Three words that haunted every single member of a panel of GLBTQ students from across Alberta who presented on their school experiences at the Alberta School Board Association this week.

The panel included Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual, Two-Spirited and Queer youth who shared stories that were at times horrifying and at times inspiring. Common experiences of the panelists indicated that the Junior High (Middle School) years were the most difficult and hellish of all, and that Gay Straight Alliance clubs helped make their High School experiences exponentially better.

Many of the panelists had been made to change in separate bathrooms from their peers, told to “act straight” by school administrators, and experienced ongoing harassment from their peers that was blatantly ignored and sometimes engaged in by the adults they had thought would protect them; their educators.

One of the panelists shared a story of walking down the hall while one of her bullies followed close behind her, loudly threatening her and telling her he “could make her straight.” She said the world seemed to go into slow motion as she looked up and saw that just feet away, her teacher watched. “And he did nothing. He didn’t even care.”

She acknowledged that she lives in a world where a lot of people wish that she simply didn’t exist, and that in a number of countries she could be killed for who she dates. She said that she is tired of hearing homophobic slang, tired of hearing her teachers go on homophobic rants, and above all, tired of her school telling her that everyone has a right to safety but her.

Another panelist had reached the end of his rope and made the big decision to report his bullying to his school’s principal… And was subsequently asked to walk unsupervised with the bully to the office. After a discussion with the principal the panelist was made to apologize to his bully “for making a big deal” out of the bully’s homophobic comments.

Other panelists acknowledged a variety of teachers and administrators that without whom they said they would not have made it through the hardest years. One said that his Vice Principal gave him her personal email address and encouraged him to “shoot her an email” anytime. Another panelist fought very hard to get into a high school specifically known for it’s support of GLBTQ students, and another said his French teacher used a “Safe Spaces” poster to identify her classroom as safe for GLBTQ youth. Another was inspired after reading a news article on Edmonton Public School’s effort to have a stand alone policy specifically to end homophobic bullying.

Every member of the panel said that having a Gay Straight Alliance (GSAs) in their school improved their school experience. The focus of the groups is to improve conditions for GLBTQ youth right now and for those coming after. They identified the clubs as providing a safe space for all marginalized students, and a venue for them to be there for younger students and those without as many social supports. The panelists spoke of supporting peers who had been rejected by their parents, who were being bullied, and even helping suicidal peers make it another day.

Unanimously, the panelists felt that teachers, administration and school boards should help by ending the silence around sexual and gender minority issues and addressing homophobic bullying directly. They also felt that age-appropriate, non-judgmental comprehensive sex education would help to reduce stigma and give youth relevant information that would promote sexual health.

When Educators ignore homophobic slang and bullying, they send a clear message to students that it is acceptable behaviour. They also send the message to our sexual and gender minority students that they are “throw away” children. When suicide is the leading cause of death among GLBTQ youth are those messages we can afford to send?

It has golden varnish and a sculpted back and I hope to keep it forever, not only because it has proven to be infinitely useful, but because the hands that put it together belong to a woman that I care about. She made my bench while taking a carpentry course for women offered by the Northwest Territories Status of Women Council.

I’m not sure when I first met this woman, I can’t remember a definitive moment that she entered my life. I do remember years ago sitting in Javaroma with a sketch pad, my pencils and a full warm black mug of coffee surveying the crowd for a subject that was both still and immersed in something enough that they may not notice me staring. She was sitting a few tables away with her son and she was familiar to me. I knew her then from the homeless shelter at Centre for Northern Families.

She was sitting at the table sculpting shiny, tiny glass beads and thread into lighter cases that she would sell to pay for her coffee and cigarettes, maybe even treats for herself and her son. She was still except for her hands that worked persistently at trapping the little beads with the end of a needle as they rolled within borders she had created on the table.

