12:16 pm - BILL C‑484: CALL TO ACTION BILL C‑484: CALL TO ACTION Reject Bill C-484. Protect women's choice and equality.
Last March, Bill C‑484, the Unborn Victims of Crime Act, passed second reading in the House of Commons. This bill seeks to amend the Criminal Code and to create a separate offence for causing the injury or death of an “unborn child” should a pregnant woman be the victim of a crime. Although defenders of this bill claim they want to better protect pregnant women against violence, what is really at stake here is the legal recognition of the fetus' right to life and the possible re-criminalization of abortion.
The adoption of Bill C‑484 would thus introduce a huge change in our law that would undoubtedly result in massive intrusions in the lives of pregnant women, as has been the case in those states in the U.S. that have adopted similar legislation.
Last January, we celebrated the 20th anniversary of the Morgentaler decision that struck down the Criminal Code provisions that made abortion a crime in Canada. This historic Supreme Court decision recognized that women's constitutional rights to security of the person, autonomy and freedom include the right to end an unwanted pregnancy without state interference. We must now take action to protect this right.
The fact that Bill C‑484 received second reading in the House of Commons is cause for great concern, and victory is far from certain. Indeed, the bill has now been referred to the Standing Committee on Justice and Human Rights. After hearing representations from groups and individuals, the Committee will determine whether the bill should be sent to the House of Commons for a final vote. If the bill is adopted at third reading, it will then be referred to a Senate committee that will ultimately decide whether to pass or defeat it.
This is why it is important that we take a stand now to defend women's reproductive rights. This is a question that goes to the heart of women's equality, dignity and human rights.
for the idea. Just click on the tape below, and you'll get to listen to a mixtape that makes me wanna sing a long, even though I don't always remeber the words! Thanks to the DJ for introducing me to a lot of this music.
08:54 pm - Yay for Ladyfest Xtra.ca has been posting these awesome video reports on their site -- this is a great piece they just posted today, featuring an interview with a particularly cute DJ:
*** Volunteers still needed for marshaling/security, and volunteers with cars needed to help transport food to and from the BBQ. Please contact Nicole ASAP at dykemarchottawa@yahoo.ca or 613-262-4804, if you're able to help. ***
Some of you might have heard that yesterday, the president of the Communications, Energy and Paperworkers Union helped diffuse a situation where a rock-throwing protester attempted to breech the “green zone” in Montebello by pushing through a line of riot cops. Dave Coles from CEP did in fact break-up a potential incident, but we’re pretty convinced that the “protestor” was actually a cop … we happened to have Paul Manly (a filmmaker) with us … he caught the whole thing and put it up on YouTube this morning. You’ll notice at the end of the scuffle that the cops just let him through, and the arrest appears to be staged … the other anarchist kids in the crowd were convinced he was a cop. We suspect that he was a provocateur working for one of the security forces who was instructed to shake things up to justify the police response.
Dave Coles and Joel Harden from the CLC were AMAZING in diffusing the situation, saving families and grannies from getting tear-gassed …...
01:44 pm - Dyke March 2007! Please post and forward ... many thanks to sabotabby for the *amazing* poster, and to splinterjete and others for letting us use photos of them .... Yay!
02:42 pm - Get Your Party On, Fuckers How much do I love this poster? Could I love the gay boys at ACO even more?
You should come to this party. A certain sexy-DJ-who-I-frequently-have-the-pleasure-of-sharing-a-bed-with is headlining.
How can you not love a poster featuring a genderqueer individual in a facemask, and the tag line, "This is a discrimination-free party. Discrimination based on HIV status, gender identity or expression, sexuality, race, class, age or ability is bullshit?"
So sorry for the short notice. We're having a dyke march organizing committee meeting tomorrow (WED. JULY 25) at 5:30 pm at Pink Triangle Services, 177 Nepean St., suite 508, at Bank Street.
At this meeting, we'll be delegating some major tasks including:
1. Coordinating parade marshals 2. Coordinating the queer family picnic 3. Coordinating the variety show that will take place at the picnic 4. Outreach/Communications
Please feel free to drop by and pitch in!
If you can't make it to the meeting, we will be issuing a detailed call for volunteers this week, with contact info for each of the volunteer group leaders.
