Redeye
934 episodes - English - Latest episode: 4 days ago - ★★★★★ - 6 ratingsA progressive take on current events. Produced by an independent media collective at Vancouver Cooperative Radio.
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Episodes
How a group of drug users transformed Vancouver's struggle with addiction
November 04, 2017 01:07 - 14 minutes - 13.2 MBIn 2003, North America’s first legal safe injection site opened its doors in Vancouver. In 2014, Vancouver scored another first when the Crosstown Clinic began supplying medical-grade heroin to chronic drug users. Neither of these life-saving health care services would exist without the hard work and dedication of the people who appear in the pages of Travis Lupick’s new book, Fighting for Space.
Tropical forest regions now a significant source of carbon to the atmosphere
November 01, 2017 13:00 - 12 minutes - 11.2 MBResearchers from Boston University and the Woods Hole Research Center say that so much of the Earth’s forest has been destroyed that the tropics now emit more carbon than they capture. They say there is a limited window of opportunity to reverse the trend by restoring forested areas. Wayne Walker is an associate scientist at Woods Hole Research Centre.
City on Edge: A rebellious century of Vancouver protests, riots, and strikes
October 31, 2017 01:52 - 12 minutes - 11.8 MBIn City on Edge, Kate Bird presents striking images of the moments when people in Vancouver stood up, took to the streets, and rallied for change—or exploded in anger. Kate Bird helped manage the photograph collection at the Vancouver Sun and the Province for twenty-five years. Many of the photos in the book also appear in an exhibition of the same name at the Museum of Vancouver.
BC Motor Vehicle Act needs major overhaul to protect cyclists
October 26, 2017 02:58 - 14 minutes - 12.9 MBCycling is the fastest-growing mode of transportation in Metro Vancouver but even so, only 2% of trips take place on a bike. The biggest deterrent for many would-be cyclists is fear for their safety on the roads. A group of lawyers and cycling advocates say one way to make it safer is to reform the Motor Vehicle Act. David Hay is a bike lawyer and Chair of the Road Safety Law Reform Group.
How to tell stories that change the world
October 23, 2017 03:30 - 15 minutes - 14.2 MBDoyle Canning is co-founder of the Center for Story-Based Strategy. In this episode, she talks about the importance of narrative in creating social change. She cites the Black Lives Matter movement as an example of how a radically new framing of familiar events transformed perspectives about the injustices faced by black people. Doyle Canning is co-author of RE:Imagining Change, a practical guide to harness the power of stories to create social change.
RCMP illegally collected mobile phone data using Stingray device
October 20, 2017 00:46 - 13 minutes - 12.5 MBA recent report by the Privacy Commissioner says that six RCMP investigations back in 2015 were in violation of the Charter because a Stingray device was used to collect mobile phone data without a warrant. The commissioner looked into the RCMP’s use of Stingrays in response to a complaint from public-interest group Open Media. David Christopher is with Open Media.
Lack of affordable housing forces more people on to streets
October 17, 2017 01:09 - 16 minutes - 15.1 MBOn March 8, more than a thousand volunteers counted people who do not have a home of their own. The 2017 Homeless Count found that homelessness had grown 30% in the three years since the last count, with significant increases among Indigenous people and seniors. Peer-Daniel Krause in with the BC Non-Profit Housing Association.
Heart disease, diabetes linked to hunger in residential schools
October 11, 2017 15:22 - 19 minutes - 17.9 MBIan Mosby and Tracy Galloway looked at studies of famine survivors from Russia, China and the Netherlands to understand the long-term health consequences of the residential school diet. They say the high rates of obesity, heart disease and diabetes among Indigenous populations today is clearly linked to the constant hunger experienced in school. We speak with Ian Mosby, historian of food, health and colonialism at the University of Toronto and the University of Guelph.
Haida artist Terri-Lynn Williams-Davidson on the personhood of nature
October 09, 2017 17:21 - 14 minutes - 13.5 MBTerri-Lynn Williams-Davidson is a Haida musician, artist and lawyer who has represented the Haida Nation at the Supreme Court of Canada. She spoke at the Museum of Anthropology at UBC on Sept 14 at the launch of David Boyd’s new book, The Rights of Nature: A legal revolution that could save the world.
