Stolen Sisters - October 4th Vigil

On October 4th, 2004 Amnesty International Canada released "Stolen Sisters: A Human Rights Response to Discrimination and Violence Against Indigenous Women in Canada". The report inspects four factors which have contributed to an intensified risk of violence against Indigenous women in our cities:

1) social, economical, and political agents which have pushed Indigenous women into precarious situations such as prostitution, poverty, and homelessness
2) the failure of police to protect Indigenous women
3) the exploitation on the vulnerability of these Indigenous women
4) violence motivated by racism or belief that perpetrators will evade the law due to societal disregard to the welfare and safety of Indigenous women

Today over 582 Aboriginal women are missing or have been murdered since the 1970s in Canada.

Since the report was released every October 4th has become a day to commemorate the lives of murdered and missing Indigenous women and to bring awareness to this national tragedy. This year more than seventy communities across Canada are holding vigils. Please join the Sisters in Spirit initiative, the Native Women's Association of Canada, and Amnesty International Group 91 this October 4th and show your support. The event begins at the CBC Galleria at 4pm with art, painting, drumming, chili and bannock, and information tables. The candlelight vigil down Broad Street with start at 6:30pm.

Cypress Hills

My family and I headed out to Cypress Hills (Centre Block) on the Labour Day long weekend. The park offers tourists an abundance of activities. Here are six of my favourite and highly recommended pastimes and attractions of that weekend:

Canoeing

Loch Leven is a small but serene lake. It is fun to paddle around in or sit back, relax, and enjoy the sights and sounds of nature.










Animal Watching

Throughout the weekend we observed a variety of animals. We chased deer, squirrels, wild turkeys, pelicans, ducks, and many other birds.


Star Gazing

On Saturday night we headed to Lookout Point for some star gazing. The park is a Dark-Sky Preserve; an area free of man-made light. Just with the naked eye there were thousands of stars visible. A couple of local astronomers had telescopes set up and were pointing out cosmic wonders. We saw Jupiter and four of its moons, the Andromeda galaxy, Sagittarius, Cassiopeia, the Ring Nebula, and Capella. Dress warm if you undertake this activity! Sorry I only have pictures of Lookout Point during the day.










Geocaching

Geocaching, for those unfamiliar with the term, is locating containers of knickknacks using a GPS receiver. We searched successfully for three geocaches throughout the weekend, although there are over twenty caches hidden within the park.


Hiking

We definitely got our fill of exercise by hiking on the park's many trails. We covered at least four paths ranging in distance from eight hundred metres to five kilometres. Very refreshing and rewarding!










Conglomerate Cliffs

Late Saturday afternoon we traveled to the Conglomerate Cliffs in the western portion of Cypress Hills. I would not recommend driving from Centre to West Block via Gap Road. Gravel, cobblestone, and cattle make for a slow, bumpy ride. The cliffs are over one hundred and fifty feet high and offer a great view of Adams Lake and the rolling landscape. Dad's attempt to trek to Adam's Lake was hampered by the terrain and the fading sunlight. I would love to explore this area more on the next trip.

Dummer, Saskatchewan

Here are a few pictures from an impromptu photo trip to Dummer in late August:

"Good Work"

Recently I was introduced to the ideas of Ernst Friedrich Schumacher, a British economist most noted for his theory of "intermediate technology." I picked up a copy of his "Good Work" to find out more.

Schumacher believes that work is one of the most determinative authorities on a person's disposition and personality. Despite of this no textbook or school teaches about the theory or objectives of work: "The question of what work does to the worker is hardly ever asked." Schumacher goes on to suggest three purposes of work: 1) to produce goods and services 2) to allow us to use and perfect our talents (self development) 3) to do this in service to and in harmony with others thereby emancipating ourselves from our egocentricity.

He moves on to assert the negative affects of our modern industrial society. "It sentences the great majority of workers to spending their working lives in a way which contains no worthy challenge, no stimulus to self-perfection, and no chance of development." Through a Marxist lens Schumacher argues that technology is the real problem rather than the "system." The bourgeoisie or capitalists created modern technologies and therein a system designed to suit those technologies. Schumacher proposes that technology suffers four adverse trends: 1) trend to become bigger and bigger 2) inclination toward increasing complexity 3) trend towards capital-costly and 4) the drift towards violence (against nature and increase in violent attitudes - science can do no wrong).

Schumacher is quick to offer his solution to these trends. He argues that changing our system would require implementing a new type of technology - intermediate technologies - by which individuals can make themselves productive and independent. Technologies that "fit the given conditions." One example of intermediate (or appropriate) technology given by Schumacher is an egg tray which allows Zambian farmers to safely transport their eggs to market. The other day I read about another appropriate technology in Nepal.

He proceeds to discuss administration, management, and workforce size incorporating first hand examples from his various jobs. Schumacher believes the best businesses (in terms of the worker) have minimum administration, a buoyant structure (picture a group of helium balloons; all on the same level and interdependent), and acceptable staffing numbers to keep the human touch.

