Category: News

'The Lancet' released the preliminary findings of two clinicians exploring the weapons used against the civilian population of Gaza during Israel's 23 day military assault there. Jon Elmer and the Wounds of Gaza in the first segment; Janine Bandcroft and Victoria's continuously unaddressed shelter crisis and local events; and, defending Canada's net access with Steve Andersen from the SaveOurNet.ca crew.

Chris Cook hosts Gorilla Radio, airing live every Monday, 5-6pm Pacific Time. In Victoria at 101.9FM, 104.3 cable, and on the internet at: http://cfuv.uvic.ca. He also serves as a contributing editor to the web news site, www.pacificfreepress.com. Check out the GR blog at: http://GorillaRadioBlog.blogspot.com

This week: Nanaimo filmmaker Paul Manly asking, "What have you heard about the SPP?"; Victoria Street Newz publisher, Janine Bandcroft watching Victoria's shelter crisis; Salmon fisher, marine biologist, environmental defender, and author, Riki Ott on the long fight for justice in the wake of the Exxon Valdez disaster and the introduction of the 28th amendment to the constitution of the United States: the separation of corporation and state; and Victoria-based activist and writer, Zoe Blunt on this week's 'The Joy of Dissent and Speaking Truth to Power' event.

Chris Cook hosts Gorilla Radio, airing live every Monday, 5-6pm Pacific Time. In Victoria at 101.9FM, 104.3 cable, and on the internet at: http://cfuv.uvic.ca. He also serves as a contributing editor to the web news site, www.pacificfreepress.com. Check out the GR blog at: http://GorillaRadioBlog.blogspot.com

This Week: Marine scientist, fisherma'am, and author, Riki Ott on the 28th Amendment, the separation of corporation and state in the United States of America, and her newly released book, Not One Drop; Will Horter of the Dogwood Initiative and the launch of the 'Tankers Are Loonie' campaign to maintain the oil tanker moratoria off British Columbia's coast; activist, broadcaster, and publisher, Janine Bandcroft covering the ongoing shelter crisis in Victoria and beyond.

Chris Cook hosts Gorilla Radio, airing live every Monday, 5-6pm Pacific Time. In Victoria at 101.9FM, 104.3 cable, and on the internet at: http://cfuv.uvic.ca. He also serves as a contributing editor to the web news site, www.pacificfreepress.com. Check out the GR blog at: http://GorillaRadioBlog.blogspot.com

Well thank God it's all over! Throughout the Christmas week and into the New Year, the world witnessed rogue nation, Israel bomb and murder Palestinian civilians unchecked by either global opprobrium or any sense of humanity. Men, women, children, and animals alike were slaughtered through a combination of whiz bang, high-tech weaponery, and the ruthlessness Israel and its patron the United States have rightly become world famous for. But that was yesterday. The Bush era is now over, and a new day is dawning; a new day of hope and change, dignity and justice. As so long prayed and hoped for, change is now a promise to be fulfilled by the new Obama administration in Washington. We can all safely turn our collective energies now to better use than the study of war. Hallelujah! But, before we leave the scene of the crime, today a look at remnant Palestine and what the last days have wrought for the people there and what the new era promises them.
Jeff Halper is the coordinator of the Israeli Committee Against House Demolitions, and is the author of the book, 'An Israeli in Palestine.' Jeff is currently on a North America speaking tour, addressing the now redundant issues of peace and justice. Jeff Halper in the first half.
And; The Global War on Terror may be over, but for the thousands imprisoned, subjected to unspeakable abuses, and disappeared into the black hole global gulags created by George W. Bush and his willing accomplices the battle goes on. Kerry Pither is a long-time human rights and civil liberties champion and intervenor on a wide range of local, regional and international issues. She is also the author of the recently released book, 'Dark Days: The Story of Four Canadians Tortured in the Name of Fighting Terror.'
Kerry Pither and bearing witness for the defense in the second half.
And Janine Bandcroft will join us at the bottom of the hour to bring us up to speed with good local goings-on, and to keep us abreast of Victoria's current housing and shelter crisis. But first, Jeff Halper and finding solutions for Ghetto Gaza and remnant Palestine.

This week, Terry Wolfwood is a Victoria-based writer and activist who also serves as director of the Barnard-Boecker Centre Foundation. She recently ventured to the Middle-East to Occupied Palestine, Lebanon, and Jordan to see better what life there is like.

In the second half we'll be joined by Canadian freelance photojournalist Jon Elmer to discuss aspects of this bloody turkey-shoot, Operation Cast Lead' that neither Canada's State media, nor the corporate news conglomerates will. Jon has lived in and reported from Occupied Palestine and he's the creator of the websites, 'From Occupied Palestine.org, and JonElmer.ca. Jon Elmer in the second half.

