In the Blog
WEEKLY ROUND UP: JUNE 24
Illustration: Erin McPhee
Britian has voted to leave the European Union.
On Thursday activists called on the Ontario government to take action on the cleanup of Grassy Narrows by staging a demonstration in front of Queen’s Park. The First Nations communities surrounding Grassy Narrows have faced 40 years of mercury poisoning and other negative health effects as a result of companies using local waters as a chemical dumping site. Despite promises from the Wynne government cleanup efforts have yet to begin. Six activists were arrested following the action; all are charged with indictable offences and were held in jail overnight. They will be in court on Friday, June 24th at 9:30 a.m. and supporters are asked to attend at the College Park Courthouse, 44 Yonge Street.
** Trigger warning: historical trauma, abuse **
Canada released a new Heritage Minute this week in honour of National Aboriginal Day. The video, scripted by author Joseph Boyden, offers a glimpse in to the horrors of the residential school system. It is a must watch for all Canadians.
Dr. Nadine Caron has become the first Indigenous woman to graduate from the University of British Columbia’s medical school and our country’s first female Indigenous general surgeon.
Sarah Polley and Margaret Atwood have teamed up to make an epic Canadian adventure – Polley’s adaptation of Alias Grace starts filming this August. It will become a six-part mini-series airing on CBC Television and Netflix.
Two student leaders, Zahra Afshar and Tolin Abuaziza are fighting to keep their Toronto high school open. Greenwood Secondary school, informally known as ‘newcomer high’ has a large student body who are new to Canada, many with limited English language skills. The students are planning to file a human rights complaint after their exams are finished.
A Tribe Called Red has released a mini-documentary that serves as a peek in to how their new album was created. Catch The Manawan Session here.
The first openly gay woman has won the title of Miss Missouri!
There is an unmanned robot ship adrift off of Nova Scotia. Be careful out there.