Browsing “Advocacy”

Genetically Modified food has been a hot topic over the past couple of weeks. The term “GMO” which stands for Genetically Modified Organism, flew around the world after something called the Monsanto Protection Act passed, not with out controversy, in the United States. My favourite depiction of how the act was passed was portrayed on The Daily Show a few weeks back. Shortly after the act was passed, the group known as Anonymous called to action a global protest against Monsanto, one which even took place in Calgary.

This got me thinking, what the heck is the big deal with these GMOs? And living in Calgary, do I have to worry about the same food issues as they do in American cities? So I did some research! Hooray!

To give some context around the controversy, anti-GMO groups support research which links Genetically Modified to  causing health issues from severe allergies in children to severe digestive issues, and even cancer. On the flip side, yeah-sayers of these products believe that GMOs allow for heightened nutrients to be infused into food for third world countries, as well protection from pests and insects for longer lasting crops.

Lucky for us here in Calgary, we have a great resource called The Calgary Food Committee, which is a group that was directed by City Council to create a sustainable food system for Calgary. Sara Klimes, food consultant and co-chair on the Committee had some sound tips for figuring out what side of the GMO fence you sit on. One of the best pieces to come out of The Calgary Food Committee, is something called Calgary Eats! A Food System Assessment and Action Plan for Calgary. Who knew we had one of these? Mind blown.

“GMOs are regulated federally by Health Canada, but there isn’t much specifically regarding GMO regulation on a provincial level,” said Sara. “At this point in Canada, if you are concerned GMOs, the only way to be certain, as a consumer, that you aren’t ingesting GM material is to purchase organic.” Sara also recommended checking out Organic Alberta for more information about what being organic and the benefits of organic food culture means here at home.

The other major point of contention for both consumers and government is labeling food that does contain GMOs. Major corporations fear that if products are forced to bare a “may contain GMOs” that you and I might not buy them.

So hopefully this article gave you some places to find the answers you may have been looking for regarding GMOs. But it’s an ongoing conversation and it’s nice to know in Calgary at least, we’re still carrying it on.

For those Calgarians unfamiliar with the Toronto neighbourhood Lawrence Heights, a quick google search will quickly give you an unflattering picture. Typing in the letters, auto-correct jumps in immediately – “Did you mean, lawrence heights gangs? Lawrence heights shooting? Lawrence heights crime?”

Former Calgarian and current Torontonian Marc Whiteway intends to change that reputation, and bring a more hopeful, and human face to the neighbourhood with his upcoming documentary film Hope Heights.

Whiteway, a former ACAD student, has worked as a writer, producer, camera operator, and editor with CBC’s Q, The National, and Canada Reads.

While chatting with his friend, middle-school teacher (and the producer of Hope Heights) Robin Phillips, another Calgary expat, about her struggles and joys of working with the youth of Lawrence Heights, the pair realized that they had an amazing story to tell.

“It’s a bit like Calgary’s Forest Lawn,” said Whiteway, with a laugh. “It has a bad rep.”

Phillips found that the kids in her classroom initially presented a challenge, but she took it in stride – bringing her own style and sense of fun to the classroom. The kids took to her spirit quickly, and plenty now count her as their favourite teacher, running up to give her hugs as soon as they see her.  Many of the kids have overcome extreme struggles, and consequently have rich and courageous stories to tell.

“There are kids who have been in jail four times in high school that are now graduating,” said Whiteway. “It’s incredible.”

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Cupcakes! Free cupcakes! Ok, this post isn’t about delicious baked goods but the awesome way in which you can get them: by donating blood. Intrigued? Good.

Canadian Blood Services (CBS) relies on thousands of people to regularly donate blood. In Southern Alberta, over 6,000 units of blood were collected in the month of February. That sounds like a lot but to keep up with regular demand, CBS needs 7,500 new donors from Southern Alberta this year alone. And with only three per cent of Calgarians donating blood, they’ll need more people to help reach that target.

