Scarborough Guildwood GPO Blog

Frank De Jong Retires

2009-09-14T09:15:00.000-07:00

Fr. Thomas Berry

2009-07-01T12:15:00.001-07:00

Michael Jackson's Earth Song

2009-06-26T19:34:00.001-07:00

A Disturbance In The Force

2009-04-21T02:54:00.000-07:00

I've had my first restless night since being diagnosed with cancer over a month ago. Even the savage back pain that followed my recent surgery didn't cause me to loose appreciable sleep.

But I awoke from a nightmare at 2:30 this morning, the images from the dream already faded, but a feeling of dread still lingering.

Awakened suddenly and completely from a restless sleep that had been hard to come by in the first place.

Perhaps in was the lingering dull ache, still left over from the back pain, that disturbed my sleep. An ache not strong enough to require medication but annoying enough to wear on my nerves. And infuse my dreams with dread.

But more likely it was the unexpected phone call from the surgeon's office, early yesterday evening, telling me of still another appointment with still another oncologist, booked for me on May 7th. A distant two weeks in the future.

Linda had taken the phone call. Why two oncologists, she asked? The oncologist I'm seeing this Thursday is my radiation oncologist. The one on May 7th is a medical oncologist who will assess me for chemo.

Two oncologists? One of them not available for a further two weeks? Would they need to confer? Would this delay the onset of treatment? Delay it a further two weeks! Giving the cancer a full month to spread further?

Or would I begin an immediate course of radiation, alternating with chemo in two weeks time? Were the two appointments deliberately booked in a staged pattern set by some evidence based protocol?

Linda was inclined to think the latter. But I became fixated on the former. And went to bed with my mind in turmoil for the first time since this all began.

The word "delay" spinning round and round in my brain. Like a scythe in a nightmare.

Curled up beside me on the couch, Lindsay too has just begun to dream. Her nose twitches with remembered scents and her feet jerk in a running pattern. The tip of her tail brushes against my leg. In her dream she is likely off in the meadow chasing squirrels on a sunlit day and is a peace.

I write my blog and worry. And hope for more peaceful nights in the future.

Now Linda is up and wishing me a "good morning", a puzzled look in her sleepy eyes. Lindsay rolls off the couch and goes to greet her, tail wagging with pleasure.

Perhaps by the time the sun rises and chases away the gloom, I will be feeling better.

But for the first time since this began, I don't know.

International Turn Off Your TV Week

2009-04-20T06:04:00.000-07:00

It's International TV Turnoff Week, so just do it.

From April 20 to 26 join millions of people worldwide and switch off your set. Find a more rewarding and active life--at least for a week.

Last year 5 million people in the USA alone turned off the box and found that they had all sorts of extra time to do things they had been meaning to do. Like talk to their friends, read a book, take a walk...

Why not explore life without the tube?

Virtue Beats Hope When It Comes To Sustainable Living

2009-02-22T11:42:00.000-08:00

Advocating a sustainable lifestyle as a way to avert a global climate disaster, or to give our kids hope for a decent future on this planet, turns out to be counter productive.

New Research suggests if you want people to live more sustainably, you have to give them reasons more immediate than "hope."

John Vucetich, assistant professor of animal ecology at Michigan Technological University, and Michael Nelson, associate professor of environmental ethics at Michigan State University say that trying to get people to live sustainably by giving them hope for a better future doesn't really work. We're told to stay hopeful, that what we do each day will make our future bright...but what people need to be told is that living sustainably is just plain old the right thing to do.

Hope may actually be counter-productive, Vucetich and Nelson suggest. "I have little reason to live sustainably if the only reason to do so is to hope for a sustainable future, because every other message I receive suggests that disaster is guaranteed," they explain.

These researchers suggest getting people to focus on positive human qualities that living sustainably represnts, like love, sharing, caring for others, will get more people interested in living sustainably. That's because even climate change nay-sayers are interested in doing the right thing. Essentially, make the most of the time we've got here on Earth.

"Instead of hope, we need to provide young people with reasons to live sustainably that are rational and effective," they say. "We need to lift up examples of sustainable living motivated by virtue more than by a dubious belief that such actions will avert environmental disaster."

The Lost Generation

2009-02-03T16:03:00.001-08:00

Do You Think We'll Survive?

2009-01-26T04:49:00.000-08:00

During a recent interview, 90 year old James Lovelock, originator of the Gaia Theory, was asked "Do you think we'll survive the coming global warming?" Here is his reply:

"I'm an optimistic pessimist. I think it's wrong to assume we'll survive 2 °C of warming: there are already too many people on Earth. At 4 °C we could not survive with even one-tenth of our current population. The reason is we would not find enough food, unless we synthesised it. Because of this, the cull during this century is going to be huge, up to 90 per cent. The number of people remaining at the end of the century will probably be a billion or less. It has happened before: between the ice ages there were bottlenecks when there were only 2000 people left. It's happening again.

"I don't think humans react fast enough or are clever enough to handle what's coming up. Kyoto was 11 years ago. Virtually nothing's been done except endless talk and meetings."

To read the full interview in New Scientist, click on the title of this post.

Founder of "Deep Ecology" dies at 96

2009-01-16T04:23:00.000-08:00

Arne Naess, a Norwegian philosopher whose ideas about promoting an intimate and all-embracing relationship between the earth and the human species inspired environmentalists and Green political activists around the world, died Monday. He was 96.

In the early 1970s, after three decades teaching philosophy at the University of Oslo, Mr. Naess (pronounced Ness), an enthusiastic mountain climber and an admirer of Rachel Carson’s “Silent Spring,” threw himself into environmental work and developed a theory that he called deep ecology. Its central tenet is the belief that all living beings have their own value and therefore, as Mr. Naess once put it, “need protection against the destruction of billions of humans.”

Deep ecology, which called for population reduction, soft technology and non-interference in the natural world, was eagerly taken up by environmentalists impatient with shallow ecology — another of Mr. Naess’s coinages — which did not confront technology and economic growth.

It formed part of a broader personal philosophy that Mr. Naess called ecosophy T, “a philosophy of ecological harmony or equilibrium” that human beings can comprehend by expanding their narrow concept of self to embrace the entire planetary ecosystem. The term fused “ecological” and “philosophy.” The T stood for Tvergastein, his name for the mountain cabin he built in 1937 in southern Norway, where he often wrote.

Telecommunications Tower To Be Built In West Hill

2009-01-14T03:35:00.000-08:00

Bell Mobility has made application to the Ministry of Industry to build a
telecommunication tower on the CNR property located near Galloway Road.  The City of
Toronto does not have any legislative authority over the placement of these towers
but does mandate that a community meeting take place for community residents.  (They
are looking at the City to replace the earlier proposed one at the Guildwood
Presbyterian Church.)

At the end of 2007 150 people had jammed the Guildwood Community Presbyterian
Church just before Christmas, concerned about a proposal to build the tower at
the Church. The meeting had been
called by officials from Bell and Industry Canada, the federal agency
that governs telecommunications, to reassure residents that
electromagnetic radiation from the tower would pose no health threat
and that the tower will look like a flagpole. Although at 37 metres in
height, that would make for a very large flagpole indeed. One with a
large shed at its base.

The deal had been reached between the
Church and Bell Canada in back in April, but residents, only learned
about it on Nov. 8th, after Bell sent letters to about 70 homeowners in
the area informing them the tower would be built in the new year. Ward
43 Councilor, Paul Ainslie, told the meeting the city has developed a
protocol requiring telecommunications carriers to consult with the
municipality on tower locations as of January 1, 2008, but it couldn't
be backdated to this tower and wouldn't be binding on cell companies.

Under
the Radio Communications Act, Industry Canada has the final authority
to approve the location of telecommunication towers and antennae.
Municipal zoning by-laws do not have to be considered. A court decision
on March 2, 2007 determined that telecommunication installations are
not subject to site plan control since they are a Federal undertaking.

Many
people at the meeting were also angry that no church officials showed
up to explain why they made a 20-year lease deal with Bell without
first informing the community.

In the past, the City of Toronto
Board of Health have noted concerns that existing guidelines may not be
health protective for continuous lifetime exposure to radio frequency
(RF) electromagnetic levels and that several jurisdictions have adopted
stricter limits than those in Canada. In 1999, the Board of Health
recommended a prudent avoidance policy that RF waves from
telecommunication towers and antennas be 100 times below Safety Code 6
in areas where people normally spend time. The Medical Officer of
Health has recommended that the City collect data from cell phone
carriers on predicted RF levels of proposed towers and antennas to
allow the City to monitor the potential impact of proposed
telecommunication facilities in Toronto.

Bell
officials reassured residents that testing done at the base of other
towers showed the electromagnetic radiation is "thousands of times"
lower than acceptable levels; however, many at the meeting distrusted
the claim. Others felt that even if the tower was not a health threat,
they didn't want a flagpole more than twice as high as the church
steeple towering over their community.

Due to public pressure the applications was withdrawn but the tower
now proposed for CNR property at Galloway and the train tracks
behind the Boy's and Girls Club.

12 Tips For A Less Stressful 2009

2008-12-29T06:48:00.000-08:00

For many people 2008 will go down as one of the most stressful in recent memory, and 2009 is promising more of the same.

Global Warming provides the paradigm for the social, economic and environmental damage we see around us. The trip to Global Warming is through Climate Change with increasingly radical, unpredictable and damaging weather patterns.

Coping with it all can be a major challenge, but there is a pathway we can follow, one that has been charted and followed for milennia by Zen Monks.

Fortunately, there is no need to renounce the world and become a monk in order to benefit from what they have learned.
.
According to the Zen Habits website ( http://www.zenhabits.net/2008/03/12-essential-rules-to-live-more-like-a-zen-monk/) these are twelve habits of Zen monks:. .

1. Do one thing at a time.
2. Do it slowly and deliberately.
3. Do it completely.
4. Do less.
5. Put space between things
6. Develop rituals .
7. Designate time for certain things.
8. Devote time to sitting.
9. Smile and serve others.

10. Make cleaning and cooking become meditation.
11. Think about what is necessary.
12. Live simply.

These are not easy to practice in our internet world, filled with all the demands of multi-tasking, which does not seem to simplify one's life. (It certainly can become a ritual, though.)

Wishing You A Happy And More Peaceful New Year!

What Hermann Scheer Thinks Of Ontario's Energy Policy

2008-12-19T07:09:00.000-08:00

Check out this fantastic article in the Toronto Star today:
http://www.thestar.com/Business/article/555638 If the link doesn't work, just click on the title of today's post above.

"Ontario could power itself exclusively on renewable energy one day if it thought differently about the operation and design of its entire electricity system, says the chief architect of Germany's green-energy law.