Burnaby residents call for moratorium on demolition of rental housing
October 08, 2017 00:54 - 12 minutes - 11.8 MBRick McGowan of the Metrotown Residents Association is concerned about the loss of hundreds of low-rise walk-ups in Burnaby. He says the new NDP government should call an immediate halt to the demolition of purpose-built rental housing throughout Metro Vancouver and bring in an affordable housing strategy to protect low-income renters.
Kanahus Manuel on building tiny houses to defend Secwepemc land
October 06, 2017 01:14 - 15 minutes - 14.6 MBThe Tiny House Warriors have just completed the second of ten tiny houses to be placed along the route of the Kinder Morgan pipeline, which is planned to pass through 518 km of Secwepemc territory. Kanahus Manuel talks about how the tiny houses will be used to both house families and defend Indigenous land.
NDP bill huge leap forward from big money free-for-all
October 03, 2017 13:00 - 14 minutes - 12.9 MBThe BC government’s plan to bring in a per vote funding system has generated the most controversy in their proposed new legislation to ban corporate and union donations. Alex Hemingway of the CCPA points out that we already have public funding of political parties through the tax credit system. But, he says the NDP could have gone much further to level the playing field in politics. Alex Hemingway is with the Canadian Centre for Policy Alternatives.
Alanis Obomsawin on her latest film, Our People Will Be Healed
September 30, 2017 13:00 - 17 minutes - 16.4 MBFor her 50th film, veteran Indigenous filmmaker Alanis Obomsawin heads to the northern Manitoba Cree community of Norway House. The documentary focuses on the pivotal role of the Helen Betty Osborne Ininiw school in reconnecting Cree children with their language, history and culture.
Federal government to close Canada's high Arctic research station
September 28, 2017 13:00 - 16 minutes - 14.7 MBThe Polar Environment Atmospheric Research Laboratory on Ellesmere Island is scheduled to close in 2018. PEARL is one of the few high Arctic research stations in the world. Canadian scientists say it’s essential to keep the lab open to investigate critical environmental threats to the Arctic. We talk with Dan Weaver, climate scientist and spokesperson with Evidence for Democracy.
Oil and gas industry rewrites BC's climate plan
September 25, 2017 13:00 - 13 minutes - 12.6 MBIn 2015, the Christy Clark government appointed a climate leadership team to draft a series of recommendations for addressing climate change. After the team’s report came out in the fall of 2015, provincial officials took it to the oil and gas industry in Calgary and allowed them to rewrite key sections of the plan. Shannon Daub is associate director of the Canadian Centre for Policy Alternatives BC office and co-director of the Corporate Mapping Project.
Street pianos a canvas for local artists
September 23, 2017 13:00 - 11 minutes - 10.5 MBThis summer more than 30 public pianos re-appeared in Vancouver parks, inviting passers-by to sit down and play for a while. Two of the most recent additions to the program were painted by Rose L Williams and Cat L’Hirondelle of Kickstart Disability Arts and Culture. Rose came into our studios to talk about the challenges and delights of participating in Pianos on the Street.
Thomas Berger heads up legal challenge to Kinder Morgan pipeline
September 20, 2017 13:00 - 12 minutes - 11.9 MBIn early August, the new NDP government in BC appointed Thomas Berger to lead the legal challenge against Kinder Morgan’s Trans Mountain pipeline. Thomas Berger is well known for championing the land rights of Indigenous people. Joe Foy of the Wilderness Committee talks about Thomas Berger’s background and the significance of his appointment to lead the fight against this project.
BCUC invites public input on Site C dam
September 18, 2017 13:00 - 11 minutes - 10.1 MBThe BC Utilities Commission is asking British Columbians to share their thoughts on the Site C dam project in the Peace River valley. The BCUC will release an interim report on Sept 20 and hold the first of eleven community input sessions on Sept 23 in Vancouver. Galen Armstrong is Peace Valley Campaigner with the Sierra Club. He explains how to make sure your voice is heard.
