The Radical Reverend: Recent Episodes
Reverend Dr. Cheri DiNovo, C.M.
Think all those in faith communities are misogynist homophobic idiots? Think again! Religion and politics no matter what you believe shape the world. Listen to the Revolutionary Rantings of the Radical Reverend and other heretics!
US Elections/Left Lefter Leftist/Niki Ashton/Grant/Wakelin by Reverend Dr. Cheri DiNovo, C.M.
Chris Hedges And Farheen Khan On Radical Reverend Sept 10 2024b9djv by Reverend Dr. Cheri DiNovo, C.M.
Jelena V Trans-Sex Worker-Activist,Dave Gray-Donald 'The Grind" by Reverend Dr. Cheri DiNovo, C.M.
April 25 Joel Harden MPP and Mitzi Hunter Mayoral Candidate by Reverend Dr. Cheri DiNovo, C.M.
Radical Reverend April 25 "Autism: Curtis Jordan Trustee and Cathy - parent/activist by Reverend Dr. Cheri DiNovo, C.M.
rr april 18 Revs Smaller + DiNovo + Dr. Nili Kaplan Myrth +Cliff Cardinal by Reverend Dr. Cheri DiNovo, C.M.
Radical Reverend April 11th- Left Lefter Leftist Panel by Reverend Dr. Cheri DiNovo, C.M.
Earla/ Ride Share Driver and Arash Azizi Iran author on the Iranian revolutions by Reverend Dr. Cheri DiNovo, C.M.
John Fraser Interim Leader of the Ontario Liberal Party and Travis Meyers one of the founders of #HandsoffHanlans What's ahead for Liberals in Ontario?Why we need safe Queer space and acknowledgement of Queer history?
Mike Schreiner Leader of the Ontario Green Party and Junia Joplin, out Trans Clergy on her journey
The First Indigenous Woman to be Moderator of the United Church Carmen Lansdowne, Sandy Hudson founder of BLM Canada
Radicalreverend - 18 Arash Azizi on the Iranian Women's Uprising and Cantor Wunch on Yom Kipper by Reverend Dr. Cheri DiNovo, C.M.
Debbie King, Trustee candidate and Margot Van Sluytman poet on the "Politicians, Poets and Priests" series
This week on The Radical Reverend show - Ontario election coverage with Nora Loreto and Alex Grant!
This week on The Radical Reverend: Cantor Wunch & Farheen Khan for Women's History Month! Cantor Wunch is a Rabbi at Shir Lebenyu and Farheen Khan is the founder of the Women's Mosque.
This week on The Radical Reverend: Left, Lefter, Leftist with special guests Ben Nolan and Alex Grant!
Inspirational stories of militant union action and wins! In the USA with Nabisco and Kellogg's workers. Solidarity! Strike to win!!
Rev. Jide McCauley from the UK, a Nigerian queer man who fought and won ordination and Diamond Stylz a trans woman activist now in Houston about her ACLU court case that she won!
Speaking to the worker organization and woman who won the $15 minimum wage Deena Ladd from Workers Action and Ry Shissler of Toronto Cycle responsible for bike lanes and other legal shifts. How did they do it? Why did they do it?
David Lepovsky, Order of Canada - Disability activist, lawyer who changed the Charter
Shannon Bertrand - Activist behind PTSD coverage for first responders law
Honoured this week to interview Dr. Eric Feigl-Ding and Dr. Elaine Power
Dr. Feigl-Ding has been called on of the top 2% of scientists in the world and was an early whistle blower about the scale and danger of COVID. He speaks about his motivation, his campaigns for clean drinking water in Flint, removing VIOXX with Merck among other initiatives. He has appeared on every major news outlet in the US.
Dr. Elaine Power has worked at Queen's University in the field of the social determinants of health, and been an activist to make a Guaranteed Liveable Income Government policy. She, with others, succeeded at having a pilot program for 4000 people begun in Ontario. She speaks of the "hows" and the "why"s of justice activism.
Tun in! Turn on! Change the world!
I talk to two remarkable trans activists who were essential in getting the first "Gender Identity and Gender Expression" codified into law in North America (Toby's Act) and "Banning Conversion Therapy" again the first in North America.
The first in a series of interviews with activists who've changed laws and saved lives.
Guests:
Vincent Bolt: Educator, trans activist and Therapist Susan Gapka: trans activist and CUPE Advisor
For the final episode of this season, we've got an incredible, far-ranging conversation about socialism in Canada. Don't miss it!
We'll be back in September with new episodes!
Guests:
Niki Ashton [@NikiAshton], MP for Churchill—Keewatinook Aski and founding member of Progressive International
Alex Grant [@alexg_fightback], editor at Fightback
This week on the Radical Reverend I spoke with two incredible Indigenous representatives about Indigenous human rights and the tragic deaths of 215 children at a Kamloops residential school.
Guests:
Leah Gazan [@LeahGazan], NDP MP representing Winnipeg Centre, member of the Wood Mountain Lakota First Nation
Sol Mamakwa [@solmamakwa], Ontario NDP MPP representing Kiiwetinoong, Official Opposition Critic for Indigenous & Treaty Relations, member of the Kingfisher First Nation
This week on the Radical Reverend, Nicholas Marcus Thomson joins me to talk about the Black Class Action lawsuit filed on behalf of Black federal employees seeking reparations for systemic anti-Black racism and discrimination in the Public Service of Canada.
Plus, MPP Jill Andrew reflects on her term in government, the civil rights wins we've achieved in the year since George Floyd was murdered, and the significant work that remains to be done.
Guests:
Nicholas Marcus Thompson [@MeetNicholas], organizer of the Black Class Action Lawsuit, president of the Union of Taxation Employees, declared activist of the year by the Public Service Alliance
Jill Andrew [@JILLSLASTWORD], NDP MPP representing Toronto—St. Paul's
This episode of The Radical Reverend features the launch of my new book, The Queer Evangelist!
In The Queer Evangelist, I tell my story, from my roots as a young socialist activist in the 1960s to ordained minister in the ‘90s to member of provincial parliament. As the New Democratic member representing Parkdale-High Park in the Legislative Assembly of Ontario from 2006 to 2017, I passed more LGBTQ bills than anyone in Canadian history. I describe the behind-the-scenes details of major changes to the law, including Toby’s Law, the first Transgender Rights legislation in North America in a major jurisdiction. I also passed bills banning conversion therapy, proclaiming parent equality for LGBTQ parents, and for enshrining in Ontario law the Trans Day of Remembrance. This story of one queer kid will inspire other young people (queer and not) to resist the system and change it.
With special guests Kathleen Wynne, El-Farouk Khaki + more!
Signed copies are available at Another Story Bookstore in Toronto!
