Current News and Events

Permanent Jobs, Temporary People: Temporary Foreign Workers’ Struggle for Permanent Residency in Prince Edward Island

New Research from the Migrant Workers in the Canadian Maritimes partnership

Permanent Jobs, Temporary People is the fourth report from the Migrant Workers in the Canadian Maritimes partnership. The focus this time was on temporary foreign workers transitioning to permanent residency in Prince Edward Island.

Jun
5
2024

Falling Short: Troubles with the Seasonal Agricultural Worker Program in Nova Scotia

New research from the Temporary Foreign Workers in the Canadian Maritimes Partnership

Falling Short is the third report in a series of research projects by the Migrant Workers in the Canadian Maritimes partnership. The focus this time was on farm workers who came to Canada under the Seasonal Agricultural Worker Program.

Mar
27
2024

Perspectives on Basic Income

Writings by the PEI Working Group for a Livable Income

A basic income guarantee would affect healthcare, artists, agriculture, and everyone. This series of 5 op-eds by members of the PEI Working Group for a Livable Income was published in the Charlottetown Guardian in 2024..

Mar
4
2024

Basic Income Advocates Release New Report

A Proposal for a Guaranteed Basic Income Benefit in Prince Edward Island

Leading basic income experts suggest a province-wide guaranteed basic income in PEI is feasible and realistic, will reduce poverty.

Jan
22
2024

Giving Voice

A Public Forum on Migrant Justice

Gabriel Allahdua was the guest speaker at a forum hosted by Cooper Institute and the PEI Action Team for Migrant Workers' Rights on October 29th.

Dec
13
2023

Land Use and the Power of the People

Coalition for the Protection of PEI Land Public Forum

The fourth forum in the “Whose Land is it Anyway?” series, will be held on Saturday, May 27 from 2:00 to 4:00 p.m. at the Murray Christian Education Centre, 17 School St. in Kensington.

May
19
2023

Breaking the Silence Event

Jesús Tecú Osorio to Speak in Charlottetown on May 24

Cooper Institute and the Maritimes-Guatemala Breaking the Silence Network will host Jesús Tecú Osorio for their annual speaking tour. The event will be held at the Charlottetown Library Learning Centre at 6:30 PM on Wednesday, May 24.

May
19
2023

Employment Opportunity

Project Coordinator with Cooper Institute and the PEI Fight for Affordable Housing

We are looking for a coordinator for a new project involving outreach to tenants, some research, organizing and facilitating group discussions, and writing. The project has two main outcomes: a user-friendly guide to preparing for rental hearings and

Apr
5
2023

Unfree Labour

COVID-19 and Migrant Workers in the Seafood Industry in New Brunswick

New research reveals precarious occupational and living conditions for seafood processing migrant workers in New Brunswick.

Mar
1
2023

The Year That Was

Cooper Institute 2022 Activities Report Published

The annual activities report typically provides a glimpse into Cooper Institute's programs, including migrant justice, basic income and lands protection.

Feb
9
2023

New Report on International Students and Affordable Housing in PEI

New report highlights challenges for students

Kelly Rivera, Masters of Arts student with the Institute of Island Studies, publishes report based on interviews with international students in 2022.

Jan
27
2023

Update on Temporary Foreign Worker Protection Act

Standing Committee Makes Strong Recommendations

A report of the Standing Committee on Education and Economic Development, outlining some positive amendments to the draft Act has been accepted by the PEI Legislature.

Nov
17
2021

A Good War: Mobilizing Canada for the Climate Emergency

A virtual event with Seth Klein

Hosted by the Bookmark and Council of Canadians PEI - with Julie Pellissier-Lush, Seth Klein, Todd MacLean, Stephanie Arnold, Sweta Daboo and Colin Jeffrey.

Sep
7
2021

Foundation Supports Cooper Institute

Program will empower and increase visibility of migrant workers in PEI

Cooper Institute is among the recipients of the Campbell Webster Foundation's annual grants for poverty relief and sustainable development projects.

Jul
19
2021

Cooper Institute Receives Donation

Sekisui Diagnostics Supports Cooper Institute

Sekisui Diagnostics, a PEI based company that manufactures and researches clinical chemical reagents for use in hospitals and clinics around the world, recently presented Cooper Institute with a donation.

Jul
19
2021

How the Pandemic Affected Temporary Foreign Workers in PEI

New research reveals inadequate housing, overcrowding during the COVID-19 pandemic for Temporary Foreign Workers in P.E.I.

Safe at Work, Unsafe at Home: COVID-19 and Temporary Foreign Workers in Prince Edward Island is the first report in a series of research projects by the Migrant Workers in the Canadian Maritimes partnership.