The impact of Airbnb on Canadian cities
September 16, 2017 15:20 - 16 minutes - 14.9 MBA new report says that a small number of commercial operators are providing Airbnb with most of its revenue in Canada. David Wachsmuth is at the School of Urban Planning at McGill University and lead author of the report, Short-term Cities. He talks about the impact of Airbnb on housing markets in Vancouver, Toronto and Montreal and how these cities are starting to fight back to protect rental housing for their residents.
Epidemic of overdose deaths legacy of 10 years of anti-harm reduction
September 10, 2017 13:00 - 14 minutesJordan Westfall says the hundreds of drug overdose deaths are a legacy of Harper’s approach. Westfall is someone who formerly used opioid drugs and wrote his master’s thesis on overdose prevention. He is president of the Canadian Association of People who Use Drugs. Jordan Westfall speaks with us about how to prevent more fentanyl-related deaths.
Resource development brings increased risk to Indigenous women
September 07, 2017 13:00 - 23 minutes - 21.7 MBA new report by Amnesty International raises the alarm over increased risks to Indigenous women in the Peace River region. Craig Benjamin says violence is so pervasive it has become normalized. He is one of the authors of Out of Sight, Out of Mind: Gender, Indigenous Rights and Energy Development in Northeastern B.C.
Storming The Digital Divide
September 04, 2017 13:00 - 13 minutes - 12.2 MBPovNet was born out of a meeting of anti-poverty activists in 1997 who wanted to make the Internet accessible to all. A new comic book tells the story of this unique online resource. Penny Goldsmith is author of Storming The Digital Divide with illustrations by Kara Sievewright and with additional art by Nicole Marie Burton.
Facing the Anthropocene
September 01, 2017 13:00 - 21 minutes - 20.1 MBGeologists say that humanity’s impact on the earth has been so profound that it’s ushered in a whole new, deeply unstable, geological era, which they are calling the Anthropocene. Ian Angus is an author and editor. His most recent book is titled Facing the Anthropocene: Fossil Capitalism and the Crisis of the Earth System.
Ryan McMahon - Colonization Road and other stories
August 29, 2017 13:00 - 17 minutesAnishinaabe comedian and media maker Ryan McMahon was in Vancouver in November 2016 to give the keynote speech for Media Democracy Day. One of his recent projects is the documentary Colonization Road with filmmaker Michelle St. John.
Vancouver Tree Book invites us to explore the city's urban forest
August 26, 2017 13:00 - 17 minutes - 16.2 MBDavid Tracey’s field guide introduces us to some of specimens that make Vancouver what he calls “a paradise for trees”. The book celebrates the incredible selection of trees nurtured by the city’s long growing season, mild winters and abundance of moisture. David Tracey speaks with Redeye host Lorraine Chisholm.
Japanese officials debate dumping Fukushima waste water into ocean
August 23, 2017 13:00 - 19 minutes - 18 MBOver the past 3 years, the Tokyo Electric Power Company has been pumping water nonstop through the three Fukushima reactors to cool melted fuel that remains too radioactive to remove. Japanese officials are debating whether it would be possible to dilute this water and dump it into the ocean. We talk with Gordon Edwards, president of the Canadian Coalition for Nuclear Responsibility.
Study suggests regulator turning blind eye to unauthorized dams in BC
August 20, 2017 13:00 - 13 minutes - 12.6 MBBen Parfitt describes the discovery of large number of unauthorized dams in BC’s northeast as evidence of a regulatory breakdown in the province. The dams, many of which have been built on First Nations land, are being used to impound water for fracking operations. Ben Parfitt is a resource policy analyst with the Canadian Centre for Policy Alternatives.
UN adopts new treaty to ban use of nuclear weapons
August 18, 2017 13:00 - 12 minutes - 11.6 MBRay Acheson argues that the recent UN treaty to prohibit the development and use of nuclear weapons is hugely significant, despite the non-participation of countries with nuclear arms. Ray Acheson is director of Reaching Critical Will, the disarmament program of the Women’s International League of Peace and Freedom.
Worrying gaps in new Liberal privacy bill
August 14, 2017 13:00 - 15 minutes - 14.4 MBIn the face of widespread concerns over Harper’s Bill C-51, the Liberal government promised to repeal parts of the legislation. Last month, they introduced Bill C-59. David Christopher of Open Media says there are still worrying gaps in the new bill when it comes to protecting our privacy.
