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Politics and Social Justice
1)~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Friday, February 5, 2010: PALESTINE in RESISTANCE: from Bil'in to Boycotts.
8 pm
BCGEU Hall, 2994 Douglas St

Featured speaker is Dr. Nada Elia, a Palestinian born after the NAKBA when her parents were forced to leave their home in Jerusalem. Dr. Elia grew up in Lebanon where she worked as journalist and was educated in Lebanon and the USA. Currently a professor of global studies in Seattle, Washington, Dr. Elia has written many articles and chapters of books and is working on a book on women's activism in the 21st century.

She is also an activist for Palestinian rights; she is a member of the National Steering Committee of Incite! Women of Colour Against Violence, and active in Arab Women's and Arab-American groups. She speaks widely at social movement conferences and universities.

Theresa Wolfwood will speak about 5 years of resistance to the Wall by the community of Bil'in and the Canadian companies building colonies there on illegal land.

Public event: Admission by donation

Sponsored by the Barnard-Boecker Centre Foundation, Central America Support Committee, Coalition Against Israeli Apartheid, Graduate Student Society UVIC and the UVIC Women's Centre.

For more information please contact Theresa Wolfwood at 250 595-7519 or bbcf@bbcf.ca

2)~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Saturday, February 6, 2010: The Olympic Party's Almost Over!
02:00 - 17:00
Bastion Square
Between Wharf and Government
Victoria, BC, BC

THE OLYMPIC PARTY IS ALMOST OVER!
Evict VANOC! End Homelessness!

< March, Sound-Off, Surprise Actions and Street Feast!>

The Victoria Coalition Against Poverty (VCAP) is calling for a mass public eviction of the local VANOC offices. Years of unaffordable housing, abysmal welfare/disability rates, and a lack of accessible health care have created a dire situation in Greater Victoria. The launch of the Vancouver Olympic Torch Relay in Victoria, a one-day extravaganza held on October 30, 2009, had a price tag of approximately $500,000. The Olympics themselves have a budget totaling over $6 billion dollars. Meanwhile 1000's of people continue to exist in substandard conditions and struggle to stay alive.
On February 6th at 2pm we will be meeting at Bastion Square. After the eviction of the VANOC office, we will move to the Royal Bank for a “sound off”, where we will disrupt business-as-usual with noise and bodies. We will wind through the streets and end the event with a street feast in Centennial Square.

Come join us in resisting poverty and homelessness! Take action for justice and dignity!

Bring all the noise makers you can! Metal pots, empty tin cans, garbage can lids, etc!

Affordable housing now! Liveable incomes now! Accessible health care for all!

No Olympics On Stolen Native Land!

END HOMELESSNESS! EVICT VANOC!
The Victoria Coalition Against Poverty (VCAP) is a coalition of grassroots organizations that together are demanding an immediate end to poverty. Reach us at viccoalitionagainstpoverty@gmail.com
No2010 Victoria (www.no2010victoria.net) is a local collective opposed to the 2010 Vancouver Olympic Games. Reach us at no2010victoria@gmail.com

Workshops and Seminars
3)~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
[ see dates/times below ]: Strategies and Practices for Changing the World
A series of engagements with leading activists

February 2, 2010
Knowledge, Action, Empowerment
Maeve Lydon (UVic Office of Community-Based Research) and
Rebecca Taylor (Vancouver Island Human Rights Coalition)

February 23, 2010
Building Social Activism: Youth, Voice and Aesthetic Engagement
Catherine Etmanski, Mike Sheehan (BeatBoard), Katie Shaw

March 9, 2010
North-South Solidarities in Practice
Carlos Flores (Central American Support Committee), Lynn Thornton (Victoria International Development Education Association)

March 23, 2010
Feminisms and their Intersections
Manjeet Birk (Antidote), Sean Brown

All sessions are in the Strong Building, Room C116
(map: http://www.uvic.ca/buildings/dsb.html)

7:30 - 9 pm

Everyone welcome!
Presented by Social Justice Studies, University of Victoria Web.uvic.ca/socialjustice

4)~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Thursday, February 4, 2010: The Olympic Torch: Symbolism and Politics
19:00 - 21:00
UVIC Harry Hickman Building Room 105
University of Victoria
Victoria, BC

A panel discussion with:

Tamara Herman, active in No2010, Research Coordinator of VIPIRG
Christine O’Bonsawin, Director of Indigenous Studies, UVic
Dennis Pilon, Assistant Professor of Political Science, UVic

As ‘Vancouver prepares for the world’, excited media coverage of all things Olympic invites us to consume the spectacle with joy and national pride. Yet polls show that many people question the political, cultural and economic priorities embodied in the Olympics, and beginning in Victoria, the cross-Canada torch relay has been beset with protests.

