Direct Action

Shelter in a Cart

- Adam Clare 1 Comment


“DesignBoom has announced a competition to create a shelter for homeless people that is the size of a shopping cart.

From the announcement page:

“design a cart that can provide shelter and storage.

urban homeless use carts to carry their possessions and to collect goods (like bottles, cardboard, etc.) that they then return
to various recyclers in exchange for cash. this provides a small and valuable income. it is essential that your cart design not only
accommodates all these functions but that it is affordable (for production and for private parties or charity organisations
who wish to donate them).”

Engaging Youth in Democracy

- Stewy

Good democracyElection time is upon us here in Canada, and all political parties have been quick off the mark with takes on the usual promises to the electorate. Among the more intersting debates that emerged during the first few weeks of the campaign centred on the notion of lowering the legal voting age to 16.

In a country where 16 year olds have many rights and responsibilities already, it is unfortunate that Canada has not yet extended the right to vote to this group of citizens. With voter turnout rates expected to be at record lows for January’s election, Canada needs seriously examine how to get more people participating in one of the essential hallmarks of a democracy. By encouraging 16 year olds to vote, especially while they are in high school and can be educated on the democratic process, it is hoped that youth may be encouraged to participate in democracy at an earlier age, and for a lifetime.

A Member of Parliament during the last session put forth a private members’ bill that would have lowered the voting age to 16. The bill was defeated in June, but he has used the current campaign to promote this important idea once again. Vote16.ca is a website dedicated to “engaging Canada’s youth in politics,” specifically through lowering the legal voting age to 16.

Right Livelihood Award

- Stewy

Right Livelihood Award
Congratulations to Maude Barlow, National Chair of the Council of Canadians, and Tony Clarke, Director of the Polaris Insititute, for winning the Right Livelihood Award (RLA). The RLA was created in 1980, and is awarded by the Swedish Parliament. It is known around the world as the “Alternative Nobel Prize.”

The RLA is presented to those who embody “the principle that each person should follow an honest occupation which fully respects other people and the natural world. It means being responsible for the consequences of our actions and taking only a fair share of the earth’s resources.” The award acknowledges the personal sacrifices of its recipients, and also recognizes that the work of those recipients is often accomplished despite powerful opposing forces.

Barlow and Clarke, two of four recipients of the award this year, were chosen because of their work promoting the “fundamental right to water.” They published a book called Blue Gold in 2002, which explores the privatization of water around the world. The book has been published in 12 languages and is sold in 40 countries.

Barlow and Clarke will be presented with the RLA on December 9, and will receive a share of the $300 000 (Cdn) prize with the other winners.

You can read the Council of Canadians press release here.

Meet Us Things

- Adam Clare

ThingsAreGood.com is going to have a general meeting for all peoples interested in changing the world for the better! Come out and talk about the world, meet like-minded people, or just come to drink.

Our first meet up will be in Toronto next week:
Where: The Last Temptation in Kensington Market (on the West side of Kensington Ave close to Dundas)
WhenThursday December 15th, 8:00 PM and on!

Look for the group of people who look like they’re talking about goodness!

Dig for the Truth

- Adam Clare 1 Comment

A new website, Truthdig.com, that “drills” beyond the headlines to get to the truth.

From their About page:

“Truthdig is a Web magazine that provides expert in-depth coverage of current affairs as well as a variety of thoughtful, provocative content assembled from a progressive point of view. The site is built around major “digs,” led by authorities in their fields, who will drill down into contemporary topics and assemble packages of content—text, links, audio, video—that will grow richer with time and user participation. To offer frequent change and surprise, the magazine will also present a diversity of original reporting and aggregated content culled by the site’s editors and staff.”

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