Meeting Feb7th, new Linchpin, and more… January 29, 2008
Posted by mediamattersottawa in Events, Independent Media, Media Matters Projects, Media News.add a comment
In this email:
1) next Media Matters meeting
2) Linchpin issue 2 out now
3) upcoming Media Matters events
4) guide to citizen journalism
5) recent CRTC decision
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1) Next Media Matters meeting …
… will be on Thursday, February 7 at 7pm, at the OPIRG-Ottawa office (631 King Edward Ave, 3rd floor).
This is our first meeting of the new year, so feel free to drop in with your ideas and enthusiasm.
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2) The new Linchpin newspaper is now out
Visit http://linchpin.ca to browse the articles, or download the full 8-pg pdf file: http://linchpin.ca/files/linchpintwonewsletter.pdf
Media Matters worked on a special 2-pg Ottawa insert, which can be downloaded at http://ottawa.indymedia.org/media/2008/01//6707.pdf
Also note the article on media activism by Media Matters volunteer Greg Macdougall, at http://linchpin.ca/node/554
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3) Upcoming Media Matters events:
Saturday, February 9: Workshop as part of the Community Movements: Building Solidarity for Social Change conference at Trent University in Peterborough: http://buildingsolidarityconference2008.20fr.com/
Friday February 15, 7pm: Film screening of “Un Poquitao de Tanta Veridad (A Little Bit of So Much Truth)” @ MacDonald Hall Auditorium (MCD 146), 150 Louis Pasteur Street, University of Ottawa: http://www.cinemapolitica.org/ottawa
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4) Guide to Citizen Journalism
The Rising Voices Web site has released the first in a series of guides on interactive media. An Introduction to Citizen Media offers case studies on how people are using tools such as blogs, podcasts, online video and digital photography to engage in global conversations.
Rising Voices, an initiative that promotes citizen media, said that the goal of the guide is to show that anyone with Internet access can take part in the “emerging global conversation.” The guide’s first edition is available in English, Spanish and Bengali. Future editions will be available in Swahili, Malagasy and Aymara, the organizers said in a news release.
The guide in English (PDF format):
http://rising.globalvoicesonline.org/library/Introduction-to-Citizen-Media-EN.pdf
For more information: http://rising.globalvoicesonline.org/news/
http://rising.globalvoicesonline.org/blog/2008/01/16/a-introductory-guide-to-global-citizen-media/
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5) Recent CRTC decision
Comments first from the Council of Canadians, then excerpt from NCRA list
(this from the Council of Canadians, Jan 15)
As reported by CTV today, “Canada’s broadcast regulator has put in place new rules on media ownership in Canada that will restrict how big the country’s broadcasters can get, following a year of unprecedented deals in the sector. After hearings were held last fall to probe media ownership rules, the Canadian Radio-television and Telecommunications Commission introduced three significant rule changes Tuesday: 1) No person or company will be allowed to control more than two of types of media in one local market, including local TV, local radio and a local newspaper. 2) No company will be allowed to control more than 45 per cent of the total television audience in Canada, which could restrict the acquisition of specialty cable channels by major broadcasters. 3) Deals between television distributors, such as cable and satellite TV companies, will not be allowed if they result in one company or person controlling the delivery of programming in a market.”
CBC.ca reports that, “The ownership restrictions followed hearings last year into the issue of media concentration and the diversity of voices following two high-profile media deals – CanWest Global’s purchase of Alliance Atlantis Communications, and CTV’s acquisition of Chum Ltd. The new rules are not retroactive and will not require any change to the current media ownership picture in Canada.” The Council’s media release on that issue, ‘CRTC foreign ownership decision puts Canadian media at risk, says Council of Canadians’, can be read at http://www.canadians.org/media/other/2007/21-Dec-07.html.
Please note below comments from the Communications, Energy and Paperworkers union, the Canadian Media Guild, and the Friends of Canadian Broadcasting as reported by CBC.ca on this CRTC announcement:
CEP
The CRTC ruling “allows the big players to become bigger, and does very little if anything to limit media concentration in Canada,” said Peter Murdoch, vice-president of the Communications, Energy and Paperworkers union. “The new policy does nothing about media empires that currently have a stranglehold on some large markets, such as Vancouver, or about what happens on a national level,” he said.
