Punch Up Collective

Night School: The Importance of Indigenous Narrative Sovereignty
2024-04-18 18:00 - 21:00 (America/Toronto) | DARC Microcinema, 67 Nicholas St, Ottawa, K1N 7B9, Canada
DARC presents our next lecture in our Night School series: The Importance of Indigenous Narrative Sovereignty – Rustic Oracle, A Case Study with Sonia Bonspille Boileau.
Sonia Bonspille Boileau is a bilingual Kanien’kehá:ka-Quebecois filmmaker who has been working for over fifteen years at bringing Indigenous content to the screen for audiences of all cultural backgrounds. She will lead an informative conversation about the importance of Indigenous representation in the arts and media, narrative sovereignty and the power of storytelling to educate, share and heal.
Join us for this FREE lecture in the DARC Microcinema on April 18th at 6 PM – following the FREE screening of Sonia’s film, Rustic Oracle, on April 17th. Registration is not required.

National Canadian Film Day Screening: Rustic Oracle
2024-04-17 11:00 - 17:00 | DARC Microcinema, 67 Nicholas St, Ottawa, K1N 7B9, Canada
In conjunction with our next lecture in our Night School series and National Canadian Film Day, we will be presenting a FREE screening of Sonia Bonspille Boileau’s second dramatic feature, Rustic Oracle, on April 17th. Screenings will be at 11am, 1pm, and 3pm in the DARC Microcinema.
Set in the late 90s, Rustic Oracle is a dramatic feature about Ivy, an 8-year-old girl trying to understand what happened to her big sister who has vanished from their small Mohawk community. With minimal clues, Ivy and her mother Susan embark on an unwelcome journey to find Heather which ultimately brings the pair closer together despite challenging circumstances. Behind the story of desperation, told through the eyes of a child, lies one of hope, growth, awakening and love.
Come watch the film, and then join us the following day for an informative conversation about the importance of Indigenous representation in the arts and media, narrative sovereignty and the power of storytelling to educate, share and heal with the filmmaker herself.

Save Our Gaza Families Vigil: No More Excuses, No More Lies, Fix the Program Before Another Dies
2024-04-16 12:00 - 14:00 | Ottawa House of Commons, 111 Wellington St, Ottawa, Ontario, K1A0A6, Canada
Three months into the failed Gaza “None is Too Many” program, not a single person has been saved.
Please join us for a peaceful statement to call urgent changes tpo ensure immediate family reunification with loved ones in Gaza.

Please join us anytime between 12 noon and 2 pm on Tuesday, April 16 (marking 99 days of this failed program) for a peaceful vigil at the House of Commons entrance at O’Connor and Wellington in Ottawa (where we have held three
previous vigils).

Please let us know if you can attend so we can plan how many signs and banners to bring.

Organized by Rural Refugee Rights Network and Gazan Canadians League

Immigration Minister Marc Miller has failed, despite months of lobbying and public education, to make critical changes to his failed program. He must immediately:
1. Release all codes so everyone can apply immediately
2. Lift the 1,000-person cap
3. Expand eligibility for anchor relatives to include refugees and refugee claimants and student and work permit holders
4. Implement a 14-day processing period for TRVs as was the standard with the Ukraine program and assign extra staff as needed to ensure compliance with this timeline.
5. Allow those who were temporarily outside of and had planned to return to Gaza as of October 7 to apply
6. Remove the requirement that applicants remain under bombardment and starvation in Gaza, especially those who have escaped to Egypt and are currently rendered ineligible
7. Waive application and biometrics fees.
8. Rectify systemic errors which continue to produce false reports of incomplete applications or which send application news to the wrong person.
9. Remove intrusive and invasive questions from the TRV application (social media accounts, scars, employment back to the age of 16) and instruct IRCC officers on the nature of how the social service sector worked in Gaza, such that procedural fairness letters are not asking ethically questionable things like whether a nurse or doctor ever provided medical services to someone from Hamas.
10. Engage with Global Affairs Canada staff and DND staff to ensure swift and safe passage across the Rafah border.

