzuki, Thomas Berger, Bruce Cockburn and ten Olympic athletes. Some are saying that the Enbridge dispute may be the defining battle for a new generation concerned about climate change and global dependence on oil. Mitch Podolak’s Music Is The Weapon this week is all about money!

Thomas Woodley, president of Canadians for Justice & Peace in the Middle East talks about how the Harper government forced the cancellation of the CJPME-sponsored Canadian tour of 2010 Nobel prize nominee and Palestinian leader Dr. Mustafa Barghouti. Graham Saul, executive director of Climate Action Network Canada talks about a recently released study showing the consequences of the Harper government¹s policy of muzzling government climate change experts. Professor Jeffrey Webber of the University of Regina talks about Canada¹s interests in Honduras and in Latin America in general and how this is shaping Canadian policy in supporting right-wing governments in the region, most recently that of Honduras. Mitch Podolak introduces new blues and folk music on Music is the Weapon.

Thomas Woodley, president of Canadians for Justice & Peace in the Middle East talks about how the Harper government forced the cancellation of the CJPME-sponsored Canadian tour of 2010 Nobel prize nominee and Palestinian leader Dr. Mustafa Barghouti. Graham Saul, executive director of Climate Action Network Canada talks about a recently released study showing the consequences of the Harper government¹s policy of muzzling government climate change experts. Professor Jeffrey Webber of the University of Regina talks about Canada¹s interests in Honduras and in Latin America in general and how this is shaping Canadian policy in supporting right-wing governments in the region, most recently that of Honduras. Mitch Podolak introduces new blues and folk music on Music is the Weapon.

Macdonald Stainsby, a creator of savegreenpeace.org, talks about why the appointment of Tzeporah Berman as director of Greenpeace International global climate and energy campaign has caused such an uproar within the Canadian ranks of Greenpeace. Stainsby also talks about the growing tendency of environmental groups to take money from the world’s biggest polluters. Sid Shniad of Independent Jewish Voices is one of the 8800 Jewish Canadians and Americans named in this year’s Self-Hating Israel-Threatening (S.H.I.T.) list. He talks about the list and what its creators intend by it. Devlin Kuyek of Grain describes the amazing global land grab as vast portions of the most fertile lands of Africa are being bought off or leased by multinational companies. Mitch Podolak devotes Music is the Weapon to fallen comrade Liz Barkley.