I have put up several pages of information to help people get involved in the activist scene in Edmonton. Check out the main page to see a list of resources and information (it is a work in progress).
The idea of the Activist Agenda is to be a central hub of information to help people access that information so that they can become involved. It is focused on activism and community in Edmonton and area.
Why are some festivals and events listed here like the Filipino and African festivals? Because it is about diversity, inclusion, and building cross-ethnic communities.

Issues presently posted on this website. Easy access to groups and information to get involved – getting active (with more to come):

• Animal Rights/Welfare/Diet
• Climate Change
• Environment – General
• Food
• Media
• Peace
• Racism
• Social Justice
• Transportation/Mobility
• Waste/Littering/Plastic Pollution

This is an American list but many of the days transfer to Canada. From earthlyeducation

🌊 National Oceans Month – June (US)
🐝 National Pollinators Month – June (US)
🏞️ National Rivers Month – June (US)
🌹 National Rose Month – June (US)
💚 National Grasslands Week – June 18-24 (US)
🐶 Animal Rights Awareness Week – June 19-25 (US)
🐞 Insect Week – June 19-25 (UK)
🐝 National Pollinator Week – June 19-25 (US)
🦒 World Giraffe Day – June 21 (US)
🌳 World Rainforest Day – June 22 (US)

June 2023 is Bike Month in Edmonton – Bike Edmonton is hosting several events throughout the city. The City of Edmonton also has a list of events on its webpage.

• June 1-30: In celebration of Bike Month, the Edmonton Federation of Community Leagues is hosting a friendly competition between community leagues. They will record the number of kilometres each community member cycles and there are rewards. Find out how to register at their website.
• June 17-18: Edmonton BMX | Edmonton Provincial 1 & 2
• June 23-26: Canadian Road Cycling Championships
• June 25: Do North Events | Edmonton Urban Fondo

June is Pride Month in Edmonton. It seems that there is still problems facing Pride Edmonton and there won’t be a parade this year. There is going to be a festival on August 18-26th – see Edmonton Pride Festival. That being said there are going to be some events throughout the month. See below.

June 18th, Sunday Father’s Day – you know what to do. Perhaps do something out of the ordinary this year. Have a chat with your father about whether you have fears for the future. Does Climate Change threaten you and your future? Have the conversation.

June 19th, Monday Vigil for Regan Russell – Join us for this all-day Vigil for Regan Russell and the animals that are being murdered inside Lilydale. There will be a food giveaway, outreach, and music and we will be handing out flyers to workers as well. Come and pay your respects.
Event Page: Facebook
Location: 7727 127th avenue

June 19th and 20th, A Well-Being Economy for Alberta: Healthy People, Healthy Planet (Virtual event – Parkland Conference) – “Albertans’ health and well-being are fundamentally shaped by the conditions in which we are born, grow, live, work, and age, and how fairly those conditions are distributed and experienced. This includes the quality and integrity of our natural environments. 
Our current economic system does not support healthy people and a healthy planet. Neoliberal capitalism prioritizes relentless growth and private profit to benefit the few to the detriment of the many. It does so in large part by driving policies that justify cuts to public services such as high-quality education, health care, and transit; and subsidies for activities that destroy our ecosystems upon which all life depends.  Inequalities in wealth and power are a feature of this system, not a bug; unequal health outcomes are a byproduct that in turn reproduces political, social, and financial disparities.
We need an alternative. A well-being economy re-imagines the purpose of our economy and society to place quality of life for everyone and the sustainability of our planet at the centre. It invites us to expand our imaginations of what is possible. It brings together different sectors, disciplines, and perspectives to offer a bold, coherent vision for the type of society we wish to have. 
This virtual conference will provide a forum for mobilization and implementation (‘nuts and bolts’) of a well-being economy. While focusing on Alberta’s unique context, we hope to generate enthusiasm and practical models for imagining an economy that works for everyone – everywhere.
Location: Virtual
Register: (Free) Register now for A  Well-Being Economy for Alberta: Healthy People, Healthy Planet.