Voices For Palestine - A Concert for Children's Relief
2024-04-14 19:00 | The Rainbow Bistro, 76 Murray Street, Ottawa, Ontario, K1N 5M6, Canada
🌟Join us on April 14th for an unforgettable night of music at Voices for Palestine! 🎶 Featuring incredible performances at The Rainbow Bistro by local artists Hannah Vig, Out by Lucy, Dart Trees, Karim Reslan, and DJ Jamza, alongside insightful talks from Dr. Yipeng Ge, Independent Jewish Voices Ottawa, INSAF uOttawa, and Climate Justice Climatique uO (CJCUO). Together we’re raising funds for a cause close to our hearts: the Palestine Children’s Relief Fund. Purchase your tickets for only $20 or buy a donation ticket if you can’t make it — see you there! 🇵🇸💖✨
ABOUT THE ARTISTS
Dart Trees
Dart trees is composed of four buddies who met at the University of Ottawa and have been making feel good emo rock for the last 2 years. Their last album turned a year old in March and they’re starting recording their new album in April.
Karim Reslan
Karim Reslan is a Singer-Songwriter and Guitarist. Various genres have inspired him to create experimental unique sounds with a heavy dive in sensual R&B tunes. He is Lebanese born and raised, escaped from ongoing wars around 2014 to Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates where he officially launched his music career in 2017. He is currently based in Ottawa where he continues to spread the message of love and freedom of self expression in his music.
Out by Lucy
Out by Lucy is a rock band which delivers high energy performances of whimsical, witty, and lackadaisical original music. Their music situates itself in a rock lineage which stretches back to the rock and pop groups of the 1960s like the Kinks, the Stones, and the Beatles. The Group consists of Sam Moreland (Lead Guitar), Julian Moreland (Drums), Dom Doyon (Bass), along with Harrison Mees (Lead vocals). The groups debut EP “Different Zoo, Same Old Monkey.” showcases their eclectic approach to Songwriting. Tracks like “Fukuyama” tackle topics like political philosophy and the biblical apocalypse while “Snorkelling song” presents a simple ode to the joys of watersports.
Hannah Vig
Formerly known for her intimate and emotive acoustic performances, Hannah Vig has been bringing a new and exciting sound to her live music: a band. Bringing her rock influences to the fore, Vig’s hard-hitting lyrics are now backed by a dynamic new energy with the musical stylings of Matthew Scharfe (bass), Eric Montpool (guitar), and Nae Roy-Ling (drums).
DJ Jamza
Hailing from Morocco, Jamza entered the DJ scene in 2021, initially embracing mainstream EDM before finding his true passion in the vibrant rhythms of Marrakech’s house music scene. Specializing in Afro house, tech house, Latin, and disco house, Jamza seamlessly blends classics with contemporary tracks to create captivating sets that unite crowds on the dancefloors of Ottawa’s top venues like City at Night, The Hudson, and 56 Berlin. With his infectious energy and welcoming vibe, Jamza ensures that everyone feels at home, ready to dance the night away in harmony.

Ottawa United for Palestine
2024-04-14 14:00 - 16:00 | Human Rights Monument, 220 Elgin Street, Ottawa, Ontario, Canada
Join us Sunday April 14 at the Human Rights Monument at 2PM as we continue to demand an end to the genocide in Gaza and Canada’s complicity in the violence against Palestinians. As Palestinian Prisoners Day draws near, we honour and remember the struggle of our prisoners in zionist jails, who, since October, have faced escalations in violence and torture from the Zionist entity as it conducted mass arrest campaigns across the West Bank. On April 7, revolutionary and intellectual, Walid Daqqah, imprisoned since 1986, was murdered through purposeful medical negligence while in Zionist jail. We look to Daqqah and all our prisoners for guidance through their revolutionary teachings, wisdom, and steadfastness.The Gaza Action Coalition invites you to march with us to honor our prisoners, to demand an end to the genocide, an end to the siege on Gaza, an end to Canadian complicity, and the release of ALL Palestinian political prisoners.

Queering Ritual Adornment: Creative Beit Midrash
2024-04-14 14:00 - 16:00, 2024-03-31 14:00 - 16:00, 2024-03-17 14:00 - 16:00 | Online
Funded by Reconstructing Judaism’s Auerbach Launch Grant, Rabbinic Student Léah Miller Returns!
Drawing partially from the artistic pedagogy of the Jewish Studio Process, Léah will lead folx to think about and play with the concept of Jewish creativity. In all three sessions, there will be time for text study, self-reflection, and creative process, and the sessions will not be dependent on each other. There are no requirements for artistic skills or materials, but registrants will receive a suggested list of how to prepare. Additionally, this class will be leading towards an in-person class where you can make/finish adorning/design your own tallis/prayer shawl!
This event is designed to center queer and trans Jews, though all are welcome!
Click Here to Register!
https://www.orh.ca/event/queering-ritual-adornment-creative-beit-midrash.html#

'Jewelry With a Purpose' workshop by Justice for Indigenous Women
2024-04-13 10:00 - 15:00 | Ojigkwanong Indigenous Student Centre, 228 Patterson Hall, Carleton University, 1125 Colonel By Drive, Ottawa, Ontario, K1S 5B6, Canada
Everyone is welcome to attend our jewelry-making festival supporting Justice for Indigenous Women (J4IW) and 2Spirit Manitoba. This is an opportunity to participate in meaningful reconciliation!
Registration Required: Please complete this short google form to register.
Cost: Suggested donation $25 (link to donate on above order form). This includes all materials needed to create your own jewelry and refreshments. Additional kits are available to purchase for $10 to take home.
Other details:
No experience needed! All materials will be provided (but if you have a needle-nose pliers, please bring them along) and we will teach you how to make this jewelry that is not only beautiful but also educational. Our Governor General, Mary Simon, has proudly worn J4IW jewelry!
Elder Barbara Dumont Hill and others will provide education and story-telling about Indigenous issues including Missing and Murdered Indigenous Woman, Girls, and Two-Spirit Peoples (MMIWG2S).
Beverages and snacks will be generously provided by the Ojigkwanong Indigenous Student Centre at Carleton University, who is also providing their special space for us to use and enjoy.

