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Poverty Elimination: Programs Poverty Elimination Action Team Working towards a world without poverty The Poverty Elimination Action Team aims to improve the well-being of all people living in Newfoundland and Labrador. Email Us Poverty Elimination: Welcome SJC responds to City's no fault eviction of Shirley Cox Call For Equitable Pandemic Response Read Our Open Letter To Government Here Poverty Elimination: Image 2SLGBTQ+ Neighbouring Pod This group was created by Trans, Two spirit and Queer people to help out during the pandemic and beyond. We will share and connect people to resources, bring people essentials and host online workshops and social events. We have fundraised a small Community Aid Fund for folks needing essentials hampers, so please reach out if you're looking for support. Love and solidarity! If you'd like to support the Community Aid Fund you can do so, here: donorbox.org/caf2020 Please read the rules and contact our email if you need help or have questions: 2slgbtqaidnl@gmail.com Join Our FB Group Email Us Basic Income Basic income is an opportunity to rebalance our province’s social and economic models, which leave thousands of people behind. Nobody in Newfoundland and Labrador should be forced to choose between vital medical care, heating their home, or having enough food to eat. There are many complex issues that Newfoundlanders and Labradorians face, and a basic income is not a solution for all of them - but largely eliminating poverty in this province would certainly be a good start. That is what a basic income would do. Read the recently launched policy paper on Basic Income by Basic Income NL. Learn more. Share your story. Become a signatory. Read the Policy Paper Email Us Poverty Elimination: About Us Partnerships Coalition Canada Basic Income Coalition Canada Basic Income is a cross-country alliance of basic income advocacy groups and networks. We are advancing the development of a national movement for basic income in Canada, building alliances and collaborating with advocacy groups, networks and individuals supporting a just recovery in Canada from the COVID-19 pandemic. Learn More $15 and Fairness NL Do you support the motion to raise the minimum wage to a living wage for all workers in our province? If so, please join $15 and Fairness NL + and urge the Government of Newfoundland and Labrador to legislate a $15 per hour minimum wage. We believe that a $15 minimum wage would be a good first step in improving health outcomes in this province. It is abundantly clear that there is a direct relationship between income, food insecurity, and health. Income is the leading social determinant of health and, as such, a living wage would provide significant health benefits to the 48,900 workers in Newfoundland and Labrador who earn $15 and hour or less. Email Us Poverty Elimination: What We Do News & Views Poverty Elimination: News Household Food Insecurity in Canada 2021: Report November 2022 Following the inclusion of food insecurity as an indicator for Canada’s Poverty Reduction Strategy in 2018, the Canadian Income Survey (CIS) began the annual monitoring of household food insecurity. Drawing on data from the CIS, this report presents a portrait of household food insecurity in Canada in 2021, examining who is most affected and how food insecurity rates differ across the country. The report also uses CIS data to examine food insecurity rates in 2019 and 2020, providing a look at food insecurity before and after the start of the COVID-19 pandemic. The report linked below is designed to provide a tool to describe the problem of food insecurity in Canada, monitor trends, and identify priorities for interventions to address this major public health issue. It builds on the extensive work of Health Canada and Statistics Canada in measuring and monitoring household food insecurity. Get the report NL CERB Clawbacks Push People into Poverty: Advocates July 3, 2020 In Newfoundland and Labrador, social assistance = $11,800/year. This is a poverty wage. If CERB is good enough for Canadians, it should be good enough for those on social assistance as well. Learn more The Stink of Poverty July 7, 2020 A beautiful and moving short story by our Co-Chair, Mark Nichols. Thank you for sharing this heart-wrenching yet powerful piece on poverty. Learn more Past Events Poverty Elimination: Past Events Is Our Healthcare on the Chopping Block? The Poverty Elimination Action Team organized an online chat about Health Accord NL on March 25, 2021. The Health Accord presents us with an opportunity to provide the provincial government feedback on our medical and health care systems. We talked about ways to engage and discussed the contracting of a private company (Change Healthcare), by our provincial government, to reduce our health care costs. We brought together participants to discuss through concerns about this approach, and ways to challenge austerity. Learn More Poverty Elimination: Pro Gallery PEAT TV Play Video Search videos Search video... All Categories All Categories Nonprofits & Activism People & Blogs The Cost of Poverty in the Atlantic Provinces, Report Release Play Video Green New Drinks on a Living Wage Play Video Poverty Elimination: Videos

Status For All Rally Sept 24, 2023 Hosted by the Migrant Action Centre Scroll down for a digital action! The Social Justice Co-op NL believes in a world without borders. We are imagining and working toward a Revolution of Care , a future that puts care at the core of social organization, instead of profit. We dream of a future where the destruction of thriving ecosystems for profit is brought to and end, where everyone's needs are met, and everyone's dignity is respected, everyone's value is celebrated. Where colonial, capitalist governments no longer decide who is worthy of rights, services, or protections. We know this future is possible and is coming because people, particularly Indigenous, Black, Brown, Queer, Trans, Poor, Disabled, and Migrant feminists & abolitionist dreamers, organizers, and activists have been fighting and working for generations to bring it into being. Citizenship is a category that exists only to exclude, and reinforce the power of a colonial, capitalist state. It renders people who do not have it: excruciatingly vulnerable to brutally harsh exploitation by employers, without access to medical care, and other essential services, vulnerable to detention and deportation, The precarity a lack of status forces people into means that it is scarier and riskier for them to raise their voice against the inhumane treatment that is commonplace among people who are denied status. That is why it’s so important that we raise our collective voice, to speak up for people’s humanity and dignity. There is safety in numbers, and it is often unsafe for migrants to raise their voice and speak up for their rights alone. We must all join the call for Status For All, until none of our neighbours are forced to live without it. Last fall, the SJC attended a meeting with the Migrant Action Centre, Anti Racism Coalition NL, and the Worker Action Network with Minister Seamus O’Regan. He told us he was in favor of Status for All and that he would advocate for it in cabinet. He asked us to hold his feet to the fire on Status for All. And so we humbly ask for your help in doing so! Could you email Minister Seamus O'Regan? His email is: seamus.oregan@parl.gc.ca Ask him for an update on his efforts to advocate for Status for All in cabinet. Ask him if we can count on seeing the federal government move forward with Status for All, and when he expects this to unfold. Go to bit.ly/migrantrightsNL for a template email , which you're welcome to use in full or part. And then, Join the Migrant Rights Network's federal call at https://migrantrights.ca/ Thank you all for taking action! And let’s keep the energy and fight going all week, all year long. Let’s keep it going until we win Status for All! Email Minister O'Regan View Email Template Join #StatusForAll Migrant Justice Week Hosted by the Migrant Action Centre Sept 24 - Oct 1, 2023 Details at MigrantAction.ca

