New Brunswick Social Forum 2008

More presentations (video, text and powerpoint), handouts and other information from the 2008 N.B. Social Forum in Fredericton, New Brunswick coming soon!

RIGHTS UNDER ATTACK IN NB

1. Regressive Tax Reforms, Atlantica & Labour Mobility
   Michel Boudreau, New Brunswick Federation of Labour
2. Barriers to Accessing Reproductive Rights in NB
   Peggy Cooke, Coordinator of Volunteers at the Morgentaler Clinic
3. Attacks to Post-Secondary Education
   Graham Cox, Canadian Federation of Students
4. Assault on Native Language in NB
   Andrea Bear Nicholas, Native History Professor at St. Thomas University

SELLING WHAT SHOULD NEVER BE SOLD & TELLING LIES THAT SHOULD NEVER BE TOLD

1. Keeping Health Care Public
   Debbie Lacelle, NB Healthcare Coalition
2. Myths About the Occupation of Palestine
   Jack Gegenberg, Fredericton Palestine Solidarity
3. Canadian Gold Mining in El Salvador
   Ronald Chavez, Atlantic Regional Solidarity Network and FMLN Maritimes
4. Media Bias & NGO Co-option on the Balkans
   Judy Loo, social justice activist
5. The Residential School Non-Apology
   Roland Chrisjohn, STU Native Studies Professor

WHY GREEN ISN'T ENOUGH

1. Environmental Racism & the Cost of our Power to Colombians Part 1, Part 2
   Tracy Glynn, Co-editor, Mines & Communities
2. Taxing Carbon & Social Justice
   Julie Michaud, Conservation Council of NB
3. Commodification & the UNB Woodlot
   Charlene Mayes, Friends of the UNB Woodlot
4. World Food Crisis: The Greatest Failure of Capitalist System
   Alex Corey, Student Environmental Activist

CORPORATIONS IN CONTROL

1. Crimes Against the Environment. Why Do They Go Unpunished?
   David Coon, Conservation Council of NB
2. The Only Voice in Town: Inside the Media Monopoly of New Brunswick's Irving Empire
   Erin Steuter, Mt. Allison University Professor
3. Call Centres in New Brunswick: The Maquiladoras of the North
   Joan McFarland, STU Economics/Women's Studies Professor

WHAT DO WE DO? STAND UP! FIGHT BACK! Part 1

1. Modernization and Resistance in the New Brunswick Woods
   Bill Parenteau, UNB History Professor
2. Fighting Poverty in Fredericton
   Dan Weston, Fredericton Anti-Poverty Organization
3. Saving Saint John's Water
   Ivan Court, Mayor of Saint John
4. What New Brunswickers Can Learn from 50 Years of the Cuban Revolution
   Bob Whitney, UNBSJ History Professor
5. What "Self-Sufficiency" Means for Rural Communities
   Susan Machum, Canada Research Chair in Rural Social Justice, St. Thomas University

WHAT DO WE DO? STAND UP! FIGHT BACK! Part 2

1. Early French-Immersion in the Courts
   Clea Ward, Legal Team, Citizens for Education Choice
2. Saint John: Can you be a Banana Republic Without the Benefit of Fruit?
   Patty Higgins, Saint John City Councillor
3. Resistance to Uranium
   Yvonne Devine, Southeast Chapter, Conservation Council of NB
4. Alternatives to Violence/War from Renous to Afghanistan
   John McKendy, Quakers/Fredericton Peace Coalition
5. Venezuela's Explosion of Popular Power Part 1, Part 2, Part 3, Part 4, Part 5
   Jay Hartling, Atlantic Regional Solidarity Network
6. Defending the Rights of the Passamaquoddy
   Vera Francis, Nulankeyutomonen Nkihtahkomikumon (We Take Care of Our Land)

WORKSHOPS

1. Chico Montes, community organizer, and Lourdes Palacio, FLMN congresswoman, from El Salvador
2. Consensus/decision-making
3. Know your rights
4. Green jobs

On September 27-28, Fredericton will host the 2008 New Brunswick Social Forum - a weekend of exciting and informative panel discussions, workshops and booths stocked with materials that are intended to enlighten and motivate the public on a variety of issues of burning concern, from language rights and tax reforms in New Brunswick to global environmental and social injustices. The 2008 New Brunswick Social Forum will be taking place at the N.B. Sports Hall of Fame (503 Queen St.) from 10 am to 4pm, that Saturday and Sunday.

The 2008 New Brunswick Social Forum Organizing Committee, a committee made up of activists in Fredericton, Saint John, Moncton and rural communities, is inspired by the World Social Forum -- an annual event that has been held in such places as Mumbai, India and Caracas, Venezuela, that is committed to building sustainable and responsible alternatives to harmful economic policies.

The Social Forum hopes to do more than talk about the many problems we face today in our communities. The forum will be an opportunity for groups and individuals to come together to share experiences, debate ideas, formulate proposals and build new alliances for mobilization and effective action. The goal is for everyone to walk away from the forum with a renewed sense of solidarity and initiative to take action and be part of the solution and not the problem.

Among the participants are labour unions, environmental groups, feminist organizations, the peace and global justice movement, human rights organizations, academics, activists, youth organizations and many more.

The forum is free of charge but donations are welcome. The venue is accessible. Free child care will be provided to participants by the Fredericton Child Care Collective.

To obtain a detailed scheduled, register for the event or to obtain more information: Tracy Glynn, Fredericton organizer, NB Social Forum Organizing Committee, 506.458.8747, info@frederictonpeace.org

Vetch will be performing a benefit concert for the social forum at the Cellar on the UNB campus this Friday September 5, 2008. Cover charge is $8.