The narrative in the mainstream media is that "tensions are erupting" between Israel and Hamas and that Israel has the right to defend itself. Palestinians are framed as the aggressors for firing rockets into Israel, and we are told the only path to peace is a two-state solution negotiated under international law. But this narrative is a propaganda campaign that serves to cover up colonization and international war crimes.
Guests:
David Slavick [@DavidSlavick], lawyer, political strategist and analyst, co-host of @ThePopularPod
Prof. Emilio Dabed, law professor at York University in Toronto
Education Matters: A Conversation With Cheri DiNovo and Marit Stiles was a live event held on April 30, 2021. Cheri and Marit took questions and comments from listeners and talked about: budget cuts, work refusals, vulnerable students who need more support, Conservative moves to privatize education, vaccine access, and more!
Cheri and Marit were joined by special guest Caleb Smolenaars, a public school student who is calling on the Halton Catholic District School Board Trustees to reverse their decision not to fly the Pride flag at Halton schools in June.
Guests:
Marit Stiles [@MaritStiles], MPP for Davenport and education critic for the NDP
Caleb Smolenaars [@cmsmolenaars], activist, photographer, writer, public school student
This week on the Radical Reverend we're talking about physical and mental health: the vaccine rollout, vaccine safety and efficacy, the current situation in our ICUs, holistic approaches to mental health care, making mental health care more accessible, and creating a system of community supports that reduces the problems which lead to mental health crises in the first place.
Guests:
Dr. Nili Kaplan-Myrth [@NiliKM], primary care physician and co-host of the podcast RxAdvocacy
Semir Bulle [@SemirBulle], co-founder of Doctors for Defunding Police [@DrsDefundPolice]
The SIU recently announced there will be no charges for the police officers who killed Ejaz Choudry, a man killed in his Malton, Ontario apartment after his family called a non-emergency line for mental health help. Friends, family, and community members held a peaceful gathering last Saturday to protest the SIU's decision and to demand justice for Ejaz. The police arrived in full force, armed with assault rifles, and violently arrested at least seven community members. Why are peaceful protesters charged and arrested but there are no charges or consequences for police officers who kill?
Doctors for Defunding Police believe that taking care of their patients doesn't end when patients step out of their offices. We're facing multiple public health crises right now, including the pandemic, poverty, homelessness, and racialized violence, and we need to invest in robust, community-driven solutions. You can't solve a public health crisis with more policing.
Guests:
Malton People's Movement [@MaltonMovement]
Semir Bulle [@semirbulle], co-founder of Doctors for Defunding Police [@DrsDefundPolice]
Links:
Justice for Ejaz https://soundcloud.com/cheri-dinovo/justice-for-ejaz
The SIU recently announced there will be no charges for the officers who killed Ejaz Choudry, a man killed in his Malton, Ontario apartment after his family called a non-emergency line for mental health help. Ejaz locked himself alone inside his apartment while seated on a prayer mat and asked the police to leave. The SIU report says Ejaz "said he would not come out because he thought the police would shoot him." Then the police broke in and shot him. A statement from Ejaz's family reads: "Ejaz committed no crime. He did not deserve any of this. If there are no reasonable grounds to lay charges in this case, then when will the SIU ever take action for a police killing?"
97% of SIU cases that are investigated end without charges. In Peel alone, police have killed Jermaine Carby (1981-2014), Matt DiGiovanni (1985-2019), Clive Mensah (1989-2019), Jamal Francique (1992-2020), D'Andre Campbell (1994-2020), and Ejaz Choudry (1958-2020), and none of the officers involved have faced any charges.
The Malton People's Movement is a grassroots community organization that is fighting back. They are demanding that the officers be named, charged for the crimes they've committed, and fired. Families must be compensated. And in a region in which 40% of all tax dollars go to the police, they are demanding we defund the police and reallocate that money to community services. Join their Justice for Ejaz action on Saturday, April 10 (follow @MaltonMovement for details).
In the second half of the show, I talk with Alex Grant and David Slavick on our Left, Lefter, Leftist panel about defunding the police, the relationship between police and capitalism, reform versus abolition, abolishing the crown, how to stop COVID, and more!
Guests:
Malton People's Movement [@MaltonMovement], a grassroots organization formed in response to the killing of Ejaz Choudry
Alex Grant [@alexg_fightback], editor at Fightback
David Slavick [@DavidSlavick], political strategist and analyst, co-host of @ThePopularPod
Links:
Support the Malton People's Movement: https://chuffed.org/project/support-malton-peoples-movement
This week on The Radical Reverend I spoke with Peggy Nash about the 2021 Ontario budget, how COVID has impacted higher education, why there isn't a general strike, and more!
I also spoke with Romana Siddiqui about the Ontario Parent Action Network, a grassroots movement that empowers parents and caregivers to step into community advocacy and protect our schools against COVID, privatization, and budget cuts.
Guests:
Peggy Nash, CM [@PeggyNash], former NDP MP for Parkdale–High Park, senior advisor at Ryerson University
Romana Siddiqui [@romanaandahmad], Ontario Parent Action Network
Links:
https://ourschools.ca/
In his new book On Property, Rinaldo Walcott argues that the project of abolition will not be over until Black people everywhere are free, equal, and safe, and that this necessarily includes the abolition of police, prisons, and property. Arguing for a society based around communal forms of ownership, the call to abolish the police is a call to transform society so that those who have been made the most disadvantaged can partake in equitable distribution of the earth's resources.
Plus, frontline workers have been forced to work under extremely dangerous conditions throughout the pandemic, risking their lives and the safety of their families. Despite supportive statements from the government and praise for being "heroes," they continue to endure a lack of PPE, paid sick days, and fair compensation. We need to stand together and demand better.
Guests:
Rinaldo Walcott [@blacklikewho], professor in the Women and Gender Studies Institute at the University of Toronto, and author of On Property
Fred Hahn [@FredHahnCUPE], President of CUPE Ontario
In the first half of the show I spoke with primary care physician Dr. Nili Kaplan-Myrth about her incredible advocacy during the pandemic. Primary care doctors take care of all of us, from babies to seniors, often at incredible personal risk. Early in the pandemic many family doctors didn't have PPE, during the lockdown many had to close their practices as a result of financial pressures, and many are continuing to risk their health and safety to care for their patients without yet being vaccinated.
In the second half of the show I spoke with Alice Curitz, founder and clinical director of Our Landing Place, a queer therapy collective serving LGBTQ2+ people across Canada. While queer and trans identities are no longer pathologized in the DSM, stigma still persists and finding affirming, culturally competent mental health care can be a challenge.
