tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-83530263908076923412024-03-24T03:30:28.278-04:00ExplorationsAdventuring around the world!explorationsevohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17212906449642223302noreply@blogger.comBlogger74125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8353026390807692341.post-4720343957078539392020-06-25T20:42:00.003-04:002020-06-25T20:46:22.678-04:00Explorations Has Moved!<div><b><font size="6">This blog has moved over to:<a href="https://explorationsevo.wordpress.com/" target="_blank"> https://explorationsevo.wordpress.com/</a></font></b></div><div><b><font size="6"><br /></font></b></div><div><font size="6">There will be continual updates from there!</font><br /></div>explorationsevohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17212906449642223302noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8353026390807692341.post-65336597543474742882016-08-05T12:07:00.000-04:002016-08-05T12:08:51.626-04:00Canada’s Challenges toward Decolonization and the Next Steps<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
Below is a course paper during my Peace and Conflict Studies. The core concepts of the course used non-violent resistance as the primary approach for resolving conflict, including violent conflict. The most influential study statistically proved that non-violent resistance (NVR) is the most sound approach to winning a conflict. This study by <a href="https://drive.google.com/file/d/0B2w7VzJyF4WyMFd4VFF4eEVLQmM/view?usp=sharing" target="_blank">Chenoweth and Stephan (2008)</a> should be primary source of reasoning as to why violent conflict should never occur.<br />
<div style="text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
Other parts of the course included peacebuilding approaches and differenc mechanisms to enable peacebuilding. I focused my research on the Aboriginal and Canada relationship. Below is the course paper, reproduced.</div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<h2 style="text-align: left;">
Abstract</h2>
<div>
While Canada has built a reputation as peacekeepers as Lester B Pearson won the nobel peace prize for creating the UN Peacekeeping Forces as a non-partisan body to reinforce ceasefires, Canada itself suffers from a different conflict. From the long colonization process, harsh treatments of the Aboriginal peoples of Canada were assimilated to become "Canadian". Methods that were used include land and resource control, culturual genocide, disenfrancishement and disempowerment of the peoples, and the infamous residential schools. Over 200 years of systematic cultural genocide and colonization continues to this day. This paper presents one possible solution of decolonization and reconciliation through the study of peace and conflict scholars, Aboriginal grassroots initiatives, the Calls of Action of the Truth and Reconciliation Commission of Canada (TRC), and the UN Declaration of the Rights of Indigenous Peoples (UNDRIP). </div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<h2 style="text-align: center;">
<span style="text-align: left;">Canada’s Challenges toward Decolonization
and the Next Steps</span></h2>
<div>
<span style="text-align: left;"><br /></span></div>
<h3 style="text-align: left;">
<span style="text-align: left;">The Conceptual Framework</span></h3>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgqAM5R8EAvNlZtPhMer0KWy3CXgIXIB4UbsBAgJwuY90lHo097S2LQrrrqCvCTCEuBJbkuHhYb6IXDrSnEL_XK9Hd7M3yyUGeLXdQqOSxWOlJKVZV4cK-wcyr__Ep4LRvhkY_VZhsV-2Bg/s1600/Progression+of+Conflict.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="215" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgqAM5R8EAvNlZtPhMer0KWy3CXgIXIB4UbsBAgJwuY90lHo097S2LQrrrqCvCTCEuBJbkuHhYb6IXDrSnEL_XK9Hd7M3yyUGeLXdQqOSxWOlJKVZV4cK-wcyr__Ep4LRvhkY_VZhsV-2Bg/s320/Progression+of+Conflict.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<span lang="EN-CA">The arrival of European settlers to North
America required the help of the Aboriginal peoples of North America. Disease,
war and broken promises killed, assimilated and created a two century-long
genocide against the Aboriginals who had helped the settlers. European politics
took precedence and changed the face of the land leading toward the creation of
a new country over existing ones. The struggle and battles carry long lasting
effects of colonization which is still ongoing to this day without resolve. The
aim of the paper is to examine the challenges ahead of Canada’s decolonization
process and give recommendations for a stronger reconciliation process.
Discussion of the Royal Proclamation of 1763 based on Terra Nullius sets the
stage for Canada’s current Aboriginal issues regarding UN Declaration of Rights
on Indigenous People (UNDRIP), Truth and Reconciliation Commission (TRC) of
Canada, land, treaties, relationships and community impacts and how these
recommendations can move Aboriginals and settlers working together toward a
peaceful and equitable co-existence.</span><br />
<span lang="EN-CA"></span><br />
<a name='more'></a><span lang="EN-CA"><br /></span>
To fully appreciate recommendations
discussed later in the essay, an understanding of the approach will draw
further insights. Taking Lederach’s Progression of Conflict Framework, based
off Curle’s matrix, it discusses peacebuilding as a processes and can help to
map certain events between Canada and the Aboriginals people along the
progression to sustainable peace.<br />
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-CA">Beginning at the “education” and “latent
conflict”, there must be certain power relationships that are unbalanced which
has many influences that set up the precursor to conflict. To further draw out
the contextual situation, applying the <i>Social
Cube Analytical Model </i>(Byrne and Nadan, 2011) can provide further insight
to a given situation. This list includes:</span><br />
<br />
<ul style="text-align: left;">
<li>Historical Force</li>
<li>Religious Force</li>
<li>Political Force</li>
<li>Psycho-cultural Force</li>
<li>Demographic Force</li>
<li>Economic Force</li>
</ul>
</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-CA">Upon analysis of these forces, it can
provide a deeper understanding of the problem. In relation to the Aboriginal
peoples and Canada, the next section introduces the history and power imbalance
and relationship the two parties have with each other.<o:p></o:p></span><br />
<span lang="EN-CA"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-CA">In Lederach’s framework, the perceived area
between the relationship of Canada and the Aboriginals is between open conflict
and negotiation.</span><span lang="EN-CA">
“By the end of the 1970s, new battle lines had been drawn. Native groups and
territorial politicians alike chafed against southern development priorities
and political domination. Different conceptions of the northern territories
held by native groups, regional politicians, and the federal government, were
raised and debated. Little had been resolved, however, leaving the political
future of Canada’s colonies very much in doubt” (Coates, 226).</span><span lang="EN-CA"> Open conflict quadrant can be seen in the infamous 1990 Oka Crisis and
more recently the protests against the Northern Gateway Pipeline in British
Columbia (Kane, 2015). Negotiation quadrant currently involves the Calls to
Action has been issued by the TRC and recently by Prime Minister Trudeau
calling for working relationships with the Aboriginals people, where in
December 8, 2015 he announced that “</span><span lang="EN-CA" style="background: white; color: #333333;">The victims deserve justice, their families
an opportunity to be heard and to heal” (Mas, 2015).<o:p></o:p></span><br />
<span lang="EN-CA" style="background: white; color: #333333;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-CA">To achieve sustainable peace, the recommendations
discussed will be based upon Kantowitz and Raik’s Integrated Peace and
Development Framework (IPAD). The IPAD framework is based upon:<o:p></o:p></span><br />
<span lang="EN-CA"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpFirst" style="margin-left: 56.55pt; mso-add-space: auto; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo2; text-indent: -18.0pt;">
<!--[if !supportLists]--><span lang="EN-CA">1)<span style="font-size: 7pt; font-stretch: normal;">
</span></span><!--[endif]--><span lang="EN-CA">Creating a culture of good
governance<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin-left: 56.55pt; mso-add-space: auto; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo2; text-indent: -18.0pt;">
<!--[if !supportLists]--><span lang="EN-CA">2)<span style="font-size: 7pt; font-stretch: normal;">
</span></span><!--[endif]--><span lang="EN-CA">Transforming persons<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin-left: 56.55pt; mso-add-space: auto; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo2; text-indent: -18.0pt;">
<!--[if !supportLists]--><span lang="EN-CA">3)<span style="font-size: 7pt; font-stretch: normal;">
</span></span><!--[endif]--><span lang="EN-CA">Working in coalitions <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin-left: 56.55pt; mso-add-space: auto; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo2; text-indent: -18.0pt;">
<!--[if !supportLists]--><span lang="EN-CA">4)<span style="font-size: 7pt; font-stretch: normal;">
</span></span><!--[endif]--><span lang="EN-CA">Enhancing communities to
generate hope, and;<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpLast" style="margin-left: 56.55pt; mso-add-space: auto; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo2; text-indent: -18.0pt;">
<!--[if !supportLists]--><span lang="EN-CA">5)<span style="font-size: 7pt; font-stretch: normal;">
</span></span><!--[endif]--><span lang="EN-CA">Developing sustainable
livelihoods with just distribution of resources<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-CA"><br /></span>
<span lang="EN-CA">This process would begin at the
intersection of open conflict and negotiation leading up to the top right
corner of the Progression of Conflict framework. Given the examples of the open
conflict and negotiation processes mentioned earlier, it is the prime time to
implement such peacebuilding programs and initiatives to rebuild relationships
for the benefit of both Aboriginals and Canada. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-CA">For divided society to find reconciliation,
they must </span><span lang="EN-CA">“envision
the future [as] the necessary ingredient” (Lederach, 27). This means that
Canada and the Aboriginal peoples must build a life together in which they can
both see living in each other space. Lederach states </span><span lang="EN-CA">that
“reconciliation is understood as a process of relationship building” (Lederach,
151). As the paper will discuss later, the Aboriginal’s philosophy on building
relationship will be an important factor for reconciliation and is reflected in
the recommendations set out by the TRC.<o:p></o:p></span><br />
<span lang="EN-CA"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-CA">In line with Funk’s paper on <i>Building on What’s Already There </i>(2012),
taking indigenous practices would be vital to the reconciliation process as the
culture is rich and pre-disposed to this concept, as we will explore later. “P</span><span lang="EN-CA">eace must ultimately
be constructed locally on a foundation that is recognized as legitimate” (Funk,
399). This concept runs integrated into the reconciliation process to help
construct the necessary infrastructures for peace. The main challenge will be
the acceptance of indigenous practices by Canada. <o:p></o:p></span><br />
<span lang="EN-CA"><br /></span></div>
<h3 style="text-align: left;">
<span lang="EN-CA">Terra Nullius sets the Stage for Colonization</span></h3>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span lang="EN-CA">To understand the forces at
work, the </span><i><span lang="EN-CA">Social
Cube Analytical Model</span></i><span lang="EN-CA"> can be used in conjunction
with the </span><span lang="EN-CA">Conflict
Progression Framework to begin to unpack the Aboriginal issues. The legal
doctrine set out by the Europeans titled “Terra Nullius”, contextually
translated as “Nobody’s Land” declared that any discovered lands that do not
have civilized humans are considered empty lands and could be colonized to be
made fruitful. Having this doctrine in relation to Europeans discovery of
Canada, it allowed the European settlers to assert their sovereignty over the
Indigenous peoples of Canada. “The legal doctrine of </span><i><span lang="EN-CA">terra nullius…</span></i><span lang="EN-CA"> enabled Europeans to
believe that aboriginal peoples were incapable of being considered sovereign
over the territories they occupied, because they did not make ‘proper’ use of
the land, were supposedly without law or the institutions of (European) civil government
or were otherwise considered too low in the hierarchy of civilized races”
(Boyce, 1). Terra Nullius set the stage for the Royal Proclamation of 1763 which
was written as an agreement between British North America (BNA) and the
different Aboriginal nations.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span lang="EN-CA">During this period, the
Aboriginal peoples were working in harmony together with the European settlers.
</span><span lang="EN-CA">“Over the first two hundred and fifty years of settler
life in Canada, the newcomers had at best reached the level of partnership with
the Aboriginals. New France, the Hudson’s Bay Company and the North West
Company consciously built their place here on the indigenous ideas of mutual
dependency and partnership” (Saul, 5). The Truth and Reconciliation Commission
also states that</span><span lang="EN-CA">
“Aboriginal peoples have always remembered the original relationship they had
with early Canadians. This relationship of mutual support, respect, and
assistance was confirmed by the Royal Proclamation of 1763 and the Treaties
with the Crown that were negotiated in good faith by their leaders” (TRC, 20). </span><span lang="EN-CA">Both Aboriginals and settlers have been learning about each other’s
culture and way of life. However, not both sides always saw eye to eye. “On one
side – the First Nations – this was a traditional way to build alliances. On
the other-the new comers- it was a policy aimed at improving their lives and at
stabilizing and controlling the fur trade” (Saul, 11). Power relations between
the different parties began to shift in the nineteenth century and over time,
the understanding of the Royal Proclamation of 1763 is looked at differently as
the BNA <i>giving</i> order to the
Aboriginal nations<a href="file:///C:/Users/perf_/Google%20Drive/MDP/2016%20-%20jan/PACS/Course%20paper/Ian%20-%20Course%20Paper.docx#_ftn1" name="_ftnref1" title=""><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><!--[if !supportFootnotes]--><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span lang="EN-CA" style="line-height: 107%;">[1]</span></span><!--[endif]--></span></a>. “</span><span lang="EN-CA">The long, rich
history of Indigenous diplomacy and covenant making has been largely forgotten
or misunderstood by Canadians” (TRC, 39 – 40).</span><span lang="EN-CA"> By 1876,
almost a decade after the European settlers founded Canada, the Aboriginals
were caught in a struggle to have their rights on their lands against the newly
created Indian Act.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span lang="EN-CA">The
Indian Act became a binding document which dictated the lives of the Aboriginal
peoples on their own lands by the British crown with no consultation with the
Aboriginals. This Act included limiting the practice of their culture, strips
rights to fight for land, and they are no longer considered an Aboriginal if
they become lawyers, teachers or soldiers, all to propagate Canadian citizenship
and the assimilation of the Aboriginal<a href="file:///C:/Users/perf_/Google%20Drive/MDP/2016%20-%20jan/PACS/Course%20paper/Ian%20-%20Course%20Paper.docx#_ftn2" name="_ftnref2" title=""><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><!--[if !supportFootnotes]--><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span lang="EN-CA" style="line-height: 107%;">[2]</span></span><!--[endif]--></span></a>. Following
the Indian Act came the Forestry Act, Natural Resources Act, and Fish and
Wildlife Conservation Act all created, arguably, to disenfranchise the
Aboriginals through controlling their natural resources<a href="file:///C:/Users/perf_/Google%20Drive/MDP/2016%20-%20jan/PACS/Course%20paper/Ian%20-%20Course%20Paper.docx#_ftn3" name="_ftnref3" title=""><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><!--[if !supportFootnotes]--><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span lang="EN-CA" style="line-height: 107%;">[3]</span></span><!--[endif]--></span></a><a href="file:///C:/Users/perf_/Google%20Drive/MDP/2016%20-%20jan/PACS/Course%20paper/Ian%20-%20Course%20Paper.docx#_ftn4" name="_ftnref4" title=""><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><!--[if !supportFootnotes]--><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span lang="EN-CA" style="line-height: 107%;">[4]</span></span><!--[endif]--></span></a>
and putting the Aboriginal onto reserves. In these reserves, “</span><span lang="EN-CA">communities were not
consulted before they were relocated from their vast traditional territories to
much smaller, more remote, and more crowded reserves to make way for government
and industrial land and resource development projects. Even when they were not
relocated, Aboriginal peoples were economically marginalized in their own
homelands when irreversible environmental damage was done in the name of
‘progress’” (TRC, 204). </span><span lang="EN-CA">Six years earlier in 1870, the
residential schools began taking Aboriginal children to be assimilated by the
church and the height of it in the 1960 roundup. <o:p></o:p></span></span><br />
<span lang="EN-CA" style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span>
<br />
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span lang="EN-CA">Susan Neylan, a history Professor at Laurier University researching Indigenous and non-Indigenous communities in Canada in the 19th and 20th century Christian missions, states that the church's intentons were in good faith to try and integrate the Aboriginals people into Canadian society </span><span lang="EN-CA" style="font-size: 11.0pt;"><a href="file:///C:/Users/perf_/Google%20Drive/MDP/2016%20-%20jan/PACS/Course%20paper/Ian%20-%20Course%20Paper.docx#_ftn5" name="_ftnref5" title=""><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span lang="EN-CA" style="color: black; line-height: 107%;">[5]</span></span></span></a>.</span></span> However, the approach was poorly executed causing lasting resentment and hatred from the Aboriginals people in Canada."Many Aboriginal people have a deep and abiding distrust of Canada's political and legal systems because of the damage the systems have caused" (TRC, 48). Some of the effects of the residential schools were loss of connection to family and community, effectively destroying their identity <span style="font-family: inherit;"><span lang="EN-CA" style="font-size: 11.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: UtopiaStd-Regular;"><a href="file:///C:/Users/perf_/Google%20Drive/MDP/2016%20-%20jan/PACS/Course%20paper/Ian%20-%20Course%20Paper.docx#_ftn6" name="_ftnref6" title=""><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span lang="EN-CA" style="color: black; line-height: 107%;">[6]</span></span></span></a>. </span></span>With the last residential school closing in 1996, but continued a turbulent relationship between the Aboriginals people and Canada. </div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
There are three stages to colonization. The first is dispossession by segregating them from the land and each other. The second, create dependency onto the state by giving handouts and disempowering them. The third, oppression against those who try and rise up <span lang="EN-CA" style="font-family: inherit; font-size: 11.0pt;"><a href="file:///C:/Users/perf_/Google%20Drive/MDP/2016%20-%20jan/PACS/Course%20paper/Ian%20-%20Course%20Paper.docx#_ftn7" name="_ftnref7" title=""><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span lang="EN-CA" style="color: black; line-height: 107%;">[7]</span></span></span></a>. </span>This colonial trauma creates three types of dependency, where there is a strained relationship with authority, being Canada. "First, dependency is a historical and learned dynamic in many post-conflict countries, resulting from the oppressive, authoritarian and/or colonialist systems... Second, paternalism and dependency have been created... Finally, dependency is a result of a legacy of violence in settings where those whot ook up leadship roles or spoke out against authority were severly persecuted" (Kantowitz and Riak, 7). These kinds of sustained long-term trauma create division in communities. "Heightened rates of prostitution, rape, domestic violence and other forms of criminal and gang behaviour are common in so called "post-conflict" societies" (Barsalou, 29). The reservations continue to see all these symptoms of a post-conflict society.</div>
</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<span lang="EN-CA"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Along
with these traumas, abusive stories from residential schools began to surface and
23 class action lawsuits and up to 15,000 legal claims were filed<a href="file:///C:/Users/perf_/Google%20Drive/MDP/2016%20-%20jan/PACS/Course%20paper/Ian%20-%20Course%20Paper.docx#_ftn8" name="_ftnref8" title=""><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><!--[if !supportFootnotes]--><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span lang="EN-CA" style="line-height: 107%;">[8]</span></span><!--[endif]--></span></a>.
This called for a public inquiry calling which created the Truth and
Reconciliation Commission (TRC). By December 18<sup>th</sup>, 2015, the TRC
closed with their Call to Action presented as the next steps for Canada to
follow as the road to Reconciliation with the Aboriginals people.</span><o:p></o:p></span><br />
<span lang="EN-CA"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></span></div>
<h3 style="text-align: left;">
<span lang="EN-CA">Exploring the Dimensions of Aboriginal and Settler Culture</span></h3>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-CA">Before giving the recommendations,
understanding the Aboriginal culture can show insight of the clashes of culture
with Canada. The author does not claim to understand the complexities of
Aboriginal culture, but the visible relevant and fundamental philosophical
approaches to different issues can target the areas where more work is
required. Aboriginals are a collectivist society with spiritual binding to
nature in contrast to meritocracy and ownership of resources. Finding common
ground between Aboriginals and Canada will be the next steps toward
reconciliation and sustainable peace. <o:p></o:p></span><br />
<span lang="EN-CA"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-CA">In the spirit of the Aboriginal oral
tradition, a story best illustrates the cultural relationship with the land:
The hunters one day woke up to find that all their deer and moose have been
missing. The hunters tracked day and
night to find where they have gone, as they relied heavily on these animals for
food, clothing, resources and trade. Finally, they tracked the deer and the moose
to far distances of the forest guarded by owls. They asked the owls if they
have the deer and the moose and why they were kidnapped and they replied, “You
will never get them back!” With this, the hunters and the owl went to war until
the owls conceded and led them to where the deer and the moose were hidden. The
hunters approached them and said they are free from the kidnappers. They
replied, “We were never kidnapped. We came here voluntarily. Man has forgotten
how to respect us and celebrate our gift to man when we are hunted. We were hunted
so much we could not be safe and reproduce and have families. That is why we
all left.” The hunters apologized and made sure that they are allowed to
flourish and only hunt when needed and most importantly celebrate the life in
which they gave for man to survive. Peace was made and all lived a fruitful
life<a href="file:///C:/Users/perf_/Google%20Drive/MDP/2016%20-%20jan/PACS/Course%20paper/Ian%20-%20Course%20Paper.docx#_ftn9" name="_ftnref9" title=""><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><!--[if !supportFootnotes]--><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span lang="EN-CA" style="font-family: "calibri" , sans-serif; font-size: 11.0pt; line-height: 107%;">[9]</span></span><!--[endif]--></span></a>. This
morality story dictates we must respect which gives us life as reciprocity. This
kind of spiritual relationship with the land is not found in Canada’s
legislation with the environment. Instead it is viewed as ownership which could
be bought, bartered and sold.<o:p></o:p></span><br />
<span lang="EN-CA"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 8.0pt; margin-left: 1.0cm; margin-right: 28.55pt; margin-top: 0cm;">
<span lang="EN-CA"> “The First Nations leaders weren’t even
negotiating ownership. Instead, they were putting on the table concepts of
complex, inclusive, balanced existence on the land. The newcomers were pressed
for time because they didn’t have much to say and had only come to conclude
what they thought of as a legal transfer. They were driven by a simple
utilitarian desire for ownership. This was the straightforward, low-level stuff
of Western property law described behind the grandiose and romantic idea of
Queen Victoria as everyone’s mother” (Saul, 50).<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-CA">The Aboriginals still view this land as a
sacred land in which they negotiated in good faith to maintaining the welfare
of the land, upon which all humankind rely on. The different Acts implemented
in the Constitution emphasize “protecting private property, [which] runs
contrary to Haudenosaunee traditions of communal ownership” (Mann, 333) and
co-stewardship of the land. <o:p></o:p></span><br />
<span lang="EN-CA"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<span lang="EN-CA">In the
aspect of law and reconciliation, “the confederacy of the Five Nations, to take
a single example, was based on the Great Law, which said that clans transcended
the boundaries of the nations” (Saul, 61). Mann explains further that “the
great law of peace consisted of a council from all five nations, with members
titled <i>sachems. </i>They could be
impeached if they displeased their clan” (Mann, 331). This shows
accountability, which Canadian government lacks and is an attribute of leaders
(Anderson and Wallace, 2013). The Aboriginal laws have been so powerful, it
required some of the concepts to be incorporated into the Constitution (Mann,
333). <b>“</b></span><span lang="EN-CA">Indigenous law is diverse; each
Indigenous nation across the country has its own laws and legal traditions.
Aboriginal law is the body of law that exists within the Canadian legal system”
(TRC, 45). Saul echoed this in his book <i>A
Fair Country</i> discussing how Canadians are more “native” than we think. The
TRC went to great lengths to explore some of the Aboriginal nations law and
reconciliation processes. This included the Haudenosaunee, Cree, Inuit,
Mi’kmaq, Metis, Tlingit, Anishinabee, Hul’q’umi’num, and the Gitxsan peoples
(TRC, 2015). “Legal scholar John Borrows explains that, ‘First Nations and
powerful individuals would participate in such activities as smoking the peace
pipe, feasting, holding a Potlatch, exchanging ceremonial objects, and engaging
in long orations, discussions and negotiations. Diplomatic traditions among Indigenous
peoples were designed to prevent more direct confrontation....’” (TRC, 45).
Mann, taking example from the Haudenosaunee, states that </span><span lang="EN-CA">“the general approach of the First nations to people from outside
their nation was that a relationship needed to be worked out so that they could
deal with each other… Relationships with people from other nations were
formalized by defining a place for them in each nation’s family. It was in this
state of mind that Aboriginals entered into treaty negotiations” (Mann, 331). All
these normal relationship processes are the two Ledearch concepts introduced
earlier of envisioning the future together and reconciliation as a process. These
concepts and practices do not exist in Canadian legislation and in contrast, Canada
required the Aboriginals to assimilate to their perceptively, “lower” Constitution.
Understanding how indigenous laws draws us to the next aspect of relationship
building.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-CA">In relationship with people the Anishinaabe
and Haudenosaunee people regarded everything as mutually beneficial interaction
to create an ongoing relationship. When treaties were created, Anishinaabe and
the Haudenosaunee people regarded this as the sacred word of cooperation.
