Tuesday Afternoon Links

This and that for your Truth and Reconciliation Day reading.

- Doug Cuthand offers a reminder of the systematic harm done to Indigenous people by a settler state seeking to eradicate them. And Tanya Talaga writes about the need to protect today's Indigenous youth, while Eva Jewell points out the Indigenous women who are still largely ignored as they suffer violence and discrimination. 

- Jonathan Last discusses how the Trump regime's abuses have exceeded even the seeming worst-case scenarios from a year ago. And Andy Craig writes that the least U.S. Democrats can do is stop funding an authoritarian government - which should make for an important consideration for other actors deciding how to deal with the Trump administration as well. 

- Lisa Held reports on the Democrats' much-needed efforts to point out how corporate control and consolidation are making food less healthy and more expensive. Sara Connors reports on the Libs' choice to cut funding for a program to feed Indigenous children in the Yukon. And Prem Sikka discusses how direct government investment and ownership are a must to support economic growth that isn't directed entirely toward further enriching the wealthiest few. 

- Mitchell Beer reports on the call by Canadian municial leaders for Canada's nation-building projects to avoid exacerbating the climate crisis. Dean Baker discusses how action against the climate crisis also helps to ensure affordability for the general public. And Kyle Stock reports on the popularity of used electric vehicles in the U.S. as a demonstration of the demand for cleaner transportation as long as it isn't artifically overpriced, while Enrico Moretti and Harrison Wheeler examine the benefits of reduced traffic noise from EVs.

- Aaron Gell exposes a new report showing how the insurance industry is booking massive profits while refusing to cover the most important risks people face. 

- Finally, Pamela Duncan et al. study how far-right Facebook groups have radicalized anti-immigrant bigotry in the UK. And Cory Doctorow discusses how the AI bubble is set to pop at any time now.

Monday Afternoon Links

Miscellaneous material for your Truth and Reconciliation Day reading.

- Michelle Cyca discusses the promise that the awareness and education shared in the course of Truth and Reconciliation Day can be a first step toward a more respectful future, while Tumia Knott writes about the resilience needed to keep Indigenous culture alive in the face of a concerted campaign to eradicate it. And Amanda Follett Hosgood reports on the rightful concerns of Indigenous leaders that John Rustad and the BC Cons are looking to set any prospect of reconciliation back by decades.  

- Meanwhile, Tim Wilton writes that the dominant current form of colonialism is the subjugation of human interests to the profit-seeking of corporate resource extractors. 

- Wenfei Xu et al. study the distribution of traffic tickets in Chicago, and find that while red light cameras allot tickets in proportion to the racial makeup of drivers, police tend to stop Black drivers at a rate three times that of white drivers.  

- Kelly Ashmore reports on the rising XEC COVID-19 variant - complete with particularly severe symptoms compared to the most recent waves. Ozgur Tanriverdi et al. study how all types of COVID infections can exacerbate the risk of developing cancer. Julie Corliss examines new research finding that even "just the flu" can increase the risk of heart conditions. And Jennifer Lee reports on the Alberta health care workers bracing for yet another fall patient surge into a woefully overwhelmed medical system. 

- Finally, Selena Simmons-Duffin reports on new research linking anti-trans laws to an increase in suicide attempts among trans teens. 

Truth & Reconciliation Day Links

Some material for learning and reflection on the National Day for Truth and Reconciliation.

- The Truth and Reconciliation Commission's Calls to Action can be found here, And Peter Zimonjic reports on the limited progress that's been made in giving effect to them. 

- The reports and calls for justice of the National Inquiry into Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women and Girls are here, while Leah Gazan writes that pursuing that justice is a necessary step before we can approach reconciliation.

- The University of Alberta's free online course on Indigenous Canada is here. 

- Finally, the Tyee offers its own reading list, including a number of further resources from Indigenous and Metis writers. 

Friday Morning Links

Assorted content to end your week.

- Anand Giridharadas writes about the dangers of letting political discussions become primarily a matter of process and personalities, rather than the real impact decisions have on people's lives. 

- Graham Thomson calls out Jason Kenney for his consistent refusal to acknowledge the reality of COVID - both in communicating with the public and in making decisions about how to respond to a deadly pandemic. And Tanya Lewis points out the need to upgrade face masks to deal with more infectious COVID variants. 

- Kristian Nielsen examines the role privileged people will play in determining whether we're able to avoid a climate catastrophe. Max Fawcett discusses Canada's choices in its approach to the upcoming United Nations climate change conference - noting that all available evidence suggests that it's countries who get ahead of the inevitable transition to clean energy who will be best off in the long run. And Rebecca Leber discusses how Republicans are ensuring their states will be left behind by prohibiting municipalities from implementing any effective climate action. 

- Meanwhile, Heather Scoffield writes that investors and financial institutions are recognizing that the future is renewable as well - though they may need a boost from public policy to fully incorporate the into their decisions. 

- Douglas Todd writes about the reemergence of inheritance culture, as the children of families with wealth to spare are nearly alone in their ability to afford a home in Canada's major cities. And Chris Lehmann reviews Matthew Stewart's The 9.9 Percent as an important description of the group of workers outside the wealthy elite which works to preserve its privilege. 

- Finally, Melissa Ridgen interviews Murray Sinclair about the path toward reconciliation. And Martin Lukacs writes about the Defenders of the Land who are challenging the exercise of colonial power and pointing the way toward reconciliation based on the mutual recognition of rights.  

Thursday Morning Truth and Reconciliation Day Links

A few links and reports for the National Day for Truth and Reconciliation.

- Rose Lemay writes that reconciliation requires systemic change at the level of individual assumptions and awareness. Murray Sinclair notes that the proclamation of the National Day for Truth and Reconciliation is just one small step in a journey which will take lifetimes to complete. And Drew Hayden Taylor observes that one day is nowhere near enough to respond to centuries of colonialism - particularly when so many provinces have refused to participate. 

- Meanwhile, Ross Diabo writes about the history of deliberate and systemic abuse and devaluation of Indigenous peoples going far beyond the residential school system alone.  

- Meghan Grant highlights the victims of the 25 Alberta residential schools acknowledged in the Residential Schools Settlement Agreement. 

- Suzanne Shoush and Lisa Boivin recognize that acknowledgment of the truth requires that we accept the anger and outrage of people historically mistreated by our governments, not look to deny or minimize the harm. 

- Finally, Chris Tyrone Ross offers his perspective as to how best to spend the National Day for Truth and Reconciliation - both in learning about the reality of Canada's treatment of Indigenous peoples, and acting to change our relationship for the better. Pratush Dayal lists of some of the events being held around Saskatchewan. And the summary of the Truth and Reconciliation Commission's final report - including its calls to action - can be found here (PDF).