Guests:
Dr. Nili Kaplan-Myrth [@NiliKM], primary care physician and co-host of the podcast RxAdvocacy
Alice Curitz, founder and clinical director of Our Landing Place
Links:
Queering Mental Health, an online conference on April 21, 2021 exploring the intersections of queerness and mental health across Canada: https://www.ourlandingplace.com/workshops
March 8 is International Women's Day! To celebrate, I'm speaking with two of my favorite progressive women in politics: Niki Ashton and Marit Stiles.
Canada is still nowhere near parity when it comes to representation of women in politics. But we don't simply need more women in politics; we need more progressive women who are making bold changes in our communities and at the national level.
Niki represents northern Manitoba, one of the poorest regions in the country. It has immense wealth in terms of natural resources, but extraction comes at the expense of women, Indigenous peoples, workers, and the environment. COVID is a call to do better — it's a matter of life and death.
Plus, it has been a year since COVID lockdown measures were first introduced in Ontario. Why are our schools still unsafe? Why haven't we banned evictions? Why do we still have no paid sick days despite overwhelming public support? Why is our vaccine rollout so slow and filled with uncertainties? Is all of this part of a Conservative agenda to push for austerity and increased privatization?
Guests:
Niki Ashton [@NikiAshton], MP for Churchill—Keewatinook Aski and founding member of Progressive International
Marit Stiles [@MaritStiles], MPP for Davenport and NDP education critic
Links:
Niki will be in conversation with Jeremy Corbyn on March 20 from 1–3 p.m. EST, hosted by Progressive International. Our current crises know no borders. The solutions to racism, the climate crisis, and workers' exploitation involve building international solidarity. Tickets are pay-what-you-can:
https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/building-solidarity-a-conversation-with-jeremy-corbyn-niki-ashton-tickets-143580403853
Kristyn Wong-Tam is one of the Toronto City Councillors who put forward a motion last summer to defund the police by a minimum of 10% and reallocate that money to community services. She joins The Radical Reverend to talk about the 2021 Toronto budget that was just passed. Despite all the hardships we've faced due to the pandemic and despite widespread support for systemic change, the new budget maintains the status quo. What can we do to have a real impact on budgets and policies?
In the second half of the show, Cathy Parkes and Dr. Vivian Stamatopoulos join The Radial Reverend to talk about the crisis in long-term care. The Ontario government has launched an independent commission to investigate COVID-19 within long-term care homes, ostensibly to provide guidance on how to better protect residents and staff from future outbreaks. But experts have been telling us for decades how to protect residents and staff: end for-profit long-term care, ensure appropriate levels of properly-trained staff, enforce adherence to infection prevention and control standards, and hold criminally negligent homes accountable.
Guests:
Kristyn Wong-Tam [@kristynwongtam], Toronto City Councillor for Toronto Centre
Cathy Parkes [@CathyMParkes], Canadians for Long-Term Care Standards and The Families of Orchard Villa
Dr. Vivian Stamatopoulos [@DrVivianS], professor at Ontario Tech University, long-term care researcher and advocate
Arash Azizi joins The Radical Reverend to talk about his new book, The Shadow Commander: Soleimani, the US, and Iran's Global Ambitions. It tells the story of the military mastermind who established Iran as a major power in the Middle East and the nature of Iran's global ambitions today.
Plus, Skyler Williams joins us from 1492 Land Back Lane to give us an update on what's happening there. Haudenosaunee land defenders have been peacefully occupying 1492 Land Back Lane for the past seven months in opposition to a property development on their unceded territory. The United Nations has called on Canada to stop all development on Indigenous lands until there is free, prior, and informed consent. Land defenders are facing police violence and criminal charges for simply asking Canada to honor its treaty commitments.
Guests:
Arash Azizi [@arash_tehran], historian at New York University and author of The Shadow Commander: Soleimani, the US, and Iran's Global Ambitions
Skyler Williams [@1492LBL], land defender at 1492 Land Back Lane
Donate to 1492 Land Back Lane: landback6nations@gmail.com
The first half of the show features an interview with Cornel West on The Bottom Line, "The choice is between disaster and catastrophe," originally aired September 3, 2020:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ti09oEN-DJ0
The second half of the show features a sermon by Bishop Yvette Flunder, "The Skin We Are In," originally aired August 15, 2016:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YwZCF84ITFE
A multi-racial coalition is coming together to demand that we defund the police by 50% and redirect that money towards community services including public health, secure long-term housing for street-involved people, food security programs, and public transit.
As calls to defund the police have gained momentum, Toronto City Council is set to vote on a pilot program that will redirect funds away from policing people experiencing mental health crises and towards teams of healthcare providers trained in crisis intervention and de-escalation.
Thanks to the movement for police-free schools, in 2017 the Toronto District School Board voted to remove School Resource Officers from TDSB schools. Racialized students are disproportionately targeted with suspensions and expulsions, and policing racialized students only escalates the harms they experience.
Plus, Canada used to produce vaccines domestically in world-renowned labs, but as a result of privatization we are no longer able to. And in another self-sabotaging move, Canada, along with other wealthy countries, voted to block a proposal led by India and South Africa to waive intellectual property rights on COVID vaccines which would have allowed more vaccines to be produced at a lower cost. Now, amid a limited global supply and facing EU export controls, Canada has started taking vaccines from the COVAX program which were meant for people in developing countries. Meanwhile, pharmaceutical companies are making billions of dollars in profit while the pandemic remains out of control and dangerous variants are spreading around the world.
Guests:
Andrea Vásquez Jiménez [@andreavasquezj], co-director of LAEN (Latinx, Afro-LATIN-America, Abya Yala Education Network)
Jules Vodarek Hunter, SURJ Toronto [@SURJto]
Ben Nolan [@BenNolan], doctoral candidate in political theory at UMass, Amherst
Alex Grant [@alexg_fightback], editor at Fightback
The pandemic has made urgent issues out of longstanding problems. Paid sick leave should be available to everyone. People with disabilities should have programs and supports that meet their needs. Criminally negligent for-profit long-term care should end. These issues all have widespread public support, so why aren't our politicians taking action?
In the second half, we play an interview with Dr. Eric Topol and Dr. Eddie Holmes covering the story behind how the coronavirus was first sequenced and shared with scientists around the world, the rapid development of the tests and vaccines we rely on today, and the science behind the new variants.
In recent weeks we've started to see the spread of dangerous variants around the world. There's growing evidence that the UK variant is more contagious and more deadly than the original, and that our current vaccines are significantly less effective against the South African variant — both of which have been detected in Canada. Researchers have already started to develop updated vaccines. Will we all need booster shots to stay safe in the years ahead?
