Joan Russow
Encyclopedia
Joan Elizabeth Russow is a Canadian
peace activist and former national leader of the Green Party of Canada
from 1997 to 2001.
. She received her PhD from the University of Victoria
in Interdisciplinary studies.
Russow first gained attention in the "Lord's Prayer Case" which resulted in the banning of school prayer
in public schools in British Columbia in 1989.
In collaboration with the professors in the Law faculty of the University of Toronto, Russow was the litigant in the Charter challenge of the first-past-the-post electoral system in Canada.
in three federal elections; in Victoria
in 1997 and 2000, and a federal by-election in Okanagan-Coquihalla in September, 2000. She lost all three bids.
Russow's late partner was David Scott White (born Winnipeg
, January 20, 1947; died Victoria, BC July 16, 2006) who was the former chair of the Green Party of British Columbia
. White was the manager of Russow's election campaign as leader of the federal Green party.
Under the leadership of Russow, policies were developed which promoted social justice, human rights, and peace, as well as the more traditional concerns with environment.
In the 2001 Quebec City protest against the Free Trade Area of the Americas, Russow was detained for taking a photograph of the jail that was being emptied to incarcerate the FTAA protesters. Russow promoted the Green Party as a leader in the anti-globalization movement
, in particular the anti-corporatist and pro-peace movement.
Russow and White left the Green Party in 2001, partly due to the German Green party
's support of the NATO attack on Serbia
. Russow and White both joined the NDP
in 2003 and White continued his work as an activist until his death, most recently researching and writing against Canada's military role in Afghanistan.
In 2005 she criticized the Green Party under Jim Harris
for moving away from some of its original left-wing principles.
In March 2008, at the annual meeting of the United Nations Commission on the Status of Women
, she collaborated on a paper related to the delegitimization of war; this paper was officially sanctioned for distribution to state delegations at the UN.
On August 4, 2008, in Victoria she presented a representative of Stephen Harper
with a paper entitled 95 Articles of Condemnation of the Harper Government.
Recently Russow has been speaking out about the increased militarism in Canada, focusing on the increased military budget; the increased belligerence in the military invasion and occupation of Afghanistan; the increased military exercises involving US nuclear powered vessels and nuclear arms capable vessels and aircraft and using live ammunition; the increased military recruitment ads on television and bus shelters, in "Navy days" with booths, and in schools; the increased mining and production of uranium, including the contribution to US and NATO weapon systems; and the increased military flights overhead and participation in community events and parades.
In March 2007, Russow lobbied state delegations in the UN General Assembly to invoke Article 22 of the Charter of the United Nations to set up an international tribunal to try the Bush regime. On March 8, 2007, the petition, in the six official languages, was submitted to the office of the President of the UN General Assembly.
In 2008, Russow was involved in a film project related to Co-operatives titled Counterpoint to Corporatism.
For the 2009 Conference on Climate change in Copenhagen, she submitted a document co-written with Rickard Levicki of England to the state negotiators.
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
peace activist and former national leader of the Green Party of Canada
Green Party of Canada
The Green Party of Canada is a Canadian federal political party founded in 1983 with 10,000–12,000 registered members as of October 2008. The Greens advance a broad multi-issue political platform that reflects its core values of ecological wisdom, social justice, grassroots democracy and...
from 1997 to 2001.
Early career
Russow received her BA and a Master’s degree in Education from the University of British ColumbiaUniversity of British Columbia
The University of British Columbia is a public research university. UBC’s two main campuses are situated in Vancouver and in Kelowna in the Okanagan Valley...
. She received her PhD from the University of Victoria
University of Victoria
The University of Victoria, often referred to as UVic, is the second oldest public research university in British Columbia, Canada. It is a research intensive university located in Saanich and Oak Bay, about northeast of downtown Victoria. The University's annual enrollment is about 20,000 students...
in Interdisciplinary studies.
Russow first gained attention in the "Lord's Prayer Case" which resulted in the banning of school prayer
School prayer
School prayer in its common usage refers to state-approved prayer by students in state schools. Depending on the country and the type of school, organized prayer may be required, permitted, or prohibited...
in public schools in British Columbia in 1989.
In collaboration with the professors in the Law faculty of the University of Toronto, Russow was the litigant in the Charter challenge of the first-past-the-post electoral system in Canada.
The Green Party & Politics
Russow joined the Green Party in 1993 and became leader in 1997. Russow ran for a seat in the Canadian House of CommonsCanadian House of Commons
The House of Commons of Canada is a component of the Parliament of Canada, along with the Sovereign and the Senate. The House of Commons is a democratically elected body, consisting of 308 members known as Members of Parliament...
in three federal elections; in Victoria
Victoria (electoral district)
Victoria is a federal electoral district in British Columbia, Canada, that has been represented in the Canadian House of Commons from 1872 to 1904 and since 1925....
in 1997 and 2000, and a federal by-election in Okanagan-Coquihalla in September, 2000. She lost all three bids.
Russow's late partner was David Scott White (born Winnipeg
Winnipeg
Winnipeg is the capital and largest city of Manitoba, Canada, and is the primary municipality of the Winnipeg Capital Region, with more than half of Manitoba's population. It is located near the longitudinal centre of North America, at the confluence of the Red and Assiniboine Rivers .The name...
, January 20, 1947; died Victoria, BC July 16, 2006) who was the former chair of the Green Party of British Columbia
Green Party of British Columbia
The Green Party of British Columbia is a political party in British Columbia, Canada. It is led by former Esquimalt municipal councillor, university professor and businessperson Jane Sterk, she was elected by the party in 2007. Penticton realtor and columnist Julius Bloomfield serves as the deputy...
