Waterloo- On March 22nd and 23rd, youth-led teams from South Western Ontario will descend on the University of Waterloo to compete in the Waterloo district FIRST Robotics Competition (For Inspiration and Recognition of Science and Technology), a qualifying event for the provincial competition in April.
This year, 8 regional teams will join 32 other school and community teams entering their robots in competition with and against each other through a round-robin style tournament.
This show features an interview with Professor Maud Gorbet, director of the Biomedical Engineering Program at the University of Waterloo, a long-term volunteer and member of the steering committee with Waterloo-Wellington FIRST, and a mentor on the KW based robotics team: the 2702 Rebels. She discusses the competition, the importance of applied STEM education, and efforts to address the underrepresentation of women and non-binary folks, as well as Indigenous, Black and other racialized populations in STEM disciplines.
Ford Fest, usually a once a year political outreach event, hosted by the Ford family and primarily held in Etobicoke, has had its reach expanded this summer after Doug Ford took the BBQ on the road to Scarborough, Windsor, and in the evening on Friday September 8th, to Bingemans, a park in Kitchener. There was a by-election in the Scarborough—Guildwood riding shortly after the Scarborough event and there will be a by-election in Kitchener-Centre in January of 2024.
Protests are planned at the entrances and outside the venue where Ford Fest is to take place. Bingemans is in the Waterloo riding, which is held by the NDP’s Catherine Fife, and the property borders the Kitchener-Centre riding, and the Kitchener Conestoga riding which is held by PC MPP Mike Harris Jr. One of the groups organising a protest at Ford Fest is the Waterloo Regional Labour Council. CKMS News spoke with Jeff Pelich, the president of the Labour Council about the many grievances Ford will face from the public at Ford Fest, including the anger over the Green Belt development plans, the cost of food and housing crises, and the underfunding of public services such as education and health care.
CKMS recently spoke with both Clancy and Chapman about Ford Fest and the Conservatives, and both have called Ford Fest a distraction from the growing Green Belt scandal and for Ford to take accountability, return the Green Belt lands, and step down.
For the full interviews with Chapman and Clancy, visit radiowaterloo.ca/news
When contacted by CKMS News for comment on Ford Fest in Kitchener, the office for MPP Harris sent a statement from Harris which included “Ford Fest is a free, non-partisan community event hosted by Ontario’s Ford family.”, and Harris added “Ford Fest offers a unique opportunity for attendees to connect with their elected representatives.”. Harris then reminded folks that the event is free, and will include food, concluding “so bring the kids and come hungry!”. No comment was given before this piece first went to air on the calls for Ford to call a full public Inquiry or to resign over the Green Belt land deals..
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This program is a part of the “Local Journalism Initiative” and is funded by the Community Radio Fund of Canada, Heritage Canada, and the CKMS Newsroom.
On June 4, the one-year anniversary of Doug Ford’s re-election in Ontario, thousands of people across the province came together for the Enough is Enough expo, march and rally.
In the Waterloo region, the demonstration was organized by the Waterloo Regional Labour Council and took place at Kitchener City Hall. The goal of the event was to draw attention to the cost-of-living crisis, the housing crisis and many other social, political and climate crises, and to show solidarity and exchange ideas.
After a little less than two hours, the expo closed up and the participants marched down King Street to rally outside Grand River Hospital where six speakers talked about the situation and what can be done about it.
The Grand River Environmental Network joined in the coalition building rally Enough is Enough! Photo by Trish Holmes.Enough is Enough demo participants had style on lockdown. Photo by Trish Holmes.
With the tagline “Love, Lax, and Land Back”, a Solidarity Day Unity Jam and Lacrosse game will take place in Waterloo park on June 21st. Taking place on the summer solstice and National Indigenous Solidarity Day, this free event seeks to celebrate solidarity and unity in honouring the Grand River, upholding Haudenosaunee rights and land stewardship in the Haldimand Tract, in which Waterloo Region was built.
This show features an interview with Protect The Tract organiser Courtney Skye. We spoke about the June 21st Solidarity Day Unity Jam and Lacrosse Game in Waterloo Park, the work of Protect The Tract, and the importance of honouring the treaty relationships which were a basis of sharing the land between settlers, the Haudenosaunee, and other Indigenous nations.
The free event has been put together in partnership with The Longhouse Hub, CAFKA, and O:se Kenhionhata:tie (also known as Land Back Camp), and features a friendly lacrosse game at 10am and musical performances and the Bead-The-Tract collaborative art and education project going from noon until 4pm.
For more info on Protect the Tract visit protectthetract.com, or find them on social media at @ProtectTheTract
This program is a part of the “Local Journalism Initiative” and is funded by the Community Radio Fund of Canada, Heritage Canada, and the CKMS Newsroom.
