rabble.ca
{{Short description|Canadian website}}
{{Other uses|Rabble (disambiguation)}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=November 2020}}{{Use Canadian English|date=November 2020}}{{lowercasetitle}}
{{Infobox website
| name = rabble.ca
| logo = Rabble.ca logo 2021.png
| type = News and opinion
| language = English
| url = {{URL|https://rabble.ca/}}
| launch_date = April 18, 2001
| headquarters = 192 Spadina Avenue, Suite 300, Toronto, ON, M5T 2C2{{cite web |title=Contact |url=https://rabble.ca/contact |publisher=Rabble |access-date=30 May 2021}}
}}
rabble.ca is an independent, non profit, {{Cite book|last=Taras|first=David|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=JQ7YBgAAQBAJ&pg=PA268|title=Digital Mosaic: Media, Power, and Identity in Canada|date=2015-01-26|publisher=University of Toronto Press|isbn=978-1-4426-0889-4|pages=268|language=en}} English-language Canadian online magazine founded in 2001.{{cite news|last1=Landsberg|first1=Michele|title=Rabble.ca may rouse us from torpor|work=Toronto Star|date=April 14, 2001|id={{ProQuest|438275106}}|issn=0319-0781}} It features podcasts, videos and a discussion board called babble.{{cite news|title=Canadians to clear up health care myths for Americans; rabble.ca posts U.S. health care page debunking myths and posting health care testimonials|work=Fox Creek Times|date=September 16, 2009|id={{ProQuest|442600650}} }}
History
Judy Rebick and Mark Surman{{Cite web|title=Everything on (the) Line|url=https://btlbooks.com/book/everything-on-the-line|access-date=2021-05-25|website=btlbooks.com|language=en}} founded rabble.ca on April 18, 2001.{{cite news|last=Rempel|first=Shauna|title=Fostering political activism; The Internet is now the new launchpad for social mobilization|newspaper=Toronto Star|date=August 9, 2007|url=https://www.pressreader.com/canada/toronto-star/20070809/282557308811050|id={{ProQuest|439281078}}|issn=0319-0781}} The launch coincided with the Summit of the Americas in Quebec, and rabble covered the Summit during its first week of operation.{{cite journal|last=Reith|first=Bill|date=2001|title=Review of rabble.ca|journal=Education Forum|volume=27|issue=2|page=33|id={{ProQuest|204987830}}}}
Anti-globalization activist Jaggi Singh was an early contributor. Due to his participation in protests at the Summit of the Americas he was jailed for offences including possession of a weapon. Rabble, along with other left-wing organisations and activists, wrote an open letter calling for his release.{{cite news|last=Canadian Press|author-link=Canadian Press|title=Summit protester Jaggi Singh granted release|work=Sault Star|date=May 8, 2001|id={{ProQuest|348424159}} }}
Upon its launch, the website raised $200,000, which included $120,000 from the Atkinson Foundation.{{cite news|last=Kuitenbrouwer|first=Peter|title=Rabble-rouser: Publisher Judy Rebick's new online magazine offers a forum for leftist thinkers and those descending on Quebec this week|newspaper=National Post|date=April 19, 2001|id={{ProQuest|329820754}}|issn=1486-8008}}
In 2005 rabble launched a first podcast network, developed by journalist Wayne MacPhail. In the same year, Judy Rebick resigned as publisher and was replaced by past Managing Editor, Kim Elliott.{{Cite book |last=Reuss |first=Sophia |title=Everything on (the) Line: 20 Years of Social Movement Stories from Rabble. ca |date=2021 |publisher=Between the Lines |others=Christina Turner |isbn=978-1-77113-544-3 |location=Toronto |pages=12}} On September 7, 2008, rabble.ca launched a multi-author election blog. The blog featuring authors such as Maude Barlow and the Council of Canadians and organizations such as the Rideau Institute.{{cite news|title=Diverse voices across Canada featured in new federal election blog on rabble.ca|work=Canada NewsWire|date=September 8, 2008|id={{ProQuest|453112672}}}}
Contributors
Judy Rebick, Naomi Klein, Francine Pelletier, Anna Dashtgard, Patty Barrera, Priscilla Settee, Penney Kome, Doris Anderson, Ann Shin and Sandra DeLaronde were among the original contributors at the launch of the website.{{cite news|title=Ready for the rabble|work=Canada NewsWire|date=April 17, 2001|id={{ProQuest|454516528}}}}
Judy Rebick retired in 2006 and was replaced by Amnesty International member Kim Elliott.{{cite news|last=Zerbisias|first=Antonia|author-link=Antonia Zerbisias|title=Women on top of anti-war wave|work=Toronto Star|date=May 6, 2009|id={{ProQuest|439565062}}|issn=0319-0781}}
Former Financial Post columnist Murray Dobbin is the guest senior contributing editor for rabble.ca.{{cite news|last=Boesveld|first=Sarah|title=Blue but not Tory; Left lets loose with vitriolic rants online|work=National Post|date=May 4, 2011|id={{ProQuest|865220029}}}}
The advisory committee of rabble.ca is composed of Dave Mitchell, Fred Wilson, John Urquhart, Linda McQuaig, Lynn Coady, and Sharon Fraser.
Reception
rabble.ca has received both praise and criticism from a range of media analysts. Shauna Rempel of the Toronto Star praised Rabble for its use of the Internet to propel activism, while journalist Colby Cosh dismissed it as "a hobby for Judy Rebick [...] on the Canadian left" and a "vanity web project".{{cite journal|last=Cosh|first=Colby|title=Don't get left behind|journal=Report Newsmagazine|date=April 15, 2002|id={{ProQuest|214877120}}}}
References
{{Reflist}}