"Born in the early 1960s, the sex workers movement encompasses groups rooted in 5 continents. The organization of sex workers into a movement has enabled their emergence as subjects of their experiences, of their subjectivities, and of their voices. With short films hailing from Canada, France, USA and India, La Putain De Compile is an eye opening collection that presents alternative discourses and representations about sex work. Be it in traditional media, in feminist groups, or even in our daily lives, there is a need to give space to those most concerned -- sex workers!"
Doors 7pm, movie 7:30pm at Club SAW, 67 Nicholas Free admission, $5 suggested donation. flyer: http://www.thetastates.com/dmn/
also coming up...
July 28th, Ottawa: Divergence Movie Night Scotch fundraiser
Our first major fundraising event is taking place on July 28th and will be an intimate scotch tasting event. With your ticket you will get to try 7 premium scotch whiskeys, each bottle costing an average of $100. It is a great opportunity to try some rare liquor that you might not typically invest in, and at the same time support a great cause.
Interested? Tickets are $50 and must be purchased in advance. Please contact Divergence.Movie.Night@gmail.com to arrange a purchase for you and your friends. This intimate event only has 24 tickets available, so it will be a casual and relaxing evening of sampling and conversation. Help support Divergence Movie Night, so we can continue to show queer documentary cinema for free in Ottawa!
The event is from 7pm to 11:30pm on July 28th, and will take place downtown near Preston Street and Somerset.
RCMP, U.S. Army block public forum on the Security and Prosperity Partnership
The Council of Canadians has been told it will not be allowed to rent a municipal community centre for a public forum it had planned to coincide with the next Security and Prosperity Partnership (SPP) summit in Montebello, Quebec on August 20 and 21.
The Municipality of Papineauville, which is about six kilometres from Montebello, has informed the Council of Canadians that the RCMP, the Sûreté du Québec (SQ) and the U.S. Army will not allow the municipality to rent the Centre Communautaire de Papineauville for a public forum on Sunday August 19, on the eve of the so-called Security and Prosperity Partnership Leaders Summit.
“It is deplorable that we are being prevented from bringing together a panel of writers, academics and parliamentarians to share their concerns about the Security and Prosperity Partnership with Canadians,” said Brent Patterson, director of organizing with the Council of Canadians. “Meanwhile, six kilometres away, corporate leaders from the United States, Mexico and Canada will have unimpeded access to our political leaders.”
As well as being shut out of Papineauville, the Council of Canadians has been told that the RCMP and the SQ will be enforcing a 25-kilometre security perimeter around the Chateau Montebello, where Stephen Harper will meet with George W. Bush and Felipe Calderón on August 20 and 21. According to officials in Montebello, there will be checkpoints at Thurso and Hawkesbury, and vehicles carrying more than five people will be turned back.
Founded in 1985, the Council of Canadians is Canada’s largest citizens’ organization, with members and chapters across the country. The organization works to protect Canadian independence by promoting progressive policies on fair trade, clean water, safe food, public health care, and other issues of social and economic concern to Canadians.
For more information about the Security and Prosperity Partnership, visit IntegrateThis.ca.
Doors 7 pm, movie 7:30 pm at Club SAW, 67 Nicholas
"A lively and surprising portrait of a group of homosexuals who defend their sexual diversity while preserving their identity as Zapotec Indians in the "queer paradise" of Juchitán, Mexico. Muxes focuses on a dozen "intrepid" muxes who, since the mid-70s, have been more aggressive in ensuring that they are a visible part of the daily life of the town rather than an accepted one. In a country where machismo prevails, this is all the more difficult for those that fall 'in-between.'"
(Film's Spanish language official website: http://intrepidas.blogspot.com/search/label/DVD%20Muxes)
The Cliks are playing at Zaphod's tomorrow. They're an amazing band ... saw them play at the Venus Envy benefit at the Legion Hall in January, and their CD has been on frequent rotation ever since ...
Falwell was a controversial subject for his theological, political and social beliefs. After the September 11, 2001, attacks Falwell said on the 700 Club, "I really believe that the pagans, and the abortionists, and the feminists, and the gays and the lesbians who are actively trying to make that an alternative lifestyle, the ACLU, People For the American Way, all of them who have tried to secularize America. I point the finger in their face and say 'you helped this happen.'"
As for homosexuality, Falwell remarked, "AIDS is the wrath of a just God against homosexuals."
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