Alyse Kotyk

Lawsuits pile up as Kinder Morgan opponents prepare next pipeline battleground in the courts

Michael Stewart — Tue, 14 Feb 2017 18:28:35 +0000

Tuesday, February 14, 2017

Whales, corruption and contempt for Indigenous rights are just some of the court cases that activists hope will halt the controversial Kinder Morgan Trans Mountain Expansion project.

While the provincial and federal governments may have announced their support for Kinder Morgan's Trans Mountain pipeline, opponents are continuing to strengthen their fight against the project in court.

'We Can't Make the Same Mistake Twice': Interview with director Alanis Obomsawin

rabble staff — Wed, 12 Oct 2016 02:28:00 +0000

Tuesday, October 11, 2016

Obomsawin's documentry, featured at the Vancouver International Film Festival, highlights the lack of services for Indigenous children living on reserves.

In 2007, the Child and Family Caring Society of Canada and the Assembly of First Nations filed a complaint against Indian Affairs and Northern Development Canada. They argued that services provided to First Nations children on reserves were inferior to those offered to other Canadian children.

In her documentary We Can't Make the Same Mistake Twice -- featured at the Vancouver International Film Festival -- Alanis Obomsawin documents the court challenge and gives voice to the childcare workers involved.

rabble.ca spoke with Obomsawin to learn more about her documentary and the hopes she has for Canada.

Why did you want to make this film?

Fight for affordable housing in Vancouver intensifies as units sit empty

rabble staff — Mon, 19 Sep 2016 13:34:07 +0000

Monday, September 19, 2016

The now two-tier housing market in Vancouver has split the population into people who have a lot of money and the rest. Two rallies over the weekend demanded immediate action.

Pressures for affordable housing continue to rise in Vancouver as the city saw two housing rallies take place over the weekend.

The first drew a crowd of 50 activists on Friday, who gathered outside of Vancouver's City Hall to demand that affordable housing be made a priority in the municipality. The rally was organized by COPE, the Coalition of Progressive Electors, which calls for investments in co-ops and social housing, zoning for rent controls and enforcement of health standards in buildings.

Mount Polley a 'disaster' that 'needs to be shut down' says Imperial No More activist

rabble staff — Thu, 11 Aug 2016 15:46:34 +0000

Thursday, August 11, 2016

Secwepemc Women's Warrior Society and Ancestral Pride officially launched the Imperial No More Campaign against Imperial Metals, the mining company responsible for the 2014 Mount Polley disaster.

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Last night, Secwepemc Women's Warrior Society and Ancestral Pride officially launched the Imperial No More Campaign against Imperial Metals, the mining company responsible for the 2014 Mount Polley tailings pond disaster.

Jean Swanson: Vancouver's focus on home ownership neglects plight of the homeless

rabble staff — Tue, 09 Aug 2016 16:15:36 +0000

Wednesday, August 10, 2016

Gregor Robertson's commitment to rezone a city-owned lot for social housing is a "little victory" says Jean Swanson. There's much more that needs to be done to address the reality of homelessness.

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Last week, Vancouver Mayor Gregor Robertson met with Downtown Eastside residents to discuss the community's housing needs and to respond to the tent city established at 58 West Hastings. The meeting ended with a commitment to rezone the city-owned lot for social housing that has 100 per cent welfare pension-rate rents.

Evictions loom as demands for federal action against Site C rise

rabble staff — Fri, 15 Jul 2016 15:48:11 +0000

Monday, July 18, 2016

Huge deficits. Environmental destruction. Lack of permits. Why is such an unnecessary project like Site C being pushed through?

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Update: The Trudeau government has issued two federal permits for the Site C dam, allowing B.C. Hydro to continue work on the project.

Critics of Site C are not happy citing the environmental destruction of the Peace River area and the outrageous cost of the project at $8.8 billion.

Super InTent City sheds light on national housing needs

rabble staff — Wed, 13 Jul 2016 13:32:30 +0000

Wednesday, July 13, 2016

"When we look at homelessness in Canada, it is a crisis. It is an emergency." Alyse Kotyk reports on Tent City in Victoria and its implications across Canada.

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After fighting off pressures to dismantle their community for over a year, Super InTent City residents in Victoria, B.C. have been told they must leave by August 8.

The ruling was made last week in B.C.'s Supreme Court by Chief Justice Christopher Hinkson who cited greater than anticipated costs, deterioration of health, violence and criminal activity as some of the reasons for shutting it down.

