Choose, don’t lose
Sit back, grab a drink and get election race rhetoric straight from the horses’ mouths. All five party leaders hold forth in the national debate, October 2, 9 to 11 pm, on TV and radio stations not airing the same-night Biden-Palin match (October 1 in French). Clue in, because the sink-the-Tories showdown happens election day, October 14. For help voting, click onto elections.ca.
Eco sages share
Sure, you can just talk to a tree, but if you want more strategic information on how to protect the planet you’ll want to hear from eco-heads like NOW’s own Echoholic, Adria Vasil, Thomas Homer-Dixon, the author of The Upside Of Down, J.B. MacKinnon and Alisa Smith, who penned The 100-Mile Diet, and Chris Turner, who wrote The Geography of Hope. They’ll all be offering green advice at Hart House Theatre on November 8. uofttix.ca.
Lights, camera, green action
Time to tweak your eco conscience with Planet In Focus, the international enviro film and video fest, running October 22 to 26. This year’s theme is Food: The Big Picture, featuring a menu of panels, workshops and children’s programs probing various aspects of the big, bad global food biz. Venues for films and events: Innis Town Hall, Royal Ontario Museum, Royal Cinema and Bata Shoe Museum. planetinfocus.org.
Kensington’s car-free haunt
Get out your boa, face glitter, scary mask or whatever strikes your Halloween alter ego and head down to Kensington’s Pedestrian Sunday honouring the ancestors on October 26 with music, mingling and ghostly surprises. Have a blast greeting the dark season while scoring a political point about car domination. pskensington.ca.
Spooky spectacle
Afraid of fashion? You’ll have an excuse at this year’s Fashion Cares gala in support of the AIDS Committee of Toronto: Fashion Scares is Hitchcock-inspired and happens November 1 – the day after Halloween. It’s hosted by David Furnish, Elton John’s number-one dude, and includes performances by Katy Perry, Kreesha Turner and others. Metro Convention Centre. ticketmaster.ca, fashioncares.com.
Change your mind, not the climate
Think you know all about global warming? Take a peek at the U of T Climate Change Conference agenda and weep. From water justice to enviro racism to oil sands and toxins, this October 4 confab’s got it all. Experts range from climate scientist Danny Harvey to cancer expert Dorothy Goldin-Rosenberg and eco justice lawyer Albert Koehl. Earth Science Auditorium. 647-342-7995.