German legislator Hermann Scheer, largely credited for pushing through the policies that have turned his country into a renewable-energy powerhouse, said the biggest challenge is overcoming the belief that large, centralized power plants based on nuclear fission and fossil fuels are necessary for an electricity system to operate reliably."

Great comments online as well.

The Story of Stuff--Part 7

2008-11-26T09:32:00.001-08:00

The Story of Stuff--Part Six

2008-11-22T03:58:00.000-08:00

The Story of Stuff--Part Five

2008-11-19T03:37:00.001-08:00

The Story of Stuff--Part 4

2008-11-17T05:17:00.001-08:00

The Story of Stuff

2008-11-14T17:05:00.000-08:00

I found these little videos on YouTube. I thought they did an excellent job of explaining some of our environmental issues.

Hope you agree.

There are 7 videos altogether in the series. I will post the remainder over the next few days.

Attend the GPO Annual Policy Conference at the Mansfield Outdoor Centre

2008-11-09T07:39:00.000-08:00

2008 Annual Policy Conference to Determine GPO Policy Priorities > By Mike Schreiner, GPO Policy Coordinator

Here is your chance to help determine the policy direction of the Green Party of Ontario leading up to the 2011 election. The 2008 GPO Annual Policy Conference is on November 28 - 30, 2008 in Mansfield, Ontario (about 100 km north of Toronto).

A new collaborative policy process is in place this year designed to engage and empower party members in determining our next platform. Unlike previous years members will work together to develop and debate the GPO policy priorities for the 2011 platform.

The Green Party of Ontario is a recognized political force in Ontario. For the first time ever, leaders in green movements and the business community from key Green constituencies will give presentations and be available to interact with party members at the conference. Keith Stewart of World Wild Life Fund (WWF) Canada and, Judith Andrews of the Canadian Federation of Independent Business, are just two of the key speakers signed onto the 2008 Annual Policy Conference.

Our keynote dinner speaker on Saturday will be best-selling author and Canadian Environmental Award winner Wayne Roberts who will be available to sign copies of his newest book, The No-nonsense Guide to World Food. Interactive plenary sessions will be hosted by leading policy makers on the issues of: Sustainable Food and Farming, Small and Green Business, Policy Making at Queen’s Park and Green Energy.

In addition to plenary sessions the conference will feature a number of member-driven policy workshops. The purpose of the workshops is to create space to empower party members to discuss, debate and ultimately determine the policy priorities for the GPO leading up to the next election. These workshops are the ground floor to the 2011 GPO platform.

The 2008 APC is hosted by the Simcoe Grey riding association, for $250 ($225 early registration before November 10), you can participate in this new and innovative GPO policy conference introducing a new and inclusive grassroots policy decision making mechanism, current issue plenary session and interactive workshops designed to directly lead policy for the next 3 years. Registration includes: meals, materials and two-nights accommodation at the beautiful Mansfield Outdoor Centre.
Register online at www.gpo.ca.

I look forward to spending an enjoyable and inspiring weekend with you at the 2008 GPO Annual Policy Conference.

Oshawa Green Party Candidate killed by Drunk Driver

2008-10-28T02:25:00.000-07:00

FROM DURHAM NEWS:

Retired Whitby teacher killed, man faces drunk driving charge

Oct 27, 2008 - 04:30 AM

Joanne Burghardt

Comments (0)

OSHAWA - Green Party leader Elizabeth May has called the death of Pat Gostlin 'simply devastating'.

Ms. Gostlin, 58, was the Green Party candidate for Oshawa riding in last month's federal election. She was killed early Sunday morning in an accident blamed on a drunk driver.

"Pat's untimely death is simply devastating," Ms. May said late Sunday in a press release. "She was a tireless and dedicated advocate for change. Her warmth, kindness and cheer touched all those she met. Pat will be sorely missed and I extend my deepest sympathies, on behalf of all Greens, to her family and loved ones."

Ms. Gostlin's efforts were instrumental in propelling the Greens into the televised debates in the last election, when she and other Greens organized a protest that hit the national airwaves.

"Many of us were blessed by the opportunity to know and work with Pat. Many more of us felt proud after learning of her tremendous efforts to protect democracy in Canada. Pat will always have a special place in Green history and today we mourn her tragic passing."

According to Durham Regional Police, the crash took place at the intersection of Park Rd. S. and John St. W., in Oshawa shortly after midnight Sunday morning.

Inspector Jamie Grant said the suspect was speeding northbound on Park Rd. when he crashed into the victim's car which was stopped at a red light at John St. W.. The victim's car was forced into the intersection when a car going westbound on John St. W. hit the driver's side of the vehicle, killing the woman.

The suspect then tried to flee the scene but was held by a citizen until police arrived, Insp. Grant said. The man, from Bowmanville, is charged with impaired operation of a motor vehicle causing death.

A message on the Oshawa Green Party website reads:

'At around 12:30 a.m. on the morning of Sunday, October 26, 2008, Pat Gostlin left us here on this earthly plane of existence, a little emptier inside for her loss. Having left the comfort of her friends to return to the comfort of her family, she was struck and killed by a drunk driver. This tragic loss has robbed us all of someone whom we cared deeply for.

Ever the giver, ever the smile on her face. Wherever Pat went, she always carried with her an abundance of warmth, kindness and humour. Never one to judge, she was always ready with a kind word for anyone and everyone she met.

We are devastated by the loss of Pat, and extend our deepest and heartfelt sympathies to her family and friends. Pat, you will be sorely missed!'

For The Promotion of Ethics In Political Advertising

2008-10-19T04:12:00.000-07:00

It was the perfect storm. Here in Southern Ontario we sat astride the US Canadian border while both countries were in the midst of election campaigns during the worst economic crisis since the great depression.

The result was a gearing up of one of the most irresponsible and embarrassing behaviours still permitted on our air waves.

Canadian ads are governed by Advertising Standards Canada, an industry run regulating body that fields complains and removes ads that "unfairly discredit, disparage or attack other products services, advertisements or exaggerate the nature or importance of competitive differences."

The code applies to every area of advertisement-except political ads which are expressly exempt from the code. In the United States, ads enjoy a similar exemption since the Supreme Court ruled they fall under the First Amendment rights to free speech.

That freedom without responsibility has not served the political process well on either side of the border.

As University of Texas advertising Professor Jef L. Richards noted, "The law requires a paper towel ad to be scrupulously honest, but allows political candidates to lie without reproach."

Advertising legend David Ogilvy beleives, "Political advertising ought to be stopped. It is the only really dishonest kind of ad that's left. It's totally dishonest."

Not only do political ads lower peoples opinion of advertising but help explain why its so hard to attract quality candidates and bring the entire political process into disrepute.

It is not surprising that Canada experienced the lowest level of participation by voters in our most recent Election.

To join us in helping lobby for political advertising to be held to, at least, the same ethical level as toilet paper commercials click on the title to this article to take you to our Facebook page.

Scarborough Guildwood Greens Watch Election Results

2008-10-15T03:30:00.000-07:00

After all the hype and fury Steven Harper's snap, and possibly illegal, election achieved very little. He gained a few seats but not enough to form a majority, likely caused the Liberals to choose a strong leader to oppose him next time, and let the Green Party demonstrate it can bring in its vote.

The Green Party's support is highest among younger voters turned off by the negativism of the old line Parties. Every year those voters get older and move into position to vote. Like all healthy organisms, the Green Party is literally growing its support.

Here in Scarborough Guildwood, Alonzo Bartley managed to nearly double the Green vote over the past election in 2006. Unlike some of his high spending opponents, Scarborough Guildwood Greens ended the campaign in the black with money to help foster a strong and healthy EDA.

One thing is for certain, with another minority government, the next election may only be a couple of years off. But we are ready.

As SG Greens gathered at the Old Stone Cottage Pub last night to watch the election results roll in, they had a lot to celebrate.

Alonzo Bartley on Crime

2008-10-10T04:32:00.000-07:00

On October 7, 2008, Scarborough Guildwood GPC candidate, Alonzo Bartley, addressed the Coronation Community Association of West Hill as part of an all candidates night.

Here is what he had to say about crime in the Scarborough Guildwood area.

ALONZO BARTLEY ON Opportunity

2008-10-10T03:46:00.001-07:00

Don't Forget to Support Your Local Candidate

2008-10-05T03:33:00.000-07:00

If you're a member of the Green Party you know the Party has been aggressively canvusing members for your financial support.

I've been receiving e-mail and phone request do donate way beyond the level my wife and I have already contributed. I know the money is being well used. Elizabeth May's cross Canada Train Trip and her extraordinary performance during the Leader's debate have raised public perception of the party to new levels.

I just received the following appeal from Jim Harris:

"Celebrate hitting the highest level of Green Party support in Ontario ever by donating just $25.

Chrystal Ocean who is living on $7,500 a year decided to donate $25 on this news. And she wrote: If I am willing to take $25 from an already squeezed food budget, which means more peanut butter sandwiches and far less fruit and veggies for the next several weeks, then other GPC members can donate this amount too.

David Lewis who is a 23-year old staffer in GPC headquarter just matched her. Then Katie Gibbs who is Co-Chair of the Young Greens of Canada donated $25.

There’s something happening here – join the revolution donate just $25 to support this amazing Green Party campaign!

We need your support to get our message out and build on this incredible momentum in the final week!"

What is being over looked in these appeals is the financial need of our local candidate. The success of the Green Party will be won or lost on the ground here in our local ridings.

In Alonzo Bartley, we have a great candidate here in Scarborough Guildwood . But none of the money you donate to the Party will reach down to him. Only funds directly sent to his Campaign Manager will help him purchase signs, purchases campaign literature, purchase radio ads, purchase advertising space in the Scarborough Mirror.

Alonzo needs our support, our time and our creativity. But he doesn't have the outreach the Party has. Lets be as generous at home as we are to the Party.

Support Alonzo Bartley in Scarborough Guildwood

2008-10-02T03:32:00.000-07:00

THE FOLLOWING WAS RECEIVED FROM ALONZO BARTLEY
 OUR GREEN PARTY CANDIDATE IN SCARBOROUGH-GUILDWOOD

It really hit home when I was the Financial Officer
for Glenn Kitchen's provincial campaign that a campaign
needs money to pay for signage, literature as well
as expenses associated with registering the candidate.
Not only that, but the campaign finance rules make it
easy, returning 75% of whatever you donate (up to $400)
as a political tax credit. Give $100, and
you cut $75 off the taxes you would otherwise pay in
April. So I do hope you all will contribute generously.

Also, I'd be grateful for any time you can spare.  
There were only a few of us who assisted Glenn and,
although strides were made, we could have gone
further if we had a few more pairs of feet.

I look forward to your involvement because
Scarborough-Guildwood deserves an
alternative.  It's time for us as Greens to
offer the riding smart solutions.

Feel free to contact me at anytime at
416.559.5580 or email me directly at
alonzobartley@gmail.com.

