rabble radio

Happy May Day. Across Canada and the world social justice and progressive activists are readying themselves to celebrate solidarity in art, music, words, ideas, and actions. Over the last year or so, the Occupy movement has been one of the largest and most visible actions for solidarity across the globe. In this episode of rabble radio, we thought we'd bring together art and activism by turning th...

The Conservative Party of Canada is denying that it knew about a scheme to misdirect voters to non-existent polling stations in the last election. Here's one of the so-called robocalls, misdirecting voters to non-existent polling stations. Dave  Hudson lives in Guelph, and he received that call the morning of election day.  He quickly realized that something was amiss, and recorded the call. That...

We'll start with our newest columnist. Thomas Ponniah is an affiliate of the David Rockefeller Center for Latin American Studies at Harvard University. In his first audio column for rabble radio, he takes us on a journey from war into love. If you're a person who spends time online, you've almost certainly thought about the possibility of cyberattacks. But creating fear of cyber attacks may just s...

2011 has been a very eventful year for activists, community organizers, and progressives. First we had the Arab Spring, Canada's NDP leader Jack Layton died after a long battle with cancer, then the Occupy movement grew into a global phenomenon. Japan faced an earthquake, tsunami, and a disabled and damaged nuclear plant. Abousfian Abdelrazik was finally taken off the United Nations list of terror...

Before we start these notes, a reminder: rabble.ca is kicking off our fundraising drive this month and so I'd like to issue you a little challenge. We know that most of you listeners consume all kinds of media — mainstream and independent. What rabble.ca wants you to do this year is match your spending on mainstream media: newspapers, cable, whatever you get, and send that amount rabble.ca's way....

In this episode, intrepid rabble reporters talk to the people who chose to #occupy. Michael Stewart heads to Vancouver, while Matthew Adams and Meagan Perry take on Toronto. 

This month marked the 10-year anniversary of the September 11th attacks on the World Trade Centre in New York City. The event, and the wars that followed have affected lives around the world. In this episode of rabble radio, an interview about how the effects of 9/11 have been felt by Muslim women. As part of Aboriginal awareness week, Clifton Nicholas speaks about the portrayal of aboriginal peop...

On August 22, 2011, Jack Layton tragically died of cancer. His friends, family, and compatriots remember his courage. In his final words released in a letter penned two days before his death, he reminded us all of the values he held dear. He wrote, "My friends, love is better than anger. Hope is better than fear. Optimism is better than despair. So let us be loving, hopeful and optimistic. And we'...

Today is the day of Jack Layton's state funeral at Roy Thompson Hall in Toronto. The ceremony follows days of heartfelt outpourings. In this podcast, memories of Jack Layton from those who knew him: young people who volunteered with him, and long-time activists and leaders. Hear some of their stories in this podcast.

The complete audio from Jack Layton's funeral. Eulogies by Mike and Sarah Layton, Stephen Lewis and Karl Belanger. 

There are very few humans who don't enjoy music. For most people, it offers relaxation, inspiration, enjoyment and in times of trouble, solace. Leah Abramson is an activist and documentary maker who works with women in prison, fostering their musical expression. In the documentary we're about to play for you, she takes us behind the prison walls to hear some of the music created by the women there...

Murray Dobbin joined us on rabble radio a few times before the election got started. After the Conservative win and the orange crush happened, I called him up one more time for a talk about how Canada's future is shaping up, and what progressive people need to do in this new Conservative majority Canada. Here's our conversation. Did I mention that this year marks rabble.ca's 10th anniversary? It i...

There's an election, but we say: no depression. Murray Dobbin comes back to rabble radio to shed a bit of light in the electoral darkness. He's a lot more hopeful than last episode! Seriously. Recorded on the eve of the leader's debate, Dobbin talks about the campaign road ahead.

In this podcast: terrifying yet boring — the Canadian election. A new rabble radio contest. Cracking the cover of human books. Fukushima Daichi and alt power. An ode to the ipad deux. Canada is enduring its fourth election in seven years. While the NDP and the Liberal Parties grapple for the vote from the Left, the Conservative Party of Canada is reaching for a majority government. As polls stand...

In this International Women's Day episode, we hear from Nahla Abdo on the continuing uprisings, and Palestinian Activist Reem Yumis talks about women's role in the current protests. Happy IWD, all! Nahla Abdo is an Arab-Canadian feminist. She took the time to call in her comments about the protests sweeping the Middle East and North Africa. Reem Yumis is a Palestinian Activist. She took spoke to t...

Jase Tanner was in Tahrir square when pro-Mubarak forces came to break up the demonstrations. Code Pink's Medea Benjamin was in another part of the square. In this podcast, we hear their stories.

Tighe Barry was in Cairo as part of a Codepink delegation on its way to Gaza when the protests started. In this special edition of rabble radio, he describes his experience in the protests. By now most people have seen pictures of the pro-democracy protests in Egypt.  The government has closed internet and cell phone access in the country. However, peace activist and blogger David Swanson managed...

In this episode of rabble radio: transit police in Vancouver accused of violence, a new report recommends protection for women and girls in Haiti, and Canada's government continues attempts to eject war resisters. Music this episode: Bad Cop. The lawyer working on the case of transit riders facing violence from Vancouver Transit Police talks about the case. You'll be shocked. Wayne's got some new...

June Swadron is a successful writing coach, author, and therapist. In this interview with Lyn Thompson from rabble.ca's Living on Purpose podcast, she talks about learning to write about one of her most secret truths, living with bi-polar disorder. The Reel Women have a spy movie for you that you might not have heard of. It is a good one for long winter nights. Loud Fast Rules. It's a rerelease of...

Velcrow Ripper reports from the Cancun climate summit. A woman living with mental illness and addiction talks about how supportive housing has kept her from dying. Julian Assange's words after being released on bail. The open Internet provides a safe space for feminist ideas. Blogger Amanda Marcotte speaks to the interviewers at The F Word.

Report from the daily podcast from the UN Climate Summit, post-election checkin in Haiti and George Galloway answers tough questions.

Should we be able to criticize war on Remembrance Day, Aung San Suu Kyi — what does her freedom mean, and demanding better food for the poor.

In this podcast, a feature interview with activist and academic Phyllis Bennis. Phyllis Bennis has spent a lifetime working toward peace in the middle east. She is a fellow of both the Transnational Institute and the Institute for Policy Studies in Washington, D.C., where she is the director of the New Internationalism Project. She specializes in  U.S. Foreign Policy Issues, particularly involving...

Remember those anti-tar sands posters and ads that hit the news way back in the summer? Those posters and ads were produced by environmentalist groups in the United States, including the Sierra Club. and while those kinds of images haven't hit the news recently, activist work has not stopped since then. The Energy Justice Network is a group that works with local communities to track and record all...

He says. She says. Jesse Rosenfeld was writing for The Guardian newspaper when G20 security beat him up and arrested him. Amy Goodman on what it means to have a real independent media. Jesse Rosenfeld was writing for The Guardian when G20 security beat him up and arrested him. rabble radio spoke to him a few hours after he was released from detention. Amy Goodman is the host of the radio/tv/podcas...