Acerca de The SJC offers a prescription coverage benefit to our members! In partnership with Genrus United and our apex provincial organization for co-operatives, Newfoundland and Labrador Federation of Co-operatives (NLFC), SJC is proud to offer our members and our volunteers a health benefit. This prescription program will support members and volunteers without prescription coverage through other sources such as a private or group (employment) health benefit plans. In particular, this program will help people who often have to choose between purchasing necessities like utilities/rent/food and purchasing necessary medications. Cost: $21.95 plus tax per year per person Savings: most people save an average of 30% to 50% on generic medications The Highlights: any SJCNL member or volunteer can join, regardless of age, health history, employment status, or existing medication coverage only operates using independent pharmacies and therefore keeps $$ circulating in the local economy prescription list of more than 150 everyday generic medications, including meds for mental health, birth control, and impotence, as well as meds for high blood pressure, heart disease, diabetes, ulcers, reflux, and asthma Check the meds list for meds you are already prescribed here . How it works... Are you an interested member, who may or may not also be a current volunteer? Contact the Membership Director at sjcnlboard@gmail.com . The director will confirm your membership details with you and provide the SJC code for registration with Genrus United. Are you an interested volunteer, but not yet an SJC member? Make sure you have registered with Lea, our volunteer coordinator, as a volunteer by filling out this volunteer form . Lea will confirm your volunteer details with you and provide you with the SJC code for registration with Genrus United. After receiving the SJC code, visit genrusunited.ca/community . Sign up for the Genrus United program online using the SJC code. You will receive the first 3 months free; a one-time payment for the year only starts after that time (similar to a Netflix subscription!). You should then inform either a) The Prescription Shoppe in Churchill Square (St. John's) or b) Conception Bay Pharmacy in Holyrood that you are switching to their pharmacy from another pharmacy. Note: Both pharmacies offer free local delivery within a certain radius and paid delivery outside their free radius. The pharmacy in Holyrood is responsible for province-wide delivery through Canada Post which typically takes 24-72 hours. The pharmacist coordinates the switch for you. Tada! To learn more about Genrus United, visit: genrusunited.ca/ Image Description: A smiling, white-coated and Genrus-registered pharmacist helps a client fill their prescriptions at the counter in a pharmacy. Stocked shelves can be seen behind the pharmacist. The photo background is white and beside the image is text that reads "Genrus United: Spend less on the prescription drugs you trust."

We Are The Movement Learn more about the people who make up the SJC Sarah Sauve (she/her) Where does Sarah call home? Sarah was born in Hull, Quebéc, which is now Gatineau, but as a teen moved to Nova Scotia, then Newfoundland and Labrador, completed grad school in London, England, and has since found her way back to YYT. When asked about her origins, Sarah contemplated, “I think of myself as a bit of a nomad – I really enjoy travel, moving around, and I haven’t stayed in one place for more than a few years in my adult life. Thinking about staying in one place for longer than a few years still kind of makes me uncomfortable (though less than before). I feel like there’s so much I’ll miss out on if I stay in one place.” It is SJC that has given Sarah a sense of belonging here. She considers Newfoundland & Labrador her home “and it’s because of the Co-op” she states. “I feel like I’ve found a community with which I can put down roots.” Sarah’s Life Experiences all Led her Toward Social Justice Work Sarah’s path to social justice started around age 16 when she attended the CISV Canada National Camp, an organization promoting cultural understanding and global leadership. A ten-year commitment to the organization honed Sarah’s ability to organize events on a local, national and international level. The ethos of CISV is to promote self-reflection, communication and the knowledge that people can truly affect change. Sarah recalls her experience of working with youth in China through her work with CISV. The Duke of Edinburgh Award Programme, with its focus on physical fitness, skill, service, and adventurous journeys also cultivated leadership and determination in Sarah; she impressively completed gold, which is not an easy task! Through her multitude of experiences, Sarah ended up completing Grad school in the UK and even sailed partway around the world. All of these life experiences, coupled with her recent membership in the anti-capitalist x activist book club, have influenced Sarah to engage in social justice with great commitment. Sarah reflects, “[The book club] has been instrumental in fundamentally challenging and changing my worldview and, I think, made me a better activist because of my increased understanding of structural issues like capitalism, the prison industrial complex, border imperialism and settler colonialism to name a few, and how they interact.” All Roads Lead to SJCNL Sarah: “It was kind of a no-brainer for me. When I first moved back to NL, I had decided that from then on, I would focus more on myself instead of giving so much of my time to activism – things like Argentinian tango and friendships new and old. Over time, however, I couldn’t keep not doing anything about the global problems I kept coming up against. When a friend brought me to a Green New Drinks event, I knew I’d found my people here. ”Let’s Talk Core Beliefs Sarah: “I identify as a feminist, anti-capitalist, abolitionist, anarchist, white, cis-gendered, highly educated, middle-class, neuro-typical woman. I essentially identify my sources of social privilege, which help frame where I’m coming from.