I know it isn’t the first time we met, but its a strong memory, probably because it was the first time that I spent a significant amount of time thinking about her. She had a shock of grey in her otherwise black hair that ran down one side of her downcast face. Even in concentration, she was smiling softly as her son chatted to her. She had warm brown eyes that were creased with age and high rounded eyebrows.

After I finished my sketch I showed it to her, and she smiled wide.

I knew that her life was difficult, and that she had faced horrors that I wish I could say I’d never dreamed of. Unfortunately though in the work that I do, I’ve had to hear many stories that have made me acutely aware of the violence and torturous experiences  that women in the North have faced, often from early childhood.

I remember passing her sometime later as I walked into the grocery store, she stopped me to say hello and ask for a cigarette. I gave her one and lit one for myself and asked her how she was doing. She beamed with pride and happiness as she told me that she had enrolled in the Status of Women’s Women in Trades Program and she was learning to be a carpenter. She said that she was really enjoying herself and talked about the projects they were working on. She said that once she finished the first course that she could enroll in the second one and that they would be learning to build small sheds. She said that she really hoped that she could learn how to build a small cabin for herself.

I remember looking at her beaming with pride. She was (and is) always a friendly woman. Normally fairly quiet and humble, and at the time it occurred to me that this was the most animated I’d seen her. She spoke with confidence, and had obviously spent a lot of time thinking about what she would do with her training in the future. She was proud that she had created big solid things in the program, that she had been given the chance to have an experience so outside of her regular experiences.

I remember standing outside of the grocery store and being envious of her. Thinking that I’d love to be able to learn the skills that she was learning, to have the doors open to well paid work where I could escape my office and be active and build.

After the course ended I ran into her at the Trade Show, she came over and told me excitedly that she had finished the course and that for her final project she had built a bench. She told me that it wasn’t even just a bend that you could sit on, but one with a lid that you could store things in and that she was selling it. She figured that she could get at least a hundred bucks for it. Her eyes were bright with excitement, her lighter cases usually sold for much less.

I gave her a hundred and fifty dollars for the bench, and it serves as more than just a storage or hiding space, it serves as a reminder of the potential people have when they’re given a chance and practical tools to substantially improve their existence.

The focus of this year’s Blog for International Women’s Day mirrors the theme of the 55th United Nations Commission on the Status of Women “Equal access to education, training and science and technology: Pathway to decent work for women.” Women throughout the world experience unique barriers in accessing decent work in non traditional fields. However when program providers and policy makers build bridges over those gender based barriers they are truly changing the world and changing peoples lives for the better.

RebELLES hopes to attract delegates from every province and territory in Canada to provide a space where young women can define their own feminism and build connections. The first gathering featured arts based acts of resistance, Radical Cheerleading squads who showcased their environmentally friendly anti oppressive talents and a number of small discussion sessions on feminism, capitalism and our dreams for the future.

If anyone between the ages of 14 and 35 from the NWT are interested in attending this years gathering to:

* Learn about feminism and what it means to other young women

* Share your reflections and analysis of different issues that affect us as young women from diverse backgrounds

* Learn about and discuss our priorities for action as young feminists

* Share our struggles and discuss strategies to resist and combat patriarchy and other forms of oppression

* Create solidarity and reinforce the RebELLEs young feminist movement in Canada

*Celebrate our struggles and solidarity… Who said feminists don’t know how to party!?

please feel free to contact me at mirahall at gmail dot com so that we can figure out how to get an awesome delegation of NORTHERN RebELLES to Winnipeg!

To learn more about RebELLES or to find a regional coordinator from somewhere outside of the NWT you can also visit http://www.rebelles.org/

My very limited understanding (and please do correct me if I’m not understanding right) is that currently the GNWT has very little control over what development happens here and does not have the authority to collect resource revenue from the development that does happen. Instead, final approval for projects comes from the Federal Government, the revenue goes to Ottawa, who then provides the Territory with transfer payments.

