Jan 272016
 

On November 25th, 2015, Solidarity Halifax hosted a public event examining the politics of childcare with guest speakers Tammy Findlay, Candida Hadley and Taylor Hansen. Find guest speaker bios below.

Care work is an important and often overlooked political issue. Our panel presents a critical analysis of current provincial policy, and develops ideas about what a truly just, liberating system of child care might look like.

childcareQuestions examined include:
How well is Nova Scotia’s current system meeting our needs?
What role does care work serve in a capitalist society?
Who performs most child care work and what are working conditions like?
What do policy alternatives based on feminist or socialist ideals look like?
What policies could better serve the needs of marginalized or racialized community members?
What work is unpaid and why?

Guest Speakers Bios:

Tammy Findlay [4:45] is an Associate Professor in the Department of Political and Canadian Studies at Mount Saint Vincent University. Her research is in the areas of gender and social policy, child care policy, feminist political economy, federalism, women’s representation, and democratic governance.

Taylor Hansen [25:00] is a full-time Early Childhood Educator or Child Care Worker (depending on who you ask) in Halifax. She is currently pursuing her Master’s Degree in Child &Youth Studies and holds an Honours Bachelor of Social Science Degree. She is passionate about challenging perceptions of care work and domestic labour rooted in Capitalist Patriarchy. She will speak to her experiences in the field and share her observations on how the current system is affecting practitioners and their families.

Candida Hadley [38:15] is one of the founding members of the Halifax Motherhood Collective. She is a mother of two, a Managing Editor with Fernwood Publishing, and a feminist. The Halifax Motherhood Collective is a group of mothers and allies who want to bring people together for discussions about patriarchy and about caring and reproductive labour, and to create change for mothers and children in our society.

Jan 212016
 

On October 5th, 2015, Solidarity Halifax hosted a public event examining the responsibilities and challenges in upholding the Peace and Friendship Treaties in Mi’kmaki.

Below is a video recording of the event preceded by a new introduction by Elder Bill Lewis. Further down is the event description and short bios for each of the speakers as well as a time marker to advance to each section.

 

BetweenNationsPoster-Final-Web2In the mid-1700s Britain signed a series of Peace and Friendship treaties with the Mi’kmaq nation. All who live on this land today – Native and non-Native – have a duty to uphold and live by these agreements.

More than a panel discussion: the event featured art by Indigenous artists, opportunities for participation and action, light refreshments, and the following speakers:

Moderated by Tayla Paul [26:35] and Jackie Barkley [17:40]

Ben Sichel [34:00] teaches high school in Dartmouth and writes on education, labour, racism and Aboriginal issues. He holds an M.Ed. in intercultural education and teaches students of all backgrounds the history of colonialism in Mi’kma’ki. He is a member of Solidarity Halifax’s anti-racism committee.

Naiomi W. Metallic [45:05] is an associate lawyer at Burchells LLP in Halifax. Originally from the Listuguj Mi’gmaq First Nation on the Gaspé Coast of Québec, Naiomi was the first Mi’gmaq person to clerk at the Supreme Court of Canada. She is a member of her firm’s Aboriginal and Litigation practice groups. She is also a member of Dalhousie’s Board of Governors, as well as a Commissioner with the Nova Scotia Legal Aid Commission.

Dr. Afua Cooper [1:01:55] is is the James Robinson Johnston Chair in Black Canadian Studies. Her research interests are African Canadian studies, in particular the period of enslavement and emancipation in 18th and 19th century Canada and the Black Atlantic; African-Nova Scotian history; political consciousness; community building and culture; slavery’s aftermath; and Black youth studies. She founded the Black Canadian Studies Association (BCSA), which she currently chairs.

Sherry Pictou [1:15:50] is former Chief of the Bear River First Nation; member of the Coordinating Committee of the World Forum of Fisher Peoples; Associate Staff with the Bay of Fundy Marine Resource Centre, and Interdisciplinary PhD Candidate, Dalhousie University.

Hosted by Solidarity Halifax in partnership with Halifax Public Libraries