The environmental justice movement has been distinguished by practicality as opposed to a particular ideological or tactical framework for action. This diversity was exemplified by Thursday’s panel- part of Latin American and Caribbean Solidarity Month, which featured a broad range of tactics from direct action, to community organizing to put political pressure on governments, to indigenous resistance, all together on one panel, bound by a common cause.

The environmental justice movement is reacting to changes in the global political context. Brent Patterson from council of Canadians talked about the need to fight the new UN ‘green economy” which he called the “financialization and commodification of nature and the privatization of public water’.  This kind of greenwashing of high finance indicates the limits of the traditional environmental movement, and the extent to which corporations and capitalism have adapted a ‘green’ rhetoric that does nothing to change the systemic exploitation of people and nature. Raul Burbano said: "Issues of environment, of water of austerity are all inter-related. The same issues we see here are the same as you see in the south and that is why solidarity is so important.”

Ben Powless, a Mohawk photojournalist speaking on behalf of the Indigenous Environmental Network, told the audience that “First nations are beginning to lead a lot of this resistance. We’re all on the front line in some way. Of course some communities are more directly affected, but we have to find our own front line and find a way to act from our own positions, from our own privileges”. Dave Vasey spoke about how living through Walkerton’s water crisis opened his eyes to the crisis of water contamination in indigenous communities and the systemic racism that makes Walkerton newsworthy but ignores even worse water problems on reserves. “Communities take action because the they have to.” he said. “And now we in Canada have to.”

The audience included many environmental justice activists, including Ron Plain from Aamjiwnaang First Nation near Sarnia, which has been described as the most polluted place in Ontario. It’s not often on the left that the question and answer period includes both people urging that struggles be channeled through the NDP, and Ron Plain talking about how when he was young he served a 6...

When said we were heading to the 'occupy' protest, the cab driver turned off the meter. He told us he came here from Iran, that he had three degrees (two from Canada) and that he had to drive a cab every single day to make ends meet. “At least I don’t have a family to support” he said. “Isn’t that sad, that a man is happy he doesn’t have a family…I don’t want you thinking I’m a communist, because I’m not, but this system is not working.” We offered him money for the fare, and he absolutely refused, saying he could never take money from people like us, and that he wished he could be there. I had tears in my eyes as we left the cab and entered the park, which hummed with energy and activity.  An old man arrived to talk to the young people camping there: "There's revolution in the air" he told us. I have a book on my shelf with that title, but I never thought I’d hear that phrase told to me in person. Revolution- it’s suddenly outside of old books, branch meetings, anarchist bookfairs and freeschool discussion groups to become a word that people on the street are actually using. 

This morning my boyfriend and I went to vote at the poll in Toronto.  We actually had voting cards and were on the registration list, a rarity for most people our age, but because the last election was so recent we were on the list for once. Now, according to Elections Ontario, a voting card is proof of residence. However, his driver’s license claimed that he lives with his parents in North York. Like many young people who move a lot, he uses his parents address for mailing and the like as its not worth it to update his address every year or so. The people at the driver’s license office were fine with this when he asked. But not the voting people. No, they didn't like this discrepancy and said he needed to return with a bill from Bell or some kind of mail.  He got the mail and managed to vote, but the man at the desk told him that cops might get him in trouble if they caught him having a different address on his license (even if its his parents). Great, lets threaten people with the police when they go to vote. The other thing that is messed up is that they never checked my ID, and my driver's license says I live in Oshawa and I voted with no problems.  I can't help but attribute this to the fact that I am unambiguously white where he looks Mediterranean or Middle Eastern.  

Elections Canada is pretty clear that your voting card is proof of residence and the driver's license is proof of ID, but the supervisor I talked to still insisted that he get a phone bill or something.  How does this make sense? Why is a bill from a private company more valid that mail from the government?  I'm offended by their "We make voting easy" campaign. Its easy for some people, maybe. I'm growing more and more concerned about the slow erosion of even the limited 'democratic rights' that that we have.

Of course, landed immigrants can't vote at all, nor can residents without status, people without secure housing or people without ID. But even given those very clear discriminations, the way that voting is administered discriminates against renters and people who move a lot-  basically poor people.   I don...