People First Media program archive
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A public challenge to institutional psychiatry

May 13th, 2010 | Posted by pfmarchive in uncategorized - (Comments Off on A public challenge to institutional psychiatry)

An international movement comes together for a meeting in Toronto, and raises establishment hackles

On May 7 and 8, 2010 over two hundred people gathered in Toronto for a conference focused on organizing resistance against psychiatry. PsychOUT’s stated purpose was to “provide a forum for psychiatric survivors, mad people, activists, scholars, students, radical professionals, and artists from around the world to come together and share experiences of organizing against psychiatry.”

People belonging to marginalized groups who are at greater risk of psychiatrization, such as women, radicalized people, queers, trans people, people with disabilities and homeless people and others living in poverty, were active participants. (more…)

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Cuts “won’t save money”

March 25th, 2010 | Posted by pfmarchive in uncategorized - (Comments Off on Cuts “won’t save money”)

B.C. government cutbacks aimed at the poor and struggling

Following its March 2nd budget, the BC government announced a number of cuts to health and medical services available to people receiving disability and income assistance. Jane Dyson, of the BC Coalition of People with Disabilities, said, “This will not save money. People’s overall health and well-being will deteriorate and they will access the health system more as a result.” (more…)

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A national radio conversation

February 18th, 2010 | Posted by pfmarchive in uncategorized - (Comments Off on A national radio conversation)

Nanaimo’s CHLY and 30 other Canadian community radio stations bring homelessness and poverty issues to the air

Canada’s 8th annual national Homelessness Radio Marathon will broadcast live from Nanaimo and cities across Canada on Tuesday, February 23rd, starting at 2 p.m. (Pacific) and running all night long until 4 a.m. (Pacific) on Wednesday morning. Over thirty participating community radio stations  will once again serve up 14 hours of “people-powered” and “consciousness-raising” radio. The Marathon provides an opportunity for homeless people and their allies to take to the airwaves, and fosters a nationwide discussion on homelessness issues and possible solutions. (more…)

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Housing campaigns

January 28th, 2010 | Posted by pfmarchive in uncategorized - (Comments Off on Housing campaigns)

Red tents and hunger strike call for national strategy

Vancouver-based Pivot Legal Society, the Citywide Housing Coalition and other partners announced the launch of their Olympic red tent campaign on Monday January 25th, calling on the federal government to fund a national housing strategy to end homelessness.

The partners call for government to ensure secure, adequate, accessible and affordable housing for all persons living in Canada. (more…)

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The end of British Columbia’s EIBI program

January 21st, 2010 | Posted by pfmarchive in uncategorized - (Comments Off on The end of British Columbia’s EIBI program)

How are affected families coping with the loss of this program for their children with autism?

When the B.C. government announced changes to the way it funds autism support in the province, mothers of children with autism became activists…challenging the decision with protests and online campaigns.

The early intensive behavioural intervention program (EIBI) ends January 31st. We speak with Cher Sherwood and Samantha Warden, mothers of children with autism and organizers of the protests against the government’s decision, about the experiences of affected families. (more…)

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Social justice past and present

December 17th, 2009 | Posted by pfmarchive in uncategorized - (Comments Off on Social justice past and present)

Drama, dialogue, and some holiday favourites

We share some scenes from two of Charles Dickens’ series of Christmas books, The Chimes and A Christmas Carol along with passages from Thomas Carlyle’s Past and Present in a brief investigation of the portrayal of social justice in 1840s Britain.  We ask the question, what does the past have to say to our current present?

We’re joined in the studio by Vancouver Island University professor Terri Doughty and by actors Katje van Loon, Bryce Hughes, Kieran Hunt, and Coralee Draginda, who are students in V.I.U.’s Theatre program. (more…)

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