ezra winton

Apr.12
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Painting, Resisting, Giggling: An Interview with George Littlechild

Posted by in Art, Culture and Politics, Interviews

I first stumbled upon George Littlechild’s art at the Comox Valley Art Gallery in my hometown of Courtenay, British Columbia. After reeling from the emotional turmoil and historical reopening, rapprochement and reordering rendered in his bold and colourful brush strokes and integration of collage through archives, I was delighted further to learn that Littlechild resided right there, in my little town. After several years run by a city council dominated by career politicians and land developers, Courtenay has come to resemble the big box subsidiary that many other communities in…read more

My birthday wish: Support alternative media

Posted by in Alt Media

Today is my birthday, and my birthday wish—aside from health and happiness for my friends and especially my family—is for widespread and even sustained! support for alternative and independent media, especially from the anniversary wish-list below. Every time we buy a Globe and Mail newspaper or watch any Canadian news program on television we are tacitly, if not consciously, supporting the status quo. The status quo, at least in Canada, currently consists of a government aggressively pursuing an economic agenda that favours corporations over people and the environment, and mainstream…read more

May.31
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Dec.02
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Tar on the Tusks: The Walrus Magazine and Big Oil Sponsorship

Posted by in Advertising

“Divest from the Royal Bank of Canada, close your accounts, tell RBC to stop funding the tar sands project.” This was the advice filmmaker Shannon Walsh gave an audience in Toronto after a screening in 2009 of her documentary on the Alberta tar sands project, H2OIL. Someone in the audience, noticeably moved by the film’s critical exploration of Alberta’s cash-cow and the planet’s eco-nightmare, had asked Walsh the dreaded question, “OK but what is something we can do right now?” Where many filmmakers would read out the laundry list of…read more

Framing Harper

Posted by in Art, Art Threat, Mediactivism

Well I came up with a doozy of an idea recently. The plan: launch a national contest for artists to submit portraits of Stephen Harper that show his “committment” to the arts. This is in the wake of massive cuts to the arts by Harper and his Conservatives and most recently his axing of the National Portrait Gallery. So Rob and Michael and myself are making it happen over at Art Threat. We’ve announced the contest and put together a jury that includes Sheila Copps, the former Minsiters of Heritage!…read more

Nov.12
0

A country in need of electoral reform

Posted by in Broadsides

The image above is taken from the CBC – it’s a map showing Canada’s electoral colours. Under a system of proportional representation, this map would look  A LOT different. The Harperites would have less, the NDP more, and Greens would even have a handful of seats. Imagine that! I’ve decided recently to get more involved in electoral reform in Canada in whatever capacity I can. I’m going to start by supporting Fair Vote Canada here and there, beginning with posting this press release received yesterday afternoon: Election analysis determines that,…read more

Oct.18
0

Canada

Posted by in Broadsides

Canada, A country of immigrants, Founded on genocide, Maintained with white privilege and collective denial, Imagined as “our home and native land,” Visualized as one, Fragmented as many, And managed by violence and repression. That’s what I think when I watch the video below of First Nations blockading a road in Northern Quebec (Algonquin). The police march into them as if they have no entitlement, as if this land belongs to the police and the state that signs their cheques. That’s not my Canada. My Canada would also be a…read more

Oct.09
0

A vote for Harper is a vote against diverse culture

Posted by in Broadsides, Mediactivism

As Harper takes the lead in the polls and everyone in the creative sector braces for an ultra-Conservative chill to ooze over this country, some people have been busy making excellent missives against Harper and his gang of culture reformists. The video below is the most recent. Enjoy.

Sep.22
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