Health care activists call for Vancouver to become sanctuary city
August 10, 2017 13:00 - 14 minutes - 12.9 MBSanctuary Health advocates for undocumented workers and is calling for Vancouver to become a sanctuary city. We speak with Sarah St. John of Sanctuary Health.
Children target of gang violence in Central America
August 06, 2017 13:00 - 10 minutes - 9.17 MBThe number of children fleeing violence in Central America is skyrocketing due to the increase of gang activity in the region. Thousands end up in Mexico, unable to go to school or get work, and at risk of further exploitation. Azadeh Namjeedi of the UNHCR joins us to talk about what is needed to protect these children.
$100 increase in welfare won't make a dent in poverty rates
August 02, 2017 15:06 - 15 minutes - 13.9 MBRents in Vancouver are so high and welfare rates so low that the recent $100 increase means people still only have $20 a week to spend on food. We talk with Bill Hopwood of Raise the Rates about what a real poverty reduction strategy would look like.
First Nations call for more control, funding to fight wildfires
August 01, 2017 13:00 - 12 minutes - 11.8 MBIn early July, the Tsilhqot’in people on the Anaham Reserve ignored a provincial evacuation order and stayed to fight the fires surrounding their homes themselves. Nicole Schabus says Indigenous communities face a slower response time to wildfire because reserves are federally funded while firefighting is a provincial responsibility. Nicole Schabus is Assistant Professor of Law at Thomson Rivers University in Kamloops and wife of the late Arthur Manuel.
Women seriously harmed by overuse of solitary confinement
July 29, 2017 13:00 - 19 minutes - 17.4 MBThe BC Civil Liberties Association and the John Howard Society are challenging the use of solitary confinement in Canada’s prisons. West Coast LEAF is an intervenor in the case, arguing that women in general and Indigenous women in particular suffer serious harm from solitary confinement. We speak with West Coast LEAF Director of Litigation Raji Mangat.
Neoliberalism fades as wave of populism sweeps Europe
July 27, 2017 13:00 - 14 minutes - 12.8 MBIngo Schmidt argues that we're not so much seeing a shift in politics from right to left, but rather that populism is replacing the old neoliberal orthodoxy of recent decades. Ingo Schmidt currently teaches Labour Studies at Athabasca University. He's also an organizer with the World Peace Forum Society in Vancouver and a columnist for a socialist monthly paper back in his native Germany.
Jeremy Corbyn and the end of New Labour
July 26, 2017 03:44 - 12 minutes - 11.8 MBAccording to Derrick O’Keefe, progressives in Canada should be watching recent events in the UK closely. In a recent talk, he explains how the British Labour Party is both much worse, and much better than the federal NDP. Derrick O’Keefe is an author, editor and co-founder of Ricochet Media. He spoke in June at a panel discussion on the return of the electoral left in Europe.
American race law provided blueprint for Nazi Germany
July 21, 2017 13:00 - 20 minutes - 18.4 MBWhen Nazi Germany was developing its Nuremberg Laws in the 1930s, it looked to the Jim Crow laws in the United States for inspiration. In his book Hitler’s American Model, James Whitman tells the story of how Nazi lawyers paid close attention to American race policies and used them as a model to craft their anti-Jewish legislation. James Whitman is professor of comparative and foreign law at Yale Law School.
California refinery town takes on Chevron
July 19, 2017 13:00 - 13 minutesRichmond, California is home to one of the largest oil refineries on the West Coast of the US. For many years, Chevron controlled municipal politics. But now a coalition of community and labour groups in Richmond has succeeded in raising minimum wage, challenging evictions and demanding fair taxation from Big Oil and Big Soda. Steve Early is a lawyer and labour activist. He’s author of Refinery Town: Big Oil, Big Money and the Remaking of an American City.
Canadian border agents need independent oversight
July 17, 2017 02:13 - 14 minutesBorder officials have wider powers than police officers. Yet, unlike any other police agency in the country, the Canadian Border Services Agency has no independent body to provide critical oversight. A new report by the BC Civil Liberties Association proposes a model for accountability. Josh Paterson is executive director of the BCCLA.
