MAKING PEACE VIGIL Newsletter - April 3, 2025

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MAKING PEACE VIGIL Newsletter - April 3, 2025


SPECIAL CAMPAIGN: LET’S MAKE ENDING HOUSELESSNESS A MAJOR ISSUE IN THE FEDERAL ELECTION

SOME FACTS
Every city in Canada is experiencing a houselessness crisis. On any given night, over 30,000 people are unhoused in Canada—824 of them in Regina.
Houselessness costs peoples’ lives. In 2024, 118 people died in Regina because they were unhoused.
The main cause of houselessness in Canada is the lack of affordable rental housing, sometimes called ‘social housing’—that is housing with rent that costs less than 30% of a household’s before-tax income.
For a period, starting in the 1960s, Canada had a successful national housing program that, on average, built 20,000 new social housing units per year. But then cuts began to be made to the funding, first in the 1980s by the Conservative government of Brian Mulroney and then in the 1990s by the Liberal government of Jean Chrétien. By 1994, the funding had been cut altogether.

ACTION
When a candidate, no matter what party, comes to your door or calls on the phone, tell them the following:

That ending houselessness is your main issue in the election;
That you will only vote for their party if the party makes a commitment to restart the national social housing program, cancelled in 1994, which for a period created about 20,000 new social units per year.


SPECIAL LETTER

CHILDREN IN GAZA NEED A CEASEFIRE, by Evelyn Tischer—scroll down
[ https://leaderpost.com/opinion/letters/ ... -budgeting ]


SPECIAL WEBINAR: MORE MILITARISM IS NOT THE ANSWER, WITH TYLER SHIPLEY, HARSHA WALIA & OTHERS--TUESDAY APRIL 8, 5 pm
[ https://actionnetwork.org/events/more-m ... he-answer/ ]


GOOD READING & VIEWING & LISTENING

UNIVERSITY OF REGINA TERMINATES FEE AGREEMENT WITH STUDENTS' UNION, CITING FINANCIAL CONCERNS
[ https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/saskatch ... -1.7500380 ]


REGINA DECLARED A HOUSELESSNESS CRISIS. CITY COUNCILLOR BEHIND MOTION EXPLAINS WHAT NOW
[ https://www.cbc.ca/player/play/audio/9.6705910 ]


FROM DESPAIR TO HOPE: REGINA CITY COUNCIL TO AMEND ZONING IN RESPONSE TO GLEN ELM TRAILER COURT EVICTIONS—Keep these residents in your thoughts. Their situation is desperate!
[ https://leaderpost.com/news/local-news/ ... -evictions ]


'THE HUMAN SUFFERING IS STAGGERING': CITY COUNCIL DISCUSSES HOMELESSNESS PLAN
[ https://thestarphoenix.com/news/local-n ... sness-plan ]


CARNEY UNVEILS SIGNATURE HOUSING PLAN HE SAYS WILL DOUBLE PACE OF HOME BUILDING IN CANADA—Doesn’t look like this includes the construction of affordable rental housing.
[ https://www.cbc.ca/news/politics/carney ... -1.7497947 ]


SASK. GOVERNMENT SAYS UNGRADED EGGS CAN NOW BE SOLD AT FARMERS' MARKETS—a bit of good news!
[ https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/saskatch ... -1.7491706 ]


IT'S MY DREAM TO BECOME A NURSE, BUT THE UNPAID WORK NEARLY BROKE ME
[ https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/first-pe ... -1.7497013 ]


INDIGENOUS ACTIVIST WINS $4-MILLION GRANT TO BOOST INDIGENOUS ENVIRONMENTAL RIGHTS
[ https://www.nationalobserver.com/2024/1 ... nger-award ]


GENDER AND SEX: LOOKING BACK ON 100 YEARS OF 'THE WORST SCIENTIFIC RESEARCH'
[ https://www.cbc.ca/documentaries/the-na ... -1.7152949 ]