LETS GIVE ALONZO ALL OUR SUPPORT!!

A Message on Nuclear Energy from Frank De Jong

2008-09-28T06:04:00.000-07:00

A momentous but little known event, arguably more important then the federal election, is now underway in Ontario. The Ontario Power Authority (OPA) hearings on electricity demand/supply will impact the economic, ecological and technological life of the province for decades.

Background: The provincial government's renewable energy standard offer program has been "too" successful. The flood of offers to develop green energy threatens the need for nuclear power. The Liberals are now desperate to subvert, sideline and bury the emerging consensus that the nuclear emperor stands naked.

Shining the light on the OPA perversion of sound planning is the Green Energy Coalition, comprising Greenpeace, WWF, Sierra Club, David Suzuki Foundation, Pembina Institute and the Ontario Sustainable Energy Association. The Coalition has filed 900 pages of expert evidence challenging the OPA's $26 billion plan to build, rebuild or replace nukes.

The submitted evidence shows that efficiency can be doubled, turning load growth negative. Wind power and co-generation can provide the power demand, allowing the phase-out of existing reactors. The province and the OPA all but ignore co-gen.

The Energy Board mandate is to recommend the most cost effective option. Will the McGuinty government wait for and heed the advice from the hearings or will they barge ahead with more nukes? The hearings last till November. Stay tuned.

Elizabeth May's Whistle Stop In Toronto

2008-09-26T06:09:00.000-07:00

We expected her at 8 pm but her train was delayed until 9:45.

So Linda and I went for dinner. It's not often we get to go for dinner in a downtown restaurant, but we found a nice restaurant next to the Hockey Hall of Fame, where Elizabeth May, leader of the Green Party of Canada was to speak as part of her Whistle Stop train ride across the country. We relaxed over a bottle of wine and some delicious pasta.

Neither of us could finish our meal and wondered why restaurants insist on serving such unhealthy sizes. Of course all the delicious bread we ate before the meal came, may have contributed to our lack of appetite.

We followed a torcherous poorly marked route down to the Hockey Hall of Fame which was open for the Green function and delighted in the displays ("Wow King Clancy's sweater!!) and in meeting old friends like Becky Smit, Alonzo Bartley and Frank de Jong, and enjoyed the entertainment.

When it was announced that May's train was further delayed until 11 pm, we went out to the fast food area for a coffee and a seat.

As bewildered Greens descended the escalator, we began directing them to the Hall of Fame.

"Are you looking for the Green Party party? Its around the corner and down that way! Washrooms, they're just over there. Cash Machine, it's hidden behind that tree!"

And generally made ourselves useful.

Elizabeth finally showed up with fifty supporters all carrying signs. A great cheer went up from the hundreds who had stayed patiently through the long evening.

Elizabeth looked refreshed and energized and made a rousing speech. We cheered, we clapped we pumped our signs while the media crowded in around her and lights flashed.

In the end we had to scramble for the last GO train out of Union station.

Very happy to have been a part of the event.

Parliamentary Choo Choo

2008-09-21T08:03:00.000-07:00

Celebrating Elizabeth May's Historic Cross Country Train Ride--

Pardon me Greens, is this the parliamentary choo-choo?

On track, looking fine

Ms. May speaks devine!

Can't wait to board the green parliamentary choo-choo

I'll vote for you and my husband will too.

We'll leave the station in Vancouver with some stops in BC

Heading for the prairies, we've got voters to see

Keep the Arctic frozen, that's what we're proposin'

Look out Harper for the Green Party.

There’s gonna be all our supporters at the station
With air that is clean, keeping Canada Green
They will be swayed when they hear us on the televised debates
Parliamentary choo-choo, the House of Commons awaits!
Parliamentary, ooh parliamentary……….

Lyrics by Linda Fraser © 2008

Canada's First Green Party MP

2008-08-30T15:06:00.000-07:00

Independent MP Blair Wilson has joined the Green Party of Canada, making him the first-ever Green politician in the Commons. Having a sitting Party member makes Green Party Leader Elizabeth May’s chances of a spot in the televised leaders’ debates a near certainty in an increasingly likely fall election.

May called it an historic day at an Ottawa news conference this morning.

Wilson is the MP for West Vancouver—Sunshine Coast—Sea to Sky Country. He resigned from the Liberal Party under a cloud almost a year ago after questions were raised about his personal finances and has been sitting as an independent MP since the fall of 2007. He was completely clearned of all charges after an 8 month investigation by Elections Canada.

While a spot in the debates isn’t guaranteed, May said the broadcast media consortium that sets the ground rules for the French and English debates has no choice but to ensure she is included now that the party has an MP.

“We believe that under all the criteria that have been put forward . . . that we now have made thoroughly the case that I must be included,” May said.

The Conservative Party and NDP still oppose May's place in the debate; only the Liberals have voiced no opposition.

In Guelph Green Party Canadidate Mike Nagy is showing strong in the Polls and has collected over $40,000 in donations. The bi-election is on September 8th and the Greens could have two members in Parliment.

Scarborough GPO CA Supports Mike Nagy

2008-08-14T17:02:00.000-07:00

On August 14, 2008 Linda and I joined by our daughter and her family traveled to Guelph Ontario to show our support for GPO Candidate Mike Nagy in his bi election bid. Mike stands a remarkably good chance of becoming the first sitting Green in Parliament.

Here is a brief little video of our visit:

Return To The Future

2008-08-13T04:25:00.000-07:00

Help Sophia Save The World

2008-08-08T08:05:00.000-07:00

Bill C-51: What does Health Canada mean by Efficiency and why is it important

2008-08-04T14:06:00.000-07:00



by Greg Knittl Scarborough Guildwood

some examples from
http://www.healthycanadians.ca/pr-rp/billC-51_e.html as of
2008-07-31

2. Why is it necessary to regulate natural health products?

"to ensure that ... health claims are supported by evidence"

23. What is the future under Bill C-51 for supplements and will
there be
regulated doses? Will 100mg tablets of vitamin C be available
and allowed without prescription?

"Allowable dosage levels for all natural health products will
continue to be determined by the evidence provided to support
their safety and efficacy."

In ideal world where Health Canada actually encouraged
Natural Health Products (NHPs) and sponsored research,
efficacy would cause less concern. In the current situation
where Health Canada derives considerable funding from
Pharmaceutical companies the regulatory mindset for drugs
spills over to NHPs.
http://www.naturalnews.com/011401.html explains how the US
FDA regulates drugs and I think also helps to explain what
Health Canada is saying and doing:

"there are two things that the FDA determines when it looks
at a drug: it determines whether or not a drug is safe and
it determines whether or not it's effective. Regarding the
determination of drug effectiveness, I think the FDA does a
pretty good job. If the FDA says that the drug will
have a particular effect, probably for many of the patients
who take the drug it will actually have that effect. If the
FDA says a given drug
will lower blood pressure and you're somebody who has
high blood pressure, there's a good chance that the drug
will have an effect that lowers your blood pressure. That
has to do with the rigor with which they force the drug
companies to establish that the drug actually has an effect."

Efficacy can be used to impose significant barriers on natural
products because:
1/ Natural Products can have complex mechanisms of action.
Sunshine has been around for ever, but Vitamin D was only
discovered in 1918, and it
was only 1998 that Dr. Michael Holick demonstrated that
cells throughout
the body can activate Vitamin D, not just the kidneys, which
indicated why the body might need more Vitamin D than previously
understood.
2/ NHPs are typically not patentable and not paid for by
hospitals and drug plans so there is little money for research.

In 2007 Health Canada was still recommending 400IU of Vitamin D
per day, when the Canadian Cancer Society moved to 1000 IU.
Much evidence suggests the real daily requirement is even higher.
Health Canada states
http://www.healthycanadians.ca/pr-rp/billC-51_e.html point 1:
"the standards that are used to assess the risks and benefits
of natural health products will continue to incorporate history
of use, traditional uses and cultural practices." If Health
Canada can take such a narrow view of Vitamin D, traditionally
used for ever in the form of sunshine,
where significant research had been done, you can imagine
the position they might take on any more novel NHP. In fact
Health Canada is rejecting a high percentage of licence requests
for NHPs.http://www.stopc51.com/c51/worse_than_we_thought.asp

NHPs are the opposite of drugs: generally safe with few side
effects but whose primary effects may be diffuse or long term
and known only through experience and observation not double
blind experiments. For NHPs Health
Canada should stick to regulating safety. It would be great
if Health Canada would sponsor original research into efficacy
and make it available as non-binding education. We and our
practitioners should be able to use NHPs and decide if they
are effective, not Health Canada.

Further information and action:

Green party C-51 press release:
http://www.greenparty.ca/en/releases/12.05.2008

http://www.commonground.ca/iss/205/cg205_tcm.shtml efficacy in the
context of Traditional Chinese Medicine

Some of the many national websites dedicated to stopping C-51:
www.cnhc.ca
www.stopc51.com
www.nhppa.org

Some Magazines that cover C-51:

http://www.vitalitymagazine.com/ where Helke Ferrie and others have
written on C-51
http://commonground.ca/iss/204/cg204_C51_readers.shtml (Helke Ferrie has
a comment here too)

Greg Knittl maintains an email list by riding to connect those
interested in working together to stop C-51 in their riding. To join
email gknittl@sympatico.ca and give your riding, postal code or MP

This work is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike
2.5 Canada License. To view a copy of this license, visit
http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/2.5/ca/ or send a letter to
Creative Commons, 171 Second Street, Suite 300, San Francisco,
California, 94105, USA.

HAPPY CANADA DAY

2008-07-01T14:10:00.001-07:00

Linda and I will be going to the Canada Day Parade here in Scarborough and then watching neighbours setting off fireworks.

The weather is finally supposed to cooperate!

Stop the Slaughter of Horses For Human Consumption In Canada

2008-06-24T14:24:00.000-07:00

My brother John owned a horse for many years, Salem's Choice. She was stabled on a riding farm about an hour north of Toronto. Linda and I were living in Northern Ontario at the time, but I would occasionally go riding with him when we came south.

I would usually get a gentle old mare, to ride. John and Salem would go galloping off along the trail while I bounced along behind them, hanging on to my horse for dear life.

That was my main brush with horses, beyond a little group trail riding with friends in my teens. Still I hold an affection for horses and fond memories.

So it came as a shock to read the recent reports in the Canadian media of how we treat our horses at the end of their lives, their inhumane slaughter for human consumption. A practice banned in the United States but big business here in Canada.

According to a Toronto Star report--Toronto lawyer Clayton Ruby, representing an animal rights group, is calling for an all-out ban on the slaughter of horses for human consumption in Canada – a practice that has increased here since it was stopped in the United States.

Ruby called the slaughter of horses in Canada "shockingly inhumane" and said the Canadian Food Inspection Agency does not properly police such slaughter for human consumption and it should be banned.