This panel discussion will situate and deconstruct the Vancouver Olympics, with the aim of clarifying the social-justice issues that are at stake in this most celebrated of modern spectacles. The evening will begin with a screening of the first half-hour of Leni Reifenstahl’s classic film, Olympia (1938), famous among other things for its symbolically drenched portrayal of the lighting of the torch and the torch relay from Mount Olympus to Berlin, the first host city to include a torch run. Our three panellists will then take up the contemporary politics of the Olympics, after which the floor will be open for discussion.

Everyone welcome!

Presented by Social Justice Studies, University of Victoria web.uvic.ca/socialjustice

Free

Earth, Environment
5)~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Thursday, February 25, 2010: Sierra BC Open House
04:30 - 06:30
Sierra Club BC Offices
304-733 Johnson St Victoria BC
Victoria , BC

Welcome to Sierra Club BC Open House. Join staff and volunteers as we celebrate 41 years of passionate commitment to the environment. Enjoy major campaign updates, multi media presentations, free great snacks and door prizes!

Free!

More information:
Contact Rebecca
Email: Rebecca@sierraclub.bc.ca
Phone: 250-386-5255-224
Website: http://www.sierraclub.bc.ca

6)~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Thursday, February 18, 2010: The Native Plant Study Group presents: "Fawn Lilies - their evolution and biogeography" with Dr. Geraldine Allen7pm
UVic
MacLaurin Bldg, Rm D116

An expert of plant evolution, Dr. Allen is particularly interested in how plants adapt over time and how new genetic species evolve. In this talk she will specifically talk about her research on the evolution and biogeography of the Erythronium, commonly known as the fawn lily.

Non-member drop-in fee: $3. More info: http://www.NPSG.ca

Media Contact:
Valerie Elliott
Co-Chair, Native Plant Study Group
Victoria BC
tel: 250 598 1999
http://www.NPSG.ca

Arts, Film, Music and Media
7)~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Friday, February 5, 2010: 2010 EMPOWERMENT TOUR, Revolutionary Hip Hop: a benefit for vic NO2010
doors at 8pm show at 9pm
Logans
(1821 Cook Street)
Victoria, BC

El Vuh (from Calif)
http://www.myspace.com/elvuh

TESTAMENT & Illogik (TEST THIER LOGIK)
http://www.myspace.com/testamenthiphop
http://www.myspace.com/illtothalogik

The Outspoken Wordsmiths
http://www.myspace.com/outspokenwordsmiths

Tounge and Groove http://www.tongueandgroovemusic.ca/

Revolutionary Hip Hop, Beatboxing & Spoken Word / Slam Poetry

$5-$10, sliding scale, no one turned away

More information:
Contact Comrade Black
Email: prideandunity@hotmail.com
Website: http://www.facebook.com/events.php?ref=sb#/event.php?eid=256599692071&index=1
8)~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Monday, February 8, 2010: STOLEN SISTERS MEMORIAL MOVIE AFTERNOON EVENT AT CINECENTA!
1:00pm
Cinecenta
University of Victoria

FREE!! (..although all donations are very much appreciated.)

Senorita Extraviada : http://www.lourdesportillo.com/senoritaextraviada/

Señorita Extraviada, Missing Young Woman tells the story of the hundreds of kidnapped, raped and murdered young women of Juárez, Mexico. The murders first came to light in 1993 and young women continue to "disappear" to this day (2005) without any hope of bringing the perpetrators to justice. Who are these women from all walks of life and why are they getting murdered so brutally?

The documentary moves like the unsolved mystery it is, and the filmmaker poetically investigates the circumstances of the murders and the horror, fear and courage of the families whose children have been taken. Yet it is also the story of a city of the future; it is the story of the underbelly of our global economy.

More Info on the Stolen Sisters Memorial March:
http://www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=46840247909&ref=ts

9)~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Monday, February 8, 2010: Sounds Benefit for the Stolen Sisters Memorial March
7:00-10:00pm
Solstice Cafe
529 Pandora Ave

This evening of arts is in support of the Stolen Sisters Memorial March, remembering Indigenous Women all across Canada.

