Posts by Andrea Hoang
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In the Blog
Toronto Women’s Bookstore in danger of closing
There are only 21 women’s bookstores worldwide, just three in Canada, and now, one is at risk of closing its doors for good. The Toronto Women’s Bookstore announced yesterday that it is so cash strapped, it may join the list of Toronto independent bookstores like Pages, that have been forced to close because of low sales and high rent. It’s not the first time the 36-year old Harbord Street landmark has had to overcome financial … READ MORE
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In the Blog
Why can’t some residents vote?
Federal election talk has settled down, and while many were grumbling about going back to the ballots, the right to vote on even a local level is not something everyone has access to. In just Toronto, there are a quarter of a million people who can play, work, contribute to their communities and pay taxes – but cannot vote in municipal elections. These are permanent residents. Meanwhile, Canadian citizens who own property but do not live in … READ MORE
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In the Blog
When are rape victims ever “asking for it?”
I thought the answer was “never.” But a hotel chain and a Canadian university seem to think otherwise. A woman who was raped in front of her children in the parking garage of a Connecticut Marriott is being called “careless and negligent” in her own rape after filing a lawsuit against the hotel. Despite being held at gunpoint, and having her children threatened if she didn’t comply with her attacker, the firm that manages the hotel chain said … READ MORE
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In the Blog
Happy Mother’s Day—a day rooted in social activism—not Hallmark
Welcome to another Hallmark holiday. Well, sort of. Mother’s Day invariably gets lumped into that group of holidays that don’t get you a day off of school or work, but you begrudgingly acknowledge and “celebrate” by buying chocolate, flowers and cards. Well okay, you don’t begrudgingly acknowledge the importance of Mom, but you get the idea. But the history, or herstory, behind the second Sunday of May, unlike other greetings card holidays, involves no mythical … READ MORE
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In the Blog
Hi, welcome to 1960.
Last year Mississippi’s Charleston High School had their first mixed race prom. Ever. While in the process of making a documentary about the changes made in Mississippi since the civil rights movement, Canadian film maker Paul Saltzman discovered that the small community of Charleston (population 2,100) still had segregated proms. This prompted him to make Prom Night in Mississipi, a documentary playing at this year’s Sundance Film Festival, with commentary by Morgan Freeman. Charleston is in fact, … READ MORE
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In the Blog
dear jim, please make poverty a priority
2009 marks 20 years – the span of an entire childhood – after the Canadian Parliament made a promise to end child poverty by the year 2000. Currently, 1 in 9 Canadian children still wonder where their next meal will come from, if they will have school supplies, and if they will have a warm bed at night. The promise was broken. Campaign 2000 (named after the broken promise) is an organization dedicated to … READ MORE
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In the Blog
Victory, valentine and vagina.
That is what the “V” in V-Day stands for. V-Day is an international organization dedicated to ending violence against women and girls. With chapters all over the world, V-Day has raised over $60 million in the past ten years. Here are some awesome sounding events the Toronto V-Day crew is hosting: Congo Teach In V-Day is holding a public lecture tonight in the Ryerson campus about the Democratic Republic of Congo and its current crisis, … READ MORE
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In the Blog
Boo-urns Budget
Canadian Finance Minister Jim Flaherty wants to know what we think. No, I’m not joshin’ you. The Department of Finance Canada has created a survey on their website, encouraging Canadians to voice their opinion on what matters the most for the upcoming budget. The last time Flaherty made a fiscal statement, he was met with public outcry for failing to include a stimulus plan, and for cutting subsidies for political parties (see below the cut for … READ MORE
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In the Blog
Provincial wheels of youth outreach stuck in reverse
Shit, merde, kaka, poop, crap – whatever you want to call it, Ontario Premiere Dalton McGuinty admitted to being in it. “Every once in a while you step in it,” he joked with reporters at a Queen’s Park media scrum. The Premiere was talking about making changes - again - on the recent restrictions for Ontario’s young drivers. Although original changes like limiting car passengers were impractical, and arguably patronizing – contributing to what … READ MORE
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In the Blog
Oh, hi there
Hey Shameless readers, I’m the new guest blogger this month. I will do my best to write about a range of topics, from what’s going in the headlines, to local events. I’m a student studying broadcast journalism and sociology at Ryerson University, a TV intern, a volunteer, a writer, a Torontonian, a Scarberian, an east ender, I’m Andrea Hoang. … READ MORE