CANADIAN MEDIA GUILD
The Canadian Media Guild agreed. “The CRTC is preserving the current unacceptable levels of concentration and is not even adopting meaningful measures to stop it from getting worse,” said Guild president Lise Lareau. “By their own admission, they are legalizing the status quo since they admit that their new rules are not being contravened anywhere in Canada.”
FRIENDS OF CANADIAN BROADCASTING
But the Friends of Canadian Broadcasting liked the CRTC’s policy changes. “The CRTC is recognizing that as a result of media concentration, there are levels of concentration that could well pose a threat to diversity and, therefore, democracy,” said the group’s spokesman, Ian Morrison. “Although I would quibble on some of the details, I think this an example of the CRTC doing its job,” he said.
The CTV/Globe and Mail article ‘CRTC puts new restrictions on media ownership’ can be found at http://ctv2.theglobeandmail.com/servlet/story/RTGAM.20080115.wCRTC0115/business/Business/businessBN/ctv-business.
The CBC article ‘CRTC imposes cross-media ownership restrictions’ can be read at http://www.cbc.ca/money/story/2008/01/15/crtc.html.
(and from the NCRA list)
Here’s what they had to say about the community aspect (section ‘E’):
E. The community element
E-1 How should the Commission address the community element in broadcasting?
160.
As noted earlier in this public notice, community broadcasting is one of the three basic elements that make up the Canadian broadcasting system. A healthy community element, strong public broadcasters and a plurality of voices within the private element provide the basis for a broadcasting system that offers Canadians a diversity of voices.
Canada has played a central role in the development of community media and it is considered by many to be the birthplace of community broadcasting. The community element was developed to provide local groups with access to the broadcasting system. Community broadcasting, which is local, volunteer-based and largely not-for-profit, is often able to broadcast a diverse range of voices, alternative points of view, and innovative programming ideas.
The Commission’s policies for campus and community radio were last reviewed in 2000. These reviews resulted in Public Notice 2000-12 (the Campus Radio Policy) and Public Notice 2000-13 (the Community Radio Policy). In 2002, the Commission issued Public Notice 2002-61 (the Community-based Media Policy), which focused largely on community television.
Summary of comments 163.
At the Public Hearing a number of parties spoke to concerns regarding community broadcasting.
All of those representing community broadcasting organizations stated that improved funding is required in order to ensure a healthy community sector. The National Campus and Community Radio Association (NCRA), l’Alliance des radiodiffuseurs communautaires du Canada (ARC du Canada) and l’Association des radiodiffuseurs communautaires du Québec (ARC du Québec) all advocated a re-examination of the Commission’s benefits policy in order to divert a specific portion to the community sector.
Several parties raised concerns that spectrum was not being reserved for the community sector at a time when spectrum availability is becoming limited. TimeScape Productions also stated that national distribution undertakings should be required to reserve spectrum for the community sector.
With respect to community television, Shaw submitted that the Broadcasting Distribution Regulations (the BDU Regulations) should be modified to allow it to offer a national community channel with the 5% of revenues that it pays for local expression.
St. Andrews Community Channel Inc., licensee of CHCT-TV, requested that the BDU Regulations be amended to ensure that community services receive basic tier carriage by terrestrial BDU providers.
Radio Ottawa Inc., licensee of CHUO-FM Ottawa, submitted that the Commission needs to develop a policy for non-commercial media that would take a more assertive position on the development of community media.
The Commission recognizes the importance of the community element in the Canadian broadcasting system. While campus and community radio, in both official lanuages, is reasonably widespread, community-based television operations do not yet occupy a significant place in the system. Cable community channels remain an important component of the system but, increasingly, they have a regional rather than a local focus.
The cost of television production equipment continues to decline, and new distribution technologies offer cost-effective means of delivering community programming to audiences. However, stable funding to allow for the production of quality community programming remains a significant issue.