Honoring Palestinian Life Through Transgressive Joy and Art
2024-04-12 16:00 - 18:00 | MacOdrum Library, Carleton University, Ottawa, ON, Canada
Carleton’s Palestine non-committee invites you to an event to celebrate Palestinian humanity and resilience through transgressive acts of joy amidst the ongoing destruction of life in Gaza. In a world that dehumanizes Palestinians, we mirror Palestinian transgressive joy as an expression of resistance, hope, and dignity in the face of erasure, apartheid, and fear. This event celebrates Palestinian life through various cultural and artistic activities, such as sharing Palestinian food, learning the Dabke line-dance, hearing poetry and stories, and engaging with an art exhibition. Our hope is to create a space that honors Palestinian humanity and presence despite an ongoing erasure, genocide, and occupation.
Room 252 MacOdrum Library

Book Launch: Suing for Silence by Mandi Gray
2024-04-11 19:00 - 20:00 | Octopus Books, 116 Third Ave, Ottawa, Canada
Join us for the Ottawa launch of Suing for Silence: Sexual Violence and Defamation Law with author Mandi Gray.
Thursday, April 11, 7pm – 8pm
Octopus Books, 116 Third Ave., Ottawa
Suing for Silence is a groundbreaking examination of how men accused of sexual violence use defamation lawsuits as a weapon to silence those who attempt to hold them accountable.
As Mandi Gray demonstrates, Canadian defamation law helps perpetuate the myth that false allegations of sexual violence are common. Gray draws on media reports, courtroom observations, and interviews with silence breakers, activists, and lawyers to examine the societal and individual implications of so-called liar lawsuits. She argues that their purpose is not to achieve justice but to intimidate, silence, and drain the resources of those who speak out against sexual violence and even report their own assaults – and to discourage others from doing the same.
This meticulous work reveals the gendered underpinnings of Canadian defamation law, which has long protected men’s reputations at the expense of women’s sexual autonomy. Sexual violence discourse must have adequate protection if it is to be heard.
Mandi Gray is an assistant professor in the Department of Sociology at Trent University and an anti-violence activist. She is regularly featured in Canadian media on issues pertaining to sexual violence, including in the Toronto Star, Globe and Mail, Toronto Life, and on the CBC.

Climate Publics with Carleton Climate Commons – “Food Relations in a Time of Climate Crisis”
2024-04-10 19:00 - 21:00 | Irene’s Pub, 885 Bank St, Ottawa, ON
Join us and special guests at Irene’s Pub in Ottawa for a night of conversing, sharing, and feeling as we reflect on food sustainability, sovereignty, production, and consumption in light of climate changed futures.
Whether you’re a climate enthusiast or just curious about the topic, this event is open to all. Share your thoughts, ideas, and questions in a friendly environment. Don’t miss out on this opportunity to connect with like-minded individuals and learn more about the actions we can take to address climate change. Together, we can make a difference!
Organized by Carleton Climate Commons, Climate PUBlics brings people together in some of Ottawa’s liveliest pubs to discuss climate catastrophe, environmental justice, and our shared future.
Special Guests:
Sarah Rotz is an Associate Professor in the Faculty of Environmental and Urban Change at York University. Her academic and organizing work is grounded in environmentmental justice and focused on land and food systems. Sarah’s community-based work with various organizations and campaigns includes food and farmer’s associations, fossil fuels divestment, climate justice, and food sovereignty movements. She is a member of the RAIR collective, a settler and Indigenous collective committed to dialogue and action in support of Indigenous land rematriation grounded in principles of food justice and Indigenous sovereignty.
Andrew Fitzel is majoring in cognitive science and minoring in the environmental and climate humanities (EACH) at Carleton. He is co-president of Animal Rights Carleton (ARC) which is a student-run social group that advocates for a plant-based lifestyle. It also aims to educate about issues pertaining to animal rights and animal agriculture, as well as investigating their implications in terms of ethics, the climate crisis, and human health.
Heart City Farm, Matthew Mason-Phillips is one half of Heart City Farm along with co-founder Madeleine Maltby. They have been growing food in and around the city of Ottawa for the last decade and remain committed to sustainable agriculture, food security and local food culture.
Amanda Wilson is an Associate Professor in the School of Social Innovation at Saint Paul University. Her areas of research include food movements and carceral food systems, collective organizing, and enacting a politics of possibility. She is a long-time community organizer in Ottawa, member of the Punch Up Collective, and President of the Board of the Social Innovation Atelier.