I’ve asked a number of people to join me in donating blood but most get squeamish and are just plain scared of the whole idea. But I promise, donating blood is really easy and you get to save lives! How awesome is that?

Here’s my step-by-step guide on how to donate blood.

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Create. Inspire. Grow.

For John Michael Schert the idea behind this week’s Arts Champions Congress is simple – showcase the generosity of spirit in the arts and inspire our community to be greater than it already is.

KEYNOTE HIGH NOTE: John Michael Schert of the Boise, Idaho based Trey McIntyre Project will be in town this week to deliver the keynote at both the Arts Champions Congress and the Mayor’s Lunch for Arts Champions. On the agenda: how we make Calgary even better by embracing the arts. (Below) Showcasing their amazing talent, John is seen here performing with TMP members Travis Walker and Ashley Werhun.
Photos by Lois Greenfield, Courtesy of Trey McIntyre Project

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Cancer is an ugly word. Almost everyone has been affected by it in some way. But even with such a sickly disease there are ways to shine a positive light on it. That’s what Brendan Klem wants to do by putting family first. He is offering photography sessions to families affected by cancer and helping to preserve their memories with their loved one. The sessions are done at no cost and the black-and-white images are given to the family to keep. “I want to show their love for one another despite the hard times that they are going through,” Brendan explains.

Brendan is no stranger to hard times having seen firsthand how cancer can affect family. His own father was diagnosed with acute leukemia back in 2007. What was initially a grim prognosis turned into a five-year ordeal that was a draining process for his family. “I don’t really remember much of the recent past where [my dad] was not sick, let alone frail. It wasn’t until the last two years that I came to see it all: so many hours spent in the car, planning days when we could go to the hospital or figuring out dinners to bring with us. I honestly don’t know how my mom did it day in, day out for years.”

By trade, Brendan is a photographer, but he quickly found that photography became a low priority when dealing with a sick parent. During his dad’s illness, he was able to capture some of his father’s final moments like in the image below. This is one of the last photos Brendan took of his dad; here his father is battling the effects of chemo by trying to stay warm with blankets over a heating vent. “The picture that I have of my father is one that I am thankful of taking. There are others that are amazing even though the times might not have been so good,” Brendan says.

After his father passed away in 2011, Brendan began searching for a way to give back to other families that are affected by cancer. Thus, the “family first” photos idea was born, especially as he realized the photos that he didn’t take with his own dad. “I feel I took the right amount of photos of [my father]. I just wish there were ones of the whole family together during this time too,” Brendan says. While the topic of cancer can be depressing, this project is ultimately about family and the love within. “I really have no idea how people will react to the photographs. My intention is in no way to reflect death. There is so much life and love that shine through; it washes away that view anyway. That light and love is what I try to capture, and I have been so thankful to see so much of it already with the families I have photographed.”

If you know a family battling cancer that could benefit from Brendan’s awesome work, check out his blog for more info or send him an email at hello@klemandco.com.

Now that Movember is wrapping up, you’re probably thinking to yourself “my face is cold and there’s a hole in my heart that needs to be filled with support…”. Look no further, I have something awesome for you to fist pump for.

International Day for Disabled Persons (IDDP) is upon us, my fellow Calgarians, and The City of Calgary’s Advisory Committee on Accessibility (ACA) is supporting this year’s celebrations which take place on Monday, December 3.The United Nations first declared IDDP about ten years ago with the intent to create awareness around individuals living with disabilities and all that they contribute to society.

What makes our city great, is that our municipal government has created the ACA to guide urban planners in a direction of inclusion as we continue to grow and develop. Without the ACA, Calgary would look much different. For example, did you know that The City’s ACA has created reserved seating during The Stampede Parade, to allow people with mobility challenges and their families to enjoy the parade as well? If this doesn’t make you proud to be a Calgarian, then I’d don’t know what to do with you.

This year the festivities will include three spectacular Flashmob performances representing individuals living with a broad spectrum of disabilities. The performances will be lead by local groups MoMo Mixed Ability Dance Theatre, Inside Out Theatre and Disability Action Hall. The performances will be held on Monday, over the noon hour in a few downtown locations. You can visit Calgary.ca for event details.