In this regard, the Commission notes that in June 2007 the Department of Canadian Heritage announced that it had undertaken a review of the community and campus radio broadcasting sectors. It is expected that the results of this review will be available in the Spring of 2008.
In light of the record of this proceeding and the changes taking place in the broadcasting environment, the Commission has decided to undertake a comprehensive review of its policies with respect to community-based radio and television. The objective of this review will be to ensure that the Commission’s regulatory policy supports the development of a healthy community broadcasting sector.
This review will include, but will not be limited to,: the most appropriate licensing policy for community undertakings; the role of new technologies in the creation and distribution of community services; funding sources for not-for-profit community licensees; the role, if any, of national community undertakings; and the results of the Department of Canadian Heritage’s review of community radio.
Adbusters court update, and upcoming events January 11, 2008
Posted by mediamattersottawa in Events, Independent Media, Media News.add a comment
Greetings,
We thought you’d like to know about this update from Adbusters, who are fighting in court for the right to purchase air-time for messages that the commercial media would rather not air, like anti-consumerism messages and the like. Check the article at Indymedia, http://www.ottawa.indymedia.org/en/2008/01/6555.shtml or visit Adbusters directly at http://adbusters.org
Next are some upcoming events you might be interested in:
Wed, Jan16: Speaker George Rishmawi, founder of the International Middle East Media Center (Bethlehem, Palestine) (see http://imemc.org) at Carleton University @ 7:00 PM, Azrieli Theatre 301 (1125 Colonel By Drive) – presented by Solidarity for Palestinian Human Rights, http://sphr.org
Thurs, Jan 17: As previously mentioned, Nate Hendley will give a talk on his new book, “Motivation for (Non-Fiction) Writers”, at Jack Purcell Centre (off of Elgin Street) @ 7:30 PM, put on by Professional Writers’ Association of Canada, http://pwac.ca (cost is $5 / $10 – mention you’re with Media Matters!)
Saturday, January 19: Anti-Oppression Training
This all-day training will explore issues of privilege related to racism, sexism, and homophobia. Trainers from Montreal will help participants to examine privilege and oppression in their own lives and communities, encouraging them to work for change. Breakfast, lunch and light afternoon snacks will be provided. Two sessions, English and French, will be run concurrently from 9:00 – 5:00. Free, but PLEASE REGISTER, as spaces are limited. Email: wrc@uottawa.ca.
Schedule:
8.00-9.00am: Registration and Breakfast
9.00-12.30pm: Morning Session
12.30-1.30pm: Vegan lunch by the People’s Republic of Delicious
1.30-5.00pm: Afternoon Session
5.00-8.00pm: Wrap session at Café Nostalgica
Wed, Jan 30: OPIRG-Carleton Presents: DERRICK JENSEN on ‘Civilization as Pathology: Collapse, Resilience and Resistance’
Carleton University, 301 Azrieli Theatre @ 7:00pm Map: http://www2.carleton.ca/campus/
Tickets: $5 – $20 (sliding scale, with no one denied a ticket for financial reasons)
Tickets Available at: OPIRG-Carleton (326 Unicentre, Carleton University) and Exile Infoshop
(256 Bank St., Suite 203 – 12-8 Wed-Sun)
Activist, small farmer, teacher, and philosopher Derrick Jensen seamlessly weaves together the threads that connect different forms of oppression and domination, from racial and class domination, to technology and surveillance, to domestic violence and abuse, to ecological devastation and global climate change, to form a cohesive narrative about the inherent destructiveness of the cultural forms we know as “civilization.” Therein, Jensen sees the roots of the current global ecological crisis, and the possibilities for determined and effective resistance to it.
In Jensen’s book Endgame he asks: “Do you believe that this culture will undergo a voluntary transformation to a sane and sustainable way of living?” Nearly everyone he talks to says no. His next question is: “How would this understanding — that this culture will not voluntarily stop destroying the natural world, eliminating indigenous cultures, exploiting the poor, and killing those who resist — shift our strategy and tactics? The answer? Nobody knows, because we never talk about it: we’re too busy pretending the culture will undergo a magical transformation.” Endgame, he says, is “about that shift in strategy, and in tactics. And this talk will also focus on that, and the possibilities for the birth and rebirth of different ways of perceiving and being in the world.
