Archive for 2009 April

I spent the day yesterday at the Green Living Show.  The Green Party had their booth there and most passers-by were happy to sign our petition to protect Canada’s navigable waters.  It feels good to be a Green at the Green Living Show.  A lot of the attendees are Green Party supporters.  People who support other parties feel the need to apologize.  Last year, the Liberal Party had an enormous booth and I spoke to the Young Liberals staffing it about their soon-to-be-released Green Shift plan.  With the Liberals now under an Ignatieff leadership proclaiming the importance of the tar sands, the Liberals were nowhere to be seen.

I have very mixed feelings about the show itself.  There is considerable expertise in green building, home retrofits, organic gardening and renewable power collected in one room.  The most efficient new products are on display for those in the market for a new car, a new appliance or even a lightbulb.  The speakers alone are well worth the price of admission.  Yesterday’s talk by Alanna Mitchell, for example, was informative, terrifying and inspiring.     Read more »

Amnesty International Group 164 annual auction
Wednesday 2009 May 6, 5:30 pm
Granite Brewery
245 Eglinton Ave East at Mount Pleasant
416 322-0723
$10, free beer, all proceeds to Amnesty International’s human rights work

My Amnesty International group, which meets on the first Tuesday evening of every month right on the Danforth in St. Barnabas’s Church, is holding its annual auction.  I invite everyone to come.     Read more »

Yesterday I was nominated as the Green Party of Canada candidate for Toronto-Danforth for the next election.  I’m honoured and humbled by the supporters in this riding and their enthusiasm for starting the campaign.  Our success in the next election will depend on what the Green Party does best — building a community of people dedicated to building a better world and working respectfully together to achieve their goals.

In the next few months, I hope to be getting out and introducing myself to the neighbourhood.  I’m asking everyone who is interested in learning more about the Green Party to do one or both of two things.     Read more »

Join us Tuesday, 2009 April 28, 7 – 10 pm for the Danforth Greens Pub Night. Pub Night is the last Tuesday of every month in the “Library Room” at Gabby’s, 729 Danforth, just east of Pape.

Come raise a glass of cheer, meet, chat, debate, get informed and have some fun!

Electric cars, homes heated by the sun, hydro produced by the wind.   All these things will become commonplace, if not in our lifetime then in our children’s.   We’re definitely on the road to going green and it’s large projects like these that get a lot of attention. But there are green alternatives that you can use that will help save our planet and save you money, like green products for cleaning your house.     Read more »

Elizabeth May is publishing a book to explain proportional representation to Canada, timed in the hope that it might help British Columbia this spring become the first large province to replace our traditional style of election with genuine democracy. Leading Canadian publisher McClelland & Stewart announced the April, 2009 release of Elizabeth May’s challenging new book, Losing Confidence: Power, Politics and the Crisis in Canadian Democracy.     Read more »

This is a reminder that the meeting to nominate a Green Party candidate for the next federal election is being held:

Federal Candidate Nomination Meeting
Tuesday, 2009 April 21, 7 pm (1 hour)
Pape/Danforth Public Library (2nd floor meeting room)
701 Pape Ave (just south of Danforth on east side)

You are eligible to vote if you have been a member of the Green Party of Canada for 60 days prior to the nomination meeting. But all are welcome to attend and otherwise participate. See you there!

Elizabeth May will be launching her new book Losing Confidence: Power, Politics and the Crisis in Canadian Democracy in Toronto on Easter Monday.

Monday, 2009 April 13, 5 pm – 7 pm
Ben McNally Books, 366 Bay St

There will be a short talk, a book signing, and mingling. Call 416-361-0032 or email for more information.