ACTION GROUPS are essentially collectives - groups of people who voluntarily agree to work together on a common issue towards a common goal while sharing responsibilities and decisions equally. The groups vary from year to year depending on what students are interested in. Groups receive staff support, training and use of OPIRG-Windsor's resources to operate. By becoming involved in a group you do not necessarily have to support or endorse all other groups but must treat all members with respect (see our Mandate and Basis of Unity on our web site).
Some of the groups that have been active recently:
Windsor Animal Action Group (WAAG)–worked on a number of issues dealing with cruelty to animals and promoting vegetarianism.
Radio Show (the Shake Up) – every Thursday at 4pm on CJAM 99.1 FM a talk radio show dealing with a variety of social justice and environmental issues
Student Filmmakers for Social Activism a new group we would help by raising money to help fund local projects that deal with highlighting and transcending social barriers within the community.
Environmental Group – was instrumental in the operations of the “University of Windsor Environmental Coalition” to help coordinate the activities of the different groups. They worked with the Canadian Youth Climate Coalition on the “International Day for Action against Climate Change” and World Water Day in March. They are continuing their work with the Coalition on the “Sustainable Campus Project.”
Social Justice Group – working on Fair Trade. (It was through the efforts of OPIRG’s Social Justice Group that the University of Windsor began offering fair trade coffee)
Anti-Racism – offers a “Diversity Training Workshop” free to all students twice a year as well offering it to all first year Psychology students (approximately one thousand students. They also offer a “Diversity Trainer Certificate Program” free to all members students.
Stuff Swap– a new group organized a campaign to collect and distribute the items of left by students who are moving out, such as furniture, clothing and appliances, which are in reusable condition, and are usually simply left out for garbage collection and sent to the landfill. The project organized a swap meet and a collection of items from residence that were donated to the diabetes society and Computers for Kids.
Some proposed groups are:
Students for a Sensible Drug Policy: working towards the decriminalization of marijuana and a ‘harm reduction’ approach rather than criminal approach to other recreational drugs.
LGBT (Lesbian, Gay Bisexual & Transgendered) Issues Group working with Out On Campus to promote education and socialising in the LGBT community
Anarchism Discussion Group to correct media misrepresentation about anarchism and work on projects using anarchist philosophy.
Women’s Issues: examining gender inequality and women’s health issues.
Food Group: In the past they worked to promote the use of organic produce. They were also a part of the campaign against genetically modified foods.
The Pesticide Action Group: worked with the WEAC (Windsor Environmental Advisory Committee a sub-committee of City Council) to try and eliminate the use of cosmetic pesticides on school and city property.
The South East Asia Group: worked in conjunction with the East Timor Alert Network (ETAN) to lobby the Canadian government to stop selling arms to Indonesia, brought in speakers from East Timor, and participated in a successful boycott against Pepsi's support of the dictatorship in Burma.
Friends of the Lubicon: The Lubicon Lake Indian Nation is a Cree Nation in Northern Alberta, Canada. They are commonly referred to as the Lubicon Cree. The Lubicon people have never ceded control over their traditional territory to any other government. The Nation has been embroiled with the Government of Canada regarding disputed land claims for decades.
Below is the OPIRG booklet "Action for Change" which details how our groups operate.
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