drawing in the spirits of Chinese rail workers

Disclaimer: this is not an official opirg mcmaster sponsored event, and is posted for information purposes only. Please contact the event organizers with any questions or concerns.

free film bag

Disclaimer: this is not an official opirg mcmaster sponsored event, and is posted for information purposes only. Please contact the event organizers with any questions or concerns.

BBQ the Vote!

Disclaimer: this is not an official opirg mcmaster sponsored event, and is posted for information purposes only. Please contact the event organizers with any questions or concerns.

be inspired!

one OPIRG Board member spotted in the crew!

student view front page

Art-Sci grad and former student staff at OPIRG McMaster, Tings Chak grabs the front page of the Hamilton Spectator yesterday with an article by Jeff Mahoney about her "Graphic Novella" about her time in Hamilton during her undergraduate years.

Her exploration and experience of Hamilton, combined with her artistic renderings, bring Hamilton to life on the pages of her self-published "Where The Concrete Desert Blooms" - now available at http://www.tingschak.com/graphic-novel.html) or in store at the following hamilton locations: HIStory + HERitage (165 James Street North); Mixed Media (154 James St North); Bryan Prince Bookseller (1060 King Street West); OPIRG McMaster (1280 Main Street West, McMaster University Student Union, Room 229)

Go Guelph Jobs!

JOB POSTING

Job Title: Summer Events Assistant

(Special Events Assistant)

Full-time, casual contract, 12weeks, 30 hours per week

Start date: Week of May 24, 2011

Total pages in posting: 2

Date Posted: April 25, 2011

Application Deadline: May 9, 2011

What is OPIRG? OPIRG-Guelph (Ontario Public Interest Research Group) is a student-funded non-profit organization which is committed to facilitating the active participation of volunteers in addressing critical social and environmental issues of public interest.

Employment Equity Statement: OPIRG welcomes the contributions that individuals from marginalized communities bring to our organization, and invites aboriginal people, people of colour, women, gays, lesbians, bisexuals, queer-oriented people, transgendered people, transsexual people, intersexed people, working class people, single parents, members of ethnic minorities, immigrants and people with disabilities to apply. We encourage applicants to describe the contributions and experiences they, as individuals, who identify with marginalized communities, would bring to the OPIRG organization in their cover letter. The OPIRG office is wheel-chair accessible.

Clean Up and Walking Tours (Special Events) Assistant Responsibilities:

The Special Events Assistant will perform lead roles in organizing the Annual Speed River Clean Up which takes place on June 4h, 2011 and in the marketing and delivery of the Speed River Ecological and Heritage Walking Tours in July and August 2011.

Specifically they will need to:

• Become familiar with OPIRG’s mandate, structure and policies as they relate to the position and participate in training.
• Become familiar with the Speed River Clean Up and Ecological and Heritage Walking Tour planning documents and background information.
• Keep an organized workspace, including organized physical and digital files.
• Assist in logistical aspects of the events including, pre and post event inventory, promotion/marketing, equipment rental, set-up and take-down, etc.
• Following events ensure the organization and storage of equipment and files.
• Prepare reports on the data and evaluation forms collected at the events.
• For the Walking Tours work with staff to develop and implement a marketing strategy and a recruitment and training plan for tour guides.
• Organize a schedule for tour guides and an appreciation event.
• Work with Walking Tour volunteers and OPIRG staff to develop text for second walking tour and carry out test tour.
• Prepare a final report to be submitted to the Board of Directors which includes a summary of activities and reflections on accomplishments and challenges.

ESSENTIAL SKILLS

-Excellent oral communication skills and high level of comfort speaking publicly to large groups.

-Strong written communication skills.


ADDITIONAL ESSENTIAL SKILLS

-Problem solving

-Demonstrated ability to work independently

-Significant use of memory

-Working with others

-Job task planning and organizing

-Computer use – word processing, email, spreadsheets

-Demonstrated interest in social justice, anti-oppression (racism, sexism, homophobia, etc.) and environmental issues

-Moderate to heavy lifting (As an equitable employer we will strive to meet any accommodation requirements)

-Travel to various locations in Guelph

ASSETS

-Experience planning events

-Experience working as a volunteer or staff person in a similar type of non-profit organization.

-Experience with promoting events

-Experience with public speaking

-Education in a relevant field

OTHER REQUIREMENTS: OPIRG has applied for a Canada Summer Jobs grant to cover some of the costs of the walking tour part of this position. A requirement of the funding is that the applicants all meet the following criteria:

-Are between 15 and 30 years of age;

-Have been registered as full-time students in the previous academic year and intend to return to school on a full-time basis in the next academic year;

-Are Canadian citizens, permanent residents, or have official refugee protection status under the Immigration and Refugee Protection Act; and

-Are legally entitled to work in Canada, according to relevant provincial/territorial legislation and regulations.