At a news conference at Ruby's offices, representatives of the Canadian Horse Defense Coalition showed a graphic video which it says shows horses being slaughtered at Natural Valley Farms in Neudorf, Sask.

The organization says the video demonstrates violations of Canada's food inspection act including: the transportation of animals on double-decker trailers; horses transported with their horseshoes on and not separated for their own protection; the transportation of horses across the U.S./Canadian border and unloaded at night without supervision.

The group also said the video showed evidence of the transportation of injured, blind and emaciated horses (including a horse with a tumour on its face and another with eye cancer) as well as the transportation of a very pregnant mare and the discovery of a full-term foal in a rendering pit that had been eviscerated by animals.

The group also alleges that the horses are not being provided food or water as they wait overnight in pens, are too densely packed and are being improperly stunned before they are killed.

This year alone, at seven federally licensed facilities, an estimated 102,000 horses will be slaughtered in Canada for human consumption in Europe and Asia, the organization says.

It wants a total ban on the slaughter of horses for human consumption and, in the meantime, for the Canadian Food Inspection Agency to shut down the Neudorf plant to end a "senseless, inhumane slaughter" of horses.

A CFIA official, who didn't want to be identified, said the agency plans a thorough investigation of the plant and will be asking for an "independent external animal welfare expert" to accompany agency officials during their investigation.

A spokesperson for Natural Valley Farms said the company was not commenting yesterday.

For those interested there is an on-line petition to end the practice of slaughtering horses for human consumption in Canada which can be reached by clicking on the title of this article.

East Points Meadow at the Top of Scarborough Bluffs

2008-05-19T12:13:00.000-07:00

At the end of Coronation Drive in the furthest Eastern reaches of the City of Toronto, is a small miracle of neglect known as the East Points Park meadow.

It straddles the length of the Scarborough Bluff for several kilometers and is home to a rich diversity of birds and animals. Unfortunately it is coming to the attention of the City and improvements are already underway. Birchbark has been laid on the pathways, directional signs are going up, trees and bushes for replanting are in place and birdhouses have been erected.

The Trans-Canada trail has now reached across the mouth of Highland Creek and more and more people are discovering this little known paradise.

We are worried about its future.

What I Found at the Mouth of the Highland Creek

2008-04-27T04:10:00.001-07:00

Natural Garden Care

2008-04-13T18:29:00.000-07:00

Creeping Charlie

Creeping Charlie believe it or not can be used as an herbal medicine. It works to clear up inflamed eyes and it is also used to help stop ringing in the ears!

There are only two ways that I know of to get rid of creeping charlie. The method that you use depends on how much of it you have. If you can, just pull up as much as you can and then overseed the area with grass seed. the grass should overcrowd it and prevent it from growing back. You will get some coming back but nearly as much as you had before.

The problem is, creeping charlie can have roots that are 2 feet long so you can never get the whole thing out. Overseeding works but you may have to pull everything out two or three times before you can get rid of all of it. The second way works but it is kind of an extreme method. You use Borax and make a mixture using water. If you spray it on the creeping charlie, it will kill it. The problem is with this method is that nothing but grass will grow where you spray the Borax. Borax wont damage the grass either, the active ingredient in Borax is Boron and creeping charlie is very sensitive to it, grass is not.

If you have the time and patience, I would pull the creeping charlie and reseed right away, soon enough it should be gone !!Or else, just take five teaspoons full of 20 mule team borax and mix it in a quart of water and spray away. The quart should cover about 25 square feet and then you can say good bye to Charlie !!

Cucumber Beetle

They can be controlled fairly easily. Cucumber beetle can be repelled by plants and herbs, i dont know what you have around the yard but the following plants and herbs will repel the cucumber beetle so pick out whicever is best for your garden, Broccoli, calendula, catnip, goldenrod, nasturtiums, radishes, rue and tansy. The really pungent varieties of Marigolds will work too, if you want to use those then get some of the African, french or Mexican varieties and those should work.

Weeds

Weeds are easy to get rid of. I dont know how many weeds you are trying to get rid of so I will give you several options and each of them will work. if it is one or two stubborn weeds you are trying to get rid of and they just keep growing back then you could pour vinegar on them and they WILL die. Table salt works too but I have always had good luck with vinegar. For one or two weeds you can also pour boiling water right on the weed and that WILL kill it too. But....if there are several weeds growing there then you are better off making up a great home made weed killer. You take a sprayer or a spray bottle and in it you mix one litre of boiling water, 5 tablespoons of vinegar, 6 tablespoons of salt, one tablespoon of lemon juice and two teaspoons of dishwashing liquid, the kind for the machine washers is best. Then you shake it all up and spray it on the weeds and within two days they will all be dead. The best thing to do is to add all the ingredients in the bottle first and then add the boiling water, and then spray right away, the temperature of the water is very important. This formula WILL work

Ants

Actually, ants are really easy things to get rid of, the sage works great !! you can also sprinkle some cinnamon around too and that will add an extra layer of protection but the sage will work great all by itself ! About the bleeding hearts, i have pink and white bleeding hearts, the pink can take the sun better than the white but bith are primarily shade plants. The thing about bleeding hearts is that the soil has to be just righ for the plants to be happy. Heavy, dense, clay is what they hate.

If your soil isnt right then just mix in some peat moss and a little sand to help drainage and the plant will thrive. Bleeding hearts are very sensitive to water and bad soil conditions. Never let the water pool up around the base of the plant either. Are your plants blooming at all? if they are then they are not dead, after they bloom, they will fade away and die off about halfway through the summer, that is just what they do. The have their moment of glory and then go away for the summer and that is too bad because they are so pretty, but if you are not having any luck with them, the odds are that the soil needs to be worked to make it less dense and to improve the drainage.

Great Lakes In Trouble

2008-02-27T03:15:00.000-08:00

According to today's edition of the New York Times:

CHICAGO — Regional government agencies around the Great Lakes spend some $15 billion a year to protect the lakes from invasive species, contaminated sediment and sewage overflows, a new study shows. But local officials say that still more protection is needed and that the United States and Canadian governments should pay for it.

“They’re saying it’s not a federal problem, but it is,” Mayor Richard M. Daley of Chicago said of the five lakes, which hold 20 percent of the world’s fresh water. Mr. Daley and other regional leaders say they intend to press for more federal money in light of the study, to be released Wednesday, which for the first time estimates what local governments are devoting to the lakes.

Several mayors said the lakes should not be deemed merely local concerns, but seen as a broader issue, akin to assisting the New Orleans region after Hurricane Katrina or restoring the Everglades in Florida. The study, arranged by the Great Lakes Commission and the Great Lakes and St. Lawrence Cities Initiative, both advocacy groups, concluded that the 688 local governments in the Great Lakes and St. Lawrence River region spend much of the money on aging wastewater systems, which can release sewage when overwhelmed with rain. The $15 billion estimate was based on responses by 143 of the local governments to a survey on their spending in 2006.

It is uncertain exactly what federal authorities in the United States and Canada now spend on the Great Lakes, in part because so many agencies and programs are tied to the lakes. “That is one of the problems; we can’t find out what’s being spent,” said David Ullrich, executive director of the Great Lakes and St. Lawrence Cities Initiative.

No one was available on Tuesday at the United States Environmental Protection Agency to answer questions about Great Lakes spending. But Dale Kemery, a spokesman for the agency, wrote in an e-mail message that its budget provided “significant funding” for wastewater infrastructure nationally.

“We’re doing more with less by advancing innovative technologies and growing greater partnerships for sustainability,” Mr. Kemery wrote.

Still, Mr. Ullrich pointed to a main federal fund — one that helps states with wastewater projects — as an example of shrinking federal money that he said would leave the Great Lakes in jeopardy: the Clean Water State Revolving Fund dropped to $689 million in the 2008 fiscal year, from $1.08 billion a year earlier.

“The same problem can be seen here,” David Miller, the mayor of Toronto, said of Canada’s federal financing. “The national government doesn’t seem to understand the urgency and importance of the Great Lakes.”

Restorative Justice

2008-02-07T04:51:00.000-08:00

What is restorative justice?

Restorative justice is one way to respond to a criminal act. Restorative justice puts the emphasis on the wrong done to a person as well as on the wrong done to the community. It recognizes that crime is both a violation of relationships between specific people and an offence against everyone - the state.

Restorative justice programs involve the voluntary participation of the victim of the crime and the offender and ideally members of the community, in discussions. The goal is to "restore" the relationship, fix the damage that has been done and prevent further crimes from occurring.

Restorative justice requires wrongdoers to recognize the harm they have caused, to accept responsibility for their actions and to be actively involved in improving the situation. Wrongdoers must make reparation to victims, themselves and the community.

What are some examples of restorative justice programs?

All restorative justice programs have some common elements. They seek healing, forgiveness and active community involvement. The programs can take place at different times after a crime has occurred - sometimes after charges have been laid; sometimes after an accused has been found guilty of an offence.

Some examples of restorative justice programs include:

victim offender mediation;
family group conferencing;
sentencing circles;
consensus-based decision-making on the sentence; and
victim offender reconciliation panels.

Good restorative justice programs have well-trained facilitators who are sensitive to the needs of victims and offenders, who know the community in which the crime took place and who understand the dynamics of the criminal justice system.

How do victims of crime benefit from restorative justice programs?

The restorative justice process provides victims with the opportunity to express their feelings about the harm that has been done to them and to contribute their views about what is required to put things right. Some studies of restorative justice programs show that victims who are involved in the process are often more satisfied with the justice system and are more likely to receive restitution from the offender. Involvement can also help victims heal emotionally as well as lessen their fear of the offender and of being a victim of crime again.

However, restorative justice programs can be time-consuming and emotionally draining. For some crime victims, meeting the offender is difficult. The criminal justice system is working out ways to make sure that restorative justice programs give victims a voice in the process without pressuring them to participate or causing them more distress.

Does a victim of crime have to participate in restorative justice?

No. A victim's participation is voluntary. To help a victim decide whether or not to participate in a restorative justice program, the victim should be given complete information about the restorative justice process, possible outcomes, her or his role, the role of the offender and other process participants, as well as information about the criminal justice system options.

The fundamental principle is that restorative justice must not re-victimize the victim in any way. The process and the outcome should not cause further harm.

Whether or not a victim of crime participates in a restorative justice program, she or he is entitled to all the victims' services that are available in the community.

Are restorative justice programs in place across Canada?

There is a growing number of restorative justice initiatives under way across the country. More programs are being put in place all the time.

Will restorative justice programs replace other criminal justice system responses to criminal behaviour?

No. There will always be the need for a court process. Restorative justice can only take place when:

an offender admits guilt, accepts responsibility for his or her actions and agrees to participate in the program;
the victim of the crime freely agrees to participate in the program, without feeling pressured to do so; and
trained facilitators are available in the community and a restorative justice program is in place.

