Saturday, May 30

Clothing Swap - Bring things you don't wear, and leave with things you will


Clean out your closet and show up for this delightful event where you can add some new-to-you things to your wardrobe. All are welcome to participate!

Date:
June 6th, 2009
Time:
4-5pm
Location:
278 Church St.
Town :
Fredericton, NB

If you want to drop things off beforehand, email nbrebelles@gmail.com and we'll set something up.

Everything that is left over will be sold at the NB Rebelles yard sale on June 14th where half the proceeds will be going to the Fredericton Sexual Assault Crisis Centre.

Friday, May 29

Book Fair - Friday and Saturday (May 29-30)

The Canadian Federation of University Women Fredericton’s 44th annual Book Fair:

Friday 29 May (9-9) & Saturday 30 May (9-5)
Brookside Mall, Fredericton

1,000's of gently used books for $2; children's books for $1. Sheet music, videos, records.

All proceeds go towards scholarships for women, school library grants, music festival prizes etc.


Wednesday, May 27

CALL FOR SUBMISSIONS: Omitting The Word

Omitting The Word, aims to explore what it means to be a feminist and question the way in which the term is claimed, rejected and perceived. We are asking for short pieces of writing from women and men who describe themselves as feminists and those who chose to reject the term.

Omitting the word feminist, please write 250 words on either:
  • Why you do or do not consider yourself to be a feminist?
  • What does the term "feminist" mean to you?
  • What does it mean to be a feminist?
  • Why do you associate or disassociate with the word "feminist"?
  • Is the term "feminist" relevant?
We are interested in your personal response. Your words will be published alongside others. Your name will appear collectively but your individual contribution will be anonymous.

Please email your response, entitled OTW, to conwayandyoung@hotmail.co.uk
--
The M.S. Citizenship Collective is a Winnipeg group comprised of feminists from various feminist organizations and communities who came together in January 2008 as a coalition to organise a march for 2008 International Women's Day. Since then, we have continued to meet and discuss relevant feminist issues.

We are part of the Pan Canadian Young Feminists Movement, we are RebELLEs who want to see change on a local, national and global level. Get involved in any capacity you are able! After all, feminists build communities inclusive to all.

The M.S Citizenship Collective is also the new Organizing Committee (OC) for the next Pan Canadian Young Feminists Gathering! Contact us if you want to get involved!

Monday, May 25

DEMOCRATIZING OUR MEDIA - Saturday, May 30


Join us in building a grassroots and democratic alternative to the corporate press in New Brunswick.

What: A day long workshop on democratizing the media in New Brunswick including workshops on print, radio and Internet journalism.

When: Saturday, May 30

Where: Renaissance College, 811 Charlotte St., Fredericton NB

AGENDA

9:30AM - Registration, muffins & tea.

10:00 AM SHARP - Opening/Introductions

10:30 AM - 11:00 AM: N.B. MEDIA COOP PROPOSAL
Presentation & discussion.

11:00 AM - 12:00 PM: BRAINSTORMING/VISIONING
Discussion topics: What is our point? / What do we want to do? / How are we going to do it? / How do we know if we are succeeding?

12:00 PM - LUNCH BREAK (Note: Lunch is not provided. The Farmers' Market is around the corner. There is a kitchen at the venue if needed.)

1:00 PM - OUR "COFFEE NEWS": Presentation of a monthly 1-page print piece of journalism.
Discussion topics: Content / Printing / Distribution / Name.

2:00 PM - 5:00 PM JOURNALISM SKILL SHARES
Free workshops on the basics of print, radio and Internet journalism. Learn how to create a compelling piece of grassroots journalism.

2:00 - 3:00 PM - PRINT JOURNALISM. Facilitator: Justin Dupuis, a journalist with L'Acadie-Nouvelle. This will be an interactive workshop where we take the participants through each step of the article writing process. We'll discuss finding stories, who and how to interview, and how to build an article that's clear, engaging and ethically written.

3:00 - 4:00 PM - RADIO JOURNALISM. Facilitator: Nick Scott from CHSR. Learn more about CHSR -- your community radio station -- and the process of creating radio journalism.

4:00 - 5:00 PM - INTERNET JOURNALISM. Facilitator: TBA. How to set up an effective blog and be the media.