“Treaty law is family law”<a href="file:///C:/Users/perf_/Google%20Drive/MDP/2016%20-%20jan/PACS/Course%20paper/Ian%20-%20Course%20Paper.docx#_ftn10" name="_ftnref10" title=""><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><!--[if !supportFootnotes]--><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span lang="EN-CA" style="font-family: "calibri" , sans-serif; font-size: 11.0pt; line-height: 107%;">[10]</span></span><!--[endif]--></span></a>
based upon respect, trust and friendship, in this order. Treaties are a process
of relationship building<a href="file:///C:/Users/perf_/Google%20Drive/MDP/2016%20-%20jan/PACS/Course%20paper/Ian%20-%20Course%20Paper.docx#_ftn11" name="_ftnref11" title=""><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><!--[if !supportFootnotes]--><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span lang="EN-CA" style="font-family: "calibri" , sans-serif; font-size: 11.0pt; line-height: 107%;">[11]</span></span><!--[endif]--></span></a>,
not just a document signed for title of land. Canada is regarded as a brother
upon signing of treaties. A violation in this treaty is breaking of trust in
the family. Canada cannot be trusted for the future if Canada does not respect
the past treaties. </span><span lang="EN-CA">“The
most significant damage is to the trust that has been broken between the Crown
and Aboriginal peoples. This broken trust must be repaired” (TRC, 20). </span><span lang="EN-CA">Through negotiation to build relationships, the Aboriginals always
had one pipe negotiator who deal with others, in particular the Canadian
representatives, for as long as they are capable to build respect, trust, relationship
and remember the past discussions. Canadian negotiators change frequently and
do not understand the context in which they approach the negotiation table
because they were not present at the previous meetings<a href="file:///C:/Users/perf_/Google%20Drive/MDP/2016%20-%20jan/PACS/Course%20paper/Ian%20-%20Course%20Paper.docx#_ftn12" name="_ftnref12" title=""><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><!--[if !supportFootnotes]--><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span lang="EN-CA" style="font-family: "calibri" , sans-serif; font-size: 11.0pt; line-height: 107%;">[12]</span></span><!--[endif]--></span></a>. “In
indigenous terms, talking negotiating, developing relationships, enlarging the
circle was all about the intellectual superiority… If you have to fight, you
fight. But that represents a failure of relationships, a failure of foreign
policy, not an extension of it, as the classic European phrase would have it”
(Saul, 65). The Calls to Action by the TRC are ultimate minimum goals and
require a process to achieve it and if Canada can see it through, Canada will
be regarded as higher intellectually trusting family member. <o:p></o:p></span><br />
<span lang="EN-CA"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-CA">While not all aspects of Aboriginal culture
is explored here, these examples illustrate the differences in approaches,
expectations and philosophy each side brought to the negotiation table. Exploring
indigenous techniques may yield several entry points for reconciliation, as it
is building on what’s already there (Funk, 2012), should Canada choose to
listen.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<h3 style="text-align: left;">
<span lang="EN-CA"><br /></span></h3>
<h3 style="text-align: left;">
<span lang="EN-CA">Reconciliation and Peacebuilding Recommendations</span></h3>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<span lang="EN-CA">The
definition of reconciliation needs to be agreed upon between the Aboriginals
and Canada, as currently there are two different definitions. As the Aboriginals
see it, Canada (and the Supreme Court) see reconciliation as the Aboriginals
reconciling amongst themselves. In contrast to the TRC, reconciliation is
healing through rebuilding relationship<a href="file:///C:/Users/perf_/Google%20Drive/MDP/2016%20-%20jan/PACS/Course%20paper/Ian%20-%20Course%20Paper.docx#_ftn13" name="_ftnref13" title=""><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><!--[if !supportFootnotes]--><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span lang="EN-CA" style="font-family: "calibri" , sans-serif; font-size: 11.0pt; line-height: 107%;">[13]</span></span><!--[endif]--></span></a> (TRC
(B), 2015). Bob Rae echoed this saying that courts will always say that
Aboriginals are Canadian<a href="file:///C:/Users/perf_/Google%20Drive/MDP/2016%20-%20jan/PACS/Course%20paper/Ian%20-%20Course%20Paper.docx#_ftn14" name="_ftnref14" title=""><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><!--[if !supportFootnotes]--><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span lang="EN-CA" style="font-family: "calibri" , sans-serif; font-size: 11.0pt; line-height: 107%;">[14]</span></span><!--[endif]--></span></a>, ignoring
colonialization that took place and that it is Canadians who are Aboriginals
(Saul, 2008). <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<span lang="EN-CA">Reconciliation
is a process to rebuild the relationships, which Lederach presented and was the
basis for Aboriginal life. Paul Williams<a href="file:///C:/Users/perf_/Google%20Drive/MDP/2016%20-%20jan/PACS/Course%20paper/Ian%20-%20Course%20Paper.docx#_ftn15" name="_ftnref15" title=""><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><!--[if !supportFootnotes]--><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span lang="EN-CA" style="font-family: "calibri" , sans-serif; font-size: 11.0pt; line-height: 107%;">[15]</span></span><!--[endif]--></span></a>
had stated “There is no reconciliation, only reconciling”, using the verb
depicting it as an active process. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 28.55pt 0.0001pt 1cm;">
<span lang="EN-CA">“</span><span lang="EN-CA">Reconciliation must become a way
of life. It will take many years to repair damaged trust and relationships in Aboriginal
communities and between Aboriginal and non-Aboriginal peoples. Not only does
reconciliation require apologies, reparations, the relearning of Canada’s
national history, and public commemoration, but it also needs real social,
political, and economic change</span><span lang="EN-CA">” (TRC, 20) <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<span lang="EN-CA">Through
this process, it is the rebuilding of relationships which Lederach, Aboriginal
peoples and the TRC all are aiming toward. By this definition, Canada needs to
learn and submit to these definitions as the first sign of respect to the
process laid out by the TRC.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<span lang="EN-CA">This
section will discuss the thematic areas as set out by the IPAD framework surrounding
one key TRC recommendation, the Call to Action 45: Royal Proclamation and Covenant
of Reconciliation. This Call to Action would mean the Canadian government and
Aboriginal nations would sign a new Proclamation for a working relationship. It
states “</span><span lang="EN-CA">The
proclamation would build on the Royal Proclamation of 1763 and the Treaty of
Niagara of 1764, and reaffirm the nation-to-nation relationship between Aboriginal
peoples and the Crown”</span><span lang="EN-CA"> (Calls to Action, 5). Using this
as the stepping stone is important because it encompasses the spirit of the TRC
and provides an arena which all other Calls to Action and initiatives can build
upon. Bob Rae<a href="file:///C:/Users/perf_/Google%20Drive/MDP/2016%20-%20jan/PACS/Course%20paper/Ian%20-%20Course%20Paper.docx#_ftn16" name="_ftnref16" title=""><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><!--[if !supportFootnotes]--><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span lang="EN-CA" style="font-family: "calibri" , sans-serif; font-size: 11.0pt; line-height: 107%;">[16]</span></span><!--[endif]--></span></a>
believes this is the path to rebuilding, re-establishing a deep and truthful
respect as the old Proclamation was meant for the crown and not a mutually
beneficial document. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<span lang="EN-CA">This
Call to Action has its critics and justifiably so. Speaking with two elders<a href="file:///C:/Users/perf_/Google%20Drive/MDP/2016%20-%20jan/PACS/Course%20paper/Ian%20-%20Course%20Paper.docx#_ftn17" name="_ftnref17" title=""><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><!--[if !supportFootnotes]--><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span lang="EN-CA" style="font-family: "calibri" , sans-serif; font-size: 11.0pt; line-height: 107%;">[17]</span></span><!--[endif]--></span></a>
Cat Criger and Traditional Healer Jacqui Lavalley, they have voiced their
opinion stating they want action instead of more talks, broken promises and
apologies. Both criticized the apologies made by Canada, first by Stephen
Harper in 2008 and Justin Trudeau in 2015 saying it needs to be followed
through with actions. This was echoed by Douglas Sanderson<a href="file:///C:/Users/perf_/Google%20Drive/MDP/2016%20-%20jan/PACS/Course%20paper/Ian%20-%20Course%20Paper.docx#_ftn18" name="_ftnref18" title=""><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><!--[if !supportFootnotes]--><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span lang="EN-CA" style="font-family: "calibri" , sans-serif; font-size: 11.0pt; line-height: 107%;">[18]</span></span><!--[endif]--></span></a>
stating that, there is no reason for this document to be drafted. If Canada
really wanted to show their intentions, they would just carry out their actions
and obey the treaties. Paul William</span><span lang="EN-CA">s<a href="file:///C:/Users/perf_/Google%20Drive/MDP/2016%20-%20jan/PACS/Course%20paper/Ian%20-%20Course%20Paper.docx#_ftn19" name="_ftnref19" title=""><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><!--[if !supportFootnotes]--><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span lang="EN-CA" style="font-family: "calibri" , sans-serif; font-size: 11.0pt; line-height: 107%;">[19]</span></span><!--[endif]--></span></a> stated
it is an aspirational document, citing Harper did not even want to implement
UNDRIP. “</span><span lang="EN-CA">In
2010, Canada endorsed the </span><i><span lang="EN-CA">Declaration
</span></i><span lang="EN-CA">as a “non-legally binding
aspirational document” (TRC, 26), where the Aboriginals required it to be
recognized as international law which Canada will implement.</span><span lang="EN-CA">
</span><span lang="EN-CA">He re-emphasized that this document is as good as
nothing if there is no trust built. Heather Dorries<a href="file:///C:/Users/perf_/Google%20Drive/MDP/2016%20-%20jan/PACS/Course%20paper/Ian%20-%20Course%20Paper.docx#_ftn20" name="_ftnref20" title=""><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><!--[if !supportFootnotes]--><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span lang="EN-CA" style="font-family: "calibri" , sans-serif; font-size: 11.0pt; line-height: 107%;">[20]</span></span><!--[endif]--></span></a>
criticized that the document is not needed because, not committing genocide
does not require a piece of legislation. These are some of the varying criticisms
of enacting Call to Action 45 of creating a new Royal Proclamation. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<br /></div>
<h4 style="text-align: left;">
<span lang="EN-CA">Creating a culture of good governance</span></h4>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<span lang="EN-CA">The
whole of TRC Calls to Action is heavily based upon UNDRIP framework as many of
the Calls to Action require Canada to follow the UNDRIP framework. The TRC
explicitly states in Call to Action 43 “</span><span lang="EN-CA">We call upon federal,
provincial, territorial, and municipal governments to fully adopt and implement
the </span><i><span lang="EN-CA">United
Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples </span></i><span lang="EN-CA">as the framework for
reconciliation” (Calls to Action, 4). </span><span lang="EN-CA">These documents
are created to tell Canada (and other colonized nation states) how to behave
themselves and that these are the minimum requirements for understanding and
collaboration with indigenous people<a href="file:///C:/Users/perf_/Google%20Drive/MDP/2016%20-%20jan/PACS/Course%20paper/Ian%20-%20Course%20Paper.docx#_ftn21" name="_ftnref21" title=""><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><!--[if !supportFootnotes]--><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span lang="EN-CA" style="font-family: "calibri" , sans-serif; font-size: 11.0pt; line-height: 107%;">[21]</span></span><!--[endif]--></span></a>. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<span lang="EN-CA">In this
attempt to build good governance, a few scholars have voiced their imaging of
the future together. This would require a restructuring of the legislation and
policies which consists of a large of part in the TRC. John Kim Bell<a href="file:///C:/Users/perf_/Google%20Drive/MDP/2016%20-%20jan/PACS/Course%20paper/Ian%20-%20Course%20Paper.docx#_ftn22" name="_ftnref22" title=""><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><!--[if !supportFootnotes]--><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span lang="EN-CA" style="font-family: "calibri" , sans-serif; font-size: 11.0pt; line-height: 107%;">[22]</span></span><!--[endif]--></span></a>
in his keynote speech had stated that Canada needs to repeal the Indian Act so
that the New Proclamation can take place. The Indian Act had long dictated the
affairs of the Aboriginals in Canada and needs to be removed to give freedom of
action to begin reconciliation. The New Proclamation would be the alternative
solution Bartkowski<a href="file:///C:/Users/perf_/Google%20Drive/MDP/2016%20-%20jan/PACS/Course%20paper/Ian%20-%20Course%20Paper.docx#_ftn23" name="_ftnref23" title=""><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><!--[if !supportFootnotes]--><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span lang="EN-CA" style="font-family: "calibri" , sans-serif; font-size: 11.0pt; line-height: 107%;">[23]</span></span><!--[endif]--></span></a>
envisioned in the abandonment of one institution for another. Douglas Sanderson
had suggested to use a common law system for both Aboriginal and Canadian legal
system to work together, as it may not be possible to integrate but could run
in parallel to each other. This is echoed by John Kim Bell who had suggested
the same parallel concept as there was evidence that the ancient Persian Empire
was able to integrate both Islam and Christian laws into their society. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<span lang="EN-CA">Using
both John and Douglas’s idea, a parallel common law system with the Indian Act
repealed and instituting the Aboriginals indigenous laws can resolve the issue
of different systems running in the same country. Ideas of reconciliation in a
common law system with Canada would be acting from top down (repealing the
Indian Act) and bottom up (from Aboriginal communities instituting their Indigenous
laws) building upon grass root initiatives, which will be discussed in the
subsequent components. Building from the bottom up as Funk (2012) discussed can
further establish and strengthen the process of implementing the two systems
for building good governance. With the integration of international law to
federal law to Aboriginal law, it speaks to the component of good governance. </span><span lang="EN-CA">The</span><span lang="EN-CA"> Royal Proclamation will create an enabling environment where the
UNDRIP and the TRC Calls to Action can thrive.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<br /></div>
<h4>
<span lang="EN-CA">Transforming persons</span></h4>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-CA">With the New Proclamation in place and the
Indian Act repealed, this can give room to foster transformation in people. Transformation
can be seen through education to decolonize the non-Aboriginals and settlers, to
become an ally and take action to join their cause, and lastly for the
Aboriginals to heal from the past traumas. If campaigns “fail to produce
loyalty shifts within security or civilian bureaucracy are unlikely to achieve
success” (Chenoweth and Stephan, 40). Transformation is imperative for a
movement to succeed. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-CA">TRC creates fundamental changes to give
capacity for the Aboriginals to govern themselves, not through the Indian Act. The
transformation required are the mindset of the both Aboriginals and
non-Aboriginals and of all, Canada. Education is crucial factor for mindset
change. Martin, Renee, Monica, and Jean have discussed the use of education to
decolonize settlers way of thinking, requires Indigenous leadership, and have
control over own education on top of policy and legislation changes<a href="file:///C:/Users/perf_/Google%20Drive/MDP/2016%20-%20jan/PACS/Course%20paper/Ian%20-%20Course%20Paper.docx#_ftn24" name="_ftnref24" title=""><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><!--[if !supportFootnotes]--><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span lang="EN-CA" style="font-family: "calibri" , sans-serif; font-size: 11.0pt; line-height: 107%;">[24]</span></span><!--[endif]--></span></a>. They
believe universities are at the root of continuing the colonization process,
whereby changing and decolonizing the faculty will reform the education and
knowledge of Aboriginal people. Through rediscovery of identity will provide
empowerment of Aboriginal people and this can be achieved through education<a href="file:///C:/Users/perf_/Google%20Drive/MDP/2016%20-%20jan/PACS/Course%20paper/Ian%20-%20Course%20Paper.docx#_ftn25" name="_ftnref25" title=""><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><!--[if !supportFootnotes]--><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span lang="EN-CA" style="font-family: "calibri" , sans-serif; font-size: 11.0pt; line-height: 107%;">[25]</span></span><!--[endif]--></span></a>. “</span><span lang="EN-CA">The new native leaders,
often graduates of the residential schools and frequently university educated,
debated effectively on the southern terms, but did so with the special
conviction of a threatened people” (Coates, 223). The educated Aboriginal
leaders help protect their rights and further push for reform and legislation
restructuring.</span><span lang="EN-CA"> Bob Rae has seen lots of communities
beginning to rejuvenate their own laws<a href="file:///C:/Users/perf_/Google%20Drive/MDP/2016%20-%20jan/PACS/Course%20paper/Ian%20-%20Course%20Paper.docx#_ftn26" name="_ftnref26" title=""><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><!--[if !supportFootnotes]--><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span lang="EN-CA" style="font-family: "calibri" , sans-serif; font-size: 11.0pt; line-height: 107%;">[26]</span></span><!--[endif]--></span></a>
through education and re-identification of who they are. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-CA">The transformation that is required is the
understanding from Canada to acknowledge that they are on Aboriginal grounds
and not the other way around and education will be the driving force of this transformation.
Institutional changes need to come from the provinces and operationalizing the
Calls to Action can be the changes. <o:p></o:p></span><br />
<span lang="EN-CA"><br /></span></div>
<h4 style="text-align: left;">
<span lang="EN-CA">Working in coalitions </span></h4>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-CA">Kantowitz and Riak describes this as
“strengthen[ing] formal and informal coalitions and alliances that
intentionally impact across boundaries and differences” (Kantowitz and Riak,
15). Cooperation can be between</span><span lang="EN-CA"> “opposition politicians, workers,
students, businesspeople, Catholic Church leaders, and others” (Chenoweth and
Stephan, 32) to come together to confront the adversary. As discussed before,
for the first few hundred years, the Aboriginals and the European settlers have
been working in coalitions before the migration of more Europeans which create
the power shift. This coalition can once more be achieved.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-CA">Already the United Church of Canada has begun the
process of reconciliation as they were at the front lines of the assimilation
process. The church has acknowledged the past by changing the crest to include
indigenous culture. The church has further acknowledged and acted upon the
relevant Calls to Action (United Church, 2015). Not only was this
transformative and reconciliatory, but it is working in coalition with the
Aboriginals who have taken their apology and consecrated it with ceremony (TRC,
2015). <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-CA">Working together with Canada, being the adversary,
has been a challenge. Some scholars view the relationship working together
under the common law, which can also fall under creating a culture of good
governance, includes co-management of land. Co-management means coming to a consensus
together. Currently the Ministers can veto any decision showing the crown still
has control and not the Aboriginals<a href="file:///C:/Users/perf_/Google%20Drive/MDP/2016%20-%20jan/PACS/Course%20paper/Ian%20-%20Course%20Paper.docx#_ftn27" name="_ftnref27" title=""><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><!--[if !supportFootnotes]--><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span lang="EN-CA" style="font-family: "calibri" , sans-serif; font-size: 11.0pt; line-height: 107%;">[27]</span></span><!--[endif]--></span></a>. This
will also mean that planning will be set by Aboriginals and not treated as
beneficiaries<a href="file:///C:/Users/perf_/Google%20Drive/MDP/2016%20-%20jan/PACS/Course%20paper/Ian%20-%20Course%20Paper.docx#_ftn28" name="_ftnref28" title=""><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><!--[if !supportFootnotes]--><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span lang="EN-CA" style="font-family: "calibri" , sans-serif; font-size: 11.0pt; line-height: 107%;">[28]</span></span><!--[endif]--></span></a>. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-CA">Coalitions are not limited to Canada, Universities
and the Church. There are a series of networks which the Aboriginals have built
upon, including the international community of UNDRIP, UNCESCR, and UN Human
Rights Committee<a href="file:///C:/Users/perf_/Google%20Drive/MDP/2016%20-%20jan/PACS/Course%20paper/Ian%20-%20Course%20Paper.docx#_ftn29" name="_ftnref29" title=""><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><!--[if !supportFootnotes]--><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span lang="EN-CA" style="font-family: "calibri" , sans-serif; font-size: 11.0pt; line-height: 107%;">[29]</span></span><!--[endif]--></span></a>.
However further coalitions can be built, as Aboriginal issues are still not
prevalent enough through daily Canadian life and new settlers to Canada<o:p></o:p></span><br />
<span lang="EN-CA"><br /></span></div>
<h4 style="text-align: left;">
<span lang="EN-CA">Enhancing communities to generate hope</span></h4>
<h4 style="text-align: left;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiqkjbtkyn4CDLpuQX4mUcKWcvdMF_Z8XzaNqH461lu1pkyCco6Evm7aWLbXHU4W9MUC2Bgq2OPHIuuzjudpx-nhmew1muYHppzWpyY4O3SVsAQnI3sKbZeS8w35ADJIPfGXnrhmmos9AHm/s1600/Matrix.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; display: inline !important; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiqkjbtkyn4CDLpuQX4mUcKWcvdMF_Z8XzaNqH461lu1pkyCco6Evm7aWLbXHU4W9MUC2Bgq2OPHIuuzjudpx-nhmew1muYHppzWpyY4O3SVsAQnI3sKbZeS8w35ADJIPfGXnrhmmos9AHm/s200/Matrix.JPG" width="200" /></a></h4>
<span lang="EN-CA">Kantowitz and Riak describes this as
“strengthening both traditional and emerging mechanisms, values, wisdom and
resources that enhance people and systems” (Kantowitz and Riak, 15). As Cat
Criger and Jacqui Lavalley has stated, through the re-discovery of self, it
engages and empowers the communities to be proud to be Aboriginals once again. Re-identification
and re-discovery of ethnic heritage will be the crucial part of this component.
This ties in with the earlier discussion of education and transforming of
persons through education. To expand further, Renee McGurry<a href="file:///C:/Users/perf_/Google%20Drive/MDP/2016%20-%20jan/PACS/Course%20paper/Ian%20-%20Course%20Paper.docx#_ftn30" name="_ftnref30" title=""><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><!--[if !supportFootnotes]--><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span lang="EN-CA" style="font-family: "calibri" , sans-serif; font-size: 11.0pt; line-height: 107%;">[30]</span></span><!--[endif]--></span></a> presented
and explored a matrix (Figure 1) where instituting education can enhance
culture, identity, and hope. Beginning with <i>Curriculum</i>,
she believes there needs to be hands on learning and the Aboriginal teachers
can empower others to embark on the journey of healing and hope. Through this, the
rediscovery of <i>Culture</i> needs to be taught
for further empowerment, unity, and mobilization of the community. This affirmation
of culture <i>Connects</i> them to who they
are, to family, and to community. This encompasses the last quadrant of the matrix
for <i>Community</i>. These kind of actions
foster grassroots movements like Idle no More (INMM, 2016).<o:p></o:p></span><br />
<span lang="EN-CA"><br /></span>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-CA">Further connection to concepts include
Funk’s discussion of building on what’s already there. He states that “t</span><span lang="EN-CA">o meet the
peacebuilding needs of the 21st century and create a more sound and equitable
basis for engaging global governance challenges, more genuinely empowering
forms of grassroots mobilization and local-international partnership are needed”
(Funk, </span><span lang="EN-CA">396). These are not 21<sup>st</sup> century
approaches. These have been the Aboriginal traditional practices of
relationship building. This includes what we would now call “international”
partnership as discussed earlier that “relationships with people from other
nations were formalized by defining a place for them in each nation’s family”
(Mann, 331). This type of grassroots mobilization can be further enhanced upon
the removal of the Indian Act and implementing the Royal Proclamation. <o:p></o:p></span><br />
<span lang="EN-CA"><br /></span></div>
<h4 style="text-align: left;">
<span lang="EN-CA">Developing sustainable livelihoods with just distribution
of resources</span></h4>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-CA">As discussed earlier, the Aboriginals have
a spiritual connection to the land. They believed themselves to be stewards of
the land to give to their grandchildren and that they do not own it<a href="file:///C:/Users/perf_/Google%20Drive/MDP/2016%20-%20jan/PACS/Course%20paper/Ian%20-%20Course%20Paper.docx#_ftn31" name="_ftnref31" title=""><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><!--[if !supportFootnotes]--><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span lang="EN-CA" style="font-family: "calibri" , sans-serif; font-size: 11.0pt; line-height: 107%;">[31]</span></span><!--[endif]--></span></a>. Land
planning becomes an important issue and has been the most visible conflict for
attention of media. All the Acts created to control the natural resources under
the crown and away from the Aboriginals show an imbalance of distribution. Even
though there are jurisdictional control on the reserves, the pollution that
enter the reserves from oil fields or other sources do not observe these
jurisdictional boundaries. Regional ecosystem services do not follow the
artificially man made boundaries. Large fauna will migrate and rivers will run.
The small allocated plots of lands designated for the reserves are under the
scrutiny of the larger surrounding ecosystems. If that surrounding land loses
ecosystem capacity, it would adversely affect the reserves. Even with the “duty
to consult” Aboriginal groups<a href="file:///C:/Users/perf_/Google%20Drive/MDP/2016%20-%20jan/PACS/Course%20paper/Ian%20-%20Course%20Paper.docx#_ftn32" name="_ftnref32" title=""><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><!--[if !supportFootnotes]--><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span lang="EN-CA" style="font-family: "calibri" , sans-serif; font-size: 11.0pt; line-height: 107%;">[32]</span></span><!--[endif]--></span></a>, the
Canadian Ministers can veto any land development claims and boundaries. <o:p></o:p></span><br />
<span lang="EN-CA"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-CA">The common goal that could be used to map
environmental peacebuilding is the long term planning on how to allocate
resources and land<a href="file:///C:/Users/perf_/Google%20Drive/MDP/2016%20-%20jan/PACS/Course%20paper/Ian%20-%20Course%20Paper.docx#_ftn33" name="_ftnref33" title=""><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><!--[if !supportFootnotes]--><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span lang="EN-CA" style="font-family: "calibri" , sans-serif; font-size: 11.0pt; line-height: 107%;">[33]</span></span><!--[endif]--></span></a>. While
the common discourse of protection of the environment is to adapt to the
effects of climate change instead of addressing the underlying issues and
practices that endanger it (Levy and Vaillancourt, 2011). There is a great
potential here to address environmental concerns using a co-management approach,
where it ties into working in coalitions. The fundamental behavioural change
needs to see the “I can just take” point of view to be “stewards” of the land.
Hayden stated that this needs to assimilate settlers to indigenous points of
view and need to take on the larger discourse of capitalism, which expands this
scope of this paper. <o:p></o:p></span><br />
<span lang="EN-CA"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-CA">In Conca’s (2002) article, there are two
ways environmental peacekeeping can occur. One, “transforming more immediate
problems of mistrust, uncertainty, suspicion, divergent interest, and short
time horizons that typically accompany conflictual situations.” And two, peace is
viewed as a “shared collective identity within which violent conflict becomes
inconceivable” (Conca, 10). The Walpole Island First Nation<a href="file:///C:/Users/perf_/Google%20Drive/MDP/2016%20-%20jan/PACS/Course%20paper/Ian%20-%20Course%20Paper.docx#_ftn34" name="_ftnref34" title=""><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><!--[if !supportFootnotes]--><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span lang="EN-CA" style="font-family: "calibri" , sans-serif; font-size: 11.0pt; line-height: 107%;">[34]</span></span><!--[endif]--></span></a>
is a successful example of co-management between the Aboriginals and Canada
(Walpole First Island Nation, 2016). There would be less water and lands
conflict pushed by the Idle No More Movement (INMM, 2016) as the
characteristics of the first environmental peacekeeping outcome would be
solved. Funk’s concept of building on what’s already there can play a large
role as there is much Aboriginal knowledge to cultivate in this component.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-CA">Given the right environment to foster, there
can be more examples of Walpole Island and less Idle No More Movement
conflicts. The two results of environmental peacekeeping could be the result of
co-management of the land between Canada and the Aboriginals. By allowing planning
to be set by the Aboriginals, the Royal Proclamation would hopefully be the catalyst
to enable the legislation to allow it.<o:p></o:p></span><br />
<span lang="EN-CA"><br /></span></div>
<h3 style="text-align: left;">
<span lang="EN-CA">Conclusion</span></h3>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-CA" style="background: white; color: #333333;">This paper has explored some of the main
developments of Aboriginal-settler relationship, but there are many more
detailed issues that require further examination. The main overarching goal is
for Canada to accept reconciliation on the Aboriginal terms. When this is
achieved, then it would be possible to begin a renewed relationship with each
other based upon Calls to Action 45, new Royal Proclamation. The IPAD framework can be used to disseminate
the conditions the new Royal Proclamation will enable.</span><span lang="EN-CA"><o:p></o:p></span><br />
<span lang="EN-CA" style="background: white; color: #333333;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-CA">Summarizing the five components:</span><br />
<br />
<ul style="text-align: left;">
<li>Creating a culture of good governance; focuses on implementing the Royal Proclamation upon which creates the necessary conditions for the remainder of the recommendations to foster</li>
<li>Tranforming people, focuses on indigenous education, leadership for re-identification of ethnicity, and trauma healing</li>
<li>Working in coalitions, focuses on working with Canada, univeresities and increasing Indigenous visibility</li>
<li>Enhancing communites that generate hope; focuses on empowering the indigenous community through educational transformation</li>
<li>Developing sustainable livelihoods with just distribution of resources; focuses on landy, treaty, distribution and natural resources and people as stewards of land and not consumers.</li>
</ul>
</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<span lang="EN-CA">Each of
these sections are tied into each other which support each other through the
framework creating a holistic approach to building sustainable peace. “Renée
Dupuis, chief commissioner of the Indian Claims Commission, argues that the
“history of North America has not yet been written. It is still written in
English from an Anglophone point of view… We are stuck on the colonizing roots”
(Saul, 21). With the history of the Aboriginals slowly being revealed through
the TRC, this is the crucial juncture as there is renewed ambition from Canada
to better improve relationships, this can prove a new beginnings of everyone
living on Aboriginal land. <br clear="all" style="mso-special-character: line-break; page-break-before: always;" />
<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<br /></div>
<h2 style="text-align: left;">
<span lang="EN-CA">Bibliography</span></h2>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-CA">Anderson M.B., Wallace, M., (2013) <i>Opting Out of War: Strategies to Prevent
Violent Conflict. </i>Lynne Rienner Publishers Inc: Colorado<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-CA"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-CA">Barsalou, J., (2008) “Managing Memory:
Looking to Transitional Justice to Address Trauma” in <i>Peacebuilding in Traumatized Societies</i>, ed. Barry Hart. Pp 27 – 47.
Toronto: University Press of America <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-CA"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-CA">Boyce, R. (1994) <i>People of Terra Nullius: betrayal and rebirth in Aboriginal Canada</i>.
Seattle: University of Washington<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-CA"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-CA">Byrne, S., and Nada, A., (2011) “The Social
Cube Analytical Model and Protracted Ethnoterritorial Conflicts” in <i>Critical Issues in Peace and Conflict
Studies</i> ed. Matyók, T., Byrne, S., Senehi, J., pp 61 – 80 UK: Lexington
Books<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-CA"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-CA">Call to Action: Truth and Reconciliation
Commission (TRC) (2015) <i>Canada’s
Residential Schools: Reconciliation</i>. Montreal and Kingston: University
Press<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-CA"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-CA">Chenoweth, E., and Stephan, M., (2008) Why
Civil Resistance Works: The Strategic Logic of Nonviolent Conflict. <i>International Security</i> 33(1), 7-44.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-CA"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-CA">Coates, K., (1985) Canada’s Colonies: A
history of the Yukon and Northwest Territories. James Lorimer & Company:
Toronto<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-CA"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-CA">Conca, K. (2002) “The Case for
Environmental Peacemaking.” In <i>Environmental Peacemaking</i>, ed. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-CA">Ken Conca
and Geoffrey D. Dabelko, pp. 1-22. Baltimore, MD: The Johns Hopkins University
Press<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-CA"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-CA">Funk, N.C (2012) Building on What’s Already
There: Valuing the Local in the International Peacebuilding. <i>International Journal.</i> Vol: 67 (2). 391
– 408<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-CA"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-CA">Hart, B., (2008) <i>Peacebuilding in
Traumatized Societies. </i>Toronto: University Press of America <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span class="selectable"><span lang="EN-CA"><br /></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span class="selectable"><span lang="EN-CA">Idle No More
Movement (INMM) (2016). Retrieved 31 March 2016, from http://www.idlenomore.ca/</span></span><span lang="EN-CA"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-CA"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-CA">Kane, L., (2015, October 1) Northern
Gateway Pipeline may be the Difference for Future </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-CA">Government, Aboriginal
relations. <i>CBC News.</i> Retrieved from http://www.huffingtonpost.ca/2015/10/01/pipeline-battle-could-set-tone-for-future-government-aboriginal-relations_n_8227780.html<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-CA"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-CA">Kantowitz, R., and Riak, A., (2008)
“Critical Links between Peacebuilding and Trauma Healing: A Holistic Framework
for Fostering Community Development” ” in <i>Peacebuilding
in Traumatized Societies</i>, ed. Barry Hart. Pp 3 – 26. Toronto: University
Press of America <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-CA"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-CA">Levy, A., and Vaillancourt, J-G (2011) “War
on Earth? Junctures Between Peace and the Environment” in <i>Critical Issues in Peace and Conflict Studies</i> ed. Matyók, T.,
Byrne, S., Senehi, J., pp 217 - 244 UK: Lexington Books<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-CA"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-CA">Mas, S., (2015, December 8) Trudeau lays
out plan for new relationship with indigenous people. <i>CBC News</i>. Retrieved from: http://www.cbc.ca/news/politics/justin-trudeau-afn-indigenous-aboriginal-people-1.3354747
<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-CA"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-CA">Matyók, T., Byrne, S., Senehi, J., (2011) Critical
Issues in Peace and Conflict Studies. UK: Lexington Books<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-CA"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-CA">Saul, J.R (2008) <i>A Fair Country</i>. Toronto: Penguin <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-CA"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-CA">Truth and Reconciliation Commission (TRC)
(2015) <i>Canada’s Residential Schools:
Reconciliation</i>. Montreal and Kingston: University Press<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-CA"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-CA">Truth and Reconciliation Commission (B)
(TRC). <i>What we have Learned: Principles
of Truth and Reconciliation</i>. Montreal and Kingston: University Press<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-CA"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-CA">United Church of Canada (2015). Truth and
Reconciliation Commissions of Canada: United Church Backgrounder on the TRC
Calls to Action<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span class="selectable"><i><span lang="EN-CA">Walpole Island
First Nation – Bkejwanong Territory</span></i><span lang="EN-CA">. (2016). <i>Walpoleislandfirstnation.ca</i>.