So what I remember from the BHP Billiton Diamond Debate (and please don’t take this as God given truth, because it’s an anecdotal recap based on what people tell me, not from years of research and deep understanding, I’m trying to understand better so if I have something wrong I WANT you to explain it!) Is that the Territorial Government gets back about 3 percent of the revenue created by diamonds coming out of the mine, and that the revenue percentage is mainly based on the value of uncut Diamonds because our Diamond cutting dream fell flat on its face, *SO* compared to the revenue earned from the final product, our share is probably much lower than 3%.

What I also have heard is that the expenditures in policing and social programs paid for by the Territorial Government rose significantly more than 3% in the years immediately following the opening of the mine.

So what I understand to be the benefit of Devolution is that the Territory would have more control over deciding what development happens here, and that the Territory would be able to get more revenue from resources.

So far that sounds good, because the federal government has been transferring less and less into social housing programs, our health and social programs are costing more and more and we (supposedly) don’t have the money to cover it, along with everything else that the GNWT should be spending on but isn’t… so what’s the downside?

Well from my white, female, teetering above poverty while being the primary caregiver/provider for two children perspective: The first question I have is “Do we have the expertise and capacity to negotiate development deals, implement agreements, know when to say no to development and enforce the agreements we’ve made?”

My gut doesn’t have a lot of faith that we do.. but frankly it hasn’t been happening with the Feds either.. I believe that The Mackenzie Valley Environmental Review Board has archives upon archives of pictures of unremediated sites. Equipment abandoned throughout our landscape, NEVER MIND the fact that someone let Peggy Witte back into the North after her shining performance at Giant.

If we have control, Can We Do Better? and WILL we do better? I don’t know, but I have serious doubts.

So going onto what I would really like to know more about is that out of 7 Aboriginal groups asked to sign, only 2 did.

Why?

I’ve read in the news that they feel like there wasn’t enough consultation, and that some groups felt like it wasn’t a good deal. But I didn’t read anything about why they felt that way or what exactly they were looking for. Can someone clarify for me? (I’m seriously asking, I genuinely want to know)

So given that this is indeed a historic moment for the Northwest Territories, one that has been talked about since I can remember, I feel like a bad Northerner for not knowing enough to feel like I can have a valid opinion one way or another on the issue, and I’m really hoping that through discussion I’ll know more and maybe other Northerners will too:)

Without accounting for all their birthdays, my guess is that the women would be in their mid forties, that they would have successfully completed their studies and been well established in their respective careers. They would be gearing up for the Christmas season, sharing the worries and joys that life brings all of us. Sadly, these women were robbed of their futures, families, and robbed from us as society. Their murderer stole them from us because he viewed their progress as a personal threat to his own.

Inherent in his action was the belief that he, as a male, was more deserving of education than the women he killed.

Some have said that Lepine’s actions were taken out of context to push the radical feminist agenda. That he was one crazy guy who did a horrible thing, that his killing spree was nothing more, certainly not a manifestation of the systemic misogyny of our society. Certainly not evidence that we are as a nation sexist.

I disagree. And I think it’s more than simple sexism, though I think sexism is still very prevalent in Canada, so is racism and classism and a lot of other oppressive attitudes that encourage marginalizing and dehumanizing certain populations.

I think that tragically there are those who believe in some kind of balance sheet progress. That somehow there is some finite amount of power and success available to the masses, and that more for you means less for me.  That if we let women into the workforce it will mean that men won’t have jobs. That if we let same-sex couples marry somehow hetero marriages will be devalued. In the US, that if Cuba was a trading partner it would undermine The American Way.

We often fail to see that if we encourage and support the progress and development of marginalised populations that they contribute positively to our neighborhoods, countries and world, and that more often than not, everyone moves forward.

I look forward to the day that we value all people, and that no one would be disposable. The day when the sentence for harming a person is reliably longer than the sentence for property damage. I look forward to the day when EVERY man KNOWS that it is never acceptable to beat, maim or kill a woman.

