March with Mike Schreiner & fellow Greens at the 2016 International Plowing Match Opening Parade in Wellington County!
The parade will take place on Tuesday, September 20 in the town of Minto (Harriston), Ontario.
The parade will begin at 10:00 am sharp and Green supporters will be gathering at 9:00 am in the parade assembly area.
We would love to have you come out to show your support for the GPO, and join us in celebrating Ontario’s farmland and rural communities. Everyone is welcome!
Chelsea Hotel Churchill Ballroom
33 Gerrard St W,
Toronto, ON → map ←
1:30—4:15 pm Witness Panel(s)
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13 h 30—16 h 15 Panel(s) de témoins
4:15—5:00 pm Open mic
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16 h 15—17 h 00* séance micro ouvert
6:30—9:30 pm Open mic
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18 h 30—21 h 30* séance micro ouvert
*Please note that the end time for the open mic sessions are approximate
This month is just flying by! Before this event, don’t forget The Honourable Maryam Monself will be consulting with Waterloo Region at the Liberal Town Hall on Wednesday Sept. 14th, and and our own Community Dialogue will be the following Saturday. It would be tremendous if you could print a poster or two to hang on local bulletin boards or hydro poles.
And remember, you can keep up with Waterloo Greens events in our Calendar, or by subscribing to this blog!
Kitchener Public Library
Meeting Room C ~ Central Branch ~ 85 Queen St N, Kitchener, ON N2H 2H1 map REGISTER here
September 14th, 2016
“You’re invited to join the Honourable Maryam Monsef, Minister of Democratic Institutions, at a series of federal electoral reform community dialogue events across Canada. These events, which complement the work of the Special Committee on Electoral Reform, are intended to raise awareness of electoral reform and provide an opportunity for you to engage in discussion with others about the future of Canada’s democracy.
These events will be hosted in English and French in physically accessible venues. No pre-registration is required, but note that seats will be provided on a first-come, first-served basis.
September 17th @WR_Greens hosts a Community Dialogue on Electoral Reform
Join us for a community dialogue about proportional representation and electoral reform!
Kitchener City Hall Rotunda
200 King St. W., Kitchener
Kitchener, N2G 4G7, Canada
All five MPs in Waterloo Region are teaming up for this multi-constituency consultation. We need you to commit now to attend this most important of consultations!
We’ll show our support for the People’s Climate Plan. Organizers with the People’s Climate Plan are calling for the national climate strategy that respects climate science and Canada’s commitments in the Paris Agreement, ensures a plan to transition to 100% renewable energy by 2050, and enshrines justice for all workers and Indigenous communities.
Get directions to this event ~ due to LRT construction, out of towners should try to come early in case of detours
EVERYONE needs to come to this important event.
This is a multipartisan event that is the result of collaboration of many different groups. Both Liberal and Conservative MPs will be in attendance, with GPC and likely NDP folk helping to facilitate.
As previously mentioned, two very contentious resolutions were put forward at the 2016 Green Party of Canada Convention. Even if you were unable to attend, you can watch recordings of The Real News Network’s livestream in a convenient WRGreens YouTube playlist.
For me, the choice was summed up by what Lisa Barrett said in this quotation [found in this video]:
During the resolution workshop on Saturday, a proposed amendment to the “Revoking the Charitable Status of the Jewish National Fund Canada (JNF)” resolution that would remove any mention of the JNF, making it generic was put forward, but voted down because it substantively changed the original intent of the amendment. The workshop voted to pass the original resolution and send it on to a plenary vote, where the amendment was reintroduced and pushed through. The Palestinian Self-Determination and the Movement for Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions resolution was indeed grounds for spirited debate, both in the workshop and the plenary.
Because both resolutions dealt with Isreal, the chief arguments against them were accusation of antisemitism. As I understand it, since they were announced there was a strong campaign to stop both resolutions. The idea that any Canadians should be prevented from even discussing human rights is reprehensible to me, personally.
What it boils down to is that sanctioning a nation that uses its power to commit human rights violations against a captive population is a defense of human rights, not an antisemitic attack. This is a human rights issue, a sphere in which Canadians used to aspire to lead the world. Foreign policy does not enter into it.
