Council of Canadians Toronto

CETA & Toronto: What You Need to Know

2012-01-26T00:04:00.001-05:00

Wednesday, 1st February, 7 - 9 p.m.
Toronto City Hall, room 4 (Queen & Bay streets)
Free event! All welcome.

Speakers:
Angelo DiCaro, CAW National Representative, Communications Department
Stuart Trew, National Trade Campaigner, Council of Canadians

The proposed Canada-European Union Comprehensive Economic and Trade Agreement (CETA) threatens water, health care, daycare and other services you depend on everyday. At a time where local, sustainable policies are necessary CETA is a step backwards, holding Toronto from becoming a more equal, sustainable place to live.

Already over 20 municipal governments have requested to be excluded from the EU deal and a motion for Toronto to follow suit is currently being considered by city council.

Come hear how CETA would impact our city and what you can do to get our city excluded from this unfair trade deal.

Stop the Cuts! rally - Final Budget Showdown: Toronto vs Rob Ford!

2012-01-16T13:38:00.000-05:00

Join us at tomorrow's Stop the Cuts! rally. Look for our bright yellow banner, come by & say hello.

January 17th, 5:30 p.m.
Outside of City Hall, 100 Queen Street West

www.torontostopthecuts.com

Global Day of Action on Climate Change

2011-11-30T14:16:00.002-05:00

Join us in solidarity with synchronized demonstrations around the world calling on world leaders to take urgent action on climate change. These demonstrations coincide with the annual United Nations Climate Talks taking place in Durban, South Africa.

At 10 am we will hear speakers from Toronto and see supporting videos. We have a growing number of people on the ground in Durban who will give us live updates. Discussion of action going forward will ensue. Become engaged and march in solidarity with Occupy Toronto at 2 pm.

Saturday, December 3, 2011

Oakham Lounge, 2nd floor, Oakham House

Ryerson University, 63 Gould St.

Coffee/tea and a light snack will be available. Please BYO mug and lunch!

10 am - Speakers & Videos (Patrick Bond on system change, Wild Law with Cormac Cullinan)

Live updates from Durban:

Patrick Bonin (AQLPA, Association Québécoise de Lutte contre la Pollution Atmosphérique)
Crystel Hajjar (CYD, Canadian Youth Delegation)

Toby Davine (CYD, Canadian Youth Delegation)
Hannah McKinnon (CAN, Climate Action Network)
Steven Guilbeault (Equiterre)

Richard Girard (Polaris Institute)

Mardi Tindal (Moderator, United Church of Canada)

Discussion, action going forward

2 pm - March in solidarity with Occupy Toronto!

If your group is interested in tabling, please contact info@torontoclimatecampaign.org

Organized and hosted by:
Toronto Climate Campaign

Council of Canadians Toronto Chapter

Toronto People's Assembly on Climate Justice

CESAR - Continuing Education Students' Association of Ryerson

Rabble event listing

Facebook event listing

Facebook event listing - 2pm march

Council of Canadians Toronto supports Occupy Toronto!

2011-11-21T13:15:00.000-05:00

November 20, 2011

The Council of Candians Toronto joins community based organizations, unions, faith groups, activists and concerned individuals in opposing the eviction of Occupy Toronto from St. James park.

Globally, the Occupy Movement seeks to draw attention to the corporate control of our economy, and the resulting wealth inequalities, austerity measures, environmental harms, loss of democratic rights and exclusion of popular voices.

As Canada's largest citizens' organization, the Council of Canadians with over 70 chapters across the country has been supporting local Occupy sites. Here in Toronto our chapter celebrates Occupy Toronto's inclusive, dialogue-friendly, non-violent and truly democratic approach to social transformation. The multitude of engaged individuals eagerly participating in daily general assemblies, workshops, teach-ins and trainings is nothing short of inspirational.

The freedom of expression and peaceful assembly are core democratic rights protected by the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms. Concern over upholding these constitutionally protected rights has already been expressed by the Canadian Civil Liberties Association (CCLA) to Mayor Ford. Our chapter agrees that these rights must be protected.

Whatever the outcome of the court hearing on Monday, our chapter is proud to support and stand in solidarity with Occupy Toronto.

Join us tomorrow at the Occupy Toronto - Evict Ford march!

2011-11-18T21:12:00.000-05:00

Join us tomorrow (Sat 19) to protest the eviction of Occupy Toronto. Meet us at 1pm at the south west entrance to the park (on King street). Look for our bright yellow banners!

http://www.facebook.com/event.php?eid=276041775772752

Occupy Toronto: Evict Ford - Hell NO we WON'T GO!

19 November · 14:00 - 17:00

St. James Park

Rob Ford has had over a year to make his point, he's had his tantrum, and now judging by the polls, businesses and residents have had enough and it’s time for him to go.

Initially we thought "end the gravy train” was a vague message, but now we know "gravy" included plans to cut Libraries, Police, Snow and Road clearing, city planning, the environment and public parks The latest edition to the gravy train was senior citizens and the disabled. This gravy train is getting crowded!

He's already cost the city millions of dollars in transit schemes, and he must be evicted before the winter, before the damage he does to city infrastructure and social services becomes impossible to repair.

The local residents are complaining and they're fed up! Even his old supporters are getting tired of him.

Enough is Enough, It's time to EVICT ROB FORD!

Mayor Ford was initially elected as the "ordinary guy" fighting against elites and corruption in the city administration. His promises resonated with a public angry with the political system and looking for change.

Unfortunately, the change our mayor has brought about has been for the worse. While he promised to cut the budget WITHOUT service cuts, he has done the complete opposite.

Mayor Ford has caused chaos in our local government, waged war on our city workers and bullied through a flawed transit plan that provides less service at a much higher cost.

He's been an embarrassment to himself and our city! And this is only the beginning.

Join us Sat the 19th of November and lets all tell Ford that Occupy Toronto isn't leaving, it's time for HIM to go!

Solidarity with our brothers and sisters in New York! Solidarity with the global movement! Lets show them our strength this Saturday!

Occupy Toronto!

2011-10-17T01:03:00.000-04:00

Occupy Toronto! (October 15)
by Tara S.

Under grey and windy skies yesterday, hundreds of people gathered at the corner of King & Bay streets to start Occupy Toronto's occupation. An hour later, we marched east along King Street to St. James park (King & Church streets) to start the occupation itself.

It was inspiring to be in such a positive, friendly environment. Many people waved signs or spontaneously made their own. Everyone exchanged smiles. And though everyone has their own reasons for being there, the atmosphere was one of understanding, respect, community building and empowerment. It was also great to see the respectful police presense, quite the welcome change after the G20 events last summer. It's estimated over 2000 people occupied the park and over 100 planned to stay overnight.

Once at the park people broke out into small groups. Some joined the spontaneous music bands in the middle of the park, while others gathered around the open mic truck at the north end of the park. Volunteers were busy setting up the medical tent area, food serving area, lending library and media area.

I left the park for a bit in the afternoon and was very impressed when I returned that in under 2 hrs the food tent was serving meals (Food Not Bombs are doing the bulk of offsite cooking), the lending library was packed and ~20 portapotties had been set up (donated by CUPE).

One very important part of the Occupy Toronto - and indeed all the Occupy movements - are the General Assemblies. The first one in the park started at 5pm. It covered highlights from other Occupy movements, updates from the various committees and discussion about the decision making process. There was use of the People's Mic (each speaker's message is repeated so those at the back can hear) and an explanation of the handsignals used ("I agree", "I'd like to make a comment", "I strongly oppose or block this"). The guidelines are also read at the start of each General Assembly. These include keeping the space positive (anti- sexist/racist/ableist/homophobic) and a suggested time limit for comments, remarks and objections. General Assemblies are slated to occur twice daily.