Sure the kids love it, but I’m a Hallowe’en girl at heart.

The first Christmas after I had my daughter I lived in a bare public housing unit with a $10 inflatable couch and so little money I couldn’t afford decorations to put on the Charley Brown Christmas twig that I’d culled from Ingraham Trail.

Although I’m doing better financially now, I still don’t go out of my way to spend a whole lot on Christmas, particularly because my kids get presents from lots of family members. Even if we each just bought them 1 thing, they’d still be drowning in plastic trinkets on the anticipated morning. No one just buys them one thing though, and every year by noon on Christmas day we talk about how we went overboard AGAIN.

So while that’s fine and good, the best Christmas celebration I ever had was with a former roomate who’d moved here from the Netherlands. Instead of extravagant gifts, the celebration of  Sinterklaas usually involves filling a kids shoe with candy and little trinkets in exchange for the vegetables they’d left said shoe for Sinterklaas’s flying horse. The evening is celebrated by family and friends exchanging gag gifts that highlight some embarrassing moment that occurred in the past year accompanied by a song or poem composed by the gift giver to make (good-natured) fun of the recipient.

Of course that year was the year I fell off a boat while peeing as an experienced female sailor was explaining the mechanics and logistics of successful over-the-side-whizzing for girls on the radio, so I was an easy target. We had great fun and everyone howled with laughter well into desert.

And it was a far more satisfying experience than the Christmas’s that I’m used to, but when I think about the possibility of incorporating it into my regular Christmas programming it occurs to me that not all of my friends and family would be into it because at the end of the day it’s easier to trade money for plastic, throw a bow on it and call that Holiday Spirit.

Now, before I blog further, I would like to issue the following disclaimer: I am not an Employment Insurance Expert, I am not a lawyer, and I have no formal qualification that would give the following advice “expert” status in any way shape or form.

I wanted to blog about this because I think that the public perception of EI eligibility doesn’t match the actual eligibility requirements of the program. Unfortunately when people base their decision to leave employment because they think that they will be able to access EI it can put them in an absolutely horrible and precarious financial position that can quickly lead to a domino effect of not being able to buy groceries or pay rent, which can lead to homelessness and a whole bunch of other problems.

So, it seems to me that people (and I’ve come across more than a few over the years so this isn’t reflective of any one person) believe that if a work situation is intolerable, that they can quit the job and that if EI hears the reason for leaving and determine that it was reasonable, that they will issue EI payments.

In my experience this is not the case.

The Service Canada website (available here: http://www.servicecanada.gc.ca/eng/ei/types/regular.shtml#Labour ) says the following about eligibility:

To be entitled to receive EI regular benefits, I need to have lost my employment through no fault of my own. What does this mean?

If we consider that you are responsible for the loss of your employment, you may not be entitled to receive EI benefits. Here are a few examples of situations in which you may be considered to be responsible for the loss of your employment:

you left your employment voluntarily and without just cause (you did not consider all the reasonable alternatives available to you to keep your job);
you were dismissed for misconduct (your employer considered that you voluntarily or deliberately committed an inappropriate action, a violation, or professional misconduct); or
you are unemployed as a result of a labour dispute in which you participated, whether it is a strike, a lockout, or other type of dispute.
However, we may consider that you are not responsible for the loss of your employment if:

your employer ended your employment, but it was not as a result of misconduct on your part; or
you left your employment for reasons that could be considered just cause for leaving the employment (for example, harassment, discrimination, or dangerous working conditions).

Now, if you an employee believes that they were subjected to harassment, discrimination, or dangerous working conditions it still is not so simple as walking off the job and being eligible for EI.

An employee must prove that they did everything in their power to address the situation before leaving the job. This can include being required to show records of communication where the employee shows going through management levels and formal complaint procedures. It can mean showing that the employee tried to address the situation through the Labour Standards office, and it can mean showing evidence of the harassing behaviour, discrimination and so forth. It can also mean explaining why the employee didn’t start handing out resumes to other jobs before leaving.