As well, a person who has been wrongly charged with an offence must have the opportunity to prove his or her innocence in court. Restorative justice programs are not appropriate in every situation.

Zenn Update

2008-02-02T02:59:00.001-08:00

In December I wrote to Jim Bradley, Ontario's Minister of Transportation, to advocate approval of the Zenn car on Ontario's roads. Strangely, although the all electric Zenn is manufactured in Canada, it has only recently received Federal permission to sell in this country--but only if it meets Provincial standards. To date, the only Province to approved the Zenn for sale has been British Columbia.

Today I received a reply from Susan Lo, Director of Safely at the Ministry of Transportation, expressing concern that Low Speed Vehicles (LSVs) such as the Zenn, are only legally required to meet 3 of 40 federally mandated safety standards. She feels, in the event of a crash, Low Speed Vehicles offer little in the way of occupant protection.

However, the Province now plans to evaluate the Zenn as part of Ontario's LSV pilot to help her get a better sense of where these vehicles should be allowed to operate and who should be allow to operate them. As a result, the Zenn will be allocated to provincial and municipal parks and conservation areas.

They may also be evaluated on college campuses, gated communities, military bases and other places where the Zenn would not share roads with larger and faster motor vehicles. The Zenn is designed to have a maximum speed of 40 km per hour.

Since the Pilot project began in 2006 and will not be complete until 2011, I wouldn't look for Zenns on Ontario roads in the near future.

Social Night Part Two

2008-01-31T02:12:00.001-08:00

A vicious winter wind chased Linda and I from the car to the warmth of the Olde Stone Cottage Pub, where five members of the Green Party were already at our table and deep into quiet conversation. Lawson Hunter, President of the GPO hadn't arrived yet, but a U of T student journalist was busy interviewing Glenn Kitchen about Party policy for an article to be published in the Scarborough East Observer.

Various GPO members described some of the activities we've been involved with and the issues we were addressing right here in Scarborough Guildwood, including the Woodgreen Ravine, our support of the Zenn electric car, Greg's support for an Ontario wide cosmetic pesticide ban and Linda's campaign against plastic bags. I talked about climate change and global warming.

As the reporter hurried off to write her story Linda the teacher and Stefan the GPO candidate from Scarborough Southwest, a fellow teacher, talked about the heritage gardens both had helped plant at their respective schools. Greg and fellow IT enthusiast Ralph, from Markham, examined the new mini Linux laptop he had purchased. The fully loaded little computer was no more than the size of a trade paperback and cost only $400.

Wendy, the literary agent, talked about her interest in horror stories and the discussion turned to Stephan King and scary novels in general. Stefan and Linda were now discussing the medicinal properties of what are generally considered weeds. Charles the lawyer talked about wills and powers of attorney while Don and I tried talking to each other down the length of the table about the Toronto Regional Meeting he had passed up in order to join us for the night.

Glenn and Stefan were delighted the Provincial refund of their election deposit had arrived. By now Ralph had brought out his flexible key board and had attached it to Greg's Linux. They were also talking about the dangers of shipping old computers to 3rd world countries where they were disassembled or trashed without adequate safety precautions.

The reporter returned to take a photo of the group and we all began to wonder what had happened to Lawson Hunter who was to have been our special guest. Michael talked about the Pub and wondered if the location had been clear enough.

Through it all our tireless waiter kept drinks and food flowing to the dozen people now out for the evening and before anyone knew it, it was already 10:30 and, with work looming the next day, the first people started leaving.

Wendy and I discussed plans for a quarterly newsletter and she promised to send ideas for some designs. The wind wasn't quite so vicious by the time we left and the evening seemed a little warmer.

Our First Social Night of 2008

2008-01-29T17:24:00.000-08:00










Hi Everyone,

Just a reminder, you have a wonderful
opportunity to meet the President
of the Green Party of Ontario.

Lawson Hunter has agreed to join our
Social Night this month at the Stone
Cottage Inn on Wednesday January
30th at 7:30.

The Office of the President is second 
only to that of the Party Leader.

We would like to have as many people 
at the meeting as possible, so please
mark you calendar and join us for an 
interesting and provocative evening.

More Trees Endangered at Woodgreen

2008-01-26T04:08:00.000-08:00

Look closely at the picture on the right. Remarkably camouflaged and almost invisable a white tailed deer has returned to the young forest clearcut by developers two weeks ago, gingerly stepping around the tangled branches of the fallen trees, unaware 36 additional trees are now under threat at the southern end of the Ravine. The trees bordering Danzig Creek are protected by the Ravine bylaw and were not part of the recent clear cutting. However, as Don York, President of the Manse Valley Community Association, writes:

In the fall of 2007, trees in the protected area were tagged and when we questioned this we were advised that this area would be cleared for the construction of the sewer lines for the new development. We were later told that an agreement had been reached with the developer to tunnel in this area to minimize the loss of trees. On Friday, Jan. 11, 2008, a number of representatives from the City and from David Schaeffer Engineering Ltd. were on site examining the protected area, and when questioned, they said that they had changed their mind regarding tunneling and would be clear-cutting that section. A total of 36 trees will be removed, many of them of significant size.
Since we were originally told that there would be no loss of trees in the protected area we have never questioned that part of the development plans. Now we find out we have been mislead. The area above Danzig Creek is protected under the Ravine Bylaw, and those trees need to be protected, as provided by the Bylaw.
There were 32 trees identified on the proposed construction site as "protected" under the Tree Bylaw, but Council approval was given to remove them with no regard to the significant opposition by the public. Now we have 36 trees in the ravine area, protected under the Ravine Bylaw, and there appears to be NO requirement to get ANY permission from Council. How is this possible???
The fact that there was no reference in any of the developer documentation related to the removal of trees in the protected ravine area shows that either the Engineering firm and the City staff were incompetent in their assessment and review, or there was a DELIBERATE omission of this fact to avoid any additional confrontation with residents. Neither of these possibilities is acceptable! If facts were omitted from the report for this item, how many other facts were conveniently removed from other reports? How many more "surprises" are there going to be?
The removal of the trees in the protected area violates the terms of the Ravine Bylaw. The fact that NO approvals appear to be required to do so shows a major flaw in the process. The fact that an "agreement" was reached to tunnel and then suddenly and quietly reversed is deceitful. There was NO community involvement or notification on this !!!
IMMEDIATE action is required to further investigate this situation and discuss possible alternatives. An answer is required on how the City staff and the developer can decide to remove trees in a protected area with NO Council approval. The developer should NOT be allowed to remove those trees prior to a full investigation of this matter. It is our understanding that this removal could occur during the week beginning January 14, 2008, so there is no time for delay in actioning this item.

Woodgreen Video

2008-01-12T11:25:00.001-08:00

Devastation at Woodgreen Ravine

2008-01-12T03:34:00.000-08:00

Well its gone. The developers moved in the heavy machinery on Thursday and by the end of the day all two thousand trees at Woodgreen Ravine had been destroyed. A 4 year battle to save this young forested site in West Hill had come to an end.

I heard about it in a voice mail from Bruce Smith, Director responsible for the Advisory Board of the Manse Valley Community Association who was in disbelief that after such a long and valiant battle, machinery could clear cut such a large area in such a short period of time. In place of a forest, the land was littered with fallen trunks and branches waiting to be ground to sawdust.

Back in November, over 30 local residents braved nearly freezing rain at 7:30 in the morning to successfully block the developers entrance to the site. Don York, President of the MVCA had just submitted a brilliant and devastating rebuttal to the report on the water drainage problem on the site. There seemed to be hope. There seemed to be time. But there wasn't. This time the developers arrived unannounced and all the community could do was watch, and cry, as the 40 ton feller-buncher cut through their trees like a buzz-saw through the fragile hopes of the community.

The Ravine was a five acre site, located near Lawrence Ave. E. and Manse Road behind the new 43 Division Police Station. This wonderful site had more than 1200 trees, plus an additional 800 saplings, and many types of bushes and flowers. It was the home to abundant wildlife including white tailed deer, fox, raccoons and a wide variety of birds. It was both a resting and feeding ground for the monarch butterfly on its migration to Mexico. The Ravine was used by people of all ages for playing, walking, exploring, meeting, or enjoying the fruits of a huge blackberry patch!

All of this, however, has come to an end. The City of Toronto, as owners of the property, sold it to a developer for the construction of 60 affordable houses. During last Fall's election, Frank De Jong was the only political leader to visit the site and to speak out against the use of this area for this development when other grey areas in the City could be used. The developer is in the process of clear-cutting the site, and removing several feet of top soil so that not a single blade of grass will remain.

There had been many reasons to save this environmentally sensitive woodlot. In addition to being a community meeting place and treasure, and a home to birds and animals, the trees help act as a carbon sink removing pollutants from the air, helping moderate the air quality in the area. The Ravine borders on an industrial site along Coronation Drive with a large concentration of chemical industries. The area has been identified as having the fifth highest toxic chemical emissions in the City of Toronto!

With continued population growth, all wild areas are now precious but they are especially critical where, by some miracle, that wilderness can still be found the heart of a City of three million, the economic engine of an entire nation. In such a large city it is easy to loose sight of the fact that we are a part of nature. And now with the loss of Woodgreen Ravine, it will be harder still to hold onto that knowledge.

Scientific American Calls for a Solar Energy Grand Plan

2008-01-08T05:30:00.000-08:00

The latest issue of Scientific American calls for a Grand Plan for
Solar Energy, and at $420B its a grand plan indeed:

"High prices for gasoline and home heating oil are here to stay. The
U.S. is at war in the Middle East at least in part to protect its
foreign oil interests. And as China, India and other nations rapidly
increase their demand for fossil fuels, future fighting over energy
looms large. In the meantime, power plants that burn coal, oil and
natural gas, as well as vehicles everywhere, continue to pour millions
of tons of pollutants and greenhouse gases into the atmosphere
annually, threatening the planet.

"Well-meaning scientists, engineers, economists and politicians have
proposed various steps that could slightly reduce fossil-fuel use and
emissions. These steps are not enough. The U.S. needs a bold plan to
free itself from fossil fuels. Our analysis convinces us that a
massive switch to solar power is the logical answer.

Read the complete article, click on this article's title above.

Key Components of the plan call for:

A massive switch from coal, oil, natural gas and nuclear power plants to solar power plants that could supply 69 percent of the U.S.’s electricity and 35 percent of its total energy by 2050.
A vast area of photovoltaic cells to be erected in the Southwest. Excess daytime energy to be stored as compressed air in underground caverns to be tapped during nighttime hours.
Large solar concentrator power plants would be built as well.
A new direct-current power transmission backbone would deliver solar electricity across the country.
But $420 billion in subsidies from 2011 to 2050 would be required to fund the infrastructure and make it cost-competitive.

