Listen here: AW@L Radio -2019-12-20 – Gentrification, Racism, and The Duke Corner Store

The Duke Corner Store in downtown Kitchener has been an important neighbourhood resource for years and is now under pressure from the building’s landlord and other forces to close.

In October 2019, the building’s landlord tried to evict the store and its owner Nadine Green. While this first effort to evict Nadine was challenged and defeated, the landlord has since launched renewed efforts to push the Duke Corner Store out of an an increasingly gentrifying downtown area.

This episode features an interview with Kitchener based human rights activist Julian Ichim, who has been working with Nadine as she pushes back against eviction, police harassment, and racist institutions.

In the interview Julian speaks about apparent pressure from the Kitchener downtown business association and a new “ramen noodles” restaurant which is set to open in the condo building across Water St from Nadine’s store, along with information from legal documents served to Nadine from her landlord noting specifically Nadine’s “clients”.  Julian also discusses undercover police actions against Nadine, and historic targeting of Jamaican owned stores and neighbourhoods in Kitchener.

A unique feature of Nadine’s store is that not all her customers have money to buy the items she sells, or homes to return to with their goods.  For these clients, Nadine keeps a tab for items purchased, and always has an open door and a few extra chairs around. She also offers employment to some folks and always a warm smile.  Because of the welcoming nature of The Duke Corner Store, it is constantly lively, with folks chatting away and hanging out.

However, in a city trying to hide away or paint over massive economic inequalities and a housing crisis, with bright colours and gentrifiers’ cash, Nadine’s welcoming and non-discriminatory nature means her store is a target.

Finally, Julian also speaks about odd legal proceedings against Nadine, especially where a Judge agreed with Nadine’s lawyer to delay the case over until the afternoon, then after the lawyer left the room, continuing on with the proceedings, and putting forward eviction documents.  While Nadine is now appealing that decision, Julian brings up the idea of the historic Dred Scott decision from the US where “there are no rights a black (wo)man has that a white man (judge) has to respect.”.

Many in KW have reached out to help Nadine’s store continue operating and on the callout for a recent phone and email jam, The Alan Ryan People’s Community Defense Brigade states: “Nadine is an ally to street and homeless people and she provides essential services to them, sometimes even opening her store up to let people stay out of the cold in the dead of night.”

The show closes with a brand new tune called Boot Boys from KW local punks Back Breaker

https://backbreaker519.bandcamp.com/releases

To Support Nadine’s court costs, contact Udanapher@gmail.com

For more information on this issue, check https://julianichim.wordpress.com, and the facebook page for The Alan Ryan People’s Community Defence Brigade.

To listen to the full episode click here.

Today’s show starts with a quick notice about the Friends of CKMS fundraiser (radiowaterloo.ca/give), then goes into a press release from the hereditary chiefs of the Wet’suwet’en who called for an immediate stop work order of for the coastal gas link project, due to the continued destruction of cultural heritage sites.

The rest of the episode is a discussion with Julian Ichim and Jamie on the epidemic of violence facing street involved folks ranging from the opioid and drug poising crisis and the links with homelessness and social based solutions.

Julian reports that the tent city they have been helping to organise was again attacked by reactionary hooligans on the night of October 2nd while a workshop was taking place at the site. Approximately 12 goons, armed with bats and knives destroyed several tents and assaulted many of the people living in the tent city, with 2 residents ending up in the hospital.  Since the assailants did not war masks, Julian was able to confirm the identity one of the attackers as local nationalist (nazi) party member gordon stewart (who is friends on facebook with white supremacist josh peyton of kitchener who is the legal surety of violent homophobe chris vanderwiede). This is the confluence of anti-anti poverty activists and anti-anti-fascists.

also noted in the show is that after years of activism from residents and Julian’s efforts, and years of delay from government, a safe consumption site will soon be open across from city hall in kitchener.
we also note that police budget goes up by millions every year (>160 million $ now) which has a significant negative impact on the ability to fund social issues.

Links:
Radio Waterloo Fundraising drive: http://radiowaterloo.ca/give
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Links for Wet’suwet’en resistance:

Wet’suwet’en press release calling for stop work order against CGL: http://www.wetsuweten.com/media-centre/news/for-immediate-release-wetsuweten-hereditary-chiefs-demand-coastal-gaslink-cease-work

http://www.wetsuweten.com/files/Oct._4,_2019_CGL.pdf

Unist’ot’en resistance camp: http://unistoten.camp/

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Links to Julian’s webpage:

https://julianichim.wordpress.com

Public meeting on lessons from Tent City and presentation to City Council a Success

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Show Link: https://archive.org/download/unknown20191004julianichimupdatesonattacksonakitchenertentcity/unknown-2019-10-04-Julian%20Ichim%20updates%20on%20attacks%20on%20a%20Kitchener%20tent%20city-173kbps.mp3

listen here: AW@L Radio – 2019-08-16 – Grassy Narrows River Run 2019

On June 20th 2019, Indigenous Anishinabek from Asubpeeschoseewagong, or Grassy Narrows First Nations took to the streets of Toronto to bring pressure on the federal and provincial governments to fulfill their promises of working towards justice and to build a treatment centre and home for those suffering from mercury poisoning caused through industrial pollution and government indifference.

