Welcome to the Organizing For Justice website, and thanks to all who participated in the conference in October and made it such a success.

We’re currently working on next steps for this initiative – feel free to sign up to our email announcement listserv, at https://lists.resist.ca/cgi-bin/mailman/listinfo/org4j-announce or just email us and we’ll add you.

We had a debrief meeting after the conference, here are the minutes (note: we are planning a next meeting for mid-to-late-January, to work on what comes next):

FEEDBACK ON 2009 CONFERENCE

- comment on process of selecting speakers/facilitators: maybe need more of a ‘vetting’ process?
- also need to focus discussions/speakers more, integrating with purpose/goals of conference and what we’re trying to accomplish
- could survey people coming more: looking at where they’re coming from, what involved in, what looking to get out of it
- housing and anti-poverty panel: good, b/c had people who are organizing on the ground, look at facilitating conversations about how they can work together
- also need for looking at bigger picture: at systems, processes that are creating problems, looking at root causes
- problem of using non-disposable dishes (lots of work for some people, not necessarily same people who really wanted no garbage): look into compostable plates etc plus garbage bags
- negative of dividing languages: do we really need to segregate? are we acknowledging that some people are bilingual? maybe can bi-locate conference to cover both ottawa and gatineau and make both bilingual events? but still people can travel across the bridge anyways
- experiences from other similar events: opening ceremony acknowleding indigenous land, having drumming; integrating performers into intermissions instead of seperate event; closing ceremony circle dance gets everyone involved in closing

NOTES FOR FUTURE

- blend of experience, perspectives, involvement
- dialogue between academicia and activism?
- paying attention to what is being talked about, and who is doing talking
- facilitating involvement, providing tools
- political mapping (something like a directoy of activist groups/organizations for people to use, either find one or make one)
- help to get people/groups being able to work together:
.. activist/political groups
.. people interested but not involved
.. academics doing analysis
- measure success by:
.. participants learned something?
.. having some practical/useful/tangible result?
.. continuing space to stay in contact (individ. participants stay in contact)
- aspects:
.. relations
.. information
.. involvement
- dialogue: what comes out of conference?
.. session notes? unresolved questions? promoting community (events etc)?
- issue based vs organizing based (what’s being done / how / what needs doing / what could be done)

We’d really appreciate you helping us get the word out about the conference. Word-of-mouth, hand-to-hand promotions is the type of grassroots marketing that we feel can really help spread the buzz.

What you can do:

* print off and pass out flyers – we have 1/4 page flyers, two different versions, each in two lanuages … print off a page (or print them doublesided, english on one side and french on the other), in black and white or colour, cut them in four, and pass them out to people and/or leave a few at your friendly neighbourhood business or other suitable location:

• 1/4 page ‘fish logo’ version (maybe the better one to print if in black&white)
• 1/4 page ‘fists logo’ version

* print off a poster(s) and stick it up somewhere

• 8.5″x11″ english edition
• 8.5″x11″ edition francais
• 11″x17″ bilingual colour edition

* send out an email announcement

• download this .rtf file, put in an email, and send to your contacts / listservs

* RSVP to our Facebook events so you can invite your friends

• Thurs Oct 15, 6:30pm – Keynote Panel (in English)
• Fri Oct 16, 7:00pm – Artistic Performances & Social (in English)
• Sat Oct 17, 10am-8pm – Book/Info-fair, Workshops, and Community Dinner (in English)
• Sam le 17 Oct, 19h00 – Table Ronde (en Francais) [FB page coming soon]
• Dim le 18 Oct, 10h30-16h30 – Ateliers/Présentations (en Francais)

Thanks for your help!

Voici les détails de l’horaire qui sera finalisé très bientôt!

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SAMEDI 17 octobre, 19h, au Dépanneur Sylvestre, 9 rue Fortier, Gatineau (Directions)

Table Ronde sur le thème: Réponses communautaires aux crises économiques et environnementales.

Présentations par:
Celeste Côté (Club Sierra du Canada)
Christian Lageais (Parti Marxiste-Léniniste du Canada)
Bill Clennett (Québec Solidaire)

———
DIMANCHE 18 octobre, au Pavillon Lucien-Brault, UQO, 101 rue St-Jean Bosco, Gatineau (secteur Hull) (Directions)

*10h30 — C’EST QUOI AUJOURD’HUI LA SOLIDARITÉ (Atelier de réflexion), par le CEDISOL

*12h00 — Diner (fourni)

*13h00 — HONDURAS: RÉSISTANCE POPULAIRE FACE AU COUP D’ÉTAT MILITAIRE, par François Guindon (Rights Action)

\\QUOI?// Depuis le 28 juin dernier, le Honduras est devenu le théâtre d’un coup d’État militaire ; répression et violations des droits humains se vivent au quotidien. L’oligarchie, la Cour suprême, le congrès, les puissantes transnationales et les militaires honduriens continuent de faire la sourde oreille à la résistance populaire et à la condamnation diplomatique internationale unanime.

\\QUI?// François Guindon vit au Guatemala depuis 2007. Il collabore avec Rights Action (www.rightsaction.org) depuis 2008 et accompagne les communautés et organisations qui, malgré la persécution et la criminalisation de leur lutte, résistent aux exploitations minières dévastatrices de Goldcorp au Guatemala et au Honduras.

