KWPeace – Newsletters, articles and events for Kitchener-Waterloo's Peace and Social Justice activists

Civic Hub Exchange Lunch: Dialogue on Transgender Day of Remembrance, Noon on Wednesday 20 November 2024

What: Learning and Solidarity: A Dialogue on Transgender Day of Remembrance.
When: Noon to 1:00pm, Wednesday 20 November 2024.
Where: Civic Hub Waterloo Region
Location: 23 Water Street North, Kitchener (but use the Duke Street entrance). Map
Register: Zoom: https://us02web.zoom.us/meeting/register/tZApduuuqzkjHNLN65C-tyc8RoVV6S-_kGvV
Contact: Dr. Ritika Shrimali (She/Her) civichub@waterlooregion.org

Join us for an afternoon of Learning and Solidarity: A Dialogue on Transgender Day of Remembrance at our next Civic Hub exchange lunch on November 20^th.

Our guest speaker for that day is Milo Tia Hansen (they/them). They are a transgender, queer, disabled, advocate for solutions to homelessness, Indigenous sovereignty, and queer liberation, with lived experience and knowledge in activism of being homeless intergenerationally, extreme poverty, queerness, and disability.

Milo will talk about a few definitions and the history of the day (Starting 1999 honouring Rita Hester’s death in 1998), bring it into contemporary issues (current state of affairs in Canada, critical lens in regards to race) and why we need to continue commemorating those who have been lost to gendered violence. They also hope to share experiences they have had with losing loved ones to all kinds of violence in the wake of election results, considering our current political climate, as well as hold space for those lost in the last year. They will then open the floor to questions.

If you are planning to attend the lunch in person, or online, please register on Zoom for the event.

This is a hybrid event. Light meal provided.

Trans Day of Remembrance Vigil, 6:30pm on Wednesday 20 November 2024 at Waterloo Town Square

What: Vigil for the Trans Day of Remembrance 2024
When: 6:30pm to 8:30pm, Wednesday 20 November 2024
Where: Waterloo Public Square
Location: 75 King Street South, Waterloo, Ontario Map
Online: https://ourspectrum.com/2024/11/19/trans-day-of-remembrance-2024/

On November 20th from 6:30 – 8:30 PM, Spectrum will be hosting a candlelight vigil at Waterloo Town Square (75 King St. S.), to honor transgender lives lost. This event is open to the public. Please read more about the event at SPECTRUM Trans Day of Remembrance 2024.

Agenda

6:30 – Candle lighting / settling in the space
6:40 – Welcoming drum song / thanksgiving address from Willow River Centre
6:50 – Land Acknowledgement
6:55 – Introduction / moment of silence
7:00 – 8:00 – Main Speakers
8:00 – 8:25 – Open microphone for the public to honor their loved ones
8:25 – 8:30 – Closing / second moment of silence

Keep in mind this agenda is fluid, and depending on the length of speakers the evening may end earlier than 8:30 PM.

Rally Against F-35, 24 Cherry Blossom Road, Cambridge, Ontario at 1pm on Saturday 16 November 2024

What: Rally Against F-35
When: 1:00pm on Saturday 16 November 2024
Where: PCC Aerostructures’ Centra
Location: 24 Cherry Blossom Road, Cambridge, Ontario Map
Online: https://armsembargonow.ca/F35

PCC Aerostructures’ Centra in Cambridge makes parts for F-35 fighter jets used by Israel to bomb Gaza and Lebanon.

Come protest outside this factory, stand against building weapons components in our community, and demand an ARMS EMBARGO NOW!

🕐 November 16, 1:00pm
📍 24 Cherry Blossom Road, Cambridge (near Sportsworld Crossing, Kitchener)
🧑‍🧑‍🧒‍🧒 Bring your family, friends and signs

More info at Action Network.

Come out Saturday, 16 November 2024 at 1:00pm to hear from Dr. Yipeng Ge at the Rally Against F-35!

Raised in the Waterloo region, Dr. Ge is a physician based in Ottawa. He spent time in Gaza earlier this year working in primary care clinics in Rafah, and has seen firsthand the impact of F-35s:

“These fighter jets have contributed to the killing and maiming of innocent children and civilians, some of whom were the patients I looked after when I was in Gaza.”

Weapons components used to build F-35s, which are then used by Israel to bomb Gaza and Lebanon, are being built right here in our community. On Saturday we’ll let our MPs know we won’t tolerate Canada’s complicity in Israel’s ongoing genocide.

Join us to hear from Dr. Ge as we stand together on this national day of action. Together we can make our voices heard.