Building a Canada-Wide System of early learning and child care: What can we learn from other countries
2024-04-08 17:30 - 19:00 | Impact Hub, 7th floor, 123 Slater Street, Ottawa, K1P 5H2
Three international experts will be in town very briefly, and we have the chance to chat with them about how to build a system of early learning and child care here in Ottawa.
Aisling Gallagher (New Zealand / Aotearoa) is Senior Lecturer in Social Geography at Massey University. Her research looks into the politics of childcare and ECEC provisioning in the Anglophone contexts of New Zealand, Australia, Ireland and the UK.
Eva Lloyd (United Kingdom) is Professor Emerita of Early Childhood in the School of Education and Communities at the University of East London. For over three decades Professor Lloyd has specialised in the study of national and international early childhood education and care policies and systems, particularly marketised systems, and their impact on children growing up with disadvantage.
Merete Villsen (Denmark) is the head manager of early childcare in Aalborg Municipality, and intimately understands the approach taken in Denmark towards developing excellent childcare facilities and strategic childcare management.
Looking forward to your company, questions, and ideas!

Fossil Fools Day
2024-04-06 12:30 - 14:00 | sidewalks adjacent to RBC branch at 99 Bank St., 99 Bank St, Ottawa, K1P 6B9
On April 6, 2024, stand in solidarity with Indigenous Land Defenders resisting projects funded by RBC.
RBC is complicit in human rights abuses and genocide at home and around the world. This includes the Coastal GasLink pipeline violating Wet’suwet’en rights, tar sands extraction causing devastating health impacts, and weapons and surveillance technology used in the genocide in Palestine. They profit from land theft and war, ecocide and genocide.
RSVP to take action against RBC – Canada’s largest financier of genocide and climate chaos!
This will be a peaceful rally. We look forward to seeing you there!

Trivia Fundraiser to Support Prisoners' Rights
2024-04-02 18:00 - 21:00 | Club SAW, 67 Nicholas St, Ottawa, K1N 7B9
Join us April 2, 2024 at 6PM at Club SAW for a trivia fundraiser to support prisoners rights advocacy in Ontario. Tickets are pay-what-you-can with a recommended $25.00 donation. There is a full service bar on site to purchase drinks. There is no food at this venue, so be sure to eat before you come! Doors will open at 6PM and trivia starts at 7PM. There will be prizes for our top three teams and lots of prisoners’ rights merch available for purchase.
Proceeds from this event are used to fund legal advocacy efforts undertaken by the uOttawa Prison Law Practicum in conjunction with Prisoner Legal Supports and the Criminalization and Punishment Education Project. Some of the recent advocacy efforts by these groups involve representing prisoners rights’ organization Tracking (In)Justice in the Coroner’s Inquest into the Death of Solieman Faqiri and in various human rights based legal issues for prisoner in Ontario.
Let us know you’re coming by filling in this form:
https://forms.office.com/Pages/ResponsePage.aspx?id=sdof1BV-_Uy1-nIA5U3ra4EuSer8VzVMsrK8khGp4ytUMVdENzRYUE5ZVklGSk1KNEIyOThYTzJYSC4u
Pay what you can for tickets via etransfer to: jpp@uottawa.ca

Research from a grassroots resistance point of view: conference with Gord Hill
2024-03-27 19:00 - 21:00 | Social Innovation Atelier, 95 Clegg St, Ottawa
Gord Hill is famously known to be the creator of the master piece of grassroots history and art called 500 Years of Indigenous Resistance Comic Book. The new version was published in french recently by Prise de parole. They are also presenting an exhibit of his work translated to french. He is a long time anarchist, indigenous resister, social organizer, researcher, writer and multidisciplinary artist. Gord will talk about how he has been for most of his life both a grassroots researcher, writer, artist and militant working on his major publication called Warrior Publications. Gord had a major influence on many peoples and movements over the last decades. He will talk about how his perceiving research in the context of ongoing indigenous struggles for decolonization, liberation and also the anticolonial and anticapitalist movement as a whole.

This is a hybrid event that will be held on Zoom and at the Mauril-Bélanger Social Innovation Workshop, 95 Clegg Street, Ottawa. A free dinner is included, and offered by Alexandre Michaud.

There will be also be a live and interactive projection at UQAM at R-M150 with whispered translation.
Zoom link: https://uottawa-ca.zoom.us/j/94840032157?pwd=[REDACTED]

The event in English with simultaneous interpretation in French. This activity organized in collaboration with GRIP-UQAM, SOS territoire and Alliance Mamo.

Bio: Gord Hill is an Indigenous writer, artist and activist of the Kwakwaka’wakw nation. He is the author and illustrator of The 500 Years of Indigenous Resistance Comic Book, The Anti-Capitalist Resistance Comic Book, and The Antifa Comic Book (all three published by Arsenal Pulp Press in Vancouver, Canada), as well as the author of the book 500 Years of Indigenous Resistance, published by AK Press in Oakland, California. His art and writings have also been published in numerous periodicals, including Briarpatch, Canadian Dimension, Redwire, Red Rising Magazine, The Dominion, Recherches Amerindiennes au Quebec, Intotemak, Seattle Weekly, and Broken Pencil.

