~”Happy” New Year~

My salutations to you is somewhat qualified because we are far from a ‘happy’ place. The majority of us are stressed, vulnerable to climate injustice, a world where disparity runs amok, war is happening across the world, etc are just some of the pressures from where we find ourselves. So no – not happy.

This week in the Activist Agenda (Edmonton) and now being released on Thursday so you can see what might fit in your weekend. This list is constantly being updated so I do suggest that you check throughout the week for any updated actions. Visit Activist Agenda to see the latest version.

• January is Veganuary
• January 5th, Friday – Homeless Camp Teardown Witness
• January 5th, Friday – Weekly Climate Strike Ceasefire Now!
• January 5th, Friday – Weekly Coffee Outside
• January 6th, Saturday – Weekly Ceasefire Now event at the Market
• January 6th, Saturday – Climate Justice Signage Display
• January 7th, Sunday – Homeless Camp Teardown Witness
• January 7th, Sunday – March for Palestine
• January 7th, Sunday – January Diner’s Club
• January 9th, Tuesday – Homeless Camp Teardown Witness
• January 9th, Tuesday – How Winter Biking Can Build Your League’s Community
• January 10th, Wednesday – Stop the Sweeps Rally
• January 10th, Wednesday – Life Skills: Tenant Empowerment Basic Course
• January 12th, Friday – Weekly Climate Strike Ceasefire Now!
• January 12th, Friday – We the Free (WTF) Inspiring Behaviour Change | Vegan Outreach Training
• January 14th, Sunday – Brunch at Padmanadi
• January 17th, Wednesday – Digital Security Training
• January 18th, Thursday – Deep Dive: Why Freedom for Palestine is a Climate Justice Issue
• January 20th, Saturday – January Potluck
• January 21st, Sunday – Vegan Poetry Slam
• January 26th, Friday – Monthly Critical Mass Ride
• January 27th, Saturday – International Holocaust Remembrance Day
• January 27th, Saturday – Advocacy Training: Prairies Edition

Video of the Week

Important petition: https://www.ourcommons.ca/petitions/en/Petition/Sign/e-4745

January is Veganuary: One of the best decision you can make for your personal health and the health of the planet is to consume less or now meat and animal products.
You can visit Veganuary‘s website for inspiration. There are LOTS of resources there and elsewhere on the internet.

January 5th, Friday – Homeless Camp Teardown Witness: “Beginning Friday morning, December 29, evictions will hit people camping on Edmonton streets.
Edmonton Coalition on Housing and Homelessness (ECOHH) invites people to attend at this location as non-interfering witnesses to the process. The more people who understand how brutal and nasty this process is, and let others know, the greater the possibility that public pressure will push the City to find a better way to address the shame of having hundreds of people with no more shelter than a tent or tarp.
For people coming to witness, the process usually begins about 8 AM with people told to salvage whatever they can carry and leave, then police and City crew begin to take away everything else. Depending on the size of the camp, this can take three or four hours.”
Time: 8 am
Location: Kinnard Ravine (I am working on getting more specific details of the location but you could follow ECOHH on Twitter and more information might be there)
More information: Edmonton Coalition on Hosing and Homelessness (ECOHH)

January 5th, 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!
(I use the term conflict but that is not really the right word because the sides are so uneven. It is like when a protest is happening and a few people pick up bricks to throw at the authorities and then the authorities open fire on the whole crowd – and doesn’t stop. Is that a conflict or something quite different)?
Extra signs will be available for people to use – or bring your own.
Time: 8 am to 9 am
Location: 109th street and 88th Avenue
Facebook: Edmonton Climate Strike
Hashtags: #CeasefireNow

January 5th, 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

January 6th, Saturday – Weekly Ceasefire Now event at the Market: “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: 11am
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

