A few weeks ago I was lucky enough to be invited to visit to elder Alan Knockwood’s house in Sipeknekatik . Alan Knockwood is an elder and pipe carrier. He is also active as a Human Rights consultant and Historian.

It was a glorious, welcoming place with open doors for pets and kids and family to come and go, which explains some of the background noise you will hear. In fact, his brother Wallace Nevin just happened to drop by, who just happens to be something of an historian, and we were lucky double over because he was generous enough with his time to st down at the itchen table and join us. We had a long and free flowing conversation all afternoon. So what I have tried to do for the purposes of our show is piece together some of the highlights of our conversation to give you a sense of perspective about what Alan and Wallace feel is happening in Sipeknekatik, including the imposition of the proposed Alton Gas storage project and how that relates to the struggle to even conceive of a concept of environmental justice.

A few weeks ago I was lucky enough to be invited to visit to elder Alan Knockwood’s house in Sipeknekatik . Alan Knockwood is an elder and pipe carrier. He is also active as a Human Rights consultant and Historian.

It was a glorious, welcoming place with open doors for pets and kids and family to come and go, which explains some of the background noise you will hear. In fact, his brother Wallace Nevin just happened to drop by, who just happens to be something of an historian, and we were lucky double over because he was generous enough with his time to st down at the itchen table and join us. We had a long and free flowing conversation all afternoon. So what I have tried to do for the purposes of our show is piece together some of the highlights of our conversation to give you a sense of perspective about what Alan and Wallace feel is happening in Sipeknekatik, including the imposition of the proposed Alton Gas storage project and how that relates to the struggle to even conceive of a concept of environmental justice.

Tayla Paul and Dylan Letendre are two participants in a project exploring urban Aboriginal identity called “This is What I Wish you Knew.” Fifty community members carved and painted their personal stories onto rectangular clay tiles that are now displayed at the Mi’kmaw Native Friendship Centre in Halifax, working to build on the recommendations of the Truth and Reconciliation Commission.

The project was one of six projects across Canada approved through the Canada Council for the Arts (RE) conciliation Initiative which receives funding from the J.W. McConnell Family Foundation and the Circle on Philanthropy and Aboriginal Peoples in Canada.

Stay tuned for our conversation but I would also urge you to get yourself to the Friendship Centre on Gottingen Street in Halifax, and spend some time with these beautiful and important tiles.

Tayla Paul and Dylan Letendre are two participants in a project exploring urban Aboriginal identity called “This is What I Wish you Knew.” Fifty community members carved and painted their personal stories onto rectangular clay tiles that are now displayed at the Mi’kmaw Native Friendship Centre in Halifax, working to build on the recommendations of the Truth and Reconciliation Commission.

The project was one of six projects across Canada approved through the Canada Council for the Arts (RE) conciliation Initiative which receives funding from the J.W. McConnell Family Foundation and the Circle on Philanthropy and Aboriginal Peoples in Canada.

Stay tuned for our conversation but I would also urge you to get yourself to the Friendship Centre on Gottingen Street in Halifax, and spend some time with these beautiful and important tiles.

Sudha Nandagopal oversees Seattle’s new environmental justice initiative — one of the only examples of its kind in the country. As program director, she convenes a working group that represents the interests of people of color, immigrants, refugees, and low-income and limited-English individuals in the face of environmental decision-making. Part of this work has been the creation and now, more recently, implementation of the Seattle Equity and Environment Agenda, a groundbreaking new document outlining the ways in which Seattle can begin to pair equity and environment in its work.

You should definitely look it up:

http://www.seattle.gov/Documents/Departments/OSE/SeattleEquityAgenda.pdf

Sudha Nandagopal oversees Seattle’s new environmental justice initiative — one of the only examples of its kind in the country. As program director, she convenes a working group that represents the interests of people of color, immigrants, refugees, and low-income and limited-English individuals in the face of environmental decision-making. Part of this work has been the creation and now, more recently, implementation of the Seattle Equity and Environment Agenda, a groundbreaking new document outlining the ways in which Seattle can begin to pair equity and environment in its work.

You should definitely look it up:

http://www.seattle.gov/Documents/Departments/OSE/SeattleEquityAgenda.pdf

Describing himself as a father, birdwatcher, and cycle commuter, Randolph Haluza-Delay spent 15 years as a wilderness guide. As a sociology professor at The King’s University in Edmonton, Alberta (Canada) for the past twelve years, he has published over 40 academic journal articles and book chapters, and occasional items for magazines and newspapers. This includes two co-edited books: Speaking for Ourselves: Environmental Justice in Canada (The University of British Columbia Press, 2009), and the recently released How the World’s Religions are Responding to Climate Change: Social Science Investigations (Routledge, 2014). His PhD is in Education from the University of Western Ontario. He also holds a Bachelor’s degree in Zoology and Master’s in Recreation. As a social scientist, his research focuses on social movements, religion and the environment, environmental education, and the cultural politics of sustainability. As a citizen, he is active in peace and anti-racism initiatives, and interfaith dialogue.

Describing himself as a father, birdwatcher, and cycle commuter, Randolph Haluza-Delay spent 15 years as a wilderness guide. As a sociology professor at The King’s University in Edmonton, Alberta (Canada) for the past twelve years, he has published over 40 academic journal articles and book chapters, and occasional items for magazines and newspapers. This includes two co-edited books: Speaking for Ourselves: Environmental Justice in Canada (The University of British Columbia Press, 2009), and the recently released How the World’s Religions are Responding to Climate Change: Social Science Investigations (Routledge, 2014). His PhD is in Education from the University of Western Ontario. He also holds a Bachelor’s degree in Zoology and Master’s in Recreation. As a social scientist, his research focuses on social movements, religion and the environment, environmental education, and the cultural politics of sustainability. As a citizen, he is active in peace and anti-racism initiatives, and interfaith dialogue.

Dr. Bernard has been a professor at the Dalhousie School of Social Work since 1990, where she held the position of Director from 2001- 2011. She teaches in the area of anti-oppression at the graduate level and cultural diversity in the undergraduate program. She also teaches an elective course entitled Africentric Perspectives in Social Work, the only one of its kind. Besides this, she finds time to She Chair the Health and Wellness Ministry at the East Preston United Baptist Church.

She has received numerous awards and honours, most notably, her appointment to the Order of Canada in 2005 for her work on racism. Dr. Bernard is a founding member, and past president of the Association of Black Social Workers. She is the first African Nova Scotian to hold a tenure track position at Dalhousie University and to be promoted to Full Professor. She is a community-engaged scholar who actively links her research, teaching, practice and community activism.

She spoke about what environmental justice means to her, what environmental racism has looked like in her community and why she is excited about the Mobile Food Market pilot project.

Dr. Bernard has been a professor at the Dalhousie School of Social Work since 1990, where she held the position of Director from 2001- 2011. She teaches in the area of anti-oppression at the graduate level and cultural diversity in the undergraduate program. She also teaches an elective course entitled Africentric Perspectives in Social Work, the only one of its kind. Besides this, she finds time to She Chair the Health and Wellness Ministry at the East Preston United Baptist Church.

She has received numerous awards and honours, most notably, her appointment to the Order of Canada in 2005 for her work on racism. Dr. Bernard is a founding member, and past president of the Association of Black Social Workers. She is the first African Nova Scotian to hold a tenure track position at Dalhousie University and to be promoted to Full Professor. She is a community-engaged scholar who actively links her research, teaching, practice and community activism.

She spoke about what environmental justice means to her, what environmental racism has looked like in her community and why she is excited about the Mobile Food Market pilot project.