Gorilla Radio

Tensions are rising at the Unis'tot'en Camp, centre of a determined six year "soft" blockade of the nexus point of Big Energy's big plans to traverse British Columbia with a new network of oil and gas pipelines. Last month, British Columbia's Oil and Gas Commission gave Chevron the green light to begin clearing a path for its Pacific Trails fracked gas pipeline. That means fellers and road crews getting on the land to prepare the way through First Nations communities and territories, regardless of opposition. Members of the Wet'suwet'en people who have steadfastly maintained the blockade site in northern BC say they're worried by repeated helicopter overflights and the increasingly menacing behaviour of the RCMP. Zoe Blunt is a long-time south Vancouver Island-based environment defender and organizer. She, WildCoast.ca and the Forest Action Network have worked to get people from down here up there to the Unis'tot'en Camp with their now annual Summer Caravan to Unis'tot'en Camp. Zoe Blunt in the first half. And; over the weekend, the solar powered Aerial Sea catamaran was in Victoria, the final stop of its Salish Sea Tour. The tour was an effort to educate, demonstrate, and popularize the notion of viable alternatives to oil and gas boating on the Salish Sea and elsewhere. It was also an effort, led by Aerial Sea's skipper Simon Fawkes, and his allies at the Wilderness Committee, Tanker Free BC, Salish Sea Keepers and musician/activist Luke Wallace to shine a light on Kinder Morgan tar sands pipeline and tanker proposal that would see a ten-fold increase in tanker traffic through the Salish Sea. Getting aboard the Aerial Sea with skipper, Simon Fawkes in the second half. And; Victoria Street Newz publisher emeritus and CFUV Radio broadcaster, Janine Bandcroft will join us, freshly returned from Vancouver's massive Folk Fest, at the bottom of the hour to tell us how much fun she had, and perhaps bring us up to speed with some of the good goings on to be had around here in the coming week. But first, Zoe Blunt and standing ground with the Wet'suwet'en at the Unis'tot'en Camp.

This week, Canadian author, publisher, entrepreneur, Canadian economic nationalist, and social critic Mel Hurtig on the turmoil roiling the nation's capital; Janine Bandcroft brings us up to speed on good goings-on around the south island in the coming week, and introduces a new feature, State of Emergency: Bulletins from Victoria's Street. Chris Cook hosts Gorilla Radio, airing live every Monday, 5-6pm Pacific Time. In Victoria at 101.9FM, 104.3 cable, and on the internet at: http://cfuv.uvic.ca. He also serves as a contributing editor to the web news site, www.pacificfreepress.com. Check out the GR blog at: http://GorillaRadioBlog.blogspot.com

This week: Investigative reporter and author, Dave Lindorff and progressives standing up an Obama administration; Victoria permaculture gardeners and local food security proponents Rainey Hopewell and Margot Johnston putting the people back in the commons; Janine Bandcroft brings us up to speed with good goings-on in and around the south island. Chris Cook hosts Gorilla Radio, airing live every Monday, 5-6pm Pacific Time. In Victoria at 101.9FM, 104.3 cable, and on the internet at: http://cfuv.uvic.ca. He also serves as a contributing editor to the web news site, www.pacificfreepress.com. Check out the GR blog at: http://GorillaRadioBlog.blogspot.com

This week, Canadian photo-journalist Jon Elmer on the latest atrocities committed by Israel against the civilian prisoners of Gaza and the rest of Occupied Palestine; UVic PhD student Christopher parsons on Ontario's proposed "enhanced" driving license and its "Big Brother" connotations; Janine Bandcroft brings us up to speed with the goings-on in and around the south island. Chris Cook hosts Gorilla Radio, airing live every Monday, 5-6pm Pacific Time. In Victoria at 101.9FM, 104.3 cable, and on the internet at: http://cfuv.uvic.ca. He also serves as a contributing editor to the web news site, www.pacificfreepress.com. Check out the GR blog at: http://GorillaRadioBlog.blogspot.com

Elections season is not over yet for British Columbia. Next week, citizens around the province will be charged with their civic duty to bring in representatives on the municipal level. Steve Filipovic is one of Victoria's many mayoral candidates running to take up the post. Steve is a local boy, an accomplishment in itself in a city where 90% of the population comes from somewhere else, and is making his first foray into elected municipal service. Steve Filipovic in the first half. And; that other election is done. Following a nearly two year-long campaign for the presidency of the United States of America, democrat Barak Obama is the new president-elect. Obama is scheduled to take up his post January 20th, 2009 in what millions around the world hope will be a paradigm-changing appointment. David Swanson is a long-time political activist and campaigner for change in his native America. He is founder of numerous activist websites, and has served as a campaign organizer for myriad campaigns, including a stint as chief organizer for Dennis Kucinich, and he's Gorilla Radio's first source on American politics. David Swanson on hope and disappointment in America's near future in second half. And; Janine Bandcroft will be here to bring us up to speed with the Victoria political and cultural scene at the bottom of the hour. But first, Steve Filipovic and finding hope in our local political future.