FairvoteWRC Pot Luck Dinner at St. John’s Church at 7pm on Thursday 14 November 2024

What: FairvoteWRC Potluck Dinner
When: 6:30pm to 9:00pm on Thursday 14 November 2024
Where: Civic Hub WR, in the St. John the Evangelist Anglican Church lower parish hall.
Location: 23 Water Street North, Kitchener (but use the Duke Street entrance) Map
Register / Contact: Evan Rosamond erosamond@worldline.ca or +1‑519‑742‑4823

The Waterloo Region Chapter of Fair Vote Canada

cordially invites you, plus guest and/or children, to an evening of Autumn Festivities.

Doors open at 6:30pm.

This is a pot-luck event so please bring something tasty to share with your fellow Fair Voters.

Food and conversation are the major attractions. Therefore, no Zoom.

WARNING

Neither the church nor Fair Vote have a liquor licence for this event, but there are several drinking establishments nearby.

Parking

There is free on-street parking on Duke Street, Water Street, College Street, Frances Street, and other nearby streets. A two-hour limit applies. For a fee, there is City Hall underground parking (off Young Street) and the Duke–Ontario garage (off Duke Street).

Let’s not forget the GRT!

DANGER

People who stay beyond 9 o’clock will be automatically assigned to the clean-up crew!

Sorry, new jokes cost extra!

Please RSVP to Evan Rosamond
erosamond@worldline.ca or +1‑519‑742‑4823
so we can have the correct number of paper plates ready.

Film: Walking Through The Fire at Zion United Church, New Hamburg at 7pm on Thursday 14 November 2024

From Caterina Lindman’s newsletter:

What: Walking Through the Fire
When: 7:00pm on Thursday 14 November 2024
Where: Zion United Church
Location: Map
Register: https://walkingwilmot.eventbrite.ca

This is the screening of a visual album, entitled Walking Through the Fire. It’s an opportunity to hear music and stories from Indigenous musicians from across Canada. This film, created by the award-winning Sultans of String, will be screened at Zion United Church, New Hamburg on Thursday, November 14, 2024 at 7 p.m. Register now.

War, Peace, and Propaganda at University of Waterloo on Tuesday 12 November 2024

From Caterina Lindman’s newsletter:

What: War, Peace and Propaganda: What the West should learn from the war in Ukraine and genocide in Gaza.
When: 7:00pm to 8:30 on Tuesday 12 November 2024
Where: Westmount Boardroom, Federation Hall at the University of Waterloo
Location: 200 University Avenue West, Waterloo, Ontario Map
Online: via Zoom: http://tiny.cc/WARPEACEPROPAGANDA
Speakers: Dimitri Lascaris, journalist & lawyer, Tamara Lorincz, academic & activist, and more!

This is a free, hybrid event. Come in person or join us online. Register in advance for this Zoom meeting.

(Federation Hall is located at the corner of Columbia Street, Hagey Boulevarde. and Ring Road on campus. Paid parking next to building. Bus: Routes 201, 13, 30, 31, and the LRT has a stop on campus).

Come to discuss the war in Ukraine, the genocide in Gaza, Canada’s roles in these crises and what we can do for peace and justice. We’ll also talk about what the government and mainstream media are ignoring. All are welcome. Donations greatly appreciated.

Speakers

Dimitri Lascaris is a lawyer based in Montreal. He is also a freelance journalist and the host of a YouTube program called “Reason2Resist”. Over the past two years, Dimitri has reported from and conducted interviews in West Asia, Venezuela, Moscow and Crimea. Dimitri will discuss his latest reporting in the West Bank and Lebanon.

Tamara Lorincz is a PhD candidate at the Balsillie School of International Affairs at Wilfrid Laurier University. She is a member of the Canadian Voice of Women for Peace, Women’s International League for Peace and Freedom-Canada and fellow with the Canadian Foreign Policy Institute. Tamara will talk about her recent trips to the climate summits, Eastern Europe, Russia and Washington D.C. related to the war in Ukraine & NATO and possibilities for peace, climate and cooperation.

For more information see https://wilpfcanada.ca/

Organized & endorsed by the Canadian Voice of Women for Peace, Women’s International League for Peace & Freedom-Canada, People for Peace London, Council of Canadians-London Chapter, Waterloo Region Friends of Palestine, Palestine Youth Movement, Waterloo Neighbours for Palestine, Ottawa Peace Council, Reimagine Co., Mississauga-Streetsville for Palestine, and the Canadian Foreign Policy Institute.

Workshop on Election Collaboration by Waterloo Region Climate Collaboration, 7pm on Thursday 14 November 2024 at WLU

What: Workshop on Election Collaboration
When: 7:00pm to 9:00pm, Thursday 14 November 2024
Where: Wilfrid Laurier University, Dr. Alvin Woods Building (DAWB), room 2-104.
Location: 75 University Avenue West, Waterloo, Ontario Map
Contact for Registration and Parking: Alex Latta alatta@wlu.ca

Dear Waterloo Region Climate Collaborative participants,

With both federal and provincial elections on the horizon, the time for collaboration is now!

