Streetcred

Kader

Sat, 21 Nov 2009 08:03:00 -0500

Abdelkader Belaouni is a blind Algerian man who spent almost four years fighting to remain in Canada. During this period, he was living in sanctuary at St. Gabriel's Church in Montreal. Recently, Kader was given status by immigration officials. I sat down with Kader for an interview at his home in Point Saint-Charles, Montreal.

Rottenest city on the continent

Mon, 02 Nov 2009 19:22:00 -0500

Montreal is once again known as the rottenest city on the continent. During the November 1st municipal election campaign, controversy surrounded the two main political parties. Investigations into corruption and the awarding of lucrative city contracts to the mafia were front-page news over the last few weeks. Now Montrealers have spoken, their words: clean up city hall or get out. http://unionmontreal.com/

Africville: The Spirit of Resistance Lives On

Fri, 16 Oct 2009 05:17:00 -0500

Africville, Nova Scotia became a place of resistance as black families were evicted in the 1960s to make way for further industrial development by the city of Halifax. This documentary tells the story of their epic struggle to keep Africville alive in the hearts and minds of Canadians over 40 years later. http://africville.ca/

Gay Fare

Fri, 02 Oct 2009 08:39:00 -0500

Guerilla Gay Fare is an LGBTQ group in Halifax, Nova Scotia organizing monthly "takeovers" of straight bars and nightclubs in the city. GGF's organizer Jeff Myles talks about the operation of reclaiming gay-friendly spaces throughout downtown Halifax, and how they use social networking to communicate with members and supporters. http://guerillagayfarehalifax.blogspot.com/

NFB/ONF 70th

Wed, 16 Sep 2009 10:12:00 -0500

The National Film Board of Canada is celebrating its 70th anniversary. This milestone is a time to reflect on the thousands of documentaries and animation done at the NFB/ONF over the years that tell unique Canadian stories. http://www.nfb.ca/

Microcredit in Canada

Sat, 05 Sep 2009 14:39:00 -0500

Throughout the current economic crisis, microcredit lending has continued to empower small business owners all over the world. This report looks at one microcredit organization in Canada that has been able to provide loans for low-income people for almost 20 years. http://www.acemcreditcommunautaire.qc.ca/

Parkour

Sun, 09 Aug 2009 17:47:00 -0500

Parkour (PK) is the practice of movement around obstacles, and it is gaining a following in every major city in Canada. It's practitioners are called "traceurs" (which translates in English as 'to go fast') and they do this by pushing their bodies to the limit. Striving to overcome any physical or mental situation, Parkour is much more than a typical workout. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Parkour

Prince of Pot

Sat, 01 Aug 2009 07:00:00 -0500

Canada's Prince of Pot, Marc Emery, is being extradited to the U.S., where he'll spend five years in jail for selling marijuana seeds online. This Vancouver businessman owns and operates Cannabis Culture Headquarters and Magazine, and has been a loud voice calling for the end of marijuana prohibition in Canada. Emery is now on a cross-country Farewell Tour. http://www.cannabisculture.com/

Mr. Geography

Wed, 22 Jul 2009 12:35:00 -0500

Mohammad Saaed Collins, aka Mr. Geography, takes me for a ride in his taxicab through the streets of Toronto discussing the importance of geography in his life. After questioning me rigorously, I earned myself a free ride anywhere in the city, but I was more interested in hearing his philosophy about how everything in this world relates to geography. http://www.mrgeography.ca/

Jazz Fest

Tue, 07 Jul 2009 19:26:00 -0500

At the 30th annual Montreal International Jazz Festival I filed this report about a talented local musician named Rob Lutes, who plays for the entire last week of the fest, doing three shows each day and loving every minute of it. Lutes is originally from the east coast of Canada but has called Montreal home for the last 17 years. His unique voice and blend of soul and blues has made him a regular attraction at the Jazz Fest for the last few years, but now he's hoping to boost the profile of local acts and continue to promote his latest record 'Truth & Fiction'. http://www.roblutes.com/