*15h00 — UN AUTRE MONDE EST POSSIBLE: LES FORUMS SOCIAUX MONDIAUX

\\Quoi?// Des étudiants de l’université d’Ottawa ont présenté au dernier forum social mondial de Belém au Brésil un atelier sur l’éthique des compagnies minières canadiennes au Canada et ailleurs dans le monde. Comment les forums sociaux mondiaux sont une proposition d’alternatives et un laboratoire de changements sociaux.

Si vous avez des questions contactez-nous au organisons.justice@gmail.com

at 440 Albert St, just east of Bronson – the old Ottawa Technical High School

4:30pm Workshops:

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Cooperatives: A Different Way of Doing Business

Three members of the Sonando Sofia Co-op (that runs Umi Cafe) give an analysis and understanding of what they are doing in a cooperative structure, as well as examples of other coops, and what it all means.

• Facilitated by: Elke Dring, Erin Cummings, and Sergio Guerra. 613-656-1638; 610 Somerset St West; www.umicafe.org

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Know Your Rights

Activist lawyer Yavar Hameed helps you understand how to deal with the police in any situation you may encounter them. www.hfeb.ca

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Environmental Organizing

Two organizers from Powershift Canada youth conference share their experience organizing the largest environmental gathering in Canadian history. From direct action to widespread public awareness campaigns to flashdances – learn what it takes to mobilize youth to climate action from coast to coast to coast.
Facilitators

• Kimia Gomeshi is the CYCC’s (Canadian Youth Climate Coalition) campaigns coordinator and Powershift Canada’s recruitment coordinator. CYCC: ourclimate.ca
• Danika Brisson is Powershift’s Ottawa recruitment coordinator and has previously worked on environmental campaigns with the SFUO (Student Federation of the University of Ottawa) and OPIRG Ottawa. powershiftcanada.org

at 440 Albert St, just east of Bronson – the old Ottawa Technical High School

2:30pm Workshops:

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Building an Anarchist Organization

An introduction to what anarchism means, both in terms of principles and in terms of organization. What kind of vision do we have for an anarchist organization, what role does it play in greater social movements, how do we organize such an organization?

• Presented by David Brons, a long-time anarchist activist and a  founding member of the Ottawa branch of Common Cause, the provincial anarchist organization. a_ottawa@mutailaid.org; www.linchpin.ca

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Successful Online Campaigns and Internet Communication

A workshop to outline some of the tools and options that activists can use to get their message out.  The focus will be on looking at approaches to influence decision makers and raising awareness using social networking tools.  Will touch on Twitter based tools as well as more traditional means to move people up the ladder of engagement.  Having set up, extended and developed several open source advocacy tools we will review ideas about when you want to develop a solution yourself and when you want to use a 3rd party solution.
Facilitated by:

• Mike Gifford has been very active in building online campaigns for progressive organizations and politicians in both Canada and the United States for the last decade.  Before starting OpenConcept, Mike had worked for a number of national NGOs including Oxfam Canada and Friends of the Earth. mike@openconcept.ca; www.openconcept.ca; www.tweeter.com/mgifford

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Labour Solidarity and Resistance (panel)

Panelists:

• Chris Ramsaroop, Justicia for Migrant Workers: www.justicia4migrantworkers.org
• Carlo Fanelli has been a part-time employee with the City of Toronto for the past 10-years and is currently a PhD candidate at Carleton University. He will speak on Toronto’s striking civic workers and the neoliberal assault on public services, exploring the 39-day civic strike by CUPE Locals 79 & 416, as well as emphasize the successes and failures of organized labour and social justice movements more broadly in Toronto. carlofanelli@live.ca
• Sarah Ryan is studying precarious work at Carleton’s Institute of Political Economy. She is on leave from the Canadian Union or Postal Workers where she works as a Communications Specialist. Sje will talk about increasing employment legislation protections for everyone; making union organizing easier under the law; working together as a movement and with other movements to organize workers, especially in forms of precarious work; and supporting workers centres to help unorganized workers.

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Indigenous Peoples and the Law (panel)

Panelists:

• Beverly J. Pyke, Akwesasne Peoples Fire: retired teacher of special needs in a high school setting, grandmother, eldest of 12 siblings and concerned about the next 7 generations and the problems that they will have. Non-violence is the answer in resolving issues. She will speak on the current situation in Akwesasne with the CBSA (Canadian Border Services Agency), issues of harassment and issues with CBSA having been on the territory, is Akwesasne part of Canada? 613-937-1813; bjpyke524@yahoo.ca; www.akwesasnepeoplesfire.org
• John Caleb Moore, a First Nations person from Serpent River First Nation (in between Sudbury and Sault Ste Marie) currently living in Sudbury, who has been fighting for justice for nearly 23 years against racism in the Canadian court system. He will be speaking about institutional racism in Canada in our Canadian justice system, using his own case and others: R. vs. Moore; R vs. Donald Marshall; R vs. Welson Nepoose; Residential schools as one big case of racism. 705-673-9576 or 705-207-1476; johnpower1955@hotmail.com; http://homepages.cambrianc.on.ca/gbcooper/johnmoore & http://justiceandfreedomforjohnmoore.blogspot.com
• Romola Trebilcock, Circle of All Nations: over 25 years work experience in the federal criminal justice system, including in Aboriginal justice; volunteer coordinator of Elder William Commanda’s Circle of All Nations. Will speak on ‘No Word for Justice’ – an exploration of Aboriginal justice and its relevance to modern society. circleofallnations@sympatico.ca; http://web.mac.com/circleofallnations