***
Gord Hill est très connu et populaire en tant que le créateur du chef-d’oeuvre qu’est 500 ans de résistance autochtone, la bande dessinée. La nouvelle version a été publiée récemment en français à Prise de parole. En ce moment, Prise de parole présente aussi une exposition en grand format de la version française. Gord Hill est un anarchiste, résistant autochtone, organisateur social, chercheur, écrivain et artiste multidisciplinaire de longue date.
Gord va parler de son expérience du terrain en tant que chercheur indépendant, écrivain, artiste et activiste ayant oeuvré autour de son projet de publication Warrior Publications. Gord fut une influence majeure pour beaucoup de personnes et mouvements durant les dernières décennies. Il parlera de comment il perçoit la recherche dans le contexte des luttes autochtones pour la décolonisation et la libération ainsi que du mouvement anticolonial et anticapitaliste global.

Il s’agit d’un événement hybride qui se déroulera sur Zoom et à l’Atelier d’innovation sociale Mauril-Bélanger, 95 rue Clegg, Ottawa. Un dîner gratuit est inclus et offert par Alexandre Michaud.

Il y aura aussi projection en direct interactive à l’UQAM au R-M150 avec traduction chuchotée.
Lien Zoom: https://uottawa-ca.zoom.us/j/94840032157?pwd=[REDACTED]

L’événement se déroulera en anglais avec interprétation simultanée en français. Cette activité est organisée en collaboration avec le GRIP-UQAM, SOS territoire et Alliance Mamo.

Bio: Gord Hill est un écrivain, artiste et activiste autochtone du peuple Kwakwaka’wakw. Il est l’auteur et illustrateur de 500 ans de résistance autochtone (traduit en français aux Éditions Prise de parole) ainsi que The Anti-Capitalist Resistance Comic Book et The Antifa Comic Book qui eux n’ont pas encore été traduits en français (les versions originales anglaises ont été publiées les trois par Arsenal Pulp Press à Vancouver au Canada), ainsi que l’auteur du livre 500 ans de résistance autochtone, la version originale anglaise a été publiée chez AK Press à Oakland en Californie. Son art et ses écrits ont aussi été publiés dans de nombreux périodiques comme Briarpatch, Canadian Dimension, Redwire, Red Rising Magazine, The Dominion, Recherches amérindiennes au Québec, Intotemak, Seattle Weekly et Broken Pencil.

Bring it Black: Films by Black Artists in Canada by Cinema Politica
2024-03-27 18:00 - 22:00 | DARC Microcinema, 67 Nicholas St, Ottawa, K1N 7B9, Canada
DARC will be showcasing a curated selection of three short films from Cinema Politica’s “Bring it Black: Films by Black Artists in Canada” collection. Each film takes an experimental approach to documentary filmmaking, delving into themes of identity, belonging, and displacement. The program will begin with a short introduction by DARC’s talented Extended Access member Dereck Bassa.

Saving Garderie Bernadette and Building for the Future
2024-03-27 18:00 - 19:30 | FSS Building, Room 4004, University of Ottawa, 120 University Prvt., Ottawa, K1N 9A7
Garderie Bernadette, the on-campus child care centre at the University of Ottawa, is facing eviction due to planned demolition of their site. The university is neither supporting Garderie Bernadette to find a temporary site, nor building a new space for the child care centre that has served its community for over 30 years.
Come out to this event, with speakers including:
Carolyn Ferns – Policy Director of the Ontario Coalition for Better Child Care
Jess Tomas – Community Organizer with the Association of Early Childhood Educators Ontario
Natalie Bruvels – uOttawa Phd Candidate & Save Bernadette Coalition member
Children, parents, students, educators and faculty are all welcome. Refreshments will be available.
There will be a table/blanket area for children to play in the room. This is a family friendly event.
Supported by the Save Bernadette Coalition, Child Care Now (Ottawa), Ontario Coalition for Better Child Care and Association of Early Childhood Educators Ontario.

No More Deaths in Custody
2024-03-27 13:00 - 15:00 | 270-274 Teraanga Commons, Carleton University, 1125 Colonel By Dr., Ottawa, Ontario, K1S 5B6, Canada
The Institute of Criminology and Criminal Justice (ICCJ) kindly invites you to join us at the ICCJ Winter 2024 Colloquium “No More Deaths in Custody” with keynote speaker Yusuf Faqiri, founder of Justice for Soli. We will also have a panel of speakers including Lydia Dobson and Alexandria Bonney (Prisoner Legal Supports), Lindsay Jennings (Tracking (In)Justice), and Megan Linton (Carleton PhD student and Ontario Disability Justice Network).
Deaths in Ontario jails have been increasing, yet there has been little institutional action to make change. Come and hear from those in the movement who are working to mobilize strategies for greater transparency and accountability to end deaths in custody.
This is a FREE event. All are welcome. Light food and refreshments will be available.
Please register here: https://carleton.ca/criminology/cu-events/iccj-winter-colloquium-march-27th-no-more-deaths-in-custody/
A recording will be available online afterwards.

