Mike Layton is the Toronto City counsellor for Ward 19, Downtown Toronto. Before being elected in 2010 to serve as one of the Toronto's youngest counsellors he worked for political change from the other side of the table, as an environmental leader and community organizer. As the deputy out reach director for Environmental Defense he championed a number of successful initiatives including the green economy act. As the son of former NDP leader and city councillor Jack Layton, he has been involved in fundraising from a very young age, with projects such as the White Ribbon Campaign.

At Speak UP! an event at the Centre for Social Innovation in Toronto, Mike Layton spoke about his involvement organizing against gender based violence, in his ward and with the White Ribbon Campaign.

Intro/extro music: halo by Karim Rizkallah

Deb Singh is an activist feminist warrior and a settler on Turtle Island. She uses the tools of anti-oppression to transform hate into a tool for learning and healing. Sing is a survivor and an activist, counsellor with the Toronto Rape Crisis Centre: Multicultural Women Against Rape.

She spoke at Speak UP! an event in memory of the Montreal Massacre at the Centre for Social Innovation about how language complicates society's views on violence. She talks about the importance of focusing on women's experiences above all and how journalists have covered the recent string of sexual assaults in Toronto earlier this year.

Imagine Ori Dagan

Tony Loeffen speaks with rabble contributor, Murray Dobbin about an article he wrote calling for Canada to nationalize the oil industry.

This interview originally aired on a show called Election Fallout on Opposition Radio.

From October 26-29 1000 youth from across the country participated in a historic climate justice conference in Ottawa. Powershift worked to train a generation of climate justice activists to usher in a clean energy revolution.

Clayton Thomas-Muller is an indigenous and environmental justice activist. He has been organizing grassroots efforts for the last ten years and currently works with the Indigenous Environmental Network.

He spoke at the opening of Powershift 2012 about the political context of the conference.

From October 26-29 1000 youth from across the country participated in a historic climate justice conference in Ottawa. Powershift worked to train a generation of climate justice activists to usher in a clean energy revolution.

Keira-Dawn Kolson is a Tso'Tine-Gwich'in youth from the North West Territories. She is a multi-discplinary artist and motivational speaker, singer-songwriter, leader, dreamer and educator. Her community has faced pipelines, water shortages, changing climate and a dwindling supply of their traditionally hunted caribou.

Kolson addressed the opening of PowerShift 2012 on how "resource development" has impacted her community.

From October 26 to 29, 1000 youth from across the country participated in a historic climate and economic justice conference in Ottawa. Powershift aimed to train a generation of climate justice activists to usher in a clean energy revolution.

Joshua Kahn Russell is an organizer working to bridge climate justice and racial justice. He is a non-violent direct action trainer with the Rukus Society and serves communities affected by fossil extraction. He is the co-author of Organizing Cools the Planet: Tools and Reflections to Navigate the Climate Crisis and is currently the U.S. actions coordinator with 350.org.

Kahn Russell spoke at Powershift's opening night at the Museum of Civilization on October 26 in Gatineau. He connected the importance of evaluation to maximizing the effectiveness of campaign to "play to win". He is introduced here by Bridgette DePape.

From October 26 to 29, 1000 youth from across the country participated in a historic climate and economic justice conference in Ottawa. Powershift aimed to train a generation of climate justice activists to usher in a clean energy revolution.

Gabriel Nadeau-Dubois is a prominent Quebec student activist and former spokesperson of CLASSE, a coalition of student associations against the tuition fee hikes put forward by the Charest government last winter.

Nadeau-Dubois spoke about the connections between the environmental movement and the crisis in capitalism. He spoke in French at Powershift's opening night in Gatineau, at the Museum of Civilization.

Melina Laboucan-Massimo spoke at the Powershift kick-off about how climate change and the tar sands have affected her First Nation's community and their traditions.