“ Sarah Explains the Facets of her Ideology: Feminism to me means equity between all genders. I’ve also read feminist critique of scientific research which is much more widespread as a politic than just equal access to opportunity, but I haven’t looked into it enough to articulate that particular politic properly. Feminist science is a whole scientific epistemology. Anti-capitalism is taking action against capitalism. Though none of us can really live outside of it, we can do many small things in our everyday life to chip away at it (like reading radical literature, discussing and dreaming different futures with friends, refusing plastic wherever I can, refusing to buy what isn’t necessary). Abolition is about removing prisons, policing and surveillance from our society and in its place, building communities based on care where everyone’s needs are met. It sounds like a utopia, but it really needn’t be. We’ve been tricked into believing that hardship and violence are necessary to a functioning society but we don’t need those things to be happy and safe. Abolition is about building a new future just as much as it is about taking down the prison industrial complex. Alternatives to cops and prisons will be different for each community based on its needs and there will be mistakes made, but we need to try hundreds of different experiments and just do it until we get there. Those are all lessons learned from Mariame Kaba’s We Do This ‘Til We Free Us. Anarchy to me doesn’t mean fire, violence and chaos, as I’ve seen it portrayed in the media my whole life. It means community-based leadership and deep democracy, where we all have a say in what affects us. It’s decentralization and a focus on the local context. Interested in Joining SJC? Sarah feels that “feminism, anti-capitalism, abolition and anarchy are closely related politics and work together to combat systems of oppression and also build a better world. If this sounds at all appealing to you, check out the SJC’s Revolution of Care manifesto. ”Though joining was a no-brainer for Sarah, she recalls, “it took me a while to get used to the SJC’s structure; To understand the difference between the Co-op, the Coalitions, the board and membership. It took me a whole year after being involved to actually become a member; this is even though I’d been working with teams already. Once I got used to the decentralized organizational structure, I started to feel more comfortable and knew that this is where I can build community. This is where I can really both make a difference and put down roots.” What Makes this Work Worth it Despite the Challenges? Sarah: “The relationships I’ve built through my social justice work have been everything. I think it’s because being involved in leadership and social justice work has allowed me to be myself unapologetically, and I’m very open to new people. I’m happy to share all of myself, and I try to be as open and non-judgemental as I can and accept all of someone else. ”Are There Wins? “It’s incredibly rewarding to see the small wins we achieve through our work. An event, protest, march, or campaign might not have the desired effect on the seats of power that we want to influence immediately, but if we’ve brought one more person on board to the Revolution, it’s a win. In Mariame Kaba's book, she states that our ‘losses’ aren’t really losses because we are learning things and building momentum through our organization all the time.” How Does this Fit into the Big Picture? One day, we’ll achieve the big changes we want to see, but we have to keep working at it. ‘Do it with others –nothing worth doing is done alone’” (Mariama Kaba). In addition to reading Mariama Kaba’s We Do This ‘Til We Free Us, Sarah highly recommends that we all read Pollution is Colonialism by Max Liboiron. Anne Malone (she/her) Q: Where do you call home? A: I call St. John's, NL home. I have spent a lot of time in Costa Rica but have never had residency there. I love Costa Rica because the country is so environmentally focused and they have a very socialized approach to education and health care. The University of Peace is there and they are in general an incredibly progressive county. Q: Tell us about how your background and life experiences have led you toward social justice work. A: I was always drawn to social justice issues but had never aligned myself with a specific organization. I was part of Project Ploughshares, which formed in the 1970’s and is a group who worked with governments, and civil society, in Canada and abroad, to advance policies and actions to prevent war and armed violence and build peace. For me I connected with them when world peace was an idea in the 1980’s anti-nuclear movement . Then I focused on child rearing and in 2008 I acquired a disability. My sight loss was something that I could not ignore and my status in the world had changed. Opportunities evaporated. I experienced chronic unemployment. That, coupled with all of the barriers, led me to advocate for an accessible urban environment. From there I moved my focus on pedestrian rights and I began to encounter barriers one by one. As my vision decreased, I understood intimately how moving through an urban environment with ease and safety was paramount. Then the next barrier that came with my vision loss was to print media. Through that experience, I learned two things: It was important to advocated for accessibility in our municipalities I realized that many people who have disabilities struggle with poverty because of under employment and lack of government support. They struggle with discriminatory bias and that is significant particularly for people who need assistive technology to read. Those technologies are not free, they are very expensive; for example, a screen reader costs over $2000.00. Having a disability affects everything in your life. It must be noted that people who have disabilities are often caught in a poverty loop. One of the most devastating aspects of sight loss is that barriers to print. We have advancements with computer technology, but for people with sensory disabilities, you need a technology which will enable you to actually access the technology such as the internet. You feel so isolated. Q: Why did you join the SJCNL? A: I joined the SJC when I was connected with Dr Elizabeth Yeoman. In 2012 she was working on a short documentary called ‘Honk If You Want Me Off The Road' which was about the difficulties pedestrians encountered in St. John’s in the winter. And around that time a group emerged at the SJC, called Challenge Car culture, which was advocating for year-round sidewalk accessibility in St. Johns. It was through Elizabeth that I became aware of and joined the SJC. Q: What are your core beliefs and how do they influence how you participate in the SJCNL? A: My core belief is that we live in a world of abundance with very poorly distributed resources. Therefore, my heart always goes to support people who are living with a burden of poverty and the kind of inaccessible connection between poverty, race poverty, gender poverty and disabilities. I began to understand that these things are not coincidences but rather the result of systems and institutions