Briarpatch Magazine

Shawn Brant’s Arrest – Statement by Sue Collis, Tyendinaga Mohawk Territory

dave — Wed, 07 May 2008 17:09:24 +0000

(May 4th, 2008) Eight days ago, on Friday, April 25th, 2008, my husband, Shawn Brant, was arrested and detained on assault and weapons charges. Since that time, Commissioner Julian Fantino and the Ontario Provincial Police have issued public statements that have, it seems, misstated the events leading to my husband’s arrest. I believe it is important [...]

A People’s History of Briarpatch Magazine: 35th anniversary issue call for submissions

dave — Mon, 05 May 2008 23:37:19 +0000

To help us mark the occasion of our 35th anniversary, Briarpatch Magazine invites submissions of short narratives, essays, interviews, profiles, historical overviews and archival materials (photos, old event posters, arrest warrants, etc.) for inclusion in our 35th anniversary issue (Sept./Oct. 2008). We are particularly interested in first-hand accounts of pivotal moments, major crises, significant [...]

Financing the banker’s funeral

dave — Mon, 05 May 2008 16:54:09 +0000

We need a national white-collar crime system that can take on finance bigwigs and hold them accountable. by Ken Georgetti Rabble.ca April 30, 2008 In recent months, as U.S. hedge funds have imploded south of the border, working Canadians have been told our economy isn't "subprimed." Sure, the experts say, current problems in global credit markets may mean less cash is available for Canadian companies. It will certainly mean fewer buyers for Canadian exports as U.S. workers face house foreclosures and higher costs for basic necessities. But be thankful, the experts reassure, you could be someone else. You could be one of the two million Americans who recently lost their homes after shady mortgage brokers sold them on crooked contracts.

May 2008: Money & debt

dave — Mon, 05 May 2008 16:22:43 +0000

With Canadians' debt levels at record highs and the U.S. economy in the midst of a massive housing/credit deflation, Briarpatch takes a sorely needed critical, radical look at the politics of money and debt in this issue. From exposing the spectre of diabolical materialism to offering "concrete" investment strategies and tools for getting out of debt, from profiling alternative currencies to outlining the options for conscientious objection to military taxation, Briarpatch puts its money where its mouth is. To subscribe or order a copy of this issue, call 1-866-431-5777 or visit our secure online shop.

Not in my name, not on my dime: Conscientious objection to military taxation

dave — Mon, 05 May 2008 16:20:59 +0000

**By Jan Slakov Briarpatch Magazine May 2008**

"Let them demonstrate, just as long as they continue to pay their taxes."

-Alexander Haig

If you feel strongly that it is wrong to pay for war and militarism, then you are a conscientious objector to military taxation. If you act on those beliefs by redirecting the military portion of your taxes towards a peace tax trust fund that invests in non-violent programs, then you are an active conscientious objector to military taxation. In times of conscription, many governments recognize the rights of conscientious objectors-people whose ethics or religious beliefs forbid them from killing people during a war-to refuse military service. During the Second World War, for instance, Canada had about 10,000 conscientious objectors to military service. Instead of participating in killing, they were given alternate duties in agriculture, industry or other work.

The Black Hole of Debt: Haiti can’t feed itself, and is sending millions abroad in loan payments

dave — Wed, 30 Apr 2008 15:53:39 +0000

By Nick Dearden Counterpunch.org In recent weeks, Haiti has been gripped by violent protest yet again. And yet again the inhabitants of this impoverished country are suffering the most brutal consequences of the fallout of the global economic crisis. This time it is the rise in global food prices, which has sparked riots in Port au Prince, [...]

Beware the rise of the 40-year mortgage

dave — Wed, 30 Apr 2008 05:20:19 +0000

Stretched buyers fuel boom in housing: Engine behind the country's housing boom has been increasingly leveraged first-time buyers

By Tavia Grant Globe and Mail April 23, 2008 Canada may not have the sizable subprime market of the U.S., but the engine behind the country's housing boom has been increasingly leveraged first-time buyers. Legions of first-timers are adding years of extra mortgage payments so they can buy a house, or putting little or no money into a down payment, a Re/Max survey revealed yesterday. Nearly two-thirds of buyers in major centres now favour extended amortization periods of up to 40 years, while putting little or no money down was prevalent in 38 per cent of regional markets surveyed across Canada.

The April B-List

dave — Tue, 29 Apr 2008 14:21:11 +0000

The B-List is your monthly media supplement of 7 recommended readings from beyond the Briarpatch. Sign up to have the B-List delivered to your inbox at briarpatchmagazine.com

1. "Everybody in the World Except US Citizens Should Be Allowed to Vote and Elect the American Government": An interview with Slavoj Žižek By Amy Goodman Democracy Now! March 11, 2008

"In the old days, we were saying we want socialism with a human face. Today's left, however, effectively offers global capitalism with a human face: more tolerance, more rights and so on. So the question is, is this enough or not? Here I remain a Marxist: I think not."

http://www.democracynow.org/2008/3/11/everybody_in_the_world_except_us

Letter from the editor: The politics of debt

dave — Mon, 28 Apr 2008 22:37:24 +0000

“Buy this car to drive to work drive to work to pay for this car.” Metric When the world is combusting all around us, it seems a little petty to devote an entire issue of Briarpatch to questions of debt and personal finance. But in many ways, the subject couldn’t be more pressing or more in need of [...]

Das Crapital: A spectre is haunting the suburbs of North America . . .

dave — Mon, 28 Apr 2008 22:36:19 +0000

**By Don Sawyer Briarpatch Magazine May 2008**

In fighting plans for a mammoth big box store that would devour the small city I call home, I have made a startling discovery: a dangerous cult has spread from the heart of darkest Arkansas, jumped the border and brainwashed millions of innocent Canadians into its doctrine of diabolical materialism.