January 6th, Saturday – Climate Justice Signage Display: I will erect these signs beside the bus stop on Gateway and 83rd Avenue. This is a static display since I normally go over and stand with a group of people doing Ceasefire Now activism in front of the market.
I will return to the signs and stand there for a period of time and talk with people if they are interested in discussing the issues.
I invite you to join me at this display of signs and you can easily stand there and talk with people to discuss the issues.
Hope to see you out to demand a change that will lessen the impact of the climate emergency we are experiencing.
Why do I have UCP on this sign? Well, they form the present government in Alberta and like all previous Alberta governments (including the NDP) have pushed the fossil fuel agenda to the detriment of the planet while knowing what impacts their actions would have on people and planet.
Time: 11 am
Location: Grass area on the NE corner of 83rd avenue and Gateway (104th Street)
Facebook: Edmonton Climate Strike

January 7th, Sunday – Homeless Camp Teardown Witness: “Beginning Friday morning, December 29, evictions will hit people camping on Edmonton streets.
Edmonton Coalition on Housing and Homelessness (ECOHH) invites people to attend at this location as non-interfering witnesses to the process. The more people who understand how brutal and nasty this process is, and let others know, the greater the possibility that public pressure will push the City to find a better way to address the shame of having hundreds of people with no more shelter than a tent or tarp.
For people coming to witness, the process usually begins about 8 AM with people told to salvage whatever they can carry and leave, then police and City crew begin to take away everything else. Depending on the size of the camp, this can take three or four hours.”
Time: 8:15 am
Location: 106 Ave east of 95 Street
More information: Edmonton Coalition on Hosing and Homelessness (ECOHH)

January 7th, Sunday – March for Palestine: Come and support a Ceasefire.
#CeasefireNow
#EndTheGenocide
#EndArmsSalesToIsrael
#LiftTheBlockade
#HumanitarianAid
#EndTheOccupation
Time: 1:30 pm
Location: Sir Winston Churchill Square, 99th Street and 102nd Avenue
Instagram: Free Palestine YEG
Twitter: Fatima

January 7th, Sunday – January Diner’s Club: “Join us in celebrating Veganuary for our first Diner’s Club of the year. We’ll be meeting at the Downtown Copper Branch location for some great food and lively conversation. RSVP’s aren’t mandatory, but are greatly appreciated.”
Time: 6:00 pm – 8:00 pm
Location: Copper Branch, 10316 Jasper Ave

January 9th, Tuesday – Homeless Camp Teardown Witness: “Beginning Friday morning, December 29, evictions will hit people camping on Edmonton streets.
Edmonton Coalition on Housing and Homelessness (ECOHH) invites people to attend at this location as non-interfering witnesses to the process. The more people who understand how brutal and nasty this process is, and let others know, the greater the possibility that public pressure will push the City to find a better way to address the shame of having hundreds of people with no more shelter than a tent or tarp.
For people coming to witness, the process usually begins about 8 AM with people told to salvage whatever they can carry and leave, then police and City crew begin to take away everything else. Depending on the size of the camp, this can take three or four hours.”
Time: 9 am
Location: Rowland Road (95St & 101a Ave)
More information: Edmonton Coalition on Hosing and Homelessness (ECOHH)

January 9th, Tuesday – How Winter Biking Can Build Your League’s Community: “Biking in winter has an incredible power to build community. If your League is looking to build connections, volunteer opportunities and take action on climate change, we’ve got a how-to workshop for you.
We’re pleased to welcome a panel of winter biking experts to help us, including:
* Isla Tanaka – City of Edmonton’s Winter City Planner and Winter Cycling Federation Board Member
* Nicola DiNicola – Fancy Women Bike Ride and Coffee Outside
* Cheryl Villetard and Chris Chan – Paths for People
In this event we will discuss:
* Myths versus realities of winter biking in Edmonton
* The community-building magic that is biking
* Tips, tricks and advice for League members to lead by example
* A thought or two on gear”
This is being organized by the Edmonton Federation of Community Leagues
Time: 6:30 PM – 8:00 PM MST
Location: Virtual
Registration: Eventbrite

January 10th, Wednesday – Stop the Sweeps Rally: “A decision at the Court of Kings Bench is expected in the coming days on a legal challenge to the bylaw empowering Edmonton police to remove encampments. Bear Claw Society Beaver Hills House calls on people to attend a rally on Wednesday morning to the City and EPS to stop the sweeps and start fighting poverty, not the poor.” 
Time: 9 am
Location: Edmonton Police Headquarters, 9620 103A Avenue 