Bil'in

Tue, 23 Jun 2009 10:42:00 -0500

A tiny Palestinian farming village is taking two Quebec-based companies to the provincial superior court because of their complicity in building Israeli settlements on their land. The 1,700 villagers of Bil'in call Israel's policies an occupation and a war crime. http://www.bilin-village.org/

Yiddish Theatre

Sun, 07 Jun 2009 15:24:00 -0500

The Dora Wasserman Yiddish Theatre in Montreal is celebrating its 50th anniversary this month. To commemorate and honour the achievements of its founder Dora Wasserman, who passed away in 2003, her two daughters, Bryna (artistic director at Segal Centre) and Ella organized the International Yiddish Theatre Festival which takes place from June 17-25, 2009. http://www.segalcentre.org/en/yiddish_theatre/productions/the_montreal_international_yiddish_theatre_festival

Montréal-Nord Républik

Mon, 25 May 2009 21:28:00 -0500

In this podcast I speak with Will Prosper from Montréal-Nord Républik, a group formed out of the ashes of the 2008 riot that followed the shooting of three young men and the death of Fredy Villanueva. Their calls to end racial profiling tactics used by police and to deal with the social issues that plague the borough have caused serious damage to Montreal's image. http://www.montrealnordrepublik.blogspot.com/

Jane's Walk

Sun, 03 May 2009 08:32:00 -0500

On May 2-3, Jane's Walk, celebrates the ideas and legacy of Jane Jacobs. Montreal's Milton-Parc neighbourhood hosted it's own walk, giving residents a chance to learn about the historic struggle that took place over the years to keep it as North America's largest cooperative community. http://www.janeswalk.net/

Roadsworth

Wed, 29 Apr 2009 11:17:00 -0500

Peter Gibson, the artist known as Roadsworth, began spray painting the streets of Montreal back in 2001. Since then, he's been commissioned to do work on both sides of the Atlantic. I caught up with Roadsworth in Montreal to find out how serious the situation is for graffiti artists in North America who want to display their work in public. http://www.roadsworth.com/

Friends of Canadian Broadcasting

Fri, 17 Apr 2009 14:43:00 -0500

A feature interview with Ian Morrison from Friends of Canadian Broadcasting, a watchdog organization dedicated to the preservation and promotion of Canadian culture and identity on radio and television. http://www.friends.ca/

Live-in Caregiver

Tue, 07 Apr 2009 17:37:00 -0500

Filipino women make up over 90% of the domestic workers brought to Canada under the Live-in Caregiver Program (LCP). This compelling story brings together many of those affected by this 20-year-old immigration program and tells their side of things. http://www.cic.gc.ca/ENGLISH/work/caregiver/index.asp

Citizens Café

Tue, 31 Mar 2009 13:22:00 -0500

In Mile End, a hip bohemian part of Montreal mostly known for its bagels. The trend of participatory politics began a few months ago. A series of six meetings, known as café-citoyen, covered topics such as transportation and the environment. Now residents are using these ideas to transform the Saint-Viateur Est sector into a revived, integral part of the area. http://citoyensmileend.blogspot.com/

Call for Justice

Sun, 01 Feb 2009 16:27:00 -0500

Alexandre Trudeau, son of former Canadian Prime Minister Pierre Elliot Trudeau, is a documentary filmmaker who has spent the last ten years in conflict zones around the world. Trudeau's work has taken him from the civil war in Liberia to Iraq during the U.S. invasion, working with his production company to produce some hard-hitting documentaries. I sat down with Alexandre in Montreal to discuss his work. http://jujufilms.ca/

Griffintown

Wed, 25 Feb 2009 11:07:00 -0500

Griffintown is an old industrial area located in Montreal's southwest borough. Historically, it was a predominantly Irish working-class neighbourhood on the Lachine Canal, but now it's the site of a $1.3 billion development that threatens to turn it into a big-box retail site. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Griffintown

Radical Pedagogue

Fri, 20 Mar 2009 10:56:00 -0500

University of Ottawa professor Denis Rancourt was suspended and arrested this year, mainly due to his political ideology and teaching methods. Rancourt is now in the midst of a public battle with the U of O administration under current President Allan Rock. Since the interview took place Professor Rancourt was fired from the university. http://academicfreedom.ca/

