There was a special feature disc to “Planet Earth” that was essentially a documentary about our environmental future. Much of this documentary talked extensively about the conservation movement; it was a fascinating conversation to watch, actually. Topics such as poaching protected species, or how an agency with a small budget decides which animals to focus on, made for a rare glimpse into these movements.
Poaching is generally divided into two groups: those that poach animals to sell on the black market, and those that poach to survive. The question that was addressed in this “Planet Earth” documentary, and the one that I pose to you now, is when it comes to feeding a starving family, or protecting the health of an animal population, which is most important? Read more »
On April 12th, I will post what I feel is a very interesting and important question. I recently received “Planet Earth” as a gift, and after watching was simply even more enthralled with the natural world all around us.
As a precursor to the April 12th post, please enjoy the below brief video of some of the wonder of our planet.
In 2007, there were 35,000 (16.7%) children under age 18 living beneath the poverty line (before-tax Low Income Cut-off) in Saskatchewan.
Ignore the concept of a poverty line for a moment – that statement says that 16.7% of children live below the ‘before-tax Low Income Cut-off’. That statement also says that the ‘before-tax Low Income Cut-off is the poverty line. Read more »
While the entire report is a must-read for anyone interested in poverty in Regina, one particular statistic jumps out at me. Check out this quote:
In 2001, the estimated child poverty rate in Canada was 15.6 per cent while that of Saskatchewan was 17.6 per cent. Yet, the poverty rate among First Nations children ages 0-14 living off-reserve in Saskatchewan in 2000 was 55.9 per cent, while the corresponding number for Regina was 61.3 per cent. The incidence of poverty
among Métis children ages 0-14 living off-reserve in Saskatchewan in 2000 was 36 per cent, while the corresponding number for Regina was 45.7 per cent.
Shocking numbers, but I am wondering, has anyone seen more current numbers? If you have, please contact us, or leave a comment below!
There’s this news story I have been following with great interest, and the deeper I research it, the more complex it becomes. A white man from South Africa by the name of Huntley has applied for refugee status in Canada on the basis of his experience of violent racial discrimination he claims is being perpetrated by the South African government.
What made this particular refugee claim newsworthy? Thousands of refugee claims are processed in Canada every year that are the result of violent racial discrimination and oppression. Why was Huntley’s case singled out as newsworthy… was it because he is caucasian? Is it SO rare that a white person from another country applies for refugee status as to make it newsworthy? Is it really that rare; are white people universally privileged and immune from racial oppression? Oh, but wait… this story gets better! Read more »
On Sunday, August 23rd, the Regina Symphony Orchestra played a concert in Wascana Park, marking the opening of the 2009/10 season. A wonderful event with vendors, great opening acts and scenery, Symphony Under the Sky was a shining example of accessible fun for all ages. More significantly, it was free.
Regina has had a whole host of amazing events this summer, from classical performances to AC/DC. The problem is that it often costs a great deal of money to attend. They are exclusionary when they are supposed to bring people together. While events often have larger corporate or business sponsors, for the first time Regina’s city council stepped up to the plate to the tune of $25,000. Read more »
In case it’s not a place you go regularly, downtown Regina’s largest mall, the Cornwall Center, has been undergoing several changes over the past year. Some stores have been moving to other locations in the mall, while others are being renovated. However, it was during my last visit to the Cornwall Center that I noticed the gravest change of all. It appears as if only one store amidst all these changes has actually *closed*… and it’s the bookstore.
As a longtime resident of downtown Regina, let me tell you what this means – it signifies the closure of the last book store in the downtown area. That’s right, you didn’t hallucinate that last sentence, and it’s not a typo. If you want to BUY A BOOK you must leave the downtown area. Read more »
This is a brief and very interesting interview with K’Naan, a hip-hop protest artist from Somalia now based in Canada. His music speaks to the struggle people face living in his home country, and the government and warlords that prevent peace and prosperity. In this interview he talks about the origins of Somalian pirates from an angle that no other media source has addressed… watch on.
This song is called “Yesterday’s Halo”, and it seems to sum up nicely the barriers and battles that so many of us face. The second verse is my personal favourite – it’s so poignant that chills inevitably follow!
Do you want a new stadium in your backyard? How about a landfill or a nuclear power plant? I know what you’re thinking – who on earth would want to live with the noise, smell, or danger? I wouldn’t!
There’s a new buzz word that I really dig that’s being used to describe this conundrum – eco-discrimination. The hot topics of the day, such as the unanimous (albeit grudgingly) support in the Saskatchewan Legislature of nuclear power, or the equally hot debate surrounding Regina’s new stadium, often neglect that massive amounts of discrimination go into decisions like these. Especially when it comes to location – and the consequences are grave. Read more »