June 20th, Tuesday Edmonton’s Zoning Bylaw Renewal City Council’s Urban Planning Committee – the zoning bylaw is in the process of being redrawn. There are at least two camps on this issue.
One camp that says that it will spoil the heritage, feel, remove trees, change the community character/mix/diversity of fairly stable communities, sometimes called NIMBY (Not in My Back Yard) because they don’t want the higher density (more cars, etc), etc. Here is a letter in the Edmonton Journal written by Kevin Taft from this perspective.
The other camp, wants many of the items in the proposed new zoning bylaws to proceed since they see that higher density means a more robust city core and neighbourhoods, a welcomed diversity, a shift in the blah of some neighbourhoods, etc. See this letter to the Edmonton Journal for an explanation from this point of view.
The winners in all of this will be the Infill developers. They can split lots (they have been doing this for quite a while), build 4 and 8-plex housing in traditional detached neighbourhoods, multi-storied apartment buildings, etc. They will be able to put more people on less land. The downside of this is that new housing stock will be more expensive (though not as expensive as a new single-detached home in the same place).
If you don’t like what they are doing you might want to check out the event on June 23rd where they are holding their 10th-anniversary celebration (yes, just three days after this decision that is likely to reap them a shit load of profit).
I would also like to know that the new buildings are built to a very high level of energy efficiency – net-zero or better.
Register: you can register to speak at the committee through this link

June 21st – Summer Solstice at 8:57 am – the start of summer. A time to honour and recognize the natural cycle of light, seasons, etc.

June 21 is Show Your Stipes Day (#ShowYourStripes) day – “spread awareness about climate change using the iconic ‘warming stripes’ graphics showing temperature trends over the last 100+ years.” The following climate scarf is for Canada 1881 – 2022.

June 21st, Wednesday National Indigenous Peoples Day – Celebrate National Indigenous Day and the rich contributions First Nations, Inuit, and Métis peoples have made to Canada.

June 21st, Wednesday National Indigenous Peoples Day at the Bissell Centre – “Join participants, volunteers, and staff on June 21st to celebrate the rich, diverse Indigenous community here in Edmonton.
This 2023 National Indigenous Peoples Day celebration will feature food, crafts, performances, and more.”
URL: Bissell Centre
Time: 10 am to 3 pm
Location: Outside in front of Bissell: 10527 96 St. NW
Cost: Free

June 21st, Wednesday National Indigenous Peoples Day at the Art Gallery of Alberta – “National Indigenous Peoples Day recognizes and celebrates the unique heritage, diverse cultures and outstanding contributions of First Nations, Inuit, and Métis peoples. In recognition of this day, the AGA invites the public to enjoy our exhibitions.”
URL: Art Gallery of Alberta
Time: 11 am to 5 pm.
Location: 2 Sir Winston Churchill Square
Cost: Free but registration at this Art Gallery of Alberta

June 23rd, 10th Anniversary of Infill Development in Edmonton Association (IDEA) – “was founded in 2013 with a vision of a more sustainable Edmonton supported by robust infill and urban redevelopment. At the time, infill was barely a drop in the development bucket. ⁠Now, ten years later, the demand for infill is growing and is a top priority for the municipal government. Join IDEA and the real estate development community in celebration of 10 years on June 23 at the newly renovated Royal Glenora Club!”
Location: Braemar Ballroom, Royal Glenora Club at 11160 River Valley Rd NW
Tickets: from 31.15$ available through this Eventbrite site

June 24th, Saturday Will Tech Save Us? An Evening with Paris Marx from 6 pm to 9 pm – “A live conversation and Q&A with author and critical commentator Paris Marx.
Paris has written about cities, technology, and climate change, and is a host of the wildly successful podcast, Tech Won’t Save Us.”
Location: TBD
Registration: Free at Michael Janz’s website

June 24th, Saturday Rally in Support of Uganda’s 2SLGBTQ+ Community at 1 pm – “Stand with RaricaNow as we support our 2SLGBTIQ+ community in Uganda.”
Location: Beaver Hills House Park (Amiskwaskahegan) 105th Street and Jasper Avenue

June 24th, Saturday – VegFest Edmonton from 11 am-7 pm, Borden Park
VegFest Edmonton is excited to finally bring back your favourite all-plant-based and family-friendly event to Edmonton!
You can look forward to mouth-watering plant-based food, dazzling merch, environmentally friendly vendors, our beloved vegan DJ Johnny Infamous, a Beer Garden, Veggie Kid Zone and so much more at this year’s new location!
 And you betcha… as it’s in a public park, this year’s event is dog friendly! 
They are looking for volunteers to help out with the events so if you are able to help sign up for a volunteer shift.
You will likely eat something when you are there – it is all about food. Please consider taking your own plate/container, utensils, water bottle, and mug. Being vegan/plant-based is one of the best things you can do for the planet but reducing your waste stream is also a good goal.