Our next WRCC meeting will be a workshop on election collaboration, and we are reaching out to our network members with the message that we need your participation now more than ever.

For regular attendees at monthly meetings: Can you bring along someone new from your organization?
For organizations without regular attendance: We hope you will consider attending this one; the more groups represented, the stronger we all are!

We are aiming for more synergy, not more work! Here are our key questions for the workshop:

What is your organization already doing or planning to do to boost attention on climate policy in the lead-up to elections?
How can we better collaborate across the climate advocacy community to reach new audiences and achieve maximum climate impact on election outcomes?

An aerial photo of the Wilfrid Laurier University campus showing places to park and directions to transit. — Parking and Transit at WLU

Directions: See the map for directions to parking, and from parking to the building.

Parking passes: Please request 2+ business days in advance to receive a pass via email: alatta@wlu.ca

Save the date and let us know you’re planning to attend! Email Alex Latta (alatta@wlu.ca) to confirm plans to attend, to order a parking pass, or if you have any questions.

Film Screening and Panel Discussion: Bridging Divides: Voices and Visions about Homelessness in Midsize Cities – 7pm on Monday 18 November 2024, Old Post Office library, Cambridge, Ontario

What: Film showing and Panel Discussion: Bridging Divides: Voices and Visions about Homelessness in Mid-size Cities
When: Monday 18 November from 7:00pm to 8:30pm
Where: Old Post Office library, Riverview Room, Reading Room
Location: 12 Water Street South, Cambridge, Ontario Map
Register: https://ideaexchange.libnet.info/event/11792453 (optional, but recommended)

Dr. Erin Dej writes via the Unsheltered Campaign:

Hi friends,

As many of you know, I’ve been doing research the last 4 years on misperceptions of homelessness in mid-size cities, including in Cambridge. The research has all come together by way of a documentary called Bridging Divides: Voices & Visions on Homelessness in Mid-Size Cities. The documentary explores the issue of homelessness, safety, and belonging by showcasing voices from diverse backgrounds, including conversations with individuals with lived experience of homelessness, service providers, business owners, and law enforcement.

We are holding a screening and panel discussion on 18 November 2024 from 7:00 – 8:30 at the Old Post Office Library (12 Water Street South) in Cambridge. It would mean so much if you were able to attend. As you know, Cambridge is struggling right now, so this conversation is more important than ever.

The panel discussion is going to feature Dr. Laura Pin, as well as Marjorie Knight and José de Lima, so you know it’s going to be a great conversation!

You will find all the details in the poster below and in case you’re able to share on any of your social media. All the details are at Wilfrid Laurier University website.

Thanks everyone!

Erin

Download poster: 2024-Nov_Cambridge – Poster_Bridging-Divides.pdf (1.3 MB)

Bridging divides and building perspectives through a dialogue

A powerful documentary featuring voices from diverse backgrounds. Discover new insights on homelessness and explore solutions to build safer, more inclusive communities.

Documentary screening – panel discussion
November 18th | 7:00 – 8:30 p.m.
Old Post Office -12 Water St S,
Cambridge, ON N1R 3C5

FOR INFORMATION AND REGISTRATION VISIT:
UOGUEL.PH/BRIDGING-DIVIDES
REGISTRATION IS RECOMMENDED BUT WALK-INS ARE WELCOME

Stand Up For PCL fundraiser, Wednesday 6 November 2024 at Maxwell’s Concerts & Events

When: 7:00pm on Wednesday 6 November 2024
Where: Maxwell’s Concerts & Events
Location: 35 University Avenue East, Waterloo Ontario Map
Website: Stand up for PCL – Comedy Event
Tickets: https://www.eventbrite.ca/e/stand-up-for-pcl-comedy-event-tickets-1000355358807

Parents for Community Living is having a fundraiser: Join Parents for Community Living for an evening of laughter and purpose as we Stand Up for PCL to help develop housing for people with developmental disabilities.

Attendees will be treated to uproarious performances by top-notch comedians Rob Bebenek and Martha Chaves. The evening will be a blend of entertainment and goodwill as the power of laughter brings people together for a positive impact.

7:00pm doors open and silent auction begins. Show starts at 8:00pm (approx.90 min show). Wrap up of silent auction after the show.

Agenda

Agenda

Noon to 1:00pm

1:00pm to 3:00pm

The Waterloo Region Chapter of Fair Vote Canada

WARNING

Parking

DANGER

Speakers

Bridging divides and building perspectives through a dialogue