From the monthly archives:

May 2009

Radiant City: Suburban Sprawl and Cultural Malaise

May 28, 2009 by Ryan Slifka

Several years ago I had the pleasure of viewing the film Radiant City at the Uptown Stage & Screen. Sufficed to say, it completely transformed the way I viewed what could be termed the “sprawl problem” facing the majority of our North American cities today. I had never approached the problem of the suburbs–even though [...]

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A Primer on Pesticide Propaganda: the Pesticide Lobby

Thumbnail image for A Primer on Pesticide Propaganda: the Pesticide Lobby May 27, 2009 by Jon Steinman

“Researchers were able to demonstrate that current scientific knowledge does not sup¬port the idea that a switch to organic and sustainable agriculture would drastically lower food production and lead to hunger.” – M. Jahi Chappell, co-author, Organic Agriculture and the Global Food Supply
On April 22, the Province of Ontario implemented a ban on the “cosmetic” [...]

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A visit to the Thompson Small Farm

Thumbnail image for A visit to the Thompson Small Farm May 26, 2009 by Mike Soron

Jonathan and Andrea Wright run the zero-emission Thompson Small Farm, near Carbon, Alberta. He’s also the co-founder of one of the city’s first community supported agriculture programs.
The New Resilient featured a series of articles by him earlier this year, “Towards Sustainability: one couple’s working model” (Parts I, II, and III).
Last week, Cheryl Arkison (a CSA [...]

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Journalists slap the fatally silent Canadian Food Inspection Agency

May 25, 2009 by Mike Soron

This is not welcome news for one of Canada’s most important public bodies.
The Canadian Association of Journalists [CAJ] has given the Canadian Food Inspection Agency [CFIA] it’s 2008 Code of Silence Award for the agency’s efforts to conceal from the public information about fatal failures in food safety.
The award announcement noted CFIA’s struggle to delay [...]

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New Resilient Digest

May 22, 2009 by Mike Soron

“For many months I have gone to bed knowing somewhere in America there is a grandmother eating dog food tonight so that some ass … on Wall Street can drive a new Porsche.”
– Patrick Byrne, CEO of Overstock (Fortune, 2005) (via MindBodyPolitic)

Supposedly stronger employment data in Canada becomes more interesting with a closer look. Erin [...]

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Genetically Engineered Crops – A Spectacular Failure?

Thumbnail image for Genetically Engineered Crops – A Spectacular Failure? May 19, 2009 by Jon Steinman

The New Resilient now features Deconstructing Dinner, an award-winning weekly radio podcast about local and international food issues brought to you by Kootenay Coop Radio CJLY FM in Nelson, British Columbia. You can download the latest episode here, stream it “>here or download the podcast via iTunes.
On our April 9 episode, Deconstructing Dinner examined the [...]

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Back to ecological economics

May 15, 2009 by Mike Soron

In the Ottawa Citizen’s strangely named “Business” section, Peter Victor argues against economic growth. It’s a common argument in my circles, but not one typically espoused at a CanWest newspaper.
If we choose to rebuild our shattered economies, a return to the blind and obsessive pursuit of “economic expansion” isn’t just impossible, but also disastrous and [...]

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Calgary Farmers’ Market Goes Corporate?

Thumbnail image for Calgary Farmers’ Market Goes Corporate? May 14, 2009 by Ryan Slifka

The Calgary Farmers’ Market has become a fixture of the Calgary culinary and local food community. In fact, it was the place where I eventually discovered the joys (and pricey-ness) of local food fare. Some of my favourite farmers still sell there, like Valta Bison and the Innisfail Growers co-op.
However, the Farmers’ Market has always [...]

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Deconstructing Dinner at the Dairy Farmers of Canada/Rally for Farms, Farmers & Food Security

Thumbnail image for Deconstructing Dinner at the Dairy Farmers of Canada/Rally for Farms, Farmers & Food Security May 13, 2009 by Jon Steinman

The New Resilient features Deconstructing Dinner, an award-winning weekly radio podcast about local and international food issues brought to you by Kootenay Coop Radio CJLY FM in Nelson, British Columbia. You can download the latest episode here, stream it here or download the podcast via iTunes.
Deconstructing Dinner at the Dairy Farmers of Canada
On February 5, [...]

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Wendell Berry: Agrarian Radical

May 12, 2009 by Ryan Slifka

I think I’ll just give a plug for one of the most intelligent, principled and writers of our time. His book Sex, Economy, Freedom & Community, and subsequent reads, completely transformed my own views on ecology and the human project, making it clear that all life on this earth functions in an economy of communion [...]

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Should we blame pigs for Swine Flu?

Thumbnail image for Should we blame pigs for Swine Flu? May 11, 2009 by Cathy Holtslander

Pigs are taking the rap for the global outbreak of swine flu, but the pandemic was never their fault. Influenza is a social disease, and this pandemic is a social phenomenon. We’re in the thick of it now and public health agencies around the world are doing their best to minimize suffering and limit deaths. [...]

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Whose Interests Are Converging at Canada’s Agricultural Schools?

Thumbnail image for Whose Interests Are Converging at Canada’s Agricultural Schools? May 8, 2009 by Jon Steinman

On April 10, this column featured the latest from a dramatic story out of the University of Guelph.
Guelph is home to Canada’s largest agricultural school, among which, is the very small organic degree program. In late March, it was announced that because of budgetary challenges, the organic program would be cut among others displaying low [...]

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Public health hogging the headlines: our Agriculture Canada update

Thumbnail image for Public health hogging the headlines: our Agriculture Canada update May 7, 2009 by Ryan Slifka

Agriculture Canada sends out periodic press releases, usually proclaiming the good work of Agriculture Minister Gerry “Puttin’ on the” Ritz’s office in assisting “farmers.” I’ve decided to take it upon myself to present some of the statements made by Minister Ritz’ office and decipher them because they can’t be taken at face value. In this [...]

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