that were constructed to elevate certain groups of people while oppressing other groups of people. I believe that to be morally wrong in every way. Q: What was the moment you realized joining the SJCNL was a good move for you? A: I realized that, I think it was in Dec of 2020, on International Day for Persons with Disabilities, when a large crowd of disabled and non-disabled people gathered on the steps of City Hall and demanded that the city revise a budget that would have reduced public transit in the city… and they met our demand. It worked! It made me and every other disabled person in that gathering feel seen and feel heard. I also realized that as a minority, we tend to think that the people who we have to win over are people in positions of power, but what I learned was, it is far more important to win the solidarity of the voter, not the politician. Because the voter will determine who holds those positions of power. It was pouring rain that evening and watching the Go Buses pull up and the wheelchairs roll out was incredible. It was dark outside, but the steps of City Hall were illuminated with lights from the media . I was gobsmacked. People were telling their personal stories in front of a mic and a camera. This was really happening! I was crying! Had it not been for SJC it would not have happened. Q: Is there anything that we have not asked that you would like to tell us about? A: Next steps in disability awareness could be the acknowledgement of Disability Pride month, which is in July of every year. I would like to see the month of July internationally. I would like to see our community elevated during disability pride month in particular. And I would like to see events that are accessible and public to increase the visibility and amplify the voices and experience of people who have disabilities in our province. Particularly for people who live on the intersections of race and disability and indigeneity in disability and poverty and disability. Q: What makes this work worth it despite the challenges? A: What makes it worth it , is that every step towards our goal is a step. Every statement that is made publicly by a person with a disability is another chink in the armour . Visibility matters, representations matters and being recognized as a member of a community matters. Q. Is there anything that you are reading, watching or listening to that you would recommend to people for SJC learning and sharing? A. I am reading two books right now. One book is called There Plant Eyes: A Personal and Cultural History of Blindness by M. Leona Godin. It is a combination of memoir and the history and culture around blindness. It is written by a woman who experienced loss of her eyesight in her late 20s. It is on the New York Times Best Seller List. It gives so much insight into the invisible struggles of people who live with sight loss. We begin to understand why things are the way they are in the 21st Century, and we begin to understand how the bias that exists today comes from superstitions that formed during the Middle Ages. For example, the term ‘legally blind’ is a throwback to a time when people with disabilities had no other way to support themselves other than to literally beg for alms in public places. To earn the right to do that, people who had invisible disabilities, like blindness, had to appear before a magistrate and undergo certain tests that certified that the disability was valid. If they passed the test, they were declared to be legally entitled to charity and they were now ‘legally blind’. They would wear a licence on a string around their neck. So even though it is antiquated, this is a term that is still used by doctors, organizations and legalized forms. The other book is called Ain't I a Woman? by bell hooks. I got to know her name from my critical disability theory study group. It’s a study of black feminism. Her language is very conversational and very easy to digest. I am having one ‘Eureka!’ movement after another as I read this book. I am also very drawn to black women and women of colour, and I am so inspired and informed by their activism and their advocacy. We owe them a debt of gratitude in helping to inform us of activism in disability justice.

Acerca de Response to Theft in SJC Community Update Over the past few months, the SJCNL has faced one of the most significant challenges in the history of the organization. On March 5, 2023 the SJCNL Board notified its members, donors, and community partners that there had been a theft of our collective funds. This theft has seriously damaged the organization's capacity to attain our vision and meet our goals , as we have had to lay off our staff and halt funding important projects, such as our activity funds and mutual aid work. This theft has also laid bare serious oversights in the organization's governance and raised important questions and concerns about how policies are followed and decisions are made. As we have come together to face this challenge head on, we have been doing our best to center our values through this process, as outlined in the Revolution of Care . This means reclaiming care, by building a movement centered on compassion and kindness that gives space to heal, learn, and grow, and to use a collaborative, cooperative, consensus-based, decentralized approach to decision-making. In the spirit of the Revolution of Care, we held three meetings in April to share information about the crime that occurr ed and hear from members, donors, and community partners on how to move forward collectively. The board has carefully collected this information and is preparing a multi-faceted approach to responding to this feedback that considers the restitution of lost funds, strengthening financial and governance oversight, reparation of harm with community members, and developing a culture of accountability for the organization. As part of this approach, the board held a Special Members Meeting to vote on the creation of three committees that will support the organization's response. As a member-owned co-operative, we wanted to be true to our democratic values and ensure that the proposed path forward is supported by our members. The board is also looking for volunteers to join these committees and help us weather this storm. We were so heartened to have more than 100 members, donors, and community partners attend March's meetings and we are hoping that folks will come aboard to help us steer this ship to a safer place. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ At the Special Member's Meeting held on May 2, 2023, the following committees were approved: Finance Committee Terms of reference: Develop a financial oversight policy that will be presented at Special Member's Meeting. Maintain financial oversight based on policy. Co-chaired by 2 members. Min 3 members and maximum 7 including only 1 board member and 1 representative of each organization/team with which we hold funds in trust. Only members and representatives on committee. Fraud Investigation Committee Terms of reference: Review bookkeeping, get exact figures for funds owed by the individual (including going through her receipts) and funds held in trust. Write an incident report Co-chaired by 2 members. Min 3 members and maximum 7 including only 1 board member. Only members on committee. The board member on the fraud investigation committee cannot sit on the finance committee. Transformative Justice Committee Terms of reference: To meet with the individual and develop and deliver a restitution plan. To propose ways to support a culture of accountability Co-chaired by 2 members. Min 3 members and maximum 7 including 1 board member. Only members on committee. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ At the Annual General Meeting in September 2023, the committees provided updates on their activities and a financial oversight policy was approved by members. Financial Oversight Committee Finalized Financial Oversight Policy for the board to use. This is meant to be a living document and will be reviewed yearly. The document can be downloaded here. Proposed a few changes to the Treasurer's roles in the SJC by-laws, that were approved at the AGM. The next phase of the committee will be to prepare a Treasurer's Handbook, which will go into details on all the duties of the Treasurer and how they can best be conducted. Following this work, the committee will continue to review monthly Treasurer's reports as indicated in the Financial Oversight Policy and meet as required. Fraud Investigation Committee Identified 5 key initiatives and plans to have deliverables ready by the next AGM in Spring 2024. These initiatives are: “Retroactive Financial Reporting” “Diagnosing Past Inaccurate Financial Reports” “Detailing incident timelines” “Root Cause Analysis” “Recommendations” Transformative Justice Committee Preparing a plan on how to move forward. Focus right now on trust building within the committee and ensuring that no one is harmed doing this work. Are working with the Community Justice Connects program with the NL Human Rights Association to help guide their work. Have taken part in training sessions on transformative justice and will be hosting a few sessions to teach the SJC community about transformative justice in the Fall/Winter.' ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ At the Annual General Meeting in October 2024, the committees provided the following updates on their activities The Finance Oversight Committee has created a policy document for the board and members to adhere to. They also supported the creation of an Audit Team, which reviewed the organization's finances and provided recommendations. These documents can be found here: https://www.sjcnl.ca/our-finances The Fraud Investigation Committee presented its finding and is currently working on a public facing report. The Transformative Justice Committee has met with the person who stole the funds and is working on a plan for them to meet with members. They also held a Transformative Justice 101 workshop in May 2024 to help prepare members for this process. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ At the 2025 October AGM, the committees provided the following updates on their activities The Finance Oversight Committee presented an updated version of the Financial Oversight Policy, which addressed concerns that were presented in the 2024 audit. Those documents can be found here: https://www.sjcnl.ca/our-finances Due to challenges with volunteer recruitment for financial administrative tasks and members of the committee being unable to continue their roles, the FOC has decided to dissolve. To maintain a high level of financial oversight on the SJC board, it is recommending that the renamed Financial Review Team meet quarterly to review the SJC's finances. The Fraud Investigation Committee handed out physical copies of the final report to members in attendance. They committed to sharing the report with all members and hold a meeting to share feedback in the near future. The Transformative Justice Committee shared an update to confirm that they are continuing to meet regularly but they are still not at the point where the person who has stolen the funds has been able to apologize face to face with a member. They reminded the room that this work is slow, and they asked for more help as there are only 2 members on the team. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ In January 2026, the Fraud Investigation Committee finished its report and the Board wrote a response with an action plan to complete its recommendations. They can be downloaded here. Board Response Fraud Report

🌹 May Day Party 🌹 "The worker must have bread, but she must have roses, too" - Rose Schneiderman (1882 - 1972) Workers deserve fair and equitable working conditions, but they also deserve joy, art, and beauty. On May Day, 2022 we gathered with the Worker Action Network at Bannerman Park for a celebration of workers rights. Hover over the photos below to see what brought these party-goers out. Click to open them in large view, and to see image descriptions. Photos by Tania Heath.

News & Views Accessibility has come a long way in St. John’s, but it still has far to go - Saltwire September 23, 2021 Learn More L'avis de l'activiste Kerri Claire Neil - Le Gaboteur September 20, 2021 Learn More This zero-waste team wants your help revealing the biggest plastic polluters in N.L. - CBC News August 20, 2021 Learn More News: News Newfoundland and Labrador government says risk too great to take on equity stake in remaining years of Terra Nova project - Saltwire June 10, 2021 The Premier’s Economic Recovery Team (PERT) report is fundamentally flawed and risks leading the province down a dangerous path, critics are warning. Unless the report’s nature and its immediate failures are understood and challenged, Newfoundlanders and Labradorians could be corralled into a conversation about their own future that marginalizes certain perspectives, limits civic engagement, and compounds underlying issues at the root of the province’s devastated economy. Learn More Greene Report Must be Resisted: Observers - The Independent May 11, 2021 The Premier’s Economic Recovery Team (PERT) report is fundamentally flawed and risks leading the province down a dangerous path, critics are warning. Unless the report’s nature and its immediate failures are understood and challenged, Newfoundlanders and Labradorians could be corralled into a conversation about their own future that marginalizes certain perspectives, limits civic engagement, and compounds underlying issues at the root of the province’s devastated economy. Learn More MUN will hike tuition in 2022, says university president - CBC News June 1, 2021 CLEAR is partnering with the Social Justice Co-operative N.L. and the Nunatsiavut Government on the citizen science survey, collecting data on key food prices. “The goal of the N.L. Food Pricing Project is to better understand the cost of key food items across our province,” said Ms. Neilsen, who is from North West River, Labrador, and is completing a bachelor of science degree. She and Ms. Davidson, who is originally from Clarenville and is working towards a bachelor of science degree, are eager to expand the study. Learn More Price Watchers - The Gazette June 7, 2021 CLEAR is partnering with the Social Justice Co-operative N.L. and the Nunatsiavut Government on the citizen science survey, collecting data on key food prices. “The goal of the N.L. Food Pricing Project is to better understand the cost of key food items across our province,” said Ms. Neilsen, who is from North West River, Labrador, and is completing a bachelor of science degree. She and Ms. Davidson, who is originally from Clarenville and is working towards a bachelor of science degree, are eager to expand the study. Learn More Learn More May Day, or International Workers’ Day (IWD), presents an opportunity not only to remember our struggle, but to continue and expand it—to develop working-class power capable of challenging both the power of the merchant class at home, and the wider capitalist class abroad. This year, and every year, we ought to fight for May Day. We have nothing to lose but our chains. How We’re Leading a Climate Justice Movement in NL - The Independent May 1, 2020 As Premier Andrew Furey settles in at Newfoundland and Labrador’s helm, one group is using the change in provincial leadership to push for more action on climate change. “We're keeping an eye on the kind of moves he's making, especially early in office,” said Heather Elliott, a member of the Coalition for a Green New Deal NL, a group formed August of last year, and which is also affiliated with the Social Justice Cooperative NL. Elliott spearheaded writing a letter from the group to the premier. The letter was also shared with The Telegram. September 20, 2020 'Move away from fossil fuels immediately, Coalition for a Green New Deal NL tells Furey' - The Telegram Why May Day Matters for Newfoundland and Labrador - The Independent May 1, 2021 Learn More Over the past year, the Social Justice Co-operative has been leading a campaign to address the climate crisis in Newfoundland and Labrador by connecting with activists and organizing a wide range of actions with a vision of anti-racism, anti-colonialism, and international worker solidarity. As we strike and organize for the climate through social and environmental justice, we wanted to take today—May 1st, International Workers’ Day—to reflect on the past year, share with you our successes, and our next steps. May Day, or International Workers’ Day (IWD), presents an opportunity not only to remember our struggle, but to continue and expand it—to develop working-class power capable of challenging both the power of the merchant class at home, and the wider capitalist class abroad. This year, and every year, we ought to fight for May Day. We have nothing to lose but our chains. Progressive Dreams Deferred in 2021 St. John’s City Election September 29, 2021 Learn More Learn More "The most significant factor affecting the health and well-being of Newfoundlanders and Labradorians is Climate Change. We understand that this province has seen a lot of economic success since oil was first discovered off our coasts, especially when the collapse of the cod fishery left an economic vacuum that needed to be filled. However, as science has conclusively shown, the need to move away from fossil fuels is immediate. Our youth continue taking to the streets and social media, demanding that our generation be accountable for their future." - excerpt of letter submitted to Premier Andrew Furey from the Coalition for a Green New Deal in Newfoundland and Labrador. 'Move away from fossil fuels immediately, Coalition for a Green New Deal NL tells Furey' - The Telegram September 20, 2020 The Coalition for a Green New Deal recently welcomed Premier Furey into office and encouraged him to take courageous action to transition NL away from fossil fuels and care for our communities. The Premier did not respond to the letter, but thankfully The Telegram reached out and this is the statement from his office “Creating a strong and vibrant offshore oil and gas industry to ensure some of the lowest emission production can continue to be part of the global energy mix is a way that we can help achieve our commitment to net zero emissions by 2050 ,” reads the email. Minister Trimper had a more nuanced approach “I think climate change is definitely the number one threat facing not just this province, but the world ,” he said. "So, we've got to get off carbon-based fuel sources. That said, it isn't going to happen overnight. " We are disappointed in this response from government. Climate change is an urgent threat to our jobs, to our families, to our communities, and we need courageous leadership at the helm that is willing to take this public health emergency seriously. Learn more September 18, 2020 Learn More Minimalism - Cross Talk with Ramona Dearing January 13, 2021 "Are you someone who takes great pleasure in having lots of stuff around, from books to collectibles to clothing to gadgets and tools. Or do you prefer having plenty of space in your closets and cupboards, and having the bare minimum of stuff to keep you going? Guests: Viviana Ramirez Luna and Sophie Wells are both on the Zero Waste Action Team." Listen Now LETTER: A New Year, A Greener World - SaltWire What a youth panel wants to hear more about on the election trail - CBC News January 29, 2021 When will our political parties acknowledge and commit to addressing the climate crisis?! "I don't see it getting as much attention as it deserves. I know last year St. John's did declare a climate emergency, but I haven't heard much on a provincial level, so I would like to see each of the parties commit to either at least acknowledging that this is an issue that we need to face and say that they will work on a plan," said Feltham. Learn More Kerri-Claire Neil: using her voice for all the right reasons - Tint of Ink February 3, 2020 "Some of Neil’s concerns for the future of the province are addressed through her efforts with the Social Justice Cooperative Newfoundland and Labrador (SJC). SJC “aims, as its core commitment, to advance the cause of social, economic and political equality at home and abroad.” The Cooperative is involved with a variety of campaigns focused on the giving the people of the province a voice and insure social justice, including a focus on climate change." - by Gina Gill Learn More Rally Held at Bannerman Park in Solidarity with Wet’suwet’en Nation in B.C. - VOCM February 15, 2020 "The group was demonstrating to show their solidarity with protests happening in British Colombia against the northern B.C. Pipeline project, which crosses traditional Wet’suwet’en land. Those at the rally carried signs that read “water is life” , “reconcilliation is dead”, and “solidarity with Wet’suwet’en and Labrador Land Protectors”. Dr. Rachel Jekanowski is one of the organizers of the event. She says they all came out from both indigenous and non-indigenous walks of life to stand up to protect indigenous sovereignty and their right to their own lands and waters and their right to make their own political decisions about them." Learn More Some residents hope to make a case to bring Metrobus service to C.B.S - CBC News February 15, 2020 "Jen Crowe is co-chair of Happy City St. John's, a non-profit group that helps to create public dialogue in the city. The group organized the forum. According to Happy City St. John's, 77 per cent of people living in Conception Bay South work outside of the community. Crowe says the numbers make a good case for public transit in the area. 