For more info, please email info@frederictonpeace.org

Sunday, May 24

Declaration of Malalai Joya, Afghan MP


"In the face of harassment and threats, women took to the streets to demand the scrapping of the law that would legalize rape within marriage and codify the oppression of our country’s Shia women. Just as the U.S. air strikes have not brought security to Afghans, nor has the occupation brought security to Afghan women. The reality is quite the opposite.

This now infamous law is but the tip of the iceberg of the women’s rights catastrophe in our occupied country. The whole system, and especially the judiciary, is infected with the virus of fundamentalism and so, in Afghanistan, men who commit crimes against women do so with impunity. Rates of abduction, gang rape, and domestic violence are as high as ever, and so is the number of women’s self-immolations and other forms of suicide. Tragically, women would rather set themselves on fire than endure the hell of life in our ‘liberated’ country."

Use these links to read her entire declaration in English, or French.

Friday, May 22

New Brunswick Health Minister Resignation Demand

Hi friends,

Recently New Brunswick Health Minister Michael Murphy told CBC he is "not entirely" comfortable administering abortion policy because of his pro-life beliefs. As New Brunswickers, this makes us MORE than uncomfortable. We are joining with the Abortion Rights Coalition of Canada to demand Mr. Murphy's resignation.

Please send the following letter (or one of your own!) to Mr. Murphy, at MichaelB.Murphy@gnb.ca, or you can call him at (506) 457-4800. Feel free to CC or BCC nbrebelles@gmail.com on your email!

Please circulate widely!

In solidarity,

NB Rebelles - Fredericton

Also check out the ARCC press release, and the CBC story.

***********************************
Dear Hon. Mr. Murphy,

I am writing to express my displeasure with your performance as Health Minister for the province of New Brunswick, and to demand your resignation.

Recently you spoke publicly, in your capacity as an elected MLA, at an anti-abortion rally in Fredericton. This was followed by your admission to the media that you are “not entirely” comfortable administering the province’s policies on abortion.

Mr. Murphy, this is appalling. You are free to hold whatever personal beliefs you like, but when they begin to interfere – by your own admission – with how you do the job you were appointed to do, it is my belief that you should consider whether or not you are capable of holding that position.

Added to this is the fact that your handling of abortion policies in New Brunswick has been severely lacking. Women still face long wait lists in hospitals for what is undeniably a time sensitive procedure, their other option being to pay up to $750 at the Morgentaler Clinic in Fredericton. The policy that requires women to obtain referrals from two different doctors is illegal and contravenes the Canada Health Act. You have turned a deaf ear to the women of this province. You do not deserve to represent us.

Mr. Murphy, because of your stated inability to do your job without your personal beliefs interfering, and because of your continued lack of compassion and care for the women of New Brunswick on this issue, I demand your resignation.

Sincerely,

International Biodiversity Day Special Film Screening


Taking Root: The Vision of Wangari Maathai

The dramatic story of Kenyan Nobel Peace Prize Laureate Wangari Maathai whose simple act of planting trees grew into a nationwide movement to safeguard the environment, protect human rights, and defend democracy—a movement for which this charismatic woman became an iconic inspiration.

When: 7:00 pm, Friday, May 22
Where: Conserver House, 180 St. John St., Fredericton

TAKING ROOT weaves a compelling and dramatic narrative of one woman's personal journey in the context of the turbulent political and environmental history of her country. Raised in the rural highlands of Kenya, educated in the United States during the 1960s civil rights era, and the first female to receive a PhD in East Africa, Wangari Maathai discovered the heart of her life's work by reconnecting with the rural women with whom she had grown up. They told her that their daily lives had become intolerable: they were walking longer distances for firewood, clean water had become scarce, the soil was disappearing from their fields, and their children were suffering from malnutrition. Maathai thought to herself, "Well, why not plant trees?" Trees provide shade, prevent soil erosion, supply firewood and building materials, and produce nutritious fruit to combat malnutrition. With this realization Maathai founded the Green Belt Movement, a grassroots organization encouraging rural women to plant trees.

The film's official website: http://www.takingrootfilm.com/

Co-hosted by the Conservation Council of New Brunswick and Cinema Politica Fredericton.

For more info, contact Tracy at 458-8747 or forest@conservationcouncil.ca

Wednesday, May 20

Festival to celebrate women - August 22nd 2009 in Fredericton

Greetings Friends, we're writing today to inform you of an upcoming festival to celebrate women!

In Officer's Square on August 22nd, from 9am to 10pm, we will be celebrating Women and all the things that we do.

