Pullback

With climate action stalled by political gridlock, could citizens' assemblies be the bold democratic solution we need to break through barriers and finally make progress? When it comes to climate change, most of us want to see action but feel that we don’t have power and politicians aren’t listening. Deliberative democracy and citizen empowerment have been proposed as solutions to that widespread sense of disempowerment. In this episode, Kristen chats with Dimitry Courant, a postdoctoral fellow at the Harvard Kennedy School’s Ash Center for Democratic Governance and Innovation, who explains what citizens assemblies are and how they have been used around the world to address climate change. He also shares insights about the best ways to design citizens assemblies so they work well and drive real change.

We recommend Dimitri’s writing on mini-publics and citizen’s assemblies!

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You’ve heard about land back, but what about cash back? Resource and land wealth linked to dispossession has enriched Canada and corporations, so does reconciliation require financial restitution too? And what do Indigenous economies look like? This week’s guest is Shady Hafez, Policy and Research Manager to the National Association of Friendship Centres. Shady is an Algonquin Anishinabe and Syrian member of Kitigan Zibi Anishinabeg and is pursuing his PhD in Sociology at the University of Toronto. Shady explains why land back and cash back are needed for the restitution of Indigenous economies, sharing some examples of cash back in practice, and discussing the principles at play in Indigenous economic development.

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Canada relies on migrant workers to fill labour gaps, but the Temporary Foreign Worker Program is rife with problems, with a recent United Nations report calling the program a “breeding ground for contemporary forms of slavery”. Can this controversial program be fixed, or should it be scrapped altogether? Should all migrant workers be granted permanent residency status when they arrive here? 

Kyla spoke with the Cooper Institute’s Eliza MacLauchlan and Ryan MacRae. Eliza and Ryan are the lead authors of Permanent Jobs, Temporary People, a report that examines how the Temporary Foreign Worker Program is operating on Prince Edward Island. 

Eliza and Ryan explain how the Temporary Foreign Worker Program has evolved, including its growing role in Atlantic Canada’s seafood industry and the forms of exploitation that migrant workers face. They also discuss how to fix the most problematic elements of the Temporary Foreign Worker Program, and whether recent measures go far enough.

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We often shrug off the brutality of prisons as regrettable, yet ultimately inevitable. But the recent rise of prison abolitionist movements prompts a question: are prisons obsolete? Can we imagine more humane solutions that address the root causes of crime and promote true rehabilitation? Dr. Jessica Evans is an Assistant Professor in Criminology at Toronto Metropolitan University, who researches the causes, conditions, and consequences of incarceration in Canada. She is also active in the prison abolition movement as a co-founder of the Toronto Prisoners’ Rights Project. In this conversation, Jessica explains the history and current landscape of incarceration in Canada and presents the case for prison abolition.

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In this latest season, Kristen and Kyla interview experts on topics like prison abolition, ending the Temporary Foreign Worker program, the financialization of farmland, citizens assemblies, the privatization of universities, the Loblaws boycott, and more! Coming September 17th

Kristen and Kyla dive into 'An Immense World: How Animal Senses Reveal the Hidden Realms Around Us' by Ed Yong. Join us as we explore this delightful journey through the many fascinating ways animals perceive the world. Published in 2022, Yong masterfully weaves together interviews with scientists and in-depth research, offering a narrative that deepens our appreciation for the many creatures we share our planet with.

Kristen and Kyla read Chain Gang All Stars by Nana Kwame Adjei-Brenyah. "Two top women gladiators fight for their freedom within a depraved private prison system not so far-removed from America's own." We recorded this for our Patron's, but loved the book so much we decided to share with everyone instead!

Kristen and Kyla read Invisible Women: Data Bias in a World Designed for Men by Caroline Criado Perez. This book explores the gender data gap in research when the "male body" is treated as default and "female body" as atypical, revealing how this bias bakes discrimination into systems as far reaching as healthcare, education, public policy, and economic development.

Pullback is pleased to share Green Majority Radio with our listeners! Hosts David and Stefan Hostetter and Lauren Latour bring together environmental justice news with voices and strategies from the grassroots. Broadcast from CIUT 89.5 FM in Toronto on Fridays at 11:00AM ET and at various community radio stations around the country, GMR is also available on all podcast platforms. In this episode, Kristen and Kyla join the team to discuss their new project, Climate Justice Organizing Shorts!

Pullback has been collaborating with The Climate Justice Organizing HUB to develop "Climate Organizing Shorts," a collection of discussions with climate activists on how to build inclusive and effective movements. The inaugural episode is now available, offering a condensed rendition of our previous Deep Canvassing chat featuring the esteemed Montana Burgess. Look for new episodes every Friday until May 2024 and subscribe (you know this part) wherever podcasts are found!