“We are honoured to be involved in this event exhibiting the abilities of Calgarians,” said Leanne Squair, Issue Strategist for The City of Calgary’s Advisory Committee on Accessibility. “In coordinating this event, the Advisory Committee on Accessibility is making great strides to raise awareness of critical issues facing people with disabilities.”

IDDP is one day that, as awesome Calgarians, we should make some noise for. Being deemed Canada’s Cultural Capital for 2012, doesn’t translate to artsy-foodie-hipsters, as some may interpret. Being a cultured city means we embrace all of the diverse parts that make up our communities; this is what makes us who we are as a city and a society, and IDDP should be one of the many ways that we celebrate our amazing culture.

Each paper doll represents a child living in poverty in Alberta. 73,000 paper dolls.

On November 20th, members of the Child Well-Being Initiative are heading to the Alberta Legislature to advocate for the end of child poverty in Alberta. These committed individuals have been diligently preparing and collecting paper dolls to demonstrate to Legislature, the seriousness of this issue. Individuals of all ages and backgrounds have gotten involved to support this cause.

I was introduced to Carolyn Pogue, local author and part of the Child Well-Being Initiative. When asked what the group hopes to accomplish through the project, she responded with the following statement.

“We want school lunch and breakfast programs for any hungry child. We want a higher minimum wage (Alberta’s is lowest in Canada.) We want more accessible day care and more affordable housing. How can people manage if they are couch surfing, sleeping in church basements or in cars? We want our government to implement a poverty elimination strategy. We want our government to understand that charity is not enough.”

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Sex, toys and celebrities. It might sound like a description of the infamous Studio 54, but when you add a little education and a dash of counseling, you’ve actually got a recipe for the Calgary Sexual Health Centre (CSHC).

CSHC has been spreading the gospel of sexual education for many years now. Last weekend in fact was the centre’s 40th Anniversary Gala. That’s 40 years of not only telling high school kids that condoms are cool and that yes your parents still probably have sex, and as Community Development Manager Roseline Carter points out, a whole slew of other programs.

“Most of Calgary thinks that we’re simply focused on education,” says Roseline. “Although teaching about sexuality is a large part of what we do, we offer so much more then that.”

Yeah they do. CSHC advocates for equal rights, provides counseling and support for everything from sexual assault to pregnancy and those of us debating gender identity and sexual orientation.

When asked how CSHC has had to adapt to teaching Calgary’s new generations, Roseline explained that it’s less about mechanics and what a Sexually Transmitted Infection is, but more about providing open conversation and meaningful discussion on sexuality in general.

“Over the past few years we’ve noticed a change in how much more our students know about sexuality,” says Roseline. “With the oncoming of the internet, kids need a different kind of education these days.”

One of the adaptations CSHC has made to providing relevant education to our precocious adolescents is taking condom demonstrations to a whole new level. You may not have heard, but CSHC is known for their “woodies”, wooden demonstration tools used for condoms. CSHC has made art out of these phallic beauties, asking students and now celebrities to paint them in whatever way they like.

CSHC harassed a few famous Canadians like Rick Mercer, Brett Wilson and the lovely Sue Johanson via social media to take a stab at painting the little guys and low and behold they got a few gems out of the deal. Rick Mercer’s was probably the biggest hit, painting his rendition of Stephen Harper on the woodie and calling it “Little Stevie” to boot. All the celeb woodies were auctioned off to raise money for the centre and its services.

Brett Wilson gets creative with some serious wood.

So there you have it, CSHC has embedded itself into the sexual history of our city and continues to evolve and grow as we do. Almost like puberty, but better because CSHC is there to hold our hands and tell us what the hell is going on.

Alright, let’s assume that at this point in your life, you are probably pretty familiar with the concept of Pride. If you’re not, stay with me, we’ll get there together.