Fat Zines for Fat People
2024-03-26 18:30 - 20:30 | Venus Envy Warehouse, 329 Catherine St., Ottawa, Ontario, K1R 5T4, Canada
A workshop on zine making for folks who are (or are trying to be) body-positive (or neutral!)
Explore: What do these concepts mean to you? What do you do in your day-to-day life to survive a body-negative world? How do you fold a minizine??
Work with visiting artist and zine lover Theo Houghtaling in this low-pressure evening of discussion and creation
Facilitator bio: Theo Houghtaling is an emerging interdisciplinary artist based in Treaty 4 Swift Current, Saskatchewan. He’s fat and queer and trans and neurodivergent (so basically the total package).
His zine “Fat Kid at McDonald’s” was recently shortlisted for Best Perzine at the Broken Pencil Magazine International Zine Awards (yay!)
To see some of his work and/or say hi, go to Instagram @theojparker
Masks required, HEPA filter running. The warehouse is all on one level and the bathroom is accessible. There is a small step at the front door and a portable ramp will be in place.
This workshop is in person in Ottawa. If you have questions or specific access needs, please reach out to Jamie at jamie@venusenvy.ca as soon as possible.

Book Launch: Canada's Long Fight Against Democracy
2024-03-21 19:00 - 21:00 | Happy Goat Coffee Company, 35 Laurel Street, Ottawa, Ontario, Canada
On March 21 from 7-9pm at Happy Goat Coffee (35 Laurel St), join us in Yves Engler’s book launch, Canada’s Long Fight Against Democracy.

DiverCITY Film Festival
2024-03-21 13:00 - 2024-03-24 19:00 | DARC Microcinema, 67 Nicholas St, Ottawa, K1N 7B9, Canada
DiverCITY Film Festival kicks off its second annual festival dedicated to showcasing indie films and content in Ottawa, Ontario, Canada.
DiverCITY Film Festival is an opportunity for independent filmmakers in Ottawa, Canada, to showcase their creative expressions. The ODFF aims to support established and emerging artists to showcase a wider range of stories and storytelling. The ODFF is committed to serving as a vital channel for our city’s diverse talent, in front of and behind the camera, and presenting them to a broader audience.

Logging Algonquin - Free online film screening
2024-03-20 19:00 - 21:00
Join us for the premiere online screening of the short documentary “Logging Algonquin” by Conor Devries, followed by panel discussion and Q&A featuring Indigenous Algonquin scholars, knowledge-keepers and educators:

Dr. Lynn Gehl: Algonquin Anishinaabe-Ikwe, author, advocate, artist, public-speaker and PhD in Indigenous Studies, member of the Algonquins of Pikwàkanagàn First Nation
Kirby Whiteduck: Chief of Algonquins of Pikwàkanagàn First Nation from 2003-2020, Knowledge-Keeper, Educator and Author

About the film:
Logging Algonquin is a 30 minute documentary film by Conor Devries that looks at the historical and on-going logging happening in Algonquin Provincial Park in Ontario, Canada, on the traditional and unceded territory of Algonquin Nations. The film asks the question:
‘Does logging belong in a modern day Park?’
While short in length, the film dives into numerous topics around the issue and manages to relate the logging in Algonquin Park with the broader environmental condition in Ontario and across the globe. For more information on the film and watch the trailer go to www.loggingalgonquinfilm.com
The screening will be followed by a discussion panel and Q&A to delve deeper into the topic with emphasis on Indigenous Algonquin perspectives, paradigms and worldviews.
The discussion panel and Q&A will also include:

Conor Devries, Director of ‘Logging Algonquin;
Katie Krelove, Ontario Campaigner for Wilderness Committee
Dr. David Euler, Former Dean of Forestry at Lakehead University; Co-Founder of Algonquin Eco-Watch

Registrants will be sent a zoom link to your email 2 days before the event

Seeking Truth: The Hassan Diab Awareness Event
2024-03-20 18:30 - 20:30 | Carleton University, 1125 Colonel By Dr., Ottawa, Ontario, K1S 5B6, Canada
Join us for an awareness event to learn more about Hassan’s case and who your support.
In 2023, Hassan was found guilty of terrorism charges by the France government for a bombing that occurred decades before – for which he was not in the country for, and for which there is no reliable evidence connecting him to. He has spent the last 15 years in a constant state of unknowing what will happen to him next. Hassan’s case is one of Islamophobia and human rights violations. Helps prevent Hassan’s extradition by joining us for the event, signing petitions, and increasing awareness among the student population.
Event location: Room 282 Nideyinàn (University Centre, Carleton University)