'You're really really limited if you're a student or if you're a senior, or you're someone who just can't afford a vehicle," Crowe said. "You're really limited in how you get around that place and also get to St. John's and Mount Pearl." Crowe said one of the big issues that came up during the forum was the cost of bringing Metrobus to Conception Bay South." - by Alex Kennedy and The St. John's Morning Show Learn More Activist group holds St. John's rally in solidarity with Wet'suwet'en nation protesters - CBC News February 15, 2020 "Cold temperatures in downtown St. John's Saturday did not deter Solidarity with Labrador Land Protectors from rallying in support of the Wet'suwet'en nation protests. Rachel Jekanowski, a member of the St. John's-based community activist group, helped organize the rally. The group was formed to support the Labrador Land Protectors group in opposition to the Muskrat Falls hydroelectric project, but also supports other causes. 'We're trying to bring community members, Indigenous and non-Indigenous alike, from across the city and across the province together to stand up and say that we defend and support Indigenous sovereignty,' Jekanowski said." - by Stephen Miller Learn More Dozens gather at MUN during Muskrat Falls announcement to protest B.C. pipeline - CBC News February 10, 2020 Letter: Premier Furey, We Need a Green New Deal - The Independent The Social Justice Co-op was LIVE at VOCM's Lunch Bunch with Andrew Hawthorne on January 30, 2020, talking about the Green New Deal for NL, events like Green New Drinks, our petition for NL to declare a climate emergency, and MORE! Listen Now "About 100 people gathered at Memorial University's Signal Hill campus Monday afternoon to protest the construction of a British Columbia pipeline. The demonstration — held near Monday's announcement of a Muskrat Falls rate-mitigation agreement, with federal Natural Resources Minister Seamus O'Regan in attendance — was a move of solidarity with the Wet'suwet'en Nation, who oppose the development of a pipeline on their territory in British Columbia, and to protest the RCMP, who arrested Wet'suwet'en members blocking access to the pipeline construction site." - by Mark Quinn Learn More "When thinking about tackling the climate crisis, let’s think beyond the “greenness” of our energy sources and energy efficiency. Let’s reflect about minimizing our demands and finding meaning through caring relationships with the planet and with others, not through consumerism. Committing to minimalism can be the start of new experiences and new behaviours that, once changed, can last long, inspire others and make the change the planet urgently needs." - by Viviana Ramírez Luna Learn More Social Justice Co-op at Lunch Bunch with Andrew Hawthorne January 30, 2020 Learn More "Members of a St. John's non-profit that studied how a few dozen households managed their plastics say they were shocked to find that most of it wound up going in the trash. The Social Justice Co-operative Newfoundland Labrador's Zero Waste Action Team released the finding of its research earlier this week. 'From our preliminary findings, we see that out of the total plastic waste that is generated in a house, 75 per cent of it, as per count … is not getting recycled,' project organizer V. Nikhilesh Paliath said in an interview." St. John's group startled by how much plastic goes to the dump - CBC News March 24, 2021 January 6, 2021 News: News

Call For Equitable Pandemic Response An Open Letter to Our Governments on COVID-19 Now is the time to collaboratively build a robust response to COVID-19 and to create the conditions that will make collective flourishing possible. Join the call for an equitable pandemic response by signing our petition . Sign The Petition Call For Equitable Pandemic Response: About Us In Newfoundland and Labrador, the COVID-19 pandemic comes at a time of significant global and local uncertainty. Across the world, communities are already strained under simultaneous unfolding threats to our physical, psychological, social, and financial health including climate change, economic crises, rising fascism, and ongoing austerity. Here in Newfoundland and Labrador, we are just emerging from the upheaval of a historic storm and ensuing state of emergency. Our province has been wracked in recent years with poor governance, debt, austerity, and economic uncertainty. We have long known that our provincial healthcare system is overburdened and under-resourced, while Newfoundlanders and Labradorians suffer from the highest rates of chronic illness in the country. Call For Equitable Pandemic Response: Text Crisis is no longer approaching: it is at our door and it will impact the most vulnerable people in our province, and across the world, with the greatest intensity. Call For Equitable Pandemic Response: Text The only choice we have now is solidarity. As community members, we will respond with strong measures of physical distancing, social solidarity, and mutual aid. We applaud the leadership that many individuals, organizations, businesses and governments have taken in imposing widespread precautionary measures. But we know that our governments and service providers can do more to ensure an equitable response to COVID-19. As the pandemic evolves, our national, provincial and local responses must also evolve along with it. The specific actions that we are calling for follow. None of these are fanciful -- many have been discussed and some have already been successfully employed elsewhere in Canada and across the world in response to the COVID-19 pandemic. Call For Equitable Pandemic Response: Text In all responses to COVID-19 our governments and service providers must prioritize those who are most physiologically and socially vulnerable to this virus and the social response to it. These include: Institutionalized people (e.g., incarcerated people, those in shelters, and in elder and long-term care facilities); Seniors, elders and immunocompromised people; Those who experience racial, cultural, and linguistic discrimination which limits access to healthcare and support systems; Those who are homeless, and those who live alone, without adequate support in their homes, or who live in violent homes; Those engaging in essential work that is traditionally feminized, racialized, low-waged and performed by migrants and people with precarious immigration status (e.g., childcare, homecare, grocery store workers). It also includes people living in rural, remote, Northern and Indigenous communities within Newfoundland and Labrador, who face unique challenges including a lack of clean drinking water, food insecurity, and inadequate healthcare resources. Call For Equitable Pandemic Response: Text People must have security - in terms of employment, finances, immigration status and otherwise - to be able to stay home from