Job Specifics: Full-time, Casual Contract for 12 weeks, with one week off in June(12th to 19th).

Start date: May 24, 2011 Wages: $13.00/hour for 30 hours/week

Application Deadline: MAY 9, 2011

Application Process: Applicants should submit a resume and cover letter, written answer and three references (with phone numbers) to OPIRG-Guelph. Applications may be submitted by fax, email or in person only. (Only RTF and PDF files will be accepted).

Please include an answer to the following question (250 words maximum).

1. Please describe a time when you were unprepared for a presentation or public speaking event. Then tell us about another presentation or speaking event where you were well prepared and how that preparation made a difference?

Please send applications to the: OPIRG Summer Events Assistant Hiring Committee

c/o OPIRG – Guelph

Address: 1 Trent Lane, University of Guelph, Guelph ON N1G 2W1

Fax: (519)824-8990 Email: opirg@uoguelph.ca Office hours: Mon-Thurs 11am-5pm

No phone calls please. Only those applicants selected for an interview will be contacted.

pit stop

Some news from the Council of Canadians:

Dear Council of Canadians members in Ontario, 

An enormous open pit mine has been proposed in Melancthon township on Highway 124 just north of Shelburne. The Highland Companies (owned by a Boston hedge fund) has filed an application for a 2,300-acre aggregate mine- it would be the largest quarry in Ontario and the second largest in North America. This is the “rooftop of Ontario” and the Niagara Escarpment runs along its border. The Council of Canadians has been working with local groups to help stop this open pit mine from being created because of the extraordinary impacts it will have on the community, the watersheds, Ontario’s food supply and on the drinking water of more than one million people which originates in this area.

FOOD and WATER vs. PROFIT

The Highlands company started buying farmland in Melancthon several years ago saying they wanted to become the province’s largest potato growing operation- which made sense to local farmers as the area is well known for its particularly high quality soil and micro-climate. About one quarter of all the potatoes eaten in the GTA come from there. After many local farmers had sold their farms –some of which had been in the family for generations- the real motives of the company became apparent. Under that rich and rare soil is a fortune in high quality limestone worth upwards of eight billion dollars. The company now owns around 8000 acres of land and has applied for permission to mine 2400 acres which would make it the second largest quarry in North America. There is little doubt that they intend to excavate the entire 8000+ acres. To do so, Highland will strip off all that precious soil then blast their way down more than 200 feet BELOW the water table.

From the area around the proposed mine site spring the headwaters of river systems that are important drinking water sources for more than one million people downstream. The Nottawasaga River, the Grand River and the Pine River systems will all be threatened by the mine’s 600 million litre per day dewatering pumps. Massive amounts of toxic demolition explosives will be used to smash the limestone and hundreds of dump trucks per hour will enter and leave the site- 24 hours a day, all year round. The company claims that this is all allowable under Ontario’s aggregate extraction laws but those laws couldn’t be more favourable to the industry or more rigged against communities that want to protect their water.

PLEASE GET INVOLVED

Demand an extension to the ridiculously short 45 day period allowed for objecting to the quarry. Click on this link here to send an email to Premier McGuinty asking for a 120 day extension to allow all parties to study the 3000+ page Highlands Company application.

Support our allies: We have been working with the North Dufferin Agricultural & Community Taskforce (NDACT) and the Citizen’s Alliance for a Sustainable Environment (CAUSE) and we ask you to consider supporting them as well. Please visit their websites: www.ndact.com and www.citizensalliance.ca.

Write a letter of objection: Go to the NDACT website for instructions on how to write your letter of objection: www.ndact.com.

Letters must be received by both the MNR and Highlands by April 26, 2011. Easter weekend is on April 22- 25 so please put your letter in the mail today or you can drop your letters off at the Township of Melancthon office (8:30 – 4:30) 157101 Highway # 10, Melancthon, ON in sealed envelopes addressed to BOTH Highlands and the Ministry of Natural Resources. NDACT will arrange for pickup and delivery on or before April 26.

Join the Facebook group: STOP THE QUARRY www.facebook.com/home.php#!/group.php?gid=98096578979.

Participate in the Walk to Stop the Quarry- starting at Queens Park in Toronto on Friday April 22nd at noon and each day until it arrives on April 26th in Melancthon township. Come for any part of any section or come and walk the whole way! For more details: www.facebook.com/#!/event.php?eid=217379224946300.