This week, scientist and author, Rob Butler on the eradication of North America's birds; Glenda Ferris, a B.C. rural homesteader threatened by encroaching pipelines; Janine Bandcroft brings us up to speed on goings-on in and around Victoria in the coming week. Chris Cook hosts Gorilla Radio, airing live every Monday, 5-6pm Pacific Time. In Victoria at 101.9FM, 104.3 cable, and on the internet at: http://cfuv.uvic.ca. He also serves as a contributing editor to the web news site, www.pacificfreepress.com. Check out the GR blog at: http://GorillaRadioBlog.blogspot.com.

This week, journalist Conn Hallinan on the Colombian government's open season on union and indigenous activists; Canadian journalist and author Andrew Nikiforuk on Canada's environmental nightmare Tar Sands; Janine Bandcroft brings us up to speed on all the goings-on in and around Victoria in the coming week. Chris Cook hosts Gorilla Radio, airing live every Monday, 5-6pm Pacific Time. In Victoria at 101.9FM, 104.3 cable, and on the internet at: http://cfuv.uvic.ca. He also serves as a contributing editor to the web news site, www.pacificfreepress.com. Check out the GR blog at: http://GorillaRadioBlog.blogspot.com

GR goes down to the demonstration to stop old growth clear-cutting and put an end to raw log exports from Vancouver Island's dwindling forest lands.

This week, American journalist, activist, and author Mike Palecek and Guests of the Nation; and marking the seventh anniversary of Canada's Afghanistan entanglement.

Canadians for Peace and Justice at Home and in Afghanistan Rally and March Oct. 18/08 Gorilla Radio went down to the demonstration: Seven years, billions of dollars, and thousands of dead, maimed, and dispossessed later, the situation in Afghanistan is worse now than when Canadian troops entered the country to assist America's revenge for the 9/11 attacks. Across Canada, citizens opposed to the continued carnage the occupation of Afghanistan necessitates gathered and marched yet again in hopes of rallying the rank and file of the country to put a stop to this ongoing crime against humanity. At home too, more Canadians than ever are homeless, and now find themselves targeted by police for the crime of making their poverty visible. Despite a recent ruling by British Columbia's Supreme Court upholding the right to shelter, Victoria City Police continue to arrest the poor and steal and destroy their meagre belongings.

Canada spends today waiting; waiting on the Fates of the economy, and waiting for an election that could determine no less than the ultimate survival of the nation. Tomorrow, the federal polls will open, the stock markets will open, and the country will cast itself into the future. The direction this nation will take for the remainder of the century, or perhaps the very survival of Canada as we know it, hangs in the balance. Chris Cook hosts Gorilla Radio, airing live every Monday, 5-6pm Pacific Time. In Victoria at 101.9FM, 104.3 cable, and on the internet at: http://cfuv.uvic.ca. He also serves as a contributing editor to the web news site, www.pacificfreepress.com. Check out the GR blog at: http://GorillaRadioBlog.blogspot.com

Great Interview with Jay Mowat, Danny Schechter, David Swanson Mon. S29, 2008.   Chris Cook

The Island Solidarity Coalition invited union representatives, students, and community folk to participate in a solidarity barbeque in support of striking SUB workers at the University of Victoria. I taped the event and made it available to the CFUV station manager for broadcast on the Winds of Change radio hour Oct 2nd. I won’t cross the picket line.

This week, It's said, "Truth is stranger than fiction;" but when fiction is more strangely true than truth, you know you're in Mickey Z.'s world.Astoria-based author Mickey Z. and CPR for Dummies; Jon Elmer and Israel changing the guard. Yesterday, Ehud Olmert, Israel's prime minister resigned his office. Olmert's Kadima party primary delivered a clear leadership vote for Foreign minister Tzipi Livni. Chris Cook hosts Gorilla Radio, airing live every Monday, 5-6pm Pacific Time. In Victoria at 101.9FM, 104.3 cable, and on the internet at: http://cfuv.uvic.ca. He also serves as a contributing editor to the web news site, www.pacificfreepress.com. Check out the GR blog at: http://GorillaRadioBlog.blogspot.com.

This week; Rowen Shaw, Raincoast Conservation's Executive Director, Chris Genovali on British Columbia's oil future; Peter Bardon and Peggy Frank on positively Africa's community support work in southern Africa; Janine Bandcroft brings us up to speed on all that's good going on in and around the lower island in the coming week. Chris Cook hosts Gorilla Radio, airing live every Monday, 5-6pm Pacific Time. In Victoria at 101.9FM, 104.3 cable, and on the internet at: http://cfuv.uvic.ca. He also serves as a contributing editor to the web news site, www.pacificfreepress.com. Check out the GR blog at: http://GorillaRadioBlog.blogspot.com