work if they are sick, abide by public health measures, and protect themselves and those around them. To this end, we call upon all relevant levels of government to work together to: Institute Universal Basic Income (which is progressively and not regressively taxed) and the following wage supports: Moratorium on firing workers who do not arrive to work because they choose to self-quarantine, who are sick, or who lack childcare. Institutional paid sick leave of at least 21 days for all workers (including those who are self-employed). A living-wage for anyone required to work outside their home during the COVID-19 pandemic. Institute an immediate moratorium on housing evictions (and on cutting off utilities), including for housing programs and shelters. Suspend mortgage payments, rent payments, electricity and heating oil payments. Increase pay and protections for those working in support roles for elder and disabled populations - this work is feminized, racialized, and is often performed by people with precarious immigration status. Introduce supports for parents who have to miss work due to childcare demands or need childcare due to work demands, develop COVID-19 resources for those engaging in childcare, and develop options for providing childcare for those who need it. Require that all relevant service providers institute a “don’t ask, don’t tell policy” regarding immigration status so that undocumented migrants can access services in Newfoundland and Labrador without fear. Consider designating the Province of Newfoundland and Labrador as the first sanctuary province. Immediately offer permanent residency to all Temporary Foreign Workers. Grant immediate Medical Care Plan coverage to recently graduated international students, people who are waiting for work permits, temporary workers and those who are stranded because of COVID-19. Include international students and temporary workers in all federal, provincial and municipal emergency support measures. Offer immediate permanent residency or citizenship for international students and recent graduates. Call For Equitable Pandemic Response: Text Many government institutions – especially the healthcare system – will require increased resources to deal with the COVID-19 crisis. We argue that the community sector also requires increased resources, financial and otherwise, as they are well poised to ensure a just response to the pandemic. To this end, we call upon all relevant levels of government to work together to: Ensure transparency and accessible information-sharing with citizens and community organizations during and after the pandemic; Collaborate with community sector organizations, coalitions, and cooperatives with social justice and equity goals to strengthen the community-led response; Mobilize public and private spaces, in partnership with the community sector, to increase capacity for homeless and precariously housed people, and people living with violence, to practice physical distancing, quarantine, and self-isolation; Potential spaces could include, but are not limited to, community centres, stadiums, hotels and residences; Outline a transparent plan for addressing shortages of supplies and equipment in our healthcare system. These include but are not limited to: testing kits, oxygen, and ventilators. Open fever hospitals in public or private spaces if bed space is lacking; Offer COVID-19-related resources in all languages spoken across the province, and in a variety of formats accessible to people with disabilities; Gather and disseminate anonymized data about the types of supports requested and provided to identify community needs and build future community capacity; Give existing shelters increased financial resources and discretion to adapt their admissions criteria; Release incarcerated people currently on remand to prevent the prison healthcare system from becoming overwhelmed; Provide funding to art-based solutions that maintain social closeness during physical distancing; Collaborate with food banks, community freezers, and meal programs to ensure food reaches people who depend on their services; Further, we condemn racism towards Asian, Pacific Islander, Indigenous, and other racialized communities, and call on all Newfoundlanders and Labradorians to support those who are being targeted by hate crimes and discrimination. Call For Equitable Pandemic Response: Text This pandemic has laid bare the inequities at the root of our current social structures. In responding to it, we must continue to fight for the world we want to see. When we wake up from this current nightmare, we want it to be in the world of our choosing - not a world that a pandemic and an inadequate, unjust system chose for us. Now is the time to collaboratively build a robust response to COVID-19 and to create the conditions that will make collective flourishing possible. In Solidarity, Addressing Islamophobia in NL Project Anti-Poverty NL Anti-Racism Coalition NL Fight for $15 and Fairness Graduate Students’ Union of Memorial University Social Justice Co-operative NL Call For Equitable Pandemic Response: Text

Community Partners Anti-Racism Coalition The Anti-Racism Coalition of Newfoundland and Labrador (ARC-NL) actively works to counter all forms of racism. The main objective of the ARC-NL is to promote and support a culture of anti-racism within the province of Newfoundland and Labrador. Learn More Fridays For Future St. John's The Youth Led Local Branch of Fridays For Future St. John’s, Newfoundland Grassroots movement #FridaysForFutureStJohns #ClimateJusticeIsSocialJustice Learn More Memorial University Climate Action Coalition The Coalition is a collection of students, faculty, staff, and community members with the shared interest of pursuing climate action at Memorial University Learn More

Our Team: Meet the Team BOARD OF DIRECTORS Daniel Miller - Co-Chair Brenda Walsh - Co-Chair Kerri Claire Neil - Treasurer Anne Malone - Director at Large Renee Dumaresque - Director at Large Laurel Huget - Director of Communications STAFF Our Team: Team Members Lea Mary Movelle They/them Volunteer Coordinator Lea grew up in a rural NL fishing family & has an educational background in political science & sociology from Memorial University. They've been the VC at the SJC since mid 2020. They are passionate about the power of community, friendship, mutual aid, & radical care to undermine the agonizing individualism of capitalism. Working for the SJC brings so much magic into their life & they couldn't be more grateful to the monthly donors who make their employment in the Revolution of Care possible! Lea recently moved back to their hometown on the Burin Peninsula, where they treasure a slower pace of life & time with family, including 4 precious nephews that bring so much joy & fun into their routine. Lea loves to read with the Anti-Capitalist x Activist Book club, grow veggies & flowers in the garden, play the ukulele, paint for the therapy of it, take wandering walks away from the bustle of traffic, sing out loud while washing the dishes, snuggle up with their 20 pound pur-monster, & dance to live music with loved ones.

2023 in Review