You've Got One Day Left to Watch "Last Chance" for Free

I have been a huge fan of the National Film Board ever since I was a little kid entranced by The Big Snit, so I keep up with the NFB on Twitter and feed my documentary addiction through them.

I watched the documentary Last Chance recently, and this is one that I really want you to see:

Last Chance tells the stories of 5 asylum seekers who flee their native countries to escape homophobic violence. They face hurdles integrating into Canada, fear deportation and anxiously await a decision that will change their lives forever.

I want you to watch it, because, although I have struggled with gender and sexuality, my country and my culture largely protected me from some of the worst effects of prejudice. I want you to watch it, because gender and sexuality are major human rights issues across the globe but are rarely spoken about. I want you to watch Last Chance, because it humanizes and brings home the reality of an issue that is at once deeply personal and private and yet universal and public: we are not born equal and free when it is both cultural and government policy to either ignore the plight of or outright punish those who do not conform to a very particular standard of gender and sexual identity.

People's health and well-being and that of their families is threatened every day, and I feel honoured that these five individuals stepped forward to share their stories with us. Watch this and spread the word.

Attention, Canadians. They're In Your Internets, And It's Not Funny Anymore.

Note: The following text is borrowed from OpenMedia.ca.

"The government is trying to ram through an anti-Internet set of electronic surveillance laws that will invade your privacy and cost you money. The plan is to force every phone and Internet provider to surrender our personal information to "authorities" without a warrant.

This bizarre legislation will create Internet surveillance that is:

Warrantless: A range of "authorities" will have the ability to invade the private lives of law-abiding Canadians and our families using wired Internet and mobile devices, without a warrant or any justification.

Invasive and Dangerous: The laws leave our personal and financial information less secure and more susceptible to cybercrime.

Costly: Internet services providers may be forced to install millions of dollars worth of spying technology and the cost will be passed down to YOU.

If enough of us speak out now the government will have no choice but to stop this mandatory online spying scheme. Sign the petition now, and forward it to everyone you know."





We wouldn't give any group carte blanche access to look into every other aspect of our lives, and it should be no different here. Sign the petition now, and put a stop to this attempt to further suspend our civil liberties.

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