Surrounded by hundreds of supporters from across Ontario, the demonstration started at Queen’s Park with opening comments of welcome and support from allies including the host Nisha Toomey from No One is Illegal, Sol Mamakwa of the NDP and RoseAnne Archibald, of the Chiefs of Ontario, and speeches from members of Grassy Narrows Including chief Rudy Turtle.  Then, led by youth and those suffering from mercury poisoning, a march walked away from the Ontario legislature and through the streets, stopping at the offices “Indigenous and Northern Affairs Canada” (INAC). Once at the INAC building, folks from Grassy Narrows crawled on their hands and knees across Bay St to the doors of the building before collapsing to the ground in a “die-in” which then spread to the entire crowd, shutting down the area for nearly an hour.

After several more emotional and inspiring speeches, including those from from Grassy Narrows grandmother and world renowned activist Judy da Silva, Chrissy Issac (Swain) from Grassy Narrows and 3 youth that are following in her footsteps of resistance, Syed Hussan and Nisha from No One is Illegal, and Chris Benjamin from Amnesty International, the march resumed and wound through to Grange park, ending with a short closing speech and prayer from a resident of  Grassy Narrows.

This is the 5th time in the past decade the River Run has been organized and people from Grassy Narrows have traveledd the 1800km from their community to demand an end to ongoing colonial violence and environmental degradation and to seek justice for the ravages of mercury poisoning.

One of the recurring chants of the march was:  “Hey Trudeau we know what’s just, put the money in a trust! No more lies, we know what’s just, put the money in a trust!

This call to to put the promised money into a trust is part of an ongoing campaign to pressure the Trudeau government to put the funds for a mercury treatment centre and home in a trust so the money is guaranteed, despite what the federal elections bring in the fall of 2019.

Supporters of Grassy Narrows have been asked to contact the Minister of Indigenous Services (currently Seamus O’Regan) and Prime Minister Trudeau to mirror the demand that the promised money for the mercury home and treatment centre be put in a trust.

For more information on Grassy Narrows and the ongoing work being done to pressure federal and provincial governments to fulfill their promises, detoxify the river system, and build a mercury treatment centre and home see:

• Freegrassy.net
• FreeGrassy: Grassy Narrows Solidarity on facebook – https://www.facebook.com/FreeGrassy/
• @FreeGrassy on twitter – https://www.twitter.com/freegrassy
• Grassy.Narrows.Life on instagram – https://www.instagram.com/grassy.narrows.life/
• Leadnow petition: https://you.leadnow.ca/petitions/deliver-immediate-and-comprehensive-mercury-justice-for-the-people-of-grassy-narrowsFor more AW@L Radio, including our past coverage of the River Run events and the continuing calls for justice for Grassy Narrows, visit grandrivermc.ca

Please enjoy the episode responsibly.

https://archive.org/download/201908162019grassynarrowsriverrun/2019-08-16–2019GrassyNarrowsRiverRun.mp3

listen here: AW@l Radio – 2019-08-02 – John Hawke arrested as Awenda Park Blockade is dismantled and the Oshkimaadziig camp cabin razed.

John says the charges that led to his arrest were fabricated and were laid to clear him from the camp which was one part of an ongoing campaign to raise awareness about Indigenous rights and sovereignty, treaty responsibilities, and the federal policies of extinguishing Indigenous title.

In this interview, John speaks of the successes of the blockade, including meeting many local settlers who reached out to learn about the land issue and their treaty responsibilities.

John then invites his Auntie, Verna Friday of Bear Island, Lake Temagami, to discuss jurisdiction. Verna is helping John work on on the constitutional aspects of his charges and legal defense.

To support John’s legal defense, outreach efforts, and organising campaigns – send e-transfer to: ojibwayrebel@gmail.com

For more information visit:
https://anishinaabek.com

On facebook:

– Reclamation of Amik Council Fire – https://www.facebook.com/groups/388413234531990/

– Oshkimaadziig Camp – https://www.facebook.com/groups/388413234531990/

– John Hawke on facebook –  https://www.facebook.com/johnny.hawk.161

for more AW@L Radio check: http://grandrivermc.ca