John Bonnar

Activists call for permanent shutdown of Mount Polley mine

johnbon — Wed, 29 Apr 2015 22:20:21 +0000

April 29 was a national day of action to stop the reopening of the Mount Polley Mine in British Columbia.

Last August, 25 million cubic meters of toxic mining waste spilled in to the unceded Territory of the Secwepemc Peoples. The spill has disrupted their way of life. The toxic tailings have reached the Fraser watershed and the second largest salmon spawning grounds in the world.

Here in Toronto, 50 people gathered at noon outside the Toronto Stock Exchange on King Street.

Click here to see more photos from the rally.

Activists rally outside Barrick Gold AGM

johnbon — Tue, 28 Apr 2015 20:45:57 +0000

On Tuesday, over 150 people rallied outside the Metro Convention Centre in Toronto where Barrick Gold held its AGM.

Click here to see more photos from the rally.

Canadians 'disappointed and alarmed' by federal government's lack of commitment on climate change

johnbon — Wed, 22 Apr 2015 22:26:10 +0000

Over 30 groups and organizations, representing thousands of Canadians, issued a joint statement to the Canadian government on Wednesday decrying the government's lack of commitment to domestic action on climate change and the international climate negotiations process.

In their letter, the signatories claim that "the government's recent failure to submit Canada's targets for emissions cuts to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) by the March 31 deadline is indicative of this lack of commitment."

The groups claimed that the UNFCCC invited developed countries to submit their Intended Nationally Determined Contribution (INDC).

Clyde River Inuit community supporters rally outside Federal Court of Appeal

johnbon — Tue, 21 Apr 2015 00:13:30 +0000

In an attempt to reverse a 2014 National Energy Board (NEB) decision that allowed seismic testing in the waters inside Baffin Bay and Davis Strait, the Inuit community of Clyde River had their request for an injunction against oil and gas exploration companies heard on Monday at the Federal Court of Appeal in Toronto.

In 2014, despite widespread opposition from Inuits in Baffin Island, the NEB granted a five year license to a group of Norwegian companies to begin seismic testing this summer.

Click here to see more photos from the rally.

Greenpeace arctic campaigner Alex Speers-Roesch said seismic surveys fire loud air cannons underwater.

Slaughterhouse donates lamb to Ontario animal sanctuary

johnbon — Sat, 04 Apr 2015 12:34:41 +0000

Dedicated animal rights activists convinced a slaughterhouse owner to spare one lamb from being killed over the Easter weekend.

The Toronto-based activists had come to Newmarket for a break-of-dawn vigil last week, organized by Katie Barber of Aurora’s Animal Rights Advocates, at King Cole Ducks, Canada’s largest duck slaughterhouse.

Photo: Louise Jorgensen

At the same time, a few decided to reach out to a neighbouring lamb slaughterhouse. During a spur-of-the-moment visit, Anita Krajnc and Paul Bali made their appeal for “this small Easter mercy” to Newmarket Meat Packers co-founder Gino Plastino and his son.

Cindy Gladue decision sparks cross-country protests

johnbon — Fri, 03 Apr 2015 13:18:26 +0000

cindyglad.mp3

Click here to see more photos from the rally.

Listen to speeches from the rally in Toronto outside the Ontario Ministry of the Attorney General's office at 720 Bay Street.

Toronto speakers:

Introduction by Elder and drummers

Christa Big-Canoe, Aboriginal Legal Services

Audrey Huntley, No More Silence, sharing the statement released by the Gladue family

Lena Peters, Black Lives Matters

Chanelle Gallant, STRUT

CUPE 3902 and 3903 members march for better working, living and learning conditions

johnbon — Sat, 28 Mar 2015 18:23:47 +0000

Although Mary Jean Hande isn’t currently taking any classes, the third year PhD student at the Ontario Institute for Studies in Educstion (OISE) puts in 40 hour work weeks doing field work, writing, applying for grants, presenting at conferences and working on publications.

On top of that, she works three additional jobs, two with CUPE Local 3902 and one with CUPE Local 3907, that add up to another 15 to 20 hours per week.

Click here to see more photos from the rally and beginning of the march.

Striking U of T and York University education workers rally for accessible, high-quality education

johnbon — Sun, 22 Mar 2015 22:12:46 +0000

"Ontario will be the best place to live, from childhood to retirement," said Kathleen Wynne on the homepage of the Welcome to Ontario website.

Except, of course, if you're a university student. Then it's the worst place to live.

Ontario university students pay the highest tuition fees in Canada, averaging $7,539 per year, and the Liberal government spends the lowest amount per student than any other jurisdiction in Canada.

By the time they've completed their undergraduate degrees, students have racked up an average of $37,000 in debt.

Click here to see more photos from Saturday's rally.

Thousands around the world celebrate spring by going meatless for a day

johnbon — Sat, 21 Mar 2015 12:44:49 +0000

Photos: Toronto Day of Action against Bill C-51

johnbon — Sat, 14 Mar 2015 21:46:20 +0000

On Saturday, more than 2,000 people attended the Day of Action in Toronto.

Click here to see more photos from the rally held at Nathan Phillips Square.

Photos: OCAP delegation to the Ministry of Community and Social Services

johnbon — Wed, 04 Mar 2015 22:53:02 +0000

On Wednesday, the Ontario Coalition Against Poverty (OCAP) held an action in support of a 53-year-old man on ODSP who faces eviction from his building due to errors with the provinces’s new computer system issuing social assistance cheques.

Click here to see more photos from Wednesday's action.

Photos: 10th Annual Strawberry Ceremony for Murdered and Missing Indigenous Women and Girls

johnbon — Sun, 15 Feb 2015 14:30:24 +0000

Over 1,200 people gathered outside police headquarters in Toronto to demonstrate against the ongoing genocide of Indigenous women and girls.

Click here to see more photos from the 10th Annual Strawberry Ceremony in Toronto.

Photos: Toronto 'World Love For Dolphins Day'

johnbon — Sat, 14 Feb 2015 14:09:23 +0000

On Friday, February 13, Sea Shepherd showed Japan just how much the world reveres dolphins with peaceful “World Love for Dolphins Day” demonstrations across the U.S., Canada and overseas.

Sea Shepherd chapters hosted demos at the Embassy of Japan in Washington, D.C. and Japanese consulates in cities across the nation, in solidarity with Sea Shepherd’s volunteer Cove Guardians currently on the ground in Taiji.

Click here to see more photos from the demonstration.

Community organizer detained by U.S. Department of Homeland Security

johnbon — Thu, 29 Jan 2015 18:21:00 +0000

Julian Ichim made his second trip to Ireland last November to gather information for his blog and radio show as well as attend the Ar Fhies of the 32 County Sovereignty Movement (32CSM) as an international guest.

But ten days later, when he tried to board a flight home from Ireland to Canada, he was detained and interrogated multiple times by the U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS).

The 32CSM, an Irish republican group, is a pressure group with branches throughout the traditional counties of Ireland. Republicans want to leave the United Kingdom and join a united Ireland.

Animal rights film garners four Canadian Screen Awards nominations

johnbon — Sat, 24 Jan 2015 14:41:03 +0000

The Ghosts in Our Machine was nominated for four Canadian Screen Awards during a press conference held on January 13 at the TIFF Bell Lightbox cultural centre in Toronto.

The nominations included the Donald Brittain Award for Best Social/Political Documentary together with Best Direction, Best Photography and Best Sound in a Documentary Program.

“Having four nominations is a huge honour,” said Liz Marshall, Director, Producer, Writer, Co-Cinematographer, in a telephone interview on Wednesday. “And it’s also a shining moment for the film.”