Indyclass

Sun, 11 Jan 2009 12:57:00 -0500

A recent endeavour by a group of McGill University students, who are using independent study to make their education relevant. Indyclass is student-run, meaning no professors, and this semester it's all about social struggle and student activism. It's open to the public and strives to make education available to all. http://indyclass.wordpress.com/

Schwartz's

Tue, 06 Jan 2009 12:53:00 -0500

In 1928, Schwartz's Hebrew Delicatessen was opened on Montreal's St. Laurent Boulevard and has been at this exact location ever since serving the same kosher-style smoked meat sandwiches. As they celebrated their 80th anniversary, I spoke to many of their staff about the significance of the this little establishment which was started by Reuben Schwartz, a Jewish immigrant from Romania. Since then Schwartz's has become the Main's most famous diner serving Montreal's best.

Living in Sanctuary

Fri, 02 Jan 2009 12:01:00 -0500

Abdelkader Belaouni is a 41-year-old blind Algerian refugee living in sanctuary at St. Gabriel's Church in Pointe Saint-Charles. Kader's appeals for status and citizenship in Canada have been overlooked and three years later he's still fighting to remain. The interview happened inside Kader's room at St. Gabriel's in Montreal. http://www.soutienpourkader.net

Turcot Project

Sat, 27 Dec 2008 10:04:00 -0500

This is a documentary looking at the struggle of a small community in one of Montreal's poorest areas, known as St. Henri. A government contract to build a new parallel highway at the Turcot interchange (and eventually tear down the old exisiting structure) has now become a case of NIMBY- Not In My Back Yard. Opposition has mounted with citizens forming coalitions and taking action to halt this project. This is a story of their survival.

Québec solidaire

Fri, 12 Dec 2008 13:20:00 -0500

This is my feature interview with Amir Khadir, co-spokesperson of Québec solidaire and recently-elected MNA for Mercier district in Montreal. Khadir is an Iranian-born Québécois physician and activist who's worked in Iraq, Afghanistan and the Palestinian Territories as a member of Médecins du Monde. Now he's off to Quebec as a member of the National Assembly. http://www.quebecsolidaire.net/our-history

État d’Urgence

Fri, 28 Nov 2008 08:37:00 -0500

ATSA, Action Terroriste Socialement Acceptable, is commemorating its 10th anniversary of État d’Urgence in Montreal. Their goal is to bring urban art interventions to the downtown streets and raise awareness of social and political issues. ATSA founders Annie Roy and Pierre Allard, as well as many others, speak candidly about why they believe homelessness and art should be brought together to educate the public about life on the streets. http://www.atsa.qc.ca/projs/eu08/uk/questceque.asp

Grey Cup special

Tue, 25 Nov 2008 17:51:00 -0500

I attended the 2008 Grey Cup in Montreal and spoke to many different people, including fans from around the country and Montreal Alouettes QB Anthony Calvillo. It has become known as Canada's biggest sports event, some even comparing it to the NFL's Superbowl, so I headed down to Olympic Stadium (this year's site for Grey Cup) and watched a great football game. Calgary Stampeders 22-14 Montreal Alouettes

Voter Apathy

Sun, 02 Nov 2008 08:38:00 -0500

During Canada's federal election on Oct.14, 2008, an historic low number of voters showed up at the polls. In this report I examine the trend of voter apathy with Canadians, focusing mostly on youth in the 18-35 year-old demographic. Speaking to Apathy is Boring, Canada's Research Chair in Electoral Studies, as well as Fair Vote Canada, leads me to believe change is needed to engage and involve voters in the democratic process.

Election night report

Tue, 14 Oct 2008 10:22:00 -0500

On election night in Canada, I attended Stephane Dion's event at the Montreal Sheraton Hotel on Cote-De-Liesse. During the evening many supporters were beginning to realize that a challenge to the Liberal Party leadership would soon take place. Here is my report from the Oct. 14 federal election.