Guests:
Joel Harden [@JoelHardenONDP], NDP MPP for Ottawa Centre, and Ontario’s Critic for Accessibility and People with Disabilities
Dr. Eric Topol, cardiologist, director of Scripps Research, and professor of molecular medicine
Dr. Eddie Holmes, virologist and professor at the University of Sydney
People who believed they were defending freedom stormed the US Capitol with the goal of killing lawmakers and overturning the election — all to prevent a Biden presidency. The Right has accused Biden of being a socialist, the mainstream media has portrayed him as a moderate Democrat, but his record and policy agenda show he’s closer to being a Republican. From his legislative work to oppose school desegregation, to his inadequate pandemic plan and climate targets, Biden’s policies are not going to save us.
The pandemic has left millions of people out of work and struggling financially. For sex workers, some have moved their work online but many are working in person, putting their health at risk to support themselves and their families. Paying money for sex is not illegal in Canada, but sex workers are criminalized and face routine police abuse including assault, entrapment, and arbitrary arrests. Sex workers are asking for their work to be decriminalized, and for our tax dollars to be redirected away from policing sex workers and towards programs that meet their needs.
Guests:
David Slavick [@DavidSlavick], former adjunct law professor at Elon University School of Law, former political consultant and DC think tank staffer
Andray Domise [@AndrayDomise], assistant editor at MacLean's
Jenny Duffy, board chair of Maggie’s Toronto Sex Workers Action Project [@MaggiesToronto]
Deniqua Edwards, lawyer at Biking Lawyer LLP
Links:
https://www.maggiesto.org/
After a fascist coup attempt, the National Guard has been called in to state capitals across the United States amidst FBI warnings of additional planned far-right attacks. The Biden administration's response has been to back new domestic terrorism legislation that would give even greater power to law enforcement. But won't these new laws overwhelmingly be used against the Left?
There's no shortage of disturbing developments happening north of the border, too. Conservative politicians in Canada are borrowing from Trump's far-right playbook, including Erin O'Toole who has just hired the founder of Ontario Proud to be part of his campaign team.
Plus, in response to rapidly rising COVID hospitalizations and deaths, Ontario has been placed under stay-at-home orders. Advocates are saying that won't be enough to save residents of long-term care and are calling for military health care teams to be sent in. Why is the Ontario government refusing their help? And why has nothing been done to fix the problems identified in the first military report?
Guests:
Ben Nolan [@BenNolan], doctoral candidate in political theory at UMass, Amherst and a Du Bois Center fellow
Dr. Vivian Stamatopoulos [@DrVivianS], professor at Ontario Tech University, long-term care researcher and advocate
More than one-third of long-term care homes in Ontario are currently experiencing a COVID outbreak. At Tendercare Living Centre in Scarborough, 73 residents have died, the worst-affected long-term care residence in Ontario. Seniors across the province are living in abysmal conditions. Staff are working without adequate PPE, and 2 have died in the past week. Why is this happening?
Ontario's vaccine rollout is ramping up, but at our current rate it will take 5 years for 80% of adults in Ontario to get vaccinated. What's going wrong, and what can be done to fix it?
Guests:
Deanna Kunz, personal support worker
Dr. Nili Kaplan-Myrth [@nilikm], primary care physician and co-host of the podcast RxAdvocacy
What has Canada gotten right in our COVID response? What have we gotten wrong? And how should we move forward from here?
Guests:
Ryan Imgrund [@imgrund], biostatistician and consultant
Dr. Vivian Stamatopoulos [@DrVivianS], professor at Ontario Tech University, long-term care researcher and advocate
This week on the Radical Reverend, we look back at 2020 and forward to 2021 through a Marxist lens.
Guests:
Alex Grant [@alexg_fightback], editor at Fightback
Drew Garvie [@GarvieDrew], leader of the Ontario wing of the Communist Party of Canada
Ben Nolan [@BenNolan], doctoral candidate in political theory at UMass, Amherst and a Du Bois Center fellow
This week we're talking all about Mary. Who was she? We most often see Mary depicted as a white woman, but she was actually a teenage Palestinian girl. Pregnant outside of wedlock and living in an occupied territory, Mary stood up to power in a society that typically stoned girls like her to death. We discuss Mary as a feminist hero, take a contemporary perspective on the Immaculate Conception, and share the wisdom we draw from her story that informs our lives today.
Guests:
Rev. Jodi Fisher, United Church clergy
Rev. Christine Smaller, Minister at Glebe Road United Church
The US presidential election was called more than a month ago but Trump still hasn't conceded. Do any of his legal challenges to overturn the election results have a chance of succeeding?
The Trump administration is executing prisoners during the transition period, breaking a norm that has lasted 130 years. Why is Trump doing this? Do average Americans actually support the death penalty?
Under a Supreme Court that leans heavily to the Right, what will happen to Roe v. Wade? Is there any hope of the Biden administration making truly progressive changes, or will any progressive legislation be hamstrung by the courts?
Canada has just begun administering its first COVID vaccines to a small group of high-risk seniors and frontline healthcare workers. Will vaccines eventually be mandatory for everyone? What do our laws say about balancing the common good and individual rights?
Guests:
François Tanguay-Renaud [@FTanguayRenaud], law professor and co-director of the Jack and Mae Nathanson Centre on Transnational Human Rights, Crime and Security at York University
David Slavick [@DavidSlavick], political strategist and host of The Popular Show
On November 30, 2020, Rev. Dr. Cheri DiNovo CM presented testimony to the Legislative Assembly of Ontario against granting university status to Charles McVety's Canada Christian College. Its open homo/bi/transphobia, Islamophobia, and antisemitism violates the Ontario Human Rights Code. In the first part of the show you'll hear Cheri's testimony.
In the second part of the show, The Radical Reverend hosts an interfaith panel discussion about it, along with other progressive faith issues including how we can confront white supremacy and male supremacy in our religious institutions.
Update: On December 7, 2020, Bill 213 passed allowing Canada Christian College to be granted university status.
Guests:
Jodi Fisher, United Church clergy
Shams el-Din Rogers, Muslim teacher, activist, and artist
The status quo is in crisis. COVID is exposing the worst of capitalism.
The mainstream media isn't talking about the strikes happening around the world, but we're seeing the fightback happening.
Small businesses are getting squeezed during this pandemic while corporate chains are seeing skyrocketing profits. The climate crisis is getting worse. Systemic racism is embedded in our institutions, and mass support for defunding the police hasn't led to major policy changes. The Left needs to be putting forward radical solutions, otherwise people will look for them from the Right. So how do we build a mass socialist movement?
Guests:
Alex Grant [@alexg_fightback], editor at Fightback
Sid Lacombe, with International Socialists, on the editorial board of Socialist Worker
Some of the most exciting activism that's happening right now is feminist.
How do we build the power to make the changes that feminist activists seek to make in society? First we need to understand the history of what it took to gain the rights we have now. They were not handed to us from benevolent leaders; it took breaking the law, civil disobedience, intense fights, and activism in the streets.
