Live Event Review:’The Shock Doctrine - Naomi Klein @ The Bloor Cinema, Toronto, Sept. 29/08

admin @ September 29, 2008 # No Comment Yet

Naomi Klein’s visit to the Bloor Cinema on Monday night in support of her latest book “The Shock Doctrine” couldn’t have been more timely or pertinent. We are in the midst of what Klein would describe as ‘disaster capitalism’ at its finest, with many of us worried that the greatest shocks of the US financial bailout crisis are yet to come.

Klein defines a state of shock as an event without a narrative - events that are perceived as too difficult for the average person to understand, and therefore don’t warrant any truthful or serious explanation. Instead, these events are co-opted by the government and big corporations who fill in the narrative for us with ideas, concerns, concepts and explanations that serve their needs, not ours.

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ST CATHARINES RIDING CANDIDATE’S DEBATE BLOG NOTES/RECAP

admin @ September 24, 2008 # One Comment

Live Blogging From debates is only truly useful to an extent, but it’s hard to ideally pass along links and fact checks in real time. The following is a recap of the live blogging I was going on behalf of some online based U.S. blogs curious about the St. Catharines’ race - particularly due to the proximity of St. Catharines to the the U.S. border, including the close race b/w Lastewka (Liberal inclumbent at the time) and Conservative challenger Rick Dykstra. After that very close race, many people will be watching this rematch.

Rick Dykstra unseated Lastewka’s 12 year incumbency by 244 votes on Jan 23, 2006

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Story Brief: TRG, Corporate Responsibility, Union Busting?, and More

admin @ July 29, 2008 # No Comment Yet

We’ve been doing a good amount of scratching beneath the surface - sadly Niagara-based media thinks that “one phone call” is actually called “reporting”.

On Aug 2, the proposed date that former U.S. - owned TRG employees are to recieve their severence packages.

In the meantime we’re simply posting a “brief” so you have an idea of what to look for this coming Friday/Saturday.

BRIEF - the Situation So Far:

“MichCon/DTE, AT&T, Union Energy (Canada) , RBC Insurance, and Obama For President hired a company that was knowingly closing 2 offices in Ontario, putting 700+ people out of work.

Represented By the Int’l Steelworkers, the company hired by the above - TRG/Telespectrum - appear to be reneging on a contractual severence Agreement based on the July 23rd closure of the Office.

Approximately 100 workers at the St.Catharines office have been denied their severence package - leaving the Union to file a formal Grievance.

The cost of litigation can be high and can drag forever in “official channels”.

Almost NO Provincial and Federal Politicians have ‘reacted’ to the situation, holding out little hope that the American -owned TRG (based in Pennsylvania) will actually come through without forcing the Union into litigation.

Few others have spoken out, whereas NDP MPP Peter Kormos has at least sought to learn something of the background.

We have attempted to contact this company that is essentially an agent for the above named companies.
We have attempted to contact the Companies that have hired - and retain - contracts with TRG.

We have attempted to rec’v comment from Provincial and Federal reps in the cities that have seen a TRG office close.

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How The Liberals Found Their Inner War Resister

admin @ July 14, 2008 # No Comment Yet

Foreign Affairs critic Bob Rae (Liberal) would like voters to believe his party supports war resisters.
They do.
Kind of.
An editorial / chronological look back at the issue of AWOL soldiers in Canada and the War Resistor movement.

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