OPIRG Toronto

OPIRG Toronto Contingent to March for the Land
2023-09-27 10:00 - 16:00 (America/Halifax) | OPIRG Toronto, Room 318, University of Toronto Student Commons, 230 College Street, Toronto, Ontario, M5T1R2, Canada
*** OPIRG Toronto Contingent***
March For The Land: Walk with Land Alliance!
Wednesday September 27th, 2023
10AM: Meet at the OPIRG Toronto office for brunch & an informal discussion about how to conduct ourselves and stay safe at the March for the Land.
*meat, veg, vegan and gluten free options will be available
11:30AM: Depart for Rally location (Grange Park, Beverly Street)
12PM- ?: Rally & March
When the march is complete we will hold a short de-brief
Join OPIRG Toronto to stand in solidarity w. five First Nations calling on Premier Ford to end unwanted mining activity on their Territories
On September 27th, 12 pm 2023 five First Nations from Northern Ontario will come to Toronto to lead a march calling on Premier Ford to end unwanted mining activity on their Territories. These five strong First Nations have formed a historic alliance to protect their lands and waters in the face of mounting concerns about encroachment on their territories by mining exploration companies who have been enabled by the Ford Government.
Walk with five First Nations of the historic Land Alliance to show that we stand with them in their fight for control over their lives and their lands.
Earlier this year leaders from Kitchenuhmaykoosib Inninuwug (KI, or Big Trout Lake First Nation), Wapekeka, Neskantaga, Muskrat Dam and Asubpeeschoseewagong Anishinabek (Grassy Narrows) signed a Mutual Cooperation Agreement.
These five First Nations are powerful leaders in the movement for Indigenous sovereignty and environmental justice. They have shown that together we can fight for justice against all odds and make real gains.
Join the Land Defense Alliance to demand respect for Indigenous rights and protect the sources of life on their Territories in the face of mining incursions. Through this march the Land Alliance will show their strength, present their demands, and build public support for their struggle for control over their lives and their lands
This is a family-friendly event. Rain or shine!

BACKGROUND
Prospectors have staked thousands of new claims on these First Nations’ territories since Ford came to power. They are exploiting Ontario’s antiquated “free entry” mining system that allows companies and individuals to stake mining claims on First Nations lands from the comfort of their offices, without gaining the consent of the Indigenous people who live there.
Prospectors are not required by Ontario to give any notice to First Nations until after the claims have been registered and are in force. Conversely, Ontario does not inform prospectors which First Nation’s land they are staking until after the claims are purchased. The claims grant the prospector a wide range of rights under Crown law to explore the area for valuable minerals and to own the treasures that are found under the ground.
However, the areas that these prospectors are staking have been home to Indigenous people for countless generations and continue to provide the sources of life, culture, and livelihood for them. In spite of the well-known concerns of these First Nations, and many attempts to bring the Ford government to the table, the free entry system remains in place and new claims continue to be registered in social conflict zones against the will of First Nations.
Aki Paamaachi Ikoo Ying Ganawaandata!
Protect the land that gives us life!
Kakanawedaamin Anishinabe Miinigowisiwin.
Take care of and keep the land!

Sign up for the rally: https://freegrassy.net/land-alliance-march/
More info: https://freegrassy.net/

IF YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS OR CONCERNS ABOUT ATTENDING THIS RALLY WITH THE OPIRG TORONTO CONTINGENT PLEASE EMAIL US: COORDINATOROPIRGTO@GMAIL.COM.

Intergenerational Activist Gathering - Day 2 (University of Toronto)
2023-09-23 09:00 - 21:00 | University of Toronto Student Commons, 230 College Street 5th Floor, Toronto, Ontario, M5T1R2, Canada
Intergenerational Activist Gathering: Rooting our Activism in the Big Picture & Organizing Across Generations
Friday, September 22, 9 am – 9 pm at York University

REGISTER HERE: https://www.eventbrite.ca/e/intergenerational-activist-gathering-day-1-york-university-tickets-714656736537

Saturday, September 23, 9 am – 9pm at the University of Toronto

REGISTER HERE: https://www.eventbrite.ca/e/intergenerational-activist-gathering-day-2-university-of-toronto-tickets-715009601967

