Social Forum gave me hope for a more environmentally and socially just future

I was among the hundreds of people who gathered at the Social Forum in Wolastokuk on Oct. 4 and 5. The event brought together community groups, activists and members of the public with a common commitment to social justice.

The Social Forum opened with Wolastoq Grand Chief Ron Tremblay reminding attendees of the importance of Indigenous perspectives, their homeland, and the Peace and Friendship Treaties.

Next, key members of the NB Media Co-op spoke on a panel, highlighting the need for non-corporate media, and how they have uniquely survived as independent media in the province since the cooperative was formed after the first Social Forum in 2008.

More than 40 groups had information booths on Saturday afternoon including environmental groups such as the Conservation Council of New Brunswick, tenant rights group, ACORN, the National Farmer’s Union in NB, the Passamaquoddy Recognition Group, the 12 Neighbours’ social enterprise, Palestine solidarity groups, and the NB Green Party just to name a few.

Conversations with these groups gave incredible insight into the work happening across New Brunswick and facilitated collaboration. For example, with the National Farmers Union, I discussed the need for food sovereignty not only for affordability, but also for the success of farmers.

The 40 different workshops were led by community and activist groups. I attended two: Three Nation Education Group’s workshop “Treaty Education is the Roots of Reconciliation” and the Fredericton chapter of the Communist Party of Canada’s workshop “Coalition for Building for Revolutionary Change.”

At the education group’s workshop, researcher and educator Andrea Trenholm and Mi’kmaq Wisdom Keeper Andrea Simon shared their insights from the Treaty Education Project. The session stressed that reconciliation must have an educational component for the youth. The initiative developed treaty education resources for grades 3 to 6 so young people can better understand the treaties between the Crown and the Indigenous peoples in New Brunswick.

As for the Matthew Webber went in expecting a partisan recruitment session. However, it ended up being a call to action from the club’s organizer, Matthew Webber, for people of different backgrounds to unite in a common front against imperialism, the rise of reactionary politics, war, austerity, and monopoly.

Unity was a common theme throughout the whole weekend — the Social Forum gave a unique opportunity for social groups with various goals to connect and coalition build. This culminated in the event’s final workshop organized by Sierra Club Canada and partners, “The Many vs The Money.”

At this workshop, about 75 attendees came together to concretely determine what actions we can take to achieve the common goals of collective well-being, justice, affordability, and pushing back against corporate interests and policies that prioritize profit over community needs.

On the sidelines, Peskotomuhkati Nation Chief Hugh Akagi told me something I will never forget: I should remain true to my principles in the fight for social justice, despite the financial incentives industry will offer me to do otherwise. The Social Forum emphasized the fight against “the money.”

Overall, the Social Forum showed strength in numbers and gave me hope for a more environmentally and socially just future.

The NB Media Co-op hosted the Social Forum in Wolastokuk with partners the CEDAR project at St. Thomas University, the Madhu Verma Centre for Migrant Justice, and Wilmot United Church.

Liam MacDougall is a student in the political science and sustainability and environmental studies programs and a research assistant for the CEDAR project at St. Thomas University in Fredericton.