Tag Archives: Julian Ichim

CKMS Community News, Newsroom, Shows

CKMS News – 2020-07-12 – Impacts of COVID on Poor Folks and People Who Use Drugs 2 – From the Frontlines

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Host: Julian Ichim

This week we continue to examine the impact of the corona virus on homeless people and drug users. This show is the second of three shows examining this problem from different perspectives.

Today’s show we will talk to two front line workers about the impact the corona virus has on poor people and drug users, including migrant workers.

Don La Casse is a local advocate with ACCKWA, (Aids Committee of Cambridge Kitchener Waterloo Area) who has been organizing for more than 5 years in Kitchener. His activism ranges from Tent Cities outreach, to needles exchange and peer support for drug users.

Following Don we will hear from Louisa Sunshine who has helped organize the last three tent cities in Kitchener and is also part of Migrant workers Centre which defends the rights of migrants in Ontario and Quebec she will talk about the drug problem in the migrant community as well as the impact COVID has had on migrant rights and migrant drug users.

In both of these interviews the impact of the corona virus on poor people and drug users is discussed from the perspective of front line workers. In the next installment of this 3 part series interview we will talk to drug users themselves.

Download audio: https://storage.radiowaterloo.ca/2020-07-12-CKMSNews-CovidImpactsOnPovertyAndDrugUsers-2.mp3
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This program is a part of the “Local Journalism Initiative” grant program and is funded by the Community Radio Fund of Canada, the Government of Canada, and the CKMS Newsroom.

CKMS Community News, Newsroom

CKMS News – 2020-07-10 – Overdose Prevention Day – An Interview with John Stone

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Host: Julian Ichim

On today’s show we will examine the importance of overdose prevention day which is June 30th. This year the issue pushed is the issue of Safe supply.

Today’s show we will talk with Jon Stone about overdose prevention and safe supply.

Jon Stone was active in all three tent cities in Kitchener over the last three years as well as the unsanctioned safe injection site. Last years Tent City practiced Safe Supply by distributing safe narcotics to addicts so that they can be safe using and participating. He is also part of Revolutionary Student Movement.

Download audio: https://storage.radiowaterloo.ca/2020-07-10-CKMSNews-OverdosePreventionDay-JohnStone.mp3

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This program is a part of the “Local Journalism Initiative” grant program and is funded by the Community Radio Fund of Canada, the Government of Canada, and the CKMS Newsroom.

CKMS Community News, Newsroom, Shows

CKMS News – 2020-05-31 – Impacts of COVID on poor folks and people who use drugs.

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Host: Julian Ichim

This show will examine the impact of the corona virus on homeless people and drug users. This show will be the first of three shows examining this problem from different perspectives.

Today’s show we will talk to two street activists about the impact the corona virus has on poor people and drug users.

Ivan Stoicovic is a local organizer who has been organizing for more than 30 years in Kitchener, Toronto, and Kingston. His activism ranges from Tent Cities, to stopping the war in Yugoslavia in 1998 and he has been very vocal on the issues of poverty and homelessness working with groups ranging from OCAP, KCAP, Kitchener Tent city Coordinating committee and other anti poverty organizations to anti imperialist groups such as the Kitchener Canada Cuba Friendship organization to the Hugo Chavez Peoples Defense Brigade.

Following Ivan, we will hear from Jonathan Stone who has helped organize the last three tent cities in Kitchener and is also a member of the Revolutionary student Movement.

In both of these interviews the impact of the corona virus on poor people and drug users is discussed from the perspective of organisers impacted people.

My next episode will share some experiences and perspectives from health care workers, and in the third part of this miniseries we will hear from drug users.

Download show: https://radiowaterloo.ca/wp-content/uploads/2020/05/2020-05-31-CKMSNews-COVIDImpactsOnPovertyAndDrugUsers.mp3

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This program is a part of the “Local Journalism Initiative” grant program and is funded by the Community Radio Fund of Canada, the Government of Canada, and the CKMS Newsroom.

CKMS Community News, Newsroom, Shows

CKMS News – 2020-04-27 – Tent City for Immediate COVID-19 Response

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Episode Host: Julian Ichim
Listen here: CKMS News – 2020-04-27 – Tent City for Immediate COVID-19 Response

On Today’ s show we feature a report back from the April 15th 2020 community organizing meeting in Kitchener to address the Coronavirus pandemic in respect to the homeless population, and implement immediate measures to mitigate the impacts. The meeting was held at the LOT 42 events and conference campus, and among other things, concluded with the announcement of the establishment of a tent city on the LOT 42 property.

We then speak with Nadine Green, Heather Majaury, and Ron Doyle, about the Lot lot 42 site which will be used to house people, as well as run programs that help poor people. The site includes a tent city in the court yard as well as a building with washrooms sports facilities a movie room and common area.

Nadine Green was a downtown store owner who used her store as a place to house homeless people as well as provide them with employment until the city and other forces forced her to shut down. As a result of this resistance was built and Heather Majaury came on board as an indigenous activist who found common cause with Nadine in terms of the plight of homeless people. This collaboration touched the heart of Landlord Ron Doyle who donated his property, lot 42 for Nadine, Heather and other like minded activists to use to solve the housing crisis.

Ron Doyle did this unprecedented move of donating his land as a result of the fact that the city is not doing enough around the, housing crisis and with the outbreak of Covid 19 homeless people more then ever need a place to go and if the city will not provide this space Ron took it upon himself to provide the space.

For more information on the Tent City, including ways to support it, you can visit the websites: mymothernamedmesunshine.ca/ or civichubwr.org/unsheltered-campaign/

Or on social media on twitter @UnshelteredC and on facebook and instagram at unsheltered.campaign

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This program is a part of the “Local Journalism Initiative” grant program and is funded by the Community Radio Fund of Canada, the Government of Canada, and the CKMS Newsroom.