On Sunday, August 7th, at the 2016 Green Party of Canada 2016 Convention, the Green Party leader of Quebec, Alex Tyrrell reported:
“The Green Party of Canada delegates have just voted to endorse Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions (BDS) against the Israeli government at the federal convention in Ottawa!
Congratulations to all the party members, who worked hard to advocate for human rights in the face of harsh criticism, intimidation and smear campaigns carried out by the Israel lobby.
There is no excuse, justification or reason to permit the Israeli government to continue their reign of terror against the Palestinian people in the occupied territories.”
The National Post article offers a reasonably balanced view of the issue. (Although the comments below make up or it.)
The way [Green Party president, Ken] Melamed sees it, the fact the issue was being debated at all was a sign of how democratic the Green Party is. Other political parties don’t even touch topics like these, he suggested.
If grassroots within the Green Party of Canada membership want to debate something and bring it into the policy book — no matter how controversial — there’s nothing stopping them.
Unlike an actual anti-Semitic attack, this resolution is not forever, instead it will last only “until such time as Israel implements a permanent ban on further settlement construction in the OPT, and enters into good faith negotiations.”
BE IT RESOLVED that the GPC supports the use of divestment, boycott and sanctions (“BDS”) that are targeted to those sectors of Israel’s economy and society which profit from the ongoing occupation of the [Occupied Palestinian Territories] OPT;
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the GPC will support such a form of BDS until such time as Israel implements a permanent ban on further settlement construction in the OPT, and enters into good faith negotiations with representatives of the Palestinian people for the purpose of establishing a viable, contiguous and truly sovereign Palestinian state.
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the GPC opposes all efforts to prohibit, punish or otherwise deter expressions of support for BDS.
While Canada does indeed need to clean our own house and really truly address our own truth and reconciliation process, that does not preclude standing up for civil rights elsewhere.
I am proud to be a member of the only major Canadian political party to stand up for social justice in Israel.
It looks to be a fabulous jam packed weekend of events. If you haven’t registered, I believe it is still possible to attend the Convention although the Regular registration rate has ended. If you go, remember to save your receipts as a portion of convention fees are eligible for federal political contribution tax-receipts.
Although I’d love to be there for the keynote speeches and the Proportional Representation workshop, perhaps the thing I will regret missing most will be the debate and the opportunity to vote on the two policy resolutions put forward by our new Shadow Cabinet Justice Critic, Dimitri Lascaris, who wrote the:
Nathan Cullen ~ NDP critic for Democratic Reform and Environment & Climate Change
Member of Parliament for Skeena-Bulkley Valley @nathancullen
Alexandre Boulerice ~ NDP
Député de Rosemont La Petite-Patrie @alexboulerice
For the ERRE Committee Meetings I’ve seen,
Daniel Blaikie has been sitting in for Alexandre Boulerice but I’m not sure if this is temporary or permanent.
Daniel Blaikie ~ NDP
Member of Parliament for Elmwood — Transcona @Daniel_Blaikie
Elizabeth May ~ Leader of Green Party,
Member of Parliament for Saanich-Gulf Islands @ElizabethMay
Luc Thériault ~ Bloc Québécois
Député de Montcalm et leader parlementaire du Bloc Québécois @LucTerjo1
The Committee will present its findings to the MINISTER of Democratic Institutions Maryam Monsef ~ Liberal
Member of Parliament for Peterborough—Kawartha @MaryamMonsef
The Committee will also be travelling throughout Canada to meet with Canadians during the consultation period. All MPs are encouraged to hold Town Hall meetings with citizens in their respective ridings. I’ve heard the ERRE Committee will be making a Consultation stop once in Waterloo Region in the third week in August, but as yet nothing official. But should be 5 Electoral Reform Town Halls scheduled in the WRGreens Electoral Districts:
Everyone should contact their local MPs constituency office for details of these events. Because the time line is so tight, it is important these be scheduled very soon.
We have begun planning a #WRAwesome #PR4PR event to help raise awareness and answer questions about Proportional Representation for people in Waterloo Region.
Mo, David, Sam, Julia, Richard, Bob (with Laurel behind the camera)
If your MP is not making any move to hold a town hall, or if you are concerned that your MP may not support Proportional Representation, please visit our Push for Proportional Representation Action page (offline). If you are outside Waterloo Region, please feel free to use our ideas.
