From Embers

Conversation with an organizer of this year's Winter Fair in Montreal: a book/zine fair as well as discussions annd workshops around trauma, dealing with conflict, and building resilient and strong communities of struggle. This year's event is focused on the many ways to mitigate the harms that often accompany conflict - both from the state and from within our interpersonal relationships. Check it out if you're in the area: Saturday February 8, 1611 avenue d'Orléans, 11h - 20h. Free dinner (6 pm) and childcare available.

An interview with John Clarke, a founder and long-time organizer with the Ontario Coalition Against Poverty in Toronto. OCAP has played a key role in the anti-poverty movement in Ontario over the past three decades, deploying a creative variety of militant and confrontational tactics in the interests of meeting the immediate needs of poor and working class people. Last year John retired as a paid organizer of OCAP, although he remains an active member. We spoke about the history and philosophy of the organization and what he believes is in store in the future for social movements in Ontario. We referenced the book Poor People's Movements: Why They Succeed, How They Fail. Music by Bakunin's Bum with words from Shawn Brant and Sue Collis.

Conversation with an anarchist and anti-repression organizer about how conspiracy charges have been used against anarchists in Canada and the United States, some challenges and lessons learned from supporting J20 defendants and others, the Tilted Scales Collective's upcoming book project, Representing Radicals: A Guide for Lawyers, and more. Check out the links below for more in-depth discussion of some of the cases discussed in the episode as well as related texts about repression, security culture, and conspiracy charges. The Age of Conspiracy Charges Guilt By Association – How the Prosecution of the RNC 8 Threatens Dissent and all Political Organizers (pdf) Toronto G20 Main Conspiracy Group – The Charges and How They Came to Be (pdf) We’ve Got Your Back: The Story of the J20 Defense: An Epic Tale of Repression and Solidarity Confidence, Courage, Connection, Trust: A Proposal for Security Culture Solidarity With Our Comrades in Hamilton: To Stop Gentrification, Destroy Capitalism    

Matt Hern is a long-time writer and community organizer in Vancouver. We discuss the projects and ideas he’s engaged with over the past several decades, including his upbringing and politicization, having kids and establishing alternative schools, a critical perspective on social ecology, community organizing and gentrification, and shifting focus to Surrey where he works with racialized youth to establish workers co-operatives. Links: matthern.ca / solidstate.coop Music by Warsawpack

A conversation with Stu, a founding member of Dragonfly Farm. Dragonfly is a rural communal land project near Bancroft, Ontario that was founded in 1978. We talk about how he and his friends got the land, how they've endured and navigated conflict over the years, and advice he has for folks wanting to live rurally and/or communally today. Music by Perth County Conspiracy Links for further reading: Dragonfly Is 25 (2003) Jim Campbell, Remembered (with links) Someone's master's thesis with a lot of details about the project The Perth County Conspiracy

An interview with two anarchists from Vancouver about their efforts to intervene in the climate strike and extinction rebellion actions in that city. We talk about the context in Vancouver, their critique of Extinction Rebellion, black blocs, critical solidarity, and moving beyond hope and hopelessness. For the privacy of our guests, this interview was re-voiced by volunteers. Links: Anarchist Critique and Analysis of Recent Climate Mobilizations in Vancouver Imagining New Worlds - Anti-Capitalism and Climate Justice (Kitchener, Ontario) Extinguishing Rebellion (Montreal) Printable Outreach Materials for Climate Strike Actions (It's Going Down) -with music from the Subhumans and Bombs Away

A conversation with Jonathan Vallely and Eric Levitt of Gay 4 Pay Press, a zine distro largely focused on radical politics and gay/queer men based out of Toronto and Ottawa. We talk about cruising, a world without police, community conversations around consent and accountability, crystal meth, and, of course, zines.   Music in this episode: FAGGOT - Mister Wallace Excerpt from Breaking the Ice/Letters to Meth video - composed by Don Vaillancourt

This week's episode features an interview with Kate Klein of the Mining Injustice Solidarity Network. We talk a bit about the group's work opposing the mining industry and supporting mining-affected communities outside of Canada in their struggles against Canadian mining corporations.  Mostly, we discuss the group's use of drama and comedy in their campaigns, and discuss a recent workshop that Kate and another member gave on "humour as an activist tactic."  

Mauna Kea is the tallest mountain in the world measured from its oceanic base and one of the most sacred sites for spiritual Hawaiians. A consortium of government and university scientists from Canada, the United States, Japan, China and India have been trying to build the Thirty Metre Telescope on its summit for nearly a decade, coming up against fierce opposition from native Hawaiians every step of the way. Things heated up again this summer as TMT planned to start construction for the second time. In response, land protectors established a resistance camp on the mountain. After two and a half months and dozens of arrests, the camp is still standing and a mass movement has emerged to defend the mountain. We caught up with Pua’ena Ahn, who is part of the Hawaiian movement and currently active to protect Mauna Kea. With music from Anti-Flag and PUNAHELE695 In Canada, the National Research Council and the Association of Canadian Universities for Research in Astronomy (ACURA) are important partners in the TMT C

An interview with Byron, host of To Know The Land, a radio show on Guelph's CFRU 93.3.  We talk about why radio is cool, and I pick Byron's brain about place, space and knowing the land we stand on. Links: https://toknowtheland.tumblr.com/showarchives Music by Ana Roxanne, Hotel Neon and Taylor Deupree The album Byron mentions at the end isn't out yet but you can hear some previews here: https://stationarytravels.wordpress.com/place-language/  

An interview with Nathan Munn, a freelance journalist based in Montreal. Nathan has written several investigative pieces for VICE looking at the "Hub Model" of community policing, which has been quietly rolling out across the country, and especially in Saskatchewan and Ontario, over the past 5 years. The article by Kristian Williams referenced in the introduction is available in PDF form here.