Guests:
Nora Loreto [@NoLore], journalist, author of Take Back the Fight, and co-host of the Sandy & Nora Talk Politics podcast
Andrea Houston [@DreaHouston], journalist for Xtra
Check out Nora's new book, Take Back the Fight: Organizing Feminism for the Digital Age https://fernwoodpublishing.ca/book/take-back-the-fight
November 20 is the Trans Day of Remembrance, a day to mourn and honour the lives of those who have died as a result of anti-trans violence. Rev. Dr. Cheri DiNovo C.M.'s Bill 74 made the Trans Day of Remembrance officially recognized in Ontario, and requires that the members of the Legislative Assembly observe a moment of silence.
This episode, we play Rev. Junia Joplin's Trans Day of Remembrance sermon, originally delivered to Trinity-St. Paul's United Church on Sunday, November 15, 2020.
Then, trans activist Susan Gapka joins us to talk about two trans women who died this year in Toronto, Julie Berman and Coco.
Plus, Alex Grant, on the importance of alternative community radio.
Guests:
Rev. Junia Joplin [@jrjoplin], Baptist minister
Susan Gapka [@SusanGapka], community and political organizer
Alex Grant [@alexg_Fightback], editor at Fightback
Now that Biden has won the presidency, will we see the Democrats pivot away from progressive politics? With Republicans in control of the Supreme Court and likely to maintain control of the Senate, is there any hope for policies that address police violence, imperialism, or the climate crisis?
What's the way forward for the left? Can progressives take over the Democratic Party or should they split to form a third party?
And in the absence of policies that meaningfully improve people's lives, how can we find ways of building mutual aid networks?
Guests:
Andray Domise [@AndrayDomise], journalist and assistant editor at MacLean's
David Slavick [@DavidSlavick], lawyer and former Democratic Party strategist
For this Halloween episode of The Radical Reverend, a multifaith conversation about death, spirits, and the afterlife! Do Jews and Muslims celebrate Halloween? What do Islam and Judaism say about the end times? How should we live in the face of crises that feel apocalyptic? And what gives us hope?
Plus, the U.S. election, the uprising, and more!
Guests:
Rabbi Elyse Goldstein, Rabbi at City Shul
Fizza Mir [@MirFizza], Muslim activist and teacher
There is no capitalist solution to the environmental crisis. Could the NDP and the Green Party merge to form a left-wing ecosocialist party? Young activists want a party that's serious about fighting the climate crisis, but how do we get there when some NDP leadership supports the oil and gas industries?
The left is always being asked to vote for the lesser of two evils. Is there a way to do that which also fights back against the status quo?
The second wave is continuing to get worse, with increasing outbreaks in schools, hospitals, and long-term care homes. More than 2,000 people in long-term care homes have died, and the Ford government's new legislation will make it harder to hold for-profit long-term care homes accountable for their negligence. What can we do?
Indigenous peoples are under attack across Turtle Island for asserting their treaty rights. Mi’kmaw lobster fishers with treaty rights to fish for a moderate livelihood are being attacked for fishing in their own waters. Peaceful land defenders at 1492 Land Back Lane are being shot and arrested for occupying their own treaty territory. How can the left unite with Indigenous peoples to stop this violence?
Guests:
Nora Loreto [@NoLore], journalist, author, and co-host of the Sandy and Nora podcast
Andrea Houston [@DreaHouston], journalist for Xtra
Alex Grant [@alexg_fightback], editor at Fightback
Links:
Read Nora's article, "The Greens And NDP Must Merge To Fight Climate Change" https://readpassage.com/the-greens-and-ndp-must-merge-to-fight-climate-change/
Check out Nora's new book, Take Back The Fight: Organizing Feminism for the Digital Age https://fernwoodpublishing.ca/book/take-back-the-fight
Education has been underfunded for decades and now we have a system that is in crisis. Cases of COVID-19 are rising rapidly, and parents are scrambling to keep their children safe. There has been commission after commission saying what needs to be done: we need increased funding, smaller class sizes, and more equity. But instead, governments like Ford's are moving towards dismantling and privatizing education.
Also in the program, an inside look at the precarious employment of workers in the hospitality industry. Over 200 food service workers at Hotel X lost their jobs during the pandemic and Hotel X is refusing to pay $1.4 million owed in termination pay. Companies like Hotel X take advantage of gaps in Ontario's labor laws and maximize profit by exploiting workers, largely by finding ways to avoid classifying them as employees.
Guests:
Marit Stiles [@MaritStiles], Education Critic for Ontario’s Official Opposition, MPP for Davenport, former TDSB trustee
Kris Archer [@Archer36108189], sommelier formerly at Hotel X
Sign the petition: 15andfairness.org/payuphotelx
This week on The Radical Reverend, two trans ministers share their stories of coming out and being called to ministry!
Guests:
Rev. Cindy Bourgeois [@cindybeeme], United Church of Canada minister
Rev. Junia Joplin [@jrjoplin], Baptist minister.
You can view Junia's coming out sermon here: youtu.be/PVuysZXnY4E?t=1463
In Ontario, we're in the midst of a second wave which was entirely preventable. Why are we not prepared for it? There are long lines for tests and it's taking days to get results. And yet Ford remains high in the polls. Why?
The lacklustre throne speech was like a list of failures — things the Liberals have promised for decades but have never done. Why didn't the NDP push for more?
And, with Trump testing positive for the coronavirus, what will that mean for the U.S. election? Can there be a peaceful outcome? Plus, the s**tshow of the U.S. presidential debate, the future of the Supreme Court, and the ongoing devastation of the climate crisis.
Guests:
Sandy Hudson [@Sandela], co-founder of Black Lives Matter Canada, Black Lives Matter Toronto, the Black Liberation Collective, Black Legal Action Centre
David Slavick [@DavidSlavick], political policy strategist and analyst
Guests:
Alex Grant [@alexg_fightback], editor at Fightback
Andrea Houston [@dreahouston], executive assistant to MPP Jill Andrew, journalist for Xtra, and activist with Rainbow Railroad
There has been an escalation of police brutality during the pandemic, disproportionately harming Black, Indigenous, and poor people. Professor Beverly Bain joins The Radical Reverend to talk about the responsibility of scholars to oppose police violence, the Scholar Strike, and how No Pride in Policing was formed in response to anti-Black racism in the queer and trans movements in Canada.
Plus, in response to a need for safe housing during the pandemic, the city has reopened the previously vacant Roehampton Hotel in midtown Toronto as a shelter. It has been met with opposition from a group of local residents, some with genuine safety concerns, but many with a lot of misinformation. Faith leaders have gotten together and responded on behalf of the residents. Why an interfaith response? Bishop Kevin Robertson, Rafi Aaron, and Rev. Alexa Gilmour explain that it's part of all our faiths to care for the most marginalized, to have love and compassion for those in need, and that it's our responsibility to fix a broken system that fails so many people.