January 10th, Wednesday – Life Skills: Tenant Empowerment Basic Course: “Renting can be complicated. The Tenant Empowerment Basic Course can make it easier. Take this FREE course offered by the City of Edmonton and its partners to learn skills on how to become a great tenant and navigate the rental market.
This 3-hour FREE course will give you the knowledge and tools you need to find the right and keep the right housing for you.”
I sure hope that they mention about activism and rent control in this course. See our list of resources on our webpage.
Time: 10:30 am – 1:30 pm
Location: Edmonton Public Library, Stanley A. Milner (Downtown), 7 Sir Winston Churchill Square Centennial Plaza
Registration: Edmonton Public Library

January 12th, 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!
(I use the term conflict but that is not really the right word because the sides are so uneven. It is like when a protest is happening and a few people pick up bricks to throw at the authorities and then the authorities open fire on the whole crowd – and doesn’t stop. Is that a conflict or something quite different)?
Extra signs will be available for people to use – or bring your own.
Time: 8 am to 9 am
Location: 109th street and 88th Avenue
Facebook: Edmonton Climate Strike
Hashtags: #CeasefireNow

January 12th, Friday – We the Free (WTF) Inspiring Behaviour Change | Vegan Outreach Training: [Most of us are passionate about an issue but we are not comfortable discussing it with people. Courses like this (and others in the Deep Canvassing vein) help us learn techniques that help us have an exchange with a person without loosing it and perhaps sharing information with that person. This skill will be easily transferable to any other subject.]
“This training is ideal for those who advocate on behalf of nonhuman animals to friends, family, and strangers. In this training you will learn:
++ How to avoid debates and arguments
++ How to reduce defensiveness in others
++ How to manage other people’s egos
++ How to help people explore their values (what questions to ask)
++ How to help people align their actions with their values
++ The training will be approximately 2 hours, followed by a 1-hour Q and A session.”
Time: 5 – 8pm MST
Location: Virtual
Registration: Eventbrite

January 14th, Sunday – Brunch at Padmanadi: “Join us for our first brunch of the year held at the downtown Padmanadi location. Everyone is welcome to come and enjoy some great conversation and extraordinary food.”
Time: 11:00 am – 1:00 pm
Location: Padmanadi 10740 101 Street

January 17th, Wednesday – Digital Security Training: “Worries about digital security can be a considerable cause of anxiety for organisers and activists.
In this session we will work together on how to have a constructive conversation about digital security risks and preventing them. We’ll look at what security professionals call ‘threat modelling’ and how it can be used in an organising context. The session will also include a refresher on security basics and some practical advice on rolling out these basics across your grassroots groups and organisations.
This session will be facilitated by Alex Worrad-Andrews from Common Knowledge. Alex is a software consultant with more than ten years of industry experience. He worked as a senior software engineer in major startups in London then moved into the tech for good space, working with tech cooperative Outlandish and Lightful, a technology company powering social and environmental change. Alex has worked as a strategy advisor to a range of campaigns and organisations at different scales, from national-level campaign strategy for political parties to grassroots anti-deportation campaigns, an area where he began his organising journey more than 15 years ago.
Time: 11am MST (but confirm that when you register) 2 hours
Location: Online
Register: Tipping Point – Action Network

January 18th, Thursday – Deep Dive: Why Freedom for Palestine is a Climate Justice Issue: “Following on from our weekly series Climate Justice Power Hour for Palestine, join us for a deep dive on why freedom for Palestine is a climate justice issue.
We’ll:
++ Create a learning space to recognise how the Palestinian struggle is also a struggle for climate justice rooted in the same systems of oppression and power
++ Explore Palestine’s liberation struggle through the lenses of climate reparations, and reparations campaigns coming from movement spaces in the global south
++ Inspire collaborations and solidarity between people and organisations working across these two movements
Time: 11am MST (but confirm that when you register) 2 hours
Location: Online
Register: Tipping Point – Action Network

January 20th, Saturday – January Potluck: “Join us for our first potluck of the year being held at the Riverdale Rinkhouse (smaller building). Bring your own plates, cutlery ,beverage and serving spoon plus a favourite vegan potluck dish to serve at least 6 people (per adult attending). Everyone is welcome! Cost is $3 for members or $5 for non-members.”
Time: 5:30 pm – 7:00 pm
Location: Riverdale Community League 9231 100 Ave

