We continue to find new ethical fashion shopping options in Toronto and thought we'd begin to share them with you in a weekly segment. Today's post features stores on the fashion famous Queen West. Next week will feature the apparel treasures of another area of the city.
We had a lot of fun shopping. I feel the snapshots speak for themselves. The experience left us feeling very good as we saw so many great designs and interacted with very enthusiastic employees. There were a few highlights that come to mind.
We fueled our energy at T.A.N cafe, the birthplace of our project. The wonderful Marilyn Eng is the owner of T.A.N on Queen West and we suggest you stop in for a delicious refreshment. Not only is she very friendly but everything she sells is of excellent quality. The bean roaster in the entrance gives off the most delicious aroma and is an impressive size and design.
We were greeted by the lovely Adria in 69 Vintage. We couldn't help snapping many photos of attractive clothes that were so reasonably priced.
We had a hoot trying things on at Fashionably Yours. Friendly staff put together all different kinds of outfits for us until we found the right look. There were a number of us trying things on...shoes seemed to be the focus. There are some hot red heels left behind by Anne only because they were not the right size... I suggest you go pick up those size sevens!
It was great to see Megan again, a lovely lady from one of our fashion show contributors, Preloved. Great deals going on in Preloved, including $20 skirts! In the heat of the world cup we found ourselves admiring clothes wilst discussing our team loyalties...and the good looking players.
Good company, an exciting Brazilian soccer match , optimal biking conditions, apparel treasures that cost $20 or less, and a most satisfying meal at Fresh that cost $23 for two, made for a delightful day. We can't wait to experience another neighbourhood next week!
If you're in the Queen West Neighbourhood you should definitely visit!
Sitting at my dining room table I watch a helicopter circle Toronto's downtown core. It feels like a foreign city right now, a bit beyond reality. It is hard not to feel the weight in the air in Toronto this weekend. With the G20 summit ongoing, the city seems to be buzzing with anticipation, anger, fear and uncertainty. The grey drizzle seems to be mother nature's way of confirming and agreeing with the uneasiness of the city.
For the weekend, it appears as though the Toronto downtown core has become a militarized state. With the high amount of security both in bodies and by electronics, it almost feels like living in Orwell's 1984-this may be a slight exaggeration, but it rings partially true. A security gate has been erected around the meeting centre, and citizens who walk within 5 feet of the fenced off area are questioned by security officials. One cannot help but feel as though our city has been transformed, and I feel myself just wanting to get the city back to itself. It is unfortunate that instead of being able to use the summit as a tool to create dialogue between citizens and politicians within our communities and at large, it seems to only create a greater barrier between those in power and those who are not.
Toronto has spent over a billion dollars in security for the summit, far exceeding any other previous summit security budget. Why so much money? For an interesting article that exposes the profit fusion between one of Canada's largest multinationals and Canadian state security agencies check out: Rabble.ca Challenging Toronto's Corporate Security Walls http://rabble.ca/news/2010/06/challenging-toronto%E2%80%99s-corporate-security-walls. The security wall acts as a metaphor to the citizens, neither your physical presence nor your ideas, thoughts and concerns are wanted at our meetings.
Regardless of your political affiliation, 1 billion dollars in security does seem quite excessive. Especially when one begins to think of how else this money could have been spent. For example 1 billion dollars invested in affordable public housing in Canada would go a lot further, and indeed be more beneficial for a greater amount of people. It could have been invested into the school system, health care, climate change or any other number of worthy social causes.
In regards to the summit itself, the Harper government has agreed to commit 1.1 billion towards Maternal Health. While this seems like a good start, it seems to small when compared to the fact the government spent 1 billion, as said above, on the summit itself. Was this extensive security really needed? Or does it simply create a self fulfilling prophecy in the expectation of violence? As it turns out, there has been looting and even a few police cruisers set on fire. Yet, these few nonpeaceful or radical citizens (I will not call them protesters, because I believe through their violent and destructive behaviour it seems as though they have lost a sense in why they were protesting in the first place and are simply using the G20 as an excuse for violent outbursts) are unique in their violence. The majority of protesters simply would like their voices heard.
According to report by CTV over 600 protesters have been arrested, and detained. "Our officers are out pro-actively looking for anybody with criminal intent," said Const. Samantha Nulle. "Today they located a large number of people, they intercepted them and they did locate a number of street weapons on them." I witnessed from my bedroom window, police officers arresting three individuals walking down the street. It appears as though anyone protesting is now assumed guilty until proven innocent. Perhaps the over zealous arresting nature of the police forces in Toronto is linked to an attempt to create legitimacy for the insane security budget. Whatever the reason, it is a impediment on human rights.
photo by Andrew Moran The G8 and G20 are exclusive in their very nature. As one obviously knows there are more than 20 countries in the world. Not only is the summit excluding the majority of countries in the world, it does not provide an avenue for the citizens of the countries it does represent to be heard. This leaves people with no choice but join forces in the street and to shout out their protests. When people are denied the right to express their concerns and questions what else can be expected? Protesters are not trying to impede and impose on anyones daily routine, but rather are trying to exercise their right to freedom of speech. A right that is being limited by security attempts in the city.