Guests:
Professor Beverly Bain [@BeverlyBain13], scholar in Women and Gender Studies at the University of Toronto, co-founder of No Pride in Policing, co-organizer of Scholar Strike Canada
Bishop Kevin Robertson, area bishop of York-Scarborough in the Anglican Diocese of Toronto
Rafi Aaron [@RafiInterfaith], spokesperson for The Interfaith Coalition to Fight Homelessness, co-chair of Beth Sholom/Beth Tzedec Out of the Cold shelter, and on the steering committee of the Shelter and Housing Justice Network
Rev. Alexa Gilmour, minister at Windermere United Church [@wind_uc], founder of Stone Soup Network, member of Faith in the City
Six Nations land defenders are peacefully occupying 1492 Landback Lane in opposition to a property development on their unceded territory. The United Nations has called on Canada to stop all development on indigenous lands until there is free, prior, and informed consent. Land defenders have faced police violence and criminal charges for simply asking Canada to honor its treaty commitments.
John Olthuis joins The Radical Reverend to talk about the legal context and how Canada is not living up to its stated commitment to reconciliation.
Then, Skyler Williams joins us from 1492 Landback Lane to talk about what's happening there and how you can help.
Guests:
John Olthuis, co-founder of Olthuis Kleer Townshend LLP, aboriginal rights lawyer for over 50 years
Skyler Williams, Six Nations land defender at 1492 Land Back Lane
Donate to 1492 Landback Lane's legal defense fund: gofundme.com/f/legal-fund-1492-land-back-lane
Donate to 1492 Landback Lane's building fund: landback6nations@gmail.com
For updates, follow: twitter.com/1492LBL facebook.com/groups/1656879034481566/
The gig economy is predicated on the exploitation of workers who are misclassified as independent contractors. After Canadian couriers won the right to unionize, Foodora ceased operations in Canada and couriers abruptly lost their jobs. This week, former Foodora couriers won a settlement compensating them for the termination of their contracts. Thomas McKechnie, an organizer with Foodsters United, joins The Radical Reverend to share how this happened.
Plus, Dr. Joerg Rieger's keynote speech at the Christian Left Conference. How do we bring together the left? Our profound differences can enhance our ability to build deep and wide liberation movements.
Guests:
Thomas McKechnie, organizer with Foodsters United, and award-winning playwright
Dr. Joerg Rieger [@Joerg_Rieger], Distinguished Professor of Theology, the Cal Turner Chancellor’s Chair of Wesleyan Studies, and the Founding Director of the Wendland-Cook Program in Religion and Justice at Vanderbilt University
Watch the full Christian Left Conference: http://bit.ly/ChristianLeft2020Playlist
Democratic and Liberal politicians are promoting messages of unity and hope, offering platitudes without any fundamental policy or structural changes that would improve our lives. Meanwhile, systemic racism remains a crisis, we're living through a climate emergency, and younger people are seeing no hope for the future.
The system has to change. We have to undo capitalism. The only way forward is to build an intersectional, class-based movement and get out in the streets!
Guests:
Andray Domise [@AndrayDomise], contributing editor for Maclean's, Rezistans Nwa, founder of TXDL, community advocate, and fellow at the Nathanson Centre at York University
David Slavick [@DavidSlavick], political consultant
Links:
Rezistans Nwa - Andray's independent media project featuring conversations on the Black left: rznwa.com
Rev. Dr. Cheri DiNovo, C.M. presents her paper "Jesus, the True Communist" at the Christian Left Conference 2020.
View the Christian Left Conference here: http://bit.ly/ChristianLeft2020Playlist
When an "All Lives Matter" sign went up at a local business in Roncesvalles, a group of Black women got together and responded in a MacLean's article, sharing their perspectives of anti-Black racism in Canada. Their story is a prime example of what racism looks like in our communities, and it highlights how necessary it is to be anti-racist in this moment. We are steeped in a system of white supremacy and it flows through anyone who is not actively pushing back against it.
Plus, Sandy Hudson joins The Radical Reverend to talk about Black Lives Matter. This is the moment to really push for defunding the police. We have to shift the conversation so that you can't say "Black Lives Matter" without putting action behind it and supporting policy changes that will improve the living conditions of Black people everywhere.
Guests:
Liz Ikiriko [@LizIkiriko], artist, curator, and lecturer at Ryerson University
Karina Vernon [@karina_vernon], associate professor of english at the University of Toronto Scarborough
Kara Stewart-Agostino [@kamstago], personal trainer and community advocate
Melanie Carrington, community advocate and mom
Máiri McKenna Edwards [@MairiME], community educator and mom
Sandy Hudson [@sandela], founder of Black Lives Matter Canada, Black Lives Matter Toronto, the Black Liberation Collective, and the Black Legal Action Centre
MacLean's article: https://www.macleans.ca/opinion/i-dont-care-whether-all-lives-matter-is-said-in-ignorance-its-just-another-example-of-racism/
Schools are reopening soon, but Toronto Public Health experts are concerned that class sizes are too big and social distancing won't be possible. Is an outbreak inevitable, and is there a realistic plan to handle one? If classes go online, wealthy families will be able to afford private tutors and personal laptops, but what about poor families, and what about kids who have special needs?
Plus, as we move from CERB to EI, many people won't qualify and others will see their incomes significantly reduced. We need universal basic income!
And, with Toronto's police budget directed by an unelected, unaccountable Police Services Board, what can we do to take democratic control of our police forces?
Guests:
Emma Wakelin [@cwakelin], Liberal Party strategist
Alex Grant [@alexg_fightback], editor at Fightback
Join us for the Christian Left Conference: http://bit.ly/ChristianLeft2020
Nora Loreto joins The Radical Reverend to talk about safer ways of reopening schools, the failure of the mainstream media in Canada to provide real analysis, and the huge gains in support for Black Lives Matter in recent weeks.
Plus, Rich Jensen on the uprising in Seattle and the radical global transformation we are experiencing. We have a powerful opportunity to rethink our priorities and reconsider the services and institutions that we want to invest in.
Guests:
Nora Loreto [@nolore], journalist, author, and co-host of the Sandy and Nora podcast
Rich Jensen [@richjensen], cultural strategist and consultant based in Seattle, cofounder and contributor to several world-famous music labels and the executive of resonate.is
What is the Christian Left? From the earliest days, Christians have worked to dismantle systems of oppression and create alternative communities of justice. Church has always been a center of progressive resistance.
How can the Christian Left use this moment to make real, systemic changes? We have an opportunity to build an intersectional movement for social and economic justice that connects people across race, religion, and identity. Another world is possible!
Guests:
Dr. Joerg Rieger [@Joerg_Rieger], Distinguished Professor of Theology, the Cal Turner Chancellor’s Chair of Wesleyan Studies, and the Founding Director of the Wendland-Cook Program in Religion and Justice at Vanderbilt University.
Rev. Dr. David Latimore [@davidlatimore3], pastor in Nashville, TN, and Ph.D. candidate in Theology at the University of Chicago Divinity School.
Christian Left Conference schedule: http://bit.ly/ChristianLeft2020
Register here: https://christianleftconference2020.eventbrite.ca/
The justice system isn't broken—it was built this way! White supremacy is built into its foundation. It is structurally racist at every level. It is based on a theory of deterrence that doesn't work. We're over-policing marginalized communities and over-incarcerating people. How much can people reform when they're forced to live in a cage? And are the police really keeping us safe from violent crime?
A better world is possible! Black Lives Matter is calling on us to defund the police and reinvest in our communities. We can create real alternatives, and we've already seen that they work.
Guests:
Delmar Doucette, criminal defense lawyer with DFR Litigation, a law group that defends accused persons at both criminal trials and appeals. He has been in practice for 30 years. He currently spends most of his professional time conducting homicide appeals, working to overturn unfair murder convictions. He is also an avid birder.
David Slavick [@DavidSlavick], began his career in law and policy promoting legal reform in the former Yugoslavia, then moved to Washington, DC and managed the Elon University School of Law where he taught legal and public policy advocacy skills. He has hosted numerous panels on prison reform, community policing, and alternative approaches to civil order.
Junia Joplin [@jrjoplin] is the pastor at Lorne Park Baptist Church and recently delivered a historic and inspiring sermon to her congregation in which she came out publicly as a trans woman.
The Radical Reverend talks to Junia about her experience coming out to a Baptist congregation, what led up to that moment, and what the reaction has been.
In the second half, we play Junia's coming out sermon from June 14, 2020. In Junia's powerful words:
"Ultimately, graciously, we are led by the divine treasure seeker to that place where at last we know with surpassing certainty that only one thing is more frightening than speaking our truth, and that is not speaking. Even if the cost seems too high, even if the consequences seem too great, even if the landing seems too hard and the leap of faith God wants you to make feels like madness. God is not going to stop calling us."
You can view the video version of Junia's sermon here: https://youtu.be/PVuysZXnY4E?t=1463
Left Lefter Leftist | The Uprising
The uprising against police brutality and centuries of racism and injustice is a testament to the power of the people to change society. In just a few weeks of mass demonstrations, a major shift in public opinion has resulted in calls to defund police forces across the world. So why did Toronto City Council just vote against a 10% reduction in the police budget?
Our society has never been more polarized. As we reopen our economy and CERB is set to expire, how will the realities of COVID shift our political spaces? What does polling say about current voter sentiment? And how do we sustain an intersectional, revolutionary movement?
Guests:
Emma Wakelin [@cwakelin], Liberal Party strategist
Alex Grant [@alexg_fightback], editor at Fightback
Original Sin: Religiosity, Same Sex Desire & Institutionalized Homophobia is a multi-faith panel discussion in the Thomson Reuters Outlaws series for Pride Month.
What do Christianity, Islam, and Judaism really say about being LGBTQ+? What role has religion played in the fight for LGBTQ+ rights? How can we constructively engage with those whose religious beliefs condemn being LGBTQ+? And how can organized religion be a force for LGBTQ+ love, acceptance, and justice?
The video version of this panel can be viewed here: bit.ly/OutlawsPanel
Hosted by:
Eric Marcus [@EricBMarcus], founder and chair of Stonewall 50 Consortium, and founder and host of the podcast Making Gay History
Panelists:
Rev. Dr. Cheri DiNovo, C.M. [@CheriDiNovo], Minister at Trinity-St. Paul's United Church
Rabbi Dr. Aviva Goldberg, Rabbi and cofounder of Congregation Shir Libeynu
Imam Daayiee Abdullah, founder of the Mecca Institute
Matthias Roberts [@matthiasroberts], producer of the Queerology podcast
Christianity as an institution has caused immense harm to indigenous people, participating in genocide which is historical and ongoing. Why, then, do so many indigenous people identify as Christians? How do indigenous people reconcile that history with their beliefs, and what do indigenous people see in the Bible and in the teachings of Jesus that makes it possible to embrace Christianity?
Plus, we are in the midst of an uprising. Systemic brutalities, insecurities, and inequities are being laid bare as a result of COVID-19, Black Lives Matter, and our climate crisis. Black and indigenous communities are resisting in solidarity to dismantle these systems for the benefit of everyone. Indigenous people have preserved a wisdom that may even save the planet: the only positive environmental future for the world includes an indigenous way of life on the land.
Guests:
Archbishop Mark MacDonald, Bishop for Indigenous Canadian Anglicans, previously the Bishop of Alaska, President of the World Council of Churches since 2013, and published author
Reverend Evan Smith [@revevansmith], serving at Toronto Urban Native Ministry and working with people who are incarcerated, street-involved, and hospitalized
The whole world is rethinking its approach to policing. Police forces were created to be occupying armies, slave catchers, and plains clearers, and this historic uprising has made it clear that reforms will not solve the problems of police violence and anti-black racism. This revolutionary moment is allowing us to reimagine what's possible and enact transformative changes in our communities.
Defunding the police allows us to redirect resources away from services the police were never intended to perform in the first place, towards services that promote health and well-being. The COVID-19 pandemic has shown us that we can house homeless people instead of sending police to ticket and harass them. We can respond to people having mental health crises with professionals trained in de-escalation and emergency mental health support. We can make sure sex workers are protected and not victimized by police. We can fix our criminal justice system that completely fails in the context of sexual violence. And by doing these things we can make our communities safer and healthier for everyone.
Guests:
Andray Domise [@AndrayDomise], writer for Maclean's, founder of TXDL, community advocate, and fellow at the Nathanson Centre at York University
Joshua Sealy-Harrington [@joshuasealy], doctoral candidate at Columbia Law School, lawyer at Power Law, and writer
The first Pride was a riot against police brutality led by the most marginalized in the queer community, including homeless youth and trans women of color. Despite incredible civil rights victories in the decades that followed, queer and trans communities continue to face disproportionately high rates of discrimination and police violence. Black Lives Matter has made it possible to have mainstream conversations about removing uniformed police officers from Pride and defunding the police, investing instead in professionals trained in de-escalation and programs that reduce poverty. This year, because of COVID-19 we can't celebrate Pride by dancing in the streets, but we'll continue to fight for justice and equality.
Guests:
Andrea Houston [@dreahouston], executive assistant to MPP Jill Andrew, journalist for Xtra, and activist with Rainbow Railroad.