THE LIBERALS AND CONSERVATIVES ARE PROPOSING TERRIBLE TAX CUTS
[ https://www.readthemaple.com/the-libera ... -tax-cuts/ ]


WHY THE PARTIES HAVE IT WRONG WITH TAX-CUT PROMISES
[ https://thetyee.ca/News/2025/04/01/Why- ... -Promises/ ]


WE SHOULDN’T PIPELINE OUR WAY OUT OF TRUMP’S CRISIS
[ https://thetyee.ca/Analysis/2025/03/27/ ... ign=010425 ]


INDUSTRIAL CARBON PRICING IS CRITICAL TO CANADA’S ECONOMIC HEALTH AND CLIMATE ACTION
[ https://davidsuzuki.org/expert-article/ ... te-action/ ]


TRUMP, POILIEVRE, CARNEY AND THE CORPORATE AGENDA: AN UPDATE TO OUR ELECTION
[ https://canadians.org/analysis/trump-po ... on-primer/ ]


HENNESSY’S INDEX: PROPORTIONAL REPRESENTATION
[ https://www.policyalternatives.ca/news- ... sentation/ ]


CJPME WINS NATIONAL NEWSMEDIA COUNCIL RULING AGAINST THE TORONTO SUN FOR CALLING PRO-PALESTINE PROTESTERS “NAZIS”
[ https://www.cjpmemap.ca/impact_2025_03_ ... urce=cjpme ]


“WE ARE KILLING THE ESSENCE OF WHAT THE UNIVERSITY IS”: DR. JOANNE LIU ON NYU CANCELING HER TALK
[ https://www.democracynow.org/2025/4/1/j ... iu_msf_nyu ]


JEWISH STUDENTS CHAIN THEMSELVES TO COLUMBIA FENCE TO PROTEST KHALIL DETENTION
[ https://www.commondreams.org/news/colum ... t-protests ]


THE 'PEACEMAKER' IS LEADING US TO NUCLEAR ARMAGEDDON, with Dimitri Lascaris
[ https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Tjb_ZCpEyMI ]


EYES ON YEMEN
[ https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oSRDmBAozGU ]


MEXICO DOES NOT GIVE IN TO DEMANDS FROM US SECRETARY OF HOMELAND SECURITY
[ https://www.telesurenglish.net/mexico-d ... secretary/ ]


TRUMP SENDS HUNDREDS OF IMMIGRANTS TO BRUTAL SALVADORAN PRISON AS MASS DEPORTATIONS EXPAND
[ https://www.democracynow.org/2025/4/2/t ... immigrants ]


TRUMP IS ALL-AMERICAN, NOT A COPY OF EUROPEAN FASCISM
[ https://jacobin.com/2025/03/trump-fasci ... an-history ]


TRUMP’S AGGRESSION IN THE AMERICAS: THE RETURN OF THE MONROE DOCTRINE?
Speakers Othón Partido Lara (Leon IberoAmerican University, Mexico)
Dimitri Lascaris (Lawyer and journalist, Canada)
Tings Chak (Asia Coordinator, Tricontinental Institute)
Lotte Rørtoft-Madsen (Chair, Danish Communist Party)
Carlos Ron, (Venezuelan diplomat, former Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs for North America)
[ https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cKdBHeyBtZU&t=231s ]


SHOULD ACTIVELY ZIONIST JUDGES RULE IN CASES CONCERNING ISRAEL? With Yves Engler
[ https://yvesengler.com/2025/03/30/shoul ... ng-israel/ ]


FEAR OF FAMINE LOOMS AFTER ALL GAZA BAKERIES RUN OUT OF FLOUR AMID MONTH-LONG ISRAELI BLOCKADE
[ https://www.cbc.ca/news/world/bakeries- ... -1.7498858 ]


MAJOR GAZA LAND GRAB UNDERWAY AS ISRAEL'S ETHNIC CLEANSING ESCALATES
[ https://www.commondreams.org/news/israe ... nsing-gaza ]