If you have any questions about writing a letter or joining the Walk to Stop the Quarry, please contact Mark Calzavara at mark@canadians.org or 1-800-208-7156.

Once again, please click here to ask Premier McGuinty to extend the comment period until Aug 26th.

Your attention and support will make a difference in this campaign.

Disclaimer: this is not an official opirg mcmaster sponsored event, and is posted for information purposes only. Please contact the event organizers with any questions or concerns.

wpirg job 2

WPIRG Job Posting

Climate & DisAbility Justice Campaigns Coordinator

Submission Deadline: May 24, 2011, 9am

Position: Climate & DisAbility Justice Campaigns Coordinator

This is a 13-week summer student position from June 6 to September 5, 2011 for 32.5 hours/week at a rate of $13.00 per hour. 

Organization:

WPIRG is a student funded and directed environmental and social justice organization based at the University of Waterloo. 

Background:

WPIRG’s mission is to engage students and community members to become active citizens and volunteers on environmental, human rights, and social justice issues.  To strengthen this aim, we are seeking to hire a student to carry out two different community campaigns in summer 2011: the KW Climate Change Adaptation Working Group and the KW Strategy for DisAbility Justice. 

The objective of this position is to raise awareness and facilitate community action on these two projects and to build collaborative relationships with various organizations in the Kitchener-Waterloo (KW) area. 

Duties: 


Under the direction of WPIRG’s full-time staff, this position will be responsible for two (2) campaigns and is expected to devote equal time, energy and commitment to each project: 

KW Climate Change Adaptation Working Group (approximately 16 hours per week)

The successful candidate will work to create the KW Climate Change Adaptation Working Group with an environmental justice lens. Responsibilities will include: inviting local professors, students, and community stakeholders to Working Group meetings; coordinating Working Group actions; developing a strategy for WPIRG’s involvement in climate change adaptation in KW; creating links with similar campaigns at the local, provincial and federal levels; & updating the WPIRG website with relevant stories on the intersections between climate change, and environmental and social justice.

KW Strategy for DisAbility Justice (approximately 16 hours per week)

The successful candidate will be equally responsible for creating a strategy for raising awareness about disAbility justice in Kitchener-Waterloo and at the University of Waterloo. This position will work with existing groups working on disAbility justice and look for gaps in local policy and community organizing around this issue. The ultimate goal for the position is to create a strategy for WPIRG’s involvement in disAbility justice for the coming 2011-2012 year. Responsibilities will include: developing and planning a cohesive disAbility justice strategy in partnership with stakeholders; identifying speakers and events for future terms; meeting community partners doing similar work - both locally and in nearby cities; creating links with similar campaigns at the local, provincial and federal levels; & updating the WPIRG website with relevant articles on disAbility justice.

The successful candidate will write and design a report (summary of findings) for each of their two projects, which will be presented to the WPIRG Staff and Board of Directors by the end of the placement. The successful candidate will also be responsible for managing other information or communication needs and other tasks as required.

Qualifications: 

- Interest in social and environmental justice issues

- Experience in event coordination and community activism

- Excellent oral and written communication skills

- Strong problem solving skills

- Ability to work independently as well as collaboratively in a group setting

- Outgoing, positive, enthusiastic & creative

- Proficient in Word, Excel, internet/email applications

- Skills in event coordination, group facilitation, community activism, and community-based research.

Eligibility:           

This position is made possible through partial funding under the federal government’s Canada Summer Jobs (CSJ) initiative. As such, applicants must be students who meet the following criteria:

- be between 15 and 30 years of age (inclusively) at the start of the employment;

- be a student in a secondary, post-secondary, vocational or technical program;

- have been registered as a full-time student in the 2010-2011 academic year, and intend to return to school on a full-time basis during the 2011-12 academic year,

- be a Canadian citizen, permanent resident or person on whom refugee protection has been conferred under the Immigration and Refugee Protection Act; and,

- be legally entitled to work according to provincial legislation and regulations;

How to apply:           

Applicants must provide a resume with three references and a cover letter.

Deliver to: The Hiring Committee, WPIRG, Student Life Centre room 2139, University of Waterloo, Waterloo, Ontario N2L 3G1.  Email applications must be submitted as a single pdf file and can be sent to info@wpirg.org. We regret that only those applicants selected for an interview will be notified.

Deadline for submissions is Tuesday May 24, 2011 at 9am.

Interviews will take place between May 30 and June 3, 2011.

Employment Equity Statement:

WPIRG welcomes the contributions that individuals from marginalized communities bring to our organization, and encourages people with disabilities, Aboriginal people, people of colour, women, gays, lesbians, bisexuals, queer-oriented people, single parents, members of ethnic minorities, and immigrants to apply.

