Tag: Ontario

Woodstein Media Podcast episode one: Joe Amero talks harm reduction

Posted on by Colin Burrowes

Joe Amero, a social worker in the Toronto shelter system, discusses his history of drug use and harm reduction. Joe discusses how his brother Harry’s overdose affected his family and how he dealt with his feeling through a one-person show he wrote titled Blood, the Drug User Liberation Front’s compassion club actions where they distribute a clean supply of drugs to help stop overdoses due to drugs contaminated with Fentanyl, Drugs! The Musical, the Telethon! and songs by Hobo Banditos, the Hip Hop band he and Harry were in.

Roller derby will bounce back, skates are already hitting the track: Hogtown edition

Posted on by Colin Burrowes

As pandemic-related restrictions loosen, many people across Ontario and beyond hope to lace up their roller skates and hit the roller derby track again. This series of articles will check in with teams as they prepare for some action in 2022-23. This time, Hogtown Roller Derby’s Emily Fowler, whom some people in the derby community might know better as Holly de Havilland, shares an update on the rebound of roller derby in Toronto, or if you prefer, Hogtown.

Stratford 2SLGBTQIA+ community discuss actions to counter rise in hate-related crimes & incidents: acculturation

Posted on by Colin Burrowes

After homophobic vandalism was discovered at Sirkel Foods in Stratford on the morning of Nov. 1, a meeting was planned at the Stratford Pride Community Centre (SPCC) to allow the community to discuss their feelings, thoughts and fears with representatives from Stratford Police Services, City of Stratford council and the Stratford City Centre Business Improvement Area (BIA).

This is the final installment in a series of articles documenting the discussion of how police investigate hate-motivated incidents and what the city and the public can do to help make the community more welcoming and inclusive for all people.

Roller derby will bounce back, skates are already hitting the track: Guelph edition

Posted on by Colin Burrowes

As pandemic-related restrictions loosen, many people across Ontario and beyond are hoping they can lace up their roller skates and hit the roller derby track again. This series of articles will check in with teams as they prepare for some action in 2022-23. This time, Royal City Roller Derby’s Steph Ziegler, whom some people in the derby community might know better as Sleeping Brutey, shares an update on the rebound of roller derby in Guelph.

A little suppression leads to a lot of appreciation – Pity Case, MVLL CRIMES, and Deck Piss make the Doors drip with excitement

Posted on by Colin Burrowes

Audiences are prepared for entertainment, and entertainers are more than willing to entertain. Two years of repressed social energy is helping live music explode back to life.

Roller derby will bounce back, skates are already hitting the track: Durham Region edition

Posted on by Colin Burrowes

As pandemic-related restrictions loosen, many people across Ontario and beyond are hoping they can lace up their roller skates and hit the roller derby track again. This series of articles will check in with teams as they prepare for some action in 2022. This time, sharing the progress of their league is Durham Region Roller Derby’s Angela Kinghan, who some people in the derby community might know as AK 47.

Debate digs into criminal justice system, senior care, Pride funding, strategic voting

Posted on by Colin Burrowes

On May 26, over 50 organizations collaborated to host a provincial debate on issues facing the 2SLGBTQI+ community and other marginalized groups of Ontarians. Four parties thought the event was worthy of acknowledgement and participation. The Ontario Party, the New Blue Party and the Progressive Conservative Party chose not to participate in a discussion of the needs of equity-seeking communities.

This is the second of two articles covering the debate. The election is on June 2, and Woodstein Media intends to help people make informed choices at the polls.

Vote.

Debate digs into mental health, education and hate affecting marginalized Ontarians

Posted on by Colin Burrowes

On May 26, over 30 organizations collaborated as Queer Vote Ontario to host a provincial debate on issues facing the 2SLGBTQI+ community and other marginalized groups of Ontarians. The None of the Above Party, NDP, Green Party and Liberals thought the event was worthy of acknowledgement and participation.
The Ontario Party, the New Blue Party and the Progressive Conservative Party chose not to participate in a discussion of the needs of equity-seeking communities.

This is the first of two articles covering the debate. The election is on June 2. Woodstein Media intends to help people make informed choices at the polls.

Queer Vote Ontario debate promotes discussion of issues facing marginalized communities

Posted on by Colin Burrowes

Issues facing the Queer, equity-deserving and marginalized communities in the Ontario election will be the focus of a debate being hosted on May 26.

Updated the list of participants as of May 24 at 5:30 pm.

The following candidates are participating: Green Party of Ontario candidate for Nippising, Sean McClocklin, Ontario Liberal Party candidate for Willowdale, Paul Saguil, NDP candidate for Toronto Centre, Kristyn Wong-Tam, and None of the Above Party candidate for Mississauga-Streetsville Greg Vezina.

It Takes a Village officially helps folks living precariously cast a vote in Ontario election

Posted on by Colin Burrowes

It Takes a Village has been approved to be the location in North Perth to support community members living rough or without a fixed address to vote.

This means that The Village can assist people in filling out a “Certificate of Identity and Residence” form, verifying their current housing situation.

If the Village staff are familiar with the people, they can be endorsed and provided with a letter they take to the polls, and that becomes their ID, and they don’t have to provide anything else.