Agenda

Ideas Meetings Vancouver - November 11th, 2014 Attendees: Fraser M, Kris C, Andrew, Tom, Patrick M, Cimarron B

  • Fraser idea- Indigenous Urbanism
    • prof from U of Saskatchewan
    • Integrate place from an indigenous lens (ceremony, harvesting, land uses)
    • Urban reserves are technically banned land
    • What does the settler narrative project? Place-naming projects
      • Some things locally don’t make sense - Inukshuk - brings cognizance
    • What does a particular representation mean, and what does it mean for the community?
    • Patrick - signifiers, and whether they are authentic. For example, artefacts signifying ‘reconciliation,’ which have been botched in implementation
    • Fraser - what is genuine reconciliation?
    • The risk of perverting Indigenous symbols for various purposes, e.g. the Inukshuk symbol transplanted locally (for winter games)
    • Eradication mythology
    • What are the different dimensions that go along with different symbols and places?
    • "Canadian Newcomers Guide" provides a good history - post on Wiki!
  • Kris - Lastalifetime.ca
    • Dishwasher idea - 3 brands are the best, but all over $5,000. What metric to use so that site is not for just the wealthy people
    • Independent, consumer-driven research
    • Full cost accounting, life cycle accounting: there are ways to account for this
    • Last a lifetime seems to suggest an investment, so may not be suitable for people on a tight budget, but maybe if there was an extra tag for items that meet both criteria (Low price + High Quality)
    • Green impacts to be on this?
    • Local buying, i.e. Canada-centric
    • Cimarron - talk to Kelly about her friend who does the site about this
    • Can opener
    • Can you select your own metrics?
    • Two evils with sustainability: labelled sustainability, locally sustainable
    • A lot of websites like this may tout a particular sustainability philosophy
    • Subscription approach: product replacement. No one wants a jet engine or a dishwasher, they want to be 800ft up or clean dishes.
    • Oil sands - paper noting that there has been more oil seeping into the environment from marinas than one oil spill
    • Fraser’s Blissful Ignorance Co. (All lies are asterixed)
    • Gapminder
    • Wolfram Alpha
  • Cimarron- Online database of embedded energy facts
  • Kris- JobJar.ca
    • Employers post jobs, and people down-bid. Try it!
    • Reputation management is high maintenance
    • Currently engine built, but disclaimers because people are trusting others in their own home
    • Integrator - takes all online profiles and integrates it for credibility
    • Insurance and temp rules to be concerned about?
    • Feedback welcome
  • Kris- MyMediaMemory.com
    • Track books, DVDs, TV shows, etc., and add friends to see what they are absorbing
  • Andrew-
    • The goodest country - Ireland got it. Goodcountry.org
    • Bhutan - happiness index

  • Kris- Anatomy app

  • Andrew-
    • Business students in general
    • Business students should take a hippocratic oath to contribute back to society
    • Should be generalized to anyone who does a degree
    • Should be require to commit to contribute back because of what was invested into their education
    • Iron pin code of conduct fits this bill - specific to UBC engineers; they get it in their first year
    • Cultivating ethics early
    • What is ‘right’ versus what is ‘effective’ - forcing people to promise to give back will be so effective. If they have to report on it it may be effective.
    • Forcing people runs the risks of convenience needs versus critical needs
    • 18 year olds are equipped to contribute, but mandatory service can get embedded into broken systems
    • In the Territories there are tuition programs. They will further subsidize your tuition if you work locally for period
    • Primary - seconadary ed community involvement is a part of Japan’s system
    • Corporation structure - you are accountable for the bottom line
    • What is ethical? Legal bounds paramount?
    • Deloitte Fast Five hundred of Asia - top 500 CEOs of the season - owns the largest solar panel factory in the world
      • Every solar panel is coated with chromium. When it gets wet, it leaks into your house and ‘kills’ you. There’s not a single alternative energy source that does not have hugely environmental impacts.
      • Except maybe the LED.
    • Research that in (Canada?) we don’t place community contributors in the spotlight. How do we provide role models for humility, etc. Values are not explicit, unlike in Japan
    • CEO to lowest worker salary ratios
    • Are our explicit values embedded in exorbitant salaries for the CEO: success=wealth
    • BC FIPA - Freedom of Information and Privacy Association
    • CIIPS (Canadian Institute for Information and Privacy Society) FOI, privacy. If you have a privacy or information concern, talk to Kris/them.
  • Patrick-
    • Dalai Lama talk - care for children, who are the future
    • How do we integrate children as the present?
    • Aspirations, attitudes, and abilities will be reflected in future children
    • Tools for thinking about issues of race, for example, or not well-developed
    • Tokenism-
    • Or Age - building facilities for seniors: urban planning decisions can be very poor physical design
    • How do we meaningfully integrate children?
    • Perceived safety around child issues: do we relocate children to make them more safe, or do we change our adult behaviours to help them be safe. Sesame Street versus Sesame Park example
    • Foster homes where the parents or foster parents move, rather than the kids. Radical.

VancouverChapter