January 21st, Sunday – Vegan Poetry Slam: “The Edmonton Vegan Activists we will be doing our first Vegan Poetry Slam!
Die Pie has generously given us their space to utilize as a Fundraising event for Farm Animal Rescue & Rehoming Movement – FARRM and the Edmonton Vegan Activists.
You MUST be vegan in order to read a poem. If you are too shy to read your poem, you can find someone of your choosing to read it for you. However keep in mind that one of the things you will be judged on is performance, so make sure that person “feels” your words and portrays those emotions when reading. This will give people from out of town an opportunity to have their words heard.
The winner will be chosen by the audience in a ballot form voting style, not by a show of hands.
The prize will be an assortment of goodies.
We will have 50/50’s so everyone has a chance to win a prize and we will have our first Auction! I will start to list them in January.
This is an event that hopes to bring together the community with good food, delicious music, laughter, and some more food. How can you go wrong?
If you would like to donate for the auction, register to read or have any questions or concerns, please reach out at : veganpoet1973@gmail.com”
Time: 5pm
Location: Die Pie, 11817 – 105th Avenue

January 24th, Wednesday – Tucker Carlson Live: Premiere Danielle Smith is going to be on stage with this right wing extremist. This man promoted an invasion of Canada, is very pro-gun, supporter of the January 6th insurrection, climate change denier, etc.
Time: 12 noon to 4pm
Location: Calgary TELUS Convention Centre, 136 8 Ave SE, Calgary

January 24th, Wednesday – Tucker Carlson Live: Premiere Danielle Smith is going to be on stage with this right wing extremist in Calgary but not in Edmonton (from what I have heard so far). This man promoted an invasion of Canada, is very pro-gun, supporter of the January 6th insurrection, climate change denier, etc.
Time: 7:30pm to 11:30pm
Location: Roger’s Place, 10220 104 Ave NW, Edmonton

January 26th, Friday – Monthly Critical Mass Ride: “The first ride of the new year.
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).
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”
Critical Mass Rides are held in many large cities across the world – mostly in North America and Europe.
Time: we leave the square at 5:30 pm
Location: We start at Sir Winston Churchill Square and cycle to Old Strathcona (usually 103rd Street and 82nd Avenue)
Facebook: Critical Mass Ride

January 27th, Saturday – International Holocaust Remembrance Day: Humanity has many things to be proud of and many to be ashamed of. We need to be vigilant to ensure that we reduce those incidents that future generations will be ashamed to associate with. We need to take action – every moment of our lives to ensure we arrive at a world that is fair, just, respectable, balanced, healthy, and equitable.
“Never again – means now”. Be a Better Ancestor.
Canadian Website: Government of Canada
International website: UNESCO

January 27th, Saturday – Advocacy Training: Prairies Edition: “Are you worried about climate change but are not sure how to make a difference? Whether you’re an individual eager to communicate about climate change in your community, feeling isolated and seeking connections others, or interested in organizing for action, this training is for you! You will learn the basics, hear about inspiring organizations and people who are making a difference on the Prairies, and have a chance to work in small groups led by mentors dedicated to fostering your learning.”
Register: The Climate Reality Project Canada

---

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.
• Bye Nye the Science Guy is coming to Edmonton on March 2nd. “In his new live stage show, “The End Is Nye”, Bill Nye the Science Guy will be discussing climate change, natural disasters, and how we, all of us, can make the world a better place…with science! All delivered in the unique, hilarious, and fun way that only Bill Nye the Science Guy can.
  Engineer, comedian, author, and inventor, audiences revere this good-natured Renaissance man’s infectious blend of humour, intellectual curiosity, and devotion to solving some of the world’s most complex challenges through science. You don’t want to miss this!”
  Perhaps some group could use this event as a place to present local climate action to the crowd of people that will be showing up and not activists yet. I think his skit on John Oliver was brilliant and said it like it is.

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.

If you subscribe you get a notification when a new version of the Activist Agenda is created.