Vancouver city council rejects condo proposal for 105 Keefer St
July 13, 2017 13:00 - 9 minutesLow-income residents and community activists won a major victory in the fight against gentrification in Chinatown, when Vancouver city council voted 8-3 against a 12-storey condo tower at 105 Keefer St. Beverly Ho is with the Chinatown Concern Group.
Grounded Authority - The Algonquins of Barrier Lake Against the State
July 11, 2017 13:00 - 19 minutesSince the election of Justin Trudeau, Canada has been hailed internationally for its progressive relationship with Indigenous people. Shiri Pasternak new book Grounded Authority shows that colonialism is still very much alive in Canada, as she recounts the story of the Algonquins of Barrier Lake and their efforts to regain full jurisdiction over their territory.
Canada must recognize right to a healthy environment
July 07, 2017 13:00 - 11 minutesOver a hundred countries around the world recognize their citizens’ right to a healthy environment. So far Canada does not, but a recent parliamentary committee report is recommending it should. The committee just finished their review of the Canadian Environmental Protection Act. We speak with Kaitlyn Mitchell, staff lawyer at Ecojustice.
Canada's prisons fail to live up to Nelson Mandela Rules
July 04, 2017 13:00 - 18 minutesTwo years ago Canada adopted a UN resolution on the treatment of prisoners commonly known as the Nelson Mandela Rules. Canada is failing to meet these standards in a number of different ways. We speak with criminal defence lawyer Michael Spratt.
High-school students send open letter to new BC premier
July 02, 2017 13:00 - 8 minutesBefore the election, a group of students at the Ideal Mini School in Vancouver each composed an audio letter to the new premier. Education cutbacks, climate change and problems with the voting system were some of issues they raised. James Mainguy talks with Lily Baker and Arden Jansen.
Federal Liberals good at selling wars to public
June 30, 2017 13:00 - 13 minutesRichard Sanders of the Coalition to Oppose the Arms Trade says the Conservatives always wanted to increase the military budget but they couldn't get away with it. We spoke with Sanders shortly after the Trudeau government announced a major increase in funding for the Canadian military in early June.
Muslim men in Canada victims of two-tier system of justice
June 28, 2017 13:00 - 17 minutesLawyer Hasan Alam says Ottawa University professor Hassan Diab, held in France without trial for two years, is one in a long list of men of Muslim or Middle Eastern descent who don’t get the benefit of the fair hearing and due process that white Canadians take for granted. Hasan Alam spoke in Vancouver on April 5.
Five ways an NDP-Green government could stop Kinder Morgan
June 25, 2017 22:11 - 11 minutesOne of the key issues that unites the NDP and Greens in B.C. is their opposition to Kinder Morgan’s Trans Mountain pipeline expansion. The agreement they signed after the election said they’d employ every tool available to make sure it doesn’t go ahead. Sven Biggs of Stand examines five of the ways John Horgan could use existing legislation to achieve that goal.
Wilderness Committee back in court after Taseko launches appeal
June 23, 2017 13:00 - 10 minutesIn 2012, Taseko Mines launched a defamation lawsuit against the Wilderness Committee for materials it produced about Taseko’s open pit copper and gold mine at Fish Lake. The libel suit was dismissed last year, but on June 7, Taseko Mines appealed the decision. We speak with Joe Foy, National Campaign Director of the Wilderness Committee.
City shuts down Balmoral Hotel due to health concerns
June 21, 2017 13:00 - 13 minutesThe Balmoral Hotel is a derelict hotel on Hastings Street in Vancouver. For years, the City of Vancouver turned a blind eye to deteriorating conditions at the hotel until pressure from community activists forced their hand. The Engineering Department declared the building unsafe two weeks ago and evicted more than 150 tenants. We talk with Wendy Pedersen, long-time housing activist in the Downtown Eastside.
Bad Job Story? Let's Talk
June 19, 2017 00:29 - 10 minutesWith these words, the B.C. Employment Standards Coalition invited people to talk to them about exploitation and abuse on the job. The report they produced includes stories of unpaid work, unreasonable schedules and verbal harassment. David Fairey is co-chair of the Coalition.