This is a CALL OUT to all Female musicians, artists, crafters, information holders, etc.

This event is volunteer based, we pay no one and no one pays us. If you would like to sell your wares, provide an information booth, give mini instructional workshops for women, or play on the stage let us know!

Power will be provided as well as space but you need to bring everything else. Remember the environment and we are here to support and celebrate each other.

If you are interested please send me an email with information on what your interested in doing, it can be more than one thing. We're also looking for a great name for the festival, so send any suggestions you might have!

This event will be open to the public at no cost.

Contact Jessi Jones tankgirljones@gmail.com

NB Health Minister Must Resign!

The NB Rebelles would like to organize a letter/email/phone campaign calling for the resignation of NB Health Minister Mike Murphy. Mr. Murphy has stated that, because of his pro-life views, he is somewhat "uncomfortable" fulfilling the requirements of his office.

In the next couple days, the Rebelles will have a letter drafted up that you can send to Mr. Murphy. If you would like to call or email him with your own view, please feel free; his contact information follows the ARCC press release below. Don't forget to let us know what kind of response you received, and feel free to CC or BCC nbrebelles@gmail.com on your email!

NB’s Health Minister Must Resign

As elected official, Michael Murphy is imposing his religious views and failing to enforce federal laws

FREDERICTON – A national pro-choice group is demanding the resignation of New Brunswick’s health minister Michael Murphy, after he promoted his religious views against abortion at an anti-choice rally in New Brunswick last week. Speaking in his official capacity, Murphy said that because of his personal anti-abortion views, he’s not “entirely comfortable” with administering the provincial law that allows funded abortions at New Brunswick hospitals.

“After Murphy resigns, he’s free to preach at all the anti-abortion rallies he wants,” said Joyce Arthur, Coordinator of the Abortion Rights Coalition of Canada. “But as an elected official with a portfolio, it’s inappropriate for Murphy to publicize a direct conflict between his personal religious views and his ministerial duties. He risks losing the confidence of voters, not to mention the thousands of women in New Brunswick who’ve had or may need abortion care.”

“Actually, if Murphy thinks it’s his duty to enforce a law he doesn’t like, why doesn’t he enforce our Charter of Rights and Freedoms and the Canada Health Act instead?” asked Peggy Cooke, an ARCC spokesperson based in Fredericton. “New Brunswick’s law is discriminatory and unconstitutional. We are the only province in Canada that forces women through unnecessary hoops to get approval, which results in delays, increased medical risk, and hardship.” (The Medical Services Payment Act states that Medicare will fund abortions in hospitals only if two doctors agree the procedure is medically necessary.) “These restrictions violate women’s Charter rights and the Supreme Court Morgentaler decision of 1988,” said Cooke. “Also, women who can’t wait are forced to pay out of pocket for an abortion at the Morgentaler Clinic. This contravenes the Canada Health Act because it discriminates against women, especially those who can’t afford to go to the clinic.”

Arthur pointed out that no doctor needs to decide whether an abortion is medically necessary, because all abortions are deemed medically necessary under the Canada Health Act, whether they’re done at a hospital or clinic. “There’s absolutely no difference between the abortions done at New Brunswick hospitals and those done at the Morgentaler Clinic in Fredericton,” Arthur said. “The only reason most women end up paying for an abortion at the clinic, is because hospitals don’t have nearly enough operating room access or abortion providers.”

“Murphy’s duty as Health Minister is to keep his personal views to himself when they conflict with his duties, and to repeal the discriminatory New Brunswick regulation so women can access abortion without paying,” Cooke concluded. “If he can’t do that, he must resign.”

Mike Murphy's office phone: (506) 457-4800
Email: MichaelB.Murphy@gnb.ca

Monday, May 18

Federal Government Weakens Access to Pay Equity


The federal government has adopted a law which weakens pay equity instead of making sure this human right is being recognized and instead of following the 2004 Pay Equity Task Force recommendations for proactive legislation. It is called the Public Sector Equitable Compensation Act and was hidden in the budget bill.

Instead of making sure that predominantly female jobs receive the same pay as predominantly male jobs of the same value, the Equitable Compensation Act relegates pay equity to bargaining and to the market. It even includes up to $50,000 fines for unions which would “dare” helping or encouraging its members to lodge a pay equity complaint.

