Dimitri Lascaris Making Peace with Russia, One Handshake at a Time Tour – Victoria Stop June 27, 2023

Here’s audio of the Victoria Talk, delivered June 27th, 2023

The Canada-Wide Peace and Justice Network (CWPJN) is pleased to announce that it has organized a Canada-wide speaking tour for citizen-diplomat Dimitri Lascaris to report back to Canadians about his recent mission of peace to Russia. The title of the tour is “Making Peace With Russia, One Handshake At A Time.”

TOUR SCHEDULE

Date of event Location Contact/registration info
June 19 London Email peopleforpeace.london@gmail.com for info
June 20 Hamilton Registration
June 21 Toronto Registration
June 22 Winnipeg Registration
June 23 Regina Registration
June 26 Vancouver email info@mawovancouver.org
June 27 Victoria Registration
June 29 Montreal Registration
June 30 Halifax Registration
July 2 Fredericton Registration
July 3 Ottawa Registration
July 4 Kingston Canada-wide, free webinar, 8 pm ET
Register: https://tinyurl.com/Dimitri-Kingston

Country-wide tour poster available here.

For security reasons, tickets will be sold at some venues while voluntary donations will be solicited at others. Also for security reasons, the venues of Mr. Lascaris’ lectures will be withheld until 48 hours before curtain time. The concluding virtual lecture (webinar), broadcast from Kingston, ON, will be free. Mr. Lascaris has generously waived any speaking fees so that any funds raised will go to rental and staging costs.

Canada-wide, free webinar, July 4th at 8 pm ET:

More Information

In April 2023, Dimitri Lascaris, Canadian lawyer and journalist, embarked on a self-financed trip to Russia where he lectured to students, presented at a think tank, gave interviews, met officials and peace activists, appeared on Russian media, wrote articles and tweeted daily about what he saw and heard.

For its part, the CWPJN hopes that Dimitri’s tour will move the needle on Canadian public opinion in support of a negotiated end to the war in Ukraine and thus accelerate an end to the conflict.

Christina Marches with United for Old Growth in Victoria February 25th, 2023

Christina went down to the rally and to talk to the people on the march…

RELEASE

Groups announce Feb. 25 rally at provincial legislature, issue declaration calling on the province to accelerate action for threatened forests

UNCEDED LEKWUNGEN TERRITORIES/VICTORIA – 168 organizations across British Columbia have issued a declaration called United We Stand for Old-Growth Forests, calling on Premier David Eby and his government to fulfill their commitments on old-growth.

Signatories of the declaration, including the Union of B.C. Indian Chiefs, the Climate Caucus network of municipal elected leaders, and B.C. General Employees Union (BCGEU), are urging Eby to follow through on his October 2022 promise to “accelerate” action to protect old-growth forests within 100 days, and implement a paradigm shift in forest stewardship to safeguard biodiversity.

The organizers announced plans for a mass mobilization to hold the province accountable, with a march and rally scheduled for February 25, Eby’s 100th day.

“The government’s continued negligence and stonewalling on truly protecting old-growth and elder trees is endemic in its approach to climate change and the stewardship of our environment,” said Grand Chief Stewart Phillip, President of the Union of B.C. Indian Chiefs. “This feigned ignorance of what is happening to our forests by government and industry will be our downfall, and the impacts of this inaction will prevent us from leaving our future generations with a rich legacy of vibrant, healthy and productive forest lands.” Phillip added. “We must do everything in our power to protect these ancient giants and we cannot stop putting pressure on our governments to do their jobs: to protect us and the environment, not act as timber barons whose only concern is this year’s financial statements.”

Despite promising to implement all 14 recommendations from the Old Growth Strategic Review (OGSR) in 2020, the B.C. government has permitted the destruction of thousands of hectares of the most at-risk old-growth stands in the province. The 2020 recommendations were tied to a three-year framework with the goal to have all implemented in 2023 — to date, not a single recommendation has been fulfilled.

Premier Eby pledged to accelerate action upon becoming leader of the B.C. NDP, and called on Water, Land and Resource Stewardship Minister Nathan Cullen to “begin implementation of recommendations of the Old Growth Strategic Review” in his mandate letter. However, the most at-risk old-growth forests are still being clearcut while B.C. stalls on enforcing logging deferrals. The deferrals are the bare minimum and most urgent recommendation of the 2020 OGSR.