Retrieved 31 March 2016, from http://walpoleislandfirstnation.ca/</span></span><span lang="EN-CA"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div>
<!--[if !supportFootnotes]--><br clear="all" />
<hr align="left" size="1" width="33%" />
<!--[endif]-->
<br />
<div id="ftn1">
<div class="MsoFootnoteText">
<a href="file:///C:/Users/perf_/Google%20Drive/MDP/2016%20-%20jan/PACS/Course%20paper/Ian%20-%20Course%20Paper.docx#_ftnref1" name="_ftn1" title=""><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span lang="EN-CA"><!--[if !supportFootnotes]--><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span lang="EN-CA" style="font-family: "calibri" , sans-serif; font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 107%;">[1]</span></span><!--[endif]--></span></span></a><span lang="EN-CA"> Douglas stated this at this at the Nation to Nation panel at <i>Restoring Respectful Relationships:
Designing a Royal Proclamation of Reconciliation</i> Walter Gordon Symposium at
University of Toronto heled, March 23 to 24, 2016. Douglas Sanderson is a
member of the Opaskwayak Cree Nation and an Associate Professor at the
University Of Toronto Faculty Of Law and holds a LL.M from Columbia University.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
</div>
<div id="ftn2">
<div class="MsoFootnoteText">
<a href="file:///C:/Users/perf_/Google%20Drive/MDP/2016%20-%20jan/PACS/Course%20paper/Ian%20-%20Course%20Paper.docx#_ftnref2" name="_ftn2" title=""><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span lang="EN-CA"><!--[if !supportFootnotes]--><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span lang="EN-CA" style="font-family: "calibri" , sans-serif; font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 107%;">[2]</span></span><!--[endif]--></span></span></a><span lang="EN-CA"> Statements from facilitators of the Reconciliation Blanket Exercise
at University of Toronto, March 17<sup>th</sup>, 2016<o:p></o:p></span></div>
</div>
<div id="ftn3">
<div class="MsoFootnoteText">
<a href="file:///C:/Users/perf_/Google%20Drive/MDP/2016%20-%20jan/PACS/Course%20paper/Ian%20-%20Course%20Paper.docx#_ftnref3" name="_ftn3" title=""><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span lang="EN-CA"><!--[if !supportFootnotes]--><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span lang="EN-CA" style="font-family: "calibri" , sans-serif; font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 107%;">[3]</span></span><!--[endif]--></span></span></a><span lang="EN-CA"> Arther Manual stated this at <i>150
years of Colonization and Self Determination</i> seminar on February 22<sup>nd</sup>,
2016<o:p></o:p></span></div>
</div>
<div id="ftn4">
<div class="MsoFootnoteText">
<a href="file:///C:/Users/perf_/Google%20Drive/MDP/2016%20-%20jan/PACS/Course%20paper/Ian%20-%20Course%20Paper.docx#_ftnref4" name="_ftn4" title=""><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span lang="EN-CA"><!--[if !supportFootnotes]--><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span lang="EN-CA" style="font-family: "calibri" , sans-serif; font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 107%;">[4]</span></span><!--[endif]--></span></span></a><span lang="EN-CA"> Statements from facilitators of the Reconciliation Blanket Exercise
at University of Toronto, March 17<sup>th</sup>, 2016<o:p></o:p></span></div>
</div>
<div id="ftn5">
<div class="MsoFootnoteText">
<a href="file:///C:/Users/perf_/Google%20Drive/MDP/2016%20-%20jan/PACS/Course%20paper/Ian%20-%20Course%20Paper.docx#_ftnref5" name="_ftn5" title=""><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span lang="EN-CA"><!--[if !supportFootnotes]--><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span lang="EN-CA" style="font-family: "calibri" , sans-serif; font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 107%;">[5]</span></span><!--[endif]--></span></span></a><span lang="EN-CA"> Susan Neylan at the Churches and TRC panel at <i>Restoring Respectful Relationships: Designing a Royal Proclamation of
Reconciliation</i> Walter Gordon Symposium at University of Toronto heled,
March 23 to 24, 2016<o:p></o:p></span></div>
</div>
<div id="ftn6">
<div class="MsoFootnoteText">
<a href="file:///C:/Users/perf_/Google%20Drive/MDP/2016%20-%20jan/PACS/Course%20paper/Ian%20-%20Course%20Paper.docx#_ftnref6" name="_ftn6" title=""><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span lang="EN-CA"><!--[if !supportFootnotes]--><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span lang="EN-CA" style="font-family: "calibri" , sans-serif; font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 107%;">[6]</span></span><!--[endif]--></span></span></a><span lang="EN-CA"> Statements from facilitators of the Reconciliation Blanket Exercise
at University of Toronto, March 17<sup>th</sup>, 2016<o:p></o:p></span></div>
</div>
<div id="ftn7">
<div class="MsoFootnoteText">
<a href="file:///C:/Users/perf_/Google%20Drive/MDP/2016%20-%20jan/PACS/Course%20paper/Ian%20-%20Course%20Paper.docx#_ftnref7" name="_ftn7" title=""><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span lang="EN-CA"><!--[if !supportFootnotes]--><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span lang="EN-CA" style="font-family: "calibri" , sans-serif; font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 107%;">[7]</span></span><!--[endif]--></span></span></a><span lang="EN-CA"> Arther Manual stated this at <i>150
years of Colonization and Self Determination</i> seminar on February 22<sup>nd</sup>,
2016<o:p></o:p></span></div>
</div>
<div id="ftn8">
<div class="MsoFootnoteText">
<a href="file:///C:/Users/perf_/Google%20Drive/MDP/2016%20-%20jan/PACS/Course%20paper/Ian%20-%20Course%20Paper.docx#_ftnref8" name="_ftn8" title=""><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span lang="EN-CA"><!--[if !supportFootnotes]--><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span lang="EN-CA" style="font-family: "calibri" , sans-serif; font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 107%;">[8]</span></span><!--[endif]--></span></span></a><span lang="EN-CA"> Statistics from Frank Lacobucci, a former Justice of the Supreme
Court of Canada from 1991 to 2004 at the Churches and TRC Panel at <i>Restoring Respectful Relationships:
Designing a Royal Proclamation of Reconciliation</i> Walter Gordon Symposium at
University of Toronto heled, March 23 to 24<o:p></o:p></span></div>
</div>
<div id="ftn9">
<div class="MsoFootnoteText">
<a href="file:///C:/Users/perf_/Google%20Drive/MDP/2016%20-%20jan/PACS/Course%20paper/Ian%20-%20Course%20Paper.docx#_ftnref9" name="_ftn9" title=""><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span lang="EN-CA"><!--[if !supportFootnotes]--><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span lang="EN-CA" style="font-family: "calibri" , sans-serif; font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 107%;">[9]</span></span><!--[endif]--></span></span></a><span lang="EN-CA"> Hayden King shared this story at the Land and Treaty panel at <i>Restoring Respectful Relationships:
Designing a Royal Proclamation of Reconciliation</i> Walter Gordon Symposium at
University of Toronto heled, March 23 to 24, 2016. He is the Director for the
Centre of Indigenous Governance and an Assistant Professor of Politics at
Ryerson University.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
</div>
<div id="ftn10">
<div class="MsoFootnoteText">
<a href="file:///C:/Users/perf_/Google%20Drive/MDP/2016%20-%20jan/PACS/Course%20paper/Ian%20-%20Course%20Paper.docx#_ftnref10" name="_ftn10" title=""><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span lang="EN-CA"><!--[if !supportFootnotes]--><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span lang="EN-CA" style="font-family: "calibri" , sans-serif; font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 107%;">[10]</span></span><!--[endif]--></span></span></a><span lang="EN-CA"> Paul Williams stated this at the Nation to Nation panel at <i>Restoring Respectful Relationships:
Designing a Royal Proclamation of Reconciliation</i> Walter Gordon Symposium at
University of Toronto held, March 23 to 24, 2016. He is a negotiator for the
Indigenous nations for forty years. He writes on the Great Law of Peace of the
Haudenosaunee while teaching at University of Toronto Faculty of Law, Mc Master
University, and First Nations University.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
</div>
<div id="ftn11">
<div class="MsoFootnoteText">
<a href="file:///C:/Users/perf_/Google%20Drive/MDP/2016%20-%20jan/PACS/Course%20paper/Ian%20-%20Course%20Paper.docx#_ftnref11" name="_ftn11" title=""><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span lang="EN-CA"><!--[if !supportFootnotes]--><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span lang="EN-CA" style="font-family: "calibri" , sans-serif; font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 107%;">[11]</span></span><!--[endif]--></span></span></a><span lang="EN-CA"> Douglas Sanderson stated this at the Nation to Nation panel at <i>Restoring Respectful Relationships:
Designing a Royal Proclamation of Reconciliation</i> Walter Gordon Symposium at
University of Toronto held, March 23 to 24, 2016. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
</div>
<div id="ftn12">
<div class="MsoFootnoteText">
<a href="file:///C:/Users/perf_/Google%20Drive/MDP/2016%20-%20jan/PACS/Course%20paper/Ian%20-%20Course%20Paper.docx#_ftnref12" name="_ftn12" title=""><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span lang="EN-CA"><!--[if !supportFootnotes]--><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span lang="EN-CA" style="font-family: "calibri" , sans-serif; font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 107%;">[12]</span></span><!--[endif]--></span></span></a><span lang="EN-CA"> Paul Williams stated this at the Nation to Nation panel at <i>Restoring Respectful Relationships:
Designing a Royal Proclamation of Reconciliation</i> Walter Gordon Symposium at
University of Toronto held, March 23 to 24, 2016<o:p></o:p></span></div>
</div>
<div id="ftn13">
<div class="MsoFootnoteText">
<a href="file:///C:/Users/perf_/Google%20Drive/MDP/2016%20-%20jan/PACS/Course%20paper/Ian%20-%20Course%20Paper.docx#_ftnref13" name="_ftn13" title=""><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span lang="EN-CA"><!--[if !supportFootnotes]--><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span lang="EN-CA" style="font-family: "calibri" , sans-serif; font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 107%;">[13]</span></span><!--[endif]--></span></span></a><span lang="EN-CA"> John Kim Bell stated this at the Key Note Speech at <i>Restoring Respectful Relationships:
Designing a Royal Proclamation of Reconciliation</i> Walter Gordon Symposium at
University of Toronto held, March 23 to 24, 2016. He founded the National
Aboriginal Achievement Foundation<o:p></o:p></span></div>
</div>
<div id="ftn14">
<div class="MsoFootnoteText">
<a href="file:///C:/Users/perf_/Google%20Drive/MDP/2016%20-%20jan/PACS/Course%20paper/Ian%20-%20Course%20Paper.docx#_ftnref14" name="_ftn14" title=""><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span lang="EN-CA"><!--[if !supportFootnotes]--><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span lang="EN-CA" style="font-family: "calibri" , sans-serif; font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 107%;">[14]</span></span><!--[endif]--></span></span></a><span lang="EN-CA"> Bob Rae stated this at the Key Note Panel at <i>Restoring Respectful Relationships: Designing a Royal Proclamation of
Reconciliation</i> Walter Gordon Symposium at University of Toronto heled,
March 23 to 24, 2016.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
</div>
<div id="ftn15">
<div class="MsoFootnoteText">
<a href="file:///C:/Users/perf_/Google%20Drive/MDP/2016%20-%20jan/PACS/Course%20paper/Ian%20-%20Course%20Paper.docx#_ftnref15" name="_ftn15" title=""><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span lang="EN-CA"><!--[if !supportFootnotes]--><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span lang="EN-CA" style="font-family: "calibri" , sans-serif; font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 107%;">[15]</span></span><!--[endif]--></span></span></a><span lang="EN-CA"> Paul Williams stated this at the Nation to Nation panel at <i>Restoring Respectful Relationships: Designing
a Royal Proclamation of Reconciliation</i> Walter Gordon Symposium at
University of Toronto held, March 23 to 24, 2016<o:p></o:p></span></div>
</div>
<div id="ftn16">
<div class="MsoFootnoteText">
<a href="file:///C:/Users/perf_/Google%20Drive/MDP/2016%20-%20jan/PACS/Course%20paper/Ian%20-%20Course%20Paper.docx#_ftnref16" name="_ftn16" title=""><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span lang="EN-CA"><!--[if !supportFootnotes]--><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span lang="EN-CA" style="font-family: "calibri" , sans-serif; font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 107%;">[16]</span></span><!--[endif]--></span></span></a><span lang="EN-CA"> Bob Rae stated this at the Key Note Panel at <i>Restoring Respectful Relationships: Designing a Royal Proclamation of
Reconciliation</i> Walter Gordon Symposium at University of Toronto heled,
March 23 to 24, 2016. He is a former Premier of Ontario and is a senior partner
at the Olthuis Kleer Townshend LLP, a law firm advising Indigenous people.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
</div>
<div id="ftn17">
<div class="MsoFootnoteText">
<a href="file:///C:/Users/perf_/Google%20Drive/MDP/2016%20-%20jan/PACS/Course%20paper/Ian%20-%20Course%20Paper.docx#_ftnref17" name="_ftn17" title=""><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span lang="EN-CA"><!--[if !supportFootnotes]--><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span lang="EN-CA" style="font-family: "calibri" , sans-serif; font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 107%;">[17]</span></span><!--[endif]--></span></span></a><span lang="EN-CA"> Oral dialogue, February 22, 2016 at Indigenous Education Network
(IEN) at Ontario Institute for Studies in Education (OISE) at University of
Toronto<o:p></o:p></span></div>
</div>
<div id="ftn18">
<div class="MsoFootnoteText">
<a href="file:///C:/Users/perf_/Google%20Drive/MDP/2016%20-%20jan/PACS/Course%20paper/Ian%20-%20Course%20Paper.docx#_ftnref18" name="_ftn18" title=""><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span lang="EN-CA"><!--[if !supportFootnotes]--><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span lang="EN-CA" style="font-family: "calibri" , sans-serif; font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 107%;">[18]</span></span><!--[endif]--></span></span></a><span lang="EN-CA"> Douglas Sanderson stated this at the Nation to Nation panel at <i>Restoring Respectful Relationships:
Designing a Royal Proclamation of Reconciliation</i> Walter Gordon Symposium at
University of Toronto held, March 23 to 24, 2016<o:p></o:p></span></div>
</div>
<div id="ftn19">
<div class="MsoFootnoteText">
<a href="file:///C:/Users/perf_/Google%20Drive/MDP/2016%20-%20jan/PACS/Course%20paper/Ian%20-%20Course%20Paper.docx#_ftnref19" name="_ftn19" title=""><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span lang="EN-CA"><!--[if !supportFootnotes]--><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span lang="EN-CA" style="font-family: "calibri" , sans-serif; font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 107%;">[19]</span></span><!--[endif]--></span></span></a><span lang="EN-CA"> Paul Williams stated this at the Nation to Nation panel at <i>Restoring Respectful Relationships:
Designing a Royal Proclamation of Reconciliation</i> Walter Gordon Symposium at
University of Toronto held, March 23 to 24, 2016<o:p></o:p></span></div>
</div>
<div id="ftn20">
<div class="MsoFootnoteText">
<a href="file:///C:/Users/perf_/Google%20Drive/MDP/2016%20-%20jan/PACS/Course%20paper/Ian%20-%20Course%20Paper.docx#_ftnref20" name="_ftn20" title=""><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span lang="EN-CA"><!--[if !supportFootnotes]--><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span lang="EN-CA" style="font-family: "calibri" , sans-serif; font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 107%;">[20]</span></span><!--[endif]--></span></span></a><span lang="EN-CA"> Heather Dorries stated this at the Land and Treaty panel at <i>Restoring Respectful Relationships:
Designing a Royal Proclamation of Reconciliation</i> Walter Gordon Symposium at
University of Toronto held, March 23 to 24, 2016. She is an assistant professor
at Carleton University where she teachers Indigenous Policy and Administration
Program.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
</div>
<div id="ftn21">
<div class="MsoFootnoteText">
<a href="file:///C:/Users/perf_/Google%20Drive/MDP/2016%20-%20jan/PACS/Course%20paper/Ian%20-%20Course%20Paper.docx#_ftnref21" name="_ftn21" title=""><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span lang="EN-CA"><!--[if !supportFootnotes]--><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span lang="EN-CA" style="font-family: "calibri" , sans-serif; font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 107%;">[21]</span></span><!--[endif]--></span></span></a><span lang="EN-CA"> Deborah McGregor stated this at the Nation to Nation panel at <i>Restoring Respectful Relationships:
Designing a Royal Proclamation of Reconciliation</i> Walter Gordon Symposium at
University of Toronto held, March 23 to 24, 2016<o:p></o:p></span></div>
</div>
<div id="ftn22">
<div class="MsoFootnoteText">
<a href="file:///C:/Users/perf_/Google%20Drive/MDP/2016%20-%20jan/PACS/Course%20paper/Ian%20-%20Course%20Paper.docx#_ftnref22" name="_ftn22" title=""><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span lang="EN-CA"><!--[if !supportFootnotes]--><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span lang="EN-CA" style="font-family: "calibri" , sans-serif; font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 107%;">[22]</span></span><!--[endif]--></span></span></a><span lang="EN-CA"> John Kim Bell stated this at the Key Note Speech at <i>Restoring Respectful Relationships:
Designing a Royal Proclamation of Reconciliation</i> Walter Gordon Symposium at
University of Toronto held, March 23 to 24, 2016. He founded the National
Aboriginal Achievement Foundation.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
</div>
<div id="ftn23">
<div class="MsoFootnoteText">
<a href="file:///C:/Users/perf_/Google%20Drive/MDP/2016%20-%20jan/PACS/Course%20paper/Ian%20-%20Course%20Paper.docx#_ftnref23" name="_ftn23" title=""><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span lang="EN-CA"><!--[if !supportFootnotes]--><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span lang="EN-CA" style="font-family: "calibri" , sans-serif; font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 107%;">[23]</span></span><!--[endif]--></span></span></a><span lang="EN-CA"> Machiej Bartkowski presented at the ICNC Academic Seminar. <i>Civil Resistance; Scholarship and Practice</i>
held at University of Toronto on Feb 27-28 2016. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
</div>
<div id="ftn24">
<div class="MsoFootnoteText">
<a href="file:///C:/Users/perf_/Google%20Drive/MDP/2016%20-%20jan/PACS/Course%20paper/Ian%20-%20Course%20Paper.docx#_ftnref24" name="_ftn24" title=""><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span lang="EN-CA"><!--[if !supportFootnotes]--><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span lang="EN-CA" style="font-family: "calibri" , sans-serif; font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 107%;">[24]</span></span><!--[endif]--></span></span></a><span lang="EN-CA"> The speakers for the panel Educational Institutions Respond to the
TRC’s Report? at <i>Restoring Respectful
Relationships: Designing a Royal Proclamation of Reconciliation</i> Walter
Gordon Symposium at University of Toronto held, March 23 to 24, 2016<o:p></o:p></span></div>
</div>
<div id="ftn25">
<div class="MsoFootnoteText">
<a href="file:///C:/Users/perf_/Google%20Drive/MDP/2016%20-%20jan/PACS/Course%20paper/Ian%20-%20Course%20Paper.docx#_ftnref25" name="_ftn25" title=""><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span lang="EN-CA"><!--[if !supportFootnotes]--><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span lang="EN-CA" style="font-family: "calibri" , sans-serif; font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 107%;">[25]</span></span><!--[endif]--></span></span></a><span lang="EN-CA"> Cat Criger and Jackqui Lavalley oral dialogue, February 22, 2016 at
Indigenous Education Network (IEN) at Ontario Institute for Studies in
Education (OISE) at University of Toronto<o:p></o:p></span></div>
</div>
<div id="ftn26">
<div class="MsoFootnoteText">
<a href="file:///C:/Users/perf_/Google%20Drive/MDP/2016%20-%20jan/PACS/Course%20paper/Ian%20-%20Course%20Paper.docx#_ftnref26" name="_ftn26" title=""><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span lang="EN-CA"><!--[if !supportFootnotes]--><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span lang="EN-CA" style="font-family: "calibri" , sans-serif; font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 107%;">[26]</span></span><!--[endif]--></span></span></a><span lang="EN-CA"> Bob Rae stated this at the Key Note Panel at <i>Restoring Respectful Relationships: Designing a Royal Proclamation of
Reconciliation</i> Walter Gordon Symposium at University of Toronto heled,
March 23 to 24, 2016.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
</div>
<div id="ftn27">
<div class="MsoFootnoteText">
<a href="file:///C:/Users/perf_/Google%20Drive/MDP/2016%20-%20jan/PACS/Course%20paper/Ian%20-%20Course%20Paper.docx#_ftnref27" name="_ftn27" title=""><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span lang="EN-CA"><!--[if !supportFootnotes]--><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span lang="EN-CA" style="font-family: "calibri" , sans-serif; font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 107%;">[27]</span></span><!--[endif]--></span></span></a><span lang="EN-CA"> Hayden King stated this at the Land and Treaty panel at <i>Restoring Respectful Relationships:
Designing a Royal Proclamation of Reconciliation</i> Walter Gordon Symposium at
University of Toronto held, March 23 to 24, 2016.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
</div>
<div id="ftn28">
<div class="MsoFootnoteText">
<a href="file:///C:/Users/perf_/Google%20Drive/MDP/2016%20-%20jan/PACS/Course%20paper/Ian%20-%20Course%20Paper.docx#_ftnref28" name="_ftn28" title=""><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span lang="EN-CA"><!--[if !supportFootnotes]--><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span lang="EN-CA" style="font-family: "calibri" , sans-serif; font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 107%;">[28]</span></span><!--[endif]--></span></span></a><span lang="EN-CA"> Heather Dorries stated this at the Land and Treaty panel at <i>Restoring Respectful Relationships:
Designing a Royal Proclamation of Reconciliation</i> Walter Gordon Symposium at
University of Toronto held, March 23 to 24, 2016.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
</div>
<div id="ftn29">
<div class="MsoFootnoteText">
<a href="file:///C:/Users/perf_/Google%20Drive/MDP/2016%20-%20jan/PACS/Course%20paper/Ian%20-%20Course%20Paper.docx#_ftnref29" name="_ftn29" title=""><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span lang="EN-CA"><!--[if !supportFootnotes]--><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span lang="EN-CA" style="font-family: "calibri" , sans-serif; font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 107%;">[29]</span></span><!--[endif]--></span></span></a><span lang="EN-CA"> Arther Manual stated this at <i>150
years of Colonization and Self Determination</i> seminar on February 22<sup>nd</sup>,
2016<o:p></o:p></span></div>
</div>
<div id="ftn30">
<div class="MsoFootnoteText">
<a href="file:///C:/Users/perf_/Google%20Drive/MDP/2016%20-%20jan/PACS/Course%20paper/Ian%20-%20Course%20Paper.docx#_ftnref30" name="_ftn30" title=""><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span lang="EN-CA"><!--[if !supportFootnotes]--><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span lang="EN-CA" style="font-family: "calibri" , sans-serif; font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 107%;">[30]</span></span><!--[endif]--></span></span></a><span lang="EN-CA"> Renee McGurry stated this at the Education Institution Response to
TRC panel at <i>Restoring Respectful
Relationships: Designing a Royal Proclamation of Reconciliation</i> Walter
Gordon Symposium at University of Toronto held, March 23 to 24, 2016<o:p></o:p></span></div>
</div>
<div id="ftn31">
<div class="MsoFootnoteText">
<a href="file:///C:/Users/perf_/Google%20Drive/MDP/2016%20-%20jan/PACS/Course%20paper/Ian%20-%20Course%20Paper.docx#_ftnref31" name="_ftn31" title=""><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span lang="EN-CA"><!--[if !supportFootnotes]--><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span lang="EN-CA" style="font-family: "calibri" , sans-serif; font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 107%;">[31]</span></span><!--[endif]--></span></span></a><span lang="EN-CA"> John Kim Bell stated this at the Key Note Speech at <i>Restoring Respectful Relationships:
Designing a Royal Proclamation of Reconciliation</i> Walter Gordon Symposium at
University of Toronto held, March 23 to 24, 2016.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
</div>
<div id="ftn32">
<div class="MsoFootnoteText">
<a href="file:///C:/Users/perf_/Google%20Drive/MDP/2016%20-%20jan/PACS/Course%20paper/Ian%20-%20Course%20Paper.docx#_ftnref32" name="_ftn32" title=""><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span lang="EN-CA"><!--[if !supportFootnotes]--><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span lang="EN-CA" style="font-family: "calibri" , sans-serif; font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 107%;">[32]</span></span><!--[endif]--></span></span></a><span lang="EN-CA"> Dean Jacobs stated this at the Land and Treaty Relationship Panel
at <i>Restoring Respectful Relationships:
Designing a Royal Proclamation of Reconciliation</i> Walter Gordon Symposium at
University of Toronto held, March 23 to 24, 2016. He is the Consultation
Manager for Walpole Island First Nation. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
</div>
<div id="ftn33">
<div class="MsoFootnoteText">
<a href="file:///C:/Users/perf_/Google%20Drive/MDP/2016%20-%20jan/PACS/Course%20paper/Ian%20-%20Course%20Paper.docx#_ftnref33" name="_ftn33" title=""><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span lang="EN-CA"><!--[if !supportFootnotes]--><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span lang="EN-CA" style="font-family: "calibri" , sans-serif; font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 107%;">[33]</span></span><!--[endif]--></span></span></a><span lang="EN-CA"> Hayden King stated this at the Land and Treaty panel at <i>Restoring Respectful Relationships:
Designing a Royal Proclamation of Reconciliation</i> Walter Gordon Symposium at
University of Toronto held, March 23 to 24, 2016<o:p></o:p></span></div>
</div>
<div id="ftn34">
<div class="MsoFootnoteText">
<a href="file:///C:/Users/perf_/Google%20Drive/MDP/2016%20-%20jan/PACS/Course%20paper/Ian%20-%20Course%20Paper.docx#_ftnref34" name="_ftn34" title=""><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span lang="EN-CA"><!--[if !supportFootnotes]--><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span lang="EN-CA" style="font-family: "calibri" , sans-serif; font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 107%;">[34]</span></span><!--[endif]--></span></span></a><span lang="EN-CA"> Hayden King stated this at the Land and Treaty panel at <i>Restoring Respectful Relationships:
Designing a Royal Proclamation of Reconciliation</i> Walter Gordon Symposium at
University of Toronto held, March 23 to 24, 2016<o:p></o:p></span></div>
</div>
</div>
</div>
explorationsevohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17212906449642223302noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8353026390807692341.post-23980223375427398182015-09-30T20:20:00.000-04:002015-09-30T20:20:12.101-04:00How to save the world in 17 different ways. UN Sustainable Development Goals<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://i.ytimg.com/vi/uX7jI0TPVbg/maxresdefault.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://i.ytimg.com/vi/uX7jI0TPVbg/maxresdefault.jpg" height="240" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br /></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: inherit;">We’ve all heard it before, the world is coming to an end,
not necessarily in an apocalyptic way, but due to our own faults. It could be
because of inequality, oppression, terrorism, war, climate change, or corruption
amongst many many other reasons we can conjure of. It’s maybe even sadder that
no one wants to do anything about it and even for those who do, do not know how
to make a difference. We become apathetic and desensitized and let inaction
guide our actions. While countries across the world suffer, others benefit and
nothing seems to be changing. And because of this, we have ultimately accepted
our faith in humanity to die in crashing burning flames. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: inherit;">But you didn’t come here to read this. You came to see if
there’s something that can be done, what is </span><span style="font-family: inherit;">being done, and what can be changed
to motivate yourself. September 25</span><sup style="font-family: inherit;">th</sup><span style="font-family: inherit;"> to the 27</span><sup style="font-family: inherit;">th</sup><span style="font-family: inherit;"> 2015,
marks a momentous day in history and you probably didn’t even know it.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div>
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjgivNjJWCo0KAE4zU1eOCNFSronMv9SxdNlnDMWZp7alvW2ajoS84UnLzySCwZNvdibeyIc5xlWp-eucQgJqejzXL3dHw6fCNU3P3_Oxdc0msSSG2L7B_sUv8yHNUubRu_ob0i7xC1-MOJ/s1600/IMG_20150923_094011.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjgivNjJWCo0KAE4zU1eOCNFSronMv9SxdNlnDMWZp7alvW2ajoS84UnLzySCwZNvdibeyIc5xlWp-eucQgJqejzXL3dHw6fCNU3P3_Oxdc0msSSG2L7B_sUv8yHNUubRu_ob0i7xC1-MOJ/s400/IMG_20150923_094011.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">ICSD conference I presented at<br />regarding the UN Sustainable Development Goals</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: inherit;">That was the day all the countries in the world collective
decided to adopt the <a href="https://sustainabledevelopment.un.org/?menu=1300" target="_blank">Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)</a> to attempt to solve
the world’s problems. Yes, you read that right. We decided to try and solve
world problems collectively. During the UN General Assembly during that weekend, the countries decided to take up another 15 years effort (the first 15
years being the Millenium Development Goals (MDGs) which expired 2015). What
are these problems in the world, you may ask? Well, I’ll reverse the question
onto you. What do you perceive to be world problems? Poverty? Climate change?
Inequality? War? </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: inherit;">Well, 17 goals that were signed on by all the countries aim to
solve all these and more. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: inherit;"></span></div>
<a name='more'></a><br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: inherit;">Professor Jeffrey Sachs, being a special advisor to both the
MDGs and SDGs gathered the 3<sup>rd</sup> <a href="http://ic-sd.org/" target="_blank">International Conference on Sustainable Development (ICSD)</a> which aims to bring the world of academia and
practice together. My personal plug here – I presented at this conference. High
profile people included UN delegates and Presidents from the Global North and South
to discuss the issues and solutions to achieving these 17 goals.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://one_org_international.s3.amazonaws.com/international/media/international/2015/07/Screen-Shot-2015-07-08-at-15.10.17.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://one_org_international.s3.amazonaws.com/international/media/international/2015/07/Screen-Shot-2015-07-08-at-15.10.17.png" height="313" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://sustainabledevelopment.un.org/?menu=1300" target="_blank">United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (UNSDG)</a></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: inherit;">Why is this important? In case we’re not completely aware,
the world can use a lot of work - even if it isn't going to end. These are “sustainable” goals, aimed toward creating a better world. And you are part of this world.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div>
<h2 style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;">How do you do it?</span></h2>
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjgzj2l_aUKvPR_Pq_Rg6kId_eobSE9jw0wXQpZaKKreGLpjuigQZh_Ur00mchdaQNi36GK9yrEJvMPRBQPCCPEJYeaGlqm0McIHuwTmn2VdEUJQ2WLrs25eYT-RZvSdcyMW78_B3RtmmD8/s1600/IMG_20150923_074604.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjgzj2l_aUKvPR_Pq_Rg6kId_eobSE9jw0wXQpZaKKreGLpjuigQZh_Ur00mchdaQNi36GK9yrEJvMPRBQPCCPEJYeaGlqm0McIHuwTmn2VdEUJQ2WLrs25eYT-RZvSdcyMW78_B3RtmmD8/s400/IMG_20150923_074604.jpg" width="300" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">I presented at the SDG side event for ICSD <br />put together by Jeff Sachs</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: inherit;">But how can one person, an individual, make a change and contribute
to these goals? If we begin to look around at our daily life and what we can
do, small actions can go a long way. Purchasing your food from organic farmers,
for example, at your local farmers market (just google it, you’ll find some). Reading
labels and know where and what you’re buying. Start asking questions, trace back a single purchase; where does my clothing come from? Who makes it?