Occupy Toronto runs entirely on volunteers and donations. The working committees include logistics, medical, marshalls, food, media and facilitation. Anyone can become involved, it's easy to attend the frequent training sessions and/or shadow volunteers if you'd like to help out and don't have any experience. Donations are also very critical, here's a list of needs.

I'd urge you to visit St. James park to see the Occupy movement yourself and stay updated with them.

Website - http://occupyto.org/
Facebook - www.facebook.com/OccupyToronto
Live stream - www.livestream.com/occupytoronto
Youtube videos - www.youtube.com/user/OccupyTorontoToday

Occupy Tororonto volunteers will be also joining our October monthly meeting (Oct 26) to give us an overview of the movement and update us on the continued occupation.

Check out more pics on our Facebook page.

Marching along King St.

TCoC at the march!

Along Adelaide St.

Entering the park.

Occupy Toronto!

2011-10-14T20:38:00.000-04:00

Council members, activists and supporters are joining in the Occupy movements happening across the country!

Join us tomorrow at King & Bay, 10am.

http://occupyto.org/2011/10/14/occupy-toronto-october-15th/

With only one day away, many of you are probably wondering where we are headed and what the plan is! Well here you go!
We plan to rally at King St. and Bay St. at 10:00 AM. At 10:30 we will announcement about the location of the Occupation Zone. This is done to aid us in preventing police and municipal interference. If you cannot make it to King and Bay by 10:00, we recommend you stay connected to the internet and await for the announcement to hit the airwaves.
We look forward to seeing you all and cannot wait to work with all of you!
Today we plan. Tonight we rest. Tomorrow we take over.

Niger River: A River Under Seige

2011-10-11T08:56:00.000-04:00

The Toronto Chapter is co-presenting Niger River: A River Under Seige on Sunday, Oct 16 at 3pm. We have 2 for 1 passes available; please contact us if you would like one, or would be interested in volunteering at our information table.

http://planetinfocus.org/festival-films/niger-river-a-river-under-siege/

In the face of a rapidly changing climate and a growing population, resilience, adaptation and optimism help the people of the Niger River to cope with the devastating effects that desertification is having on local agriculture.

Explorer, climate journalist and star of the film Himalaya Alert at last year’s festival, Bernice Notenboom and her team embark on a 750-kilometre kayak expedition on the Bani and Niger Rivers towards Timbuktu, Mali to discover how the local Fulani, Bozo and Tuareq tribes are adapting to the changing weather conditions and the small-scale initiatives undertaken by local farmers, fishermen and herders to prepare for even more extreme conditions to come.

September monthly meeting

2011-09-28T12:50:00.000-04:00

Join us tonight from 7 - 9 p.m. as we discuss the upcoming provincial elections in light of important topics like the Mega-quarry, Health Care, Energy, Transit, Trade and Water.

Speakers include:
Megan Cobean, Ontario Health Coalition
Angela Bischoff, Ontario Clean Air Alliance
Jacob Louy, transit advocate
Mega-quarry Awareness group

Date: Wednesday, August 28
Time: 7 - 9 p.m.
Location: Toronto City Hall (100 Queen St. West), room 3

All welcome!

People's Assembly Fair - Saturday 27th August

2011-08-21T21:07:00.000-04:00

We're busy prepping for the People's Assembly Fair next weekend (August 27). It'll be a fun filled day with live music, environmental & social justice workshops, interactive games, kids area, free food and more.

We'll be facilitating a workshop on CETA and how it will affect our local communities. Let's get the word out to our councillors that Toronto should declare itself exempt from CETA!

There's also going to be a nifty button making area at our table, so come create custom buttons and magnets!

See you at the Fair next Saturday.

Time: 12 – 5 p.m.

Location: Dufferin Grove Park, 875 Dufferin Street (south of Bloor)

Cost: free!

It's almost time for the People's Assembly Fair! With free workshops, live music, free food, a kids center and more, it's going to be a lot fun for everyone. So come out, join the debate and be heard.

Bring some new faces and lets talk, be heard and create some action!
Be excited, we know we are!

Here are the things we have set up so far:
Clean Train Coalition - Interactive booth
Toronto Chapter of the Council of Canadians - C.E.T.A. Workshop and diy button making
Green Peace with Dix Sandbeck - The Economy and The Environment Workshop
Food Not Bombs - serving a vegan/vegetarian meal
Living Well Climate Justice Network - Discussion Based Seminar
Mega Quarry Awareness - Info Booth and A Discussion Based Seminar
Toronto Public Library Workers Union - Workshop, Info Booth and Kids story time.
People's Voice - Info Booth
Stop U of T Animal Research - Workshop
Toronto Environmental Alliance - Interactive Game
the zeitgeist Movement - Info Booth and Music
Mining Injustice Solidarity Network - Info Booth and Workshop
No One Is Illegal - Surprise Workshop

For more information vist the Toronto People's Assembly website or find us on Facebook

2011 Toronto Chapter Water Forum

2011-03-06T16:13:00.001-05:00

Water Forum 2011: Healthy Water, Healthy Cities

Date: Sunday, March 20

Time: 10:00 a.m. – 4:30 p.m.

Location: Metro Hall, 55 John Street (2 blocks east of Spadina Avenue on King Street)

Cost: free

Please RSVP to torontochapter@gmail.com with Water Forum in the subject line!

Join the Council of Canadians Toronto Chapter in celebrating World Water Day at our 2nd annual Water Forum!

We have an exciting day planned,

· U.N. Right to Water and Sanitation: a recent historic “win”

· Toronto's Drinking Water Quality: ensuring that our tap water is as healthy as possible

· Lake Ontario: When will we stop putting sewage in it?

· CETA: the threat to water and Toronto

· Reclaiming the Great Lakes as a Commons

“Healthy Water, Healthy Cities” reminds us that clean water is essential to us all and there's a growing challenge to provide clean water to urban areas, which contain more than half of the world's population. Come hear about the recently passed U.N. Right to Water and Sanitation, a historic win for water justice activisits worldwide. We'll explore water challenges in Toronto and hear how our chapter's water campaigns are oriented towards making changes to the way Toronto treats it's drinking water, its wastewater and the wellbeing of the watersheds and lake waters in our region. The threat CETA (the Canadian-E.U. Trade agreement) poses to water and Toronto in particular, will also be discussed.

http://www.facebook.com/event.php?eid=198469470171418

Hundreds gather for People’s Assembly on Climate Justice in Toronto

2010-12-06T19:56:00.000-05:00

A report on Saturday's Assembly from the Climate Justice Network.

Activists, Organizers, Neighbourhood Participants discuss community response to the Climate Crisis

Toronto – On Saturday December 4^th, the Global Climate Campaign’s International Day of Climate Action, hundreds of activists, community organizers and neighbourhood participants gathered for the second Toronto People’s Assembly on Climate Justice at Sidney Smith Hall, on the University of Toronto campus.

“The People’s Assembly on Climate Justice is a people’s alternative to the corrupt and illegitimate solutions which are being pushed through the United Nations,” says Julien Lalonde, a community organizer with Toronto Bolivia Solidarity and a core facilitator at the Assembly. “By using channels of collective dialogue and community empowerment we are working together to become a movement that understands the fundamental interconnectedness of our struggles for social, economic and environmental justice.”