Jan/Feb events, plus good news from Uruguay! January 3, 2008
Posted by mediamattersottawa in Challenging Mainstream Media, Events, Independent Media, Media News.add a comment
In this message:
- Jan 17: PWAC talk
- Feb 8-10: Conference / Media workshop
- Feb 15: Movie screening
- Top 25 censored stories of the past year
- Forwarded message from Uruguay!
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Happy New Years!
We’re forwarding a message on to you that is inspirational news from South America (see bottom of this message) …
But we also have some things coming up that we’d like to tell you about:
First, we’ve been asked to pass on notice of a talk presented by the Professional Writer’s Association of Canada, on Thurs Jan 17, 7:30-9pm, at the Jack Purcell Centre (off Elgin St.). Nate Hendley will give the talk, based on his book “Motivation for non-fiction writers” … Mention you’re with Media Matters and they might give you the discount/student rate of $5 (otherwise it’s $10). See http://www.pwacottawa.org/ for more
Next, on Sat Feb 9 (well, actually Feb 8-10) is the Building Solidarity Conference at Trent University in Peterborough … Media Matters will be presenting a workshop at 1pm on Sat Feb 9, entitled “Organizing around Media and Communication” … for more information, check the conference website at http://buildingsolidarityconference2008.20fr.com/ … also note that we will be looking for an opportunity to deliver this same workshop in Ottawa at some point, so stay tuned for that
Finally, on Fri Feb 15 Media Matters along with Ottawa Cinema Politica presents the movie “A Little Bit of So Much Truth”. This will be shown at 7:30pm (doors at 7) at the MacDonald Hall Auditorium (MCD 146), 150 Louis Pasteur St, on the main campus of the University of Ottawa. For details on the film, see http://www.corrugate.org/un_poquito_de_tanta_verdad/un_poquito_de_tanta_verdad
And, at the end of every year, Project Censored releases a list of what they consider to be the Top 25 stories that didn’t get coverage in the mainstream media. Read this year’s list at http://www.projectcensored.org/censored_2008/index.htm … also note that OPIRG-Ottawa, located at 631 King Edward, 3rd floor, phone (613)230-3076, orders the annual list in book format, and these are available from the resource centre, so feel free
And, without further adieu, the good news you’ve been waiting for:
Date: Mon, 24 Dec 2007 21:33:50 -0500 (EST)
Subject: [ncra] Uruguay approves Community Broadcasting Bill
From: “George Lessard” <media@web.net>
Check out the new Uruguayan CR Bill. This is what all CR regulation should aspire to be.
1. It sets aside one-third of all radio (AM & FM) *and* television frequencies for community-based media.
2. Licenses are granted by a council made up of all the stake-holders.
3. There is no fixed transmitter power or coverage area – the range depends on the size of the audience.
SENATE PASSES COMMUNITY BROADCASTING BILL
http://www.mediaforfreedom.com/ReadArticle.asp?ArticleID=7158
In what the World Association of Community Radio Broadcasters (AMARC) calls a “groundbreaking move for freedom of expression in Latin America,” the Uruguayan Senate approved a Community Broadcasting Bill that recognises community broadcasting in its own right and says television and radio frequencies should be more equitably distributed.
The bill acknowledges the importance of this “third” broadcasting sector alongside the state and private sectors, and stipulates that one third of the AM and FM radio airwaves and television broadband will be reserved for community-based media outlets, which AMARC says ensures greater diversity of media ownership.
A new council, made up of government, media, university and free expression representatives, will play a part in granting and renewing frequencies and ensuring that the government does not use frequency allocation to indirectly censor broadcasts.
According to AMARC, the bill does not impose limits on the geographical range and signal strength of community media outlets, unlike laws in Brazil and Chile. Instead, the bill says the range of coverage will depend on the outlet’s purpose and the audience it is trying to reach.