Finally, Schumacher takes a metaphysical approach to the education of good work. Education for good work should begin the questions: What is man and what is the purpose of his life? A study of traditional wisdom would find that the goal of life is perfection. The path to this goal is good work.

"Good work" published in 1979, was compiled from lectures and previously written essays. Therefore it is not the best written book. However "Good Work" includes some great insights from Schumacher still applicable today. His thoughts on the workplace, technology, and business were ahead of his time. I would deem "Good Work" worth reading.

Fauna of Saskatchewan

Mourning Dove
Zenaida macroura

Location: My parents' garden.




Interesting facts:

- Up to 70 million doves shot a year as gamebirds in the United States (for sport and meat)
- Capable of flying 88 kilometres an hour
- Range of over 11 million square kilometres
- Closest relative of the extinct passenger pigeon
- North American fossils trace the mourning dove back 1.8 million years; very flexible to change

Extreme Waste: Home Edition

Sometimes I watch television shows to criticize them rather than to enjoy them. Case in point: Extreme Makeover: Home Edition. While the program evokes emotions of sadness, and anguish, and empathy for most viewers, I am apathetic. Let me explain two beefs I have with the show: Some of the families have legitimate dilemmas and misfortunes which necessitate the need for a brand new home. (i.e.: mold problems or disabled children or parents) But do children who have leukemia all need a 2,500 square foot house? If my Dad lost his arm in a boating accident is my family entitled to a fancy house? How about families that have children (biological or adopted) and "need more space". I live in an apartment - if I adopt two children do I deserve a new home? I believe that a new home, in most cases, does not solve people's problems. The child still has cancer, the man still has one arm, and the death of a loved will not be alleviated by a new home. Any benefits provided by the house will be temporary. Most of these families need financial aid for sure, but not in the form of a house. What these families need is financial support along with psychological, spiritual, and emotional support.

My second complaint is the unnecessary waste the makeover involves. In the episodes I have seen, the team demolishes the family's entire "old" house - with no thought to salvaging any part of it. Houses maybe twenty years old are bulldozed without question. Windows, doors, plumbing (sinks, facets, toilets), wood, counters, electrical components and much more could be removed and reused. Surely in some cases renovations to the existing house could meet the family's needs and save money, time, and housing materials.

Let me know how you feel under comments.

Roots

Last weekend my brother Shawn and I headed out of Regina on a road trip with my Mom and Dad. My grandparents' farm where my Dad grew up was our destination, but we knew there would be several detours. Our first stop was Redvers for a short tour. My Dad attended high school there and my grandma moved to town after my grandpa passed away in 1987. Ten miles east we pulled into Antler where we were greeted by our cousin Harvey Bauche who runs the garage in town. He gave us a twenty minute account of current events in the area. Just down the street we grabbed a bite to eat at the Antler bar, owned by one of Dad's old friends.

After taking a few pictures around town we were southbound on the 6o0 towards Fertile. A few inhabited houses and a community centre are all that remain in Fertile. Dad described the elevators, churches, and school yard he remembers when he attended school in the town. Just southeast of the hamlet is the farm. I recall the farm being hidden by thirty foot tall poplar trees - the RM has since widened the road, and smaller trees now line the perimeter.

The farm itself is much like I remember - the old car beside the shed, the grain bins, the barn which collapsed years ago. The house has turned from green to grey as the paint wears off. The truck, tractor, and other machinery sit idle as they did when I was a kid. Gone are the gas barrels, the threshing machine, combine, and the metal granaries. After an hour of pictures and reminiscence we traveled west to Storthoaks, the town my grandparents lived in after retiring from farming. The rec centre, church, park, and hall - all landmarks from

my childhood are still there. Two miles north hidden in a grove of trees and surrounded by canola is St. Anthony's Cemetery and the graves of my Dad's parents. The experience was very serene and the area beautiful and quiet save the chirping of birds. Visit the cemetery and you will agree.
Upon reaching my grandma's parents' farm north of Alida, we were impressed with the condition of the house. Built at least ninety years ago, the house was sound enough for us to enter. None of us were brave enough to attempt the narrow stairway leading to the second floor.
This was probably for the better as
Dad and I later spotted a raccoon peaking out a hole in the roof. Dad also caught a glimpse of a moose a few hundred metres southwest of the granaries, but he failed to make an appearance for the rest of us.

The sun began to set as we rolled into our last stop, Cantal. It consists of an admirable stone church, an abandoned rectory and house, and a cemetery. The hamlet has been like this for at least the last twenty-five years, although the church is still in use. Open church doors allowed us a self-guided tour of the interior.

Night came upon us we left Cantal north on the gravel road towards highway 13. A stop in Carlyle for a late supper and a thrilling second half Riders game topped off our Saturday. The day had it all: great weather, pictures, memories, and family.