Building on the horizontal process established during the Reclaim Power People’s Assembly in Copenhagen last December, the Toronto Assembly was an ambitious all day affair. Using a combination of breakouts and plenaries, participants discussed movement building, building alternative spaces, accountability to front-line communities, economic reform, offgrid energy solutions, and much more, in response to the initial framing question asking what we can do together to create a stronger movement for Climate Justice. In the afternoon seven People’s Council’s were created to begin formulating responses to topics identified by the Assembly as priority issues.

“Through a horizontal people’s process, the Assembly seeks to create a space where we can work together to share experience, knowledge, and resources in order to build a local response to a global crisis,” says Brett Rhyno of Environmental Justice Toronto, who participated in the original Reclaim Power People’s Assembly. “The challenge of the climate crisis can only be met with a coordinated response that will bring forth our power in numbers.”

As the Canadian government works to obstruct progress in Cancun by opposing a second commitment period for the Kyoto Protocol and at home by killing the Climate Change Accountability Act, the need is clear for communities to step up and start building their own solutions. The goal of the People’s Assembly is to generate new possibilities and new hopes in order to bridge the gap from separately operating groups, communities, and individuals, to converge into one diverse, united movement.

The Toronto People’s Assembly is in solidarity with La Via Campesina’s call for 1000 Cancuns and, after successfully bringing the People’s Assembly model to Canada in advance of the G20, it collaborated with the Council of Canadians to produce a national call for People’s Assemblies which has resulted in fourteen People’s Assemblies happening across the country during the UN negotiations in Cancun.

For more information on the People's Assembly go here http://torontopeoplesassembly.wordpress.com/

People's Assembly on Climate Justice - December 4th

2010-11-29T22:46:00.000-05:00

Our chapter is part of the People's Assembly Toronto event happening this Saturday. Fourteen communities across the country will hold Assemblies to collectively make climate justice a reality. We hope to see you on Saturday at this historic event!

- Tara Seucharan.

Dear People's Assembly Participants,

First some inspiring news! Back in June, we established the model of the People's Assembly here in Canada. Now, thanks to national promotion of the idea through the Council of Candians, there be 14 People's Assemblies happening across the country this December. With your continued participation, the Toronto Assembly on Dec 4th will easily be the largest and most ambitious of these national Assemblies.

The second Toronto People's Assesmbly will occur on Saturday December 4th and will run from 9:30am-5pm. It will be held at Sidney Smith Hall, 100 St George St in room SS2118. Breakfast and lunch will be provided. As this is a grassroots community effort we will be asking a PWYC donation at the door to help cover costs. All contributions are welcome and no one will be turned away for lack of funds.

The main question we will address is how we can work together to create a stronger and more united movement for Climate Justice in Toronto. As with last time, we will employ a horizontal process and use a combination of breakout and plenary discussion. Taking your input from the First Assembly, we will aim to create more focus and be more action-oriented in our discussions.

Because we are going to be making food to share with you throughout the day, we highly encourage everyone to pre-register by sending an email to peoplesassembly.toronto@gmail.com - even if you are not able to join us for the entire day, we hope you will come out for however much time you can spare.

If you would like to volunteer, we have plenty of need for extra hands to help cook, set-up and perform various tasks throughout the day on Dec 4th. For further details on how you can help, please contact us at peoplesassembly.toronto@gmail.com or call 647-869-6496.

You can also help us build the Assembly by joining us on Facebook and inviting your friends to join us. You can also download all our outreach materials for printing or electronic distribution here. If everyone took a moment to tell 5-10 friends about the Assembly, it would go a long way to growing our movement!

The killing of the Climate Change Accountability Act in the Senate last week by unelected Conservative Senators makes what we are trying to do all the more important. It is clear that our government is recklessly opposed to taking real action on climate change will be going to the UN Climate Talks in Cancun only to promote false solutions and to protect the doomsday-esque Tar Sands gigaproject. If we want to realize the goal of Climate Justice we must band together. Only as a united movement can we hope to have enough power to create the just solutions that will combine our ongoing quest for social justice with effective action to prevent catastrophic climate change.

See you at the Assembly!

Brett Rhyno
on behalf of the People's Assembly on Climate Justice
http://torontopeoplesassembly.wordpress.com/
peoplesassembly.toronto@gmail.com
647-869-6496

2010-11-14T23:55:00.000-05:00

Organize to Win Workshop

Given the recent changes at City Hall . . . it’s time to get your group Organized to Win! Please join the Toronto Chapter of The Council of Canadians to learn how to become more successful advocates for the causes we work so hard on.

Workshop Leader: Liz Benneian

Hosted By: The Council of Canadians Toronto Chapter

Date: Saturday, November 20^th

Time: 11:00am to 3:30pm

Location: Steelworkers Hall, 25 Cecil Street, Toronto

Fee: PWYC; Suggested donation of $5 to $20; All profits will be donated to the G20 Legal Defense Fund.

Registration: Pre-Registration is required! Please email us at torontochapter@gmail.com with your name, organization name, and how many people will be attending from your organization. Please put “Organize to Win” in the subject line. We will email you the hand-outs to be used during the workshop – please print and bring them with you.

* Includes light refreshments - please bring your own mug.

About the Workshop

Citizens’ groups fighting to protect natural spaces, stop incinerators, ensure more sustainable planning etc. are usually outgunned by “experts”, outmaneuvered by municipal staff, shut out by local media and outfoxed by politicians. But citizens groups can beat all these odds and win. Learn how at the Organize to Win seminar led by Oakvillegreen Conservation Association president Liz Benneian, an award-winning community activist and environmental leader.

Oakvillegreen has been a tremendously successful citizens’ organization, partly because it had the help of some experienced organizers. Oakvillegreen now wants to pass that experience and learning on to other organizations so they can be more effective in their battles.

The seminar will discuss: how to organize; forming successful strategies; developing effective tactics; getting publicity; understanding bureaucracies and politicians; and avoiding pitfalls. Plenty of real life examples of successes and strategies will be given and those attending will be encouraged to add to the discussion with their stories and questions. The seminar is geared to give participants useful tools their groups can employ immediately to become more successful. The seminar will be especially helpful to groups that are just forming, offering critical information on how to get a new group organized. This seminar is not just for group leaders but for all members who want to learn how to become more successful advocates.

About Liz

Seminar leader Liz Benneian is a former newspaper editor who has been president of Oakvillegreen since 2005. In 2010, she received an award from Heritage Ontario for her efforts in preserving the Province’s natural heritage. In 2009, she was the recipient of Earth Day Canada’s National Hometown Hero Award. She is a previous recipient of the Town of Oakville’s Spirit Award and Rotary’s Paul Harris Award for community service. Liz has helped found several environmental organizations and given the Organize To Win seminar to more than 15 community groups around the province. www.oakvillegreen.org

My G20 Poem

2010-09-26T19:54:00.001-04:00

I Stand on Guard for Thee

June 26^th twenty-ten

Toronto’s G20 was then.

I attended workshops and training in preparation,

I had no idea so many would need reparation.

The People’s Summit was inspiring

but the police were already perspiring,

worrying about what we would do

with plans to throw us in their zoo.

The Week of Action was about our rights

for democracy we are forced to fight.

And while those with a lot of clout

participated in a Shout Out,

the police agencies started to brace

all of their planning resulting in a disgrace.

On that Saturday morning

it was grey and pouring,

yet thousands showed up to say

they weren’t happy with the way,

Harper and his rich friends were ruling

- the entire world they are ruining.

