Meeting Notes of 5 October 2017

Waterloo Region Greens Meeting

Held: Thursday, 5 October 2017
Present: Matt Piggott, Betsy Daub, Teresa Cornwell, Sam Nabi, Marie Bridel, David Weber, Stacey Danckert, Cathe Campbell, Laurel Russwurm, Bob Jonkman.

Sam and Julia volunteer to be the Volunteer Co-ordinators during the 2018 Ontario Provincial election campaign
- Finding debate partners to accompany candidates
- Door knockers
- Phone callers

How much time is needed to call an Annual General Meeting for a Constituents Association?
- Need to appoint a Returning Officer at the AGM before holding Nomination Meeting
- Amy Watson from GPO can help; will be CFO for candidate nominees who have no expenses

Waterloo and Kitchener Centre are having their Nomination Meetings
- When: Sunday, 22 October 2017 from 2:00pm to 4:00pm
- Where: Central Branch, Kitchener Public Library
- Location: 85 Queen Street North, Kitchener, Ontario Map
- Both Waterloo and Kitchener Centre already have candidate nominees
- Sam Nabi will write press releases for the nomination meetings

Kitchener South–Hespeler has new volunteers on their executive
- KSH is planning an AGM
  - Bang Bui on EDA
  - Ryan Eagleson on CA

Did You Know: There is no residency requirement to be a member of an Electoral District Association (Federal) or Constituency Association (Provincial)?

BC Greens hold the “Balance of Responsibilities” (not “Balance of Power”)
- The BC Referendum on Electoral Reform has a good question
  - Referendum will allow mail-in responses — good for serious thought on the question, and improved response
  - Referendum will pass with a regular majority (50% + 1), unlike the BC 2005 referendum requiring a super-majority (60% overall, with simple majority in 60% of districts)

We have high hopes for Guelph:
- If Mike Schreiner (GPO Leader) is elected in Guelph, it bodes well for neighbouring ridings in Waterloo Region
- Long-term plans…
  - Even if WR elects no Green Party candidates this election, we will do well next (2022) election if Guelph does well

Game plan for 2018 Ontario Provincial election:
- Election day is Thursday, 7 June 2018.
- Guelph Greens are already knocking on doors; raising issues, not electioneering.
  - Water taking permits.
  - Ontario Hydro: Nuclear review — Greens advocate no nuclear power, use Quebec hydro generated electricity until Ontario builds its own renewable energy sources.
- Issues we can address in Waterloo Region:
  - “Toll roads pay for transit” — makes tolls more palatable when it’s realized it will improve communter transit.
  - Housing strategy: WR is planning only 300 low-cost housing places over the next 5 years?
  - Phase 2 LRT: When does Cambridge get their transit? Provincial portion of funding.
  - GO Transit to Cambridge? Has been an election promise from other parties for over 15 years.
  - Highway 7 extension: Has been an election promise from other parties for over 15 years; better to use existing route and improve transit.
  - High Speed Rail: Another election promise from other parties.
- What actions can WR Greens take before the election?
  - Door knocking!
  - Events
  - Nomination meetings
  - Phone Call parties
    - Kitchener Centre called members, supporters, friends from GVote (Green Party of Canada) for Green Party of Ontario introductions.
- Cambridge needs a campaign team!
- People may start to come forward as the election date nears. What can they do?
  - Phone call party!
  - Issue-based calling party
    - People will need training and education on issues
    - Scripts for making cold calls is needed
  - Education parties: History of the Greens; Green Values
  - Round Table Discussion
  - Film screening, eg. Whipped by Sean Holman
    
    https://vimeo.com/64337555
    - January or February at Kitchener Public Library?
- But have a separate event for volunteer training
- Use movie event for Nomination Meeting?

How to get @gpo.ca e-mail addresses for CA exec and candidates?
- Ask Amy Watson or Andrew Roblin (GPO office)

Green Party of Ontario AGM (Jan or Feb 2018)
- Not really an AGM, since there won’t be Provincial Executive elections
  - There will be a real AGM after the June 2018 election for Provincial Executive elections
- Learning and Building opportunities
- Media training and skills building
- A little bit of policy development
  - but not a full policy session
- GPO has not yet published their policy book
- There will be a long platform document

Logistics for the Waterloo Greens 2018 Provincial Election Campaign
- Office? Money? Staff? Volunteers? Space available?
- Donation rules? Rebates? Discounts?
  - Teresa Cornwell (CFO for Mike Schreiner and Kitchener Centre) will check on this
- Bob Jonkman will set up VoIP phone number
  - IVR (“Menus”) to select different CAs/EDAs (“Press 1 for Waterloo, 2 for Kitchener Centre…”)
  - If this works well perhaps we will have only a virtual campaign office
- Bob to check e-mail addresses and contact information on web site https://wrgreens.ca/about

Upcoming Events
- What: Guelph Greens Campaign Office Party
  - When: Tuesday, 10 October 2017 from 4:00pm to 6:00pm
  - Where: 163 Suffolk Street, Guelph, Ontario Map
- What: Fair Vote Guelph: Turning Parliament Inside Out
  - When: Tuesday, 10 October 2017 from 7:00pm to 9:00pm
  - Where: Harcourt United Church
  - Location: 87 Dean Avenue, Guelph, Ontario Map
    - Teresa is offering a ride to people going to the evening event