Jun
1
2021

Sharing Seeds and Planning Your Garden for Saving Seeds

Cooper Institute and PEI Public Libraries Make Seeds Available to Gardeners

Seed kits will be available as of March 22 at PEI libraries. And on March 23, Josie Baker will present a workshop on planning a garden for seed saving.

Mar
19
2021

Indigenous Fisheries - Rights, Resilience & Revival

Daniel O'Hanley Lecture - Online, February 7

The Latin American Mission Program (LAMP) is presenting the 29th annual Daniel O’Hanley Memorial Lecture on Sunday, February 7, 2021 at 2:00 p.m. Due to COVID 19 restrictions, the lecture will be on-line.

Jan
25
2021

Online Presentations for Tenants Start January 28

Sponsored by PEI Fight for Affordable Housing and Cooper Institute

The PEI Fight for Affordable Housing and Cooper Institute are organizing websinars for tenants. Subjects include tenants' rights, organizing success stories and the ABCs of organizing.

Jan
25
2021

Migrant Worker Program Advocacy

Cooper Institute seeking a new member of collective and Migrant Worker Program Coordinator

Cooper Institute has been engaged in education, accompaniment, and advocacy with migrant workers since 2010. We are seeking a new person to join our collective and staff team as the coordinator of outreach and support to migrant workers.

Dec
23
2020

Tenant Support and Organizing

Short-term Organizer Position Available

Cooper Institute and the PEI Fight for Affordable Housing are seeking a Tenant Network Coordinator for a short-term position, starting in December through to the end of March, 2021.

Dec
4
2020

Land Matters

by Marie Burge

"There is in the wider Island community a growing anxiety about how land is increasingly owned and controlled by a few large and powerful corporations and their numerous off-shoots, some of which are clearly interlocking."

Nov
4
2020

Take Back the Night

A march to end gender violence

Thursday, September 17 at 7 pm - Gather at the Coles Building in Charlottetown, the march ends at the pavilion in Victoria Park.

Sep
9
2020

Permanent Status for All

Digital Rally to take place Sunday, June 14

The rally, organized by the Migrant Rights Network, is part of a campaign for full immigration status for all, as part of a just recovery from COVID-19.

Jun
11
2020

Cooper Institute Joins National Campaign for Healthcare for All

Over 200 organizations across Canada sign open letter for #HealthCare4All Campaign for Healthcare Coverage for all People Living in Canada

Cooper Institute, PEI Working Group for a Livable Income among groups signing open letter to the Prime Minister and Federal Minister of Health, calling for healthcare for everyone regardless of immigration status.

May
21
2020

Income Supports for Migrants in Canada

Information for workers who have lost income due to Covid-19 - English, Chinese, Spanish

HAVE YOU LOST WORK OR INCOME BECAUSE OF COVID-19? All non-permanent residents with a valid Social Insurance Number can get money through the Federal government’s emergency fund (CERB). You do not need to have filed taxes or submit any documents.

Apr
11
2020

Protecting Land - Op-Ed by Shelby Downe

Published in the Charlottetown Guardian, February 20, 2020

When farmland ownership is concentrated in fewer hands, food sovereignty (the ability of communities to have control over their source of food) is at stake.

Feb
25
2020

Seeds of Community presents: Seedy Saturdays 2020!

Co-hosted by PEI Libraries

Every weekend in March. Seedy Saturdays are a chance for home gardeners to share seeds that they've saved, pick up seeds for their gardens, and learn about seed saving.

Feb
6
2020

International Development Week 2020

February 2-8, 2020

February 2-8 in Charlottetown - Everyone is invited to participate in panel discussions, workshops, displays and presentations on the themes of gender equality and climate justice, happening all week.

Jan
23
2020

Building a Just and Sustainable Future

September 17 & 18

Public Presentation by Clayton Thomas-Muller - Indigenous Rights, Climate Change and Trade Justice - Sept 18 Coffee House and Film Night at UPEI - Sept 17

Sep
11
2019

Basic Income Guarantee - Let's Just Do It

Op-Ed by Marie Burge

This is the second of a two-part series that identifies the many new conclusions about Basic Income Guarantee from experiments and pilots around the world and in Canada with special emphasis on the implications for P.E.I.

Aug
15
2019

Basic Income Guarantee - an Equitable Solution for Poverty

Op-Ed by Marie Burge

The first in a two part series on Basic Income Guarantee. Here Marie clarifies what Basic Income Guarantee is and situates it in the current (2019) decisions in the PEI Legislative Assembly.

