Letter to the Toronto Star from a constituent:

“Dear Sir/Madame,

I am writing to object to your lack of coverage of the Green Party during this election. I am most disappointed that a newspaper, which prides itself on covering social justice issues such as poverty, cannot find the space for the larger issue of climate justice. Climate change is predicted to undo all social justice reforms achieved in the last century.

Moreover, no one at your paper has voiced the opinion that Mr. Harper should have been ejected by the Sergeant of Arms from the House of Commons, when found in contempt, and further, that he should have stepped down as leader until clearing himself of charges, as every other politician, under suspicion, has done. By grading Harper on his TV performances, you legitimize a behaviour that leaves your readers with moral lines that are confused. You are doing a great disservice to the Canadian public by ignoring this issue of Harper’s legitimacy. As a voice of freedom (of the press), you have a duty to promote a much higher calling to account than calling the numbers game. Green Party candidates have higher ethical standards than Mr. Harper seems to have, and this needs to be recognized.

On Earth Day, I would have expected full coverage of the Green Party, which promotes in consistently serious ways, the issue of climate justice. Dr. Georgina Wilcock, for example, the Green Party candidate in the riding of Don Valley West, is much better qualified to represent her constituents than any of the other candidates.

Thank you for your attention to these issues.”

Good Morning!

It’s Earth Day–what better day to put your boots on and head out to vote Green in today’s advance poll?

Four decades of public concern and very hard work has seen some success. Parliament set up Environment Canada in 1971. Public concern in the next two decades helped push through the Canada-US Acid Rain Treaty. A few especially noxious chemicals, like DDT, were banned. And governments in Canada and the US forced the soap companies to reduce phosphates in detergents–helping, in part, to stem off attack on lakes and rivers in Canada, especially Lake Erie.

Another high mark was signing the Kyoto protocol in 1997, pledging to bring greenhouse gases down to 1990 levels.

And now decades of your hard work is threatened. Harper’s government held power for less than a year before trying to change the Kyoto emissions target from 1990 levels to 2007 levels. Just before being found in contempt of Parliament, the Harper government tabled a budget that cut 20% of Environment Canada’s funding–while tar sands’ subsidies were left untouched.

Environmental regulations are under assault and the tar sands are expanding. We are seeing the impact of environmental chemical exposure on our children’s health. There is no cap on greenhouse gases and corporations profit and pollute with no thought to the future bill that ordinary citizens will be forced to pay.

The Green Party is the only political party in Canada fully committed to earth-friendly changes.

I won’t lie to you. This won’t be easy. You probably already know that. Even in the small things–it was a lot easier when your all your garbage was tossed into one big, black bag. But it wasn’t better. The grocery store takes much more thought–balancing organic vs. 100 mile vs. packaging vs. your budget can make a shopping trip seem like higher math. But you do it. You separate your waste materials for recycling and composting. You choose to spend more for food that is local and pesticide-free.

Today, of all days, it’s more important than ever to vote with the passion of a person who knows that our earth is in peril. It’s time to stop letting MPs get away with lazy, short-sighted decisions. It’s time to elect Green MPs to raise heck about the environment. It’s time to work on honouring the commitment Canada made to the Kyoto Accord. It’s time to remind MPs that cooperation on important issues is a virtue rather than a crime.

It’s time MPs worked for your future, instead of their next election campaign.

It’s time to ask why the government prefers to invest in dangerous nuclear energy instead of clean solar energy. It’s time to ask why Canada’s Gulf of St. Lawrence, one of the great marine bio-nurseries, is again in danger of offshore oil development–with drilling platforms that will be even riskier than the type that created ecological disaster in the Gulf of Mexico. I could keep going, but I want to leave you enough time to get to the polling station!

If you really want to celebrate Earth Day, I can’t imagine anything more important than getting out and voting Green in the advance polls. Even better, call a friend who intends to vote Green and go together, whether by foot, bicycle, transit, or hybrid vehicle.

Happy Earth Day!

This is your chance to be part of the most exciting campaign in the country!

Elizabeth May is well on the way to becoming Canada’s first elected Green MP. She is in a tight race with the sitting Conservative candidate in her riding of Saanich-Gulf Islands.

She can win, but she needs your help!

Phone canvassing is best way to help Elizabeth’s campaign at this point in the election. It is very easy–no experience required. We are simply calling to identify our current supporters, NOT trying to convince people to vote Green.

With only 15 days left before election day, please let us know as soon as possible if you can spare a few hours to call into her riding. Email phonecanvass@greenparty.ca or call 1-866-868-3447.

Thank you.

It’s time. Let’s make history.

Lois Corbett
National Campaign Manager, Green Party of Canada

Broadcasters’ betrayal



PRESS RELEASE
For Immediate Release
April 12, 2011

Canadians shortchanged by leaders’ debate

VICTORIA – Canadian voters did not get value from the English national leaders’ debate. A wide range of critical issues were ignored while the four party leaders focused on attacking each other.

