CAN! Episode 6 “Disability and Access to Care” examines barriers and challenges faced by those with disabilities and their loved ones in the Fredericton area.

The episode features interviews with two individuals who examine the issue from two different viewpoints. The first is the Chairman of the Human Rights Commission, Randy Dickinson, who looks at the structural barriers faced by those with a disability and the political context surrounding access to care. The second interviewee is Gail Wineseeder, the mother of a 35-year-old lady with a disability, who shares her story as a mother struggling to obtain adequate services for her daughter.

The episode also includes performances from numerous Canadian artists who have overcome disability access barriers in their own lives. Artists include: Sylvi Maccormic, Joe Coughlin, and Steve Grout, all hailing from the Western coast of Canada.

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CAN! Episode 5 “Structural Roots of Poverty in Aboriginal Communities” examines past and present barriers that contribute to poverty in Aboriginal communities.

The episode features interviews with a number of local contacts. Dr. Roland Chrisjohn, Chair of the Native Studies Department at St. Thomas University provides us some of the historical background to the topic. Dr. Arielle Dylan and Bartholemew Smallboy discuss the ongoing research they are conducting in Northern Ontario surrounding Impact Benefit Agreements in First Nations communities.Tara Francis and Delphine Dyson of the Fredericton Native Friendship Centre explain the role of the Native Friendship Centre in combating the issue at the local level.

Aboriginal and First Nations performers from across the country are featured, including Terri-Lynn Williams Davidson from British Columbia, The Gregoire Boys from Labrador, and A Tribe Called Mi’kmag from Nova Scotia. The episode also introduces listeners to Khodi Dill, an incredible spoken word artist from Saskatoon.

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CAN! Episode 4 “Overcoming Barriers to Health Care as Newcomers to Canada” examines accessibility of health care in New Brunswick for immigrants, refugees, international students, and their children.

There is an interview with Kathryn Gates, the International Student Advisor from the University of New Brunswick and a round table discussion with three members of the Health Promotion Committee at the Multicultural Association of Fredericton: Ljiljana Kalaba is the settlement coordinator for the Multicultural Association of Fredericton, Dr. Cristin Muecke is the Regional Medical Officer for Public Health for the Fredericton and Upper Valley Region, and Marg Dykeman is the Nurse Manager at the UNB Community Health Clinic.

CAN! Radio co-hosts Carolyn Hill and Danielle Grondin discuss their findings regarding the eligibility of children of international students for health care across the country. Local musician Saa Andrew is featured, as well as Playing for Change, an ensemble of street performers from around the world.

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CAN! Episode 3 “Substance Abuse in Queer Communities: Structural Oppression and Cultures of Intoxication” spotlights a relatively taboo topic as respectfully as possible. Interviews with queer scholars, activists, and writers are complemented by local and international music and poetry.

Shaun Bartone, a transgendered scholar and community activist, provides insight into the way our society teaches queer people to repress themselves. He also discusses his own experience with gay bars, and offers Braveheart Counseling as an addictions treatment option for queer people in the Fredericton area. Queer writer Kayla Geitzler introduces local safe spaces where queer people can socialize outside of the club scene.

Feminist and queer activist Kaley Kennedy explores the topic from a community accountability framework, and speaks to the need for sober spaces in our communities and social movements. Artistic pieces by Fredericton locals Ken Spragg, Sandra Zelazny, and Lily Pretty Bird Claire are featured as well.

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CAN! Episode 2 “What the Frack?!?: Hydraulic Fracturing in New Brunswick” explores the topic of shale gas exploitation in the local context.

Structural geologist Adrian Park and former U.S. Department of Energy inspector Jim Emberger explain the process of hydraulic fracturing, or fracking, and discuss what it means for New Brunswickers. Calvin Tillman, the former mayor of Dish, Texas, offers some insight based on his own community’s experience with fracking shale. Interviews with Roy MacMullin, the Energy Advocate for the Green Party of New Brunswick, and environmental conservation specialist Stephanie Merrill from the Conservation Council of New Brunswick, elaborate further on the economic and environmental impacts of the shale gas industry.

Social work students Ellen Comer and Brett Campbell offer some tips for community involvement based on their social action efforts in collaboration with Friends of the UNB Woodlot. The topic of fracking is explored through artistic means as well, featuring songs by artists including New Brunswick locals Jim Emberger, The Divorcees, and Mike Humble. The episode concludes with a bulletin of upcoming community events relating to social justice and action.

Note: due to a technical error, the very end of this episode did not air. We will be airing a repeat of the episode on November 8 at 7pm, and we’re adding a repeat spot on Sundays at 6pm.

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CAN! Episode 1: “Expressing Experiences of Family Violence through Art”, looks at the issue of family violence both as a systemic issue and as a personal experience. The episode gives a brief overview of the nature of family violence, its’ prevalence in the Fredericton community, and how those who lived through the trauma are now expressing their experiences through various art forms. The show features experts in the field, including Rina Arseneault, the Associate Director of the Muriel McQueen Fergusson Centre for Family Violence Research; Dr. Linda Eyre, Professor of Critical Studies in Education at the University of New Brunswick; and Susan Chalmers-Gauvin, founder and CEO of the Atlantic Ballet Theatre of Canada. The show also features songs relevant to the issue discussed and concludes with some community announcements and resources where the listeners will be able to get involved in local social action.

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