Shocking news broke on November 11 that the government of Ontario has been hiding evidence for decades that the grounds of the infamous Dryden mill site upstream of Grassy Narrows are soaked with mercury. [https://www.thestar.com/news/canada/2017/11/11/ontario-knew-about-mercury-site-near-grassy-narrows-for-decades-but-kept-it-secret.html] Tell Premier Wynne and Prime Minister Trudeau to make an immediate, binding commitment to build a state of the art Mercury Home and Treatment Centre in Grassy Narrows First Nation.

Fish farms operating in Mamalilikala, Namgis, and Musgamagw Dzawada'enuxw territories of the Broughton Archipelago in BC are threatening wild salmon populations, and poisoning vital water sources. [1] Deadly diseases and viruses from open-cage feed lots are spreading to wild salmon, putting at risk indigenous communities that rely on the wild salmon, and over 100 species that depend on wild salmon to survive. The Mamalilikala, Namgis, and Musgamagw Dzawada'enuxw do not consent to the operation of finfish aquaculture within their territories, and peaceful occupation of fish farms has been ongoing for over 2 months. [2] The BC Minister of Agriculture Lana Popham has sent a letter to fish farm operator Marine Harvest implying that they may not have their tenure for their Port Elizabeth salmon farm renewed in 2018, and Premier John Horgan has committed to further discussions with Indigenous communities about the future of the fish farms. In the meantime, fish farms in the Broughton Archipelago continue to be restocked with fish that will out-live Marine Harvest’s current license. [3] We need to make sure that the BC NDP hears loud and clear that there is widespread support for the removal of open-net cage feed lots from the Broughton Archipelago. We call on the BC NDP to fulfill their commitment to the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples (UNDRIP), and remove all open-net fish farms from the Broughton Archipelago that are operating without the consent of indigenous communities. [4] We demand that: • No restocking of existing empty pens/sites; • No use of hydrogen peroxide to be used to treat sea lice infestations; • No renewal of licences and/or tenures; and • For the industry to remove all open-net cage fish farms sites from the collective territorial waters. Sources: [1][2]https://www.biv.com/article/2017/10/horgans-tone-salmon-farming-unsettling-marine-harv/ [3]https://www.biv.com/article/2017/10/horgans-tone-salmon-farming-unsettling-marine-harv/ [4]https://www.bcndp.ca/reconciliation [photo] https://www.raincoast.org/2017/08/bc-government-signals-challenge-for-trans-mountain-pipeline-on-legal-grounds/

Samsing, operators of the North Kent Wind Farm, continue pile driving into the bedrock of Chatham Kent, knowing that it has destroyed the water wells of dozens of families. Ontario regulators are doing nothing to protect these families, who have relied on well water for generations. The pile driving sends toxic sediment into the water that ruins water pumps. The sediment could eventually settle, but the vibrations from the turbines prevent this. Ultimately, the pile driving has resulted in dozens of families and their farms being cut off from their water supply. A few farmers tried to blockade the site to prevent further damage and Samsung sued them for the cost of delays. Tell Samsung to clean up its act! Boycott their phones, TVs and appliances and demand your pension funds divest from them now.

Brandon's issues with heroin and meth are increasing daily. Four overdoses in one weekend (October 22nd) is a wake up call for our community to take action. There are currently no designated drug-detox beds in Brandon, meaning many people wanting to get help first have to try to detox in their own homes, without medical intervention, before attempting to get into treatment. Without adequate support services in our community, the number of overdoses will continue to rise. We need action now. For more information, click here: http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/manitoba/brandon-drug-overdoses-1.4370099

Bill 62 is state-sanctioned Islamophobia. It targets Muslim women specifically, and by denying Muslim women wearing the niqab access to public services, the government of Quebec is isolating women and discriminating against them on the basis of their faith. Bill 62 is a slippery slope to religious intolerance that must be struck down. In the 2015 election, Trudeau campaigned in support of Muslim women’s right to wear the niqab. Earlier this year, his government passed a motion condemning Islamophobia. But now, he’s refusing to stand up against this Islamophobic bill. The media already slamming Trudeau’s “Islamophobia hypocrisy”, speculating he’s staying on the sidelines to avoid losing votes in seat-rich Quebec. If thousands of us remind Trudeau of his strong statements against Islamophobia, we can force him to take a stand against Bill 62 -- or look like a hypocrite. [3-4] Sources: [1] https://www.thestar.com/news/canada/2017/10/24/quebec-justice-minister-explains-how-niqab-ban-would-be-applied-after-widespread-criticism.html [2] http://www.ctvnews.ca/politics/constitutionality-of-quebec-s-bill-62-difficult-to-defend-legal-expert-says-1.3645585 [3] http://torontosun.com/news/national/bill-62-reveals-trudeaus-islamophobia-hypocrisy [4] http://www.huffingtonpost.ca/althia-raj/the-veil-of-convenience-trudeau-stays-silent-as-quebec-targets-muslims_a_23250365/ *Photo by Matt d'Amours*

