Battles for good planning are lost only once but must be won over and over and over again to continue prevailing. Once again, we are struggling against a small-minded view that would attempt to contain the full flow of the Don River in storm as it courses through a waterfront newly coated with densely packed buildings including a possible big box development.
What former GPC candidate Sharon Howarth led the fight for was the broad and compelling vision of a Don Mouth re-born into something like what nature intended for it – a broad wetland floodplain with a meandering river, filled with songbirds and tall grasses and boardwalks for people to enjoy. Her vision prevailed in the public mind and thousands of citizens demanded it. This led to an inspired visioning process that created an award-winning and internationally recognized design. Since that time, the elements of that design are constantly being chipped away in the name of economy and profit.
Write to your Councillor now (all comments must be in before April 15 so do it today before you forget) and demand that the City recommit to more green space and more renaturalization. Demand more wetlands to economically clean the air and water, and to help absorb and manage the floods that climate change is likely to inflict on the city. Read more »
Sorry for the long delay in composing my thank you letter to everyone.
There are three reasons for this delay. One is that I have just been busy every single second since the end of the campaign packing up the office and talking to the steady stream of supporters and well-wishers. Second is that I am still digesting the result, which I honestly don’t understand so I’m finding hard to comment on. And third is that the level of support has simply been so overwhelming and wonderful that I can’t begin to imagine how I would thank everyone enough.
But I do want to say what I’ve maintained ever since I joined the Green Party. Everything about both the 2011 General Election and about this by-election reaffirms my sense that political fortunes these days have everything to do with the teamwork of the parties involved and the political spin that’s generated in the media around it. It’s not about me, it’s about all of us working together, and I am so proud to have had such a strong, diverse and talented group of supporters. It’s for that reason that both in 2011 and in this by-election, I would have loved to see much better results, not for me, but as a reflection of the much larger and better organized campaigns we have run. You all deserved better in both these elections. And we obviously need to strategize so that the effort we all put in is maximized in the future.
Thank you. Thank you from the bottom of my heart for the most energetic, enthusiastic and cheerful campaign I have ever been privileged enough to be involved with. Thank you for standing by me, thank you for supporting me, and thanks for the helpful suggestions throughout on how I could improve my debate performance and public speaking. I have grown a lot during this campaign and we have all grown as a team. To those who came to help from other ridings, I look forward to working together again on campaigns across the city and beyond. One day, I may be helping on your campaigns and bringing along the Toronto-Danforth team to help out. We can all grow together, that’s part of the plan.
Green Party volunteers
The day after the 2011 general election, I was weeping into the shredder as I thought about what a disappointment this must be to my team. This year, I celebrated our hard work on election night with some 50 supporters and walked away, not with a crushing disappointment but with a strong determination to rebuild. I will be asking our EDA to be appointed as a community outreach organizer, and expect to call each and every one of our identified supporters, asking them for their ideas on how to grow the party and encouraging them to get involved. Please join our team. Read more »
I have just finished watching Thomas Mulcair’s acceptance speech as the new NDP leader. And I still have not publicly congratulated Craig Scott on his victory in Toronto-Danforth (though I did congratulate him personally by phone on election night). Both men strike me as sincere, knowledgeable, hard-working and capable. I wish they were in the Green Party. I am hopeful that they will do their part to move Canada in the right direction within the NDP.
A fresh Green voice in Parliament is the biggest change that we can hope for on election day Monday, March 19. This is the most promising message that we can deliver for Canada, for our kids and for the planet. A new Green MP, or even a strong Green turnout in Toronto-Danforth would be the biggest, boldest and most effective message that we could send to Parliament that we need fundamental change, to revitalize democracy, for forward thinking, and for real, positive, sensible solutions to the challenges we face. Read more »
President Mohammed Nasheed has been ousted by a military coup and is under house arrest. I’m taking a bit of time out of my campaign to urge everyone to help him. Please sign this petition and then write to Prime Minister Harper, urging him to use his influence to secure the release of Mr Nasheed.
President Nasheed was the first democratically elected leader of the Maldives. Hear why we need his voice to be free:
I am so honoured to be the Green Party candidate in Toronto-Danforth again. My very great thanks to all those who participated in the nomination. I look forward to working with you to paint this riding a rainbow of green! Here is a part of my nomination speech:
Our children deserve better.
In my lifetime, we will burn through 80% of the available oil. Our generation has enjoyed unprecedented luxury. It’s our solemn duty to leave something for our kids. Read more »
Our family just celebrated the first night of Hanukkah with menorah, latkes, dreidels and other games. May your holidays be filled with light and happiness.