Sure cities like San Fran, The Big Apple and even Vancouver get all the fame and glory when it comes Pride Parades and parties. But look out! In the words of the late, great Sherman Hemsley, Calgary is “Movin’ On Up” in the world of gender and sexual equality and basic human rights, through our own ever growing Pride celebrations.

This year’s celebratory Pride theme is “Allies”, a pretty important one considering Pride itself is about bringing people together.

Photo mash-up of Calgary Pride '11, photos taken by Christa Kahl

Christa Kahl, Case Manager at AIDS Calgary is more than familiar with the importance of this year’s theme. As an advocate for human rights, she’s actually traveled to both national and international Pride celebrations.

“I think Calgary is really great at celebrating the diversity we have in our city,” says Christa. “I was really excited to see last year’s turnout, it says a lot about how far we’ve come.”

It’s often assumed by some of our neighboring country-people, that we’re just a bunch of rootin’-tootin’ cowboys out here in the wild west, who wouldn’t know the likes of sexual diversity if it slapped us straight in the mouth.

But as Christa points out, last year’s Pride Parade featured several Albertan politicians, including our own claim to fame Mayor, (who really contributes to the overall awesomeness of our city!).

“I think as a somewhat smaller city, we are making incredible progress in shedding those stuffy old stereo-types we may have had put upon us as Calgarians or Albertans,” says Christa. “Disappearing are the days when the gay community needed to go to underground clubs or parties. Now are the days when we can all get together and just have an ass-shakin’ good-time despite who you want to go home with.”

And that’s really what Calgary Pride is about: an ass-shakin’ good-time with a purpose.

If you don’t make it out to the endless array of Pride events this week, then I hope to see you at the Parade on September 2. But if you don’t make it to the Parade, then I hope to see you embracing Calgary’s diversity by making allies with someone who might be just a bit different then you.

And then I’d like to see you out on the dance floor shakin’ your ass without a care in the world!

***Update (August 10th): Owner Mike Brar has spoken to the Calgary Herald and stated that the Plaza is in no danger of closing, although it will require the $100,000 upgrades sometime in the future. “If people want to support us, come to the movies and come to the Plaza,” Brar said.

In the 1920s, it was built as an automobile garage. When it opened its doors on January 10th, 1935 with the comedy “Mr. Skitch”, it became Calgary’s third movie house. Now, after 77 years, the Plaza Theatre in Kensington is Calgary’s last remaining independant, neighbourhood, art house theatre.

The theatre, which used to charge 10 cents a show, has recently felt the need to upgrade. Most films shown at the Plaza are 35 mm film, and although they have a digital projector, the theatre will require $100,000 in upgrades to switch over to a digital cinema server. Most film distributors are making the switch to distributing films purely in a digital format by January, rather than on 35 mm. The transition will save thousands of dollars for studios, but is a scary move for small businesses that can’t afford the upgrades.

While this news might seem less than awesome,  the small theatre’s struggle has galvanised Calgary’s film community. The Plaza has been home to over 20,000 film screenings, as well as a variety of film festivals and community events. Actor Benjamin Laird and burlesque artist Raven Virginia (of the Garter Girls) have started an Indiegogo fundraiser campaign to raise money towards the digital upgrades at indiegogo.com/savetheplaza.

Personally, the Plaza is one of my favourite places in Calgary. It’s an amazing centre for the film community and home to some of my favourite memories, such as the Rocky Horror Picture Show midnight screenings, the Calgary International Film Festival, and the chance to meet incredible actors and film makers. It might sound cheesy, but this crisis is more of an opportunity – here’s our chance to show that we support this amazing piece of Calgary’s film history, and show how much we love independent movies.

If you want to help support the Plaza, here are a couple ways you can help out:

• Attend an event or movie. You can check out the schedule on their website – they have discounts for students, seniors, as well as special rates for Tuesdays and matinees (you won’t find that at most cinema chains!)
• Donate to the Save the Plaza campaign on Indiegogo.
• Show your support for the theatre! Share photos or stories of your favourite happy memories at the Plaza Theatre with us on twitter - use the hashtag #savetheplaza.