Une Canadienne sur cinq subira une agression sexuelle au cours de sa vie universitaire. En fait, tout porte à croire que les barrières systémiques qui empêchent plusieurs femmes à signaler des agressions sexuelles rendent cette statistique encore plus élevée. Sans une politique suffisante concernant la violence sexuelle, les universités n’auront pas les moyens de prévenir le harcèlement et la violence sexuelle subis par des femmes sur leurs campus. Actuellement, il n’y a presque pas d’université au Canada qui va assez loin dans sa politique sur la violence sexuelle et plusieurs ne s’en sont même pas doté d’un. Le gouvernement du Québec a déjà promis 23 millions de dollars sur cinq ans pour contrer la violence sexuelle dans ses institutions postsecondaires et la ministre de l’Éducation et de l’Enseignement supérieure, Helène David, a affirmé que ce projet de loi devrait être présenté cet automne. Il faut que nous nous assurions que ce projet de loi va assez loin et assure que les politiques sur la prévention de la violence sexuelle rédigées par les universités et CEGEPs incluent : Une clause d'immunité spécifique pour la consommation de drogues et d'alcool. Protection contre les contacts face à face pendant le processus de plainte. Mesures provisoires centrées sur le survivant. Options de plaintes anonymes et organisées par des tierces parties. Reconnaissance des impacts intersectionnels de la violence sexuelle. Formation obligatoire en matière de soutien et de sensibilisation à la violence sexuelle pour tous ceux qui sont impliqués dans le processus de plainte Tierce partie indépendante du comité d'appelExistence de délais clairs Reconnaissance de la culture du viol sur les campus. Les Politique ne devrait pas autoriser des : Délais pour le dépôt d'une plainte formelle Sanctions menaçantes pour les plaintes vexatoires, malveillantes ou fausses Motions de bâillon (pendant ou au-delà du processus de plainte) -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 1 in 5 Canadian women will experience sexual assault while at university. Evidence suggests that these numbers are actually much higher due to the systemic barriers to reporting assaults that many women face. [1] Universities have the means to prevent women from experiencing sexual assault and harassment on campus, but they need sufficient policies put in place to do that. Currently, almost no Canadian universities have adequate policies, and many have none at all. [2] The Government of Quebec has already committed $23 million over five years to counter sexual violence in post-secondary institutions, and Higher Education Minister Hélène David has said that legislation is coming this fall. [3] We need to make sure that the legislation goes far enough in holding universities and colleges accountable, and that the legislation recommends that educational institutions’ sexual violence prevention policies have: A Specific Immunity Clause for Drug and Alcohol Use Protection from Face to Face Encounters During the Complaint Process Survivor-Centric Interim Measures Anonymous and Third Party Complaint Options Recognition of the Intersectional Impacts of Sexual Violence Required Sexual Violence Support and Sensitivity Training for all those involved in the Complaint Process Independent Third Party Member of the Appeal Committee Existence of Clear Timelines Acknowledgment of Campus Rape Culture Policies should not have: Time limits for Filing a Formal Complaint Threatening Sanctions for Vexatious, Malicious or False Complaints Gag Order (During or Beyond the Complaint Process) A Loophole whereby a complaint can be suspended if the respondent ends their relationship with the school (i.e. transfers or drops out) [4] Sources: [1][4] http://s3.documentcloud.org/documents/4106721/Our-Turn-Action-Plan-Final-English-2.pdf [2] http://www.universityaffairs.ca/news/news-article/universities-across-canada-implement-sexual-violence-policies/] [3]http://montrealgazette.com/news/local-news/quebec-to-invest-23-million-to-fight-sexual-violence-on-campuses