How much are they paid? What are their conditions? What can be done to make it
better? <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: inherit;">Become more educated, aware, and conscious of social
conditions. The more we become aware of our purchasing habits the more we
realize the consequences of these purchases. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: inherit;">How can someone further contribute to saving the world? Go
to the <a href="https://sustainabledevelopment.un.org/?menu=1300" target="_blank">SDG website</a>, <a href="https://sustainabledevelopment.un.org/partnerships" target="_blank">find a nongovernmet organization NGO</a> that are trying to fulfill the targets that
contribute to these 17 goals. Reach out to contact them and participate. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: inherit;">Your inaction will only further perpetuate everything you
hate about the world. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: inherit;">There’s not much time left. Go take action. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
</div>
explorationsevohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17212906449642223302noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8353026390807692341.post-78288945307515017802015-07-19T00:24:00.000-04:002015-10-02T05:07:59.131-04:00Gaza During and After - "My message to the American people..."<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjshwm4-dGytZ5w1B6jqbPEEJBYyV4UiWV5dTSJbXibT-A1Pfh7Eqvs-KPhAJLeVkIs0EC53W63Iw9KithFbmpEaRfJndDj-oay4PzbYgA2mWu0bA3PnEg_1_DqmIQAkL5UGC9-9QPJ77Jq/s1600/screen+shot+-+blame+the+americans.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="272" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjshwm4-dGytZ5w1B6jqbPEEJBYyV4UiWV5dTSJbXibT-A1Pfh7Eqvs-KPhAJLeVkIs0EC53W63Iw9KithFbmpEaRfJndDj-oay4PzbYgA2mWu0bA3PnEg_1_DqmIQAkL5UGC9-9QPJ77Jq/s400/screen+shot+-+blame+the+americans.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
"Gaza During and After" is a documentary by my colleague Tarek when he was working as a journalist.<br />
<br />
In 2008, he produced a documentary showcasing the Palestinians daily life, suffering and resilience during the Israeli siege. Using internationally banned weapons, they targeted social infrastructure to destroy livelihoods so that the Palestinians do not have a source of income, trade or a way to live. The documentary takes us through Palestinian lives that the Western media rarely shows. Scroll to the bottom to watch the documentary.<br />
<br />
<div style="text-align: right;">
<i><span style="font-size: large;">"They shot her even though she was the one</span></i><br />
<i><span style="font-size: large;"> carrying the white flag, the flag of peace"</span></i></div>
<div style="text-align: right;">
<br /></div>
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgiePYwROR0zIYkphZW37HR5FfKvJ_O-7_hB2Hn4wmPgyhfYHHYHzgTFVBHpKlz-xLTwVh1cnasvSR-vOrwcThn3Bc_mvByKuuwLKhGrEra9OI1BmzsqAHbxiAD1cZBPIulvcrUMvW82CTK/s1600/palestine+loves+peace.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="448" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgiePYwROR0zIYkphZW37HR5FfKvJ_O-7_hB2Hn4wmPgyhfYHHYHzgTFVBHpKlz-xLTwVh1cnasvSR-vOrwcThn3Bc_mvByKuuwLKhGrEra9OI1BmzsqAHbxiAD1cZBPIulvcrUMvW82CTK/s640/palestine+loves+peace.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Palestinians wants peace and is asking for global support to achieve it</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<i></i><br />
<i></i>
<i>"We want these pictures to reach the European and American people so that they can see. Let the American people see what is happening to the Palestinian people... enough, enough destruction, let us live!" </i><br />
<i><br /></i>
<i>"He wants the American people to know that they are unknowingly contributing to the predicament of the Palestinian people"</i><br />
<br />
America, being the largest supporter of arms deal to Israel, is being blamed. They believe if citizens in America sees what is happening here, they will push their government to stop supplying arms to Israel. However, this is happening because <i>"they see the events in our region through the perspective of Israeli media." </i>And this perspective is of "Americans Jews portray[ing] Israel as a last line of defense against another Holocaust and paint its actions as purely defensive." <span style="background-color: white; line-height: 26px;">(</span><a href="http://alj.am/wz2e" style="line-height: 26px;" target="_blank">American Aljazeera</a><span style="background-color: white; line-height: 26px;">, 2015)</span><br />
<br />
Furthermore, as of late (2010 onwards), Canada's actions has been supplying Israel with arms as well, with the Harper government ramping up his war machine to create a more militant Canada on the world stage. Canada's reputation as a peace keeper, recognized by a Nobel Peace prize to Lester B. Pearson in 1957 for creating the UN Peacekeepers, is being demolished by the Canadian conservative government. This documentary is as much for Canadians, Europeans and other countries supporting Israel as it is for Americans. <a href="http://ottawacitizen.com/news/national/the-harper-doctrine-why-canadas-prime-minister-supports-israel" target="_blank">Read more about Canada's involvement with Israel</a>.<br />
<br />
I do not condone violence from either side, but Israel is literally shooting fish (Palestinians) in a barrel with superior firepower and support. That crime against humanity is what needs to be known. Once its known, there can be more global pressure to force governments to stop supplying arms and begin the process of reconciliation.<br />
<br />
<a name='more'></a><div style="text-align: right;">
<i>Soft targets and destruction of livelihoods</i></div>
<div style="text-align: right;">
<i><br /></i></div>
Soft targets where the main targets in 2008. UN Refugees camps were targeted by the Israeli military were bombed inside Palestine in the UN compound in Gaza even though they clearly marked as UN facilities. Millions of dollars worth of food and medicine were destroyed. Image below shows UN and International Red Crescent trying to evacuate people from a school while phosphorus bombs rain down.<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhalwPpgDGymYNkBFRkxN5H322tfHxgybusZDPsEPxmuixJ9pr1cSLq_WbZC9WEs2Mdmvv-jqJGxP7XQFwiqE0l5r0TUuBZGa-XTTqNKuBW0Rp2381nnEVo-VOj-1tGsKrTSN8Ozi_Q2RBv/s1600/phosphorus+bombs+in+school+with+red+crescent+and+un.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="446" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhalwPpgDGymYNkBFRkxN5H322tfHxgybusZDPsEPxmuixJ9pr1cSLq_WbZC9WEs2Mdmvv-jqJGxP7XQFwiqE0l5r0TUuBZGa-XTTqNKuBW0Rp2381nnEVo-VOj-1tGsKrTSN8Ozi_Q2RBv/s640/phosphorus+bombs+in+school+with+red+crescent+and+un.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">Seen here, International Red Crescent and UN personnel, providing neutral humanitarian aid fighting phosphorus fire and evacuating people while Israelis target a school. They are also being targeted.</span><br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: x-small;"><br /></span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiN7BMwRxryn9zUZyEQJZyScRQRrkSHfP6kdH8nQvjPpPhAHmlnm5hl63qweI0lUoPhWtgj5vy2kYbk0dvpm4zL965hTfhC_eBZHWOQOuyB6u4GeYrGT83jh-L4OCk1XYmpspNKlFwFpa82/s1600/John+Ging.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="221" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiN7BMwRxryn9zUZyEQJZyScRQRrkSHfP6kdH8nQvjPpPhAHmlnm5hl63qweI0lUoPhWtgj5vy2kYbk0dvpm4zL965hTfhC_eBZHWOQOuyB6u4GeYrGT83jh-L4OCk1XYmpspNKlFwFpa82/s320/John+Ging.jpg" width="320" /></a><br />
Factories that produced goods were targeted. The aim of this attack was to cripple the economy and infrastructure to destroy livelihoods, morale and their ability to sustain themselves, ultimately leading to their death.<br />
<br />
<div style="text-align: right;">
<i>Violence begets violence</i><br />
<div>
<i><br /></i></div>
</div>
"It's easy to predict the future, if people don't have justice people will turn to violence to get justice" Said John Ging, with the UN Relief and Works Agency (UNRWA) "That's human nature everywhere" addressing the indiscriminate attacks on civilians.<br />
<div style="text-align: right;">
<br /></div>
And as soon as John Ging said that, the next clip is of young men asking for support from Arab nations to help arm them so they can defend themselves against the invasion of Israel. This also shows and implies that Palestinians do not have weapons to defend themselves against fighter jets, missiles and superior firepower.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhGEgKnwP_XVroKZY8tO5EzU1AvuD8hbff2Nz-yDwQzPGNfmZR9_7F2IcZ1GxBj_0DWrGipJ-eqK1UwlH4KuquBdGwePZppkdYyMBXgJkP5zKINaEF03esKKzxL7CT40geB1ISbRRivezAA/s1600/support+palestine.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="444" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhGEgKnwP_XVroKZY8tO5EzU1AvuD8hbff2Nz-yDwQzPGNfmZR9_7F2IcZ1GxBj_0DWrGipJ-eqK1UwlH4KuquBdGwePZppkdYyMBXgJkP5zKINaEF03esKKzxL7CT40geB1ISbRRivezAA/s640/support+palestine.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Gaza during and after documentary, Palestinian youth addressing 2008 Israel siege</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgnIE2c2d5Z5rCHbxibEJOaLWd6m5yXXG_FfcyoEuNWOJK-z6shGFiSWvWRfRiqB79kknCg4FDSpZLrVaZ1WXijIKSl4rSyrFBJPjntTM3uQhHnM7e9akaSKEsMYxmU9LSUS6Zt4il-y6i6/s1600/we+need+weapons+for+defense.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="440" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgnIE2c2d5Z5rCHbxibEJOaLWd6m5yXXG_FfcyoEuNWOJK-z6shGFiSWvWRfRiqB79kknCg4FDSpZLrVaZ1WXijIKSl4rSyrFBJPjntTM3uQhHnM7e9akaSKEsMYxmU9LSUS6Zt4il-y6i6/s640/we+need+weapons+for+defense.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: 12.8000001907349px;">Gaza during and after documentary, Palestinian youth addressing 2008 Israel siege</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
"When we talk about the war being over, no it's not over. How can it be over when you are stopping basic human freedoms. Remember in this world the issue of human rights is something the USA was built on." Says Rizwan Hussein at the Human Appeal International. The crimes against humanity are devastating, where social infrastructure, schools and hospitals are deliberately targeted.<br />
<br />
To get supplies around the siege, "siege breakers" are at the front line digging tunnels under the border to Egypt to transfer supplies in. Supplies such as food, medicine and other basic necessities. This move is desperate but is the only way to continue to feed the population and bring medical supplies.<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjr5EYqZm3cr4a6YZ4IkF1yjK2mTI83_xBzrLB2XwCsRoG88b607rpRl4qeRnz032wDX3kKdSrKY00eLb3lmUJAPes3A3eqcrYPnpEiGUZGcFw4A1UsUiFoNSkYoAliXcfzWTCtPa-KgRRE/s1600/tunnels.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="443" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjr5EYqZm3cr4a6YZ4IkF1yjK2mTI83_xBzrLB2XwCsRoG88b607rpRl4qeRnz032wDX3kKdSrKY00eLb3lmUJAPes3A3eqcrYPnpEiGUZGcFw4A1UsUiFoNSkYoAliXcfzWTCtPa-KgRRE/s640/tunnels.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Tarek interviewing the "siege breakers", who are the tunnel diggers to get supply into Gaza</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<div style="text-align: right;">
<i><a href="http://alj.am/wz2e" target="_blank">A Palestinian walks into a Synagogue</a></i></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Outside of the documentary though, not all hope is lost. There have been Jewish support of Palestine, "</span><span style="background-color: white; color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">It is thus not surprising that Holocaust survivors and their descendants </span><a href="http://www.bbc.com/news/world-middle-east-28916761" style="text-decoration: none;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #2677b9; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">openly opposed Israel’s onslaught</span></a><span style="background-color: white; color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> on Gaza last summer" and that "If anyone could empathize with being a Palestinian, it would probably be someone of Jewish background" (</span><a href="http://alj.am/wz2e" style="text-decoration: none;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #1155cc; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">American Aljazeera</span></a><span style="background-color: white; color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">, 2015). This is because they are both peoples of Diaspora. This goes to show that there is support and not all hope is utterly lost. </span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span id="docs-internal-guid-258e6a69-a47f-a63e-a422-906bf87d2194"><br /></span></div>
<div>
And last few words from the siege breakers.</div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQm5uRnk_B5tZes-PMrSInzh76Ku5jy95kgxxoEVzdzUlakcF1KeDoLH1cVaWZPmtJqvOzrEtbPd-8QzoGS-52jokSEZDgjreLuGBbKfQ8HnjaY9bPqZqnUT8Jtp9J1-010t0O7IgJszqH/s1600/resist.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="434" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQm5uRnk_B5tZes-PMrSInzh76Ku5jy95kgxxoEVzdzUlakcF1KeDoLH1cVaWZPmtJqvOzrEtbPd-8QzoGS-52jokSEZDgjreLuGBbKfQ8HnjaY9bPqZqnUT8Jtp9J1-010t0O7IgJszqH/s640/resist.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Palestinian siege breaker's slogan. </td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div>
<br />
<br />
<h3 style="text-align: left;">
<b>Watch the documentary here</b></h3>
<br /></div>
</div>
<iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="500" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/OVFEBiyoyvg" width="650"></iframe></div>
explorationsevohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17212906449642223302noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8353026390807692341.post-2844488528918799552015-06-01T17:08:00.000-04:002015-06-01T17:08:34.349-04:00Mad Max: Feminism Road<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<span style="font-family: inherit;">Let's be frank. I'm a guy. When I heard Mad Max was coming out and saw the trailer for it, there was no way I was going to <i>not</i> see this movie; especially in pursuit of Imax 3D, because let's face it, if this movie was made to be visually appealing as a priority, you don't want to skimp on the cinematic. Suddenly Facebook feed was littered with pro fesminist Mad Max. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br />
</span><br />
<a href="http://41.media.tumblr.com/b3a8c4c246c0e70d392cfd726dfb9cb6/tumblr_nojg9bXd7Z1uw1s6ho1_1280.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><img border="0" src="http://41.media.tumblr.com/b3a8c4c246c0e70d392cfd726dfb9cb6/tumblr_nojg9bXd7Z1uw1s6ho1_1280.jpg" height="212" width="320" /></span></a><span style="font-family: inherit;">It started with the tumblr blog. I rolled my eyes on the pro feminist Mad Max "hey girl" memes on <a href="http://feministmadmax.tumblr.com/" target="_blank">"Hey Girl" tumblr</a>. Point taken. Women are strong and this movie supports it, not that I was thinking that at all watching the movie, nor any gender equality statements for that matter. However, when I read the article produced by <a href="http://www.cnn.com/2015/05/15/entertainment/mad-max-fury-road-boycott-mens-rights-thr-feat/" target="_blank">CNN about men's rights activists boycotting Mad Max</a>, they made men look really bad. The opening paragaph writes</span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span>
<div style="text-align: right;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;"> "<i>A well-known "men's right activist" blog is calling for the boycott of the postapocalyptic film"Mad Max: Fury Road" for being a "</i><i>feminist</i><i> piece of propoganda posing as a guy flick." </i></span></div>
<div style="text-align: right;">
<br /></div>
<span style="font-family: inherit;">Quick search on Google pulled up the full piece titled: <a href="http://www.returnofkings.com/63036/why-you-should-not-go-see-mad-max-feminist-road" target="_blank">Why you should not go see Mad Max: Feminism Road</a> written by Aaron Clarey. Eye balls are rolling around all over. And so are the rhetorical questions:</span><br />
<br />
<a name='more'></a><br />
<ul style="text-align: left;">
<li><span style="font-family: inherit;">Why should men put down women who are praising themselves? Isn't awesome that they love themselves and show that they can be strong? </span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: inherit;">Don't you want a strong independent woman in your life that can not only take care of herself, but you also? </span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: inherit;">Are you so machoistic you're going to hate on a film that glorifies women's abilities to fight? You were beat up by a girl when you were younger weren't you?</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: inherit;">Even though there is a targetting demograph for certain movies, anyone can watch any movie and who cares if chicks are strong independent women in a "guy flick"? Isn't that even better? </span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: inherit;">So you're telling me, you don't like scantily clad women in fight scenes? I'm sorry to hear you're impotent and enjoy watching ripped men humping ripped men in other movies (though there's nothing wrong with that either - just ironic for a men's rights activist group to hate on objectifying women).</span></li>
<li>Don't you want a Furiosa who can handle herself and kick ass when she's out and about with her friends and a group of shady sex-depraved men hound them down?</li>
<li>Aren't you sick of the "femme fatale" characters? </li>
<li><span style="font-family: inherit;">Don't you love your mother? Don't you want her to be strong?</span></li>
</ul>
<span style="font-family: inherit;">In hindsight, the visual aspect of amazingly attractive women in the movie scantily clad can also be seen as objectification of women. The fact that they were sex slaves. The "vulnerable woman" motif was sprinkled here and there in the movie. And the fact that Mad Max still saves Furiosa in the end by donating blood showing how much of man he is. Wait, that could be seen as gender equal as Furiosa did kill Immortal Joe; and thus feminism.</span><br />
<div>
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-family: inherit;">Infact, h<a href="http://whatculture.com/film/mad-max-fury-road-10-reasons-it-isnt-actually-feminist.php" target="_blank">ere's listicle of why Mad Max isn't really feminist at all.</a></span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-family: inherit;">I don't know if this was the intention, though probably not, of George Miller to incorporate these ideas into the movie. However he did want to make the cinematics a priority of the movie over the dialogue. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: inherit;">When it comes down to it though, beyond all the feminist hype and mens' activist group, the movie itself is a amped up rock and roll movie that just has 2 hours of visually appealing car explosions, fire tornadoes, incredibly well directed cinematography, visual humour - especially the guitar guy rocking out dangled by strings infront of the speakers is just probably the best thing ever. If you haven't seen it yet, pay the extra money for the eye candy.</span></div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div>
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/uNzoCWN9q70" width="560"></iframe><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div>
<br /></div>
explorationsevohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17212906449642223302noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8353026390807692341.post-47015038885084076212015-04-30T15:48:00.001-04:002015-04-30T15:57:36.561-04:00A quick whip around Quebec Maritime<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-q6AXxmG7J3Q/VUJ7TLBrVMI/AAAAAAAAGz0/c-MzxkhrPZ8/s1600/IMG_7200.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-q6AXxmG7J3Q/VUJ7TLBrVMI/AAAAAAAAGz0/c-MzxkhrPZ8/s1600/IMG_7200.JPG" height="213" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Old Spaghetti house in Rimouski</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div>
After breaking my ankle, my anticipated trip of spending 4 nights in the back country of Jacques Cartier National Park just north of Quebec city fell through. Instead, I chose to hobble around the Gaspesie cap of Maritime Quebec, an area I haven't visited since I was in my single digit years. However, a lifetime ago, I was also a tour guide to Quebec City for middle school students, before I moved to Korea. The city and I have history together. This could be a suggested itinerary for those looking for a short trip to Quebec. Using my aeroplan miles, I was able to score a 2 for 1 flight out to Quebec city and back. </div>
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-bTWxHU3AOCA/VUJ7IJAJ2aI/AAAAAAAAGz0/mzpePO8_EyQ/s1600/IMG_7217.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-bTWxHU3AOCA/VUJ7IJAJ2aI/AAAAAAAAGz0/mzpePO8_EyQ/s1600/IMG_7217.JPG" height="213" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Light house with flying butress</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
The morning we landed, we picked up the rental car and charged our way out to Rimouski with previous plans of camping also at Parc National du Bic. However, we ended up staying at <a href="https://www.booking.com/hotel/ca/le-motel-au-soleil-couchant.html?dksc=2&aid=375025&label=postbooking_confemail&et=UmFuZG9tSVYkc2RlIyh9YZpz5opxAaarSeXnM9KW9tEepzdPc+SLavSKGR+1dNfYhc2rd6BI+ndONcLMEiblcw2O39Y8C6SAcgt800vr4hq4w0lLCpjMCr12EcgrHEc3wNLVZavV87YDUaQ1pjUiz1Io6RwKkKh5RmzU5IP5GKIuiUeZ5I6wXogBoo0JQLCY9qIFaBkXMFA=" target="_blank">Motel au Soleil Couchant</a>. In the morning, we went to do a quick peek at the historical site of Pointe au Pere, where one of six light house with flying buttresses still stand today. The St. Lawrence River defined what Canada become through out history as it is the gateway into as far as the prairies. Control over this waterway during the colonial years meant the control over the rest of the continent. It allowed large amounts of support, troops, settlers and otherwise to enter into the interior of North America. These light houses light the way through the treacherous shallows of the river. </div>
<div>
<a name='more'></a></div>
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-thRaETwAenY/VUJ8DUFnBOI/AAAAAAAAGz0/itmsRc3ji7g/s1600/IMG_7232.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-thRaETwAenY/VUJ8DUFnBOI/AAAAAAAAGz0/itmsRc3ji7g/s1600/IMG_7232.JPG" height="213" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Traditional houses in Maritime Quebec</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div>
Our next night landed us right into Gaspe, just outside of Forillon National Park. We stayed at <a href="https://www.booking.com/hotel/ca/auberge-la-petite-acole-de-forillon.en-gb.html?aid=304142;sid=e165705ad220ea2dc2fb2ec68d5c8c48;dcid=2" target="_blank">Auberge La Petite Ecole de Forillon</a>. Given my ankle, not much hiking could be done through the snow that sat on the ground through the early spring. It was a great change of pace and view than the normal grind of the city life. The Maritimes of Quebec provided a quick little vacation with seafood and Appalachian mountain views. Even in the midst of the rain, the cloud covered mountains exuded their presence as we drove through their valleys. Out into Gaspe, the sleepy little town, the gulf of the St. Lawrence the cold ocean air served to remind me of how I miss my travels. The <i>poisonneries</i>, or fish markets, carried a large variety of sea food, fresh right from the ocean that is indicative of maritime towns.</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-56_fs5XeULw/VUJ9yyS_szI/AAAAAAAAGz0/XGSNfwGw5RY/s1600/IMG_7808.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-56_fs5XeULw/VUJ9yyS_szI/AAAAAAAAGz0/XGSNfwGw5RY/s1600/IMG_7808.JPG" height="213" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Coastal towns of Maritime Quebec on the St. Lawrence</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div>
The next driving day took us through the interior of the Appalachian mountain range through the middle of Gaspe. We took a day at St. Anne des Monts and stayed at <a href="https://www.booking.com/hotel/ca/auberge-la-vieille-acole-sainte-anne-des-monts.en-gb.html?aid=304142;sid=e165705ad220ea2dc2fb2ec68d5c8c48;dcid=5" target="_blank">Auberge International La Vielle Ecole.</a> The drive took us up to 600m Above Sea Level (ASL). The day after we followed the road back into Quebec City. We stayed at <a href="https://www.booking.com/hotel/ca/auberge-maison-roy.en-gb.html?aid=375025;sid=e165705ad220ea2dc2fb2ec68d5c8c48;dcid=2" target="_blank">Maison du Roy</a></div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
Quebec city itself, being one of the first cities in North America, over 400 years old, carries a rich distinct European flavour in her architectural layout. Especially in <i>Le Vieux</i>, the city's cobble stone originate from France herself. They were shipped across on the voyages through the Atlantic as ballast and unloaded the stones into the city, while carrying the riches of the New World back to France. With these bricks, Quebec City was laid down brick by brick. </div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-DC1t4_o63lU/VUKElp_pjpI/AAAAAAAAGz0/8NVr6rGSYXo/s1600/IMG_8045.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-DC1t4_o63lU/VUKElp_pjpI/AAAAAAAAGz0/8NVr6rGSYXo/s1600/IMG_8045.JPG" height="213" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Chez Marie where you can buy fresh oven baked bread</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div>
We visited <i>Beaupre</i>, or beautiful meadows, as declared by Samuel de Champlain and visited the Bascilica of St. Anne (Jesus's grandmother). With Neo-Gothic and Romanesque styles of architecture, this church was rebuilt three times due to fire and other catastrophes. The church is located on Avenue Royale, one of the first roads in North America. On this road lays Chez Marie, where you can purchase fresh baked bread that are cooked in her wood oven as traditional as can be, in their red roofed traditional Quebec houses. Red depicted their influence and power as in the 1600's, building roofs with blood from cattle implied you were rich to own so many cows you can use their blood to paint the roof red. Green roofs meant wealth as the roofs were built with copper (same as the Parliament buildings in Ottawa) but would oxidize and become green, which would increase the strength of the roof. Stairs would be built on the outside of the house as winter time would bury entirely, the first story door and so they can still enter and exit through the second story. </div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-Jh8KaEEU1ms/VUKE2ihtFfI/AAAAAAAAGz0/d0TyFVWT3vc/s1600/IMG_8046.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-Jh8KaEEU1ms/VUKE2ihtFfI/AAAAAAAAGz0/d0TyFVWT3vc/s1600/IMG_8046.JPG" height="213" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Montmorency Falls</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div>
Quebec means the narrowing of the river in a Native language and the source of it's name. The Citadel located right at the Cap Diamat, provided protection to those entering the river and into the lakes. As mentioned before, those who control the river, control the flow of supplies into the new lands. Placing a fort right at the bottle neck of this river is a smart militarily strategic placement. In 1759, however, the British camped across the river in Levis and spent the summer months bombarding Quebec city, sieging it. The battle of the Plains of Abraham occurred after the siege between General Montcalme and General Wolf. The British won and General Wolf declared victory. In the winter, there was resistance in St. Foy, now suburb of Quebec City, to try and defeat the British, but ultimately, the clearing of the ice in the St. Lawrence river in spring would seal the victors of the battle. As the ice cleared up, the first ship down the St. Lawrence were the British ships, sealing the transition of power from the French to the British in the New World in 1760. </div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
As the history lesson ends in Quebec, we return the car to Jean Lesage airport and boarded the short flight back to Toronto to wrap up a little historical vacation. </div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
<br /></div>
</div>
explorationsevohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17212906449642223302noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8353026390807692341.post-7921308165218346352015-03-28T12:55:00.000-04:002015-03-28T12:56:08.151-04:00Water Security in Trinidad<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjYdjMXqVe1s5rxbPF9sj1DZu1gbzv7o7IrSpEl7GMVBJbtItaoXBgxYjQYt95pWejVM69YVEGHh90eUpRQmLKTDEWUwq0QAOWZDKo3alYwTjdxmw05PayppJuLLaPYdTy-lIY-CMWsQ_k0/s1600/wasa_treatment_facility_and_reservoir_-_navet_dam_edit.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="color: black; font-family: inherit;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjYdjMXqVe1s5rxbPF9sj1DZu1gbzv7o7IrSpEl7GMVBJbtItaoXBgxYjQYt95pWejVM69YVEGHh90eUpRQmLKTDEWUwq0QAOWZDKo3alYwTjdxmw05PayppJuLLaPYdTy-lIY-CMWsQ_k0/s1600/wasa_treatment_facility_and_reservoir_-_navet_dam_edit.jpg" height="141" width="320" /></span></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">The class at Navet Dam WASA treatment facility</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div dir="ltr" style="margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="font-size: 15px; line-height: 20.7000007629395px; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">As part of my masters program at the University of Waterloo in Masters of Development Practice, on the course of Water Security, I was sent down to Trinidad and Tobago to do research and understand more of the subject area. To track my understanding and what I've learned through the research, a journal for each day was produced. These are my thoughts as I go through my days in Trinidad and Tobago. The University of West Indies (UWI) helped host our trip. Naturally, we were discussing issues with the professors and various students. </span></span></div>
<div dir="ltr" style="margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="font-size: 15px; line-height: 20.7000007629395px; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div dir="ltr" style="margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="font-size: 15px; line-height: 20.7000007629395px; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">The different sites we had explored included Waste and Sewage Authority (WASA) treatment plant, aquaponics facility, University of West Indies, tourism association, and the Department of Natural Resource in the forestry sector. We spent 3 days in Trinidad and 2 days in Tobago.</span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: 15px; line-height: 20.7000007629395px; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></span>
<br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: 15px; line-height: 20.7000007629395px; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><a href="https://plus.google.com/photos/112693792487143117215/albums/6119204808781668641?authkey=CJ_wsvOinYHfBg" target="_blank">To skip right to the pictures click here >></a></span></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<span style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><a href="https://plus.google.com/photos/112693792487143117215/albums/6119204808781668641?authkey=CJ_wsvOinYHfBg" target="_blank"><img alt="https://plus.google.com/photos/112693792487143117215/albums/6119204808781668641?authkey=CJ_wsvOinYHfBg" border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-yHRn_Sp8lVo/VOvIWatL3qI/AAAAAAAAGjw/H1VErv2szzA/s1600/water%2Bsecurity%2Bin%2Btrinidad%2Bwith%2Bmy%2Bmasters%2Bprogram%2B-%2B47" height="236" width="320" /></a></span></div>
<span style="font-size: 15px; line-height: 20.7000007629395px; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div dir="ltr" style="margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="font-size: 15px; line-height: 20.7000007629395px; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div dir="ltr" style="margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="font-size: 15px; font-weight: bold; line-height: 1.38; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Feb 15 - Predeparture Trinidad and Tobago</span></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-e9CYal-Jcz4/VOvIWeRAKUI/AAAAAAAAGSU/55U0qQDv3Fk/s1600/water%2Bsecurity%2Bin%2Btrinidad%2Bwith%2Bmy%2Bmasters%2Bprogram%2B-%2B46" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="color: black; font-family: inherit;"></span></a></div>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-e9CYal-Jcz4/VOvIWeRAKUI/AAAAAAAAGjw/QwCEH2x3uuI/s1600/water%2Bsecurity%2Bin%2Btrinidad%2Bwith%2Bmy%2Bmasters%2Bprogram%2B-%2B46" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-e9CYal-Jcz4/VOvIWeRAKUI/AAAAAAAAGjw/QwCEH2x3uuI/s1600/water%2Bsecurity%2Bin%2Btrinidad%2Bwith%2Bmy%2Bmasters%2Bprogram%2B-%2B46" height="236" width="320" /></a></div>
<span style="background-color: transparent; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">The pre departure, and the first, log. The expectations for this trip is simply just trying to beat the heat the first day and then dive right into seeing, learning and experiencing the country. While gazing over the academic part of the program, it came to my attention that I knew very little about Trinidad and water security other than the little research I have done. I’m hoping to gain insightful knowledge of water issues and measures the country is taking to implement to improve their water supply. Though, what issues remain a mystery to me, however, I can speculate non-potable water, lack of access and infrastructure to supply the population. These issues could be caused by several factors including lack of government funding resulting in poor infrastructure; poor management of consumption of water, especially ground water, reducing its reservoirs and not allowing time for it to replenish, resulting in invading rising sea </span></span></div>
<a name='more'></a><span style="font-family: inherit;">water levels and salinating the ground water rendering the water non-potable; industries not being checked for compliance of environmental pollution causing chemicals to leak into the soil and subsequently into the drinking water. </span><a href="http://explorationsevolution.blogspot.com/2015/03/pre-deparutre-trinidad-tobago.html" target="_blank"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Read More >></span></a><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span>
<br />
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Feb 17 - Day 1 - Carnival</span></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj5bmSo-VFXHM49U8svy0rK2SGBaEOhdYqEgRv-XNSZI-9JxzcXyVUGrvCJlkSvIiTXrX1WiEyLxZXGe7jSC1XZHFvB8ZNFVBSHOpCNHJlGfE6nBybGUhdqxvdxZn1n7WBDmYzV9rFRcuwg/s1600/water+security+in+trinidad+with+my+masters+program+-+16" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="color: black; font-family: inherit;"></span></a></div>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg1fqTXF4QENEJfOYsLckxuKLUV_AgnnjZb7ty_LBGVr2aR8LqA0bJ3U5oXGP0HMY92lmM_9xY8WcOzttDMPjx8W6XW369eAGS8yGYHBbgV16f_c2iWq3uGk1CzyZwjvQuyfEnDZZaoC757/s1600/water+security+in+trinidad+with+my+masters+program+-+16" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg1fqTXF4QENEJfOYsLckxuKLUV_AgnnjZb7ty_LBGVr2aR8LqA0bJ3U5oXGP0HMY92lmM_9xY8WcOzttDMPjx8W6XW369eAGS8yGYHBbgV16f_c2iWq3uGk1CzyZwjvQuyfEnDZZaoC757/s1600/water+security+in+trinidad+with+my+masters+program+-+16" height="240" width="320" /></a></div>
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="background-color: transparent; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">First day in Trinidad. As suspected, trying to beat the heat during carnival. On the bus ride into downtown, I notice that the city works on water storage tanks, something that is familiar with me through my travels. This can imply that water can easily cut out and therefore require a back up storage of water for the household, as from experience. Other observations were the WASA facilities on the ride down and there seems to be sewage treatment plant in the heart of the city. Not too far down is a Dasani plant for filtering bottling water. It is possible there is a deal struck between WASA and Dasani for bottling water. </span><a href="http://explorationsevolution.blogspot.com/2015/03/day-1-trinidad-carnival.html" style="font-size: 15px; line-height: 20.7000007629395px; white-space: pre-wrap;" target="_blank">Read more >></a></span></div>