NETANYAHU PROMISES THE “FINAL STAGE” OF GAZA GENOCIDE WILL LEAD TO IMPLEMENTATION OF “TRUMP’S PLAN", by Jeremy Scahill
[ https://www.dropsitenews.com/p/netanyah ... a-genocide ]


EVERY ATROCITY IMAGINABLE: LITANY OF ISRAELI WAR CRIMES CONTINUES
[ https://www.commondreams.org/news/more- ... war-crimes ]


DOCTORS AGAINST GENOCIDE—MARKING EID EL-FITRI
[ https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lmdj-ZLWpCQ ]


FILLING VACANCIES LEFT BY MIGRANTS WITH CHILDREN: FLORIDA’S DANGEROUS NEW PLAN
[ https://www.freedomunited.org/news/fill ... -children/ ]


LABOUR’S HISTORIC ATTACK ON DISABLED PEOPLE IS ALREADY WRECKING LIVES. JUST ASK KEVIN
[ https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfr ... efits-cuts ]


FOSSIL FUELS ARE KILLING US. SCIENTISTS PUBLISH SWEEPING REVIEW OF INDUSTRY HARMS
[ https://www.commondreams.org/news/clima ... -emergency ]


EVENTS, WEBINARS, TV PROGRAMS, & FILMS

THURSDAY APRIL 3, 2:30 PM: SENIORS FOR CLIMATE SCREENING OF THE 'LATER IS TOO LATE' DOCUMENTARY
[ https://us02web.zoom.us/webinar/registe ... 5AwKfl_L5Q ]


THURSDAY APRIL 3, 5 pm: HOPE IN THE ERA OF TRUMP—with Douglas Roche
[ https://us02web.zoom.us/meeting/registe ... gistration ]


THURSDAY APRIL 3, 7 pm: SCREENING OF A COMPLETE UNKNOWN, CENTRAL LIBRARY FILM THEATRE
In 1961, an unknown 19-year-old Bob Dylan arrives in New York City with his guitar and forges relationships with musical icons on his meteoric rise, culminating in a groundbreaking performance that reverberates around the world.
[ https://www.reginalibrary.ca/film-theat ... s/13372749 ]


SATURDAY APRIL 5, 2 pm: CELEBRATING THE LIFE OF JUNE MITCHELL (1926 - 2024), 2 pm, BLUE ROOM, HOTEL SASK, 2125 VICTORIA AVE
June was a long-time peace and justice activist. She participated in Making Peace Vigil when we handed out pamphlets on the Scarth Street Mall.


SATURDAY APRIL 5, 11 am – NOON: RAISE THE BAR POSTERING EVENT, MEET AT NOON AT THE CENOTAPH, VICTORIA PARK
We'll be putting up posters in and around downtown Regina to bring attention to Pierre Poilievre's selling out of Canada to the rich while leaving everyone else to pay the price for this.
[ https://you.leadnow.ca/events/raise-the ... ent-regina ]


TUESDAY APRIL 8, 10-11 am: DESIGNING A YOUTH FRIENDLY DOWNTOWN REGINA, RESEARCH & INNOVATION CENTRE (RIC) CORRIDOR
Youth (aged 15-30) are one of the most likely demographics to live in downtowns. Yet, in Regina, out of a total population of 430 people living in the Downtown neighbourhood, there are only 30 youth (all aged between 20 - 29) (City of Regina, 2024). Why are we not seeing more youth living in the Downtown? Are we providing the necessary supports and opportunities for their presence (residential & commercial)?
Undergraduate students from GES 346 Urban Planning in the Department of Geography & Environmental Studies were tasked with answering the question of what a youth friendly downtown Regina would look like. Please stop by the RIC Corridor on Tuesday April 8, 10-11am to hear some of their ideas! All are welcome.