Admission is by donation ($5 as a suggestion)
Door Prizes!

There is open mic opportunity as well as performaces by:
Janet Rogers
Rose Henry
Fraea the Banshee
Jeff Andrew

More Info on the Stolen Sisters Memorial March:
http://www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=46840247909&ref=ts

10)~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Sunday, February 7, 2010: Indian Temple Dance
19:00 - 21:00
David Lam Auditorium, A144 MacLaurin Building, University of Victoria
3800 Finnerty Road
Victoria, BC

University of Victoria's Student Club Society For Indian Classical Arts (SICA) presents: "Indian Temple Dance", A classical dance performance by Anjali (Ann-Marie Gaston). Anjali will be performing Indian Temple Dances in front of video and images of ancient temples and sculptures. Anjali's recitals are a unique combination of traditional and innovative dance woven around a theme and highlighted by exquisite slide back drops and narration. Ann-Marie Gaston, a Ph.D. from Oxford University in Indian Art and Culture is an internationally acclaimed classical dancer trained in Bharata Natyam, Odissi, Kuchipudi, Kathakali and Chhau. She is also choreographer, teacher, lecturer and photographer and published three books on Ind ian dance and art. Please see Anjali's webpage (http://www.culturalhorizons.ca) and SICA's webpage at http://uvicsica.googlepages.com for more information.

$15 Adults, $10 Students, Children under 13 free.

More information:
Website: http://uvicsica.googlepages.com/

11)~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Tuesday, February 9, 2010: STOLEN SISTERS MEMORIAL MOVIE AFTERNOON EVENT AT CINECENTA!
1:00pm
Cinecenta
University of Victoria

FREE!! (..although all donations are very much appreciated.)

Killers Paradise: http://www.onf-nfb.gc.ca/eng/collection/film/?id=54178

Since 1999 more than two thousand women have been murdered in Guatemala, with the numbers escalating every year. Yet, lawmakers and government officials continue to turn a blind eye. Powerful and uncompromising, Killer's Paradise uncovers one of the most emotionally-wrenching hidden human rights abuses taking place, while exposing the impunity allowed by an inept judicial system. With its history of almost four decades of civil war, Guatemala is a troubled society but it can also be seen as a microcosm of the pervasive violence and injustice against women that exists in the world today.

More Info on the Stolen Sisters Memorial March:
http://www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=46840247909&ref=ts

News Releases
12)~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Saturday, Febuary 6, 2010: Call To Action! THE OLYMPIC PARTY IS ALMOST OVER! Evict VANOC! End Homelessness!
2pm @ Bastion Square
Coast Salish Territory - Victoria, BC
< March, Sound-Off, Surprise Actions and Street Feast!>

The Victoria Coalition Against Poverty (VCAP) and No2010 Victoria are calling for a mass public eviction of the local VANOC offices. Years of unaffordable housing, abysmal welfare/disability rates, and a lack of accessible health care have created a dire situation in Greater Victoria. The launch of the Vancouver Olympic Torch Relay in Victoria, a one-day extravaganza held on October 30, 2009, had a price tag of approximately $500,000. The Olympics themselves have a budget totaling over $6 billion dollars. Meanwhile 1000's of people continue to exist in substandard conditions and struggle to stay alive.

On February 6th at 2pm we will be meeting at Bastion Square. After the eviction of the VANOC office, we will move to the Royal Bank for a “sound off”, where we will disrupt business-as-usual with noise and bodies. We will wind through the streets and end the event with a street feast in Centennial Square.

Come join us in resisting poverty and homelessness! Take action for justice and dignity!

Bring all the noise makers you can! Metal pots, empty tin cans, garbage can lids, etc!

Affordable housing now! Liveable incomes now! Accessible health care for all!

No Olympics On Stolen Native Land!