In their cover letter, we encourage applicants to describe the contributions and experiences they, as individuals who identify with marginalized communities, would bring to WPIRG.

pirg work in waterloo

WPIRG Job Posting

Provincial PIRG Network Researcher

Submission Deadline: May 24, 2011, 9am

Position: Provincial PIRG Network Researcher

This is a 13-week summer student position from June 6 to September 5, 2011 for 32.5 hours/week at a rate of $13.00 per hour.

Organization:

WPIRG is a student funded and directed environmental and social justice organization based at the University of Waterloo. WPIRG’s mission is to engage students and community members to become active citizens and volunteers on environmental, human rights, and social justice issues. 

Background:

WPIRG is a member of OPIRG Provincial, which is comprised of 11 university student -funded and -directed, non-profit chapters that conduct research, education and action on social and environmental justice issues.

 

The OPIRG Network of Public Interest Research Groups is composed of 11 autonomous PIRG chapters based at the following universities in Ontario:

OPIRG-Brock - Brock University

OPIRG-Carleton - Carleton University

OPIRG-Guelph - University of Guelph

OPIRG-Kingston - Queen’s University

OPIRG-McMaster - McMaster University

OPIRG-Ottawa - Université d’Ottawa / University of Ottawa

OPIRG-Peterborough - Trent University

OPIRG-Toronto - University of Toronto

Waterloo PIRG - University of Waterloo

OPIRG-Windsor - University of Windsor

OPIRG-York - York University

 

The OPIRG Board of Directors is comprised of one staff and one board representative from each PIRG member. All PIRGs in Ontario are members of the OPIRG network, except the Laurier Students PIRG that formed 4 years ago. WPIRG left the OPIRG network previously, but subsequently rejoined.

 

The primary goal of this position is to evaluate the way OPIRG functions, identify opportunities for growth, and current challenges faced by the network. The aim is to provide recommendations on increasing the effectiveness of the network, creating stronger partnerships within and outside the network, and maintaining the long-term sustainability of the OPIRG network.

This position will be responsible for developing recommendations that will be presented to the OPIRG network and WPIRG. This may include, but not be limited to: conducting interviews with OPIRG staff and affiliates across Southern Ontario; attending any OPIRG Network summer meeting/retreat; creating web-based material for the OPIRG website; researching funding programs and grants for the network; and, researching OPIRG historical documents and archives. 

NOTE: Before applying, please read OPIRG’s Mission Statement at the OPIRG website at http://www.opirg.org/

Duties:
Under the direction of WPIRG’s full-time staff, this position will be responsible for:

- researching the OPIRG Network in order to document the history of the Provincial Network / inter-PIRG relations as well as identify present opportunities and challenges faced by the network;

- developing a set of recommendations for the future sustainability of the OPIRG network in consultation with the OPIRG Coordinator, as well as current and past OPIRG representatives (staff & board) from the 11 autonomous chapters;

- archiving all material studied for future reference;

- updating the OPIRG website;

- writing and designing a report (summary of findings) which will be presented to the WPIRG Staff and Board of Directors by the end of the placement;

- managing other information and communication needs; and other tasks as required.

Qualifications: 

- Interest in social and environmental justice issues

- Strong research and critical analysis skills

- Excellent oral and written communication skills

- Strong problem solving skills

- Ability to work independently as well as collaboratively in a group setting

- Outgoing, positive, enthusiastic & creative

- Proficient in Word, Excel, internet/email applications

Eligibility:           

This position is made possible through partial funding under the federal government’s Canada Summer Jobs (CSJ) initiative. As such, applicants must be students who meet the following criteria:

- be between 15 and 30 years of age (inclusively) at the start of the employment;

- be a student in a secondary, post-secondary, vocational or technical program;

- have been registered as a full-time student in the 2010-2011 academic year, and intend to return to school on a full-time basis during the 2011-12 academic year,

- be a Canadian citizen, permanent resident or person on whom refugee protection has been conferred under the Immigration and Refugee Protection Act; and,

- be legally entitled to work according to provincial legislation and regulations;

How to apply:           

Applicants must provide a resume with three references and a cover letter.

Deliver to The Hiring Committee, WPIRG, Student Life Centre room 2139, University of Waterloo, Waterloo, Ontario N2L 3G1.  Email applications must be submitted as a single pdf file and can be sent to info@wpirg.org. We regret that only those applicants selected for an interview will be notified.

Deadline for submissions is Tuesday May 24th, 2011 at 9am.

Interviews will take place between May 30 and June 3, 2011.

