Atkinson Field Notes

Learning in Action

News, presentations and reflections from Atkinson’s Chief Executive Officer Colette Murphy and the rest of the Atkinson team.


13 Jul 20
Essential workers and their families continue to bear the brunt of COVID-19 for little more than our gratitude. It should be no surprise that these workers are mostly Black, Indigenous and people of colour. Read more >
30 Jun 20
When I heard about the gig worker wins in California, I thought again about what makes us stay and fight in the face of injustice, instead of packing up and leaving town for warmer and more hospitable places. Read more >
11 Jun 20
With the support of Shareholder Association for Research and Education (SHARE), Atkinson's Executive Director Colette Murphy filed a Restaurant Brands International (RBI) shareholder proposal on decent work practices at the company's annual general meeting on June 10, 2020. Read more >
10 Jun 20
When I first joined the Atkinson Foundation in 2019, I wrote a field note entitled “I am where I need to be”. I’ve learned a lot from this small but mighty team on the importance of understanding how narrative plays such an intricate role in our lives and how it shapes the world we’re in. Read more >
22 May 20
Two tomatoes. Alongside onions, garlic, ginger and a handful of spices. That makes the base of most of my mom’s recipes. This has taken on new relevance for me because, like so many of us, I have been cooking at home more than ever before in the last two months. Read more >
20 May 20
ICYMI, in celebration of the one-year anniversary of the drive to unionize Foodora’s delivery workers, the corporation announced it’s exiting the Canadian market and has declared bankruptcy with $4.7 million in debt. Read more >
22 Apr 20
I really appreciate this invitation from the Canadian Capital Stewardship Network to participate in this conversation. What we have in common is a commitment to investing workers’ capital in ways that uphold their rights  and the interests of their families and their communities. Read more >
16 Apr 20
In this first month of the crisis, we’ve been seeing organizers in lower-income communities do what they do best: amplifying the voices of people most affected by this crisis, and keeping them connected to each other. Read more >
9 Apr 20
I took this picture on a quick solo run through my neighbourhood a few days ago. Since the scope of the crisis became known, we’ve been moving at a lightning pace — powering through every emotion from surprise and excitement to anger and fear. But this sign slowed me down and helped me catch my breath. Read more >
27 Mar 20
As we settle into life under public health orders in light of COVID-19, I’ve spent a lot of time on the phone these past two weeks. And walking. And on the phone while walking. Read more >
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