Community broadcasters will also have the right to secure financing through donations, advertising and government grants.
AMARC and other free expression organisations, including IFEX members ARTICLE 19 and Reporters Without Borders (Reporters sans frontières, RSF), have been closely following this development as it sets a crucial precedent for the region. AMARC was also involved in drafting the bill. “This is the first time that transparent and non-discriminatory processes for the allocation of radio and television frequencies have been explicitly laid out in Uruguayan legislation,” says AMARC.
The bill now goes to the House of Representatives to approve some amendments made by the Senate. According to government officials, the law will be passed by the end of the year.
Visit these links:
- AMARC: http://www.ifex.org/en/content/view/full/87839/
- RSF: http://www.rsf.org/article.php3?id_article=22492
- ARTICLE 19: http://tinyurl.com/22xkhs
- “IFEX Communiqué” on passage of bill in House of Representatives: http://www.ifex.org/en/content/view/full/84084/
Winter 2008 film schedule, OCP, Ottawa Cinema Politica January 3, 2008
Posted by mediamattersottawa in Events, Independent Media.add a comment
Note the Feb15 entry!
Also, if you would like to get on the OCP email list to receive movie reminders and special notices, contact dgr@uottawa.ca
And if you already receive these OCP send-outs, sorry for the duplication…
…..
…..
…..
All/any responses to Denis G. Rancourt at dgr@uottawa.ca please!
Ottawa Cinema Politica (OCP) doc films and discussion…………..
OCP – OCP – OCP – OCP – OCP – OCP – OCP – OCP – OCP – OCP – OCP – OCP
OCP – OCP – OCP – OCP – OCP – OCP – OCP – OCP – OCP – OCP – OCP – OCP
OCP – OCP – OCP – OCP – OCP – OCP – OCP – OCP – OCP – OCP – OCP – OCP
http://www.cinemapolitica.org/ottawa
OCP, every Friday that there are classes!
Doors open at 7pm / Film starts at 7:30pm
MacDonald Hall Auditorium (MCD 146),
150 Louis Pasteur Street
University of Ottawa main campus.
Admission: FREE
Join the weekly announcement email list: dgr@uottawa.ca
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(((1)))
OCP WINTER 2008 SCHEDULE [amazing selection – Google it…!]
See: www.cinemapolitica.org (click “Ottawa”)
Wednesday January 9: Undermined: Communities, Consultation and
Corporate Accountability in Guyana
(Canada / 2007 / 35 minutes / English)
NOT AT MACDONALD HALL AUDITORIUM; NOT AT 7:30PM
(SEE SPECIAL ANNOUNCEMENT BELOW)
January 11: Garuda’s Deadly Upgrade
(UK / 2005 / 42 minutes / English)
http://www.journeyman.tv/?lid=18551
January 18: Poletown Lives!
(USA / 1983 / 52 minutes / English)
http://www.informationfactory.info/
January 25: Behind the Mask
(USA / 2006 / 72 minutes / English)
http://www.uncagedfilms.com/behindthemask.php
http://www.arme.tv/
[Discussion hosted by Animal Rights-OPIRG-Ottawa]
February 1: The Iron Wall
(Palestine / 2006 / 52 minutes / English and Arabic w/EST)
http://www.theironwall.ps/
[Discussion hosted by NION-Ottawa; Not In Our Name]
February 5: GSEAD conference speaker: Norman Finkelstein
http://gsaed.ca/conference2008/guest_en.htm
February 7: GSAED conference speaker: Ignatio Chapela
http://gsaed.ca/conference2008/guest_en.htm
February 8: NION speaker(s) or film (Bil’in My Love)
(http://www.claudiusfilms.com/bilin.html)
February 15: Un Poquito de Tanta Verdad (= A Little Bit of So Much Truth)
(Mexico / 2006 / 93 minutes / Spanish w/EST)
http://www.corrugate.org/un_poquito_de_tanta_verdad/un_poquito_de_tanta_verdad
[Discussion hosted by Media Matters-OPIRG-Ottawa]
February 22: Endgame – Blueprint for Global Enslavement
(USA / 2007 / 140 minutes / English)
http://infowars-shop.stores.yahoo.net/endgamedvd.html
February 29: Salud – What puts Cuba on the map in the quest for global
health…
(USA / 2006 / 93 minutes / English and Spanish w/EST)
http://www.saludthefilm.net/
March 7: Bhopal – The Search for Justice
(Canada / 2004 / 52 minutes / English)
http://www.nfb.ca/collection/films/fiche/?id=52129
March 14: The Panama Deception
(USA / 1992 / 91 minutes / English)
http://www.empowermentproject.org/pages/panama.html
March 21: The World Stopped Watching
(Canada / 2003 / 81 minutes / English)
http://www.nfb.ca/collection/films/fiche/?id=51436
March 28: TBA
April 4: TBA
April 11: TBA
(Last film of fall OCP series. Series starts again in September 2008.)