The G8/G20 summits seem to invoke strong emotion and feeling from even the most apathetic of people, regardless of which side of the political spectrum they may sit on. According to their mandate the G20 was created to be: ...the premier forum for our international economic development that promotes open and constructive discussion between industrial and emerging-market countries on key issues related to global economic stability. By contributing to the strengthening of the international financial architecture and providing opportunities for dialogue on national policies, international co-operation, and international financial institutions, the G-20 helps to support growth and development across the globe. http://www.g20.org/about_what_is_g20.aspx
What is interesting about this quote is the mandate does not define what growth and development entails. Of course we can assume they mean economic growth and development across the globe. But again, we must ask how and for whom? This economic growth may contribute to the GDP of a country, but what exactly does the GDP represent, and who and what informal markets are excluded?
The G20 consists of Argentina, Australia, Brazil, Canada, China, France, Germany, India, Indonesia, Italy, Japan, Mexico, Russia, Saudi Arabia, South Africa, Republic of Korea, Turkey, United Kingdom, USA and the European Union. Also on the board are managing directors and chairs of the IMF and the WB. According to the G20: The G-20's economic weight and broad membership gives it a high degree of legitimacy and influence over the management of the global economy and financial system.
This is a very telling and true statement. Essentially they are saying that these 19 countries, along with a representative from the EU, the IMF and the WB are responsible for how the world economy works. Of course within the IMF and the WB, only a handful of countries of the majority of the power. The US has 16.74 % of the vote in the IMF. The entire African continent has 1.34% of the voting power. Again, this is not inclusive. How can we as citizens be expected to have faith that decisions made in these meetings will be representative as to what is best for the citizens of the globe? Ideally, is this not what these summits are supposed to be heading towards? This post, is simply a critique. Which is something I always had issue with throughout my University years. We were constantly presented with what was wrong with the world, and never with solutions. So I will not leave you with that. The best way to create change, is to demand it, or rather in a more peaceful way, ask for it. If more and more people were to begin to write letters to their MPs asking for answers/change either within their communities or for their MP to push a bigger global issue, perhaps we would see a bit of political change. Not interested in simply writing letters? There are many organizations who are committed to attempting to create much needed change. Often they will have petitions to sign, or pre-written letters for you. We say take a 5 min challenge. Call someone, write someone or just think about the change you think needs to happen.
Without even knowing it, we are all seasoned world travellers. On an average morning, we may wake up to the sound of an alarm clock assembled in China. We slip from between our Egyptian cotton sheets to take a shower using our local body wash. After getting dressed in clothes that span the continents of the world-our shirt from Bangladesh, pants from Panama and sweater from Morocco we head to the kitchen. There, we read our paper while coffee from Ethiopia brews.
Who knew you could take a trip around the world without ever leaving the comfort of your home? The expanse of globalisation has reached us all-the global has become local and the local global. To get technical here, glocal. However, this permeation of goods across the borders has not transcended to humans easily crossing borders.The borders may be open to trade, but they are fairly tightly closed to humans. With language such as 'illegal immigrants' we are constantly reiterating how only a select few are allowed to migrate. We are asserting with this language that goods have more rights than humans. I beg the question here, how can any one person be illegal? By virtue of being human, I do not believe you can be deemed illegal, it is simply nonsensical. By the very nature of being on soil that is not your 'own', and I use this term loosely as how can we ever really determine what land belongs to whom, we have called people illegal, and therefore reserve the right to remove them from this land.
For greater insight on an initiative tackling immigration and refugee rights and human rights around people without 'status' check out No One is Illegal http://toronto.nooneisillegal.org/
In a country such as Canada, and especially in such a diverse city such as Toronto, we should be more inclusive and open to immigration. Our economy depends on people to move to Canada. Especially as a country that imports and exports so much, and in fact depends on imported goods, should we not also be as open and inclusive to people?
Globalization has reached us all, and while many will argue it has many negative connotations, there are some valuable things that have come about. With information at our finger tips 24 hours a day, we are able to adequately research any slight interest we may have. The Internet has allowed for communities from different parts of the world to connect. I believe these connections of communities are what are going to be key into creating a more just world. We can use technology to our advantage to demand change and to connect with others from around the world who are also demanding change.
A prime example of this is the Zapatista movement in Chiapas region of Mexico, and anti-globalisation movement. In 1994, the leader of the Zapatista movement, spoke out via the web, and demanded global attention, protested NAFTA which they believed would only widen the gap between between the rich and the poor. They used the internet and forms of social media to garner international solidarity. The Zapatista was a guerrilla movement, and they did use force, however, they also set the stage for creating international connections. Here was one of the first times that a movement sought international attention via the web, and it set up an avenue for social networks that exist today which shine light on human rights abuses around the world and ask for attention.
We here at Local Buttons, would also like to use the power of social media to spread our message, to get people connected, and to create a dialogue and deeper interaction into how we purchase and what we are supporting through our purchases.I mentioned a few weeks ago that we vote with our dollars, and I would like to reiterate that. We have the power to demand greater change, we can do this by joining forces with other like minded individuals and groups, by purchasing ethically produced food and goods and by speaking out, even if it is only to those in our immediate circle.
This Sunday, as the end of Luminato looms, there is a Refugee Rights awareness festival happening in North Queen's park at 12:30. If you're free check it out.
r themselves. The experience left us feeling very good as we saw so many great designs and interacted with very enthusiastic employees. There were a few highlights that come to mind.
ing things on...shoes seemed to be the focus. There are some hot red heels left behind by Anne only because they were not the right size... I suggest you go pick up those size sevens!
d
e
als! 69Vintage:
