Alert! Radio
Episode 150 (April 1st 2010)
Professor Arthur Schafer, director of the Centre for Professional and Applied Ethics at the University of Manitoba, discusses issues of free speech and hate speech that arise from the cancellation of Ann Coulter¹s talk at the University of Ottawa. Art Sterrit, executive director of the Coastal First Nations describes the inevitable damages expected from the proposed Enbridge Norther pipeline and its supertankers that would penetrate into the heart of BC’s Great Bear Rainforest. Art outlines the campaign mounted by a coalition of 150 native bands, several environmental organizations and dozens of prominent individuals including Margaret Atwood, David Suzuki, Thomas Berger, Bruce Cockburn and ten Olympic athletes. Some are saying that the Enbridge dispute may be the defining battle for a new generation concerned about climate change and global dependence on oil. Mitch Podolak’s Music Is The Weapon this week is all about money! Download this episode (52 MB)
Recent episodes:
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Episode 202 (February 8th 2012) – Micheal Vonn, Policy Director of the British Columbia Civil Liberties Association discusses soon-to-be introduced “lawful access” bills to expand police surveillance powers. The federal government has announced that it will soon be introducing legislation to increase the ability of police to intercept private communications and access more personal information stored electronically. Steven Staples, President of the Rideau Institute takes on pro-war lobbyists at the Conference of Defence Associations, part of an increasingly powerful National Security Establishment in Ottawa. Canadian Dimension labour columnist Herman Rosenfeld analyses the anti-union campaign shaping up in Canada and laments about the weak state of the labour movement’s opposition.
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Episode 201 (February 1st 2012) – Noted health care analyst Pat Armstrong reflects on what lies behind Harper’s new health care policy. It’s not just a matter of numbers. Pensions expert Andrew Jackson shows why Harper’s pension policy is fiscally unnecessary and devastating, especially for low income seniors. Investigative journalist Martin Lukacs talks about Harper’s tar sands agenda and his efforts to sell it in Canada, the USA and Europe. He comments on the counter campaigns led by indigenous resistance movements in alliance with environmentalists, other activists and municipalities.
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Episode 200 (January 25th 2012) – Carlo Fanelli analyses what was accomplished at Toronto City Hall to limit the regressive measures introduced by Mayor Rob Ford and the shape of the battles still to come. Political scientist Dennis Pilon reflects on the history of municipal amalgamations that bring to power right-wing mayors like Rob Ford in Toronto and Larry O’Brien in Ottawa largely owing to votes from once independent outlying middle class and wealthy suburban communities that swamp the votes of those residing in the city proper. Political economist Sam Gindin unravels the European debt crisis and austerity agendas of governments everywhere and their impact on a stagnating global economy. He examines the limitations of resistance movements as they emerged in 2011 and suggests new strategies for 2012.