[Not your Province? Find the petition for your Province here: https://you.leadnow.ca/efforts/what-you-can-do-for-metoo] 1 in 5 Canadian women will experience sexual assault while at university. Evidence suggests that these numbers are actually much higher due to the systemic barriers to reporting assaults that many women face. [1] Universities have the means to prevent women from experiencing sexual assault and harassment on campus, but they need sufficient policies put in place to do that. Currently, almost no Canadian universities have adequate policies, and many have none at all. [2] The provincial government needs to mandate that all post-secondary institutions implement sexual violence prevention policies, provide the funding necessary for them to do so, and create oversight mechanisms to hold those institutions to account. Legislation should recommend that educational institutions’ sexual violence prevention policies have: A Specific Immunity Clause for Drug and Alcohol Use Protection from Face to Face Encounters During the Complaint Process Survivor-Centric Interim Measures Anonymous and Third Party Complaint Options Recognition of the Intersectional Impacts of Sexual Violence Required Sexual Violence Support and Sensitivity Training for all those involved in the Complaint Process Independent Third Party Member of the Appeal Committee Existence of Clear Timelines Acknowledgment of Campus Rape Culture Policies should not have: Time limits for Filing a Formal Complaint Threatening Sanctions for Vexatious, Malicious or False Complaints Gag Order (During or Beyond the Complaint Process) A Loophole whereby a complaint can be suspended if the respondent ends their relationship with the school (i.e. transfers or drops out) [3] Sources: [1][3] http://s3.documentcloud.org/documents/4106721/Our-Turn-Action-Plan-Final-English-2.pdf [2] http://www.universityaffairs.ca/news/news-article/universities-across-canada-implement-sexual-violence-policies/

[Not your Province? Find the petition for your Province here: https://you.leadnow.ca/efforts/what-you-can-do-for-metoo] 1 in 5 Canadian women will experience sexual assault while at university. Evidence suggests that these numbers are actually much higher due to the systemic barriers to reporting assaults that many women face. [1] Universities have the means to prevent women from experiencing sexual assault and harassment on campus, but they need sufficient policies put in place to do that. Currently, almost no Canadian universities have adequate policies, and many have none at all. [2] The provincial government needs to mandate that all post-secondary institutions implement sexual violence prevention policies, provide the funding necessary for them to do so, and create oversight mechanisms to hold those institutions to account. Legislation should recommend that educational institutions’ sexual violence prevention policies have: A Specific Immunity Clause for Drug and Alcohol Use Protection from Face to Face Encounters During the Complaint Process Survivor-Centric Interim Measures Anonymous and Third Party Complaint Options Recognition of the Intersectional Impacts of Sexual Violence Required Sexual Violence Support and Sensitivity Training for all those involved in the Complaint Process Independent Third Party Member of the Appeal Committee Existence of Clear Timelines Acknowledgment of Campus Rape Culture Policies should not have: Time limits for Filing a Formal Complaint Threatening Sanctions for Vexatious, Malicious or False Complaints Gag Order (During or Beyond the Complaint Process) A Loophole whereby a complaint can be suspended if the respondent ends their relationship with the school (i.e. transfers or drops out) [3] Sources: [1][3] http://s3.documentcloud.org/documents/4106721/Our-Turn-Action-Plan-Final-English-2.pdf [2] http://www.universityaffairs.ca/news/news-article/universities-across-canada-implement-sexual-violence-policies/

[Not your Province? Find the petition for your Province here: https://you.leadnow.ca/efforts/what-you-can-do-for-metoo] 1 in 5 Canadian women will experience sexual assault while at university. Evidence suggests that these numbers are actually much higher due to the systemic barriers to reporting assaults that many women face. [1] Universities have the means to prevent women from experiencing sexual assault and harassment on campus, but they need sufficient policies put in place to do that. Currently, almost no Canadian universities have adequate policies, and many have none at all. [2] The provincial government needs to mandate that all post-secondary institutions implement sexual violence prevention policies, provide the funding necessary for them to do so, and create oversight mechanisms to hold those institutions to account. Legislation should recommend that educational institutions’ sexual violence prevention policies have: A Specific Immunity Clause for Drug and Alcohol Use Protection from Face to Face Encounters During the Complaint Process Survivor-Centric Interim Measures Anonymous and Third Party Complaint Options Recognition of the Intersectional Impacts of Sexual Violence Required Sexual Violence Support and Sensitivity Training for all those involved in the Complaint Process Independent Third Party Member of the Appeal Committee Existence of Clear Timelines Acknowledgment of Campus Rape Culture Policies should not have: Time limits for Filing a Formal Complaint Threatening Sanctions for Vexatious, Malicious or False Complaints Gag Order (During or Beyond the Complaint Process) A Loophole whereby a complaint can be suspended if the respondent ends their relationship with the school (i.e. transfers or drops out) [3] Sources: [1][3] http://s3.documentcloud.org/documents/4106721/Our-Turn-Action-Plan-Final-English-2.pdf [2] http://www.universityaffairs.ca/news/news-article/universities-across-canada-implement-sexual-violence-policies/