Tactics of Denial

2008-01-05T05:22:00.000-08:00

Colby Beck at Grist magazine has made a helpful start in defining the stages many of us have had to go through in coming to accept the stark reality of the degree humanity has contributed to the current climate crisis. Colby says, "My efforts are directed at getting us past the "it's not happening" stage, past the "its not our fault" stage, past the "it's not bad" stage and then past the "there's nothing we can do about it" stage." (for more of Beck's thoughts click on this article's title)

I would add one more stage in the journey, "It all just a big political hoax." Although that is more a tactic within the "it's not happening" stage.

Or how about the, "Don't worry technology got us into this and technology will get us out" tactic.

Or the unreferenced statistic tactic, "I was just reading the other day that the polar ice caps are actually 10% larger than they were twenty years ago, what have you got to say about that."

Or the "Scientists don't know what they're talking about" tactic. "Last year scientists were telling us coffee was killing us, now it cures Alzheimer's. You can't trust anything scientists say."

So I thought it would be fun to document some of the typical tactical twists and turns climate change deniers make on the road to acceptance. Check back to this article periodically to watch the list grow.

New Years Greetings From Frank De Jong

2008-01-02T04:04:00.001-08:00

Dear GPO members and
supporters,

Thank you for the hard
work. Last fall's successful
election proved that the
GPO is a player; we influence
politics in this province. But enough of
celebrating, we have work to do.

Politics is ever-changing, defining issues change, new ideas
take over the agenda, parties rise and fall, personalities
gain or lose stature and influence, the political culture
evolves. No one can predict the next four years.

Our challenge is to energize our unique political worldview
with the goal of becoming the government of Ontario. As long
as we are not government one of the other parties is, and
they will not implementing the green agenda.  At this stage
in the election cycle we should reaffirm our core philosophy.

Here are two quotes that help:

"We are not conquerors of the biotic community, but citizens
of it." -- Aldo Leopold

"We must live at a level that we seriously can wish others to
attain, not at a level that requires the bulk of humanity NOT
to reach." -- Arne Naess

We differ from the other parties but share some ideas with
each of them. We share fiscally responsibility with the
Conservatives. We share with the Liberal goal of sufficient
material goods and services for everyone. And we share
social progressivism with the NDP.

The other parties may be getting greener, but the
difference is a question of emphasis. For the Conservatives
the economy is primary, for the Liberals material consumption
is primary, for the NDP social justice is primary, but for
Greens living sustainably on the Earth is primary.

We must stand up confidently and unapologetically and
clearly describe the kind of a world we want to live in.
Green policy must be self-evident to every citizen in this
province. In every policy area our message should have one
main principle, followed by several supporting ideas. The
main idea must be clear and obvious to all, and the
complementary ideas must follow logically.

We must address root causes. The prevention of problems is
better than after-the-fact remediation. We must call for
education and green market mechanisms in addition to
regulations to achieve sustainability. We should restrict
calling for solutions unless they are BOTH cheaper AND
greener in the short or long term.

What we demand is not partisan, is not a special interest,
and we do not condone privilege. Our goal is sustainability,
which is larger than politics and larger than nations. Please
help build the GPO over the next four years and be part of
the  team that elects the first Green MPPs to Queen's Park!

"All great truths begin as blasphemies" -- George Bernard
Shaw.

My very best wishes for 2008,

Frank de Jong, leader, GPO

happy new year!

2007-12-31T04:59:00.001-08:00

BEST WISHES FOR A SIMPLER, HAPPIER AND MORE PEACEFUL LIFE IN 2008

Complete The Streets

2007-12-26T12:53:00.001-08:00

Here's a new phrase you may not have encountered before, "Complete The Streets". As with many good ideas, this one comes to us from our neighbours to the south, concerned that their streets are designed only for speeding cars, or worse, creeping traffic jams (think Markham, Morningside, Lawrence or Kingston Road at rush hour).

The Complete the Streets movement believes that our cities and towns ought to be for everyone, whether young or old, motorist or bicyclist, walker or wheelchair user, bus rider, homeowner or shopkeeper.

By an exclusive focus on cars, our streets are becoming unsafe for people on foot or bike and unpleasant for everybody. This is especially true for those who live on our major streets and have to endure the rush hour parade everyday. In communities across the United States, a movement is growing to "complete the streets".

States, cities, and towns are asking their planners engineers and designers to build road networks that welcome all citizens.

Members of the movement come from widely diverse groups, from America Bikes and AARP, Smart Growth America and the American Society of Landscape Architects to Paralyzed Veterans of America. The Institute of Transportation Engineers is even on board, amazing for a profession long known as the "throughput crowd" for its pushing of maximum numbers of vehicles at maximum feasible speed through cities and villages alike.

States and cities are getting the message. Illinois this fall passed a complete streets law requiring the state's transportation department to include bicycling and walking facilities in all its urban-area projects. Five other states (Massachusetts, Florida, Maryland, Oregon, Rhode Island) now have some form of complete streets law on the books. More than 50 metro regions, counties or cities -- Charlotte to Johnson County, Kan., Salt Lake City to Seattle -- have passed similar statutes. Many others are now considering them.

Chicago, for example, is moving to narrower traffic lanes, median "refuges" and curb extensions for pedestrians, as well as converting four-lane roadways into three lanes with marked bike lanes.

Here in Scarborough Guildwood, we are seeing the evolution of the of the Toronto Bike Plan, which is to make every Toronto street “bicycle friendly”. The bikeway network establishes priority routes with a formal bikeway facility to provide a higher level of comfort for cyclists. The proposed network routes, because they are very visible through their design, pavement markings and signage, have an important role in encouraging cycling.

The 1999 Cycling Survey highlighted the critical importance of bikeways for achieving the Toronto Bicycle Plan goal of doubling the number of trips by 2011. More than nine in ten Toronto cyclists (93%) are comfortable cycling on bike trails or paths, more than eight in ten
(87%) on residential streets, and more than five in ten (53%) on major roads with bike lanes. However less than two in ten cyclists (18%) are comfortable cycling on major roads without bike
lanes.

Current Bikeways with signs are #16 which runs the length of Coronation, #79 which follows Morningside from Coronation to Guildwood Parkway, #77 which runs from Lawrence to Guildwood along Galloway, #4 running along Guildwood Parkway and #12 which runs up Livingston, through the Guildwood GO station to Morningside Park.

Having had the unfortunate experience of witnessing a cyclist fall under the wheels of a cement truck last year, on Eglinton just past Leslie, I am aware that Toronto's major thoroughfares are not yet "complete". They still belong exclusively to the automobile. But I am encouraged by the appearance of Toronto Bikeway signs that are springing up. Now if we could just get the bike lanes painted on those same streets, we would be making a good and safer beginning.

Yes, Christmas IS about GIFTS

2007-12-20T07:15:00.000-08:00

I remember Christmas morning as a child, the house silent and dark, not a creature stirring, not even my parents. I had no clock in my room, but the darkness and general quiet of the house told me it was way too early to get up to see what Santa had left under the tree. I would have to wait in silent and painful anticipation until the night brightened somewhat or I could hear movement elsewhere in the house.

My brother, who shared my room, was a heavy sleeper, even at Christmas time. Sometimes I would try to wake him up so that the blame for disturbing the household could be more fairly shared. I would try tactics like whispering, "Are you awake?" or saying his name out loud. Then even louder. Or maybe poking him with my finger.

I was seldom successful, but Christmas morning eventually managed to arrive every year and the beauty and magic of a gift laden tree, a glow in the pre-dawn light, would be a thrill beyond measure.

Eventually I grew up and had children of my own and I got to enjoy Christmas from the opposite side of the experience, the thrill of my daughters on Christmas morning mirroring all the joys of my own childhood. Now as a grandfather to three grandchildren, that act of giving and the joy my grandchildren get in receiving is still one of life's great pleasures.

So, it annoys me when decent and sincere members of the Green movement, deride the giving of gifts at Christmas and treat gift giving as crime against nature.

Christmas is about Gifts and giving. In a very real sense Christmas will not come if that is given up. There is no crime in gifts and gift giving. They are an intrinsic part of Christmas.

But they are just a part, and we do have to realize there is more to Christmas than gifts alone. Christmas is also about peace, and family and joy and love and caroling and feasting. At its heart it is a religious experience whose time of year is shared with Eidul-Adha the Festival of Sacrifice, and Chanukkah. In recent times the gift giving part has tended to overwhelm the rest of what Christmas is also about. While there is no magical formula guaranteed to create the Christmas spirit, there are essential ingredients, and gifts are part of the mix. However, there is a real danger that gifts and gift giving, along with the relentless advertising urging us to buy, are hijacking the whole experience. I know our economy depends substantially on consumer spending at this time of year, but it seems to me, the value of gift receiving should decrease as a proportion of the Christmas mix, the older you get.

As a fairly affluent adult, my needs and wants are few and simple, I no longer need much in the way of gifts. There is little I want that I can't purchase for myself, in a size that actually fits me and in a colour I actually like. I see little value in gift receiving for most Canadian adults. My grand children yes, me no. Those less fortunate yes, me no. There are other tangible ways to demonstrate our caring for the important adults in our lives.

The gifting part of the Christmas mix, for me, is in giving to my grandchildren, the joy I experience in their delight and the memories the experience ignites in me. Carols, gathering together with friends, sharing joy and food and drink, a quiet walk on a winters evening, large flakes of snow gently falling, are equally important and critical to the Christmas spirit which is, after all, about the awareness of being apart of something greater than ourselves.

So from all of us here at the Scarborough Guildwood Green Party of Ontario Constituency Association, whatever your religious practices and beliefs, or lack thereof, let me wish you the Happiest of Holidays and may the spirit of the season awaken in you. Peace.

Garbage

2007-12-14T08:32:00.000-08:00

Today is garbage day in my small area of Scarborough Guildwood. We have three people in our home and we generated about a quarter of a garbage pail of waste in the past two weeks (roughly half a green bag worth). We're not proud of it, but it represents the inevitable residue after recycling, reusing and composting. The garbage truck has come by and our waste has been whisked off to begin its journey to the land fill in Michigan.

Try as we might, we are still years away from being the kind of environmentally friendly society in which nothing goes to waste. Toronto has chosen to bury our waste, out of sight, out of the City and, hopefully, out of mind. Durham is toying with the idea of burning theirs.

On Thursday January 10, 2008, Dr. Paul Connett, noted specialist in Waste Management and Phd at Cambridge University, with 22 years experience in waste management will address Durham's incineration plan at a Town Hall meeting at CAW Local 222 Union Hall at 1425 Philip Murray Ave in Oshawa.

