Briarpatch articles from November 2004

Briarpatch archives from November 2004

Swim-a-thon.(Briarpatch winter get-away club)(Brief Article)(Advertisement)
November 1, 2004... Can't take a winter vacation this chilly December? Come bask in the glow of incandescent lights (no sun burn) and soak in the warm waters of the YMCA pool... and help raise money to keep Briarpatch's head above water! And you don't have to...

Holiday in Cuba.(Brief Article)(Advertisement)
November 1, 2004... Tired of hanging out at over-crowded tourist resorts, but still like the lack of effort required at an all-inclusive? Want to learn more about Cuba, but not at the library? Tired of hearing that there is no alternative to the capitalist...

CLC sues.(Canadian Labour Congress)(Brief Article)
November 1, 2004... Just to help clear up a huge lie being spread by the mainstream media: the Canadian Labour Congress (CLC) does not believe that so-called "free trade" agreements are good for Canadians. When the National Post and CanWest-Global printed a...

Modern form of slavery: lobby groups campaign relentlessly to ensure that millions of Canadians remain on the economic margins of society.
November 1, 2004... Slavery was abolished long ago in North America but its modern-day cousin lives on in the form of minimum wage rates, which remain so low year after year that they fail to provide the necessities of life. In Canadian cities, where the daily...

Minimum wage ... minimum life.
November 1, 2004... My name is Chris. I am a writer, a musician, an activist, but maybe most importantly right now, I am a student and I am a wage slave. If you re a student, you probably already know that in addition to your classes, you are most likely to...

All kidding aside: there's no time to play when North American kids start thumbing though the wish book.
November 1, 2004... In celebration of the spirit of the season, people around the world exchange gifts. With generous, joyful intentions the year's largest shopping frenzy is initiated so gifts can be exchanged, with a certain focus on giving presents to...

Equality quest: it's time to undermine the institutional and cultural foundations that support inequality.
November 1, 2004... This article is written to invite people (especially those marked by race privilege) to think reflectively about racism, and about how we are all positioned in relation to structural and cultural racism. Then, we can move to the important...

Skiing and scheming at Sun Peaks: they're too busy tearing up the mountain to find time to consult with the displaced Secwepemc.(Sun Peaks Ski Resort)
November 1, 2004... On September 22, 2004, the RCMP raided the camp of the Skwelkwekwelt Protection Center, arresting three people. These activists were defending Aboriginal title and rights in the interior of British Columbia, contesting the expansion of the...

The dirty dozen: Briarpatch salutes the creative ways that our cultural workers bring messages of social change to the people.(Artist's Voices)
November 1, 2004... Beth Smillie does not necessarily consider herself artist. However, as the communications rep for the Canadian Union of Public Employees (CUPE) she constantly needs to come up with fun and creative ways to get her message across. Smillie has...

Art raffle 2004.(Brief Article)
November 1, 2004... The 2004 Briarpatch Art Raffle was a huge success! Thousands of tickets were sold from coast to coast in this major fundraiser. We especially appreciate the generosity of our artist friends who made this collective effort possible. And a...

Finally some truth in advertising.
November 1, 2004... In the summer of 1973 I was a student of agriculture working on a farm in South Africa. Every morning we had our freshly pressed orange juice from the farm's orchard. One Sunday morning, a few hours after breakfast, I felt a weakness in my...

Who's killing innocent people? Canadian firms find bloodshed profitable.(SNC Technologies)
November 1, 2004... While Paul Martin was congratulating Canada on "not participating" in the USA-led invasion and occupation of Iraq during last spring's federal election, a Quebec-based weapons firm sealed a deal which will ensure that every time Iraqi or...

Star Wars talks: but is anybody really listening?(Strategic Defense Initiative)
November 1, 2004... In 1979, USA presidential candidate Ronald Reagan was given a tour of the North American Aerospace Defence Command (NORAD) command centre in Cheyenne Mountain, Colorado. Reagan left it impressed by its ability to track missiles and aircraft,...

State of the World, 2004 the Worldwatch Institute.(Book Review)
November 1, 2004... State of the World, 2004 The Worldwatch Institute W.W. Norton New York, 2004 This excellent reference book on the consumer society and the harm it is doing to people and the planet is well worth owning and sharing. It makes the superbly...

Dubya speak ... (without the speaker in his ear).
November 1, 2004... "Our priorities is our faith." --Greensboro, N.C., October 10, 2000 "I knew it might put him in an awkward position that we had a discussion before finality has finally happened in this presidential race." --describing a phone...

Quality education? It's not part of the agenda.(My Opinion)(Column)
November 1, 2004... There was an interesting demonstration recently that made me ponder upon my own education and the struggle it has been trying to maintain my status as a student. The local news offered a time slot to a group of protestors from my home...