politico

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The Better Side

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So Toronto played host to the G20 this weekend and I guess we can all say that it hasn't been all lollipops and rainbows. Hell, it got pretty damn ugly out there (still is as I write this actually) and though the violent elements that took place this weekend cannot be ignored, to give them even more attention would simply give credence to the shit-disturbers who had nothing substantial to contribute. We've seen the ominous photos of the police cars set on fire and the windows that were broken and vandalized repeatedly. And um, I'm done with those, thanks. So how about the other side of the story?

In an attempt to show the more positive and even playful side of this weekend's G20 madness, here are a few of my favourite photos. Is this a fair representation of what went down in Toronto this weekend? Maybe not, but neither are the violent images that have overshadowed the relatively peaceful protests. I'm not trying to paint a naive and pretty picture here but how about giving some much deserved air time to the good that did go down this weekend and paying a little homage to the overwhelming majority of real protestors who went out to fight for real issues?

You can click on the photos to see their original source. If you've got more...link to them on the comment section!

Photo by Nancy Paiva of Torontoist.comPhoto from the Globe and Mail

Photo by Tomasz Bugajski of blogto.comPhoto from @nowtoronto

Photo by Fifth_BusinessPhoto by Lynda ~

Photo by Richard Lautens from the Toronto Star

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Tales of a Commuter: UTSU and the Disconnect

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Ah, the last day of the 2010 U.T.S.U election! It's been quite an exciting time at U of T these past few days as our campus has been filled with orange, green, pamphlets, solicitors, music, and why yes, even scandal! At around the same time last year, I wrote a blog post that described my pretty shameful lack of knowledge about the election, campaign slates, and the U.T.S.U in general and so I promised myself that this year, I'd get myself a little more involved...actually take the to learn about each side's platform, and why yes, even chat with a few of the candidates and campaigners that we try so hard to avoid on our way to Sid Smith (I know, right?)! And this wasn't one of those things that I said I would do but wouldn't actually...I've actually been pretty involved this election campaign. I know what each slate stands for, watched the debates, actually knew the people I voted for (and didn't just use the innie, minnie, mynie, moe trick), and omg even read The Varsity for the first time in a very, very long time.

But here's the thing. I'm a student and I'm a commuter. And though I've educated myself about both Change and Stronger Together's campaign platform, I still feel there's this sort of disconnect between myself and U.T.S.U. I've spoken to many commuters about this same issue and almost 100% of them share the same sentiments. True, this wasn't a scientific poll and I really only talked to maybe 20 student commuters out of the thousands at U of T, but something tells me that this is a pretty general feeling. I honestly don't see how some of these things affect me in any direct or tangible sense. The closest thing that might is probably the discount on TTC metropasses (amazing feat btw). But I don't even buy a TTC metropass. It still comes out to be more expensive for me personally than to just buy tokens. And okay fine, fighting to reduce fees is incredibly important but I'm graduating in a year (fingers crossed) and this probably won't happen anytime soon so once again, irrelevant and not applicable to me...

Don't get me wrong, I care about this school and I'm incredibly proud to be a part of it but I can't help shake the feeling that there is and might always be this unbridgeable discord between us. And with all these candidates constantly talking my ear off about how I matter...how they're going to make student life better...and how this is our U of T and that they can and will make a difference...I find myself questioning all these broad, sweeping, and optimistic claims. Anyway, just thought I'd give my thoughts and hopefully a different perspective. Here's hoping that the slate I voted for will bridge that gap for my last and final year at U of T and really, make a change ;)

Original blog post on blogUT.ca

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Health and Human Rights Conference 2010

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This weekend on March 5th and 6th, the students of the University of Toronto International Health Program (UTIHP) hosted the Health and Human Rights Conference at the J.J.R. MacLeod Auditorium. Gathering a smorgasbord of scholars, professionals, thought-leaders, and concerned and socially-conscious youth, the HHRights Conference was a two day affair that sought to tackle the crucial but highly problematic issue of international aid and development. Asking hard questions about the current impact of aid, its current flaws, and potential solutions, the event generated truly thought-provoking and insightful discussions and conversations. Some highlights include:

1. Opening performance of "Broken Land - A Song for Haiti" by JC and Karim. I have no idea who these guys are (fellow U of T students, I presume) but what a way to start the conference! A soulful performance with equally riveting lyrics that set the mood for the rest of the evening. Have a listen to the song here...

2. Opening Keynote presented by George Roter Engineers without Borders Co-founder and Co-CEO George Roter kick started the event by sharing his experiences during his time in various African countries, drawing the link between the rather abstract theme of aid and development to its human connection. After all, as he said, the conference is "about these human beings living in extraordinarily challenging conditions who want to see change for the better". With a brief history of the development of aid and highlighting specific thought starters, George set the context for the conference reminding the audience that "we need to go beyond the idea of charity and start thinking about [aid] as opportunity, as partnership".

Read more on blogUT...