As Durham Environmental Watch notes on its website:

As municipalities determine the costs associated with their disposal options, it is important that they consider the health and social costs associated with the pollution from incineration facilities. More specifically, these costs would include the cost of global warming, acid rain, and an increase in chemicals in our air, land and water associated with emissions of certain pollutants to the atmosphere and to waterways. The increased likelihood of adverse impacts on human health associated with air pollution emissions and the release of toxic substances to the environment also carry a cost. Studies have calculated the total social cost of incineration and landfill, and their findings show that incineration costs are much higher than landfill, both fiscally and socially.

No one wants landfill. But the assertion that incineration will eliminate landfill is just plain false. It will simply add to the problems we face and is not a sustainable solution. There are better alternatives.

Letter from the President of the GPO

2007-12-09T03:21:00.000-08:00

Hello and let me introduce myself.

I'm Lawson Hunter, newly elected GPO
President at the Nov. 24 Annual
General Meeting.  I hope to
communicate with all CA presidents
on a regular basis,to keep you
informed and up to date and to
give you a contact should
you need to share a thought or concern with the Provincial
Executive.  I'd also like you to make contact with the
Regional Reps from your Region.  I'm hoping that
you can establish a relationship with your Regional Reps
as part of their responsibility is to be a conduit between
your local activities and those of the central party.
It's about better communications and inclusivity.


More to come, thanks for your involvement in helping
the Green Party grow.

Lawson Hunter
GPO President


The GPO is hoping to fill some necessary positions from
the general membership.  If you could disseminate the following
message to everyone in your riding membership list, that would
be appreciated and save the centralparty from making a
massive email.


Call for Functionaries and committee members

The GPO Provincial Executive is now accepting applications
for the following positions to assist with the operations of
the Party and to fulfill specific roles as described by the
GPO Constitution.  Send names, contact info, and a brief bio
to Lawson Hunter, GPO President at lawson@electgreens.ca and
cc. Jessica Fracassi at gpoadmin@magma.ca

Communications Coordinator
Operations Coordinator
Fundraising Coordinator
Youth Coordinator
Information Technology Management Coordinator (website)
Male Provincial Secretary

Deadline will be December 14th

Green Christmas Carols

2007-12-07T03:33:00.001-08:00

Consumer Wonderland

(To the tune of Winter Wonderland, lyrics by Erica Avery)

The TV's on / are you watching?
Another product / that they're hawking
one more thing you need
to make life complete
Welcome to Consumer Wonderland

In the stores / you will hear it
"Pricey gifts / show holiday spirit"
That's what they call it
to get to your wallet
Welcome to Consumer Wonderland

At the mall we can go out shopping
and buy lots of stuff we can't afford
we'll have lots of fun with our new toys
until we realize that we're still bored
When you shop / ain't it thrilling
until / you get the billing
the money you still owe the stuff broke long ago
Welcome to Consumer Wonderland

Uh Oh We're In The Red, Dear

(To the tune of Rudolph the red-nose reindeer)

Uh oh we're in the red, dear
On our credit card it shows
Christmas is almost over
But the debit line still grows
Shopping like Santa's zombies
Sent our budget down in flames
But all our Christmas spirit
Helped the giant retail chains

I'm so foggy Christmas Eve
Wondering how we'll pay
Christmas doesn't seem so bright
When our finances are tight

So here's a plan for next year
Let's forget the shopping spree
Let's give a gift of love, so
All our Christmas gifts are free

God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen

Slow down ye frantic shoppers for there's something we must say
If you would spare a moment all the stores would go away
Big business has been telling us what Christmas means today

Now it's time we decided for ourselves, for ourselves
Yes it's time we decided for ourselves.

To some folks Christmas means a time for gathering with friends
And enemies might take it as a time to make amends
But TV says it's time for pricey gifts and selfish ends

Now it's time we decided for ourselves, for ourselves
Yes it's time we decided for ourselves.

Some people feel that Christmas is when Jesus makes a call
For others it's a time to stress good will and peace to all
But advertisers tell us it means Santa's at the mall

Now it's time we decided for ourselves, for ourselves
Yes it's time we decided for ourselves.

Jingle All The Way

Chorus:
Profits here, profits there,
profits everywhere
Christmas time is funny
we smell money in the air
Advertise, glamorize,
fool you with a flair.
Let's make sure that Christmas
is a businesslike affair.

You're eating up our lies and dashing to the stores
Then all our prices rise and how the money pours
If we don't keep you drugged and watching your TV
You might see the hypocrisy
then where would business be?

Chorus

We'll tell you how to think and tell you what to try
What to eat and drink and how to live and die
And if our plan succeeds, when Christmas-time is nigh
Instead of seeking love and peace you'll hunt for gifts to buy

Chorus

Buy and Sell

To the tune, Silver Bells; by Erica Avery

City Sidewalks busy sidewalks
lined with advertising
It's the big retail season of Christmas
Children begging for each new thing
toys for mile after mile
and the mood of the season is clear

Chorus:
Buy and sell (buy and sell)
Buy and sell (buy and sell)
It's Christmas time for consumers
Ching-a-ching (ching-a-ching)
Cash tills ring (cash tills ring)
Must we spend Christmas this way?

Maxing credit, running debits
buying things we don't need
with the money we don't really have
Children crying, parents sighing
there's no time for our friends
and the reason behind it is clear

Chorus"

The Theft of Privacy

2007-12-05T11:53:00.000-08:00

My daughter and her husband recently purchased a home in a new subdivision north of Whitby. It is a beautiful two story home with a modest but functional backyard on an attractive street. The original plans for the subdivision called for a small plaza to be built at the end of their street with a convenience store, drug store, dry cleaners and pet food shop shown on the plans as examples of the type of stores that might lease the plaza.

Since it was a new subdivision, the street behind their home was still under construction at the time of their purchase. However they had looked at the plans for those homes and saw nothing that would concern them. Of course there was a slight rise in the surface of the land that would make the elevation of those homes one-half story higher than their own, but those houses were to the north and there would be no problem with sunlight being blocked.

What they were unprepared for was the construction of wooden decks on those new houses being built way up on the second story. Being all ready half a story higher than my daughter's, the owners of those houses can sit on their second story balcony and look south out over the roof of the other houses almost to Lake Ontario in the distance.

Well, you might think, that would certainly be an attractive feature. But what it also means, given the smallness of the backyards in that neighbourhood, is that my daughter has families sitting out all summer looking directly down into her backyard and watching everything she and her family do in their yard. Functionally, what it means is that my daughter and her family have had their privacy stolen. With the family behind them virtually living on their deck all summer, my daughter can never go into her backyard without being under constant observation and being the occasional object of discussion.

It can also be argued that my daughter has been robbed of at least some of the value of her home. The lack of privacy in her backyard would become immediately obvious to any interested purchaser. Of course that is why the construction of the homes behind my daughter's street were delayed until all the houses on her street were already purchased.

This unhappy little story raises the question of the value of privacy, not only in new subdivisions, but in more established subdivisions such as are found in Scarborough Guildwood. New purchasers are beginning to put up two story homes in neighbourhoods comprised of one story bungalows. While not many blatantly put up decks on the second story, where they sit snooping on their neighbours, there is little to stop them from doing so.

How much is our privacy worth?

Of course there is more to my daughter's story. Once all the homes in her new subdivision were built, the developer immediately applied for a variance to permit him to change the zoning to allow him to replace the planned small plaza with even more housing. And, of course, that variance was immediately granted despite almost universal community outrage. Now, instead of being able to walk to the store, my daughter has to drive. Instead of an environmentally friendly neighbourhood, she is forced to add an increasing share of carbon dioxide and methane to our climate woes.

As the population increases and with it the density, privacy and the quality of our lives need to be balanced against the need for more compact neighbourhoods. Developers need to be encouraged, or legislated, to build more environmentally friendly communities where our homes can be a refuge and where automobiles are not required for us to reach out for basic necessities such as milk or bread.

The Green Party stands for well designed and livable communities.

How Big a Problem are Plastic Bags?

2007-11-28T04:08:00.000-08:00

The Eighth Continent of the World isn't Atlantis or Mu, it is the Great Pacific Garbage Patch. Located in the Pacific Ocean between California and Hawaii and measuring in at roughly twice the size of Texas, this floating mass of human trash is home to hundreds of species of marine life and is constantly expanding. It has tripled in size since the middle of the 1990s and could grow tenfold in the next decade Weighing in at approximately 3.5 million tons with a concentration of 3.34 million pieces of garbage per square kilometer, it is 80 per cent discarded plastic.

Due to the Patch's location in the North Pacific Gyre, its growth is guaranteed to continue as this Africa-sized section of ocean spins in a vortex that effectively traps flotsam. What little air movement there is blows inwards, further trapping the garbage.

Plastic resists biodegrading. That plastic bag you used for 20 minutes to bring home a jug of milk 20 years ago, still exists and will still exist 500 years from now. Plastic shopping bags or pop bottles photo-degrade over a lengthy time frame, meaning that they break down into smaller and smaller pieces but retain their original molecular composition.

The result is a great amount of fine plastic sand that resembles food to many creatures. Unfortunately, the plastic cannot be digested, so sea birds or fish can eventually starve to death with a stomach full of plastic. Even if the amount of plastic in a creature's body is not enough to block the passage of food, the small pellets act as sponges for several toxins, concentrating chemicals such as DDT to 1 million times the normal level.

This concentration then works its way up the food chain until a fish is served at our dinner table.

In Toronto, when not blowing down our streets or clinging to our bushes or tree branches, our plastic goes to land fill sites where it will outlive all of us. The Scarborough Guildwood Green party of Ontario, urges the City of Toronto to declare itself a plastic bag free zone. And urges the Minister of the Environment to work toward a ban on plastic bags in the Province.

AGM Confirms De Jong as Leader

2007-11-26T05:10:00.000-08:00

Frank De Jong, 52-year-old educator, who has headed the party since 1993, was confirmed as Party Leader this weekend when 71 per cent of 403 members voted against holding a leadership review. Party policy calls for a Leadership review when support for the leader falls below 2/3rds. The Green Party constitution requires a review vote every two years. This one came on the heels of the Party celebrating its best performance yet in a provincial election where the GPO tripled its popular share of the vote as well as its membership.

De Jong had strong support among the 115 party members at the meeting, held outside Perth on the Rideau River. But the outcome was uncertain as nearly 300 advance ballots were cast by those who couldn't attend.

Many delegates said the party should concentrate on strengthening its organization and raising money, rather than be distracted by a leadership contest. Most delegates felt Frank had only just become known to the public as the face of the Green Party in Ontario. For the first time, the AGM was extensively covered by the Toronto Star.

The GPO welcomes new President LAWSON HUNTER, a former Director of Communications for the GPO. Former Progressive Conservative Party of Canada Director DAVID SCRYMGEOUR is now Chief Financial Officer.