Adrienne Wu, Canadian fashion designer, contributing writer at Huffington Post, and activist with Supporting Our Youth.
The deaths of Regis Korchinski-Paquet and George Floyd are the latest tragedies of hundreds of years of ongoing colonialism and indigenous genocide.
How do we fight back when the institutions we rely on are designed to uphold white supremacy? How can we speak out against anti-black and anti-indigenous racism within our faith communities, and how can we center the voices of racialized people? How can we talk to people sensitively about their own anti-black and anti-indigenous racism in ways they can hear, and what do we do when it's time to scream instead?
Guests:
Fizza Mir [@MIRfizza], Muslim activist
Annie Matan, Jewish priestess
Right-wing politicians are looking for scapegoats to focus people's rage and fear on, stoking anti-lockdown sentiment and receiving wall-to-wall coverage in the corporate media. But where's the coverage of the rent strikes and walkouts, and why isn't the NDP able to move the conversation to the left?
We're beginning to reopen the economy but who stands to benefit—working people or the rich? With CERB running out soon, people are being forced to return to unsafe workplaces while big businesses are receiving massive bailouts. Who's paying for these bailouts, and who's paying with their lives?
Guests:
Emma Wakelin [@cwakelin], Liberal Party strategist, on the ongoing fight for progressive values.
Alex Grant [@alexg_fightback], editor at Fightback, on building the movement for a socialist future.
COVID-19 has suddenly placed increased pressure on post-secondary students and institutions, exposing longstanding problems and creating new ones. Many students are finding themselves in difficult situations, supporting themselves and their families with precarious work while burdened with astronomical tuition fees and soaring costs of living. Institutions are facing huge projected deficits, with cuts and austerity a likely outcome. But a crisis also creates opportunities for positive change.
Guests:
Lina Medaglia, professor of liberal arts and sciences at George Brown College
François Tanguay-Renaud [@FTanguayRenaud], law professor and co-director of the Jack and Mae Nathanson Centre on Transnational Human Rights, Crime and Security at York University
For-profit long-term care homes have been in need of major reforms for decades, with workers underpaid and denied safe working conditions, and residents suffering the tragic consequences. The city of Toronto has started issuing tickets to homeless people and forcing them into unsafe shelters, but why can't we house them in empty hotel rooms and empty condos instead? Why are we using taxpayers' money to bail out corporations that don't pay taxes here? And could we see the rise of the right wing in Canada?
Guests:
Alex Grant [@alexg_fightback], editor at Fightback, on taking private companies back into public hands under workers' control.
Emma Wakelin [@cwakelin], Liberal Party strategist, on the path forward for liberal politics.
Pride Toronto will go ahead virtually this year throughout the month of June, complete with music, performances, community programming, and parties! But Pride is also a protest, and queer and trans people are continuing to fight for justice.
Plus, a conversation about indigenous resistance. Indigenous nations are facing police violence for protecting their lands, and are trying to stay safe during this pandemic without parity access to clean water or healthcare. What can we do?
Guests:
Shakir Rahim [@szrahim], Pride Toronto board co-chair and criminal defense lawyer, on celebrating pride virtually, and how policing disproportionately affects those in the queer and trans community who are the most marginalized.
http://www.pridetoronto.com/virtualpride/
Patty Krawec [@gindaanis], author and Medicine for the Resistance podcaster, on building relationships, finding somebody to disrupt with, pushing back against unjust policies, and lifting up the voices of those who are resisting.
https://sojo.net/magazine/april-2020/christians-romanticize-wandering-yet-rendered-my-people-homeless
Music: Strong Water Women
What do Islam and Judaism say happens after we cease to be in our bodies? Is there an afterlife? What are the traditions around death and mourning, and how have they changed as a result of COVID-19?
Plus, a look at how Muslims can observe Ramadan without being able to gather or pray together in person.
Guests:
Fizza Mir, Muslim activist
Annie Matan, Jewish spiritual leader (mentioned in the podcast: Rabbi Dr. Simcha Raphael, scholar on Judaism and the afterlife)
What is it like to be in recovery now that 12 Step groups can't meet in person anymore? This week, The Radical Reverend looks at where people can go to find love, support, and help. Plus, how COVID-19 impacts children around the world who are already affected by war, food insecurity, and overloaded healthcare systems.
Guests:
Natalie Harris, city councillor in Barrie, Ontario, on finding support while in recovery.
Judith Slivinski, national manager at World Vision, on how COVID-19 impacts the most vulnerable people around the world and what World Vision is doing to help.
We're living in unprecedented times. What are we doing to make the world a better place? We are seeing that it is possible to feed everyone, house everyone, and provide healthcare, childcare, and education.
Celebrate Easter online with us! Trinity-St. Paul's United Church has services every Sunday at 10:30 a.m. on Facebook:
https://www.facebook.com/tsp427bloor/
Originally broadcasted on CBC Fresh Air with Nana aba Duncan.
What does faith and worship look like in the time of COVID-19? How could a loving and benevolent God allow us to suffer through a global pandemic? Is there anything to be hopeful about? The Radical Reverend discusses these questions and more on this month's Faith Panel.
Guests:
Fizza Mir, Muslim activist, on getting closer to God and putting our faith into action.
Annie Matan, Jewish spiritual leader, on connecting with each other and feeling the energy of God in our lives.
The government response to COVID-19 has been slow and insufficient, resulting in small businesses and individuals struggling to make ends meet. This week, The Radical Reverend looks at policies the government could enact to help. Plus, rent strikes, stay home strikes, and other ways you can fight back.
With guests:
Emma Wakelin, Liberal Party strategist, on why we need universal basic income, supports for small businesses, and interest-free loans.
Alex Grant [@alexg_fightback], editor at Fightback, on the problems with universal basic income, what the revolution should look like, and how workers can fight for their rights.
With businesses shutting down as COVID-19 spreads, many workers are losing their jobs while others are being forced to work under dangerous conditions. This week, The Radical Reverend looks at what what the government is doing to address this crisis, and where people can go for help. Plus, how Foodora workers won the right to unionize.
Guests:
Deena Ladd [@DeenaLadd], with Workers' Action Center [@WorkersAC], on the challenges faced by precarious workers.
Thomas McKechnie, Foodora organizer, on the landmark ruling allowing Foodora workers to unionize.
Cuts to public health in Ontario have reduced our ability to respond to COVID-19, from the loss of hospital beds, to staffing shortages, to a lack of critical supplies and equipment. This week, The Radical Reverend looks at how we got into this mess and what we can do to get out of it. Plus, how we can move the fight for climate justice online.
Guests:
Natalie Mehra, Executive Director of Ontario Health Coalition, on the impact of COVID-19 on our public health system.
Kendall Mar, activist with Fridays for Future, on striking for climate justice online.