Hundreds of climate activists fight by land and sea to break free from fossil fuels

rabble staff — Mon, 16 May 2016 16:32:49 +0000

Over 800 Canadians, organized by Greenpeace and 350.org, took action outside a Kinder Morgan facility in Burnaby, B.C. as part of the international Break Free from Fossil Fuel movement.

Climate activists surround Kinder Morgan facility by land and sea

rabble staff — Mon, 16 May 2016 16:29:22 +0000

Monday, May 16, 2016

Over 800 Canadians, organized by Greenpeace and 350.org, took action outside a Kinder Morgan facility in Burnaby, B.C. as part of the international Break Free from Fossil Fuel movement.

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On Saturday, over 800 protesters organized by Greenpeace and 350.org surrounded Kinder Morgan facilities in Burnaby, B.C. to stand in solidarity with the international Break Free from Fossil Fuels movement.

"We have to change," protestor Ophelia Klaus told rabble.ca. "We're getting to a point where it's going to be hard to come back to where we were so we need to take action now."

B.C. continues to neglect climate recommendations, favours LNG projects

rabble staff — Tue, 03 May 2016 13:45:11 +0000

Tuesday, May 3, 2016

Trudeau said working with the provinces and territories will be the cornerstone of the climate change approach. But B.C. is ignoring recommendations that could limit carbon pollution. What now?

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As Trudeau's Liberal government meets its six-month mark of being in office, climate group the Pembina Institute is calling for a clear, comprehensive climate change test for Liquid Natural Gas (LNG) projects.

University of Ottawa becomes first Canadian university to divest from fossil fuels

rabble staff — Wed, 27 Apr 2016 18:00:27 +0000

Wednesday, April 27, 2016

"uOttawa has achieved something historic." On Monday, the University of Ottawa became the first Canadian university to commit to fossil fuel divestment.

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On Monday, the University of Ottawa (uOttawa) became the first Canadian university to commit to fossil fuel divestment.

The decision was made by the Executive Committee of the Board of Governors and included a mandate to develop a strategy for shifting investments in fossil fuels towards investments in alternative energy and clean technologies.

Demands for change to Canada's immigration detention system mount in wake of deaths

rabble staff — Tue, 26 Apr 2016 09:51:58 +0000

Tuesday, April 26, 2016

Nearly 80 detainees staged a hunger strike at the Lindsay, Ontario facility to protest immigration detention and inhumane treatment as indefinite detention remains in Canada.

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Nearly 80 detainees at Central East Correctional Centre in Lindsay, Ontario ended a hunger strike over the weekend that was initiated last Thursday April 21.

Occupations of INAC offices continue in solidarity with Attawapiskat

rabble staff — Thu, 14 Apr 2016 20:12:05 +0000

Thursday, April 14, 2016

Idle No More protesters and allies are occupying Indigenous and Northern Affairs Canada offices in Toronto and Winnipeg in solidarity with the Attawapiskat community to demand action.

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Update: According to Indigenous and Northern Affairs Canada, Government of Canada's official twitter page, INAC regional offices in Toronto, Regina, Winnipeg and Gatineau.

The #OccupyINAC group in Winnipeg has released an official statement which you can read here.

Activists gear up for 'historic opportunity' to usher in proportional representation

rabble staff — Tue, 12 Apr 2016 21:42:04 +0000

Wednesday, April 13, 2016

Leadnow, Fair Vote Canada and the Every Voter Counts Alliance all call on Canadians to push for an electoral system of proportional representation. Can they make it happen?

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As the Liberal government begins to move forward on its election promise to change the way Canada votes, advocacy groups and non-profit organizations that have been tackling the issue of electoral reform long before the Liberals were sworn in last fall are ramping up their campaigns.

"We have a historic opportunity at the national level for voting reform," Jamie Biggar, Campaigns Director at Leadnow told rabble.

How to combat Islamophobia in the media

rabble staff — Fri, 08 Apr 2016 16:03:51 +0000

Friday, April 8, 2016

Combatting Islamophobia in media was the focus of a panel discussion in Vancouver. Urooba Jamal, Itrath Syed and Sunera Thobani shared their firsthand experiences and solutions on how to move forward.

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The media has a powerful ability to shape the way we view our world. In the midst of elections, international conflicts and refugee crises, Islamophobia has permeated our news cycle.