Talking to Lee Reed, anarchist organizer and MC from Hamilton, ON and self-described mouthy jerk. We talk about how his political music and focus have changed over time, artists and anarchists finding themselves in conflict over gentrification and figuring out what to do about it, Locke St repression and supporting Pride defenders, his recent Polaris nomination for the Steal City EP, and more. Plus I crammed this episode full of great tracks, old and new. Enjoy! Music in this episode: Lee Reed - The Bank Mat Heddle feat. Lee Reed - Gtfh Warsawpack - Doomsday Device Lee Reed - Fuck No  

Every year on August 10th, both inside and outside of jails and prisons across Canada, prisoners and their supporters mark Prisoners Justice Day. We spoke with Veronica, an anarchist in Montreal who is part of organizing the annual NYE noise demos in Laval. We discuss the history of Prisoners Justice Day, what has changed since the 70s, how PJD will marked and articulated this year, recuperation by Liberal governments, anarchist approaches to prisoner solidarity, and how to get started. Some PJD Events Across Canada: Halifax - Kingston (1, 2) - Hamilton (1, 2) - Ottawa - Toronto - Sudbury - Vancouver - Barrie - London Prisoners mentioned include Pete Collins, Cleve Geddes, Justin St Amour, and Jean Veillette. Texts discussed include Under New Management, Prisons In Canada, Barred From Prison, and the Penal Press Archive. We also referenced the podcast "What Happened to Prisoners Justice Day?" Other topics raised include Structured Intervention Units, Prison Farms, and the P4W Memorial Collective.  

An interview with a recently-released Hamilton anarchist on the events surrounding Hamilton Pride, anarchist prisoner support, jail, queer community, being a hashtag and feeling popular.

Conversation with two organizers from Anti-Police Power Surrey (APPS), a grassroots organization committed to building collective resistance to police and the systems of power and domination they uphold: capitalism, colonialism, and white supremacy. They are active on the unceded, stolen territories of the Kwantlen, Musqueam, Katzie, Semiahmoo, Tsawwassen, Qayqayt, and Kwikwetlem nations, occupied by Surrey, British Columbia. Website: Anti-Police Power Surrey Facebook & Instagram Music in this episode: Tribe Called Quest - We The People

A conversation with an anarchist who was around during the height of the 2010 anti-Olympics resistance in Vancouver. We talk about the impact the Olympics has had on the social climate, the surveillance experienced by anarchists and other organizers, and the infamous Heart Attack demo that tore up the city's downtown core.

An interview with a now Bogota-based member of Projet Accompagnement Solidarité Colombie, a Quebec-based collective that works to build direct solidarity with Colombian communities, organizations and social movements. Topics include: - the meaning of internationalism and why and how we frame our struggles in an international context. - what North-South solidarity looks like. - political violence and how it relates to social struggles. - struggling alongside people who are not anarchists.   Links: PASC CLAC-Montreal https://peoplesdispatch.org/ https://www.thetricontinental.org/    

An interview with author, farmer and organizer Aric McBay about his new book Full Spectrum Resistance. We talk about building effective movements, his departure from Deep Green Resistance, dynamics between radicals and liberals, what is a victory, movement case studies, and the importance of moving from abstract ideas to tangible struggle. Music by Janelle Monae and Bakunin's Bum (with words from Shawn Brant back when he was organizing with the Ontario Coalition Against Poverty).

A conversation with a Kingston organizer of an anti-police and anti-military protest contingent in Kingston Pride Parade, and an interview with two folks from Hamilton about people at Hamilton Pride defending themselves homophobic street preachers and violent far-right white supremacists without relying on the police. Note that we re-recorded this second interview to protect their anonymity. Check out The Tower on Facebook (facebook.com/thetowerhamilton) as well as North Shore Counter Info (north-shore.info) for more up to date information on arrests, solidarity actions, and ways you can support those arrested and possibly facing charges in Hamilton. Related reading: The Unquiet Dead: Anarchism, Fascism, and Mythology. Zine-length chapters and audio recordings available at https://unquietdead.tumblr.com/

Audio from a panel at the Montreal Anarchist Bookfair. Hosts from The Solecast, Intersection'elle, Changing On The Fly, and From Embers discuss questions about podcasting, Internet culture, radio, privacy, and "being a personality." Music in this episode is Sole, off his album Destituent. Also it's the one year anniversary of From Embers!