<b style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></b>
<br />
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Feb 18 - Day 2 - WASA treatment facility visit</span></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-3VrYinw_VCM/VOvIWSoEx1I/AAAAAAAAGEU/qSjoTuJhn1c/s1600/water%2Bsecurity%2Bin%2Btrinidad%2Bwith%2Bmy%2Bmasters%2Bprogram%2B-%2B8" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="color: black; font-family: inherit;"></span></a></div>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-3VrYinw_VCM/VOvIWSoEx1I/AAAAAAAAGjw/HPIZ0gxGx58/s1600/water%2Bsecurity%2Bin%2Btrinidad%2Bwith%2Bmy%2Bmasters%2Bprogram%2B-%2B8" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-3VrYinw_VCM/VOvIWSoEx1I/AAAAAAAAGjw/HPIZ0gxGx58/s1600/water%2Bsecurity%2Bin%2Btrinidad%2Bwith%2Bmy%2Bmasters%2Bprogram%2B-%2B8" height="236" width="320" /></a></div>
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="background-color: transparent; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">First real visit out to the Waste and Sewage Authority (WASA). This gave us the first real impression of the water security issues on the island. While talking to the WHO Compliance Officer at WASA, it was noted that a bit more than 50% of the population has access to water 24/7. This was quite staggering to me considering how much water was used during carnival. I suppose Port of Spain would be better suited for receiving water as it is the capital of Trinidad. Further surprises was that the tap water is 100% potable as it follows the WHO guidelines of water. I might attempt my stomach’s fate at the tap water seeing as I wouldn’t want to purchase anymore water. </span><a href="http://explorationsevolution.blogspot.com/2015/03/day-2-trinidad-wasa-treatment-facility.html" target="_blank">Read more >> </a></span></div>
<b style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></b>
<br />
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Feb 19 - Day 3 - Aquaponics</span></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-05s1rTHpQB8/VOvI6Tl6PKI/AAAAAAAAGEk/_S5fmge371c/s1600/2015-02-19.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="color: black; font-family: inherit;"></span></a></div>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-05s1rTHpQB8/VOvI6Tl6PKI/AAAAAAAAGjw/jqxKvHwi6XM/s1600/2015-02-19.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-05s1rTHpQB8/VOvI6Tl6PKI/AAAAAAAAGjw/jqxKvHwi6XM/s1600/2015-02-19.jpg" height="320" width="240" /></a></div>
<span style="background-color: transparent; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Finally my most anticipated visit of the trip, the aquaponics facility. Seeing a smaller scale aquaponic system provides a better realistic goal to building one as the previous one I have seen before was in Cape Town and was a large system meant to sustain a restaurant. The most I learnt from this visit is seeing another type of set up and filtering process. This can help solve both food and water security because of the lack of water loss in the whole aquaponic system. This system uses less than 10% of water compared to traditional agriculture. Though, it cannot grow crops like roots and tubulars as they require soil to be grown in and not water or clay media. Regardless, this can help answer some questions of increased agricultural production but with a goal of sustaining water security as the issue was raised from the previous day. <a href="http://explorationsevolution.blogspot.com/2015/03/day-3-trinidad-aquaoponics.html" target="_blank">Read more >></a></span></span></div>
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span>
<b style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></b>
<br />
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Feb 20 - Day 4 - Tobago - Department of Natural Resources</span></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-BVMWhPcj4sM/VOvIWe7k8II/AAAAAAAAGLM/EwhdcLh58GA/s1600/water%2Bsecurity%2Bin%2Btrinidad%2Bwith%2Bmy%2Bmasters%2Bprogram%2B-%2B62" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="color: black; font-family: inherit;"></span></a></div>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-BVMWhPcj4sM/VOvIWe7k8II/AAAAAAAAGjw/nfp7hO85dfo/s1600/water%2Bsecurity%2Bin%2Btrinidad%2Bwith%2Bmy%2Bmasters%2Bprogram%2B-%2B62" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-BVMWhPcj4sM/VOvIWe7k8II/AAAAAAAAGjw/nfp7hO85dfo/s1600/water%2Bsecurity%2Bin%2Btrinidad%2Bwith%2Bmy%2Bmasters%2Bprogram%2B-%2B62" height="236" width="320" /></a></div>
<span style="background-color: transparent; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">At the Botanical Gardens with the Department of Natural Resources, Forestry management sector, it seems the presentation should've been done on the first day of breaking down the issues of water security and how it affects different sectors and key players. The presentation addressed many key issues surrounding water security including climate change, which is a focus of my groups research project. However, there was not much information about lowering water in aquifers and more salination in the groundwater or the effects of the removal of mangroves. They said it wasn’t much of a pressing issue at the moment so it seems there was not much focus regarding it.<a href="http://explorationsevolution.blogspot.com/2015/03/day-4-tobago-department-of-natrual.html" target="_blank"> Read more >></a></span></span></div>
<b style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></b>
<br />
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="background-color: transparent; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Feb 21 </span><span style="font-size: 15px; font-weight: bold; line-height: 20.7000007629395px; white-space: pre-wrap;">- Day 5 - Tobago - Tourism Association</span></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-ac-BnERZi6E/VOvIWedZNkI/AAAAAAAAGKc/ldZOiNn9A80/s1600/water%2Bsecurity%2Bin%2Btrinidad%2Bwith%2Bmy%2Bmasters%2Bprogram%2B-%2B56" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="color: black; font-family: inherit;"></span></a></div>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-ac-BnERZi6E/VOvIWedZNkI/AAAAAAAAGjw/lsyeAddyYdo/s1600/water%2Bsecurity%2Bin%2Btrinidad%2Bwith%2Bmy%2Bmasters%2Bprogram%2B-%2B56" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-ac-BnERZi6E/VOvIWedZNkI/AAAAAAAAGjw/lsyeAddyYdo/s1600/water%2Bsecurity%2Bin%2Btrinidad%2Bwith%2Bmy%2Bmasters%2Bprogram%2B-%2B56" height="236" width="320" /></a></div>
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="background-color: transparent; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Talking with Christopher at the Tourism association, we learnt that there is “no” water issue because hotels get the priority from WASA and so they don’t “feel” the lack of water supply running through the country. This is one point of view compared to the other visits we have had where the others have been saying there is a security issue. However, Christopher is still an advocate of water conservation. Some measures implemented are more efficient shower heads, adopting farmers who grow food for the restaurant and WASA has been metering the water on the hotels.</span><span style="font-size: 15px; line-height: 1.38; white-space: pre-wrap;"> </span><a href="http://explorationsevolution.blogspot.com/2015/03/feb-21-day-5-tobago-tourism-association.html" style="font-size: 15px; line-height: 1.38; white-space: pre-wrap;" target="_blank">Read more >></a></span></div>
<b style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></b>
<span style="font-size: 15px; font-weight: bold; line-height: 20.7000007629395px; white-space: pre-wrap;">Feb 23 - Post trip reflection</span><br />
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiXYWLYwvCPMhkDJgzNaxavXIvK-k6yZCqx7eYT5R7MlXVnBJttcJm21olM5vcHGyni9DUZW5MKpZxl55Vif5D_2L0LtkIz4rkZspTcSK9WhnZgnvVAdRsiVkRKEgDfvm5-4L_7jzE6BW-O/s1600/trinidad.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="color: black;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiXYWLYwvCPMhkDJgzNaxavXIvK-k6yZCqx7eYT5R7MlXVnBJttcJm21olM5vcHGyni9DUZW5MKpZxl55Vif5D_2L0LtkIz4rkZspTcSK9WhnZgnvVAdRsiVkRKEgDfvm5-4L_7jzE6BW-O/s1600/trinidad.jpg" height="320" width="320" /></span></a><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="background-color: transparent; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">The post trip reflection journal. Overall, this trip has been a fantastic understanding of what water issue is like looking at other countries other than Canada. It helped put in perspective the economic, governance and management of water security. The biggest takeaway has been the agricultural use of water. First at UWI’s research field and the seemingly absolute neglect put toward protecting it’s local groundwater supply from chemical seepage is inconceivable, especially coming from a university. Secondly from driving from the southern part of Tobago to the northern part, seeing all the slashing and burning. Though out of the control of the forestry management, those farmers can be better educated on the effects of burning of fields that destroy the infiltration process into the ground. Third, the aquaponic system provides solutions to the agricultural challenges posed by water insecurity. Not only does it use less than 10% of water compared to traditional agriculture, it can be easily constructed anywhere at any scale. This could help reduce the water stress while increasing local agricultural production for the increase tourism that will demand more food, decreasing the reliance on imported food. <a href="http://explorationsevolution.blogspot.com/2015/03/feb-23-post-trip-reflection.html" target="_blank">Read more >></a></span></span></div>
<br /></div>
explorationsevohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17212906449642223302noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8353026390807692341.post-58377258199046617702015-03-28T12:53:00.000-04:002015-03-28T12:53:09.668-04:00Pre-deparutre Trinidad Tobago<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<div dir="ltr" style="margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-weight: bold; line-height: 1.38; white-space: pre-wrap;">Feb 15 - Predeparture Trinidad and Tobago</span></div>
<div dir="ltr" style="margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-weight: bold; line-height: 1.38; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-e9CYal-Jcz4/VOvIWeRAKUI/AAAAAAAAGjw/QwCEH2x3uuI/s1600/water%2Bsecurity%2Bin%2Btrinidad%2Bwith%2Bmy%2Bmasters%2Bprogram%2B-%2B46" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-e9CYal-Jcz4/VOvIWeRAKUI/AAAAAAAAGjw/QwCEH2x3uuI/s1600/water%2Bsecurity%2Bin%2Btrinidad%2Bwith%2Bmy%2Bmasters%2Bprogram%2B-%2B46" height="236" width="320" /></a></div>
<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">The pre departure, and the first, log. The expectations for this trip is simply just trying to beat the heat the first day and then dive right into seeing, learning and experiencing the country. While gazing over the academic part of the program, it came to my attention that I knew very little about Trinidad and water security other than the little research I have done. I’m hoping to gain insightful knowledge of water issues and measures the country is taking to implement to improve their water supply. Though, what issues remain a mystery to me, however, I can speculate non-potable water, lack of access and infrastructure to supply the population. These issues could be caused by several factors including lack of government funding resulting in poor infrastructure; poor management of consumption of water, especially ground water, reducing its reservoirs and not allowing time for it to replenish, resulting in invading rising sea water levels and salinating the ground water rendering the water non-potable; industries not being checked for compliance of environmental pollution causing chemicals to leak into the soil and subsequently into the drinking water. </span></div>
<span id="docs-internal-guid-32eca88d-4c7c-0b98-384c-02103c525dcb"><br /></span>
<br />
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Giving the itinerary a glance, I hope meeting with the organizations and individuals will give me more knowledge. One in particular I’m looking forward to is the Village Plaza with the aquaponic system. I’ve been wanting to build my own for some time now and would love to see how different systems are set up compared to the designs I had in mind. Hopefully I can learn also what species of fish are most resilient to cold climate (even though Trinidad is a hot weather area), what kind of design (sump tank, interval submersion, etc) would be best, what kind of media can sustain growing best (clay, float boards, etc) and how to control and balance the Ph levels every time the crops and or fish are harvested. Learning aquaponics could help with implementing an alternative source of agricultural practice as I understand it can help reduce water with irrigation while producing a high yield. This would be ideal for countries that are suffering from severe water stress and still be able to produce food, perhaps a country like Trinidad.</span></div>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></div>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><a href="http://explorationsevolution.blogspot.com/2015/03/water-security-in-trinidad.html" target="_blank">Back >></a></span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></div>
</div>
explorationsevohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17212906449642223302noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8353026390807692341.post-25254324779061638092015-03-28T12:52:00.000-04:002015-03-28T12:52:43.486-04:00Day 1 - Trinidad - Carnival!<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-weight: bold; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Feb 17 - Carnival!</span></div>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-weight: bold; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg1fqTXF4QENEJfOYsLckxuKLUV_AgnnjZb7ty_LBGVr2aR8LqA0bJ3U5oXGP0HMY92lmM_9xY8WcOzttDMPjx8W6XW369eAGS8yGYHBbgV16f_c2iWq3uGk1CzyZwjvQuyfEnDZZaoC757/s1600/water+security+in+trinidad+with+my+masters+program+-+16" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg1fqTXF4QENEJfOYsLckxuKLUV_AgnnjZb7ty_LBGVr2aR8LqA0bJ3U5oXGP0HMY92lmM_9xY8WcOzttDMPjx8W6XW369eAGS8yGYHBbgV16f_c2iWq3uGk1CzyZwjvQuyfEnDZZaoC757/s1600/water+security+in+trinidad+with+my+masters+program+-+16" height="240" width="320" /></a></div>
<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">First day in Trinidad. As suspected, trying to beat the heat during carnival. On the bus ride into downtown, I notice that the city works on water storage tanks, something that is familiar with me through my travels. This can imply that water can easily cut out and therefore require a back up storage of water for the household, as from experience. Other observations were the WASA facilities on the ride down and there seems to be sewage treatment plant in the heart of the city. Not too far down is a Dasani plant for filtering bottling water. It is possible there is a deal struck between WASA and Dasani for bottling water.</span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-wkIkQVZ9mnA/VOvIWVnyPkI/AAAAAAAAGjw/NAX7pe-8cnk/s1600/water%2Bsecurity%2Bin%2Btrinidad%2Bwith%2Bmy%2Bmasters%2Bprogram%2B-%2B34" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-wkIkQVZ9mnA/VOvIWVnyPkI/AAAAAAAAGjw/NAX7pe-8cnk/s1600/water%2Bsecurity%2Bin%2Btrinidad%2Bwith%2Bmy%2Bmasters%2Bprogram%2B-%2B34" height="236" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">I bought huge bottles of water, local Blue Waters (not Dasani), for drinking purposes while wandering Carnival. Even though with a water security issue, access to it seems to be fine during Carnival. Looking around, the sidewalks are constructed higher than I’d expect them to implying high water flooding in those poorly drained areas. Water is easily purchased meaning those who have access to water seem to get it regularly and do not have water insecurity.</span></div>
<br />
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">I immediately spot the flooding in the streets around the carnival area implying poor water drainage, as it hasn’t rained and there is high algae bloom in the water. My speculation is that this water has been sitting for quite some time. There are also gutters on the side of the road that are deliberately built in for wet season. This was learnt in lecture with our guest lecture Nuna. I suspect she went during wet season as the gutters are mainly empty and dried. Though, there was garbage piling up as she had mentioned.</span></div>
<br />
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Water seems to be running fine in the dorms and showers. Shower time!</span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><a href="http://explorationsevolution.blogspot.com/2015/03/water-security-in-trinidad.html" target="_blank">Back >></a></span></div>
</div>
explorationsevohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17212906449642223302noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8353026390807692341.post-158098010543974252015-03-28T12:51:00.000-04:002015-03-28T12:51:49.341-04:00Day 2 - Trinidad - WASA treatment facility<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-weight: bold; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Feb 18 - WASA treatment facility</span></div>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-weight: bold; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-3VrYinw_VCM/VOvIWSoEx1I/AAAAAAAAGjw/HPIZ0gxGx58/s1600/water%2Bsecurity%2Bin%2Btrinidad%2Bwith%2Bmy%2Bmasters%2Bprogram%2B-%2B8" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-3VrYinw_VCM/VOvIWSoEx1I/AAAAAAAAGjw/HPIZ0gxGx58/s1600/water%2Bsecurity%2Bin%2Btrinidad%2Bwith%2Bmy%2Bmasters%2Bprogram%2B-%2B8" height="236" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">First real visit out to the Waste and Sewage Authority (WASA). This gave us the first real impression of the water security issues on the island. While talking to the WHO Compliance Officer at WASA, it was noted that a bit more than 50% of the population has access to water 24/7. This was quite staggering to me considering how much water was used during carnival. I suppose Port of Spain would be better suited for receiving water as it is the capital of Trinidad. Further surprises was that the tap water is 100% potable as it follows the WHO guidelines of water. I might attempt my stomach’s fate at the tap water seeing as I wouldn’t want to purchase anymore water.</span></div>
<br />
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-DpYaZciiCnk/VOvIWVL_CSI/AAAAAAAAGjw/JUxsoIHf6M4/s1600/water%2Bsecurity%2Bin%2Btrinidad%2Bwith%2Bmy%2Bmasters%2Bprogram%2B-%2B28" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-DpYaZciiCnk/VOvIWVL_CSI/AAAAAAAAGjw/JUxsoIHf6M4/s1600/water%2Bsecurity%2Bin%2Btrinidad%2Bwith%2Bmy%2Bmasters%2Bprogram%2B-%2B28" height="320" width="236" /></a><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Back to the WASA facility, the water level in their lake reservoir has dropped an inch since Carnival was running. This is a considerable amount seeing that this was in a southern and more remote part of Trinidad, not Port of Spain. The lessons that was learnt during their most water stressed time allowed them to manage the consumption of water more appropriately by controlling the distribution of water. This is contrary to my expectations before coming in as I thought the consumption rate was poorly manage. This does not seem to be the case as they have foresight to curb the demand so that the reservoir and aquifers still have time to replenish itself. Even if it means the population goes without water sometimes. Though, Trinidad does work on a water tank storage at every household so there is some buffer in case there is no water.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></div>
<br />
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Afterwards, we visited the University of West Indies (UWI) and discussed the issues of tourism taking an impact on agriculture. As tourism increases, food for these tourists must be met and results in more production of agriculture. The catch 22 is that this could further drain the water supply even more. There should be a strategy to increase agricultural production while maintaining water security. This to me is where I’m most excited about aquaponics as a potential solution to help in water and food security. We will see tomorrow after our visit to the aquaponic station. An idea would be to increase food production with aquaponic systems to help with maintaining the water supply with the increase of tourists.</span></div>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></div>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><a href="http://explorationsevolution.blogspot.com/2015/03/water-security-in-trinidad.html" target="_blank">Back >></a></span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></div>
</div>
explorationsevohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17212906449642223302noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8353026390807692341.post-1617745466501290182015-03-28T12:50:00.000-04:002015-03-28T12:50:46.020-04:00Day 3 - Trinidad - Aquaoponics<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-weight: bold; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Feb 19 - Day 3 - Aquaponics</span></div>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-weight: bold; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-05s1rTHpQB8/VOvI6Tl6PKI/AAAAAAAAGjw/jqxKvHwi6XM/s1600/2015-02-19.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-05s1rTHpQB8/VOvI6Tl6PKI/AAAAAAAAGjw/jqxKvHwi6XM/s1600/2015-02-19.jpg" height="320" width="240" /></a></div>
<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Finally my most anticipated visit of the trip, the aquaponics facility. Seeing a smaller scale aquaponic system provides a better realistic goal to building one as the previous one I have seen before was in Cape Town and was a large system meant to sustain a restaurant. The most I learnt from this visit is seeing another type of set up and filtering process. This can help solve both food and water security because of the lack of water loss in the whole aquaponic system. This system uses less than 10% of water compared to traditional agriculture. Though, it cannot grow crops like roots and tubulars as they require soil to be grown in and not water or clay media. Regardless, this can help answer some questions of increased agricultural production but with a goal of sustaining water security as the issue was raised from the previous day.</span></div>
<br />
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-A05iTJv_ccQ/VOvIWW8pfGI/AAAAAAAAGjw/nrTLQAEb8N4/s1600/water%2Bsecurity%2Bin%2Btrinidad%2Bwith%2Bmy%2Bmasters%2Bprogram%2B-%2B43" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-A05iTJv_ccQ/VOvIWW8pfGI/AAAAAAAAGjw/nrTLQAEb8N4/s1600/water%2Bsecurity%2Bin%2Btrinidad%2Bwith%2Bmy%2Bmasters%2Bprogram%2B-%2B43" height="240" width="320" /></a></div>
<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Afterwards we went to the UWI farm field and did a quick tour seeing how the farm is irrigated from the wells they had dug. They did not consider the impacts of pesticides and herbicides on the soil absorption into the aquifers. Eventually the pollution will filter into the aquifers and pollute their own supply of drinking water. This reinforced my speculation of agricultural run offs from the first post with the potential of chemicals seeping into the groundwater supply. Very surprising that they would not consider this issue as a challenge to sustainable water security. Other investors are also coming into “develop” this farm including the Chinese. Assumptions with a reciprocal deal on return on investment will occur. In hindsight, because they are funded to do research and their goal is monetary gain, they will receive money to do any research including ones that are detrimental to the soil and groundwater and not taking in the cost of externalities. </span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-wt6VMjK7V1k/VOvIWVxVwJI/AAAAAAAAGjw/3TJ_vqvAcqQ/s1600/water%2Bsecurity%2Bin%2Btrinidad%2Bwith%2Bmy%2Bmasters%2Bprogram%2B-%2B39" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-wt6VMjK7V1k/VOvIWVxVwJI/AAAAAAAAGjw/3TJ_vqvAcqQ/s1600/water%2Bsecurity%2Bin%2Btrinidad%2Bwith%2Bmy%2Bmasters%2Bprogram%2B-%2B39" height="320" width="240" /></a></div>
<br />
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Going back to UWI. Discussion of water security. Not a lot of focus on the topic of mangroves as of yet. Discussion of coastal regions and rising salt water levels in the aquifers still need to be addressed for my group project. Having exchanged contacts with the professors at UWI will hopefully provide more insight. </span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><a href="http://explorationsevolution.blogspot.com/2015/03/water-security-in-trinidad.html" target="_blank">Back >></a></span></div>
</div>
explorationsevohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17212906449642223302noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8353026390807692341.post-79436093195984775452015-03-28T12:49:00.000-04:002015-03-28T12:49:17.894-04:00Day 4 - Tobago - Department of Natrual Resources<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-BVMWhPcj4sM/VOvIWe7k8II/AAAAAAAAGLM/EwhdcLh58GA/s1600/water%2Bsecurity%2Bin%2Btrinidad%2Bwith%2Bmy%2Bmasters%2Bprogram%2B-%2B62" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><br /></a></div>
<div dir="ltr" style="margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: Arial;"><span style="font-size: 15px; line-height: 20.7000007629395px; white-space: pre-wrap;"><b>Feb 20 - Day 4 - Tobago Department of Natural Resources</b></span></span></div>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-BVMWhPcj4sM/VOvIWe7k8II/AAAAAAAAGjw/nfp7hO85dfo/s1600/water%2Bsecurity%2Bin%2Btrinidad%2Bwith%2Bmy%2Bmasters%2Bprogram%2B-%2B62" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-BVMWhPcj4sM/VOvIWe7k8II/AAAAAAAAGjw/nfp7hO85dfo/s1600/water%2Bsecurity%2Bin%2Btrinidad%2Bwith%2Bmy%2Bmasters%2Bprogram%2B-%2B62" height="236" width="320" /></a><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">At the Botanical Gardens with the Department of Natural Resources, Forestry management sector, it seems the presentation should've been done on the first day of breaking down the issues of water security and how it affects different sectors and key players. The presentation addressed many key issues surrounding water security including climate change, which is a focus of my groups research project. However, there was not much information about lowering water in aquifers and more salination in the groundwater or the effects of the removal of mangroves. They said it wasn’t much of a pressing issue at the moment so it seems there was not much focus regarding it. </span></div>
<br />
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">An introduction to water management that I have not considered was the metered water, which will help with the management of water supply because the individuals and household will decrease usage as they see their bill for the water. But it cannot happen too quickly as people will revolt and needs a gradual implementation. This could play into an integral part of management of the water supply once it is implemented as more conscious water conservation measures will be taken by the household.</span></div>
<br />
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-G40SM1U67Tg/VOvIWSJlQEI/AAAAAAAAGjw/AWKMnUfzwSM/s1600/water%2Bsecurity%2Bin%2Btrinidad%2Bwith%2Bmy%2Bmasters%2Bprogram%2B-%2B63" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-G40SM1U67Tg/VOvIWSJlQEI/AAAAAAAAGjw/AWKMnUfzwSM/s1600/water%2Bsecurity%2Bin%2Btrinidad%2Bwith%2Bmy%2Bmasters%2Bprogram%2B-%2B63" height="124" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Dams Reservoir</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Then, together, we took a trip to WASA, Hillsborough dam. There was an interesting conversation between WASA and forestry management regarding the sludge from the dam as its just dumped. That pollution will seep into the aquifers. It felt very corporate with a lot of public relations to try and boost their campaign of water. They didn’t have a straight answer of “no” but instead lots of ideas that have already been thought of to continue increasing supply. A lot of the information had been supplied by the Navet dam. Though the new information, such as the detailed WHO guidelines, a more indepth look at the treatment of the water, the filling of the reservoir, cleaning the dam, operating the dam, and other supply of water other than the dam were topics that were not addressed at Navet.</span></div>
<br />
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-0UkoFkC9mRA/VOvIWd1ooWI/AAAAAAAAGjw/hVh4yAsII4E/s1600/water%2Bsecurity%2Bin%2Btrinidad%2Bwith%2Bmy%2Bmasters%2Bprogram%2B-%2B65" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-0UkoFkC9mRA/VOvIWd1ooWI/AAAAAAAAGjw/hVh4yAsII4E/s1600/water%2Bsecurity%2Bin%2Btrinidad%2Bwith%2Bmy%2Bmasters%2Bprogram%2B-%2B65" height="236" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Control valves</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">In line with Navet dam, the discussion of the management of water during stressed times was elaborated. They start controlling the water supply during dry season as the water reservoir depletes so there is a schedule to store water into the reservoirs at home. Once those reservoirs are filled, it is up to the individuals to manage their own water. As the water reservoir depletes more at WASA, there will be more strict management of water as they can control the valves that feed into the neighbourhood. This kind of control allows the aquifers and lakes to be replenished, instead of having it drained completely, which will not be sustainable.</span></div>
<br />
<div style="text-align: right;">
</div>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-BdefYlOUfxA/VOvIWasO95I/AAAAAAAAGjw/hUG9gdDNm0M/s1600/water%2Bsecurity%2Bin%2Btrinidad%2Bwith%2Bmy%2Bmasters%2Bprogram%2B-%2B60" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-BdefYlOUfxA/VOvIWasO95I/AAAAAAAAGjw/hUG9gdDNm0M/s1600/water%2Bsecurity%2Bin%2Btrinidad%2Bwith%2Bmy%2Bmasters%2Bprogram%2B-%2B60" height="236" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Asphalt Quarry</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">An observation made on the way up the hill, there was an asphalt quarry. The river upstream was nice and clean with a WASA treatment plant to help treat and distribute the water. Just downstream was the asphalt quarry and from there is just polluted water which does not get cleaned or treated. WASA does not want to clean the water downstream because it cost too much to clean that water. There needs to have policies onto those kind of industries to keep the water clean and make the companies pay. </span></div>
<br />
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">This introduces economics that have been overlooked the whole trip, aside from a brief discussion of government subsidies and the serviced population paying.To fund the cleaning of the water, someone needs to pay. A Payment for Ecosystem Services (PES) could be implemented. Simon Davids from the Forestry management said that the U.S has PES implemented and it is beneficial because polluters pay. </span></div>
<br />
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Another observation made as we travelled through central Tobago, we were pointed out more results of the agriculture degradation. We saw the burning which degrades vegetation and negatively impacts the infiltration of water into the soil and produces more runoff and less replenishment of the groundwater supply. This was pointed out by the forestry management. </span></div>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></div>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><a href="http://explorationsevolution.blogspot.com/2015/03/water-security-in-trinidad.html" target="_blank">Back >></a></span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></div>
</div>
explorationsevohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17212906449642223302noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8353026390807692341.post-11143754332472151692015-03-28T12:47:00.000-04:002015-03-28T12:47:17.341-04:00Feb 23 - Post trip reflection<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<span style="font-size: 15px; font-weight: bold; line-height: 20.7000007629395px; white-space: pre-wrap;">Feb 23 - Post trip reflection</span><br />
<span style="font-size: 15px; font-weight: bold; line-height: 20.7000007629395px; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span>
<br />
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiXYWLYwvCPMhkDJgzNaxavXIvK-k6yZCqx7eYT5R7MlXVnBJttcJm21olM5vcHGyni9DUZW5MKpZxl55Vif5D_2L0LtkIz4rkZspTcSK9WhnZgnvVAdRsiVkRKEgDfvm5-4L_7jzE6BW-O/s1600/trinidad.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiXYWLYwvCPMhkDJgzNaxavXIvK-k6yZCqx7eYT5R7MlXVnBJttcJm21olM5vcHGyni9DUZW5MKpZxl55Vif5D_2L0LtkIz4rkZspTcSK9WhnZgnvVAdRsiVkRKEgDfvm5-4L_7jzE6BW-O/s1600/trinidad.jpg" height="320" width="320" /></a><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: 15px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">The post trip reflection journal. Overall, this trip has been a fantastic understanding of what water issue is like looking at other countries other than Canada. It helped put in perspective the economic, governance and management of water security. The biggest takeaway has been the agricultural use of water. First at UWI’s research field and the seemingly absolute neglect put toward protecting it’s local groundwater supply from chemical seepage is inconceivable, especially coming from a university. Secondly from driving from the southern part of Tobago to the northern part, seeing all the slashing and burning. Though out of the control of the forestry management, those farmers can be better educated on the effects of burning of fields that destroy the infiltration process into the ground. Third, the aquaponic system provides solutions to the agricultural challenges posed by water insecurity. Not only does it use less than 10% of water compared to traditional agriculture, it can be easily constructed anywhere at any scale. This could help reduce the water stress while increasing local agricultural production for the increase tourism that will demand more food, decreasing the reliance on imported food. </span></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-BVMWhPcj4sM/VOvIWe7k8II/AAAAAAAAGjw/nfp7hO85dfo/s1600/water%2Bsecurity%2Bin%2Btrinidad%2Bwith%2Bmy%2Bmasters%2Bprogram%2B-%2B62" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-BVMWhPcj4sM/VOvIWe7k8II/AAAAAAAAGjw/nfp7hO85dfo/s1600/water%2Bsecurity%2Bin%2Btrinidad%2Bwith%2Bmy%2Bmasters%2Bprogram%2B-%2B62" height="236" width="320" /></a></div>
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span>
<br />
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="font-size: 15px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Other points that have struck me other than the agriculture is the funding of water supply and the distribution process. The fact that WASA is heavily subsidized and charges very little for the water does not encourage conservation from the served population. The only metered water are from the hotels which have applied water conservation measures. Should there be an increase in rates for water, it should not be at such a drastic level resulting in where the poor cannot sustain their livelihoods because they are still left with a water insecurity issue where they cannot access water because of cost. What is left are heavy industries that use water flat rate and get to release it back into not cleaned or filtered. This struck me as we passed the asphalt quarry on the way up the Hillsborough Dam in Tobago. If the heavy industries are also metered for their water and additionally incorporated a PES system where by the water coming back out should meet the WHO guidelines, that could also keep the industries in check and also provide more funding for supporting the water infrastructures. </span></div>
