NSPIRG
Encyclopedia
| NSPIRG | |
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| Nova Scotia Public Interest Research Group | |
| Location | Halifax, Nova Scotia Nova Scotia Nova Scotia is one of Canada's three Maritime provinces and is the most populous province in Atlantic Canada. The name of the province is Latin for "New Scotland," but "Nova Scotia" is the recognized, English-language name of the province. The provincial capital is Halifax. Nova Scotia is the... |
| Founded | 1990 |
| Field | Environmental Environmental justice Environmental justice is "the fair treatment and meaningful involvement of all people regardless of race, color, sex, national origin, or income with respect to the development, implementation and enforcement of environmental laws, regulations, and policies." In the words of Bunyan Bryant,... and Social Justice Social justice Social justice generally refers to the idea of creating a society or institution that is based on the principles of equality and solidarity, that understands and values human rights, and that recognizes the dignity of every human being. The term and modern concept of "social justice" was coined by... |
| Official website | http://www.nspirg.org |
NSPIRG (Nova Scotia Public Interest Research Group) is a student activist organization with a focus on environmental and social justice issues. It is funded by students at Dalhousie University
Dalhousie University
Dalhousie University is a public research university located in Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada. The university comprises eleven faculties including Schulich School of Law and Dalhousie University Faculty of Medicine. It also includes the faculties of architecture, planning and engineering located at...
in Halifax, Nova Scotia
Nova Scotia
Nova Scotia is one of Canada's three Maritime provinces and is the most populous province in Atlantic Canada. The name of the province is Latin for "New Scotland," but "Nova Scotia" is the recognized, English-language name of the province. The provincial capital is Halifax. Nova Scotia is the...
, and functions as a referendum-mandated society of the Dalhousie Student Union
Dalhousie Student Union
The Dalhousie Student Union is the official representative of students at Dalhousie University in Halifax, Nova Scotia.- History :On November 10, 1869 students accepted ownership of the Dalhousie Gazette from the founding editors....
(DSU). Their stated mandate is "to link research with action for social and environmental justice within an anti-oppression framework."
Origins
NSPIRG was created by a DSUDalhousie Student Union
The Dalhousie Student Union is the official representative of students at Dalhousie University in Halifax, Nova Scotia.- History :On November 10, 1869 students accepted ownership of the Dalhousie Gazette from the founding editors....
referendum
Referendum
A referendum is a direct vote in which an entire electorate is asked to either accept or reject a particular proposal. This may result in the adoption of a new constitution, a constitutional amendment, a law, the recall of an elected official or simply a specific government policy. It is a form of...
in 1990. It receives funding via a $4 per year direct student levy. Although the group is required to allow students to opt out of the levy, some students have recently criticized the organization for neglecting to advertise this option, resulting in a total of 12 students opting out in 2008/2009.
The 1990 referendum question read:
Yes, I support the establishment of a Public Interest Research Group at Dalhousie
University (Dal-PIRG) which will operate as a student run, student funded research, education,
and action organization at a cost of $2.00 per student, per semester ($4.00 per year), which is
refundable to those students who do not wish to participate.
NSPIRG Campaigns
Resisting/Replacing AtlanticaThis is a movement opposing the Atlantica Initiative
Atlantica (trade zone)
Atlantica, formally known as Atlantica: the International Northeast Economic Region , is the name of a proposed area of economic integration in the Atlantic Northeast of North America, incorporating parts of Canada and the United States....
, a proposed trade zone spanning the New England States and Atlantic Provinces, which the group claims "threatens to seriously undermine labor rights and environmental standards".
Save Lincolnville!
This is a campaign to oppose the Lincolnville Landfill, which the group sees as an example of environmental racism
Environmental racism
Environmental racism is a sociological term referring to policies and regulations that disproportionately burden minority communities with negative environmental impacts....
. It is also concerned with the rights of Black Nova Scotians
Black Nova Scotians
Black Nova Scotians are people of Black African descent whose ancestors fled Colonial America as slaves or freemen to settle in Nova Scotia, Canada during the 18th and 19th centuries. According to the 2006 Census of Canada, there are 19,230 black people currently living in Nova Scotia, most of whom...
and First Nations communities.