The police told us to stay away

creating fear amongst the fray,

but we came out anyway

despite the threats that we would pay.

And not because we were rebels

or wanted to cause troubles,

but because we love our country

and in theory still are free

to protest and detest

lest we lose what’s best.

The land, water and air

it’s plight just isn’t fair.

Polluted by multi-nationals,

the public getting no rationale.

As Nafta and CETA rob us blind

our public services we’ll no longer find.

Harper forcing trade deals through in a hurry.

Whose favour is he trying to curry?

And yet voices are so critical

at a time so pivotal.

We’re not just fighting for our view

we are fighting for you all too.

So if our marches inconvenienced you,

imagine fresh water for only a few – but not you.

And not your loved ones.

It’ll be protected by corporate guns.

For a steep profit

they’ll clean it and sell it

back to Canadian citizens.

How will we afford our medicines?

Now privatized.

Harper’s dream realized.

Everything in Canada for sale,

even the delivery of our mail.

So for those who were not there,

please dare to be fair.

The media coverage was one-sided,

almost as if they were pre-guided

on what to say and what to play

regardless of the peaceful reality.

It was banality.

Showing burning cars for hours

was media produced by cowards.

Over a thousand arrested,

many never even protested.

Thrown in cages

and igniting rages

that had not been

because the guards were unjustly mean.

Laughing at the sick,

did they forget this was the public

they swore to serve and protect?

The police actions cannot go unchecked.

They must have meant to demean

serving urine in Styrofoam – obscene.

And all because people were on a street

or trying to get home – not beat.

It is berserk

that those who had to work

were expected to accept defeat

as if earning a living was to compete

with the establishment.

Such an embarrassment.

Harper’s legacy - a folly.

Canada

’s resources his debauchery.

Tailings ponds growing and leaking

as multi-national corporations are guzzling and sabotaging

our fresh water, our trees, our tar

our land forever scarred.

While trade deals, conceal

true intent, and the extent to which they will

change

Canada

without our consent.

The G20 hangover is not ending

with the civil action suit still pending.

And as the police add pictures to their line-up

to try to counterbalance their fuck-up.

I, we, us

the active citizens, protesters and anarchists amongst us,

will continue to right the wrongs.

Alone and in throngs.

To bring Canada back to it’s former pride

and if we fail, at least I can say I tried.

Canada

, I know you can once again be

a land healthy, strong and free, and so

I stand on guard, for thee.

T.F.

2010-08-16T00:27:00.000-04:00

The Council of Canadians

Founded in 1985, the Council of Canadians is Canada's largest advocacy organization, with members and chapters across the country. If you believe that our social programs and public services should be strengthened, not privatized; that our foreign and trade policies should be independent, not subservient to the United States; and that our water and natural resources should be protected, not exploited, please join us as a member.

www.canadians.org

The Weekly updates are now posted on our blog!

http://councilofcanadianstoronto.blogspot.com/

Upcoming Toronto Chapter Events

Email: torontochapter@gmail.com

Blog: http://councilofcanadianstoronto.blogspot.com

Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=155194435464

Tuesday, August 17^th from 7:30 to 10:00pm

What: CP24 Your Vote: Race for Mayor

Where: MTV Studio, 888 Yonge Street (at Davenport)

Details: Would you like to be part of the live studio audience and ask the candidates a question on live TV? If so, please email us back with CP24 Mayoral Debates in the subject line and we will email you back with details and question ideas. We need to let the organizer know how many Toronto Chapter members will be attending! Please note, there will be no remote locations this time around, and there will be no theme for this debate, so any topic will be open for discussion by the candidates.

Wednesday, August 25^th from 7pm to 9pm

What: Toronto Chapter Monthly Meeting

Where: TBA (Either City Hall or Metro Hall)

Movie: The World According to Monsanto - Monsanto, the world's largest producer of genetically engineered products, claims their patented GM seeds and bovine growth hormone (BGH) will increase worldwide production of agricultural, dairy, meat, and Bt cotton and can eradicate world hunger and poverty. However Monsanto (maker of Agent Orange), is frequently described as the "Gestapo" and "Mafia" by farmers who use their products due to their use of pressure tactics, attempts at corruption, misleading reports, and collusion with the American Government.

The World According to Monsanto pieces together the true, unsettling story of how the clean, green image conveyed by the company's advertising serves as a smoke screen for Monsanto's quest for market supremacy - to the detriment of global food security, public health and environmental stability.

Wednesday, September 29^th from 7pm to 9pm

What: Toronto Chapter Monthly Meeting

Where: TBA (Either City Hall or Metro Hall)

Movie: A Question of Sovereignty by Kevin P. Miller – Kevin will be joining us to discuss his film and talk about his film and answer questions. We will also be discussing the Mayoral Election, and where the candidates stand on various issues.

In this patriotic and sentimental film, international award winning Writer/Director Kevin P. Miller GENERATION RX, WE BECOME SILENT) exposes how Canadians are being stripped of their personal sovereignty by government agencies — and how free trade deals and other international agreements imperil Canadian democracy.

Quietly, over a period of many years, unconstitutional legislation encompassed in Bills C-51, C-6, and the current Bill C-36 have placed not only basic civil liberties and freedoms at risk, but Canada's national sovereignty as well. The film shares how entangling alliances with groups like the World Trade Organization, the World Health Organization, Codex Alimentarius, the United States and even multinational corporate interests have become so powerful that they literally threaten to make elected officials in Parliament irrelevant.

A QUESTION OF SOVEREIGNTY discusses why this dramatic shift in the balance of power puts the nation and its people at a vital crossroad early in the 21st century — and why some of the past giants of Canadian politics may hold the answers to Canada's future.

http://www.aquestionofsovereignty.com/

October 23 & 24^th

What: Council of Canadians, Annual General Meeting

Where: Ottawa, ON

When: October 23^rd – all day workshops, October 24^th – AGM in the morning.

The Saturday and Sunday events are open to everyone, so if anyone would like to attend, please let us know as the Toronto Chapter Core Team will be driving up either on Thursday or Friday. More details to follow. Please email back with AGM in the subject line if you would like to attend, and be part of our car pool.

Wednesday, October 27^th from 7pm to 9pm

What: Toronto Chapter Monthly Meeting

Where: TBA (Either City Hall or Metro Hall)

Guest Speaker: Martha Rafuse with The Climate Project

Canada

http://www.climateprojectcanada.org/

Friday, November 12^th from 6pm to 8pm

What: Toronto Chapter Book Club

Where: TBA

Book: In Defense of Food: An Eater’s Manifesto by Michael Pollan - Pollan proposes a new (and very old) answer to the question of what we should eat that comes down to seven simple but liberating words: Eat food. Not too much. Mostly plants. By urging us to once again eat food, he challenges the prevailing nutrient-by-nutrient approach — what he calls nutritionism — and proposes an alternative way of eating that is informed by the traditions and ecology of real, well-grown, unprocessed food. Our personal health, he argues, cannot be divorced from the health of the food chains of which we are part.

In Defense of Food shows us how, despite the daunting dietary landscape Americans confront in the modern supermarket, we can escape the Western diet and, by doing so, most of the chronic diseases that diet causes. We can relearn which foods are healthy, develop simple ways to moderate our appetites, and return eating to its proper context — out of the car and back to the table. Michael Pollan’s bracing and eloquent manifesto shows us how we can start making thoughtful food choices that will enrich our lives, enlarge our sense of what it means to be healthy, and bring pleasure back to eating. http://michaelpollan.com/books/in-defense-of-food/

* Toronto Public Library has 177 copies and 35 holds as of August 15, and 20 large print copies with 2 holds.