“We must continue to hold our governments accountable for their contributions to the climate crisis that we are suffering through, and this environmental negligence and corporate greed must be stopped,” said Kukpi7 Judy Wilson, Secretary-Treasurer of the Union of B.C. Indian Chiefs. “Our future generations are dependent on the actions we take today, and we are at a critical point in time for direct action to protect forest ecosystems. For too long we have allowed governments to tear down our ancient elders, who are our relatives, but no more. We are standing up to protect them.”

Protecting the last stands of old-growth is as much an issue for human rights, labour, education, and healthcare as it is for environmental groups. Organizers say this is a movement for all people, which is reflected in the list of declaration signatories, and are inviting all individuals and groups to participate in the United for Old-Growth march and rally at the B.C. Legislature on February 25.

The signatories are calling on the province to align all forest management with the principles of free, prior and informed consent for First Nations. The declaration draws on the Union of B.C. Indian Chiefs Resolution 2022-32, affirmed by Chiefs in June 2022, and calls for full financial support to enable logging deferrals, and fulsome funding for First Nations-led conservation initiatives.

Organizers say the declaration is open to additional signatories and invite new groups to join and demonstrate the broad support for old-growth protection in the lead-up to February’s mass mobilization.

“Whether it’s youth yearning for a liveable climate, working families seeking sustainable jobs in their communities, doctors and nurses speaking up for a healthy planet, Indigenous people defending what’s theirs, or faith, environmental and community groups standing up for irreplaceable ecosystems, protecting old-growth is a movement for everyone,” said Jackie Larkin, organizer with Elders for Ancient Trees, a founding signatory on the United We Stand declaration. “From elders to the youngest children, everyone belongs and all are welcome — we invite all organizations to join this declaration, and everyone who’s able to unite with us to make February 25th a day to remember.”

—30—

For more information, contact:

Union of B.C. Indian Chiefs:
Grand Chief Stewart Phillip, President
250-490-5314
Ellena Neel, Communications Manager
778-866-0548, eneel@ubcic.bc.ca

Torrance Coste, National Campaign Director, Wilderness Committee
250-516-9900, torrance@wildernesscommittee.org

Jackie Larkin, Organizer with Elders For Ancient Trees
250-478-7604, jlarkin@gddc.com

Gorilla Radio with Chris Cook, Jennifer Tynan February 18th, 2023

Welcome to Gorilla Radio, recorded February 18th.

BC’s Ministry of Environment and Climate Change Strategy has granted permits for the Ministry of Forests to begin a Spring spraying campaign across swathes of Vancouver Island.

The plan is to use Foray 48B, (better known as Btk) in an attempt to eradicate the “Spongy Moth”; and though the ministries say Btk is “harmless”, there is contention to those claims.

Dr. Jennifer Tynan is a physician and radiology specialist. Jennifer’s also a mom whose child’s school is in one of the proposed spray zones, and serves as spokesperson for Communities United for Clean Air, a grassroots initiative to stop the spray.

Today, Jennifer Tynan, fighting to keep Vancouver Island’s air clear of Btk.

Contact: communitiesunitedforcleanair@gmail.com

Chris Cook hosts Gorilla Radio, broad/webcasting since 1999. Check out the Archive at Gorilla-Radio.com, GRadio.Substack.com, and the GR blog at: https://gorillaradioblog.blogspot.com/

Ape Goes to the Mac-Pap Armistice Day Peace Remembrance November 11, 2022

Went down to be with the people for peace again today…

Ape Goes to Gaza, Palestine Solidarity Protest – Victoria, British Columbia May 20, 2021

Went down to the demonstration today. Below is the poster that directed me; above the photo that brought me. – ape

THURS, MAY 20TH AT 5PM, At the Legislature: PALESTINE SOLIDARITY PROTEST

Allies and Palestinian people are holding space on the field of the BC Parliament Building (501 Belleville St. Victoria, BC) on the unceded traditional Lekwungen territory to raise awareness, show solidarity and protest Canada’s military exports to Israel. Masks and Social Distancing are REQUIRED.

This is not a Palestinian “problem”, this is a global humans rights issue consisting of ethnic cleansing of Palestinians, illegal occupation and settler colonialism.

BRING ANYTHING YOU NEED TO SUPPORT PALESTINE!!! (or just yourself☺️❤️) Flags, Posters, Etc.