END HOMELESSNESS! EVICT VANOC!
The Victoria Coalition Against Poverty (VCAP) is a coalition of grassroots organizations that together are demanding an immediate end to poverty. Reach us at viccoalitionagainstpoverty@gmail.com

No2010 Victoria (www.no2010victoria.net) is a local collective opposed to the 2010 Vancouver Olympic Games. Reach us at no2010victoria@gmail.com
--
Tamara Herman
Research Coordinator
Vancouver Island Public Interest Research Group (VIPIRG)

Phone: (250) 472-4386
Email: research@vipirg.ca
Web: www.vipirg.ca
Office: UVic student union building room B122
Mail: PO Box 3035 Stn CSC, Victoria, BC, Lekwungen & WSANEC Territories, V8W 3P3

Upcoming Events
13)~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Thursday, February 18, 2010: Nanaimo Global Film Festival
19:00 - 21:00
Vancouver Island University Nanaimo Campus Buildings 355,356,300,200, 250
900 5th Street
Nanaimo, BC

The 6th Annual Nanaimo Global Film Festival, February 18, 19, 20 featuring 30 cutting edge films, and food and fair trade bazaar on February 20. Films on environment, oil, water, healthy planet, music, social justice. See the complete schedule and Early Bird pass outlets online at

www.nanaimofilmfest.org

part of the Traveling World Community Film Festival

Early Bird full festival pass $20 until February 16 Regular full pass $30 Two day pass $20 Saturday all day $20 Saturday half day $10 One evening pass $10 Low income passes available

More information:
Contact Marjorie Stewart
Phone: 250-390-3363
Website: www.nanaimofilmfest.org

14)~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Thursday, February 11, 2010: Loretta Ross @ UVic
06:30 - 09:00
David Lam Auditorium- MAC A 144
University of Victoria
Victoria, BC

The University of Victoria Student’s Society, along with community groups and organizations, are bringing pro-choice and human rights activist, Loretta Ross, to speak at UVic. Ross is a founding member of SisterSong, a Women of Colour Reproductive Health Collective; the Founder and past-Executive Director of the National Centre for Human Rights Education in Atlanta, Georgia; and an expert on human rights, woman’s issues, diversity issues, and reproductive choice. Ross is a prolific feminist activist and co-organizer of the April 25, 2004 National March for Women’s Lives in Washington D.C., the largest protest in U.S. history with over one million people. Her appearance will be the headliner for a Pro-Choice Celebration, takin g place on the evening of Thursday February 11, 2010 in the David Lam Auditorium (MAC A 144).

Doors open at 6:30pm where community groups including (but not limited to): The UVSS Women's Center, The Anti-Violence Project, Students of Color Collective, PEERS, Abortion Rights Coalition of Canada (ARCC), Student's For Choice, and the Island Sexual Health Society will be tabling resources and information. If you know of any groups who would like to table please contact lstaples@uvic.ca.

Joyce Arthur, of the Abortion Rights Coalition of Canada (ARCC) will give an introductory speech at 7pm. This will be followed by Ross's lecture entitled "Reproductive Justice and Human Rights."

Tickets are availible at the Info Booth in the SUB. We hope to see you there!

5.00 Students 8.00 Community Members

More information:
Contact Leah Staples
Email: lstaples@uvic.ca
Website: http://www.facebook.com/inbox/?ref=mb#/event.php?eid=317886389407&ref=ts
15)~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Sunday, February 14th: 19th Annual February 14th Vancouver Women's Memorial March at 12pm.

We gather each year to mourn and remember our sisters by listening to
their family members, by taking over the streets, and through spiritual
ceremonies. At noon, we gather at the Carnegie Community Centre Theatre,
401 Main Street (corner Hastings, Vancouver) where family members speak in
remembrance. At 1 pm, the march takes to the streets and proceeds through
the Downtown Eastside, with stops to commemorate where women were last
seen or found; speeches by community activists at the police station; a
healing circle at Oppenheimer Park around 3 pm; and finally a community
feast at the Japanese Language Hall.

The heinous and unimaginable violence that have taken the lives of so many
has left a deep void in our hearts. The February 14th Women’s Memorial
March is an opportunity to come together to grieve the loss of our beloved
sisters, remember the women who are still missing, and to dedicate
ourselves to justice. Please join us (all genders welcome) and we thank
you for your support of the Women’s Memorial March.

New website launched! http://womensmemorialmarch.wordpress.com
On facebook: http://www.facebook.com/group.php?gidp685286200&ref=ts
Contact: marlene.george at vancouver.ca or 604-665-3005

--About the Annual Women's Memorial March

In January 1991 a woman was murdered on Powell Street. Her name is not
spoken today out of respect for the wishes of her family. This woman’s
murder in particular was the catalyst that moved women into action. Out of
this sense of hopelessness and anger came an annual march on Valentine’s
Day to express compassion, community, and caring for all women in the
Downtown Eastside, Coast Salish Territories, Vancouver.

