This week in the Activist Agenda (Edmonton) and now being released on Thursday so you can see what might fit in your weekend:

• December 15th, Friday – Weekly Climate Strike Ceasefire Now!
• December 15th, Friday – Weekly Coffee Outside
• December 16th, Saturday – All Out for Gaza
• December 16th, Saturday – Ceasefire Now Gather for Peace
• December 16th, Saturday – EDMONTON PROTEST/HEALTH CARE FORUM
• December 17th, Sunday – December Vegan Potluck
• December 18th, Monday – MP Day of Action
• December 22nd, Friday – Weekly Climate Strike Ceasefire Now!
• December 22nd, Friday – Weekly Coffee Outside
• December 23rd, Saturday – Ceasefire Now Gather for Peace
• December 29th, Friday – Pride Corner Winter Meet-Up
• December 29th, Friday – Weekly Coffee Outside
• December 29th, Friday – Edmonton Critical Mass Ride With Pride

I may be posting some items that are for information purposes only. These are in case anyone reading this would like to show up as a counter-protest to the actions, learn about how groups like Take Back Alberta are mobilizing, etc. They are better organized in many cases. I have highlighted these items with a gray background as exemplified by this paragraph.
This article in the National Observer shows some of their tactics. This is not only about climate change and 15-minute cities but many of our social tenants are being pushed to align more to the far-right ideology complete with the religious overtones.
Check out this video by Take Back Alberta lead spokesperson David Parke to hear what they envision for Alberta.

Video of the Week

December 15th, Friday – Weekly Climate Strike Ceasefire Now!: A weekly reminder to Edmontonians that we are in a Climate Emergency.
Because of the immediacy of situation of the Israel/Hamas conflict we will be using our time at these strikes to focus on Ceasefire Now. The world has dragged its feet on taking acting on the Climate Breakdown for 5 decades I don’t think it will matter much if we shift our time for a bit to Ceasefire Now!
Extra signs will be available for people to use – or bring your own.
This is to promote the event that is happening on Saturday at 2 pm (see below)
Time: 8 am to 9 am
Location: 109th street and 88th Avenue
Facebook: Edmonton Climate Strike
Hashtags: #CeasefireNOw #ClimateEmegency #ClimateJustice #EcologicalBreakdown

December 15th, Friday – Weekly Coffee Outside: “Edmonton’s outdoor coffee club. We meet every Friday, rain, snow or shine between 7 & 9 am at Ezio Faraone Park.”
Time: 7 to 9 am
Location: Ezio Faraone Park, Edmonton
Twitter: YEG Coffee Outside

December 16th, Saturday – Ceasefire Now Gather for Peace: “We will stand together in solidarity with people around the world calling for an immediate Ceasefire Now in all conflict zones and all parties work towards a just, respectful, and long-lasting peace.”
Time: 12pm
Location: Old Strathcona Farmer’s Market, 10310 – 83rd Avenue
Facebook: Gather in Peace

December 16th, Saturday – All Out for Gaza: “Since the beginning of October, at least 278 health workers have been killed, at least 38 health workers have been kidnapped, and 26 out of the 35 hospitals in Gaza have been left non-functional by Israel’s attacks.
Join us on Saturday at 1pm at Paul Kane Park to rally for Gaza as part of worldwide rallies led by healthcare workers.
✊🏽The rally is open to all community members
🩺 The rally this week will be led by healthcare workers. If you are a healthcare worker, please join us in your work attire
🧤 Please bring a donation of mittens and gloves to support Tawaw outreach collective
We call on everyone to join us in this rally in solidarity with the health workers of Gaza and around the world to demand:
* An immediate and permanent ceasefire
* An end to the targeting of hospitals and health workers
* An end to the siege on Gaza
* An end to the occupation and system of apartheid”
Time: 1pm
Location: Paul Kane Park, 10220 – 121st Street
Instagram: Free Palestine YEG