At the beginning of this month, the NBRebelles - Fredericton spearheaded a letter writing campaign regarding pay equity legislation. Feel free to check out the resources we put together and continue to contact your elected officials on this issue:

Friday, May 15

ROCK 4 CHOICE 2009 - CALL FOR SUPPORT!

Rock 4 Choice Calgary is an annual festival in Calgary, Alberta dedicated to promoting sexual health awareness. This year, our aim is to host a series of concert benefits, documentary screenings, poster campaigns, art installations and other awareness raisers to draw attention to current sexual health issues including abstinence only sex education, the prelevance of "crisis pregnancy centers", and stigmatization and lack of support for low income single moms. We are looking for support from established pro choice organizations. Any access to information on grants or other financial support for such a project would be greatly appreciated. Additionally, any applicable literature such as fact sheets or pamphlets on reproductive rights would be greatly appreciated.

Thank you for helping make Rock 4 Choice a reality!

Kay Gallivan
Rock 4 Choice Collective

Check out their website for more details.

Monday, May 11

Let's Talk About Choice!

The following is a message from the super awesome organization Canadians for Choice:

Using the wonders of the internet, we want to bring together 15 pro-choice folks from coast to coast to participate in an interactive 7 week online course on pro-choice issues.



The course will be held once a week on Wednesdays (except for the July 1st holiday when we will hold it on the following day on Thursday) for two hours. You don't have to be an expert to participate, just interested in learning more about pro-choice issues and sharing your ideas, experiences, questions, doubts, convictions and whatever else you have with other under 35 folks.

Application Sheets will take into consideration provincial and regional representation as well as equal representation of diverse identities. Within the application sheet we will state that the course will be taking place again and that this is a pilot project. We will be requesting volunteers to evaluate the program at the end. Applicants will have to sign a form committing to participate in all the sessions and will sign consent forms (in case we want to record the conversations)

If you want to participate please complete our application and consent form. The consent form needs to be signed and either scanned and emailed or sent by regular mail. The deadline to apply is Friday May 22nd 2009 at 17:00.

If you have any questions just send us an email or give us a call at research@canadiansforchoice.ca (613) 789-9958 ext 225

Can't wait to hear from all of you!!!! Let's get together to create a movement....

In Solidarity

Denisse and Linzy

Anniversary Party Announcement

The Fredericton Nb RebELLES are having a One Year Anniversary Party.

When? May 16th at 7pm
Where? Windsor Castle Bar 676 Windsor St. (map)

The RebELLEs will provide the food, you can bring your party favour of choice and good attitude for an evening of good company and hilarious awards to wrap up the trip to Montreal.

Everyone is welcome, bring a guest or 2.

Please RSVP to nbrebelles@gmail.com so we can have an idea of attendance, but drop ins are always welcome.

Hope to see you next Saturday.

Friday, May 8

Women in Radio: Calling for your support


Calling all feminists,

This is an appeal for your financial support to assist women – particularly those who face multiple systemic barriers – to attend two community radio broadcasting conferences in Montreal.

From June 7 – 13, community-access radio broadcasters from all parts of Canada will converge in Montreal for the annual conference of the National Campus and Community Radio Association. Within that conference is the one-day annual Women in Radio Conference on June 11, where a diverse range of women, trans people, and feminists will build skills, share experiences and strategies, and build a stronger network of community broadcasters who are concerned with equitable representation and opportunities in the media landscape.

Your contribution of $100 – 500, will provide travel and accommodation subsidies as needed for one or more women who are active in their local campus or community radio station as volunteer or staff. We prioritize diverse rural and urban representation, including Quebec and the North, and participation from women of colour, low-income women, Aboriginal women, queer women, transgendered women, women with disabilities, older women, and otherwise systemically marginalized women.

The National Campus and Community Radio Association has had women and feminist-led initiatives within it since the mid-80s, creating spaces for greater and more empowered women's participation, more representative programming, and safer spaces. We are thankful for all contributions that will help the movement continue. Cheques can be made out to Radio CKUT, with a memo of the Women in Radio Conference.

Please notify us as soon as possible of your contribution and send checks to:

Radio CKUT
3647 University
Montreal Quebec H3A 2B3

Sincerely,

Sharmeen Khan
Equity Officer, NCRA

NB Rebelles - Fredericton Bottle Drive, 2009


Greetings Friends!

This Saturday, May 9th, we'll be holding a bottle drive fundraiser from 9am-1pm.