“We have been unfortunate enough to witness a low point in Canadian political history. The clear objective of all four of these men was not to present policy ideas or offer solutions. Their only goal was to score hits on each other,” said Elizabeth May, Leader of the Green Party. “When it came to exploring the broad diversity of issues and concerns facing Canadians, the cupboard was bare.”

Some of the critical issues the debate failed to address include:

* Addressing climate change: The leaders paid lip service to the issue, but failed to seriously address how Canada will live up to its obligations.
* Investing in renewable energy solutions: Countries around the world are already investing billions in these industries and technologies, creating green jobs and making their nations more competitive. Canada is falling behind.
* Creating greater equality for women: Canadian women still do not enjoy equal opportunity and pay in the workplace. Last week, the Canadian banks voted against increasing the representation of women on their boards.
* Investing in Canada’s cities: Municipalities need stable, permanent funding for infrastructure and transportation.
* Supporting First Nations communities. In yet another debate, Canada’s First Nations were ignored by the four other parties.
* Homelessness: There was no debate on the growing crisis of Canada’s homeless, or how the other parties will help cities provide affordable housing.
* Libya: Canada is engaged in military operations in Libya, but the leaders did not even touch on the mission’s objective or Canada’s role.
* Food policy: How do we ensure Canada has a safe and reliable food supply?

“I could go on listing the orphan issues the other leaders weren’t interested in talking about. These are issues I would have raised. Even the when the other leaders did talk about issues, it was a superficial at best. The issues were simply platforms for launching attacks on each other,” said May. “Canadian voters walk away from this debate without hearing a positive vision. The Green Party would have brought that to the table.”

“We are in the midst of a potential political crisis. Canadians continue to shy away from the polls. Do we feel disconnected from our politicians? Are the topics we care about being left unaddressed? Is it general apathy?

One Million Reasons to Vote has a goal of bringing Canadians together to highlight the topics that matter most to us, and give us a voice to be heard by our future leaders.

Regardless of political affiliation, One Million Reasons to Vote is about documenting the voice of the people and getting them engaged in the political process. Our time to influence the future of our country is now. Find your reason to vote today.”

A US Hedge Fund has applied for a license to build a giant open pit quarry 100 km north of Toronto in Melancthon Township. It will be the second largest open pit mine in North America. The quarry will destroy for ever thousands of acres of prime productive farmland. The area chosen is the highest point in Southern Ontario, right on the edge of the Niagara Escarpment, an officially declared UNESCO Biosphere Reserve. Below this valuable land is a priceless limestone aquifer that is the Headwaters of several major river systems in Southern Ontario. The quarry will also severely damage, or worse, this valuable water cycle.

Attend the public meeting Tues. April 12, 7 p.m., Hornings Mills
Join the Facebook site Stop the Quarry for updates or visit www.ndact.com and http://www.citizensalliance.ca/

Watch Elizabeth May introduce the Green Party platform: Smart Economy, Strong Communities, True Democracy.

In the platform you will find a vision for a modern, smart economy that reduces the deficit, creates new jobs that won’t be gone tomorrow, and doesn’t rely on generating pollution to generate energy. We see a future Canada with vibrant, well-educated and motivated citizens, living in healthy communities, eating safe and healthy food, and enjoying a life-giving, healthy natural world.

In the platform you will find a renewal of Canadian democracy. You will find a return to dignity and respect in politics. You will find reforms to put power back where it belongs – in your hands.

Click here to watch it.

Statement from Anaphylaxis Canada in response to Minister of Health’s announcement on food labelling

TORONTO, Feb. 14 /CNW/ – After two decades of tireless advocacy by thousands of Canadians, our organization is very pleased to see the passage of important new regulations that will make food ingredient labels easier to understand. However, we are very disappointed by the federal government’s decision to alter the regulations as proposed and provide a special exemption to the brewery industry.

Anaphylaxis Canada is proud to stand with the national medical body for allergy, other patient groups and close to 70% of Canadians who recognize a fundamental principle: all Canadians have a right to know if there is an ingredient in their food or beverages that can harm them.

For the millions of Canadians with food allergies or celiac disease, this knowledge can be the difference between life and death.

The political decision to deviate from this principle by allowing a last minute exemption for the brewery industry – against the advice of medical experts, consumer and health advocates and the government’s own departmental advisors – defies logic and raises serious questions about the credibility of its public consultation process.

The federal government can still demonstrate that it is serious about protecting public health by quickly convening a meeting with the brewery industry, patient groups and medical and health policy experts to resolve this outstanding issue.

Our organization will continue to advocate for clear and fair labelling rules for the brewery industry and will advise our members to call individual beer companies for ingredient information should they have questions before purchasing a product. And we encourage all Canadians to learn more about what is in their beer products by visiting www.whatsinyourbeer.ca.

We thank those Members of Parliament who have been vocal in their support of this issue, Health Canada staff for their professionalism, other industry groups that consulted in good faith and are prepared to abide by the new regulations and our community partners for their efforts in this campaign. Finally, we thank the countless Canadians, some of whom have overcome personal tragedy to be leaders in this effort, for supporting clear and fair food and beverage labelling rules.

Read more about how the Tories are affecting women’s economic rights: Tory Legacy Leaves Little to Attract Women Voters.