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-BdefYlOUfxA/VOvIWasO95I/AAAAAAAAGjw/hUG9gdDNm0M/s1600/water%2Bsecurity%2Bin%2Btrinidad%2Bwith%2Bmy%2Bmasters%2Bprogram%2B-%2B60" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-BdefYlOUfxA/VOvIWasO95I/AAAAAAAAGjw/hUG9gdDNm0M/s1600/water%2Bsecurity%2Bin%2Btrinidad%2Bwith%2Bmy%2Bmasters%2Bprogram%2B-%2B60" height="236" width="320" /></a></div>
<span style="font-size: 15px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">However, aside from these issues, a further challenge currently is communication between the different branches of the Department of Natural Resource, Forestry Management sector, WASA and the “think tanks” at UWI. The lack of communication is evident in the previous day’s journal where there are disputed facts of food production and the meeting of WASA and Forestry Management representatives. Having these actors on a same level could encourage a much better water security policy where there will be additional funding and also better governance of the water supply.</span></div>
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span>
<br />
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="font-size: 15px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Having taken this trip, my speculations written in the first journal were inaccurate. The biggest one being the lack of government funding resulting in poor management. Infact, WASA is heavily funded by the government and they do have a strictly regulated policy on water quality, distribution, and management. The management included the scheduling of water supply during the dry season so that the reservoirs do not run out and the groundwater does not acidify. However, complete access to everyone 24/7 supply is still to be achieved. Industries not being checked for compliance was also inaccurate as there is no compliance from them or as far as the research has gone. Free polluting water flows down the river without any barrier or attempt to treat the water. To conclude, this trip has an insightful journey into water security and issues that affect different actors, policy decisions, governance and management. </span></div>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<br /></div>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="font-size: 15px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><a href="http://explorationsevolution.blogspot.com/2015/03/water-security-in-trinidad.html" target="_blank">Back >></a></span></div>
</div>
explorationsevohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17212906449642223302noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8353026390807692341.post-53600643753875185572015-03-28T12:45:00.000-04:002015-03-28T12:45:09.423-04:00Feb 21 - Day 5 - Tobago - Tourism Association<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-weight: bold; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Feb 21 - Day 5 - Tobago - Tourism Association</span></div>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-weight: bold; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
</div>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-ac-BnERZi6E/VOvIWedZNkI/AAAAAAAAGjw/lsyeAddyYdo/s1600/water%2Bsecurity%2Bin%2Btrinidad%2Bwith%2Bmy%2Bmasters%2Bprogram%2B-%2B56" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-ac-BnERZi6E/VOvIWedZNkI/AAAAAAAAGjw/lsyeAddyYdo/s1600/water%2Bsecurity%2Bin%2Btrinidad%2Bwith%2Bmy%2Bmasters%2Bprogram%2B-%2B56" height="236" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A hotel in Tobago</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Talking with Christopher at the Tourism association, we learnt that there is “no” water issue because hotels get the priority from WASA and so they don’t “feel” the lack of water supply running through the country. This is one point of view compared to the other visits we have had where the others have been saying there is a security issue. However, Christopher is still an advocate of water conservation. Some measures implemented are more efficient shower heads, adopting farmers who grow food for the restaurant and WASA has been metering the water on the hotels.</span></div>
<br />
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Water metering helps hotels see how much water is being consumed as the cost is reflective of that. The more expensive the water, the more conservation will happen. Currently, it’s only hotels that do the metered water, not individuals. This is inline with Simon from the previous day talking about metering water. This will help with the funding of clean water supply as mentioned in yesterday’s journal, there has not been enough to address the funding shortfall. WASA currently runs at a loss and needs to increase the rates and meter the water to help alleviate the government subsidies. However, this needs to be done in accordance of ratio to the income of the population, as some might not be able to afford basic water and would put a strain onto their livelihoods. Metering hotels and large industries while putting a PES in place would help distribute who-gets-billed-more more equally.</span></div>
<br />
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<div style="text-align: right;">
</div>
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-_-ZoZfOzq0Q/VOvIWWsb7WI/AAAAAAAAGjw/CfednBJvXxE/s1600/water%2Bsecurity%2Bin%2Btrinidad%2Bwith%2Bmy%2Bmasters%2Bprogram%2B-%2B78" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-_-ZoZfOzq0Q/VOvIWWsb7WI/AAAAAAAAGjw/CfednBJvXxE/s1600/water%2Bsecurity%2Bin%2Btrinidad%2Bwith%2Bmy%2Bmasters%2Bprogram%2B-%2B78" height="236" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Pigeon Point Resort</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">As villas and hotels are built, roads are built with water supply and pipes underneath them. The risk is that this prevents rainfall absorption to replenish the aquifers when there are more villas and hotels built. And when the pipes burst, they have to dig up the entire road causing a lot of economical challenges in which they cannot afford. This is inline with the discussions with the Compliance Officer at Navet Dam with water not accounted for because there are leaks in the system. </span></div>
<br />
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">This also perpetuates the water insecurity issue as we have noted on one of the first days with the discussion of increased tourism at UWI. This increase demands more agricultural production, which creates more water stress. It is struck with lack of water replenishment because of the new roads creating a barrier to infiltration creating a shortage on water. However with Christopher at the the Forestry Management, he has noted that there has been a decrease in food production and an increase in food imports. This discrepancy of facts shows the inconsistency between the institutions that study or enforce sustainable water practices, as Christopher had mentioned there is lack of communication between all.</span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><a href="http://explorationsevolution.blogspot.com/2015/03/water-security-in-trinidad.html" target="_blank">Back >></a></span></div>
</div>
explorationsevohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17212906449642223302noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8353026390807692341.post-59192564228111718772015-03-13T15:56:00.000-04:002015-03-28T12:55:29.182-04:00Water security research in Trinidad and Tobago<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhFxvjXvXbeO1KnNQKIXNjKaxshxkKsq0b1LWtt7c8LOp8a9bL-FwdOA0Ti6hQ6Rw48cSdvXlPooefBoAp9-W4sTyf8ISJnLcwou_5ipPAq57M0aYK6rht7HbQKeQTMaDjNA_aWdC9FCRsh/s1600/wasa_treatment_facility_and_reservoir_-_navet_dam_edit.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhFxvjXvXbeO1KnNQKIXNjKaxshxkKsq0b1LWtt7c8LOp8a9bL-FwdOA0Ti6hQ6Rw48cSdvXlPooefBoAp9-W4sTyf8ISJnLcwou_5ipPAq57M0aYK6rht7HbQKeQTMaDjNA_aWdC9FCRsh/s1600/wasa_treatment_facility_and_reservoir_-_navet_dam_edit.jpg" height="141" width="320" /></a></div>
It's been a while since my last post. School has been incredibly hectic. However, much is being learned and not enough time to absorb it. A lot of information and courses and information intersect with each other which is incredibly helpful to getting a whole picture of how things are all interrelated. My program is a huge advocate of experiential learning, immersive learning, in the field, which, after teaching English overseas I can see the benefits of it. In fact, it's probably the best way to learn.<br />
<br />
University of Waterloo had sent me and my class down to Trinidad Tobago to research and study the water insecurity issues on the island. There are several different aspects to supplying and accessing potable water. Surprisingly, they are very strict with their water and is WHO (World Health Organization) compliant, ie; you can drink straight from the tap... which I did.<br />
<br />
One of the chaperones on this trip came with to help organize and document the trip from a 3rd party perspective had written an article about the trip. Reproduced with permission, this summarizes the whole trip.<br />
<br />
<span style="background-color: white; font-family: verdana, geneva, sans-serif; font-size: 13.1999998092651px; line-height: 18.4799995422363px;">Author: Uzair Jaffer</span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; font-family: verdana, geneva, sans-serif; font-size: 13.1999998092651px; line-height: 18.4799995422363px;"><br /></span>
<br />
<div style="background-color: white; border: none; font-family: verdana, geneva, sans-serif; font-size: 13.1999998092651px; line-height: 18.4799995422363px; margin-bottom: 1em; padding: 0px;">
In the midst of the dry season in Trinidad and Tobago, seventeen graduate students from the Master of Development Practice (MDP) program engaged themselves in understanding the real-life challenges of water management on the islands.<br />
<br />
<a name='more'></a></div>
<div style="background-color: white; border: none; font-family: verdana, geneva, sans-serif; font-size: 13.1999998092651px; line-height: 18.4799995422363px; margin-bottom: 1em; padding: 0px;">
Embarking on February 16th for a six day experiential learning experience, MDP and several Master of Peace and Conflict Studies (MPACS) students enrolled in course INDEV608, <strong>Water and Security</strong>, had the chance to apply theory to practice while collecting data for research. The trip was led by course instructor, Marie Claire Brisbois and co-led by MDP alumnus, Uzair Jaffer.</div>
<div style="background-color: white; border: none; font-family: verdana, geneva, sans-serif; font-size: 13.1999998092651px; line-height: 18.4799995422363px; margin-bottom: 1em; padding: 0px;">
In Trinidad, the students had an in-depth look at municipal water purification during a visit to a major treatment facility. Additionally, they examined the inner-workings of an innovative commercial aquaponics farm, toured an agricultural field research station and consulted experts at the Faculty of Food and Agriculture at the University of West Indies on their respective research topics.</div>
<div style="background-color: white; border: none; font-family: verdana, geneva, sans-serif; font-size: 13.1999998092651px; line-height: 18.4799995422363px; margin-bottom: 1em; padding: 0px;">
While in Tobago during the latter half of the trip, students were exposed to island-specific challenges in water resource management at another treatment facility and at a local office of the Department of Natural Resources and the Environment. Lastly, students explored the intersection between water and tourism during an information session with the Tobago Hotel and Tourism Association. Before and after each site visit, students reflected on what they had learned and critically analyzed observations.</div>
<div style="background-color: white; border: none; font-family: verdana, geneva, sans-serif; font-size: 13.1999998092651px; line-height: 18.4799995422363px; margin-bottom: 1em; padding: 0px;">
Upon returning to Canada, participating students had a greater understanding of the following topics in relation to water in Trinidad and Tobago: sanitation and treatment, agriculture, sustainability, conservation, scarcity, tourism, and managing competing interests.</div>
<div style="background-color: white; border: none; font-family: verdana, geneva, sans-serif; font-size: 13.1999998092651px; line-height: 18.4799995422363px; margin-bottom: 1em; padding: 0px;">
Field learning experiences like these are an integral part of the MDP program at the University of Waterloo, where students gain first-hand experience of integrated development approaches. To learn more, please visit the program’s official <a href="https://uwaterloo.ca/school-environment-enterprise-development/academic-programs/master-development-practice" style="color: #747800;">website</a>.</div>
</div>
explorationsevohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17212906449642223302noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8353026390807692341.post-87720503877396703872014-10-29T15:34:00.000-04:002014-10-29T15:45:02.661-04:00What I'm doing can potentially make the world worse; reflections from school<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<div>
"We're richer and more powerful than you, so you better listen to our advice on how to not be poor"<br />
<br />
<br /></div>
<div>
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-hfMJk_TNPME/Ux4eDTm6x4I/AAAAAAAADuE/KhZYbQ3P34A/s1600/IMG_3831.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-hfMJk_TNPME/Ux4eDTm6x4I/AAAAAAAADuE/KhZYbQ3P34A/s1600/IMG_3831.JPG" height="213" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">My local volunteer buddy's English class in Tanzania</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
Development can be detrimental and perpetuate all the things wrong with the world also. Everyone who were quick to compliment me on this "noble cause" might not have warranted that compliment so quickly had they known it might even further destruction...<br />
<br />
This "Western Saviour Complex" is a struggle that development practitioners encounter. How does the Western world help a poor country without repeating colonial history?<br />
<br />
Or more academically; how do we <i>not appear</i> hegemonic, neo-colonialist, and de-meaning to the people that we are there to help. Not all noble actions are without consequence and in this case, perhaps, deliberate actions to keep them poor. </div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
<i><b>Mozambique as a world example</b></i></div>
<div>
Take Mozambique as an example, in 1975 after they won independence from Portugal, WHO (World Health Organization; a branch of the UN) declared their health care system should be a model upon which all other are based in the developing world. By 1980's they have established 1,200 rural health posts, 8000 health workers were trained, and 11% of the government budget was committed to health care. And then the Rhodesia war broke out.</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
<i><b>Enter the IMF and their crusade to develop the poor</b></i></div>
<div>
By 1987, Mozambique adopted an IMF Structural Adjusted Program (SAP). For those who don't<br />
<br />
<a name='more'></a>know about the IMF, or International Monetary Fund, they <span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; line-height: 16px;">promote "international monetary cooperation and exchange rate stability, facilitates the balanced growth of international trade, and provides resources to help members in balance of payments difficulties or to assist with poverty reduction." (<a href="http://www.imf.org/external/about/overview.htm" target="_blank">source</a>) To get the aid of the IMF and World Bank, Mozambique must follow the SAP model. </span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; line-height: 16px;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; line-height: 16px;">The SAP model requires the country to "shock" the economy back into "health." First step is to inflate the currency, print money, and drive their dollar lower and lower (much like what the U.S is doing now); open up the to the world market; privatize everything; c</span></span><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; line-height: 16px;">ut government services (like health care and education, prices increased, their exports devalued, and "free market promoted" (Free for the Western countries) </span></div>
<div>
<span style="color: #333333;"><span style="background-color: white; line-height: 16px;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div>
<span style="color: #333333;"><span style="background-color: white; line-height: 16px;">In a decade, 2% of their budget is devoted to health care (from a previous 11%). With lack of support from the Mozambique government resulting in a failing health care system, NGO's began to descend like flies on shit. Expats from all over the world entered. 1990, over 100 agencies were working in the country with a budget of over $1 million USD compared to the domestic health services of $750,000. </span></span></div>
<div>
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
<span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; line-height: 16px;">"it is noteworthy that the World Bank and IMF took no account of the war in their programme design, merely referring coyly to 'external factors',29 thus locating the impact of the war outside the programme framework" (Harrison, 542)</span></blockquote>
<span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; line-height: 16px;"><br /></span>
<span style="color: #333333;"><span style="background-color: white; line-height: 16px;">Each country has a very specific scenario and to blanket all the countries under this SAP program for funding ultimately destroys their economy and livelihood.</span></span><br />
<span style="color: #333333;"><span style="background-color: white; line-height: 16px;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div>
<span style="color: #333333;"><span style="background-color: white; line-height: 16px;"><i><b>NGO's and their "Aid cowboys and aid mercenaries"</b></i></span></span></div>
<div>
<span style="color: #333333;"><span style="background-color: white; line-height: 16px;">The NGO's began to build walled compounds and armed with guards, swimming pool, luxurious lifestyle and employed newly grads (much like myself) with a salary between $1,000 to $6,000 a month from a one to two year stay to implement their "aid and development" projects while throwing extravagant parties where you can hear the latest Euro beats pulse through the night.</span></span></div>
<div>
<span style="color: #333333;"><span style="background-color: white; line-height: 16px;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div>
<span style="color: #333333;"><span style="background-color: white; line-height: 16px;">Missing are the local Mozambican beneficiaries. </span></span></div>
<div>
<span style="color: #333333;"><span style="background-color: white; line-height: 16px;"><i><br /></i></span></span></div>
<div>
<span style="color: #333333;"><span style="background-color: white; line-height: 16px;">With the IMF policies in place, one Mozambican said "</span></span>during socialism we had money but nothing to buy, but now there's a lot to buy but we have no money."</div>
<div>
<span style="color: #333333;"><span style="background-color: white; line-height: 16px;"><i><br /></i></span></span></div>
<div>
<span style="color: #333333;"><span style="background-color: white; line-height: 16px;">The drop in salaries for the Mozambican doctors reflected the 2% support the government provided upon taking up the IMF policies. This forced the doctors to work with the NGO's who were <i>not</i> looking out for the good of the local people and perpetuates the situation that the NGO's are not there to develop but to keep them poor. </span></span><br />
<span style="color: #333333;"><span style="background-color: white; line-height: 16px;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="color: #333333;"><span style="background-color: white; line-height: 16px;">Were these the intentions of the IMF policies? Maybe not, but it sure as hell didn't make the country more self-sustainable. </span></span></div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
<i><b>Implications to the world stage</b></i></div>
<div>
There are several ways to look at this. Perhaps this is the way the the "Global North" (Western powers) maintains control, power, and influence over other countries is to not allow them to develop. Keeping them poor and in debt is the best form of control. When you become a beggar, well, you can't be a chooser. This could be a scheme or a ploy played out under a "humanitarian" disguise.</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
And this disguise sometimes is blatant to see as US invading Iraq for <i>freedom and democracy</i>. Oh please. </div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
Others, such as a humanitarian crisis and aid work, seems more noble and worthy. But ultimately the policies set in place are schemes against those countries to put them into crippling debt to be controlled. </div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
With IMF's headquarters in Washington D.C it seems they're not going to be very neutral on certain world crisis and decisions will be made to benefit the issuers of the loan (Global North) instead of the countries in need (like Mozambique). This is another example of how the rich stay rich and exploit the poor, this time through development work.</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
These kind of policies are subtle and do not make the news. They slip through the attention of most people in the world. But the Occupy Movement's philosophies do speak out to issues like this. So it's not so much in the dark as it was before.</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
<i><b>Policies and terrorism</b></i></div>
<div>
Perhaps this is why most of the world hates the "West", because of these policies employed to cripple economies and force to them to pay back debt with interests. This generates contempt and reasons to attack. "Freedom and democracy" only exists for those who are born into it. There's no freedom and democracy for anyone else. Those "others" are meant to stay where they are while we step on their backs. This isn't the first time. Look at Germany post-WWI "Fourteen Points" by Woodrow Wilson. The 14 points were meant to humiliate and keep Germany poor. This set the world stage for WWII. This is what happens when policies grip and tear apart a country. Retaliation against those countries are warranted.<br />
<br />
This idea can be applied to the modern day "fight against terrorism" by policies that make it humiliating and detrimental to those countries. And by force of nature, when they strike back at us, we're all shocked and horrified. However, this is a disccusion for a different topic, but it illustrates the point that policies in place can generate reasons for other countries to view the "West" as a controlling imperialist and must be fought against.</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-SCIsHWu2OSA/Ux4bLH4aJ_I/AAAAAAAADsA/8PtsrqEeTS0/s1600/IMG_3712.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-SCIsHWu2OSA/Ux4bLH4aJ_I/AAAAAAAADsA/8PtsrqEeTS0/s1600/IMG_3712.JPG" height="213" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">My class in Tazania trying to meet the MDP</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<i><b>Taking it back to development practice</b></i></div>
<div>
Working on the world stage with these kind of institutions (ie, IMF, World Bank, UN) becomes a very big question mark in terms of who's aiding who. Genuinely, how do practitioners enact policies and and develop a community or country without looking like an absolute holier-than-thou attitude. There are success stories, however, at this time, it seems like "the world system" is winning. </div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
There are a lot of questions and a lot more will come. </div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
<i><b>Sources</b></i></div>
<div>
<a href="https://drive.google.com/file/d/0B2w7VzJyF4WyOHZwRDFrUk1CV1U/view?usp=sharing" target="_blank">Pfeiffer, James. (2003). International NGOs and primary health care in Mozambique: the need for a new model of collaboration<i>. Social Science and Medicine. </i>56. pg 725 - 738. </a></div>
<div>
<br />
<a href="https://drive.google.com/file/d/0B2w7VzJyF4WyYUhReS1IZ3hLUU0/view?usp=sharing" target="_blank">Harrison, Graham (1999) Corruption as "Boundary Politics": The state, Democratization, and Mozambique's Unstable Liberalization. <i>Third World Quarterly. </i>20 [3]. pg 537 - 550</a><br />
<span style="background-color: white;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="background-color: white;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="line-height: 19.5px; text-indent: -8px;">Imf.org,. (2014). </span><i style="box-sizing: border-box; line-height: 19.5px; text-indent: -8px;">About the IMF Overview</i><span style="line-height: 19.5px; text-indent: -8px;">. Retrieved 29 October 2014, from </span></span></span><a href="http://www.imf.org/external/about/overview.htm"><span style="background-color: white;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="line-height: 19.5px; text-indent: -8px;">h</span></span></span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: inherit; line-height: 19.5px; text-indent: -8px;">ttp://www.imf.org/external/about/overview.htm</span></a></div>
</div>
explorationsevohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17212906449642223302noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8353026390807692341.post-84622784944573863412014-10-05T20:04:00.002-04:002014-10-06T11:08:54.523-04:00Back at it!<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-SCIsHWu2OSA/Ux4bLH4aJ_I/AAAAAAAADsA/8PtsrqEeTS0/s1600/IMG_3712.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-SCIsHWu2OSA/Ux4bLH4aJ_I/AAAAAAAADsA/8PtsrqEeTS0/s1600/IMG_3712.JPG" height="213" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">My students in Tanzania during my placement</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.15; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; line-height: 1.15; white-space: pre-wrap;">It's been a while since my last post. And it was about due for the next one. Just to play catch up, I started Masters in Development Practice at University of Waterloo... that's about it! </span></div>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.15; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; line-height: 1.15; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></div>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.15; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; line-height: 1.15; white-space: pre-wrap;">Remember how I said I wanted to start travelling with a purpose... well, here's my working toward it!</span></div>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.15; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; line-height: 1.15; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></div>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.15; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; line-height: 1.15; white-space: pre-wrap;">Travelling and exploring the world took hold of me at a young age. My sense of adventure took me through Europe while in undergrad. International Development and Relief and Aid Work popped onto my radar when I was working in South Korea when Mt. Merapi exploded in Indonesia in 2010. As I was taking a trip down there in the next week, I looked to see if there was any way I can help out the communities that were affected. While there, I asked locals how I can contribute. But ultimately, to my failing, I couldn’t find anyway to help. Questions about how to engage myself, how to travel with a purpose, and personal philosophies of my participation as a global citizen came up. This began my journey and exploration into development. </span></div>
<b style="font-weight: normal;"></b><br />
<a name='more'></a><b style="font-weight: normal;"><br /></b>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjnxA2DfzVBtoRUfgO8CvHfVIK3x_ROzxS8o_kLjejRko9rnSTaiu73AKUqHBvHKkrgVJ7tJEXo9oPc1jfurvLqcbVl_eYxZuODKnSAGMOwpOHhiWrIn7XB6Gf6xgzjY52hFvmIhE-NtuuQ/s1600/merapi.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjnxA2DfzVBtoRUfgO8CvHfVIK3x_ROzxS8o_kLjejRko9rnSTaiu73AKUqHBvHKkrgVJ7tJEXo9oPc1jfurvLqcbVl_eYxZuODKnSAGMOwpOHhiWrIn7XB6Gf6xgzjY52hFvmIhE-NtuuQ/s1600/merapi.jpg" height="240" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Mt Merapi post volcanic explosion</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.15; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">To my dismay, I couldn’t find any information about how to put a foot in the door to this field. I searched around for volunteer work to come to realize many organizations are out there to take my money and, questionably, help other communities in need. At which point I decided it was time I did more schooling to educate myself to further my opportunities. Unfortunately online schooling was the only possible way at that point in time. Through multiple six-week courses hosted by different universities, I learned about public community health, sustainable food systems and read case studies which were quite insightful. However none of this got me any further into the practices of development.</span></div>
<b style="font-weight: normal;"></b><br />
<b style="font-weight: normal;"></b>
<br />
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.15; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Having spent two months in India afterward, I saw many different NGO’s and local organizations organizing people and was eager to begin. Finally, my first foot in the door to learning about sustainable development took me to the outskirts of Kathmandu in Nepal in a sleepy town called Kavre. Here, I was a farm hand at a permaculture farm where I quickly learned that not only am I helping out the farm, but also the community at large. Micro economics of dealing with the produce at the local markets, helping out the neighbours farms, and especially participating in local events were an integral part of community development. Of course, this is not news to me, but it is the realization and reinforcement of the idea of the integration of the community members, support and care that exists for a community to thrive on such deep levels. (<a href="http://explorationsevolution.blogspot.ca/2013/06/hasera-living-on-rural-farm-in-nepal.html" target="_blank">Read my farm experience here!</a>)</span></div>
<b style="font-weight: normal;"></b><br />
<b style="font-weight: normal;"></b>
<br />
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-eIgcPoA0vIQ/UciXyIXw7qI/AAAAAAAACGs/bFPerh4aHQQ/s1600/P4250528.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-eIgcPoA0vIQ/UciXyIXw7qI/AAAAAAAACGs/bFPerh4aHQQ/s1600/P4250528.JPG" height="240" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Me in Kavre's potatoe fields after work</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.15; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">From that experience of a deep-rooted community I got flipped around. I had the chance to see a transient community with a very weak self-efficacy in South Africa, just outside of Cape Town in a township called Khayelitsha. In my studies, I had come across a case study of Khayelitsha and learned about how the community became strong through the public community health and the use of medical clinics. The empowering of women in those communities lead to a creation of a strong community. This is my first hand experience of learning seeing development of a community and it had me wanting more.</span></div>
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-hfMJk_TNPME/Ux4eDTm6x4I/AAAAAAAADuE/KhZYbQ3P34A/s1600/IMG_3831.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-hfMJk_TNPME/Ux4eDTm6x4I/AAAAAAAADuE/KhZYbQ3P34A/s1600/IMG_3831.JPG" height="213" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">My buddy Omar's volunteer English school that I visited</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.15; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span><br />
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span></div>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.15; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Finally through CIDA funding, I was able to land myself in a facilitator role in Tanzania for youth empowerment as part of the UN MDG program. Here I did my very best to help Tanzanians understand community assessments and grant writing. I placed them in different communities, met with different community leaders and spoke with the members as part of the assessment process and help my students understand their role as a community developer. My placement was far too short and I felt I needed to learn much more.</span></div>
<b style="font-weight: normal;"><br /></b>
<br />
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.15; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Upon return to Canada, I got accepted into a Masters of Development Practice program spearheaded by the UN. Currently in this masters program, it is an understatement to say “I’m learning a lot”. I am incredibly eager to put theories and ideas into practice. </span></div>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.15; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></div>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.15; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">I'm going to start putting up things I learn about inequity and unbalance in the world. But also, the good things that people are doing around the world as well. </span></div>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.15; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></div>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.15; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">This is a whole new explorations evolution. Continuously evolving!</span></div>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.15; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></div>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.15; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Follow me on my journey!</span></div>
</div>
explorationsevohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17212906449642223302noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8353026390807692341.post-13602593602591922052014-04-10T09:19:00.001-04:002014-04-10T09:19:38.725-04:00Interview with a World Traveller<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
Just recently I was interviewed on <a href="https://www.artsocket.com/#Hello!" target="_blank">ArtSocket</a> and oringally published <a href="http://blog.artsocket.com/post/81799247253/interview-with-ian-chow-world-traveller" target="_blank">here</a>. I was asked 21 questions about my travels. Below is the re-produced interview which was published from their <a href="http://blog.artsocket.com/post/81799247253/interview-with-ian-chow-world-traveller" target="_blank">blog</a>.<br />
<br />
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-kf73PRBJnoY/UZ2W_FVaxZI/AAAAAAAADR8/YUrpPxhoNhQ/s1600/20130515_062457.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-kf73PRBJnoY/UZ2W_FVaxZI/AAAAAAAADR8/YUrpPxhoNhQ/s1600/20130515_062457.jpg" height="300" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Ian in the Everest Mountain Range</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<span style="color: #2c2c2c; font-family: Raleway, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; letter-spacing: 0.30000001192092896px; line-height: 22px;">Art is a journey. Same-old is the opposite of creativity. Every single artist, musician and photographer that I know longs to discover something new - and what is a better way to do that than to go somewhere far far away?</span><br />
<div style="color: #2c2c2c; font-family: Raleway, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; letter-spacing: 0.30000001192092896px; line-height: 22px; max-width: 100%; padding: 10px 0px 0px;">