. White was the manager of Russow's election campaign as leader of the federal Green party.
Under the leadership of Russow, policies were developed which promoted social justice, human rights, and peace, as well as the more traditional concerns with environment.
In the 2001 Quebec City protest against the Free Trade Area of the Americas, Russow was detained for taking a photograph of the jail that was being emptied to incarcerate the FTAA protesters. Russow promoted the Green Party as a leader in the anti-globalization movement
Anti-globalization movement
The anti-globalization movement, or counter-globalisation movement, is critical of the globalization of corporate capitalism. The movement is also commonly referred to as the global justice movement, alter-globalization movement, anti-globalist movement, anti-corporate globalization movement, or...
, in particular the anti-corporatist and pro-peace movement.
Russow and White left the Green Party in 2001, partly due to the German Green party
Alliance '90/The Greens
Alliance '90/The Greens is a green political party in Germany, formed from the merger of the German Green Party and Alliance 90 in 1993. Its leaders are Claudia Roth and Cem Özdemir...
's support of the NATO attack on Serbia
Serbia
Serbia , officially the Republic of Serbia , is a landlocked country located at the crossroads of Central and Southeast Europe, covering the southern part of the Carpathian basin and the central part of the Balkans...
. Russow and White both joined the NDP
New Democratic Party
The New Democratic Party , commonly referred to as the NDP, is a federal social-democratic political party in Canada. The interim leader of the NDP is Nycole Turmel who was appointed to the position due to the illness of Jack Layton, who died on August 22, 2011. The provincial wings of the NDP in...
in 2003 and White continued his work as an activist until his death, most recently researching and writing against Canada's military role in Afghanistan.
In 2005 she criticized the Green Party under Jim Harris
Jim Harris (politician)
James R. M. "Jim" Harris is a Canadian author, environmentalist, and politician. He was leader of the Green Party of Canada from 2003 to 2006, when he was succeeded by Elizabeth May.-Early life and Green activism:...
for moving away from some of its original left-wing principles.
Legal Activism
Russow is a co-founder of the Ecological Rights Association and the Global Compliance Research Project. In September 2007, she collaborated on a declaration related to climate change. This declaration called upon the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change to calculate the contribution of militarism to green house gas emissions.In March 2008, at the annual meeting of the United Nations Commission on the Status of Women
United Nations Commission on the Status of Women
The Commission on the Status of Women is a functional commission of the United Nations Economic and Social Council , one of the main UN organs within the United Nations.Every year, representatives of Member States gather at United Nations Headquarters in New York to evaluate progress on gender...
, she collaborated on a paper related to the delegitimization of war; this paper was officially sanctioned for distribution to state delegations at the UN.
On August 4, 2008, in Victoria she presented a representative of Stephen Harper
Stephen Harper
Stephen Joseph Harper is the 22nd and current Prime Minister of Canada and leader of the Conservative Party. Harper became prime minister when his party formed a minority government after the 2006 federal election...
with a paper entitled 95 Articles of Condemnation of the Harper Government.
International and Domestic Peace Activism
Russow developed a "Common Security Index" which was submitted to the Senate Committee on the Anti-Terrorism Act on October 17, 2005. To further common security, the member states of the United Nations have made commitments to work toward the following goals:- to enable socially equitable and environmentally sound employment, and ensure the right to development and social justice;
- to promote and fully guarantee respect for human rights including labour rights, civil and political rights, social and cultural rights: the right to food, the right to housing, the right to safe drinking water and sewage, the right to education and right to a universally accessible not for profit health care system;
- to ensure the preservation and protection of the environment, the respect for the inherent worth of nature beyond human purpose, the reduction of the ecological footprint and to move away from the current model of unsustainable and overconsumptive development;
- to achieve a state of peace and disarmament through reallocation of military expenses; and
- to create a global structure that respects the rule of law and the International Court of Justice.
Recently Russow has been speaking out about the increased militarism in Canada, focusing on the increased military budget; the increased belligerence in the military invasion and occupation of Afghanistan; the increased military exercises involving US nuclear powered vessels and nuclear arms capable vessels and aircraft and using live ammunition; the increased military recruitment ads on television and bus shelters, in "Navy days" with booths, and in schools; the increased mining and production of uranium, including the contribution to US and NATO weapon systems; and the increased military flights overhead and participation in community events and parades.
In March 2007, Russow lobbied state delegations in the UN General Assembly to invoke Article 22 of the Charter of the United Nations to set up an international tribunal to try the Bush regime. On March 8, 2007, the petition, in the six official languages, was submitted to the office of the President of the UN General Assembly.
In 2008, Russow was involved in a film project related to Co-operatives titled Counterpoint to Corporatism.
For the 2009 Conference on Climate change in Copenhagen, she submitted a document co-written with Rickard Levicki of England to the state negotiators.
Sources
- "The Globe and Mail Election 2000 Series" Retrieved 11 January 2007.
- "PEJ Obituary David Scott White" Retrieved 11 January 2007.
- "The Province Obituary David Scott White" Retrieved 11 January 2007.
- The University of British Columbia Alumni Directory 1992. Vancouver, B.C. page 558.
- "Lord's Prayer Case".
- Proceedings of the Special Senate Committee on the Anti-terrorism Act.
- Proposed Canadian No-fly list.
- The Bush Regime must be judged by an International Tribunal.
- Co-operatve film project