Remembering BC’s 1983 Solidarity Uprising — with David Spaner

In 1983, the province of British Columbia saw the rise of a social movement like no other since — uniting activists, community organizations and trade unionists in protest. This time on Below the Radar, host Am Johal speaks to David Spaner, an author, cultural critic, and organizer who has written a compelling history of the Solidarity resistance movement. Released in December of 2021 by Ronsdale Press, Solidarity: Canada's Unknown Revolution of 1983 is David’s chronicling of the organizing efforts by the Solidarity movement and its ongoing implications for worker justice in BC. He and Am go behind the scenes of the book, as David recalls experiences from being on the ground as a reporter and activist during that time. Full episode details: https://www.sfu.ca/vancity-office-community-engagement/below-the-radar-podcast/episodes/171-david-spaner.html Read the transcript: https://www.sfu.ca/vancity-office-community-engagement/below-the-radar-podcast/transcripts/171-david-spaner.html Resources: — Solidarity: Canada's Unknown Revolution of 1983 (Ronsdale 2021): https://ronsdalepress.com/all-books/solidarity/ — SHOOT IT! Hollywood Inc. and the Rising of Independent Film (Arsenal Pulp Press 2012): https://arsenalpulp.com/Books/S/Shoot-It — Dreaming in the Rain: How Vancouver Became Hollywood North by Northwest (Arsenal Pulp Press 2002): https://arsenalpulp.com/Books/D/Dreaming-in-the-Rain Bio: David Spaner has worked as a feature writer, movie critic, reporter, and editor for numerous newspapers and magazines. David’s also been a cultural/political organizer (Yippie, manager of the punk band The Subhumans). He is the author of Dreaming in the Rain and Shoot It! Hollywood, Inc. and the Rising of Independent Film. In 2021, Spaner published a behind-the-scenes book about the Solidarity resistance movement, Solidarity: Canada's Unknown Revolution of 1983 (Ronsdale 2021) documenting the event using intimate storytelling and melding cultural and rebel politics to provide insight into the conflicts that are still with us. It was the largest political protest in the province's history and threatened to end in an all-out general strike. Cite this episode: Chicago Style Johal, Am. “Remembering BC’s 1983 Solidarity Uprising — with David Spaner” Below the Radar, SFU’s Vancity Office of Community Engagement. Podcast audio, May 3, 2022. https://www.sfu.ca/vancity-office-community-engagement/below-the-radar-podcast/episodes/171-david-spaner.html.