Saturday, January 15th

What: Toronto Chapter Annual Planning Meeting

Where: TBA

Time: 10am to 4pm

Details: Everyone is welcome to attend. The active 2011 Toronto Chapter campaigns will be decided at this meeting.

Volunteer & Outreach Co-ordinators Needed!

The Toronto Chapter would like to take advantage of our many tabling and outreach opportunities, and we are looking for a few motivated volunteers who would like to take charge and get more involved. If you are interested in attending events, organizing volunteers for information tables and even finding new tabling and outreach opportunities, please contact us. We can match you to your campaign area of interest (Water, Food, Climate Change, or Trade). Tabling is a great way to meet new people, and greatly helps bring the Toronto Chapter Campaigns into the awareness of the public. The more active members we have, the bigger difference we can make together. If you are interested in tabling, or taking charge of tabling and outreach events for one of our campaign areas, please email us back with Volunteer & Outreach Coordinator in the subject line, and specify in the email what area you would like to participate in.

Volunteer Opportunities

In an effort to only email our members once a week, we thought we should create a separate group for those who want to be notified of volunteer and direct action opportunities. Quite often we receive very little notice of rallies, protests and tabling events, and cannot inform our membership unless we send out additional emails. Therefore, we would like to ask anyone interested in being put on our Volunteer List, to email us back with VOLUNTEER in the subject line. Putting yourself on this list will not mean we expect you to participate in any of the events that happen; it simply means you will receive emails of these events as we receive them. Whenever possible, we will group events into one email so you will not be bombarded. At any point, you can email us and let us know if you want to be removed from this separate email group, and we will remove your name. We hope to see many more of you out participating in active citizenry in the months ahead!

Toronto Chapter Facebook Group

* Check-out the Toronto Chapter’s photos from the G20 and related events. They take a LONG time to upload, so keep checking back as we will keep adding more.

Please join our local chapter Facebook Group to stay updated, discuss ideas and view photos of the events we are involved in. Search for us: Council of Canadians – Toronto Chapter, or use the link below.

Link: http://www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=155194435464

Information on past guest speakers at our monthly meetings:

Mini Alakkatusery: Manager, Programs, Toronto Community Foundation, www.tcf.ca

Toronto ’s Vital Signs 2009 Report (as released in the Toronto Star; contains about 65 indicators):

http://www.tcf.ca/vitalinitiatives/Torontos_Vital_Signs_Toronto_Star.pdf

Full Report (about 200 indicators with links to all the source materials; it’s a PDF of a word doc): http://www.tcf.ca/vitalinitiatives/TVS09FullReport.pdf

Erin Weir: Trade Justice Network, http://tradejustice.ca/

John O’Leary: Director of Major Gifts, Amnesty International, www.amnesty.ca

Roy Brady: Peterborough - Kawarthas Chapter contact, rbrady1@cogeco.ca

Dorothy Goldin Rosenberg: Executive Producer of Toxic Trespass, www.toxictrespass.com

Nick Fillmore: fillmore0274@rogers.com

Clean Train Coalition: http://www.cleantrain.ca/ (they also have a Facebook group and Twitter account you can join).

Elizabeth Littlejohn’s Blog: http://railroadedbymetrolinx.blogspot.com/

Stop the Stink: http://www.stopthestink.ca/

Join us in active citizenry. Get involved and make a difference.

Contact us at: torontochapter@gmail.com

Upcoming Toronto Events

August 16

DEMOCRACY CAFE

CAPP Toronto discussion on Canadian democracy in crisis with Green Party leader Elizabeth May.

Mon. Aug. 16, 6:15-8:30 pm.

Koffler House, rm KP108, 569 Spadina

Free.

torontoparticipates.ca

August 17

CP24 invites you to be part of the LIVE studio audience for YOUR VOTE: THE RACE FOR MAYOR
Date: Tuesday, August 17th from 8 – 10 p.m. ET (Please arrive for check-in no later than 7:30 p.m.)
Location: MTV’s Studio at 888 Yonge ST. (Yonge and Davenport)
To be part of the audience, contact: CP24VOTES@CTV.CA
Discuss. Debate. Decide. CP24 will host an exclusive series of six unique television events leading up to the Toronto municipal election in October. Entitled YOUR VOTE: THE RACE FOR MAYOR, the live, two-hour televised discussions will give leading local mayoral candidates an opportunity to debate the issues, present their ideas for the future of the city, and give Torontonians a chance to press the candidates for answers.
The five major candidates participating in YOUR VOTE: THE RACE FOR MAYOR are Rob Ford, Joe Pantalone, Rocco Rossi, George Smitherman and Sarah Thomson. CP24’s Stephen LeDrew moderates the debates, joined by host Melissa Grelo.
Torontonians are invited to participate by emailing their questions to

now@cp24.com and please include the subject "Your Vote". You can also tweet your questions and comments to @CP24 with the hashtag #CP24mayor. Phone questions and comments will be taken throughout the live event.

August 17

DROP G20 CHARGES! RESISTING THE CRIMINALIZATION OF DISSENT

Date: August 17th
Time: 6pm - 7:30pm
Location: Room 116, Wallberg building, 200 College Street, Toronto, ON

Full list of speakers and video statements to be announced!

For two days at the end of June, the Police led a coordinated armed
assault against Toronto’s civil population. Community organizers were
in particular targeted. Mobilizations for justice, for dignity and for
self-determination were infiltrated, harassed and intimidated. A
Canada wide response is at hand as people fight to have the criminal
charges dropped and to continu...e the struggle against the G20's
anti-people and anti-environment policies. (Support the Legal Defence
Fund! http://g20.torontomobilize.org/support)

To understand why people mobilized against the G20 and how organizers
were targeted; to hear accounts of police brutality and repression;
and to understand the political nature of the bail conditions, the
criminalization of dissent and ways to support the people facing
charges, join us for an informative panel and discussion.

This event is focused towards activists, grassroots organizers and
people who are interested in knowing more and acting in solidarity
with local struggles and defendants.

Endorsers: Ontario Coalition Against Poverty | No One Is Illegal - Toronto

To endorse this event, please email abeeramajeed@yahoo.ca

Sponsored by: Hussan Freedom Committee, Ontario Public Interest
Research Group - Toronto

-------
Support the G20 Legal Defence Fund: http://g20.torontomobilize.org/support

August 17

Canning Workshop
sponsored by the West End Food Co-op
Tuesday August 17th
Parkdale Neighbourhood Church at 201 Cowan Avenue
The workshop will be led by Heather Kilner, an expert preserver with many years of experience.
We are hoping that our farmers will have tomatoes available for us to work with so, weather permitting, you will learn to make a delicious tomato sauce or a simple preserved tomato recipe and take a sample jar or two home with you! We will also take time to reflect on the meaning and significance of learning to preserve our own food, and our experiences of preserved food.
To register please visit our website at westendfood.coop.
If you have any questions about the workshop please don't hesitate to contact me at katie@westendfood.coop
Happy Canning!

August 17

Killing The Earth – G20 debt-based economics

Event: Killing The Earth Town hall meeting about G-20 debt-based economics
Date: Tues, Aug 17 @ 7-9 pm
Location: Trinity-St. Paul’s Church, 427 Bloor West
Cost: By donation
More Info: thedreamofcanada.ca

August 20

Culture Vibe Fundraiser

PLEASE buy tickets and help us promote this exciting event, in support of RESULTS

Canada

’s advocacy efforts to end extreme poverty in development countries (printable flyer attached). Also let us know if you think you can help us SELL tickets.