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(((2)))
JOIN US FOR DINNER !
new social event for campus activists and OCP goers…
I propose that there be an open and free invitation to all to join for
dinner at the Govinda’s vegetarian buffet restaurant (near campus on the
South side of Sommerset Street East just East of the intersection with
King Edward) before each and every OCP Friday event at 6pm. Dinner
goers can then just walk over to the OCP event at 7pm.
This will give a social occasion to compare notes and make ties and plan
revolution or just be uncomfortable with new people in a strange place….
There were eight of us at this dinner on November 23rd. All are welcome
always!
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(((3)))
January 9th, 2008, 7-9 pm @ National Archives in Ottawa
Invitation to attend a film screening and public discussion
Film Screening and Public Debate:
“Undermined: Communities, Consultation and Corporate Accountability in
Guyana”
…a film by Emily Wilson and Brent Parker
Ottawa Premiere:
National Library & Archives Amphitheatre
Wednesday, January 9th, 2008; 7-9 pm
This 35-minute documentary profiles the perspectives of eight
Amerindians from Guyana, South America, about issues surrounding
mining—in particular, community consultation and the activities of
companies operating in the country’s interior, where many land claims
remain unresolved.
The evening will feature the screening of the film, followed by a panel
discussion by invited speakers and a public debate on topics related to
the film. There is no cost for the event, but donations will be welcomed.
Invited speakers include:
*Paul Dewar, Foreign Affairs Critic, New Democratic Party (NDP)
*Tony James, Chief of Chiefs, Region 9, Guyana (TBC)
*Karyn Keenan, Member, Canadian Network on Corporate Accountability
*Stephani Roy McCallum, President, International Association of Public
Participation
*Viviane Weitzner, Senior Researcher, The North-South Institute
*Emily Wilson & Brent Parker, Independent Filmmakers, Undermined
Co-sponsored by, and in partnership with:
Canadian Network on Corporate Accountability * Dialogue Partners *
Indigenous Cooperative on the Environment * Steelworkers Humanity Fund *
The North-South Institute * World Inter-Action Mondiale * Zoom Airlines*
For more information, please check the website at www.undermined.ca.
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(((4)))
A CALL TO SPEAK OUT – PLEASE CONSIDER THESE SIMPLE ACTIONS…
(In case you missed it! OCP report…)
Dear Ottawa Cinema Politica goers:
Thank you for your interest in and support of Ottawa Cinema Politica
(OCP).
The series starts its sixth season on January 11th, in MacDonald Hall
auditorium, with an outstanding schedule that I will be sending you
shortly.
At this time, I want to inform you about three elements of campus
politics underlying OCP and related unfortunate recent developments at
the University of Ottawa. Please take the time to become aware of these
issues and consider the “What you can do” suggestions below.
(1) OTTAWA POLICE ARREST COMMUNITY MEMBERS ON CAMPUS
The most dramatic development is that the Executive of the university
(as recently confirmed by the President) has issued trespass notices to
three community members for participating in public Science Faculty
Council meetings. These notices were recently followed by arrests using
Ottawa Police, including at community-participation events that were
unrelated to the Science Faculty Council meetings.
