It can be easy to take communication for granted. We are surrounded by text messages, e-mail, instant messaging… But when was the last time a message you sent was the difference in a life or death situation? It’s easy for us to take for granted the power of the communication tools at our disposal. On a recent trip to Colombia, freelance journalist Dawn Paley was able to see that power first hand, speaking with indigenous Colombian activists who have given birth to a media network meant to strengthen and protect their community.
Listen to Episode #83 Walking the Word of the People (Running time: 10:58)
If you have any thoughts or comments about today’s episode we’d love to read them below. If you’d like to get in touch with us for any reason, send an e-mail to citizen@nfb.ca.
As the world swirls through the current economic crisis, large scale infrastructure projects – building bridges, roads and public transit – have emerged as a proposed solution to stimulate the economy and create jobs. In his 2009 budget speech, Finance Minister Jim Flaherty announced that the Canadian government was “launching one of the largest building projects in Canada’s history.”
Twelve billion dollars were earmarked for a broad range of infrastructure projects with the goal, as Flaherty put it, “of creating jobs for Canadians now, while providing the infrastructure Canada needs to grow in the years to come.”
But while many may be anxious to move ahead with such projects, Adam Bemma brings us a cautionary tale from Montreal of construction without consultation, and the growing frustration of residents in the city’s southwest.
Listen to Episode #82 No Construction without Consultation (Running time: 14:11)
Do you have your own stories of urban development, public consultation and how residents interact with their cities? Get the discussion going by posting them below!