If you are unable to attend, secure online donations to support us can be made at https://www.results-resultats.ca/donate/donate_eng.asp

All proceeds and donations help us build the power of everyday people to advocate proven, cost-effective solutions for developing countries, including our recent success leveraging $1.1 billion from Canada and $7.3 billion total to date for maternal and child health at the G8. As an advocacy organization, we receive no government funds and rely entirely on the generosity of individuals to help us raise our voice. "Culture Vibe Fundraiser" features:

Congolese Gospel Group (Génération Des Vrais Adorateurs)
Spoken Word Artist (Yusra Khogali)
Jazz Singer (Luwam)
Silent Auction featuring art, tickets to local attractions
Hors d'oeuvres will be served & Cash Bar
Door prize draw - Two tickets to Toronto City Lights Cruises

Tickets just $25
Friday, August 20, 2010 - Starts at 8 pm
Peridot resto/lounge - 81 Bloor Street East

To secure your ticket please contact:
Tel: 416-693-3999 or email Elizabeth at elizabeth@results-resultats.ca

August 22

G20 legal fund Fundraiser

Event: Overnight For The G20 Arrestees – G20 legal fund Fundraiser
Date: Sunday, Aug 22 from 5 pm-5 am.
Location: Steelworkers Hall; 25 Cecil St.
Cost: $5 minimum donation
More Info: 416-531-4957

From the Organizers:
G20 legal fund Fundraiser with performances, installations, bike repairs, letter-writing and a speech by G8/G20 Toronto Community Mobilization Network.

August 24

THE RIDE FOR RENEWABLES

On Tuesday, August 24th, Greenpeace

Canada

is organizing THE RIDE FOR
RENEWABLES, a 45km bike trip from the Pickering Nuclear Station to the
Darlington Nuclear Station.

THE RIDE RENEWABLES will send the message to Dalton McGuinty's Liberals
that when Pickering Nuclear Station shuts down, Ontarians demand a green
energy replacement, not more reactors at the Darlington Station. No more
dirty, dangerous, and expensive nukes; Ontario .

Find out more and register for the bus ride out to Pickering:
http://www.facebook.com/?sk=nf#!/event.php?eid=124793684233089
Or contact: steve.cornwell@greenpeace.org

August 26

Fresh The Movie and Panel Discussion

Event: Fresh The Movie screening
Date: Thurs., Aug 26 at 6:30-9 pm
Location: Bloor Cinema, 506 Bloor West (Bathurst/Bloor)
Cost: $10
More Info: http://www.freshthemovie.com and radishesandrhubarb@gmail.com

The panel discussion will be moderated by Wayne Roberts, food activist and chair of the Toronto Food Policy Council. The panelists include Chef Brad Long, owner ofVeritas and co-host of Food Network Canada’s Restaurant Makeover, Chris Wong, co-founder of Young Urban Farmers, Debbie Field, Executive Director of FoodShareand inaugural winner of the Green Toronto Award for Local Food and Tammara Soma of Sustain Ontario and the Toronto Youth Food Policy Council.

August 26 to 29

13th Annual Social Justice Summer Retreat:
“After the Crash: Creating Responses to Growing Inequalities"

Thursday, August 26th to Sunday, August 29rd, Camp Arowhon, AlgonquinPark

REGISTRATION IS NOW OPEN!!
Early bird registration available until Aug. 10

Please visit www.socialjustice.org for more information and online
registration.

This annual event brings together people from a variety of social
movements – activists from all walks of life. You, friends and family are
invited to join us for a wonderful time of relaxation and renewal. Buses
from downtown Toronto.

September 20

Ontario Health Coalition

What: Oakville Town Hall Meeting

To address community concerns over the proposed P3 hospital

When: Monday, September 20th, 7pm

Where: Oakville Public Library,120 Navy Street

Who: Hosted by: Oakville Health Coalition

Hospital Fight-back Reduces Cuts

Some communities’ campaigns have worked to reduce proposed hospital downsizing and service cuts. But big cuts still underway in Niagara, proposed for Peterborough. Small town ERs at renewed risk in Southwestern Ontario.

Community campaigns have led to the stall or roll-back of proposed hospital cuts in a number of communities in recent months. Cornwall’s MPP Jim Brownell proudly announced a funding reprieve of $5 million towards the hospital deficit and a recent announcement of new long term care beds. In Northumberland Hills, the local coalition has succeeded in overturning a LHIN decision to close dozens of hospital beds, but the diabetes education clinic and outpatient physiotherapy cuts have gone ahead. To date, the closure of the Wallaceburg Emergency Department has been stopped, along with the ER closure on St. Joseph Island. But these proposals can be revived at any time and we are cautioning our members to stay vigilant.

Large funding increases have been given to hospitals such as the Niagara Health System, Lakeridge Health, Brampton’s William Osler Health Centre and others to offset deficits.

However, a number of serious new hospital cuts and ER closures are proposed.

September 28

Ontario Health Coalition

High-Level Briefing and Summit

on Changes to Hospital Funding

We will provide a briefing from experts in the U.K. and an update regarding plans of the Ontario government. What do the changes to fee-for-service hospital funding mean? What can we do about it?

Toronto Tues, September 28, 10:30am-3:30pm, Metro Central YMCA, 20 Grosvenor St

Send in your registration form to:

Ontario Health Coalition, 15 Gervais Drive, Suite 305, Toronto, Ontario M3C 1Y8

tel: 416-441-2502 fax: 416-441-4073 email:ohc@sympatico.ca ontariohealthcoalition@list.web.net

November 6 & 7

Ontario Health Coalition

Health Action Assembly & Conference on Health Funding and Sustainability

Saturday, November 6 & Sunday, November 7, 2010

The Bond Place Hotel, 55 Dundas St. E, Toronto M5B 2G8

Send in your registration form to:

Ontario Health Coalition, 15 Gervais Drive, Suite 305, Toronto, Ontario M3C 1Y8

tel: 416-441-2502 fax: 416-441-4073 email:ohc@sympatico.ca ontariohealthcoalition@list.web.net

Each year, the OHC invites our members and supporters to come together to plan strategy to deal with upcoming issues. Each local coalition is strongly encouraged to send one or two representatives at minimum. All our member groups and individual members are also encouraged to attend.

Health Action Assembly

Updates on key issues including hospital cuts and restructuring, protecting rural access to care, long term care funding/inspections/regulations changes, retirement homes, homecare, primary health care, P3s and privatization. Participate in strategy-setting session. This year will lead into the provincial election, so it is particularly important.

Conference on Health Funding and Sustainability

The newswaves reverberate with repeated stories about out-of-control health costs. Cuts, endless restructuring and delisting are justified using the funding crisis. But a closer look at the numbers shows a different story. It is time that those who want to protect our local public health care services fight back. This conference will provide the information and we will set a strategy to topple the myth of health care unsustainability.

Resource List

I had put together a massive resource list over a year ago, and although I don’t update it as often as I used to, I thought I’d start sharing it with our membership, one topic at a time. I would love to get great book, video, website and organization resource suggestions from you, so if I’ve missed anything, please let me know. Also, if you’ve read a book and didn’t think it was very good, let me know that too. Please note, TPL indicates how many books are available at the Toronto Public Library. I haven’t had the chance to search most of them. Enjoy!