Other newly-elected members of the Executive include:

Eastern Region Female JEANIE WARNOCK

Eastern Region Male MARK MacKENZIE

Toronto Region Female CAROLINE LAW

Toronto Region Male SHAUN MERRITT

The meeting ended with a rousing speech by De Jong: “The future of Ontario politics is Green. We’re a burgeoning political force en route to electing MPPs in 2011...We are engaged in an epic battle to save the planet," he continued before receiving a standing ovation. "The enemy is us ... the battle is within each of us."

Shane Jolley, the bike shop owner who won 33 per cent of the vote in Bruce-Grey-Owen Sound, the Greens' best result in a Canadian election, is quoted in the Toronto Star as urging the Party not to become complacent.

"Now is the time to be more bold than ever before. ... We have to champion our policies and ideas in a way we have never done before," said Jolley, who is considered a strong future leadership candidate.

Members also celebrated their recent court victory obtaining a change in electoral law which required candidates who did not obtain 10% of the vote to lose their deposit fee with Elections Ontario.

“Every candidate who ran in the last election will get their deposit fee returned, regardless of how many votes they received and what their political affiliation,” says de Jong. “We are continuing to improve democracy in Ontario.”

The case against Nuclear by Frank De Jong

2007-11-25T04:30:00.000-08:00

Building more nuclear power in Ontario is, at best, throwing good money after bad. Nuclear power is hugely expensive, extremely dangerous, requires heavy transmission grids, is prone to breakdowns, and is, in any case, non-renewable as there are only a few decades of high grade uranium remaining on earth at present usage.

Conservation and renewable energy is a far more cost-effective way to keep the lights on in Ontario. The cheapest, safest and most reliable solution to our energy requirements is to reduce demand through efficiency and then supply what we need through distributed renewables like wind, solar, biomass and biogas. With existing technology combined with appropriate financial incentives we can decouple our economy from our energy supply, allowing the economy to expand and our energy demands to shrink at the same time.

The best way to encourage conservation and efficiency is to reflect the true costs of electricity in the price. The true cost of electricity would include the cost of the limited insurance liability granted the nuclear industry, the costs of servicing the stranded debt from past nuclear station construction and repairs, nuclear power station decommissioning costs, the future costs of babysitting nuclear waste for thousands of years, and the related health care costs.

Charging the true costs of nuclear and fossil fuel generated electricity would significantly raise the price of electricity, however, instead of this being an additional tax, the new revenue should be used, dollar for dollar, to reduce income taxes. This way, without government subsidies, consumers and industry would have incentives to conserve electricity and to build as much renewable electricity as is needed.

Frank de Jong, GPO Leader

My Letter to the Minister of Transportation

2007-11-23T16:36:00.000-08:00

Dear Minister Bradley,

Now that the Quebec based manufacturer of the ZENN electric car has received approval by Transport Canada for sale in our country, I was wondering when steps will be taken to approve these cars for sale to Ontarians?

There are a myriad reasons to do this as soon as possible; you would be supporting an innovative CANADIAN company, reducing our dependence on fossil fuels and the obvious impact that zero emissions passenger vehicles would have in preserving our environment.

You can find out more about this company at www.zennmotors.com

I would appreciate a response back as to what the plans are on this issue.

Thank you,

Barry

Barry Fraser
President
Scarborough Guildwood GPO CA
http;//www.scarboroughgreens.com

Buy Nothing Day

2007-11-23T12:08:00.000-08:00

Friday is an important day for many North American environment groups as they are marking "Buy Nothing Day," to signify the need to cut back on excess consumption.

It's an idea that the Scarborough Guildwood GPO CA certainly supports.

The idea is to keep people's wallets in their pockets to avoid buying unneeded consumer goods, according to Elizabeth May, leader of the Green Party of Canada.

"This is a day to be thought provoking," May said.

It is certainly an opportunity to realize that the quality of life is not dependent on the quantity goods you own. So save yourself a little money, relax, cook your own meal and remember, you have more than 6 weeks to get your Christmas Shopping done. You can afford to take one day off from your job of consumer.

Coverage by Toronto Sun

2007-11-22T15:28:00.001-08:00

The photo on the left was taken in Wood Green Ravine in warmer and happier times. Wednesday in the cold and freezing rain, thirty protesters came out to block the machinery expected to arrive to begin the removal of the 2000 trees on the small wood lot.
Toronto Sun writer Mike Strobel braved the cold the wet and the early morning hour and wrote the following report:

http://www.torontosun.com/News/Columnists/Strobel_Mike/2007/11/22/4675351.php

Green Social Night

2007-11-21T06:08:00.000-08:00

It was a small turn out for the November social night at the Old Stone Cottage Pub. Caren and Iain, Wendy and Mike, Alonzo Bartley, Linda and I. And, of course the waiter, who is used to us by now and sometimes enjoys adding to the discussion.
We talked about Parry Sound where Wendy and Mike had vacationed and where Linda and I lived for a year back in the '70's. Linda and Wendy discussed a book Linda was writing and Caren clarified the pronunciation of Stephan's name. But, for the most part we talked about the Annual General meeting which Iain, Caren and Alonzo are attending. Everyone has concerns about the omnibus 13 page revision package that is being presented.
And then the discussion turned to drainpipes. The City had decided to end paying for the disconnection of the pipes from household eves to city drains. It was just costing too much money. However, the City was requiring householders to ensure their pipes were disconnected to prevent a Skydome full of water per year surging through our aging sewers. The cutoff date for the city paying for the disconnect was yesterday and the City received 50,000 final orders. Linda and I had disconnected years ago and have redirected our rainwater to our flower gardens.
We also discussed the crisis at Woodgreen Ravine where the developers are scheduled to arrive on Wednesday. I will be going over to the site to offer our support.
In all, despite the small group, the discussion was lively and the evening a pleasure.

Woodgreen Ravine Background

2007-11-20T06:08:00.000-08:00

As some background to the Woodgreen Ravine issue, here is a copy of my letter to the editor of the Scarborough Mirror in 2006. Woodgreen Ravine is located behind the 43 Division Police station at Lawrence and Manse Road.

THE FOLLOWING LETTER WAS SEND TO THE SCARBOROUGH MIRROR ON MAY 21, 2006, IN RESPONSE TO THEIR EDITORIAL OF MAY 17, 2006.

Thank you for your Editorial of May 17, questioning the manner in which City council has treated the Manse Road property in contrast to Wanita field.

That the City of Toronto’s Policy and Finance committee has unanimously approved the sale of the Manse field, as an affordable housing project, without any debate is beyond belief. I am pleased that the Wanita property has been approved for purchase by the City as an act of considerable environmental prudence; but the Wanita property, although important as the headwaters of Centennial Creek, is essentially a field of grass and there is no comparison with the rich biological diversity of the Manse property.

Mayor Miller has just recently been honoured as one of the Greenest Mayors in North America. Where was his voice, where was his influence being felt, during the Policy and Finance Committee’s deliberations? That is, if a vote without any debate can be considered a deliberation.

It is not too late for the Mayor to use his considerable influence on behalf of Scarborough residents as he did in defense of downtown residents who were threatened by an expansion of the Island Airport.

It is not too late for City Council to have a closer look at how it came about that environmental concerns have become pitted against social concerns in this distant area of Toronto, when there was no need for such a battle.

It is not too late for WRP, as a religious community, and Habitat for Humanity, as a social community reliant on the good will of our citizens for its support, to refuse to allow a callous manipulation of their moral cause to be used to do environmental harm to the community in which they propose to build. First, do no harm, people. It isn’t as if there are no other City properties available for their project, where their work would, in fact, enhance the environment. The three-year battle they have been thrust into by the City has served only to delay providing affordable housing to those desperately in need.

It is not too late for the residents of Scarborough to stand up with the people in the Manse community and demand of City Hall the same level of serious concern for their environment and the quality of their life as are accorded to those who live in the Downtown core.

Scarborough is comprised of generous and tolerant people. The West Hill area in which the Manse property is located has already one of the densest areas of subsidized housing in the City, while suffering a comparative lack of appropriate social services.

This is a project that makes no environmental sense, no social sense and no moral sense.

It is not too late for reason to prevail here; but it does require people to stop and listen and think. Before it is too late.

Meeting at Stone Cottage on Tuesday

2007-11-19T14:08:00.000-08:00

Tuesday November 20
GPO members from Scarborough Southwest and Guildwood not attending the AGM are invited to a meeting at 7:00 pm at the Olde Stone Cottage Pub, 3750 Kingston Road (at Scarborough Golf Club Rd) to discuss 15 Resolutions to be presented at the upcoming AGM.
Iain Hamilton, Alonzo Bartley and Caren Crawford are going to the AGM. They would like to take your proxy and input on how you feel about the resolutions.
Alonzo Bartley from Scarborough Guildwood is nominated for the executive position of Toronto region male representative. He would like your support

My Reply to Don York

2007-11-16T06:51:00.001-08:00

Hi Don,

Very bad news indeed.

I have written to Party Leader Frank de Jong to inform him of this latest
development. I have also passed along your letter to our local membership
and to the Federal arm of our local Party.

You clearly have our support with whatever can be done at this stage.

Please let us know if you can get any more exact information about the day
and time of the developer's arrival.

Best Wishes,

Barry

Woodgreen Ravine

2007-11-16T06:48:00.000-08:00

I received the following from Don York President of the Manse Valley Community Association who has been fighting to preserve a 5 acre woodlot from development for the past four years. Here is his letter:

Hi Barry,

Sharon and I were at (City Councilor Ron) Moeser's office in the Port Union Plaza tonight and
he informed us that the developers will be here "next week" (probably
Monday) to start taking out the trees!!!

I am hoping that Moeser can give us a firm date on exactly when they will
arrive.

The question is: what do we do?????

I would like to see us get enough people together that we can form a
picket line across Hainford (their only entrance) to prevent them from
coming in. We would also notify every media contact we know so they would
be there to film it and report on it.

Anyone else have any ideas? How many people could we get to protest on
site? Does anyone have any contacts that could assist us in making up some
protest signs?

Any and all suggestions are welcome. We have fought this thing for almost
four years and I'll be damned if I want to see them walk onto the property
with no problems!!!!

I WOULD LIKE EVERYONE TO RESPOND WITH THEIR THOUGHTS - FOR OR AGAINST -
AND ANY SUGGESTIONS !!!!! NOW IS THE TIME FOR ACTION AND WE HAVE LITTLE
TIME TO ORGANIZE!!!

Thanks ....

Don

Barry's Scarborough Guildwood GPO Blog

2007-11-16T06:23:00.000-08:00

Welcome to Barry's Blog where I hope to keep you up to date on the inner workings of the creation, maintenance and growth of the Green Party of Ontario's Constituency Association in Scarborough Guildwood.

It is an adventure I hope you'll enjoy.