December 16th, Saturday – EDMONTON PROTEST/HEALTH CARE FORUM: Tired of long ER wait times?
“We are a group of concerned citizens who are fed up with the government’s dismantling of our public health care system. We are organizing a peaceful protest at The Alberta Legislature Saturday, December 16, 2023, to voice our opposition to the government’s plans to dismantle AHS, privatize care homes, and sell off AHS assets to private corporations.
The Citizens Health Care Forum is a protest hosted by OneAlberta and PoPAB to demand more transparency from the government of Alberta. We believe this vision is flawed, harmful, and driven by ideology rather than evidence. We want to send a clear message to the government that we do not support their agenda, and we demand better health care for all Albertans.
We invite you to join us at the protest, which will take place outside The Alberta Legislature, where the protest is being held. We will gather at 10:30AM, when we will hold signs, chant slogans, and hear from speakers. Our goal is to inform and educate people about what is happening, and how detrimental it is to public health care.
We need your support to make this protest a success. Please spread the word to your friends, family, and colleagues, and bring them along. You can also follow us on Twitter and Instagram for updates and information. Together, we can make a difference and protect our health care system.”
Time: 10:30am -12:30pm
Location: East Steps (the ones facing 107th Street), The Alberta Legislature, 10800 97 Avenue Northwest, Edmonton. The bus transit station is about 500M to the north and the 109th Street LRT station is about 600M to the NW.
Website: One Alberta
Twitter: One Alberta
Reddit: One Alberta

December 16th, Saturday – Marshal Training: Here is an opportunity to participate in some valuable training. Every event needs people to volunteer for a lot of roles and one of the unsung sector is that of people that take on the duties of marshals/stewards/ushers/security.
Here is an opportunity to learn from some experienced people what marshalling entails, how to set up internal roles, etc. There may be even some information about route planning and such.
Time: 3pm MST
Location: Online
Registration: Zoom

December 17th, Sunday – December Vegan Potluck: What better way to celebrate the season than with good people, great food, and no dead animals on your plate.
“Bring your own plates, cutlery, beverage and serving spoon(s) plus a vegan potluck dish to serve at least 6 people (per adult attending).
Everyone is welcome!
No cost for December’s potluck!
(The regular fee is to help cover the hall’s cost and since this is at a private home we don’t need any payments)
Time: 5:30 pm
Location: private home in Riverdale. Please email Margaret at margdmarean@gmail.com for the address.

December 18th, Monday – MP Day of Action: MPs will once again be back in the constituencies and their local offices. The Palestinian Youth Movement is calling for a day of action to demand that they support a ceasefire in Gaza.
Time: 5pm
Location: 10235 – 124th Street

December 22nd, Friday – Weekly Climate Strike Ceasefire Now!: A weekly reminder to Edmontonians that we are in a Climate Emergency.
Because of the immediacy of situation of the Israel/Hamas conflict we will be using our time at these strikes to focus on Ceasefire Now. The world has dragged its feet on taking acting on the Climate Breakdown for 5 decades I don’t think it will matter much if we shift our time for a bit to Ceasefire Now!
Extra signs will be available for people to use – or bring your own.
This is to promote the event that is happening on Saturday at 2 pm (see below)
Time: 8 am to 9 am
Location: 109th street and 88th Avenue
Facebook: Edmonton Climate Strike
Hashtags: #ClimateEmegency #ClimateJustice #EcologicalBreakdown

December 22nd, Friday – Weekly Coffee Outside: “Edmonton’s outdoor coffee club. We meet every Friday, rain, snow or shine between 7 & 9 am at Ezio Faraone Park.”
Time: 7 to 9 am
Location: Ezio Faraone Park, Edmonton
Twitter: YEG Coffee Outside