The Green Party has for many years been promoting a guaranteed annual income (GAI). It should be more economical than the hodgepodge of existing income support programmes, it will capture people who aren’t served by the current system (such as caregivers for family members who need round-the-clock support), and it addresses the dignity that every Canadian deserves. Read more »
I’ve been following the COP17 climate change conference in Durban, South Africa from right here in Riverdale. This will be a long, rambling omnibus post on my thoughts and concerns. Read more »
On this day, let us remember, reflect, and re-commit to war no more.
For those who want to mark this day a little differently, the soldier’s tower in Hart House is open every year on this day. It’s an opportunity not just to remember those young people who lost their lives for Canada, but to see a lovely historic corner of the city. The tower was built in 1923-24, originally to remember those young university students who lost their lives in the first world war. Standing at 143 feet in height, it is still an imposing reminder to University of Toronto students today.
I’ve been following the “Occupy Toronto” movement that’s powered by youth and hope in a world of corruption and decadence. I hope that it will prove to be the catalyst for the new ideas we need to take us forward.
This movement is occurring in a context. Though many of the participants may be unaware of it, there is a fairly obvious underlying reason for the rising levels of anger. Read more »
We’re now less than a month away from provincial election day. We’ve got a big team of volunteers helping Tim Whalley, our Green Party of Ontario candidate. But we always need more. Please let us know if you can help out in any way. There’s lots of fun, easy ways to help, either with a group of people together or on your own time at home. Here’s your first volunteer task: request a sign.
Happy new year to all Ethiopian Canadians. May the year now beginning be blessed with peace, justice, health and prosperity.
I was honoured to address Ethiopian Canadians yesterday at their festival in Christie Pits park. Wonderful food, music and dancing were on offer and I stayed most of the afternoon.
Yesterday, I represented the Green Party in Toronto-Danforth for the trophy distribution ceremony for the East York Soccer Club. Many hundreds of children participate in this wonderfully inclusive and supportive organization. I personally sponsored a team there this year, and the Green Party of Canada riding association sponsored another. It’s easy to get involved. Go here.
Here I am talking to the team I sponsored, waiting our turn:
I previously wrote about Patricia Warwick, one of the “Fabulous 45″ – so named because although they came to Washington expecting to face a $100 “post and forfeit” for defying the rules of the park in front of the White House, they discovered that those arrested the previous day were to be held for 3 days. The 45 risked arrest anyway.
The actions against the Keystone XL pipeline (which would enable a vast expansion in the capacity for oil production from the tar sands) at the White House continued for another 12 days after Patricia’s arrest, with over 1200 arrests in total, including east Toronto residents Sharon Howarth, the Green Party of Canada candidate in Toronto-Danforth in the 2008 federal election and David Wilson, an oil industry retiree. Tar Sands Action, which organized this demonstration, vows to continue working to oppose the pipeline
The action against the Keystone XL Pipeline is now moving to Canada, where activists are planning a sit-in on September 26. You can find out more and join here.
Toronto-Danforth Greens extend their sympathy to Jack Layton’s family and to his NDP family and supporters. Jack will always be remembered in this community as a tireless fighter, a passionate spokesperson, a man who loved Canada and inspired everyday heroes.
Toronto-Danforth resident and climate activist Patricia Warwick was just arrested in Washington D.C. while opposing the Keystone XL pipeline, which is to allow for the expansion of tar sands operations in Canada. President Obama is to reject or approve the plan later this year.
The “mug shot” photo was taken by the group Tar Sands Action. And here she is at the protest, in the red behind the sign, in a big sun hat:
Elizabeth May confronts the government on its twisting of reality in her first press conference as an MP, pointing out that the world demands a continuation of Kyoto.
I have often thought of reversing the way that proportional representation is calculated and applying it to the MPs already in Parliament.
The one Green seat represents almost 580,000 votes. 166 Conservative seats represent 5.8 million votes. So while each Conservative MP represents just over 35,000 voters, Elizabeth May represents 580,000.
Therefore one Green is worth 16 Conservatives. Read more »
Elizabeth’s question regarding the budget was smart. Watch the Conservative member avoid the question. He does not answer why the government perversely chose to trim the most democratic and fair form of public finance for political parties. The Conservatives like the subsidies that give rich people the majority of their money back when they contribute to political parties, but would deny the funding that goes to parties people vote for even when they can’t afford to contribute.
You can get a good explanation of what is going on here.
Adriana on Facebook
Adriana on Twitter
Elizabeth May
Green Party, Canada
Green Party, Ontario
Green Party, Toronto
Realistic Energy Plan
Site news feed
YouTube videos