Save Our Gaza Families: Urgent Two-Day Silent Vigil for Family Reunification
2024-03-19 09:00 - 2024-03-20 16:00 | Ottawa House of Commons, 111 Wellington St, Ottawa, Ontario, K1A0A6, Canada
For 3 days in February, Palestinian Canadians with loved ones in Gaza held vigil for 8 hours daily at the entrance to the House of Commons. The message was clear: issue the permits needed to help their families escape the genocide. Immigration Minister Marc Miller drove by, saw the families, but refused to meet with them.
It is over two full months since the program that was supposed to help them opened, yet it has saved no one, and scores have been killed waiting for Canada to end its “None is Too Many” policy for Palestinians, a shameful repeat of its failure to rescue Jews from genocide in the 1930s and 1940s.
Marc Miller must take immediate action to change direction, fix the huge problems with the system, and end the built-in, discriminatory obstacles that are placing these families’ loved ones at lethal risk.
Toward that end, we will gather once more on March 19 and 20, to meet with MPs, members of the public, and one another to continue pressing to open the doors to safety. The biggest obstacle to family reunification is not the Rafah border. It is a Canadian immigration bureaucracy that refuses to value the lives of Palestinian men, women and children who are being starved and bombed to death in what the International Court of Justice calls a plausible case of genocide.
Organized by Gazan Canadian League, endorsed by Rural Refugee Rights Network

Fighting Climate Change Beyond the Carbon Tax
2024-03-18 19:30 | PSAC Building, 233 Gilmour Street, Ottawa, Ontario, Canada
Join Free Transit Ottawa as well as a host of other organizations for a public forum on climate justice! Sponsored by Free Transit Ottawa, and Horizon Ottawa, Justice4Workers, CAWI.
A diverse set of speakers from the labour, environmental and transit struggles will discuss how the climate fight must involve building a better world where no one is left behind.
Speakers: Emma Bider, Climate Justice Ottawa; Angella MacEwan, CUPE/Green Economy Network; Richard Fidler/Free Transit Ottawa

Gaza Ceasefire Pilgrimage
2024-03-16 08:30 - 15:00 | Ottawa City Hall, 110 Laurier, Ottawa
This pilgrimage walk is a response to a global invitation by an autonomous network of Christian organizations and churches engaging in a prayerful show of solidarity around the world. During Lent (Feb. 14-March 28), people will walk the ‘length of the Gaza strip’, and with our bodies, we will prayerfully map Gaza onto our own cities; in this case, Ottawa, on the traditional unceded lands of the Anishinaabe Algonquin people. Our route will be 22km, which is about half the length of the Gaza Strip. We will start and end at Ottawa City Hall, with several stops along the way for rest and prayer. We expect the walk to take about 8 hours, and welcome participants who want to join for shorter sections. We will be sharing our map and tentative schedule on this event page shortly to facilitate this.
Our group has chosen to raise funds for three groups contributing to the GC movement’s fundraising priorities of relief; refugee assistance; and arrival of relief and refuge:

Mennonite Central Committee – https://mcc.org/…/disaster-response/palestine-and-israel
PWRDF Gaza and West Bank Emergency Response Fund – https://interland3.donorperfect.net/weblink/weblink.aspx…
UNRWA – https://donate.unrwa.org/gaza/~my-donation?_cv=1

There are 8 core principles that all groups who participate in the walk must adhere to and we ask that you read them before registering for this walk. <https://www.gazaceasefirepilgrimage.com/core-convictions>
As well, all Gaza Ceasefire Pilgrimage Walks will be calling and praying for:
A. Enduring and Sustained Ceasefire.
B. Immediate flow of life saving food, water, aid, fuel and humanitarian assistance.
C. Release of all hostages – both the Israeli hostages held by Hamas – and the Palestinian hostages held in the Israeli prison system.
D. End of occupation so a just peace can begin.
We know there are many more “asks” that could have been made, but these walks have been created to lift up the voices of Palestinians who have been suffering for decades.
We extend a warm welcome to people who are not connected to any spiritual or religious tradition. It is our hope that all who are committed to the core principles will join with us on March 16th.
WHAT IS A PILGRIMAGE?
A pilgrimage is a sacred journey, a prayer with one’s body – be it by foot, wheelchair, on an animal, or by bicycle – to a destination, with the desire to turn one’s heart to God, and share in God’s heart for all of creation, particularly the vulnerable.
In organizing this Pilgrimage, we aspire to:

Keep the war in Gaza and the need for a ceasefire in front of us as we journey together
Encourage all Christians, Jewish and Muslim believers, and people from other faith traditions as well as no faith traditions, to join with us in a prayerful walk for peace in the Holy Land.

From Omar Haramy, Director of Sabeel, Ecumenical Liberation Theology Center, Palestine:
“The Gaza Ceasefire Pilgrimage beckons to us as an opportunity not just to witness but to actively engage in the pursuit of peace. Let us unite in the spirit of nonviolence, a force that transcends borders and dismantles the structures of dominance.
Our collective strength lies in challenging the roots of the problem, addressing the deep-seated issues that perpetuate suffering. It is time to act, to be the change we wish to see, and to lend our voices to the call for a lasting ceasefire. By supporting this pilgrimage, we become part of communities working tirelessly to make a difference, fostering understanding, compassion, and unity in the sacred land that has witnessed too much strife. Let us rise above the discord, standing shoulder to shoulder, as advocates for peace, as architects of a brighter future for the Holy Land.
Together, we can create a legacy of harmony, resilience, and hope. Thank you for joining the movement and being a catalyst for change.”