June 24th, Saturday PRIDE – All Ages Drag Show from 5:00 PM – 9:30 PM – This is a fundraiser for DYS and Cinderella’s Drag Closet.
Location: Held at the Unitarian Church of Edmonton 10804-119st (side blue doors)
Tickets: at Eventbrite

June 24th, Saturday Big Bin and Freecyling Event – “so bring any large items that you have been itching to liberate from your home. In an effort to divert useful items from the landfill, we will also be running a freecycling event again this year.
We are always happy to see unwanted items find a new life with someone else. That’s the way the planet likes it.
Location: Strathcona Community League Parking Lot, 10139 87 Avenue
Time: 9:00 am to 3:00 pm

June 25th, Sunday Vintage Bike Ride – have a vintage bike? Then come out and ride it with others who have similar bicycles. Bicycles are forever.
Location: Machester Squareat 3 pm

June 27th, Tuesday Jann Arden and her Adventures in Animal Activism from 7 – 8:15 pm ET – event hosted by ANIMAL JUSTICE ACADEMY. This is a Q&A with the multi-platinum singer/songwriter, actor, & author. “Jann Arden is a Canadian icon… She’s an award-winning singer/songwriter, she’s had her own hit TV series on CTV, and in the last few years she’s started to bring her huge heart, talent, and audience to animal rights.”
Location: Virtual – note that it is ET (Eastern Time)
Register: Animal Justice Academy website
Cost: Free

June 27th, Tuesday Canadian Multiculturalism Day – “honours the many cultural communities that help build a strong and vibrant Canadian society. Take this opportunity to celebrate the cultural diversity that enriches us collectively and reaffirm your commitment to equity, inclusion, and mutual respect.” from this site.

June 28th, Wednesday Canada is Burning Day of Action – Climate Justice Edmonton is collaborating with 350.org on this day of action. Details will be announced through their social media pages – Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter.

July 1st Edmonton’s Single-Use Item Reduction Bylaw – this has been a long time in the making and many of us have been waiting for this bylaw. BIG shout-out to Waste Free Edmonton for pushing this for several years. It is not perfect but is a good step in the right direction – a reduction of single-use disposable items. A win for the environment.
Check out the Activist Agenda page on Waste/Littering/Plastic Pollution

July 8th, Saturday What’s Next: Post-Election Community Summit from 10:00 am to 5 pm – Public Interest Alberta is putting on this event. “Whether you were working on a local election, put your name forward as a candidate, or cast a ballot, I know it’s been an intense election for everyone. Thank you for everything you did over the past weeks and months to make sure the public interest was on the radar in the election.
It’s clear this is not the outcome many of us were hoping for. Yet again, we’re facing a government whose regressive agenda of cuts, privatization, and chaos has made our lives worse.”
So, what’s next? What do we do now? 
Location: McDougall United Church, 10086 MacDonald Drive NW
Register: at this Public Interest Alberta website

Political Survey

I am sure that most of you know we had an election just over a month ago. Out of curiosity, I did the Vote Compass assessment.
The company behind the Vote Compass (Vox Pop Labs) is doing a follow up survey. They say it takes between 15 to 20 minutes.
Here is the link if you are interested.

Information and Suggestions

If you are interested in municipal politics then I suggest checking out the “Speaking Municipally” podcast made by Mack Male and Troy Pavlek. They really keep an eye on our city council. Mack Male is also part of the team that produces Taproot which is a great source for what is happening municipally.

If you are Facebook, check out the Edmonton Activist Calendar page.

Please share information with me so that I can populate this with more details and information. I intend to eventually get it so that it is emailed out to people and have a better site but for now, this is what I have to offer you.

Smoke filters and improved indoor air quality – Smoke inhalation is very bad for our health. You might want to build one or more of these filters for your home or office. They cost about 60-100$ to build (it depends on where you buy your filters and fans from and you have to make sure that they are MERV-13 rated – or better). I have built several of them over the years and they work well and are easy to put together. Pay attention to airflow with the orientation of your filters and fan.

Edmonton Tool Library – a great resource for sharing tools and resources within our community. Check them out. They are also looking for volunteers to join their team.

Investing in Solar?
Solar Power Investment Cooperative of Edmonton (SPICE) makes this easy at the grassroots and organic levels. Check out how you can invest in solar installations. Solar is a climate solution and when combined with demand-side management can have a significant impact.