In my opinion, it is unacceptable for university executives to manage
the university in this way, as though it were private property rather
than a public resource integrated into a community, and to suppress
political expression and participation, contrary to its own Vision 2010
mission statement.
Please read about these arrests on our campus and the underlying
political struggle to make the university more democratic:
http://www.rabble.ca/in_his_own_words.shtml?x=65482
http://uofowatch.blogspot.com/2007/12/u-of-o-limits-access-and-arrests.html
(and links therein)
What you can do:
Write an email (in French or English) to President Gilles Patry
(patry@uottawa.ca), with me in cc (dgr@uottawa.ca), expressing your
concern/position/requests regarding this situation. Consider putting
the student newspapers in cc also: actualites@larotonde.ca,
news@thefulcrum.ca.
(2) UNIVERSITY OF OTTAWA OPPOSES CINEMA POLITICA AND BLOCKS DEAF
COMMUNITY ACCESS
Another development directly impacts Ottawa Cinema Politica (OCP). This
last fall 2007 season the university administration has decided to adopt
the new position that OCP is not part of my workload as a university
professor, despite the fact that it has always been in my yearly
reports, has always occurred in auditoriums provided by the university,
and despite several official past records that it was part of my workload.
This implies that an auditorium is now far more difficult to obtain and
that the university can try to escape its Human Rights Code of Ontario
responsibility to provide access to the deaf community for the OCP
events (see below).
The university’s argument is tenuous because: (1) there is a continuous
record of OCP being part of my workload, (2) university professors are
expected to provide community service as part of their professional
responsibilities, and (3) the university has always provided the
auditorium and projection equipment from its own budget.
In addition, as part of a professor’s academic freedom, the university
cannot dictate which community service is acceptable or not. In the
case of OCP, the service is eminently in line with the university’s
Vision 2010 mission statement:
http://web5.uottawa.ca/vision2010/pdf/strategic_plan.pdf
Using this tenuous argument that OCP is not part of my duties, the
president has confirmed the administration’s refusal to provide sign
language access to deaf community members wishing to participate in OCP
events. A community support group has formed to reverse this decision
and a human rights complaint has been filed.
The university’s small-mindedness should be put in the context of both
human rights in open societies and the university’s 67 million dollar
surplus in its last fiscal year.
What you can do:
Write an email (in French or English) to President Gilles Patry
(patry@uottawa.ca), with me in cc (dgr@uottawa.ca), expressing your
concern/position/requests regarding this situation. Also put deaf
community organizer Genevieve Deguire in cc: gendeguire1709@yahoo.ca.
Consider putting the student newspapers in cc also:
actualites@larotonde.ca, news@thefulcrum.ca.
(3) WHY DOES THE UNIVERSITY DO ALL OF THIS?
It’s hard to tell when viewed from the outside. It appears to be a
classic case of a hierarchical institution suppressing criticism, free
expression, and democratic participation. Institutions do this either
instinctively or when they feel threatened. Elements of background are
given here:
http://www.petitionspot.com/petitions/fecdgruo
http://freedomofexpress.tripod.com/
http://uofowatch.blogspot.com/
http://activistteacher.blogspot.com/
The university executive claims that its many actions are intended to
“protect the students”; however, none of the students have asked to be
protected in this way.
An example of a bogus claim by the University of acting to protect the
students is at:
http://uofowatch.blogspot.com/2007/11/students-need-to-be-protected-from.html.
In my opinion, the University feels threatened by my criticisms of its
governance and by my exposing its internal functioning, including
malfeasance by executives:
http://uofowatch.blogspot.com/
It appears the university is acting to protect its executive rather than
students.
My position is a simple one. The university should be democratic rather
than being run top-down and it should be totally transparent rather than
forcing the public to use legal freedom-of-information mechanisms that
the University resists at every step.
What you can do:
Consider signing the petition at:
http://www.petitionspot.com/petitions/fecdgruo
(Use your full name and position, such as “student”, etc., and make a
comment.)
In solidarity,
Denis Rancourt (dgr)
http://www.science.uottawa.ca/~dgr/