[Not your Province? Find the petition for your Province here: https://you.leadnow.ca/efforts/what-you-can-do-for-metoo] 1 in 5 Canadian women will experience sexual assault while at university. Evidence suggests that these numbers are actually much higher due to the systemic barriers to reporting assaults that many women face. [1] Universities have the means to prevent women from experiencing sexual assault and harassment on campus, but they need sufficient policies put in place to do that. Currently, almost no Canadian universities have adequate policies, and many have none at all. [2] The provincial government needs to mandate that all post-secondary institutions implement sexual violence prevention policies, provide the funding necessary for them to do so, and create oversight mechanisms to hold those institutions to account. Legislation should recommend that educational institutions’ sexual violence prevention policies have: A Specific Immunity Clause for Drug and Alcohol Use Protection from Face to Face Encounters During the Complaint Process Survivor-Centric Interim Measures Anonymous and Third Party Complaint Options Recognition of the Intersectional Impacts of Sexual Violence Required Sexual Violence Support and Sensitivity Training for all those involved in the Complaint Process Independent Third Party Member of the Appeal Committee Existence of Clear Timelines Acknowledgment of Campus Rape Culture Policies should not have: Time limits for Filing a Formal Complaint Threatening Sanctions for Vexatious, Malicious or False Complaints Gag Order (During or Beyond the Complaint Process) A Loophole whereby a complaint can be suspended if the respondent ends their relationship with the school (i.e. transfers or drops out) [3] Sources: [1][3] http://s3.documentcloud.org/documents/4106721/Our-Turn-Action-Plan-Final-English-2.pdf [2] http://www.universityaffairs.ca/news/news-article/universities-across-canada-implement-sexual-violence-policies/

[Not your Province? Find the petition for your Province here: https://you.leadnow.ca/efforts/what-you-can-do-for-metoo] 1 in 5 Canadian women will experience sexual assault while at university. Evidence suggests that these numbers are actually much higher due to the systemic barriers to reporting assaults that many women face. [1] Universities have the means to prevent women from experiencing sexual assault and harassment on campus, but they need sufficient policies put in place to do that. Currently, almost no Canadian universities have adequate policies, and many have none at all. [2] The provincial government needs to mandate that all post-secondary institutions implement sexual violence prevention policies, provide the funding necessary for them to do so, and create oversight mechanisms to hold those institutions to account. Legislation should recommend that educational institutions’ sexual violence prevention policies have: A Specific Immunity Clause for Drug and Alcohol Use Protection from Face to Face Encounters During the Complaint Process Survivor-Centric Interim Measures Anonymous and Third Party Complaint Options Recognition of the Intersectional Impacts of Sexual Violence Required Sexual Violence Support and Sensitivity Training for all those involved in the Complaint Process Independent Third Party Member of the Appeal Committee Existence of Clear Timelines Acknowledgment of Campus Rape Culture Policies should not have: Time limits for Filing a Formal Complaint Threatening Sanctions for Vexatious, Malicious or False Complaints Gag Order (During or Beyond the Complaint Process) A Loophole whereby a complaint can be suspended if the respondent ends their relationship with the school (i.e. transfers or drops out) [3] Sources: [1][3] http://s3.documentcloud.org/documents/4106721/Our-Turn-Action-Plan-Final-English-2.pdf [2] http://www.universityaffairs.ca/news/news-article/universities-across-canada-implement-sexual-violence-policies/

[Not your Province? Find the petition for your Province here: https://you.leadnow.ca/efforts/what-you-can-do-for-metoo] 1 in 5 Canadian women will experience sexual assault while at university. Evidence suggests that these numbers are actually much higher due to the systemic barriers to reporting assaults that many women face. [1] Universities have the means to prevent women from experiencing sexual assault and harassment on campus, but they need sufficient policies put in place to do that. Currently, almost no Canadian universities have adequate policies, and many have none at all. [2] The provincial government needs to mandate that all post-secondary institutions implement sexual violence prevention policies, provide the funding necessary for them to do so, and create oversight mechanisms to hold those institutions to account. Legislation should recommend that educational institutions’ sexual violence prevention policies have: A Specific Immunity Clause for Drug and Alcohol Use Protection from Face to Face Encounters During the Complaint Process Survivor-Centric Interim Measures Anonymous and Third Party Complaint Options Recognition of the Intersectional Impacts of Sexual Violence Required Sexual Violence Support and Sensitivity Training for all those involved in the Complaint Process Independent Third Party Member of the Appeal Committee Existence of Clear Timelines Acknowledgment of Campus Rape Culture Policies should not have: Time limits for Filing a Formal Complaint Threatening Sanctions for Vexatious, Malicious or False Complaints Gag Order (During or Beyond the Complaint Process) A Loophole whereby a complaint can be suspended if the respondent ends their relationship with the school (i.e. transfers or drops out) [3] Sources: [1][3] http://s3.documentcloud.org/documents/4106721/Our-Turn-Action-Plan-Final-English-2.pdf [2] http://www.universityaffairs.ca/news/news-article/universities-across-canada-implement-sexual-violence-policies/