Speaking Up for Palestine Panel Discussion
2024-03-15 19:00 - 21:00 | Bronson Centre, 211 Bronson Ave, Ottawa, Ontario, Canada
This panel and roundtable discussion is aimed at anyone who wants to build their confidence in speaking up for Palestine!
Panelists Dr. Yipeng Ge, Masha Davidovic, and Hassan Husseini will discuss why they speak up for Palestine, where they find the courage and confidence to do so , and how they respond to those who may criticize or try to silence them.
RSVP at https://tinyurl.com/SpeakingUpForPalestine
If you have difficulty with the RSVP link, feel free to email your RSVP to ottawaijv@protonmail.com.
For a free Palestine in our lifetime!

Spectacle d'humour féministe: Le Womansplaining Show / Feminist Comedy show: Le Womansplaining Show
2024-03-08 19:00 - 22:00 | Social Innovation Atelier, 95 Clegg St, Ottawa
Spectacle d’humour: Le Womansplaining Show

Soyez des nôtres dans le cadre de la journée internationale des droits des femmes le 8 mars prochain à l’Atelier d’innovation sociale!

Nous accueillons le Womansplaining Show, un spectacle d’humour féministe et engagé, animé par Noémie Leduc-Roy et Anne-Sarah Charbonneau. Pour cette occasion, elles seront accompagnées de Doua Kachache (humoriste) et de Trana Wintour (artiste multidisciplinaire).

Le spectacle se tiendra le vendredi 8 mars 2024 à l’Atelier d’innovation sociale, situé à Ottawa.
Les portes ouvriront à 19h00 et le spectacle débutera à 20h00.

Lien vers l’événement Facebook: https://fb.me/e/3dG918v6NLien pour se procurer des billets au coût de 15$ (gratuit les étudiant.e.s de Saint-Paul) et tous les détails concernant l’accessibilité de l’espace: http://tinyurl.com/2p4h58jj
Lien vers le compte instagram de l’Atelier-École: https://www.instagram.com/innovationsocialeusp/

Feminist Comedy show: Le Womansplaining Show

Join us for International Women’s Day on March 8 at the Atelier d’innovation sociale!

We’re hosting the Womansplaining Show, a feminist comedy show hosted by Noémie Leduc-Roy and Anne-Sarah Charbonneau. They will be joined by Doua Kachache (comedian) and Trana Wintour (multidisciplinary artist).

The show will take place on Friday, March 8 at the Social Innovation Workshop in Ottawa. Doors open at 7:00 p.m. and the show begins at 8:00 p.m.

Link to Facebook event: https://fb.me/e/3dG918v6N
Link to purchase tickets for $15 (free for Saint-Paul university students) and all details concerning accessibility of the space: http://tinyurl.com/2p4h58jj

Pique
2024-03-08 17:00 - 2024-03-10 17:00 | Club SAW, 67 Nicholas St, Ottawa, K1N 7B9
Pique is back with the spring edition opener of its 2024 season bringing groundbreaking international and Canadian artists to the Arts Court in downtown Ottawa. For the first time, Pique will present a multi-day edition of its acclaimed music and art festival series happening on March 8–10, 2024. Transforming the Arts Court into a dynamic venue-wide celebration, Pique is a seasonal showcase of underground and avant-garde performance, visual art, and more.
The 2024 Pique spring edition is all about experimentation, exploration and expecting the unexpected. Many of the artists featured at the spring edition are innovators in their own right, bending genres, trailblazing new technologies, or delving deeper into unexplored capabilities. While this edition invites audience members to challenge themselves and listen deeply, there are still plenty of opportunities for silliness and celebration. Charting a course that explores both mind and body, thinking and acting, Pique spring edition offers a full range of creative possibilities.
The all-ages festival will present more than 15 artists across 7 stages and exhibition spaces, including groundbreaking audio/visual performances, DJ sets, performance art, exhibitions, and more. Tickets to Pique are pay-what-you-can, and the Pique live stream is free to watch online.
Admission is SLIDING SCALE with a suggested contribution of $25-$50.
To purchase a ticket below or above the suggested sliding scale, please register for our pay-what-you-can ticket program.
PLEASE NOTE that while a tickets gains you access to the festival, each individual venue space within is subject to capacity, and your ticket does not guarantee you access to each performance. Consult the schedule and arrive early to the stage to ensure you catch the performance(s) you want to see!
Registration to the Topique forum is free with a ticket to Pique, but each session is subject to limited capacity restrictions. Registration opening soon!
The event is ALL AGES and licensed.
Visit thisispique.com for more info.