Petitions/Letter writing – petitions can be an effective way to raise awareness of an issue and sometimes they even work. Here is a list of present ongoing petitions in Canada that I wish to highlight:

• 8 coal mining projects threaten the Rocky Mountains. If approved, open-pit mining will contaminate the source of water for millions of people across the Prairies. Click here to send a letter.
• Tax the Rich petition. A small increase in taxation of the rich (a wealth tax) could go far to address the shortfall we are facing in government revenue AND be earmarked for healthcare and climate change action. This could be ten of billions of dollars in Canada.
• Stop Canada’s Federal Ag Gag Bill – There’s a dangerous agricultural gag bill (also known as “ag-gag”) in Parliament that could jail undercover investigators and other animal advocates who expose animal cruelty behind the closed doors of farms.
• Let’s Get Indigenous Communities Safe, Clean Drinking Water Now. FFS.
• Designate Rapid Support Forces (Janjaweed) in Sudan as a Terrorist Organization – you might remember the documentary “The Devil Came on Horseback” (this is only a short video but you can see more on the internet. Last week I stood with a group of Sudanese calling for an end to the conflict in Darfur.
• Fossil Fuel Non-Proliferation Treaty – Federal petition open until July 14th, 2023
• Plant Based Treaty – this portal will help you send a letter to your city councillors
• Ban on advertising – a comprehensive ban on advertising, sponsorship, and promotion of fossil fuel companies, products, and services (including gasoline, gas utilities, and internal combustion engine vehicles) to protect public health – Federal petition (e-4469). Open until September 28th, 2023
• End all fossil fuel subsidies – Federal petition open until July 27th, 2023
• stop open-pit gold mining in Nova Scotia and across Canada – Federal petition open until August 3rd, 2023
• Drug use and Harm Reduction – Federal Petition open until July 14th, 2023
• Old Growth – Federal Petition open until June 27th, 2023
• Tell These Airlines to Stop Shipping Endangered Monkeys to Their Deaths
• Make Mental Health Accessible To All Canadian’s Through Our Universal Health Care System
• Call Upon John Horgan to Check Every Indian Residential School in British Columbia – I think this should be a Federal petition since this jurisdiction falls under their mandate but it is a good start.
• No raises for public servants until the minimum wage is a living wage! – every segment of the workforce will tend to stand up for what they will benefit from taking action. We need a living wage/universal basic income right across our country.
• STOP BIG OIL FROM POLLUTING OUR CLIMATE –
• Tax Big Oil to Fund a Just Transition – Canada’s oil and gas sector tripled its profits in 2022. Our governments give Big Oil subsidies and allow them to make trillions of dollars in profit while they drive the climate crisis.
• WORKERS NEED A FAIR DEAL AS THEY BUILD OUR SUSTAINABLE FUTURE – TELL THE GOVERNMENT NOW
• Sink the fossil fuel industry’s plan!
• Email Trans Mountain’s insurers: Drop the pipeline now!
• Reject forest biomass as a false climate solution
• Stop toxic tailings pollution
• Stop Executions of Activists in Iran
• RESPECT INDIGENOUS RIGHTS ON WET’SUWET’EN TERRITORY

Volunteering

VegFest 2023 – VOLUNTEERS STILL NEEDED for VegFest 2023 on June 24th!
If you are able to help out on Saturday, June 24th, anywhere from 11 am – 7 pm, please sign up at this link.
We need our community to come together and help us pull this off! There are some very dedicated people working their butts off, so let’s help them out by picking up a shift. Let’s come together and show the City of Edmonton just how awesome our Vegan Community really is!

Casino Volunteering – most charities, non-profit groups (NGOs), and other organizations conduct casinos to help them out with their funding. I recently read this in a newsletter: “It was calculated that each volunteer hour generated $640 in funding to Argyll”. (This is a sizeable amount of money – I used to say that each volunteer shift provided the NGO with about 2,000$. Great return on time for the volunteer’s time.)
What can you legally do that could bring in this kind of funds for a group that you support or what to see stay solvent?
Your community league, your child’s school/kindergarten, your church, community league, etc are always looking for volunteers. The local environmental group, the groups that feed people on the streets, etc also need your participation in casinos (if they do them).

Paths for People are looking for new board members. Please complete this document for consideration.

Employment

• COMMUNITY EVENTS & PROGRAMS COORDINATOR – Ritchie Community League. Closes June 23rd, 2023

Please send things that should be on this list to michael.kalmanovitch@gmail.com

Disclaimer – the Activist Agenda tries to ensure that the information contained within it is accurate but mistakes do happen. Please double-check events and information that are relevant to you to make sure you have the correct date, time, location, and any other relevant information.

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