No One Is Illegal - Halifax
This is an initiative supporting immigrants and refugees in Canada. The campaign is in its infancy, and involved groups include the Immigrant Settlement & Integration Services, Halifax Refugee Clinic, and the Halifax Coalition Against Poverty.
Rooting Out Racism
This is a campaign to stop institutional racism and discrimination in Halifax schools through human rights advocacy and support for victims of discrimination.
Controversy
At the Dalhousie Student UnionDalhousie Student Union
The Dalhousie Student Union is the official representative of students at Dalhousie University in Halifax, Nova Scotia.- History :On November 10, 1869 students accepted ownership of the Dalhousie Gazette from the founding editors....
's 2009 Annual General Meeting, a non-ratified campus group known as SMAC (Students Mobilize for Action on Campus) proposed several motions, including calls for the non-renewal of the union's food service contracts, in favour of student run food service, and a ban on Canadian Forces
Canadian Forces
The Canadian Forces , officially the Canadian Armed Forces , are the unified armed forces of Canada, as constituted by the National Defence Act, which states: "The Canadian Forces are the armed forces of Her Majesty raised by Canada and consist of one Service called the Canadian Armed Forces."...
recruiting on campus. Due to time constraints, discussion of these motions was postponed until April 1, 2009. Despite the different name, some students, including DSU 2009/2010 presidential candidate Eric Snow, attacked SMAC as being a front organization
Front organization
A front organization is any entity set up by and controlled by another organization, such as intelligence agencies, organized crime groups, banned organizations, religious or political groups, advocacy groups, or corporations...
for NSPIRG, citing overlap in membership and resources.
Following the AGM, a group of students loosely known as Stop NSPIRG circulated a petition asking for NSPIRG's funding to be put to a referendum
Referendum
A referendum is a direct vote in which an entire electorate is asked to either accept or reject a particular proposal. This may result in the adoption of a new constitution, a constitutional amendment, a law, the recall of an elected official or simply a specific government policy. It is a form of...
, which the three DSU 2009/2010 presidential candidates signed. Another group of students in support of NSPIRG began a campaign to inform students about the organization, its working groups, and its campaigns. Prior to the continuation of the AGM, NSPIRG held a press conference featuring Halifax 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...
MP Megan Leslie
Megan Leslie
Megan Leslie is a Canadian politician, who has been the federal Member of Parliament for the electoral district of Halifax since the 2008 Canadian federal election. She is a member of the New Democratic Party and serves as the NDP critic for the environment...
. A former NSPIRG adherent herself, Leslie denounced the Stop NSPIRG campaign, suggesting that it was related to a nationwide Conservative
Conservative Party of Canada
The Conservative Party of Canada , is a political party in Canada which was formed by the merger of the Canadian Alliance and the Progressive Conservative Party of Canada in 2003. It is positioned on the right of the Canadian political spectrum...
coup d'état
Coup d'état
A coup d'état state, literally: strike/blow of state)—also known as a coup, putsch, and overthrow—is the sudden, extrajudicial deposition of a government, usually by a small group of the existing state establishment—typically the military—to replace the deposed government with another body; either...
on "progressive" campus organizations.
In the continuation of the AGM, held April 1, 2009, it was moved to have DSU Council arrange a referendum on NSPIRG's funding in the 2009/2010 school year, in consultation with NSPIRG. The motion failed.
Working Groups
Working groups are issue-based groups supported by NSPIRG that have access to NSPIRG resources and funding.- Anti-Oppression Youth Education Project (AYEP)
- Campus Action on Food
- DalGreen
- Films on Critical Issues (FOCI)
- Haiti Action Halifax (HAH)
- Metro Student Living Co-op
- Students Coalition Against War (SCAW)
- Seymour Green Community Organic Garden
- Students Taking Action in Chiapas (ZEN)
- Students For Students
- Vegan Potluck Group
Other associated groups
- Halifax Coalition Against Poverty (HCAP)
- Halifax Refugee Clinic