Employment Equity Statement:

WPIRG welcomes the contributions that individuals from marginalized communities bring to our organization, and encourages Aboriginal people, people of colour, women, gays, lesbians, bisexuals, queer-oriented people, single parents, members of ethnic minorities, immigrants and people with disAbilities to apply.
In their cover letter, we encourage applicants to describe the contributions and experiences they, as individuals who identify with marginalized communities, would bring to WPIRG.

hamilton seen

Former OPIRG McMaster student resource staff, Arts-Sci flag-bearer and all round great soul Tings Chak has produced a graphic novella about her time in Hamilton, a must read for students venturing into this great city looking for excitement and poetry in everyday places.

Now OPIRG McMaster has copies of this new work for sale at our office. And why wouldn't we? We're in it! (plus we love Tings)

Stop by and pick up a copy, you will thank the steeltown gods you did!

Natural Health?

Shawn’s explanation of the corporate takeover of Canada's Natural Health Products Industry is both alarming and informative. All those concerned with democracy and freedom of choice need to hear this message, and learn what to do about this atrocity.

HEALTH FREEDOM 2011: THE TURNING POINT

TUESDAY APRIL 12 2011 7:00 PM - 9:30 PM AT MCMASTER UNIVERSITY STUDENT CENTRE 3rd Floor "CIBC Hall"

2011 – is this the year we finally let Health Canada restrict our access to natural health products, or the year we stand up together and say 'No'.

Government policies are restricting personal freedom to choose, more than ever before. The restrictions are most overt, to date, with regard to our access to natural health products (NHPs) and ordinary consumer products, but our very personal sovereignty is under attack. Our ability to make choices in how we live, and nourish ourselves and our children, is subject to ever more regulation; much of which is fundamentally unconstitutional. If we are to value our freedom to make sustainable living choices, preserve a healthy environment for our children and retain the right to choose how to manage our health in ways which do no harm, we must begin where the regulations do...with natural health products.

The current regulatory climate is not only in direct contravention of the will of the Canadian people, who called overwhelmingly for increased access to NHPs during consultations in 1999. Since the then Health Minister accepted recommendations for increased access to NHPs, the current situation, in which Health Canada criminalizes safe and effective products, is in direct opposition to the will of Parliament.

Shawn Buckley will describe how the Natural Health Product Regulations permit Health Canada to raid legitimate business, pull products we’ve taken for granted off store shelves, and drive small and medium companies out of business*. Hear the latest information about the criminalization and seizure of natural health products and the life and death implications of removing NHPs. Come and sign a nationwide petition, contribute to a legal challenge and find out how to plug into the initiatives that can lead the NHP industry back to health.

With regret, Shawn will also report on the December 2010 passing of Bill C-36, Canada's Consumer Product Protection Act, into law.

* With coming enforcement in 2011, private industry businesses can obtain NHPPA's Emergency Kit for Health Canada Raids - a guide that includes actions retailers, distributors and manufacturers can take to save their businesses.

SPEAKER BIO

Shawn Buckley, LLB (Kamloops, BC)

Shawn Buckley is a constitutional and criminal lawyer with expertise in the Food and Drugs Act and Regulations. He is president of Canada's Natural Health Products Protection Association (NHPPA), a non-profit organization devoted to protecting Canadians' access to natural health products. In 2010, the NHPPA launched its Three Part Action Plan to focus attention on Canadians' constitutional rights. This plan includes the Charter of Health Freedom (www.charterofhealthfreedom.org). The NHPPA is solely supported by concerned natural health products manufacturers, retailers and public advocates. www.nhppa.org



Disclaimer: this is not an official opirg mcmaster sponsored event, and is posted for information purposes only. Please contact the event organizers with any questions or concerns.

expert un-expert advice

winner of the PIG

The Public Interest Research Grant of $1,000.00 was awarded to the OPIRG Working Group Hamilton Womyn's Bike Fixin' Collective for their proposal. Read about what they have in store here.

The award was given by the OPIRG Board of Directors to the group at OPIRG's Annual General Meeting, held April 5/11.

polit-actics

Stephen Harper in Hamilton: Leader or Bully?

Stephen Harper's government is the first in Canadian history to be found in contempt of Parliament. This Prime Minister and his government harassed and deceived lawmakers and public employees. Our democracy is in peril. Help us defend it.

Harper will be speaking downtown at the Hamilton Convention Centre. Join us at 4:15pm near the Willy Dog Stand and come with us to show him how you feel.

Location: Willie Dog Stand

Date: Thursday, April 7 

Time: 4:00 to 5:00 pm

McMaster Students for Social Justice