Meet <span style="font-weight: 700;">Ian Chow</span>, my friend and someone I look up to when it comes to actually going to places most people only dream about. He is here to share his wisdom and experiences about being far far away from home.</div>
<div style="color: #2c2c2c; font-family: Raleway, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; letter-spacing: 0.30000001192092896px; line-height: 22px; max-width: 100%; padding: 10px 0px 0px;">
</div>
<div style="color: #2c2c2c; font-family: Raleway, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; letter-spacing: 0.30000001192092896px; line-height: 22px; max-width: 100%; padding: 10px 0px 0px;">
<span style="font-weight: 700;">Where are you now?</span></div>
<div style="color: #2c2c2c; font-family: Raleway, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; letter-spacing: 0.30000001192092896px; line-height: 22px; max-width: 100%; padding: 10px 0px 0px;">
Currently, I’m back home in Toronto.</div>
<div style="color: #2c2c2c; font-family: Raleway, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; letter-spacing: 0.30000001192092896px; line-height: 22px; max-width: 100%; padding: 10px 0px 0px;">
<span style="font-weight: 700;">How many countries have you visited so far? How many cities?</span></div>
<div style="color: #2c2c2c; font-family: Raleway, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; letter-spacing: 0.30000001192092896px; line-height: 22px; max-width: 100%; padding: 10px 0px 0px;">
17 or so countries and far too many cities to even care to count. Some countries though are weird, like Hong Kong, is that China or not? Or North Korea and South Korea, is that ONE Korea or not?</div>
<div style="color: #2c2c2c; font-family: Raleway, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; letter-spacing: 0.30000001192092896px; line-height: 22px; max-width: 100%; padding: 10px 0px 0px;">
</div>
<a name='more'></a><br />
<div style="color: #2c2c2c; font-family: Raleway, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; letter-spacing: 0.30000001192092896px; line-height: 22px; max-width: 100%; padding: 10px 0px 0px;">
<span style="font-weight: 700;">When and where was your first trip?</span></div>
<div style="color: #2c2c2c; font-family: Raleway, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; letter-spacing: 0.30000001192092896px; line-height: 22px; max-width: 100%; padding: 10px 0px 0px;">
First trip with my parents was to NYC when I was like, 6? First trip abroad was to Hong Kong/China, Australia and New Zealand just before I went to university.</div>
<div class="imageCaption" style="background-color: #f1f1f1; color: #2c2c2c; font-family: Raleway, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; letter-spacing: 0.30000001192092896px; line-height: 16px; margin-bottom: 20px; margin-top: 20px; max-width: 500px; padding: 0px 0px 5px; text-shadow: none;">
<img alt="image" src="https://31.media.tumblr.com/ae79afc1deadeaadea21e767b4123ace/tumblr_inline_n3kkvv5Y921r0qget.jpg" style="-webkit-box-shadow: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.247059) 0px 1px 3px; -webkit-user-select: none; border: 0px; box-shadow: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.247059) 0px 1px 3px; display: block; margin-bottom: 5px; max-width: 500px; width: 500px;" />The ruins in Hampi. Read Ian’s account of this unforgettable site <a href="http://explorationsevolution.blogspot.com/2013/04/monkey-gods-and-boulders.html" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0); -webkit-user-select: none; color: #008fee; text-decoration: none; word-wrap: break-word;" target="_blank">on his blog</a>.</div>
<div style="color: #2c2c2c; font-family: Raleway, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; letter-spacing: 0.30000001192092896px; line-height: 22px; max-width: 100%; padding: 10px 0px 0px;">
<span style="font-weight: 700;">What was the longest time you have been away from home?</span></div>
<div style="color: #2c2c2c; font-family: Raleway, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; letter-spacing: 0.30000001192092896px; line-height: 22px; max-width: 100%; padding: 10px 0px 0px;">
When I was teaching English in Korea. And then afterward I travelled. So that was maybe 3.5 years. Pretty not long considering I’ve met people that travelled for like 10 years. </div>
<div style="color: #2c2c2c; font-family: Raleway, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; letter-spacing: 0.30000001192092896px; line-height: 22px; max-width: 100%; padding: 10px 0px 0px;">
<span style="font-weight: 700;">What is it like to live in a foreign country, away from family and friends?</span></div>
<div style="color: #2c2c2c; font-family: Raleway, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; letter-spacing: 0.30000001192092896px; line-height: 22px; max-width: 100%; padding: 10px 0px 0px;">
For me personally, it’s super easy. Although, I wish my friends were with me. But honestly, if they were, I wouldn’t be going around and meeting people and getting myself into stupid situations in other ways than I would with my friends… So that’s pretty cool. </div>
<div style="color: #2c2c2c; font-family: Raleway, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; letter-spacing: 0.30000001192092896px; line-height: 22px; max-width: 100%; padding: 10px 0px 0px;">
<span style="font-weight: 700;">What makes you keep on venturing into the unknown?</span></div>
<div style="color: #2c2c2c; font-family: Raleway, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; letter-spacing: 0.30000001192092896px; line-height: 22px; max-width: 100%; padding: 10px 0px 0px;">
That’s a good question. I really couldn’t tell you. There’s so many reasons. I think though the biggest reason is that the world is so big, so many things to see, so many awesome things to do and experience. And my personality is that of curiosity and to seek adventure. I’ve decided big cities aren’t for me to travel to. Remote places to go adventuring, like climbing, biking, seeing wildlife, camping, and always that lingering possibility of meeting some locals that take you to probably the best of your life that wouldn’t find in any guide book.</div>
<div class="imageCaption" style="background-color: #f1f1f1; color: #2c2c2c; font-family: Raleway, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; letter-spacing: 0.30000001192092896px; line-height: 16px; margin-bottom: 20px; margin-top: 20px; max-width: 500px; padding: 0px 0px 5px; text-shadow: none;">
<img alt="image" src="https://31.media.tumblr.com/acb57d0ede4b9e20dda78cb1ce13fa5b/tumblr_inline_n3kl4s7vZD1r0qget.jpg" style="-webkit-box-shadow: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.247059) 0px 1px 3px; -webkit-user-select: none; border: 0px; box-shadow: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.247059) 0px 1px 3px; display: block; margin-bottom: 5px; max-width: 500px; width: 500px;" />The breathtaking Himalayas. Ian’s story behind his treck on his blog: <a href="http://explorationsevolution.blogspot.com/2013/10/everest-trek-day-1.html" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0); -webkit-user-select: none; color: #008fee; text-decoration: none; word-wrap: break-word;" target="_blank">here</a>.</div>
<div style="color: #2c2c2c; font-family: Raleway, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; letter-spacing: 0.30000001192092896px; line-height: 22px; max-width: 100%; padding: 10px 0px 0px;">
<span style="font-weight: 700;">What is your most favourite place so far?</span></div>
<div style="color: #2c2c2c; font-family: Raleway, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; letter-spacing: 0.30000001192092896px; line-height: 22px; max-width: 100%; padding: 10px 0px 0px;">
Hands down, Lobuche basecamp. I was in the Himalayas, did a trek out to climb this peak called Lobuche sitting at 6,100 meters. (Everest is 8,873M for comparison) We were acclimatizing after reaching basecamp and after a storm hit us, I was out at night just looking at the stars. It was so tranquil. Just being in the midst of 7000-8,000 meter mountains. So quiet. And so humbling to feel so small in such a big world. The energy was just immense. I mean, the experience of climbing a mountain there probably added to the awesomeness of it.</div>
<div style="color: #2c2c2c; font-family: Raleway, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; letter-spacing: 0.30000001192092896px; line-height: 22px; max-width: 100%; padding: 10px 0px 0px;">
<span style="font-weight: 700;">What is your least favourite place so far?</span></div>
<div style="color: #2c2c2c; font-family: Raleway, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; letter-spacing: 0.30000001192092896px; line-height: 22px; max-width: 100%; padding: 10px 0px 0px;">
I don’t think there’s a least favourite place. It’s more about what you explore in that place you’re currently in. I’d have to say, after skiing in Hokkaido for a week in Northern Japan, the rest of it was pretty anti-climatic. It was just big cities. Not that I don’t enjoy big cities, but I went on weekdays and so my friends were working and couldn’t really go out. And so that has made Japan not that much fun.</div>
<div class="imageCaption" style="background-color: #f1f1f1; color: #2c2c2c; font-family: Raleway, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; letter-spacing: 0.30000001192092896px; line-height: 16px; margin-bottom: 20px; margin-top: 20px; max-width: 500px; padding: 0px 0px 5px; text-shadow: none;">
<img alt="image" src="https://31.media.tumblr.com/57a4dad3b111eb6bca21b0c3e4aeac11/tumblr_inline_n3kldveaMf1r0qget.jpg" style="-webkit-box-shadow: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.247059) 0px 1px 3px; -webkit-user-select: none; border: 0px; box-shadow: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.247059) 0px 1px 3px; display: block; margin-bottom: 5px; max-width: 500px; width: 500px;" />An image Ian took at the India/Nepal border (more on his <a href="https://plus.google.com/112693792487143117215/photos" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0); -webkit-user-select: none; color: #008fee; text-decoration: none; word-wrap: break-word;" target="_blank">Google+ page</a>).</div>
<div style="color: #2c2c2c; font-family: Raleway, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; letter-spacing: 0.30000001192092896px; line-height: 22px; max-width: 100%; padding: 10px 0px 0px;">
<span style="font-weight: 700;">Can you name three things that you experience on daily basis and could never have back in Toronto?</span></div>
<div style="color: #2c2c2c; font-family: Raleway, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; letter-spacing: 0.30000001192092896px; line-height: 22px; max-width: 100%; padding: 10px 0px 0px;">
This really depends on you’re heritage (for language skills), where you travel to and your travelling style. I mean, I love the mountains and adventures in general. So generally aim to be in the middle of nowhere remote places, although I know people who love resorts and being pampered. So in my context…</div>
<div style="color: #2c2c2c; font-family: Raleway, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; letter-spacing: 0.30000001192092896px; line-height: 22px; max-width: 100%; padding: 10px 0px 0px;">
The joy of fighting to communicate in another language constantly. I mean, most countries will speak a few phrases of English though. But in the remotes places… learn a few phrases of the local language.</div>
<div style="color: #2c2c2c; font-family: Raleway, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; letter-spacing: 0.30000001192092896px; line-height: 22px; max-width: 100%; padding: 10px 0px 0px;">
Strategizing on how to pack your pack in the most efficient way. With things you use most constantly on the top, to the things that aren’t needed as much to the bottom. Where to secure money for easy access, yet out of prying eyes. </div>
<div style="color: #2c2c2c; font-family: Raleway, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; letter-spacing: 0.30000001192092896px; line-height: 22px; max-width: 100%; padding: 10px 0px 0px;">
Enjoying being the misconceptions others have about you. People look at me, no matter where you are and guess wrong about me. I’ve been called, Korean, Japanese, Indonesian, “Lama” (Nepali calls people who look Chinese “Lama” because of the cast system), and the best one was… I was a Sherpa. Obviously this is accompanied by racial stereotypes and people making fun of those stereotypes. Oh, and be prepared to be stared at. Constantly.</div>
<div style="color: #2c2c2c; font-family: Raleway, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; letter-spacing: 0.30000001192092896px; line-height: 22px; max-width: 100%; padding: 10px 0px 0px;">
Being patient while frustrated for whatever reason. Patience goes so far in keeping yourself sane when you’re exhausted from hauling your pack after not sleeping for 48 hours, jumping on and off buses, rickshaws/tuk tuks, fighting traffic and people, and haggling for money in a different language where you dont’ know the market price for destinations while you have a fever and travellers diarrhea. Being patient has a different meaning when you’re travelling than it does back home.</div>
<div style="color: #2c2c2c; font-family: Raleway, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; letter-spacing: 0.30000001192092896px; line-height: 22px; max-width: 100%; padding: 10px 0px 0px;">
<span style="font-weight: 700;">How does travel impact your creative side?</span></div>
<div style="color: #2c2c2c; font-family: Raleway, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; letter-spacing: 0.30000001192092896px; line-height: 22px; max-width: 100%; padding: 10px 0px 0px;">
I haven’t done much “artsy” things along the way. Although, I enjoy photography. Not so much in a contemporary way, but I’ve ended up being inspired with National Geographic shots for obvious reasons. I don’t go and look for the shots, I like to come across them and work with what I have. I guess it’s about trying to work your head around those shots.</div>
<div class="imageCaption" style="background-color: #f1f1f1; color: #2c2c2c; font-family: Raleway, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; letter-spacing: 0.30000001192092896px; line-height: 16px; margin-bottom: 20px; margin-top: 20px; max-width: 500px; padding: 0px 0px 5px; text-shadow: none;">
<img alt="image" src="https://31.media.tumblr.com/b8f0a843dc277cae8529a2e7a8c780ac/tumblr_inline_n3klnd8WLR1r0qget.png" style="-webkit-box-shadow: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.247059) 0px 1px 3px; -webkit-user-select: none; border: 0px; box-shadow: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.247059) 0px 1px 3px; display: block; margin-bottom: 5px; max-width: 500px; width: 500px;" />This shot by Ian is my absolute favourite :></div>
<div style="color: #2c2c2c; font-family: Raleway, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; letter-spacing: 0.30000001192092896px; line-height: 22px; max-width: 100%; padding: 10px 0px 0px;">
<span style="font-weight: 700;">During my time at some tourist locations I have seen millions of people taking… perhaps more photos than necessary. Do you think it is worth an effort to bring own (perhaps pro) camera to places like that?</span></div>
<div style="color: #2c2c2c; font-family: Raleway, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; letter-spacing: 0.30000001192092896px; line-height: 22px; max-width: 100%; padding: 10px 0px 0px;">
Depends. I don’t think its necessary to have an expensive camera. And again, depends on your travel style. Honestly, a point and shoot is quite enough. But if you do want to go that extra mile to get the shot, then having something as simple as controlling the aperture would be pretty beneficial.</div>
<div style="color: #2c2c2c; font-family: Raleway, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; letter-spacing: 0.30000001192092896px; line-height: 22px; max-width: 100%; padding: 10px 0px 0px;">
<span style="font-weight: 700;">What was your wildest adventure to date?</span></div>
<div style="color: #2c2c2c; font-family: Raleway, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; letter-spacing: 0.30000001192092896px; line-height: 22px; max-width: 100%; padding: 10px 0px 0px;">
That’s kind of a tough call. Adventure could mean different things. I consider party adventures as well, in my head anyways. I can’t do it justice to name one and leave the others out, as they all have its own flavours. I’ll list the top ones.</div>
<ul style="color: #2c2c2c; font-family: Raleway, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; letter-spacing: 0.30000001192092896px; line-height: 22px; list-style: none; margin: 15px 0px 5px; padding: 0px;">
<li style="display: inline-block; margin: 0px 0px 10px 40px;">Bicycling the maritimes of Canada for a month and a bit.</li>
<li style="display: inline-block; margin: 0px 0px 10px 40px;">Sailing down the Atlantic coast of America for 1.5 months.</li>
<li style="display: inline-block; margin: 0px 0px 10px 40px;">Scaling a peak in the Himalayas.</li>
<li style="display: inline-block; margin: 0px 0px 10px 40px;">Sniffing out an outdoor psy-trance festival in Nepal.</li>
<li style="display: inline-block; margin: 0px 0px 10px 40px;">Hitting the Street Parade in Zurich.</li>
<li style="display: inline-block; margin: 0px 0px 10px 40px;">Crashing the full moon party while learning to scuba dive in Indonesia.</li>
</ul>
<div style="color: #2c2c2c; font-family: Raleway, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; letter-spacing: 0.30000001192092896px; line-height: 22px; max-width: 100%; padding: 10px 0px 0px;">
<span style="font-weight: 700;">What is the scariest thing that happened to you during your travels?</span></div>
<div style="color: #2c2c2c; font-family: Raleway, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; letter-spacing: 0.30000001192092896px; line-height: 22px; max-width: 100%; padding: 10px 0px 0px;">
Probably in hindsight the fact I almost fell to my death in Switzerland when I was downhill biking in Zermatt. I took a downhill bike 45 mins up to the peak (I can’t remember the name of it now…) and 3 hour ride down. Part of the way down, there was a detour:</div>
<div style="color: #2c2c2c; font-family: Raleway, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; letter-spacing: 0.30000001192092896px; line-height: 22px; max-width: 100%; padding: 10px 0px 0px;">
“Blasting zone. Imminent death. Do not pass.”</div>
<div style="color: #2c2c2c; font-family: Raleway, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; letter-spacing: 0.30000001192092896px; line-height: 22px; max-width: 100%; padding: 10px 0px 0px;">
Okay.</div>
<div style="color: #2c2c2c; font-family: Raleway, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; letter-spacing: 0.30000001192092896px; line-height: 22px; max-width: 100%; padding: 10px 0px 0px;">
Taking the hiking route down. Meaning biking down stairs of death and hairpin turns. On one of these hairpin turns I went over the bars and started tumbling down wet grass, rock, and through the clouds. Finally I caught myself, picked up the bike and kept going. When I passed another turn where I can look at where I fell… Had I kept falling, I would’ve gone over a cliff where it just drops to nothing for over hundreds of stories…</div>
<div style="color: #2c2c2c; font-family: Raleway, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; letter-spacing: 0.30000001192092896px; line-height: 22px; max-width: 100%; padding: 10px 0px 0px;">
Lesson: Tell people where you’re going: <em style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', Times, serif;">It would’ve been days before anyone even found my body…</em></div>
<div style="color: #2c2c2c; font-family: Raleway, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; letter-spacing: 0.30000001192092896px; line-height: 22px; max-width: 100%; padding: 10px 0px 0px;">
<span style="font-weight: 700;">During your time overseas you meet a lot of other travellers. How different are they (if so) in your opinion from people back home?</span></div>
<div style="color: #2c2c2c; font-family: Raleway, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; letter-spacing: 0.30000001192092896px; line-height: 22px; max-width: 100%; padding: 10px 0px 0px;">
Depends where you meet them. Resort or on a mountain. And depends who you hang out at home. I don’t want to make stereotypical comments and stuff, but you can guess what demography you’d find where. And generally… people tend to be the same in those kind of cliques or circles.</div>
<div style="color: #2c2c2c; font-family: Raleway, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; letter-spacing: 0.30000001192092896px; line-height: 22px; max-width: 100%; padding: 10px 0px 0px;">
<span style="font-weight: 700;">Issues of racism, sexism and homophobia are known to be more prevalent in some countries over Canada and United States. Do you have any experience or opinions regarding this issue?</span></div>
<div style="color: #2c2c2c; font-family: Raleway, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; letter-spacing: 0.30000001192092896px; line-height: 22px; max-width: 100%; padding: 10px 0px 0px;">
When I travel with female companions in Muslim countries, if we just walk next to each other, we’re considered married. In Tazania, my lady-companion got a lot more attention from guys after I had left. Ladies, if you want guys to not bother you, just walk with another guy; a friend or even a guy you meet at the hostel is fine.</div>
<div style="color: #2c2c2c; font-family: Raleway, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; letter-spacing: 0.30000001192092896px; line-height: 22px; max-width: 100%; padding: 10px 0px 0px;">
I was travelling with another couple once and there was a UK fellow and a Korean American. In the restaurant in India, the Korean American and I were suddenly given the bill with our order as they just assumed we were together.</div>
<div style="color: #2c2c2c; font-family: Raleway, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; letter-spacing: 0.30000001192092896px; line-height: 22px; max-width: 100%; padding: 10px 0px 0px;">
When it comes to homophobia in Korea, it’s very interesting… They all love Adam Lambert (from American Idol) and think he’s a fantastic singer. But when they found out he was gay, they didn’t believe it. The Korean guys there hold hands, wear make up, and my male students play this game where they run around and grab each others shlongs. But that’s not gay. And neither is Adam Lambert.</div>
<div class="imageCaption" style="background-color: #f1f1f1; color: #2c2c2c; font-family: Raleway, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; letter-spacing: 0.30000001192092896px; line-height: 16px; margin-bottom: 20px; margin-top: 20px; max-width: 500px; padding: 0px 0px 5px; text-shadow: none;">
<img alt="image" src="https://31.media.tumblr.com/cddbc5544a077a4407bf0d2ad277ea5f/tumblr_inline_n3kls09PtW1r0qget.jpg" style="-webkit-box-shadow: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.247059) 0px 1px 3px; -webkit-user-select: none; border: 0px; box-shadow: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.247059) 0px 1px 3px; display: block; margin-bottom: 5px; max-width: 500px; width: 500px;" />A beautiful sight of elephants playing in Nambia on Ian’s <a href="https://plus.google.com/112693792487143117215/photos/photo/5913649766054070514" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0); -webkit-user-select: none; color: #008fee; text-decoration: none; word-wrap: break-word;" target="_blank">Google+ page</a>.</div>
<div style="color: #2c2c2c; font-family: Raleway, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; letter-spacing: 0.30000001192092896px; line-height: 22px; max-width: 100%; padding: 10px 0px 0px;">
<span style="font-weight: 700;">Is travel for everyone?</span></div>
<div style="color: #2c2c2c; font-family: Raleway, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; letter-spacing: 0.30000001192092896px; line-height: 22px; max-width: 100%; padding: 10px 0px 0px;">
Travel is definitely for everyone. Depends how much you want to be involved with your travels and how much you want to learn and interact with others. The more you let go of your comforts and safety zones the more interesting adventures you get yourself into and if that’s what gets you going, do it. Or if the idea of hanging out by the beach on a resort soaking in the rays drinking margaritas all day is what you long for, go for it.</div>
<div style="color: #2c2c2c; font-family: Raleway, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; letter-spacing: 0.30000001192092896px; line-height: 22px; max-width: 100%; padding: 10px 0px 0px;">
Personally, and I think you already get a feeling of my travelling style and personality, letting go and going with the flow is definitely the best way. What do you do when the only hotel is 150 bucks a night and there’s snow waist deep outside, -5 and it’s 12am and you’re in a small town somewhere Northern Japan? The correct answer is flatten down the snow and camp!</div>
<div style="color: #2c2c2c; font-family: Raleway, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; letter-spacing: 0.30000001192092896px; line-height: 22px; max-width: 100%; padding: 10px 0px 0px;">
What do you do when you’re asked to join a troupe of 3 guys with 3 motorcycles to ride up to Mt. Merapi at 4pm and go see the sunrise in the morning the next day when you can go back to your Couch Surfer Host and spend a quiet night? You hop on the back of one of the motorcycles and ride through the night, up a misty mountain, past search and rescue crews, and recent lava flow.<span style="font-weight: 700;"> Now that’s travelling!</span></div>
<div class="imageCaption" style="background-color: #f1f1f1; color: #2c2c2c; font-family: Raleway, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; letter-spacing: 0.30000001192092896px; line-height: 16px; margin-bottom: 20px; margin-top: 20px; max-width: 500px; padding: 0px 0px 5px; text-shadow: none;">
<img alt="image" src="https://31.media.tumblr.com/84c0678abd30dde4512cbaaa600e3d1e/tumblr_inline_n3km4iU6O31r0qget.jpg" style="-webkit-box-shadow: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.247059) 0px 1px 3px; -webkit-user-select: none; border: 0px; box-shadow: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.247059) 0px 1px 3px; display: block; margin-bottom: 5px; max-width: 500px; width: 500px;" />North Korea! <a href="https://plus.google.com/112693792487143117215/photos/photo/5823273329711824866" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0); -webkit-user-select: none; color: #008fee; text-decoration: none; word-wrap: break-word;" target="_blank">Source</a>.</div>
<div style="color: #2c2c2c; font-family: Raleway, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; letter-spacing: 0.30000001192092896px; line-height: 22px; max-width: 100%; padding: 10px 0px 0px;">
<span style="font-weight: 700;">What is the difference between travelling and tourism in your opinion?</span></div>
<div style="color: #2c2c2c; font-family: Raleway, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; letter-spacing: 0.30000001192092896px; line-height: 22px; max-width: 100%; padding: 10px 0px 0px;">
Haha, I think I just answered it with the stories I just told (above)… Tourism is still seeing the place you’re travelling as a 3<sup>rd</sup> person. Travelling is when you live with/like the locals.</div>
<div style="color: #2c2c2c; font-family: Raleway, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; letter-spacing: 0.30000001192092896px; line-height: 22px; max-width: 100%; padding: 10px 0px 0px;">
<span style="font-weight: 700;">Is life as a traveller expensive?</span></div>
<div style="color: #2c2c2c; font-family: Raleway, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; letter-spacing: 0.30000001192092896px; line-height: 22px; max-width: 100%; padding: 10px 0px 0px;">
Life as a traveller can be relatively inexpensive. Life as a tourist is super expensive., as per examples earlier. </div>
<div style="color: #2c2c2c; font-family: Raleway, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; letter-spacing: 0.30000001192092896px; line-height: 22px; max-width: 100%; padding: 10px 0px 0px;">
Really, monetarily speaking the cheapest way is to stay at random peoples houses and travel slow. By that I mean, taking local transport all the way. Talk to people. Hitch. Bike. Walk. Sail. Don’t ever take a plane unless you’re out of options for time and distance.</div>
<div style="color: #2c2c2c; font-family: Raleway, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; letter-spacing: 0.30000001192092896px; line-height: 22px; max-width: 100%; padding: 10px 0px 0px;">
Make local friends. Generally, they want to show others how they live, especially when they see only local people. They’ll cook food for you and let you stay at their place. But obviously, you give back by cooking for them and showing them other things as well as a cross cultural experience.</div>
<div style="color: #2c2c2c; font-family: Raleway, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; letter-spacing: 0.30000001192092896px; line-height: 22px; max-width: 100%; padding: 10px 0px 0px;">
<span style="font-weight: 700;">What is your advice to people who want to start travelling but can’t get their feet off the ground?</span></div>
<div style="color: #2c2c2c; font-family: Raleway, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; letter-spacing: 0.30000001192092896px; line-height: 22px; max-width: 100%; padding: 10px 0px 0px;">
Well, there’s a lot to be said given the context of their situation. Mortgages, credit, work, significant others…</div>
<div style="color: #2c2c2c; font-family: Raleway, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; letter-spacing: 0.30000001192092896px; line-height: 22px; max-width: 100%; padding: 10px 0px 0px;">
I started travelling on my own during university when I got the chance to school over seas. Hey, youngin’s: Do that! Study over seas! Best experience of your life!</div>
<div style="color: #2c2c2c; font-family: Raleway, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; letter-spacing: 0.30000001192092896px; line-height: 22px; max-width: 100%; padding: 10px 0px 0px;">
<em style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', Times, serif;">Start earlier than later</em>. Once I graduated, I looked for anything that could get me overseas. I landed a job teaching English. And frankly, flying out of Canada is the most expensive thing ever. Once that’s done, everything is A-OK. Once you start getting a job and saving money to go travel, you’re too late. You’ll end up collecting bills, responsibilities that tie you at home, and general excuses to not go do it. I find it so inspiring people who can do that and still leave.</div>
<div style="color: #2c2c2c; font-family: Raleway, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; letter-spacing: 0.30000001192092896px; line-height: 22px; max-width: 100%; padding: 10px 0px 0px;">
If you’re already in the workforce and saving to go travel I think it’ll be a bit hard. You’ll only get the vacation dates. Take a job at home with an organization that will send you over seas. Other than that, really, your option is to quit your job, sell everything, and just go. Take a job overseas that has transferable skill sets. Or not. Start fresh. As a travel bum!</div>
<div style="color: #2c2c2c; font-family: Raleway, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; letter-spacing: 0.30000001192092896px; line-height: 22px; max-width: 100%; padding: 10px 0px 0px;">
<span style="font-weight: 700;">Where do you see yourself in the next five years?</span></div>
<div style="color: #2c2c2c; font-family: Raleway, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; letter-spacing: 0.30000001192092896px; line-height: 22px; max-width: 100%; padding: 10px 0px 0px;">
After all this travelling, I feel super sad to be hanging up my travelling boots for a bit. I have to settle at home for a bit before heading out again. But this would mean I’ll be travelling with more of a purpose as I want to get into community development with a focus on environment and resource planning. So essentially my goal is to head into rural communities and find out how they can be re-organized to be self sustainable.</div>
<div style="color: #2c2c2c; font-family: Raleway, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; letter-spacing: 0.30000001192092896px; line-height: 22px; max-width: 100%; padding: 10px 0px 0px;">
<span style="font-weight: 700;">Any last words?</span></div>
<div style="color: #2c2c2c; font-family: Raleway, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; letter-spacing: 0.30000001192092896px; line-height: 22px; max-width: 100%; padding: 10px 0px 0px;">
Uh… I’m a man of few words… Any <a href="http://blog.artsocket.com/post/81799247253/interview-with-ian-chow-world-traveller#notesComments" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0); -webkit-user-select: none; color: #008fee; text-decoration: none; word-wrap: break-word;">questions</a>?</div>
<div style="color: #2c2c2c; font-family: Raleway, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; letter-spacing: 0.30000001192092896px; line-height: 22px; max-width: 100%; padding: 10px 0px 0px;">
<img alt="image" src="https://31.media.tumblr.com/55e0923333c9f903da2743234c2b418c/tumblr_inline_n3klzty5sE1r0qget.jpg" style="-webkit-box-shadow: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.247059) 0px 1px 3px; -webkit-user-select: none; border: 0px; box-shadow: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.247059) 0px 1px 3px; display: block; margin-bottom: 5px; max-width: 500px; width: 500px;" /></div>
<div class="author" style="background-color: #f1f1f1; color: #2c2c2c; display: inline-block; font-family: Raleway, sans-serif; font-size: 11px; height: 100px; letter-spacing: 0.30000001192092896px; line-height: 14px; margin-top: 60px; max-width: 320px; overflow: hidden; padding-right: 5px;">
<img alt="Dmitri Tcherbadji" src="https://www.artsocket.com/images/content/pages/about-dmitri.jpg" style="-webkit-box-shadow: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.247059) 0px 1px 3px; -webkit-user-select: none; border: 0px; box-shadow: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.247059) 0px 1px 3px; display: inline-block; float: left; margin-bottom: 5px; margin-right: 5px; max-width: 500px; width: 100px;" /><span style="font-weight: 700;">Dmitri Tcherbadji</span> is the owner and one of the key contributors to <a href="https://www.artsocket.com/" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0); -webkit-user-select: none; color: #008fee; text-decoration: none; word-wrap: break-word;">ArtSocket</a>. He is an avid photographer, traveller, designer, coder, musician and even a rock climber. Find him on <a href="https://plus.google.com/111516521908792606503?rel=author" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0); -webkit-user-select: none; color: #008fee; text-decoration: none; word-wrap: break-word;" target="_blank">Google+</a>,<a href="https://twitter.com/dmitristweets" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0); -webkit-user-select: none; color: #008fee; text-decoration: none; word-wrap: break-word;">Twitter</a> or check out <a href="http://knowledgeandanticipation.tumblr.com/" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0); -webkit-user-select: none; color: #008fee; text-decoration: none; word-wrap: break-word;">his blog</a>.</div>
</div>
explorationsevohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17212906449642223302noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8353026390807692341.post-19299391755386164062014-03-11T09:38:00.000-04:002014-03-11T09:38:47.962-04:00What? Tanzania isn't poor at all!<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-HVoj-_VhQzk/Ux4b7Bq2KII/AAAAAAAADsY/xXsNJxwxrQA/s1600/IMG_3738.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-HVoj-_VhQzk/Ux4b7Bq2KII/AAAAAAAADsY/xXsNJxwxrQA/s1600/IMG_3738.JPG" height="320" width="213" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The artist</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
"Do you want paintings? Very cheap price for you!" He said. I was volunteering in Stone Town in Zanzibar in Tanzania, East Africa.<br />
<div>
<br />
<div>
This is the gazillionth time I've been approached by touters trying to make a quick buck at unsuspecting tourists. Who knows the actual prices of these paintings?</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