December 23rd, Saturday – Ceasefire Now Gather for Peace: “We will stand together in solidarity with people around the world calling for an immediate Ceasefire Now in all conflict zones and all parties work towards a just, respectful, and long-lasting peace.”
Time: 10am
Location: Old Strathcona Farmer’s Market, 10310 – 83rd Avenue. I made a What Three Words for the exact location where we normally stand. If we move away from this spot we will be noticeable and easy to find.
Facebook: Gather in Peace

December 29th, Friday – Pride Corner Winter Meet-Up: “We want to ensure everyone is aware of our upcoming schedule changes!
November through April, we will be decreasing our gatherings to the last Friday of each month with reduced hours of 4:30-6:30 pm.
This is for a number of reasons, one being that it is just too cold to be out there for long!
Another being that we need a break from organizing our very busy spring and summer, and to allow regrouping and rest before May rolls around again.
We are hoping to plan a few indoor hangouts over the winter months, and already have something VERY exciting lined up for March! Stay tuned here for details.”
Time: 4:30 pm to 6:30 pm
Location: Though Pride Corner is location at the SE corner of 104th Street (Calgary Trail) and 82nd Avenue (Whyte) they gather normally gather at 103rd Street (Gateway) and 82nd Avenue (Whyte). If you don’t see them at one location then check the other.

December 29th, Friday – Weekly Coffee Outside: “Edmonton’s outdoor coffee club. We meet every Friday, rain, snow or shine between 7 & 9 am at Ezio Faraone Park.”
Time: 7 to 9 am
Location: Ezio Faraone Park, Edmonton
Twitter: YEG Coffee Outside

December 29th, Friday – Edmonton Critical Mass Ride With Pride: “Critical Mass rides are to make visible the number of cyclists in a city and remind city administrators that we require safe, smart, and effective infrastructure to all us to use our bicycles (or other human-powered devices).
We will join the people at Pride Corner for their last gathering of 2023 – ergo, the Ride with Pride theme. Lights, glam, flags, etc are all encouraged.
Bring noise makers, lights, signs/messages (if safe to do so), cameras, etc and join your community in a celebration of the intelligence of the bicycle.
The route will likely be about 8 kms. There could be a social afterwards.
Please check back for updates before the event 
Time: We will leave Sir Winston Churchill Square at 5:30pm
Location: Sir Winston Churchill Square, 103rd Avenue and 99th Street
Facebook: Edmonton Critical Mass Ride

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Start Planning for the Future

There are global days of action happening throughout the world. Edmonton can participate in these actions – all it takes is you.

• February 5th – 9th – International Week at the University of Alberta: “A warming globe, increasing numbers of refugees and displaced persons, gender disparity, economic inequalities, freshwater shortages, famine, war… We are bombarded with these issues and many others facing the planet and its inhabitants daily. 
  To address these issues, the UN established the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) to be achieved by 2030. The Goals, adopted in 2015, call on governments and civil society worldwide to address the world’s most pressing issues, from poverty and education to health and the environment.
  I-Week is a chance to hear international and local perspectives on global issues. On February 5-9, 2024, International Week speakers connected their work to the SDGs. 
  U of A’s annual International Week is an incubator of ideas and a source of inspiration for us to work together for a better world. Stay tuned for updates on I-Week 2024.
• 2024 YEG Winter Cycling Congress is happening in Edmonton this year: “Join us in February 2024 [22nd to 24th] for an unforgettable multi-day event filled with informative sessions, bicycle excursions, and a community of passionate winter cyclists. Discover new possibilities while exploring the cycling-friendly city of Edmonton. Don’t miss out on this unique opportunity to connect with fellow enthusiasts and learn from experts in the field.” [I think the “cycling -friendly” is a bit of a stretch – Michael].
  You can register here. Early bird rate is only until September 30th, 2023 so if you want to save a bit of money because the 450$ could be a bit of a deterrent. Mind you, if you go as a representative of a non-profit group the cost is only 200$. Good time to step up as your Community League cycling advocate and representative.

Petitions/Letter writing

To trim this page down a bit I have moved the petitions to their own page.

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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