Water:

Blue Covenant: The Global Water Crisis by Maude Barlow (TPL/47)

Blue Gold: The Battle Against Corporate Theft of the World’s Water by Maude Barlow (TPL/17)

Blue Gold: The Fight to Stop the Corporate Theft of the World’s Water by Maude Barlow (TPL/1)

Bottled Up

Inside the Bottle (TPL/6)

Seasick by Alana Mitchell (Amazing book – a must read).

The Coming Battle for the Right to Water by Maude Barlow

The Holy Order of Water

(Movie – Documentary) Blue Gold

(Movie – Documentary) Downstream

(Movie – Documentary) Flow: For the Love of Water (2008) – Rogers on Demand until May 26/09; flowthefilm.com

(Movie – Documentary) The Fluoride Deception

(Movie – Documentary) The Water Wars are Already Here

(Movie – Documentary) Waterlife

www.ontario.ca/ONT/portal51/drinkingwater - Eau Potable Ontario (Publisher- Ontario. Ministry of the Environment)

www.safewater.org/ - Safe Drinking Water Foundation (Publisher- Safe Drinking Water Foundation). This site's aim is to increase awareness of health concerns from consumption of poor quality water through public education initiatives, research projects and an online newsletter.

www.health.gov.on.ca/english/public/pub/pub_menus/pub_w atersafe.html - Water Safety (Publisher- Government of Ontario. Ministry of Health and Long-Term Care). Discusses water safety during a power failure and how to use water safely during a "boil water advisory."

www.cleanwaterfoundation.org - The Clean Water Foundation

myuminfo.umanitoba.ca/index.asp?sec=857&too=100&dat =5/14/2008&sta=3&wee=3&eve=8&npa=15994 - For your patients: Bisphenol A (Publisher- University of Manitoba). Addresses health concerns of Bisphenol A, used in plastic drinking containers (including reusable water bottles and baby bottles) and food storage containers. Links to factsheets and detailed consumer information, including how to recognise the plastic by searching for the number seven in the middle of the recycling symbol with the letters "PC" (referring to polycarbonate) next to it.

To find out if Toronto beaches are safe for swimming, call 416-392-7161, or visit: www.toronto.ca/beach/ for the up-to-date status. You can see a small map of all the beaches, or visit the detailed page for the beach you're interested in.

News – Articles - Announcements

Council of Canadians Campaign Blog

Link: http://www.canadians.org/campaignblog/

Council of Canadians ACTIVlist

The daily ACTIVlist e-mail is a compilation of blog posts, media releases and action alerts from the Council of Canadians. If you would like to sign up to receive daily news from the Council of Canadians, join their ACTIVlist! by clicking here to add your email address.

ALERT: Whistler Logging Old Growth Trees Post-Olympics starting next month

Hi all,

Now that the eyes of the world's media have left the Olympic host town of Whistler, BC, our mayor and other elected officials are starting to cut down our 300 and 400-year old cedar trees.
Local citizens have started a campaign for tourists to boycott the resort of Whistler until this senseless logging is halted.

If you have a chance, we are asking people from around the world to email to our mayor to express your outrage (details in the short YouTube video below).
Ony 24 words can make a difference!

Thanks!
Pina Belperio
Whistler, BC chapter

WHISTLER, Canada, host of the 2010 WInter Olympics, is about to start cutting
its old growth forests. This, despite the fact that Whistler likes to present itself
as a model of sustainable practices.

Locals have tried to intervene and stop the cutting of 300-year-old trees, but the
politicians, bureaucrats and business community aren't listening.

So we need your help. Please watch this short video by Oly and the Fat Cats then
send your email to the Mayor of Whistler to help save the trees.

Find out how just 24 words from you can make the difference,
WATCH THE VIDEO HERE: Whistler Old Growth
*Paste this in your browser if the link above doesn't work - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=liTncoaLXBk

Background information here: http://www.whistlerwatch.org/events.html

"Let's save the trees!"

Oly, lead singer, Oly and the Fat Cats

St. Catharines says end coal use now!

In response to a flurry of calls and letters from concerned residents, St. Catharines’ city council has unanimously supported the OCAA’s call for an early end to burning coal. St. Catharines has now joined the cities of Hamilton, Kitchener and Guelph and Toronto's Board of Health in calling on the province to only use its coal plants in the event of a true power emergency.

This was a real victory for the people of St. Catharines and area who called and emailed the Mayor and Councillors urging them to support our resolution. Thank you to everyone who took the time to speak out on this important issue. Let’s keep the pressure on for cleaner air, a healthier climate and fewer illnesses and asthma attacks through an early coal phase out!

Angela Bischoff, Outreach Director
Ontario Clean Air Alliance
402-625 Church St, Toronto M4Y 2G1
Phone: 416-926-1907 ext. 246

angela@cleanairalliance.org

Clean Air Alliance

Ontario’s Green Future

No Nukes News

Health Power

P.S. Can you help us distribute our leaflets in your community? They’re free! They include postcards to politicians to phase out coal and oppose tax-payer subsidies for new nuclear reactors in Ontario.

Oil sands toxins growing rapidly
Volume of arsenic, lead increased 26 per cent in last four years, Environment Canada says

Canada’s oil sands mining operations produce vast and fast-growing quantities of deadly substances, including mercury, heavy metals and arsenic, new data released by Environment Canada shows.

The information on pollutants sheds new light on the environmental toll exacted by Canada’s bid to extract oil from bitumen, showing in stark relief how many nasty substances are being laid on the northern Alberta landscape in the process – and how quickly those are growing.

http://m.theglobeandmail.com/report-on-business/industry-news/energy-and-resources/oil-sands-production-of-toxins-growing-rapidly/article1667306/?service=mobile

Greenpeace rappels off the Calgary Tower to remind government to separate oil and state

Greenpeace drove a message home to the heart of Canada’s oil industry today, hanging a huge banner from the Calgary Tower that says “Separate Oil and State” to highlight the need to sever the cozy relationship between the toxic tar sands oil industry and the federal and provincial governments.

“While oil may run your car, it shouldn’t run your government.

Canada

is not a petro-state and Big Oil should not be calling the shots and governments should not be ignoring the environmental destruction of the toxic tar sands,” said Greenpeace climate and energy campaigner Melina Laboucan-Massimo, from the action. “Until both the federal and Alberta governments stand up to the oil industry, greenhouse gas emissions will continue to increase, more animals will die, more residents will be poisoned by the air they breathe and the water they drink, and more treaty rights will be violated in favour of profits in the senseless quest to squeeze every last drop of dirty oil from this province.”

http://www.greenpeace.org/canada/en/recent/Greenpeace-rappels-off-the-Calgary-Tower-to-remind-government-to-separate-oil-and-state/

Thousands of industrial incidents raise serious concerns about toxic oil industry

Greenpeace Canada, Sierra Club Prairie, Keepers of the Athabasca and Global Forest Watch Canada today released two databases compiled by prominent scientist Dr. Kevin Timoney, one with more than 6,500 incidents, regarding tar sands operations that raise serious concerns about how the Alberta government allows oil companies to operate in this province.

http://www.greenpeace.org/canada/en/recent/Thousands-of-industrial-incidents-raise-serious-concerns-about-toxic-oil-industry/

A new database that compiles thousands of government and industry records on Alberta's oilsands shows that the industry is a constant source of low-level pollution in the area's land, air and water

http://www.cbc.ca/canada/edmonton/story/2010/07/30/edmonton-oilsands-pollution-database-timoney.html