Nineteen years later, the march continues to honour the lives of missing
and murdered women. Increasing deaths of many vulnerable women from the
DTES still leaves family, friends, loved ones, and community members with
an overwhelming sense of grief and loss. Every year the list of women
going missing also increases. Over 3000 women are known to have gone
missing or been murdered in Canada since the 1970s. Last year, the United
Nations Committee on the Elimination of Discrimination against Women
issued this statement: “Hundreds of cases involving aboriginal women who
have gone missing or been murdered in the past two decades have neither
been fully investigated nor attracted priority attention.”

Please respect the memorial march and the leadership of those organizing
it. This event is organized and led by women in the DTES because women,
especially Indigenous women, face physical, mental, emotional, and
spiritual violence on a daily basis. This is a memorial not a protest; it
is a deeply emotional time for family members and women affected
especially in Vancouver’s DTES. We ask that you please do not bring your
banners, flags, or leaflets as the Women’s Memorial March carries five
banners only to honour the women. Thank you.

The February 14th Women’s Memorial March needs your help, to donate:
http://womensmemorialmarch.wordpress.com/donate


16)~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Friday, February 12, 2010: Get on the bus to Vancouver! Join No2010 Victoria at the Convergence Against the Olympic Games!
07:00 - 00:00
Victoria to Vancouver
Camas Books
Victoria, BC, BC

JOIN NO 2010 VICTORIA AT "TAKE BACK OUR CITY!
'WELCOME' THE OLYMPIC TORCH"
GET ON THE BUS TO VANCOUVER! FEBRUARY 12, 2010

The 2010 Winter Olympics will take place in Vancouver & Whistler, on unceded Indigenous land, from February 12-28 2010.

A global anti-capitalist and anti-colonial convergence against the 2010 Olympic Games is being organized by the Olympic Resistance Network (ORN).
No2010 Victoria is organizing subsidized transportation to Vancouver for "Take Back Our City! 'Welcome' the Olympic Torch" on February 12, 2009. Join us!!

No2010 Victoria is now offering a bus to AND from Vancouver on February 12, 2010. Hurry and reserve your space - there's only 1 bus, and its filling up fast.

Here's what to do:

1 - Send an email to no2010victoria@gmail.com with the word "Reservation" in the subject heading and your name (or pseudonym) in the message body. Spaces are limited, and first come first served, so please act soon!

2 - The cost per person is $27, but No2010 Victoria will subsidize whatever you can't pay. Bring whatever you can contribute to the VIPIRG research office (SUB B120) or Camas (2590 Quadra) within 5 days of your registration in an envelope with either your name or pseudonym. If you're unable to pay or get the deposit in but you will be coming to Vancouver, just let us know. Absolutely nobody will be turned away for lack of funds.

3 - Show up on February 12th, 7 am at Camas Books. Be prepared for a once-in-a-lifetime chance to join thousands in standing up for justice, rights and dignity.

4 - Have a blast! And meet the bus at a spot (to be announced) to catch the 9 pm ferry back into town

Need more info on the Vancouver convergence? Check out http://olympicresistance.net/
.......................................
FEBRUARY ANTI OLYMPIC CONVERGENCE
COAST SALISH TERRITORIES, VANCOUVER
.......................................
* SCHEDULE:
http://olympicresistance.net/content/schedule

* KNOW YOUR RIGHTS LEGAL INFO:
http://olympicresistance.net/content/know-your-rights

* CROSSING THE BORDER:
http://olympicresistance.net/content/crossing-border-canada

* NEED HOUSING:
http://olympicresistance.net/content/housing-request-form

* CAN YOU PROVIDE HOUSING:
http://olympicresistance.net/content/2010-convergence-billeting-form

* ORN WISH LIST AND CALL FOR SUPPORT:
http://olympicresistance.net/content/support-us

* FLYERS, POSTERS, AND OTHER OUTREACH MATERIALS:
http://olympicresistance.net/content/convergence-2010-promotional-materials

* FACTSHEETS, BACKGROUND MATERIAL, AND VIDEOS:
http://olympicresistance.net/content/factsheets-and-flyers

* SIGN UP TO OUR LIST FOR UPDATES:
https://lists.riseup.net/www/info/orn-announce.

* PLEASE DONATE:
http://olympicresistance.net/content/make-donation

----------------

WEBSITE: olympicresistance.net or no2010.com
FACEBOOK: http://www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=22399134613
EMAIL: olympicresistance@riseup.net (preferred)
PHONE: 604-723-1206 (no voice mail, and not for media inquiries)

Sliding Scale