TUESDAY APRIL 8, 5:30 pm: POLLUTING EDUCATION—THE INFLUENCE OF THE FOSSIL FUELS ON CHILDREN’S EDUCATION IN CANADA
[ https://act.cape.ca/unpacking_the_repor ... _in_canada ]


WEDNESDAY APRIL 9, 10 am: THE RIGHT TO HOUSING FOR DISABLED PEOPLE IN CANADA
[ https://events.zoom.us/ev/AgOTM0ouj_-bE ... q951HjVDhA ]


SATURDAY APRIL 12, 2 – 3 pm: RAISE THE BAR POSTERING EVENT, MEET AT 2 IN FRONT OF PRINCE OF WALES CORA’S RESTAURANT, 2075 PRINCE OF WHALES DRIVE
We will be at the Prince of Wales Drive Real Canadian Superstore and Wal-Mart to distribute flyers to bring attention to Pierre Poilievre's selling out of Canada to the rich while leaving everyone else to pay the price for this.
[ https://you.leadnow.ca/events/raise-the ... nched=true ]


TUESDAY APRIL 15, 10 am: WEBINAR ON URBAN NATURAL INFRASTRUCTURE MANAGEMENT, by David Suzuki Foundation
[ https://us06web.zoom.us/webinar/registe ... vgAC0XxpLA ]


WEDNESDAY APRIL 16, 6 PM: REPORT BACK FROM THE UNITED NATIONS COMMISSION ON THE STATUS OF WOMEN, VOICE OF CANADIAN WOMEN FOR PEACE
Join us for an engaging and insightful evening as the Canadian Voice of Women for Peace and International Physicians for the Prevention of Nuclear War Canada's joint delegation shares their experiences from the United Nations Commission on the Status of Women (CSW) held in New York this past March!
[ https://zoom.us/meeting/register/zLNPBd ... gistration ]


SATURDAY MAY 5, ALL DAY: RED DRESS DAY—A DAY TO REMEMBER MISSING AND MURDERED INDIGENOUS WOMEN, GIRLS, & TWO-SPIRIT PEOPLE
One way to mark Red Dress Day is to hang a red dress in your window or in your yard.
[ https://www.thecanadianencyclopedia.ca/ ... -dress-day ]


SUNDAY MAY 11, 2:30 PM: CELEBRATION OF THE LIFE OF JOHN CONWAY, WA WA SHRINERS, 2065 HAMILTON ST
John lived his life working for a world where social justice prevails—for a world that is a better place for everyone who lives here.
[ https://leaderpost.remembering.ca/obitu ... 1092752460 ]


NOTE DATE CHANGE: FRIDAY MAY 30, 7 pm: THE BLACK BIRD COMMONS PRESENTS AN ADULTS ONLY BOOKFAIR—A FUNDRAISER FOR REGINA’S NEW BOOKSTORE, THE EVERYDAY KITCHEN, 1378 HAMILTON ST


NEW PETITIONS & OTHER ACTIONS

TAKE ACTION NOW TO PROTECT WOMEN’S & GENDER EQUALITY IN CANADA
[ https://vowpeace.org/tools-to-take-action/ ]


STOP THE AMERICANIZATION OF CANADA’S MEDIA
[ https://leadnow.ca/campaigns/protectcbc/?source=email ]


STOP WAR CRIMINALS FROM SPEAKING IN WINNIPEG
[ https://www.change.org/p/stop-war-crimi ... n-winnipeg ]


NO PLATFORM FOR ISRAELI SOLDIERS: DEMAND THE CANCELLATION OF A TORONTO EVENT FOR ‘LONE SOLDIERS’ WHO FOUGHT IN GAZA IN THE LAST YEAR
[ https://actionnetwork.org/letters/noidfintoronto ]


NEW TREATMENT APPEARS TO HAVE CURED SICKLE CELL DISEASE. SADLY, FEW CAN AFFORD IT.
[ https://www.thepetitionsite.com/980/044 ... 3474045877 ]


STOP THE DEPORTATION & RELEASE MAMOUD KHALIL NOW
[ https://takeaction.amnesty.ca/page/168227/action/1 ]


- Making Peace Vigil