It is also important to keep in mind that even if your appeal does come through, and you are approved to receive EI, that it can take a number of weeks before the first payment is issued. Planning ahead and making sure that you have money set aside to cover expenses while you wait for your EI payment is critical whether you’ve left your job suddenly or it’s a maternity leave that you’ve been planning for.

So my general (unqualified and unsolicited) advice to people: if you are being harassed, discriminated against or are having other experiences that are making your life at work hell:

1. Try to resolve the issue with the person or people causing the problem. Try to be solution oriented when you talk to them. If they are unwilling to cooperate go on to the next step

2. Talk to the person above the problem. Explain that you have tried to work out a solution with the problem maker and that it was unsuccessful so you would like to see some management intervention. Let management know what resolution you’re looking for. If that doesn’t work:

3. Go to the next level of management and explain what you’ve done so far, let them know that you want the situation addressed. If no manager is resolving this issue, then it’s time to take off the kid gloves

4. If you are working in an intolerable work environment, chances are that the bad behaviour is covered under your union agreement (if you work in a unionized environment), or the Labour Standards Act, or the Human Rights Commission. So depending on the problem talk to your union rep, the Labour Standards Office, or someone down at the Human Rights Commission and take it to the next level of 3rd party intervention.

5. Depending on the resolution accomplished by the intervener, you may be looking for another job. During the entire process you’ve known that things might not swing in your favour because life is unfair sometimes. So you’ve saved up and are ready to throw off the shackles of your shitty workplace and venture out into new territory. You apply for EI and proudly show them how much you worked at ridding your workplace of unsafe practices, harassment, discrimination, etc and are applying for benefits.

Hopefully your next place of employment is everything you look for in a work environment and you live a long and happy life:)

We want to tell you how AMAZING The Antigone Foundation’s 2011 Dreams for Women Calendar in partnership with Women’s Worlds 2011 is! It features postcards with dreams from women around the world, from as far away as South Africa, Australia, Morocco and Cameroon. It has been creating quite a stir around the world and has been selling like hotcakes! Check out our awesome commercial advertising the calendar here!

At only $20 each (or $10 each if you order more than 7!), the calendar is a fabulous way to support a great organization, get an great calendar for yourself, or buy a wonderful gift for a friend for the holidays! And if you act NOW you can get 20% off (until November 20th!).

Click here for our beautiful Calendar!

http://issuu.com/antigone/docs/dreams_for_women_calendar?viewMode=presentation

Launched in 2008 and organized by the Antigone Foundation, this is our Third Annual Dreams for Women Calendar. This year, we asked women from Canada and the World to contribute to mark the historic occasion of Women’s Worlds 2011 taking place in Ottawa-Gatineau. July 3-7, 2011. This important interdisciplinary gathering, which happens every three years in different countries around the world, focuses on research pertaining to women’s issues and welcomes researchers and activists.

We will be using the money that we make from sales of the calendar to fund a Dreams for Women Scholarship for Canadian and U.S. young women leaders, as well as a cross-Canada tour where we will go to at least 5 Canadian cities and provide leadership training to girls and young women to encourage them to get involved in leadership, politics and activism!

To buy one or for more information about how YOU can fundraise with the calendar (for an organization or for a personal cause like your own trip to Women’s Worlds 2011!) please visit www.antigonemagazine.wordpress.com.

Please e-mail us today if you have any questions!

Sincerely,

Amanda Reaume
Executive Director
The Antigone Foundation
www.antigonemagazine.wordpress.com

When my daughter started attending school 6 years ago, I knew some moms that already had their kids in school that were very active in Parent Advisory Committees. I generally found these women intimidating “Super Mom” types. Typically they came from mid to high level income homes, were white, were stay at home mothers with breadwinning husbands, were well-educated and very active in the community, and tended to have their children participating in lots of activities. Not that there is anything wrong with any of those qualities, but it was a noticeable demographic that I just didn’t fit into.