Aug
15
2019

Protection of PEI Lands and Water as Sources of All Life

Cooper Institute's 2019 Social Justice Symposium

Cooper Institute will hold its 2019 Social Justice Symposium, Protection of PEI Lands and Water as Sources of All Life on Tuesday, June 4th, 6:30-9:00 pm at the Souris and Area Ski & Wildlife Lodge.

May
15
2019

If We Don't Know, We Can Learn

OpEd by Marie Burge

Whether we say yes or no, let’s do it with the best knowledge we can acquire.

Mar
8
2019

Land Grabbing in Prince Edward Island

With Keynote Speaker Senator Diane Griffin

Land Grabbing on PEI: How the Lands Protection Act is being violated and why Islanders should be concerned: Saturday, February 23 from 1:30 to 4:00 pm at the PEI Farm Centre. Hosted by the Coalitions for the Protection of PEI Land and Water.

Feb
23
2019

Planning to Keep Poverty

Opinion Piece by Marie Burge

While some of the actions in PEI's recently released Poverty Reduction Plan will benefit some on the short term, it might easily be seen as a plan to keep poverty as an inevitable part of the structure of Prince Edward Island.

Dec
5
2018

Irene Burge, Outstanding Volunteer!

Irene Burge honoured at Voluntary Resource Council annual celebration

One of the founding members of Cooper Institute, Irene Burge was recognized for her long history of volunteerism, as a community organizer, home economist, editor extraordinaire, and lover and sharer of music.

Nov
26
2018

Children's Health: What does it have to do with Income?

Event scheduled for November 20 has been postponed - will provide update soon!

Could Basic Income Guarantee improve children's health? Join Chief Public Health Officer Dr Heather Morrison as she presents her 2017 report on children's health, and members of the Working Group for a Livable Income to discuss the benefits of BIG.

Nov
15
2018

The Fight for Affordable Housing: Reclaiming our Communities

Thursday, October 25th at 6:30 pm at the PEI Farm Centre

A chance to share ideas about what we can do, together to press for the changes so that every person has a decent, safe and affordable home.

Oct
23
2018

Evaluating Migrant Workers' Rights

2018 Report Card on Migrant Workers' Rights - Just Released

Migrant workers are vulnerable to abuse and exploitation due to factors such as language barriers, isolation, lack of access to assistance and information about their rights, and employer-specific work permits. It's time for action.

Jun
14
2018

Migrant Worker Forum 2018 - A Great Success

Sharing and Learning and Ideas for Positive Change

Seventy people from community and faith organizations and government joined migrant workers for a full day of presentations and discussion aimed at increasing our collective understanding of the challenges faced by migrant workers living in PEI.

May
10
2018

PEI Lands Protection Act: The Spirit and the Letter

Social Justice Symposium 2018 - Report

"Participants agreed that land should be kept for the people who live and produce food on it – protecting it for present and future generations. It was encouraging that more people will accept the challenge to be protectors of the land."

Mar
28
2018

Updating PEI's Employment Standards Act

PEI Working Group for a Livable Income calls for a Comprehensive Review

The Employment Standards Act sets minimum workplace standards for non-unionized workers. In the decade since its last review, there has been a rapid redefinition of work, affecting all aspects of Island life.

Jan
9
2018

Moving Forward on PR

Opinion Piece by Marie Burge

Marie Burge asks, in this piece, what can we expect in terms of electoral reform in this sitting of the Legislature? What kind of community engagement will take place leading up to the referendum in 2019?

Dec
8
2017

Rights, Faith and Policy: A Public Forum on Migrant Worker Issues

Forum Report Available Now

On March 27, more than 70 people attended a forum in Charlottetown to hear about and discuss the contributions of migrant workers to PEI communities.

Apr
27
2017

Cooper Institute Submission on PEI's Draft Water Act

Presented on April 10, 2017 in Charlottetown

Cooper Institute was the first presenter to the Prince Edward Island Environmental Advisory Council on October 13, 2015 as part of a wide ranging consultation giving suggestions for the spirit and content of the proposed PEI Water Act.

Apr
11
2017

Food Sovereignty and Climate Change Symposium

Report now available

More than 70 people participated in Cooper Institute's third annual Social Justice Symposium in honour of Father Andrew Macdonald, held on March 11, 2017 at the Milton Community Hall. Dr. Nettie Wiebe was the guest speaker.

Mar
30
2017

Marie Hendricken - A good life, lived exceptionally

Honouring Marie Hendricken in words and video

National Farmers Union Leader, solidarity activist, feminist, community builder, educator, Cooper Institute founding member. Viva Marie!

Oct
18
2016