FREE ADMISSION – MEALS PROVIDED – ALL ARE WELCOME
***This event is aimed at University of Toronto & York students, new and experienced activists city-wide, and anyone with an interest in social & environmental justice***
OPIRG Toronto and OPIRG York are teaming up to host a gathering focused on grounding our activism in the big picture, and organizing across generations. Through this Intergenerational Activist Gathering we aim to bridge the gap that so often exists between student activism and community activism taking place throughout the city. This event will include two full days of participatory learning, sharing and relationship building, and will kick off our annual DisOrientation Week.
DisOrientation Week is an alternative Frosh Week to get students interested and involved in campus-based social justice work. This year’s DisOrientation celebrates the environmental and social justice gains made by student and community organizers. It is dedicated to sharing activist knowledge & resources, and building capacity for organizers new to York University and University of Toronto and activists across the city.***
SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 23rd – UNIVERSITY OF TORONTO, ST. GEORGE CAMPUS- 230 College Street (Entrance on Huron) – 5th Floor
***The space is accessible by wheelchair and electric scooter, including washrooms***
9 am – 10am: Breakfast and Welcome
Coffee, tea, muffins, bagels, fruit & more (meat, vegetarian, vegan & gluten free options will be available)
10 am – 1 pm: Panel Discussion – Intergenerational Perspectives on Lessons Learned & Organizing in the Current Moment
Panelists from Climate Justice U of T, Ontario Coalition Against Poverty, No One is Illegal & more will address important questions like:
What is something you wish you’d known when you were starting out?
Can you identify something you/your organization has done that younow consider a strategic error? How did you handle it? What would you/will you do to avoid similar decisions moving forward?
How did/do you deal with the challenge of building strong relationships and communities of care versus the sense of urgency we feel around achieving our campaign or movement goals? How has this impacted the long term sustainability of your organizations/movements?
Moderator: sam riot is an anti-poverty and housing advocate, who is actively involved in St James Town. sam is delighted to be part of OPIRG’s disorientation weekend and believes knowledge and experience sharing tobe a critical part of movement building.
1 pm – 2 pm: Lunch & Tabling Fair
Warm lunch (meat, vegetarian, vegan & gluten free options will be available)
Groups including No One is Illegal, the Toronto Seed Library & more will be present to share information and seeds
2 pm – 5 pm: Interactive Activist Skills Training Workshops
Workshop Option 1: Where do I begin? Preparing for and Attending Demonstrations and Direct Actions
Learn & share guidance around what to wear, what to bring/leave at home, how to keep you and your friends safe, what happens if you encounter police presence & more
Facilitator TBA
Workshop Option 2: What’s next? Organizing Successful Demonstrations & Direct Actions
Explore what direct action is and how it can be employed within a demonstration you’re attending or have organized. Discuss practical tactics and strategies commonly used, challenge yourself to think beyond colonial state narratives around resistance, learn tools for dealing with police violence, and gain concrete, hands-on skills and knowledge around blockades and locking down.
Facilitator: Trish has 12 years experience as a street medic and organizer in Toronto and Hamilton. They have a particular passion for defending the land & water and have been criminalized for it, but can often be found using those experiences to initiate empowered discussions around power, fear, courage, and resilience.
5 pm – 9 pm: Dinner & Social featuring dj deLish
Full dinner (meat, vegetarian, vegan & gluten free options will be available)
deLish aka LiChelle has spent nearly 13 years rooted in a life of community and celebration in the Toronto underground music & activist scenes. deLish curates techno, house, and drum & bass selections that inspire play, with bass lines that will make you drop in deep. LiChelle is an accomplished visual artist and graphic designer. She advocates for police and prison abolition, and works in street outreach.

IMPORTANT NOTE: OPIRG Toronto is dedicated to a disability rights-informed approach to health and safety. We will have two hepa-filters in the event space. Folks will be asked to keep distance as much as possible, to sanitize hands, and to mask when not eating. Masking exemptions will be made for health & human rights reasons.
IN-PERSON HEALTH & SAFETY POLICY
SAFETY & DE-ESCALATION POLICY
If you have any questions or concerns please email us at: coordinatoropirgto@gmail.com.

2SLGBTQ+ Open House
2023-09-14 17:00 - 20:00 | Bahen Centre for Information Technology, 40 St George St, Toronto, Ontario, M5S 2E4, Canada
2SLGBTQ+ Open House takes place on Thursday September 14th, 2023 on Bahen Patio – 40 St. George St, Toronto (St. George/UTSG campus) from 5pm-8pm, with the featured performance at 7pm. Bahen Patio is wheelchair and mobility device-accessible. Accessible and all-gender washrooms are located within Bahen Centre for Information Technology.
This event is an outdoor in-person drop-in social organized by Centre for Women and Trans People (CWTP) and The Ontario Public Interest Group (OPIRG). This event is open to 2SLGBTQ+ (Two-Spirit, Lesbian, Gay, Bi, Trans, Queer and more) students and allies. The event will include food (with vegetarian options), beverages, music and information tables from 2SLGBTQ+ supportive organizations on campus.
Our featured performances will be Toronto Kiki Ballroom Alliance – a collective of QTBIPOC (Queer, Trans, Black, Indigenous and People of Colour) artists and legends from Canada’s largest Ballroom Scene. Popularized by the movie “Paris is Burning,” attendees will get a chance to witness a variety of Ballroom categories including Performance (Vogue), Runway, Face, Body, Sex Siren, Realness and Bizarre. Attendees will get a chance to interact with Ballroom legends with the opportunity to find out how to join Toronto’s Ballroom Scene.

Register here: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/2slgbtq-open-house-tickets-714071385737