At my daughters school I could recognize the movers and the shakers. The ones who knew what was going on in the schools and whether or not they were happy about it. They were the Big Picture Parents. I was more a surviving day-to-day parent; working multiple jobs that barely covered the bills and praying to God that my kid didn’t get sent home *again* because of behavioural issues.

The PAC moms were more likely to be the ones complaining about their kids getting bullied, while it was very frequently my kid who bullied. They organized fundraisers and supervised recesses, while I always felt like I couldn’t contribute. I very often felt out-of-place, awkward and as though I didn’t belong… and it would always surprise me when the other moms would talk to me, but they did talk to me.

Some of those moms would even ask me what I thought about the stuff that was happening in the school. They’d ask my opinion, and even if their opinion was different they often treated my perspective as valid. As I grew, and my kids grew and my son entered school I developed mom-confidence and realized that even though I didn’t necessarily bring the same perspective as the moms that I had found so intimidating, that my kids were also a part of the school that my perspective was indeed valid, and that to develop programs and a school culture that valued all of its members that it was important for me to share my perspective.

A mom invited me to participate in the PAC at Mildred Hall, I was surprised but she was so welcoming that I wanted to go. I had found that in the past my communication with the school tended to be when there was a problem. Frequently the interactions were negative and I was happy for the chance to develop a positive relationship. I went to my first meeting and found it to be such an amazing experience that it heavily influenced my decision to run for the School Board. Through my participation in the School Board and on the Advisory Committees I have been able to bring up experiences for consideration that help our schools and our district to be more accommodating to students in general.

Each parent with their own experiences, perspectives and world views has the power and ability to help us make sure that our schools are welcoming and accommodating to our student population.

Each school has a Parent Advisory Committee, phone your principal to find out when the next meeting is!

Parents of Aboriginal students can help us help them succeed through their participation in the Aboriginal Education Advisory Committee, they meet monthly phone the YK1 district office to find out when!

Parents with children in French Programming can help by joining Canadian Parents for French.

I’m hoping that by the end of this year we will also be able to establish an advisory committee for parents of students with special needs.

If perspectives aren’t at decision-making tables, the decision makers can’t possibly hope to know how to serve their needs!

They have successfully installed the first accessible playground structure with help from the community, various funders and the “Let Them Be Kids” foundation. I particularly appreciated the attitude reflected from all the speeches made at the opening of the accessible structure that the structure was not just for kids with disability, it was a structure to allow kids with full mobility the opportunity to play WITH kids who have limited mobility. I love that they recognize that we cheat our children when we don’t allow them the opportunity to play with the full spectrum of children in the community.

Tina sent me the following message as they gear up for another year of fundraising for play ground equipment not only for their school but for all the Public Education District 1 schools in Yellowknife.

“The N.J. Macpherson school PAC has once again applied to the AVIVA Community Fund, for funding not only to refurbish our playground at N.J.  but to refurbish all the YK1 playgrounds in Yellowknife, that would be $83,000 for each school, so matter where you live in Yellowknife, there would be a playground close to you that would be improved.

The exciting part is that everyone can help us to get this grant by voting online for this project – tell everyone you know and help us get lots of votes!   Last year the winning idea, only had 7000 votes, so this goal is very reachable.  That is 700 people voting 10 times, we can do this.

http://www.avivacommunityfund.org/ideas/acf5752

Thank you so much for any support you give to our project.

Tina Drew

Chair of the N.J. Macpherson Parent’s Advisory Committee”

I would encourage us all to remember to vote for NJ Macpherson’s AVIVA profile once a day until voting closes. It’s an easy way to support the hard work and dedication of the NJ Macpherson community to our community as a whole.