We recommend wearing Green, White, Red, or Black as a show of solidarity

Gorilla Radio with Chris Cook, Mark Taliano, Leslie Robinson, Jeremy Brind April 8, 2021

Welcome back to Gorilla Radio’s Home Edition, recorded April 5th, 2021

March marks the 10th anniversary of the regime-change war against Syria. Following the well-worn pattern, sanctions preceded military action, as animus against the country was stoked through the usual acceptable media sources. The script parroted by those press outlets changed little from Afghanistan and Iraq, to Libya then Syria; the destruction of these societies was all for peace and betterment of the people. But where those others fell, Syria remained standing. And so, the war goes on.

Mark Taliano is a retired teacher whose next career as researcher and investigative reporter led him to travel to Syria to discover for himself the truth behind the brutal war against the population there. The result of his 2016 dispatches from the country is the book, Voices from Syria, recently revised and reissued in a second edition.

Mark Taliano in the first half.

And; terror isn’t always borne of bombs falling from the sky. There is too the existential fear of losing ones home due to a dysfunctional economic system. Call it a War on Poor. Right now, millions of Canadians live with the Damaclean prospect of failing to make rent or mortgage payments, or just being dispossessed by a landlord enticed into cashing out of the market by sky high property prices.

Leslie Robinson and Jeremy Brind are volunteer tenant organizers with VTAG, the Victoria Tenant Action Group, “a membership-based organization committed to transforming the housing system and ensuring access to housing for all”.

Leslie Robinson and Jeremy Brind and tenant issues from the municipal, provincial, and federal levels in the second half.

But first, Mark Taliano and refuting the persisting “mainstream” media narrative on embattled Syria.

Chris Cook hosts Gorilla Radio, airing live every Thursday between 11-Noon Pacific Time. In Victoria at 101.9FM, and on the internet at: https://cfuv.ca. He also serves as a contributing editor to the web news site, http://www.pacificfreepress.com. Check out the GR blog at: http://gorillaradioblog.blogspot.com

Gorilla Radio with Chris Cook, Kathy Kelly, Pete Rockwell, Janine Bandcroft December 3, 2020

Welcome back to Gorilla Radio’s home edition, recorded on this date December 2nd, 2020.

Donald Trump has ordered a reduction in numbers of American soldiers currently in Afghanistan. This fulfills some conditions of a so-called “peace” deal signed with Taliban representatives in February. But, peace has proven elusive, with ever more deadly attacks taking place in the country, and as ever, civilians paying the greatest price.

Kathy Kelly is a long-time peace and justice activist, essayist, author, and recipient of numerous awards for her peace service, including multiple nominations for the Nobel Peace prize. She’s a founding member of Voices in the Wilderness and Voices for Creative Nonviolence, co-authored the book, ‘Prisoners on Purpose: a Peacemakers Guide to Jails and Prison,’ and wrote, ‘Other Lands Have Dreams: from Baghdad to Pekin Prison.’

Her recent article, ‘Like a Rocket in the Garden: The Unending War in Afghanistan’ chronicles the legacy of twenty years of America’s forever war in Afghanistan; an effort she describes as, “illegal and immoral”, bankrupt[ing] our economy and our society…”

Kathy Kelly in the first half.

And; in early November, Victoria City police enforced an order to tear down public showers installed by citizens concerned for the health and well-being of unhoused people living in tents in Beacon Hill Park.

Pete Rockwell is a Victoria-based photographer who began recording the city’s burgeoning unhoused residents in 2005. His pictures have featured in local publications like Focus on Victoria and the now defunct Victoria Street Newz and B-Channel News collective, among other places.

Pete Rockwell’s hard look at a prosperous city’s people in crisis in the second half.

And; CFUV broadcaster and host of Plant Powered Radio, Janine Bandcroft will be here at the bottom of the hour to bring us up to speed with some of what’s good going on in and around our town, and virtually too, in the coming week.

But first, Kathy Kelly and Afghanistan at the end of America’s occupation.

Chris Cook hosts Gorilla Radio, airing live every Thursday between 11-Noon Pacific Time. In Victoria at 101.9FM, and on the internet at: https://cfuv.ca. He also serves as a contributing editor to the web news site, http://www.pacificfreepress.com. Check out the GR blog at: http://gorillaradioblog.blogspot.ca/