"How much is cheap?" He offered a price. I couldn't remember what it is now. Nor does it matter. "And what is it painted on?" After all, my degree was in Art History, big help that was in landing a career. </div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
"Banana leaves!" He exclaimed. Ok. That's pretty interesting. Trying to get out of the tout, I humoured him. </div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
"Do you have the big 5? And a big painting of it on banana leaves?" He explained that he could search for it. With sincerity. He also explained that his grandfather painted them, who knows if that was true.<br />
<br />
<a name='more'></a></div>
<div>
"All right, I'll be around for 5 more weeks. I'll find you here at Shangani Park!" Which wasn't a lie. I was interested to see if he could get "The Big 5" referring to the 5 biggest animals in Africa; lion, elephant, hippo, leopard and the buffalo. He told me his name was Joseph.</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-ERjC2hQPMwg/Ux5AMhcpiqI/AAAAAAAADxo/OtBQ6zgcZ5Y/s1600/20140114_145023.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-ERjC2hQPMwg/Ux5AMhcpiqI/AAAAAAAADxo/OtBQ6zgcZ5Y/s1600/20140114_145023.jpg" height="320" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">His associate doing other paintings</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
A few weeks later I bumped into him again with him touting the same thing. He clearly doesn't remember me but was shocked when I called him by name. Again, I told him I'll be around for a few more weeks and not to worry.</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
I had forgotten about Joseph for 3 weeks since. I did want a painting before I left though, of something from Zanzibar. I decided I was going to find this Joseph, but hadn't spotted him hunting for tourists. Finally after New Years, I had wandered with a group of friends into the depths of Stone Town got lost </div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
"Hey! My friend! How are you?!" Joseph pops out from the side street. He was as excited to see me as I was to him. Our brief encounters before were quite jovial, despite the obvious hard sells. I told him I never see him around anymore.</div>
<div>
<br />
"I'm learning to paint now!" That got my attention. This young man, probably just hovering around late teens went from a street peddler to a painter over night. I wondered what his game was.</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
"I just have a few paintings now, but later I will have more! I have a teacher!" I suddenly felt a I had to support this man in his endeavors. We traded numbers and discussed how I could find him later on. After all I had 2 more weeks here.</div>
<div>
<br />
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-2TuYE4TowUU/Ux4aOv-uChI/AAAAAAAADrg/j5oTGwam0-Y/s1600/IMG_3340.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-2TuYE4TowUU/Ux4aOv-uChI/AAAAAAAADrg/j5oTGwam0-Y/s1600/IMG_3340.JPG" height="213" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Coral bricks and metal sheets for houses</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
I've known and seen several people in my travels just give up in life in poor economic conditions and resort to the drink or whatever cop-out drugs they can find. Economically ranking in the 2012 UN census, Tanzania sits 177th out of 194 countries. There are only 17 more countries more poor than Tanzania where Somalia stands in last place.<br />
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
In Zanzibar, a tropical paradise, economically devastated, where resorts for the rich Westerners, <i>mzungu's,</i> are juxtaposed beside the poor shanty shacks made of coral rock and metal sheets, where locals have very little hope in achieving the wealth of a tourist, this man had pulled his life together and is going to make the best of his situation. </div>
<div>
<br /></div>
</div>
<div>
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-rwnumAeLrxI/Ux4_9OyC-bI/AAAAAAAADxg/olG0l8Hm910/s1600/20140114_150546.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-rwnumAeLrxI/Ux4_9OyC-bI/AAAAAAAADxg/olG0l8Hm910/s1600/20140114_150546.jpg" height="240" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Me and the artist</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
A few days later I had made a specific run down to see Joseph to get art and he took me to another store where he was painting. These paintings were all done with a palette knife and also negative spaced lines where the paint is scraped off. Humanoid figures depict the Masai people from Arusha closer inland to Mount Kilamanjaro. Bulbous stomachs, nose, and breasts make up the gist of the references of the body and the negative spaced depicted the jewelry they often wear.</div>
<div>
<br />
"I know you wanted to support me and my art <i>rafiki</i>. I'm really giving you a good price now." </div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
After shopping around for art, I knew his prices weren't bad and he had already reduced them. I could be a nasty haggler when I know I'm being ripped off. Whatever price he named I was willing to give. With my buddy, Christine, we had bought pretty much the 3 paintings that he had available to encourage him to continue on the path that he is going to pursue.<br />
<br />
With that, he packed it into a cardboard tube, we shook hands and departed. This artist is already rich and he doesn't even know it yet. (And I don't mean money)</div>
<div>
<br />
<br /></div>
</div>
</div>
explorationsevohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17212906449642223302noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8353026390807692341.post-35479524337742442052014-01-08T10:12:00.000-05:002014-01-08T10:14:43.636-05:00My students work and my current life<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<div>
<br />
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj0eC099YfZrh3RFmx6XTlneDiGWJh0jphWL0hZwRwTpa47xtjdmENUXzaTobfdXuy3Sc3E-Zuhf-1OyW_FF5eIcMUNQUVHu8qQnfU0dGiiyWSNJTcVVpCHrKkAkCMB-0krdoKTlNkeWCTM/s1600/IMG_3443.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj0eC099YfZrh3RFmx6XTlneDiGWJh0jphWL0hZwRwTpa47xtjdmENUXzaTobfdXuy3Sc3E-Zuhf-1OyW_FF5eIcMUNQUVHu8qQnfU0dGiiyWSNJTcVVpCHrKkAkCMB-0krdoKTlNkeWCTM/s1600/IMG_3443.JPG" height="213" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Focus Group Discussion with community members</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
In the shade, under a huge tree of an unknown name (to me atleast), in the courtyard of a school in Paje, Zanzibar, Tanzania, my students begin their practice community assessment. On my side of things, it was a bit of a scramble to coordinate the placements with my Program Director between the students local NGO partner (ZANGOC) and the community leaders.</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
"Karibuni, you are most welcome to your village. Please come follow. Very welcome" The Sheha (village elder) lead Christine, my partner in crime volunteer buddy, and me to the court yard where the meeting will take place. All the village representatives were there from each part of the village. </div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
"What do you do?" I get asked a lot these days.</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
In short, I'm in an vulnerable country teaching students about grant proposal writing while coordinating their practicums in different communities on Zanzibar. This will eventually give them the life skills in community assessment and community empowerment. This helps to alleviate and improve several different aspects of their lives in the community. I guess that's not very short.</div>
<div>
<a name='more'></a><br /></div>
<div>
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEitTijHYqoa_nDuOIBgXZR3HTkgu9Xvbzh9NYdMTFmNr7jjRcwOsCaFnSnNsr1jhZg_ndc109zVnAZo2JpmKMbRXUTi7FCB1_933uJ9MkD2BLkoinuZwmf89NzJU1fPJlsKItbj3g-_4vJD/s1600/IMG_3426.JPG" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEitTijHYqoa_nDuOIBgXZR3HTkgu9Xvbzh9NYdMTFmNr7jjRcwOsCaFnSnNsr1jhZg_ndc109zVnAZo2JpmKMbRXUTi7FCB1_933uJ9MkD2BLkoinuZwmf89NzJU1fPJlsKItbj3g-_4vJD/s1600/IMG_3426.JPG" height="213" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Member voicing their concerns</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
In a larger spectrum of things, my students are taught to solve community issues in their village or a larger town. Usually problems fall under the UN Millennium Development Goals. They are taught:<br />
</div>
<div>
</div>
<div>
<b>1) Assess a community for problems:</b> This means gathering data, talking to community leaders, and different stake holders. Problems can go from access clean drinking water to uncontrolled dumping of garbage to accessing under-equipped medical facilities. <i>This is currently where my students are, in the community assessing process.</i></div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
<b>2) Analyze their data that is collected:</b> They find the most pressing problem in the community and set about a way to solve it. </div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
<b>3) Create a solution for the problem:</b> This can take days, months, and years even to find a solution. And it could continuously evolve when new technology comes out. In the case of energy, finding solar panels as a solution. That technology changes rapidly. Or accessing potable water on Zanzi, they could use a solar de-salinator that can be easily built with pottery. Finding simple solutions with localized industries can take time to research and even more so to implement</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
<b>4) Create a grant proposal: </b>For funding should it be required, which most projects will. A successful grant proposal usually serves a the blueprint of how the project will be carried out. <i>These are the classes that I taught before they went out to the community.</i></div>
<div>
<i><br /></i></div>
<div>
<b>5) Implement the project</b>: If the funding is successful, it would be hopeful that they themselves could implement the project. Not necessarily the case all the time though, although it would be advisable.</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgEEhUHDYKSReBrdFNaMbhgZxadSb9uEmvN5kcwV3o0bWiXbdImWVkoPVA5DJB6sXQeFOx6odhUg3jyArKunckohldoaQLKsoY8BzVvPBw2Zsc_9Ni0aXCl7q8XKOz_-HQ1G-14CwfXxIaM/s1600/IMG_3446.JPG" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgEEhUHDYKSReBrdFNaMbhgZxadSb9uEmvN5kcwV3o0bWiXbdImWVkoPVA5DJB6sXQeFOx6odhUg3jyArKunckohldoaQLKsoY8BzVvPBw2Zsc_9Ni0aXCl7q8XKOz_-HQ1G-14CwfXxIaM/s1600/IMG_3446.JPG" height="213" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">My students taking notes from the community members concerns</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
These are the things that I'm dealing with in Zanzibar. Obviously that procedure isn't in complete detail, but it's just to give an idea of what my volunteer job is. </div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
For the next few days, I'll be going to different communities that my students are sent to and checking up on how they're doing. A few of my students are also placed in different NGO's to work on issues they are interested in, which includes malaria, street kids, child marriages, clean water supply, etc.</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
Oh, woe is me. Time to tackle the worlds problems!</div>
<object classid="clsid:D27CDB6E-AE6D-11cf-96B8-444553540000" height="338" title="Click Here to donate!" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" width="258"><param name="movie" value="//funds.gofundme.com/Widgetflex.swf" /><param name="quality" value="high" /><param name="flashvars" value="page=5aur4o&template=11" /><param name="wmode" value="transparent" /><embed allowScriptAccess="always" src="//funds.gofundme.com/Widgetflex.swf" quality="high" flashVars="page=5aur4o&template=11" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" wmode="transparent" width="258" height="338"></embed></object>
</div>
explorationsevohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17212906449642223302noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8353026390807692341.post-54225575159071514832013-12-20T16:28:00.000-05:002013-12-20T16:28:16.514-05:00I was sent to volunteer in Africa... <table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhcz1QmpIO11r_JEy9-iw78svEGs_2zyJo_4xew082nZ_KMxsWWbVxk3sl_HZ4KgMOpVrXwSKz_Nu2T-4aNFHv7KYe0dy9sgXVMPxmnpgRc2IGR4-QHeCvnZLz_bgYKvDsPxS5tqm_kJuWL/s1600/20131218_095340.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhcz1QmpIO11r_JEy9-iw78svEGs_2zyJo_4xew082nZ_KMxsWWbVxk3sl_HZ4KgMOpVrXwSKz_Nu2T-4aNFHv7KYe0dy9sgXVMPxmnpgRc2IGR4-QHeCvnZLz_bgYKvDsPxS5tqm_kJuWL/s320/20131218_095340.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">My students at it again!</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<ul>
<li>Malaria</li>
<li>Women empowerment</li>
<li>HIV/Aids</li>
<li>Child marriage</li>
<li>Street kids </li>
<li>Corruption in government</li>
<li>Drug abuse </li>
</ul>
Emcompasses a small list of what my students are interested about. Their average age is mid twenties and they're all interested in tackling issues of this size. They want to volunteer at their placements and ontop of that, observe other class members who have gone into at-risk communities to do their research on community assessments to identify problems and try to find solutions for those communities.<br />
<br />
To complete a year long course of "Emerging Leaders" program, they are to complete 2 grant proposals from the research they have done from the previous course in how to assess communities. They find the weakest links of the communities and address those issues. As part of this, I have given them the oppurtunity to also be placed in another NGO that best matches their interests and to begin working on the issues at hand.<br />
<br />
Not one friend I know back home actively pursue the interests of these likes, of course each their own, but the idea of contributing time to make real changes in the world, especially with all the harsh crticism that's vocalized almost everyday and spewing onto Facebook.<br />
<a name='more'></a><br />
The only thing I see back home are people complaining about what's wrong with the world. Few take charge to write to their MP's. Even fewer still goes out to protests. And still, even less - and at this point I'm scratching the bottom of the barrell to say anyone I know - goes out to volunteer time, effort and commitment to try and change anything that they've complained passionately about in hot debates while we were hanging out.<br />
<br />
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg2xvIRNf6oZu4rbQwvLbjSLwV5OQu5MSPbS27DK3ulAEMXabUNR9ibALl3AmMQkwpZYS_j_VSp95V4EVcghUT8dUo6NfsTg4nEMpbiHc2PPWbXiGCODfZDrrlmZFV5FNhS_-tukkfhpH4y/s1600/20131216_104946.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg2xvIRNf6oZu4rbQwvLbjSLwV5OQu5MSPbS27DK3ulAEMXabUNR9ibALl3AmMQkwpZYS_j_VSp95V4EVcghUT8dUo6NfsTg4nEMpbiHc2PPWbXiGCODfZDrrlmZFV5FNhS_-tukkfhpH4y/s320/20131216_104946.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Working away!</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
Why do I feel like we carry this huge misconception in the "West" that everyone else in the world are lazy if they're not "rich." It seems the "West" is even lazier and all we know how to do is complain.<br />
<br />
It's not that the people in the country doesn't want change. Everyone I've come across are adament about it. They want change in the biggest way.<br />
<br />
Even more so in the less developed world. I see the most enthusiasm for change here than at home. Infact, they are working toward it starting with the comnunity level. Changes there influence key decision makers that eventually gather momentum. Most approaches and methods include contacting politicians and key decision makers to accomplish change.<br />
<br />
I was not prepared for the amount of enthusiasm and energy my students want this change. They crave it. They are so hungry to do something about it. They are so motivated to make the world a better place. If we soak up even just 1% of their motivation and apply it to ourselves in Canada, the impact from that would ripples a thousand times and create change in the direction that all Canadians want.<br />
<br />
My students are doing it, how are we as a more "developed" country so far behind?<br />
<br />
<object classid="clsid:D27CDB6E-AE6D-11cf-96B8-444553540000" height="338" title="Click Here to donate!" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" width="258"><param name="movie" value="//funds.gofundme.com/Widgetflex.swf" /><param name="quality" value="high" /><param name="flashvars" value="page=5aur4o&template=11" /><param name="wmode" value="transparent" /><embed allowScriptAccess="always" src="//funds.gofundme.com/Widgetflex.swf" quality="high" flashVars="page=5aur4o&template=11" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" wmode="transparent" width="258" height="338"></embed></object>
explorationsevohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17212906449642223302noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8353026390807692341.post-54806160607285957152013-12-05T13:10:00.000-05:002013-12-05T13:10:29.469-05:00If there's something in life worth doing, it's worth over doing.<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhbbbGrVjY0tedAyAfr-yvaYlNl9FxjDYB9UOw_SSHLnhaVVNAN4quBD9kjD7ygDa-6EcCkeH0-htarxf5bfqBaU2rJPNno0cc-cel9m5Hf4fKN0FK8p1oemJGwx0qX9yttqq8A8Fckum4_/s1600/fundraiser+pic+2.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhbbbGrVjY0tedAyAfr-yvaYlNl9FxjDYB9UOw_SSHLnhaVVNAN4quBD9kjD7ygDa-6EcCkeH0-htarxf5bfqBaU2rJPNno0cc-cel9m5Hf4fKN0FK8p1oemJGwx0qX9yttqq8A8Fckum4_/s1600/fundraiser+pic+2.png" height="320" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Workshops in Tanzania</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
4 hours of sleep on Sunday, two nights, 3 days later with a 17 hours trip in Cairo washing my pant leg clean from horse dung, I found myself in a car screeching to a halt in the gridlock that was Dar Es Salaam in Tanzania having not slept since that Sunday. Another two days I get the full report of what I was doing.<br />
<br />
In short, I am "to help the students find problems in the community and fix
them" Said Stella, the regional director for YCI, the NGO I'm working
with.<br />
<br />
Or more indepth, I am to support Emerging Leaders (project) to link the problems identified during community mapping visits into project identification techniques and support Emerging Leaders to organize their ideas of the problems identified in designing a project, and discuss with them tips on project implementation, monitoring and evaluation. In more academia terms, increase the capacity of the community by strengthening their self-efficacy. <br />
<br />
<a name='more'></a><br />
I gave a blank stare to Stella.<br />
<br />
The youth have already gone through several months of skills development including leadership skills, community mapping, and other skills development, with other volunteers previous. Then I come in to finish up the curriculum by having them finally carry out their task by approaching community leaders, partnerships, other NGO's and community members. This is daunting.<br />
<br />
"So, this sounds like something I should be already an expert in!" I cried. My heart sunk as I have no training in this field! <br />
<br />
As I start to learn more about what needs to be done and what the youth need to develop, the more my confidence began to grow. There are things I haven't done before, like train a group of youth to ask for funding. I haven't even done that! My fundraiser isn't going so well, I think I have a lot to learn from them about that!<br />
<br />
But then there are things I've done, such as giving classes. English classes. But this time the theme is proposal writing for funding and grants. Computer classes on how to turn on the machine and turn on a word processor. Life skills that we otherwise overlook in our daily lives. <br />
<br />
All these projects are recommended by the UN Millennium Development Goals, given to Canadian Development Agency to different NGO's to achieve goals by 2015.<br />
<br />
Well, sink or swim time! Roll up my sleeves and dive in. This will be the funnest project I have given myself since scaling a mountain in Nepal. This is what I set out to do, it's time to do it.<br />
<br />
One of my more favourite quotes that I've been reciting these days:<br />
"If there's something in life worth doing, it's worth <i>over </i>doing"<br />
<br /></div>
<a href="http://www.gofundme.com/5aur4o?utm_medium=wdgt" style="border: 0 none;" target="_top" title="Visit this page now."><img src="http://funds.gofundme.com/css/3.0_donate/blue/widget.png" style="border: 0 none;" /></a></div>
explorationsevohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17212906449642223302noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8353026390807692341.post-28241943768280742722013-11-19T13:11:00.002-05:002013-11-19T13:11:43.534-05:00Skiing in the desert<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgCet-ImmZrjHDVx3yeeofv4DqQiijqxqiTdAUBa0gUnega8CxT6pVrvKYFHgC7EeWo_r2iwGCcf_Jwy_hgVoE_D2YaAxmy83h3ydwrMiZ3OiyhoPUuBJXZAXKtNQZ08hi42__6R3FQ12F1/s1600/20130721150756061.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgCet-ImmZrjHDVx3yeeofv4DqQiijqxqiTdAUBa0gUnega8CxT6pVrvKYFHgC7EeWo_r2iwGCcf_Jwy_hgVoE_D2YaAxmy83h3ydwrMiZ3OiyhoPUuBJXZAXKtNQZ08hi42__6R3FQ12F1/s1600/20130721150756061.jpg" height="240" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Atlantic Ocean in the horizon</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
"I will take you to my world record sand dune, Ian. It's bigger than 'The Matterhorn Dune." Henrik exclaimed excitedly.<br />
<br />
I was already huffing and puffing up the sand dune in ski boots with skis on my back. The sand found its way in the ski boots and bore two nice holes in my shins.<br />
<br />
"Let's do it!" I cried.<br />
<br />
I'm in Namibia looking to get my skiing fix. It just so happens I was in Swakopmund where Henrik's office is based. I couldn't tell you where I saw an ad for his place, but it was from the corner of my eye. I Googled "skiing in Namibia" and he was the first hit that pops up.<br />
<div>
<br /></div>
Henrik holds the world record for the fastest time skiing on sand, clocked at 92.15 km/h. Henrik worked over ten years developping his special wax formula specially suited for skiing on sand. It's hard for him to hold back his excitement when he talks about the technical aspects of skiing.<br />
<br />
<a name='more'></a><br />
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjabi9hAWzpy9X3YU-NSktnaXQacHUWd7HjVyUAKR0euA8vI6unuGRKiC73wny2RO6oeQOfNvjZg70LTpo7fGs1jC2xzjswRY3snemMx50yYME_ZED0_4e68zmsWu-Gfen3RKvNU_L5IcsK/s1600/20130721150749318.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjabi9hAWzpy9X3YU-NSktnaXQacHUWd7HjVyUAKR0euA8vI6unuGRKiC73wny2RO6oeQOfNvjZg70LTpo7fGs1jC2xzjswRY3snemMx50yYME_ZED0_4e68zmsWu-Gfen3RKvNU_L5IcsK/s1600/20130721150749318.jpg" height="240" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Henrik at the top of Matterhorn Dune</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
From modest beginnings in East Berlin before the wall fell, his amazing story took him from competing in ski jumping into Namibia. After a life threatening accident, he climbed onto his skiis to set the world record and make a name for himself.<br />
<br />
Sand skiing, especially in Namibia, is the most surreal thing ever. Being an avid skier, I was craving to get myself back on the slopes, but where to go except that giant pile of sand in the desert? When I climbed up to the top of Matterhorn dune to do a few runs, you could see right across the desert. And the Atlantic Coast line. It was the most bizaare site ever. It's like I was skiing in the world's biggest beach, as Namibia's desert ends right at the ocean.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<br />
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgAkatI7gl8OXlT_sW0RTyre-SDlNbWxsp0x94bl_IZEZwzk1e3XIr5aRvIqap5fsblkc0TuJNYkDmK9-6jQWMc9puC_J2cRRxhGXnZChLygynIrgkfGlgBO5pvvSmRlg_3YMBQoCEaebc7/s1600/20130721165542366.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgAkatI7gl8OXlT_sW0RTyre-SDlNbWxsp0x94bl_IZEZwzk1e3XIr5aRvIqap5fsblkc0TuJNYkDmK9-6jQWMc9puC_J2cRRxhGXnZChLygynIrgkfGlgBO5pvvSmRlg_3YMBQoCEaebc7/s1600/20130721165542366.jpg" height="240" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Our camp for the day</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
His adventure lead us well into darkness, when the sand is at the optimal condition for skiing on because the wax required cool air, not because it was light sensitive. The last run I end up doing was on his dune that he set his world record on, under the stars, under the moon, no winds and next to the ocean.<br />
<br />
Perfect conditions.<br />
<br />
To find out more about Henrik and skiing in Namibia, check out <a href="http://www.ski-namibia.com/">http://www.ski-namibia.com/</a><br />
explorationsevohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17212906449642223302noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8353026390807692341.post-38066435429978123082013-11-15T12:04:00.000-05:002013-11-15T12:04:37.726-05:00Could've suffered much more at night... Have you considered mosquito nets?<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjTVqdCRUMurHHGQ-ANYKPE6ebyt68kyrDAzI-Gavk-b93vZu-pV6X9UgaXTv1mQw3e_iIh7iM1D-xNv6j8wtBXa4rOeyjyofQnn2EexN3jG6hM_IosNC3eO8N1pYamScm9-Oh3ODuhg7a4/s1600/P4140379.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjTVqdCRUMurHHGQ-ANYKPE6ebyt68kyrDAzI-Gavk-b93vZu-pV6X9UgaXTv1mQw3e_iIh7iM1D-xNv6j8wtBXa4rOeyjyofQnn2EexN3jG6hM_IosNC3eO8N1pYamScm9-Oh3ODuhg7a4/s320/P4140379.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">PermaNet hanging out during the day. Not in anti-mozzie mode<br />
just quite yet!</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
I woke up in the middle of the night from the swelling, itching and a thousand mosquitos finding their way through the giant wide open windows to the already stuffy room in India to eat me alive. It was mosquito netting time. I didn't think it would be as bad as it was considering how the evening was so mild. But then again, I'm the kind of guy that mosquitos love, to my demise.<br />
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
Thank goodness, <a href="http://www.vestergaard.com/" target="_blank">Vestergaard Frandsen</a> had provided me with wonderful oppurtunity to try out their mosquito nets, aptly named PermaNet. This fantastic company, in short, helps improve lives of those in vulnerable countries through supporting the UN's Millenium Development Goals. And this mosquito net is one of the big products. It helps with fighting malaria in the most hectic mosquito ridden places.</div>
<div>
<a name='more'></a></div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhGnZ8QQ1Mp01p02HDwG8zP3b7b5EKS-E35KWZ_zKZLAiLeqBKndykNIm0LBVIRab5eu7cvjyKSKkLrRQWTkhCFGj9KWTRI6MpxJUf0OCl5zD09_kDUjv0toWhJmqerQ4vNZRHyB-hzcY8w/s1600/IMG_0805.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhGnZ8QQ1Mp01p02HDwG8zP3b7b5EKS-E35KWZ_zKZLAiLeqBKndykNIm0LBVIRab5eu7cvjyKSKkLrRQWTkhCFGj9KWTRI6MpxJUf0OCl5zD09_kDUjv0toWhJmqerQ4vNZRHyB-hzcY8w/s320/IMG_0805.JPG" width="213" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Make shift the net; notice pack shoved<br />
to increase height in feet space</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div>
<b>Mosquito nets injected with insecticide</b><br />
The one I received from Vestergaard Frandsen was big enough to fit two people in a rectangular prism. All four corners can be strung up with extra material to lift the mid points up. Or be creative and figure out how to fit your sleeping accommodations.<br />
<br />
And embedded in the mosquito netting is insecticide. And my gosh does it work. The insecticide, Deltamethrin, is harmless to humans at that potentcy. However, I would still recommend washing your hands with soap thoroughly after handling it, as it can cause a burning feeling if touched in more sensitive parts of the body. It could last up to 2 days.</div>
<div>
<br />
<b>The results</b></div>
<div>
You can actually see the mosquitos collect on the net and around on the ground. I had no idea mosquitos loved me that much! It was quite satisfying to have a full night rest without having to worry about being eaten alive.<br />
<br />
The implications of this, other than my own comfort, is that when this mosquito net is distributed to the vulnerable countries, it actually will prevent malaria. Any mosquito net will do, really, but when there's insecticide, it will greatly reduce the chance of the having more mosquitos around. </div>
<div>
<br />
<b>Practicality</b></div>
<div>
The best part of it, especially for those hardcore backpackers, this mosquito net is pretty easy to set up, pack, and throw in your pack. I usually carry some cord when I travel (being me) and I can string it up in a makeshift way. Even when I don't have all four corners, I can shove my pack in the appropriate spot to elevate the net to not touch my feet. I love the fact I have a retangular prism, it provides ample amount of room under the netting and keeps it off your face. It's possible to fit 4 people in it easily.<br />
<br /></div>
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJRjFO3QAwEJ2HvtGfa2Ktcapc3WvLg74L3JWGUcKJOG0aB9usS-BS2THbUGFaCCe4uHGNlMBC7paZ0_YgsaMZ7UBKA6Pab21B8rS7EF16uNhMnq0XMFBXe2LmHrLJmMKMFKdFkh6d3t1D/s1600/IMG_1450.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJRjFO3QAwEJ2HvtGfa2Ktcapc3WvLg74L3JWGUcKJOG0aB9usS-BS2THbUGFaCCe4uHGNlMBC7paZ0_YgsaMZ7UBKA6Pab21B8rS7EF16uNhMnq0XMFBXe2LmHrLJmMKMFKdFkh6d3t1D/s320/IMG_1450.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Net shoved away during the day.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div>
In short, if you're going to some mosquito infested regions, don't leave without this mosquito net, PermaNet. It's an amazing product that I had never considered until I was introduced to it.</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
<a href="http://www.vestergaard.com/permanet-2-0" target="_blank">Click here to find out more about PermaNet and Vestergaard Frandsen.</a></div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
<br /></div>
explorationsevohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17212906449642223302noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8353026390807692341.post-32945985564053165252013-11-13T15:23:00.000-05:002013-11-13T20:25:11.899-05:00All respiratory masks suck. Except for this one<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEidXXcv8gRxoqAFBvfzTkR1lrjOLn7PuE_nAwYqnzUOfzysPX7Enrgd4JXfdp5ABx0i_t9JeaTbCEB08VT1VT_LbNyB6kN7G7htY0OR3iWK9sh9QevrSxY-v7cAaywXxLhavDo1U7JjkG5_/s1600/Totobobo-mask.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEidXXcv8gRxoqAFBvfzTkR1lrjOLn7PuE_nAwYqnzUOfzysPX7Enrgd4JXfdp5ABx0i_t9JeaTbCEB08VT1VT_LbNyB6kN7G7htY0OR3iWK9sh9QevrSxY-v7cAaywXxLhavDo1U7JjkG5_/s1600/Totobobo-mask.jpg" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Totobobo Mask</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
I'm not a man to give reviews very easily, unless it was bad... or spectacularly amazing. And this one is it, amazing. I'm talking about the Totobobo Mask, of course.<br />
<br />
After a few years of use, it was about time I had written something more significant.<br />
<br />
<b>My Criterias: Light, Not hot, breathes easy, and non invasive</b><br />
When I was still working in South Korea, spring time was also a time for a phenomenon called "Yellow Dust". Fine particles of sand specs picks up from the Gobi desert, collects air pollution as it travels through China and then dumps it in Korea. This can also last throughout the summer. Needless to say, I got sick a lot during the spring. Finally, I had enough and decided to look for a good mask. My criteria was that 1) Was light 2) Not hot 3) Breathes really easily 4) Non-invasive<br />
<br />
<a name='more'></a><br />
<br />
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhb7PRkzcSVDT6x75wENDWqRydyBNmQ2J0JOYV4FTHajgIocSVq7rpVH4cEZVwBlpezKQSYXr4GD5v3YaRueXYcBLp2DQT136G22vYx4u0R9zUDwVeOpUs8qTJmytJF7Lk9pBuY1wDtWBJb/s1600/climbing+with+mask.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhb7PRkzcSVDT6x75wENDWqRydyBNmQ2J0JOYV4FTHajgIocSVq7rpVH4cEZVwBlpezKQSYXr4GD5v3YaRueXYcBLp2DQT136G22vYx4u0R9zUDwVeOpUs8qTJmytJF7Lk9pBuY1wDtWBJb/s320/climbing+with+mask.jpg" width="213" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">You can rock climb with it!</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
After searching awhile online, reading reviews, I found that most other masks were lacking in atleast one of these criterias. Some were made of neoprene, some were "good" but once the filter goes on, it's very hard to breath, and some were just a huge thing in your face. Just as I was about to give up, I found Totobobo Mask.<br />
<br />
They matched all my criteria.<br />
<b><br /></b>
<b>Light</b><br />
This mask is incredibly light. You can even mash it up, fold it in your pocket and carry it around with you. No harm will come to this mask.<br />
<br />
<b>Not hot</b><br />
Despite scorching 36 degrees and 110% humidity, the mask doesn't make it any hotter when you breath into it. Ok, a little bit, but despite that I'm a sweaty guy, (I use a sweat band that channels sweat instead of a sweat absorber in high cardio exercises in the summer) the mask doesn't really make that much of a difference.<br />
<br />
<b>Breathes Easy</b><br />
Yeah, as I said, I do lots of sports outdoors. And so breathing hard into this mask is no problem. The air flow doesn't really slow down. It does a bit, but not that significant.<br />
<br />
<b>Non-invasive</b><br />
Once I got it, I started wearing it riding my bike to work. And wouldn't you know, I didn't sound like someone who had been smoking for 10 years and you can see the physical debris of dirt that gets caught up in the filters. Not only do I ride my bike with it to work, I also rock climbed with it. It never got in the way.<br />
<br />
After using it for biking and rock climbing, I had brought it to India and Nepal. Even just sitting in the rickshaws in Nepal for 20 minutes, I had realized my mask is completely filthy and needed a filter change. With good foresight, I had bought a lot of filters.<br />
<br />
Some other cool features?<br />
<br />
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjG0QMNdTZ7ljvr8WYAfL3Lhqpd9BdFPbqBOLKsVAQRgK47SGCn0aYmb0Hnrb1GgdakaRccuztk3VjyFYIYuDQDbnzcAzs4avxCLKlwsg4Mx76fdTPJZGq2mhpJ0ZNIJmETkQMhPU_ymJ9f/s1600/P3300357.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="150" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjG0QMNdTZ7ljvr8WYAfL3Lhqpd9BdFPbqBOLKsVAQRgK47SGCn0aYmb0Hnrb1GgdakaRccuztk3VjyFYIYuDQDbnzcAzs4avxCLKlwsg4Mx76fdTPJZGq2mhpJ0ZNIJmETkQMhPU_ymJ9f/s320/P3300357.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">30 minutes in a can in Kathmandu, Nepal</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<b>Filters</b><br />
How good are these filters? Well, if you don't know what N95 is, that is pretty much the standard for "The American National Standard for Air Purifying Respiratory". This means it filters out practically every airborne pollution, which refers to 95% of the pollution. Also, I ended up getting N96 filters too!<br />
<br />
<b>Changeable filters, renewable everything! Less waste!</b><br />
Unlike other masks where you have to throw out the entire thing and get a new one, Totobobo only throws out the filters. This produces a lot less garbage and being environmentally aware, I feel a lot less guilty doing this. To be honest, I didn't think this was a thing I'd really like about it, but it has grown on me. Recently doing lots of construction work, I've been throwing out and purchasing a lot more face masks than I feel was necessary. This changed everything<br />
<br />
<b>In a nutshell</b><br />
Get it. My lungs and health significantly got better, you can see the pollution being filtered out, it's not invasive, not hot, light, easy to wear and reusable. There are so many pro's about this one filter! I'm very happy with it and you should totally get one, <a href="http://totobobo.com/index.html" target="_blank">by clicking right here!</a><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />explorationsevohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17212906449642223302noreply@blogger.com4