People First Media program archive
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“The Five Stages of Collapse” provides a survivor’s toolkit

July 25th, 2013 | Posted by pfmarchive in uncategorized - (Comments Off on “The Five Stages of Collapse” provides a survivor’s toolkit)

Author Dmitry Orlov says that if financial, commercial, and political collapse are met with appropriate responses, the more extreme aspects of social and cultural collapse could be prevented 

picture 494The City of Detroit’s bankruptcy filing made big headlines, but the city’s decline has been underway for decades. The Associated Press observed that the “Arsenal of Democracy” that supplied the Allied victory of World War II and evolved into the “Motor City” had fallen into a six-decade downward spiral of job losses, shrinking population and a plummeting tax base. (more…)

Nanaimo sees homeless numbers rise

July 19th, 2013 | Posted by pfmarchive in uncategorized - (Comments Off on Nanaimo sees homeless numbers rise)

Reports of Nanaimo’s healthy economy may be partly behind the sudden influx seen by agencies

The number of homeless people using Nanaimo emergency shelters is higher and came earlier than usual during the summer.

Some people—men in particular—are being turned away at Nanaimo’s two emergency homeless shelters, in what social workers say is the busiest summer in recent memory.

Precise numbers are unavailable, but the Salvation Army has operated the New Hope Shelter at near capacity since May, and Samaritan House, for women, is also above normal levels. (more…)

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The gap in the gender gap: Violence against women in Canada

July 18th, 2013 | Posted by pfmarchive in uncategorized - (Comments Off on The gap in the gender gap: Violence against women in Canada)

Study shows how Canada lacks a coherent response to end violence against women—and says costs related to that violence rival those related to the use of illegal drugs

picture 493Progress on ending violence against women in Canada is stalled by the absence of a coherent national policy and consistent information about the levels of that violence says a study released by the Canadian Centre for Policy Alternatives (CCPA).

“The difficulty of collecting data about violence against women has been a barrier to progress in ending that violence,” says the study’s author Kate McInturff. (more…)

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“Let’s Talk” leader sets a personal and corporate example

July 18th, 2013 | Posted by pfmarchive in uncategorized - (Comments Off on “Let’s Talk” leader sets a personal and corporate example)

Mary Deacon has faced and dealt with mental health issues—in her own life and the lives of those close to her—and has become a high-profile corporate advocate for mental illness education and awareness

picture 492When Mary Deacon, the chair of the Bell Let’s Talk mental health initiative, took to the podium at a recent Montreal conference about collaboration in mental health care, she talked about stigma, mental health and tweets. She also talked about some of the many projects being funded by the ambitious (and very successful) Let’s Talk campaigns.

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Mad Pride marks a milestone 20th year in Toronto

July 11th, 2013 | Posted by pfmarchive in uncategorized - (Comments Off on Mad Pride marks a milestone 20th year in Toronto)

Mad Pride is an arts, culture, and heritage festival created by psychiatric survivors, consumers, mad people, and folks the world has labelled “mentally ill”

picture 489bMad Pride Toronto holds “a Celebration of Madness” from July 8th to July 14th,2013

There have been multiple approaches to challenging discrimination against people with disabilities/disabled people including “Pride.” These started gaining ground in North America during the 1970s thanks to groups in the disability rights movement and other social movements. Similar to how LGBTQ communities are reclaiming the word “queer”, Mad Pride activists seek to reclaim language that has been used against us such as “mad”, “nutter”, “crazy”, “lunatic”, “maniac”, and “psycho”. Reclaiming language is political and challenges discrimination. Mad Pride participants use and refuse a variety of labels. Mad Pride participants choose “mad” as an umbrella term. [source: mad pride toronto 2013] (more…)

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Conflict of interest policies at Canadian medical schools are under observation

July 11th, 2013 | Posted by pfmarchive in uncategorized - (Comments Off on Conflict of interest policies at Canadian medical schools are under observation)

Researchers say that the education of medical students should be based on the best clinical information available, rather than on commercial interests

picture 490A first-of-its kind study has analyzed the conflict-of-interest policies at the 17 medical schools across Canada. Macleans magazine reports that “overall, the researchers found policies were “permissive”—meaning most medical schools allowed interactions with sales reps, turned a blind eye to faculty’s relationships with speakers’ bureaus (so instructors who teach students may also have speaking contracts with drug companies), and failed to educate newbie doctors about conflicts of interest despite the minefield they’d be entering.” (more…)

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