Fish feminizing in Alberta rivers

The study also revealed that females make up 85 per cent of the minnow population downstream from Fort Macleod and Lethbridge. Upstream of those communities, only 55 per cent of the population is female — a more normal sex ratio, Habibi said.
This could indicate that chemicals in the river are causing the fish to change sex, he said. "If these animals are exposed at very early stages, in fact there is evidence it could alter the sex development. The estrogenetic compound in fish could make a male fish develop into a female fish."

http://www.cbc.ca/canada/edmonton/story/2010/07/29/calgary-fish-rivers-sex-hormones-research.html

Monsanto: The world's poster child for corporate manipulation and deceit

http://www.naturalnews.com/029325_Monsanto_deception.html

G20 Resources and Coverage

Quick Guide:

Legal Support: lawunionmdc@gmail.com

Counseling and Support: peertopeersupportforactivists@gmail.com

Share Your Stories, Pictures and Videos: http://www.therealg8g20.com

Share Your Stories: www.g20inquiry.org & mail@ccla.org

Getting Involved: thepowerofthepeopledontstop@gamil.com

Legal Defense Fund: g20legaldefence@gmail.com

Detained and didn’t get all your belongings back: gimmebackmystuff@gmail.com

Legal Action / Class Action Lawsuit: www.g20defence.ca

News & Analysis:
http://therealg8g20.com/

http://rabble.ca/
http://2010.mediacoop.ca/
http://www.cmaq.net/en/node/42033

http://toronto.mediacoop.ca

http://www.therealnews.com/t2/

http://www.dominionpaper.ca/

http://www.canadaparticipates.ca/drupal/about-capp-toronto

http://geeksandglobaljustice.com/

Government Sites:

Korea

’s 2010 G20 Site: http://www.g20.org/

Toronto’s G20 Site: http://g20.gc.ca/home/

Muskoka 2010 G8: http://g8.gc.ca/home/

Canada’s Economic Action Plan: http://www.actionplan.gc.ca/eng/index.asp

Options for Taking Post-g8/g20 LEGAL ACTION

Please register as soon as possible at http://tinyurl.com/g20legal
Contact: For more info on the Summit Legal Support Project or this event,
email us at lawunionmdc@gmail.com or check out movementdefence.org. For more information on the broader Law Union of Ontario, please visit
http://www.lawunion.ca/.

G20 – Gathering Evidence

This is a list of organizations, lawyers and politicians that need to hear from you if you witnessed or were the victim of police violence and repression at the G20 in Toronto.

Places you should send your testimony and photos include

The Law office of David Midanik

https://www.g20defence.ca/what_you_witnessed.php

Canadian Journalists for Free Expression

http://www.cjfe.org/releases/2010/30062010g20survey.html

Public Safety Committee - Federal Government

The opposition parties on the Public Safety Committee are pushing for an inquiry. You can send your testimony, photos and or video links to the vice chairs (and all the members of the committee if you wish).

Vice Chair Don Davies Davies.D@parl.gc.ca NDP

Vice Chair Mark Holland Holland.M@parl.gc.ca Liberal

Chair - Garry Breitkreuz Breitkreuz.G@parl.gc.ca - Conservative

Bloc members Desnoyers.L@parl.gc.ca Mourani.Ma@parl.gc.ca

Conservative members MacKenzie.D@parl.gc.ca Norlock.R@parl.gc.ca Glover.S@parl.gc.ca

McColeman.P@parl.gc.ca

Liberal members Kania.A@parl.gc.ca Wrzesnewskyj.B@parl.gc.ca

Action Alert

Sign the Canadian Civil Liberties Association’s Petition for Action on the G20!

http://ccla.org/2010/06/30/sign-the-cclas-petition-for-action-on-the-g20/

The actions of the government and the police during the G20 Summit demonstrate the need for answers, accountability, and action. The Canadian Civil Liberties Association (CCLA) is calling for:

1) An independent inquiry into the actions of the police during the G20, including:

· The dispersal of protestors at the designated demonstration site in Queen’s Park late afternoon, Saturday June 26th;

· The detention and mass arrest on the Esplanade on the night of Saturday, June 26th;

· The arrests and police actions outside the Eastern Ave. detention centre on the morning of Sunday, June 27th;

· The prolonged detention and mass arrest of individuals at Queen St. W. and Spadina Ave. on the evening of Sunday, June 27th;

· The conditions of detention at the Eastern Ave. detention centre;

2) Repeal or amendment of the Public Works Protection Act to meet basic constitutional standards; and

3) Law reform to ensure that the Criminal Code provisions relating to “breach of the peace”, “unlawful assemblies” and “riots” are brought in line with constitutional standards.

If you share our concerns and want your voice to be heard, send your name and email address to us at g20petition@ccla.org. We will add your name to our list and, when we have 5,000 signatures, forward it to the federal and provincial governments.

Action Alert

Sign Amnesty International's call for an Independent review of G20 security mesures

http://www.amnesty.ca/iwriteforjustice/take_action.php?actionid=449&type=Internal

Opportunities lost: peaceful protest suffered amidst heavy security measures and acts of vandalism during the G20

“Five feet away from me… Jesse fell down face first. The same officer [who punched him in the gut] then came and elbowed him in the back. The officer who was escorting me… looked over to me and said ‘Jeez, that shouldn’t have happened, shouldn’t have done that’.” journalist Steve Paikin (TVO)

Governments bear a very important responsibility to ensure security in and around events such as the G20 Summit. They have an equal responsibility to enable and protect the rights associated with peaceful protest, particularly freedoms of expression, assembly and association.

Some 900 people were detained between June 25 and 28, 2010 in Toronto. While some were connected to acts of violence and vandalism - acts which Amnesty International clearly condemns - many were engaging in peaceful protest or simply caught up in police actions while going about their daily business. Among those targeted were journalists and others attempting to document the protests and the police response. This scale of arrests in connection with protests is unprecedented in Canada.

The G8/G20 Summits were supposed to have been a chance to talk about putting human rights at the heart of global fight against poverty. Instead, the voices of thousands were silenced or ignored and the headlines dominated by images of burning police cars and broken windows.

We urgently need an independent review of the security measures adopted and the range of police actions taken in association with the G20 Summit in Toronto.

While we welcome the forthcoming review to be undertaken by the Toronto Police Service’s (TPS) Summit Management After Action Review Team, this is not an adequate response to the concerns of Amnesty International and other organizations and individuals. The TPS review is not independent, nor does it enable public participation or cover the wider range of actors involved, including various levels of government.

On July 2nd, Ontario Premier Dalton McGuinty announced that he did not believe the circumstances warranted an independent review of the G20 security measures. He encouraged concerned individuals to use the existing police complaint procedures. Again, this fails to take into account the full range of actors involved beyond the police or the broader public interests at stake.

Action Alert

Join the Canadians Demanding a Public Inquiry into Toronto G20 facebook group

A public inquiry is an official review, ordered by government, of important public events or issues. Its purpose is to establish the facts and causes of an event or issue, and then to make recommendations to the government. All levels of government (federal, provincial, and territorial) have the power to call public inquiries.

Several issues have been raised this weekend: Consultation with the City of Toronto and it's citizens, Security build up, the Fence, the treatment of Toronto's homeless, mass damage, no relief fund for shop owners, innocent people and journalists detained, detainee conditions and much more.

This is something that police say we have "never faced in Canada." We agree! Let's learn from this weekend instead of trying to ignore it.

To every story there are many sides, and then there is the truth. Lets get as close to the truth as we can so that protesters, police and politicians alike can answer to the weekends events.