We're still looking for volunteers and, of course, bottles!

If you have bottles to be picked up on the 9th, email the g-mail to set something up!
If you'd rather drop them off, we'll be downtown at 295 University Ave. Stop by any time from 9am-1pm. We will also be selling our Feminist T-Shirt there, instead of at the market that week!

Thank you for your support :)

Wednesday, May 6

Marilyn French, writer, 21 November 1929 - 2 May 2009

Excerpt from Guardian article:

Marilyn French - Feminist writer and academic famed for her groundbreaking novel The Women's Room

"The US writer and academic Marilyn French, who has died aged 79, is best known for her debut novel, The Women's Room. It was published in 1977, when she was almost 50, and captured the mood of the time, selling more than 20m worldwide. French went on to write more novels, including The Bleeding Heart (1980), and substantial non-fiction works on patriarchy and women's history. But none of her later books enjoyed the success of The Women's Room.

The novel's best-known line - "All men are rapists, and that's all they are" - has not been an easy legacy for the next three decades of feminism. Spoken in anger by one of the book's most radical characters, a woman whose daughter has been gang-raped, it entered the popular lexicon and is often cited, wrongly, as one of the tenets of modern feminism."

Tuesday, May 5

International Day of the Midwife - May 5th

16 years ago, midwives were not legally recognized anywhere in Canada. In 2009, there are about 800 midwives working in Canada and midwifery is an integrated part of the health care system in B.C., Alberta, Sask., Man., Ont., Qc & N.S.

The process of legalizing midwifery is underway in New Brunswick, but midwifery is currently not legal in our province.

More than 100 new midwives are expected to be eligible for registration in Canada in 2009. Midwives assist at less than 5% of births nationwide.

The need for more midwives is acute:
  • Canada is seeing a significant rise in medical interventions in low-risk births.
  • In 2005-06 estimates for the total Caesarean rate was about 30%, contravening WHO standards.
  • In 2006 Canada’s ranking in infant mortality dropped to 21st position; it was 6th in 1990.
  • In 2006, the perinatal mortality rate went to 14th - it was previously 2nd.
For more information visit the Canadian Association of Midwives webpage.

Monday, May 4

RAWA Final Appeal

The Fredericton Peace Coalition, University Women’s Centre, NBRebELLEs - Fredericton and CUSO-VSO have surpassed their donation goal and raised a total of $2,362.10 for the Revolutionary Association of the Women of Afghanistan (RAWA). Most of those donations were raised at the 2009 3rd Annual RAWA Benefit in Fredericton while other donations were sent to us from folks far away as British Columbia. Thank you all who donated your money, time and energy to this year’s contribution to RAWA.

We would like to make one final appeal before sending our donations to RAWA. We are extending the deadline for donations until Friday, May 15. We will be sending the donation on Monday, May 18.

The reason for extending the deadline stems from recent tragic news involving women in Afghanistan. Women of Afghanistan are under attack for courageously fighting the new rape law. Sitara Achazai, a women’s rights activist and politician in the Kandahar Provincial Council was murdered in a target assassination on Sunday, April 12. On March 8, 2009, International Women’s Day, Sitara led a nationwide sit-in of 11,000 Afghan women in seven provinces who gathered to pray for peace.

If you would like to send a donation before May 15, please reply to this email or send an email to info@frederictonpeace.org and they will let you know how to drop off/send your donation.

Saturday, May 2

Feminist T-Shirts in Fredericton!

Our Feminist T-shirts are made and ready to order!

Just click on Feminist T-Shirt Sale here or in the side bar to look through our amazing and unique selections.

If you see something you'd like us to set aside for you, email us at nbrebelles@gmail.com with the number of the one(s) you like.

Soon there will be an option to buy them online and have them mailed, but if you're in town, we are currently selling* on Tuesdays from 6-7pm at our Feminist Headquarters: 278 Church Street (google map) and at our upcoming anniversary party (link). Do drop by!

All shirts were purchased secondhand, washed, and screen printed by members of NB Rebelles - Fredericton. Angela Black designed the two official logos for us, and we couldn't be happier with how they turned out. Please visit her website for more excellent local art and items!

* On the weekend of May 9th, we will be selling the shirts at
295 University Ave.
This will also be the drop off point for our bottle drive, which is happening the same day!
Bring bottles if you have them, and come check out our shirts :)