Janine Bandcroft will be here at the bottom of the hour to bring us up to speed with some of the good goings-on going on in and around the lower island in the coming week, and to continue updating us on Victoria's ongoing shelter emergency.

About three hundred friends of peace came out to support the Palestinian people in this dark hour. The demonstration was harrassed by about fifty pro-Israeli demonstrators, who sang and shouted down speakers.

In 2004, Canada and the rest of the world's great defenders of democracy stood silent when Jean Bertrand Aristide, the duly-elected president of Haiti, the Western Hemisphere's poorest nation, was over-thrown in a bloodless coup d'Etat. As a candidate, vying for a third comeback term as the country's chief executive, the former priest Aristide committed the cardinal crime: He promised to represent and serve the people, and this betrayal of corporate and elite interests could not be allowed to pass.
On February 28th, in the dead of night, American and Canadian commandos stole into the presidential palace and made off with the only hope of salvation for Haiti's miserably impoverished majority. Aristide was bundled off to house arrest in the Central African Republic and replaced with a more pliable, puppet regime. In a publicity stunt meant to blunt criticism of the blatant regime change, an internationally recognized crime against the peace, the perpetrators loosed NGO's, national aid entities, and United Nations "peacekeepers" to ensure justice for the captive population. That promise has not been met. Last week, reports of unchecked starvation in Haiti embarrassed the basket-case nation's minders.
Kevin Pina is an American journalist and film maker who has live in and reported from Haiti. His documentary film titles include: 'El Salvador: In the Name of Democracy,' Berkely in the Sixties,' Amazonia: Voices from the Rainforest,' 'Haiti: The UNtold Story,' and his latest, 'HAITI: We Must Kill the Bandits.' Kevin Pina in the first segment.
And; Janine Bandcroft will be here at the bottom of the hour to bring us up to speed with some of the good going-ons in and around the south island in the coming week,and she'll report the latest in her continuing feature: State of the Shelter Emergency in Victoria and beyond. And I'll have a few comments about the state of Canada as the year winds down. But first up, Kevin Pina and Haitian promises of justice wearing thin.

A coalition of the Liberals and New Democratic Party, bolstered by a letter of understanding issued by the Bloc Quebecois, promised they would form a new government following the release of Harper's faux, or mini-budget last week. Harper's announced intentions to scrap funding of poltical parties, and erase pay equity legislation for women were just two articles the opposition could not stomach, but what about those other abominable policies supported by both the Liberals and Tories?

Jon Elmer is a Canadian freelance photojournalist and the creator of the news websites, FromOccupiedPalestine.org and JonElmer.ca. Jon has lived in, and reported from Occupied Palestine, and he's the single-most often featured guest to Gorilla Radio. Jon Elmer and a look at the abyssmal Canadian government policies no-one would end the government to stop.

And; Janine Bandcroft will be here at the bottom of the hour to bring us up to speed with some of the good goings-on around the south island in the coming week, and to keep us posted on the State of the Shelter Emergency currently unfolding on Victoria's streets. Janine Bandcroft in the second segment.

And; I'll visit some of the past week's stories as posted on my website, Pacific Free Press.com. But first up, Jon Elmer and a greater lack of confidence in Canada's global policy positions.

This week, Canadian photo-journalist Jon Elmer on the latest atrocities committed by Israel against the civilian prisoners of Gaza and the rest of Occupied Palestine; UVic PhD student Christopher parsons on Ontario's proposed "enhanced" driving license and its "Big Brother" connotations; Janine Bandcroft brings us up to speed with the goings-on in and around the south island.

Chris Cook hosts Gorilla Radio, airing live every Monday, 5-6pm Pacific Time. In Victoria at 101.9FM, 104.3 cable, and on the internet at: http://cfuv.uvic.ca. He also serves as a contributing editor to the web news site, www.pacificfreepress.com. Check out the GR blog at: http://GorillaRadioBlog.blogspot.com

GR goes down to the demonstration to stop old growth clear-cutting and put an end to raw log exports from Vancouver Island's dwindling forest lands.

Canada spends today waiting; waiting on the Fates of the economy, and waiting for an election that could determine no less than the ultimate survival of the nation. Tomorrow, the federal polls will open, the stock markets will open, and the country will cast itself into the future. The direction this nation will take for the remainder of the century, or perhaps the very survival of Canada as we know it, hangs in the balance.

Chris Cook hosts Gorilla Radio, airing live every Monday, 5-6pm Pacific Time. In Victoria at 101.9FM, 104.3 cable, and on the internet at: http://cfuv.uvic.ca. He also serves as a contributing editor to the web news site, www.pacificfreepress.com. Check out the GR blog at: http://GorillaRadioBlog.blogspot.com

Great Interview with Jay Mowat, Danny Schechter, David Swanson Mon. S29, 2008.

 

Chris Cook