Even with the LRT construction, OPEN STREETS Waterloo is going ahead! And we’re glad, too, because we had a great time at our first Open Streets in June!
AND we’re expecting an even better time tomorrow in July (July 24th, 2016).
Drop by and say “hi,” sign the petition, and talk to us about Green issues, including electoral reform!
It’s going to be a hot day so dress appropriately, wear sunscreen and bring a refillable water bottle!
Every time the Electoral Reform Committee meets they are inviting the public to submit questions on Twitter at #ERRE #Q.
One way we can participate in the process is to tweet questions or comments during the committee meetings.
As individuals R. Kenneth Carty, Professor Emeritus, The University of British Colombia Brian Tanguay, Professor, Political Science, Wilfrid Laurier University Nelson Wiseman, Director, Canadian Studies Program, Professor, Department of Political Science, University of Toronto
Tuesday, July 26, 2016
MORNING: 9:30 a.m. – 12:00 p.m. (EDT)
As individuals Michael Marsh, Emeritus Professor, Trinity College Dublin
(by videoconference: Dublin, Ireland) Michael Gallagher, Professor of Comparative Politics, Trinity College Dublin
(by videoconference: Dublin, Ireland)
As individual Tom Rogers, Electoral Commissioner, Australian Electoral Commission (by videoconference: Canberra, Australia)
New Zealand Electoral Commission Robert Peden, Chief Electoral Officer (by videoconference: Wellington, New Zealand)
Wednesday, July 27, 2016
MORNING: 9:30 a.m. – 12:00 p.m. (EDT)
As individuals Henry Milner, Senior Researcher, Chair in Electoral Studies, Université de Montréal Alex Himelfarb, Clerk of the Privy Council, 2002-2006 André Blais, Professor, Department of Political Science, Université de Montréal
AFTERNOON2:00 p.m. to 4:30 p.m.
Institute for Research on Public Policy Leslie Seidle, Research Director, Canada’s Changing Federal Community
As individuals Larry LeDuc, Professor Emeritus, University of Toronto Hugo Cyr, Dean, Faculty of Political Science and Law, Université du Québec à Montréal
Thursday, July 28, 2016
MORNING: 9:30 a.m. – 12:00 p.m. (EDT)
As individuals
Dennis Pilon, Associate Professor, Department of Political Science, York University
Jonathan Rose, Associate Professor, Department of Policital Studies, Queen’s University
And it doesn’t stop there. The first WRGreens Action Campaign is the Push for Proportional Representation. Help us work more effectively together to convince our Members of Parliament of the importance of Proportional Representation.
Our 2015 Kitchener—Conestoga candidate Bob Jonkman (who also happens to be the Fair Vote Waterloo Co-Chair) was so informative during the Electoral Reform Debate during the election, I assembled it into this 7 minute short video:
Since meaningful electoral reform is not a partisan issue, but one of fairness for voters, this information is important for all Canadians, no matter which way their politics lean, so I’ve un-branded this video to make it more universally sharable.
In order for this to happen, we need to be sure that the Special Committee on Electoral Reform hears us, and that the Government knows Canadians really want this change. And not just the government: MPs from every political party need to hear us. This is why the Green Party has an excellent array of tools you can use to help encourage the adoption of Proportional Representation!
One of reasons New Zealand was able to replace its First Past The Post system with Mixed Member Proportional Representation was that their main stream media properly informed voters. That is not happening here. Instead, one of our biggest obstacles is that our mainstream media doesn’t really want this change because it benefits from the status quo. This is why it is so important that we understand the issue so we can help others understand it.
And because we don’t have fair representation in Parliament, we will need to be as loud as we can, both online and off.
The GPC Toolbox includes examples of the kind of letter you might send to your local newspaper. If you’re looking for additional examples, our Fair Vote Waterloo Chapter (co-chaired by our own Bob Jonkman) has been keeping track of all the letters they have had published and posted them online.
There are also tips for using social media effectively, and graphics you can use. Since I’ve been learning and writing about the importance of Proportional Representation I’ve been creating graphics you can use as well.
There are plenty of things we can do to pitch in, check them out at the GPC Toolbox
2016 International Plowing Match Opening Parade
wrgreens 