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 »
Toronto Art Festival: Regenerate
Saturday, 2011 November 5, 6-9 pm
Lucsculpture (663 Greenwood Ave, at Danforth)
Come experience a Japanese art exhibition this weekend, featuring over 90 artists from Japan and Toronto, such as internationally celebrated artist Warabé Aska. In the aftermath of the devastating earthquake that hit Japan in March 2011, this group of artists created this exhibit to explore the theme of regeneration and examine the possibility for rebirth and growth.
The exhibit runs from November 5 to 15 and Saturday’s opening party is free and open to everyone. For more information, visit Lucsculpture.
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 »
The Toronto-based group For Our Grandchildren has produced this wonderful video:
For Our Grandchildren – Something Must Be Done from Stephen Best on Vimeo.
If the video stutters, click on the HD in the lower-right-hand corner. Even in “low-def”, it’s quite high-definition.
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:
Update: Read Patricia’s first-hand report.
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:
Patricia’s arrest was covered in the Globe and Mail and Ottawa Citizen, where she was quoted as saying, Read more »
I have never been prouder to be a Green. Bravo to Elizabeth, the only member of Parliament who refused to support the escalation of war in Libya.
I’ve cleaned out the office (though I still need to fetch the signs), I’ve spent most of yesterday sleeping. Yesterday, I also canvassed again for the first time since the election. I will have to develop new strategies but reaching out to constituents will remain an important part of what I do. But today, I just want to wish all mothers out there a joyous day with their children. It is children who drive me. It is children whose eyes and smiles invariably make me think that I must work harder. And it is my protective mothering instinct that motivates my energies. So this day is very special, for all of us Greens. Read more »
This note was written on May 1 by Sarah Kitai, the daughter of one of our exceptional, dedicated candidates, Georgina Wilcock from Don Valley West, and reflects a lot of the feelings many of us have felt. Election battles seem to be all about soundbites and jabs and media attention. Unsatisfying results affect all parties but it is particularly hard on Greens, because what we’re fighting for is not just seats or even a political vision – we’re fighting for a Parliament that supports humanity. The stakes really are that high, and it really is true that every other party is fundamentally compromised. Georgina, wrap Sarah in your arms and tell her you will never stop fighting for her future.
So, as our 41st federal election nears its inevitable conclusion, it seems appropriate to reflect on the highs and lows of the campaign. It has certainly been a long five weeks.I’ll start with the positives. I have not yet heard a single constituent deny the existence of climate change, or dismiss the environment as an issue not worthy of our attention. While rarely discussed in the media, these are nevertheless serious concerns on the minds of most Canadians. At the door, I’ve met intelligent, upstanding citizens with an appreciation of democracy and well-informed political opinions. Read more »
Elizabeth May did get elected.
The story of Elizabeth May and the Green Party in 30 minutes.
Chris Kitching followed me along canvassing, and then wrote this article for CP24.com. It uses my experience as a jumping off point to delve into the various motivations for underdog candidates.
Going toe-to-toe with an incumbent is always a challenge. The task is even more daunting when the reigning MP has a star profile that rivals that of Prime Minister Stephen Harper.Adriana Mugnatto-Hamu, the Green Party's candidate in Toronto-Danforth, speaks to a man while campaigning for votes at Pape Station recently. Mugnatto-Hamu is in a David vs. Goliath-like battle against the riding's incumbent MP, NDP leader Jack Layton. (CP24/Chris Kitching)
So, why are these so-called minnows bothering to invest so much time, energy and money in a short-lived campaign when a landslide defeat is likely?
For Mugnatto-Hamu, a Green Party candidate, she relishes the opportunity to push the agenda of an emerging political party and engage voters on the topic that is most important to her — climate change.
“At one stage I realized that the threats to my children were far more serious, so I was compelled to run,” Mugnatto-Hamu told CP24.com recently as she campaigned for votes at a bustling Pape Station. “I want to change policy and this is one way to change policy.”
Advance voting opens today, Earth Day. What better way of celebrating than by voting for the Earth?
Advance polls are open Easter weekend
Friday, 2011 April 22, noon – 8 pm
Saturday, 2011 April 23, noon – 8 pm
Monday, 2011 April 25, noon – 8 pm
To find your advance poll station, visit elections.ca,
type your postal code and press Go to find your riding,
and then click on Where do I vote?
Please. Your Green vote will be noticed and will make a difference. We need your help to change the direction of politics in Canada.
Everyone is welcome vote in the advance polls.
Election day remains Monday, May 2.
Just had a Portuguese language interview with Sandro Miranda of PanTV. He pointed me to a Brazilian campaign to reduce water use. I have been impressed with the creativity of public campaigns in Brazil on AIDS, abuse of women, nutrition among the poor and other areas. Brazil routinely achieves tremendous progress on the cheap. Here’s how they are reducing water use:
This very much summarizes my experience in Cancún.
Watching the youth count the dead brought tears to my eyes now just as it did in Cancún
… with love from Adriana.
Andrew Jackson, the chief economist of the Canadian Labour Congress, a research associate with the Canadian Centre for Policy Alternatives and lifelong NDP member, has declared that he may have to do a rethink. As we have been saying, the Green Party platform is both bolder and more fair on the one hand, and more economical and efficient on the other.
A Nanos poll conducted for the Globe and Mail confirms what was obvious to pretty much everyone: Canadians want Elizabeth May in the debate even if they don’t support the Green Party.
We do not inherit the Earth from our ancestors: we borrow it from our children.
I am inspired by the visionaries who populate the Green Party and the hope and the fear that drives us all. But getting anything done about it requires simple hard work. And that’s what this campaign is all about. Hard work by dedicated people making careful steps for the better. Read more »
That kind of sums it up. What a wonderful send-off I got from my whole team, plus other supporters from this riding and others.
Former Green Party leader Jim Harris at last night’s event: “No wonder the other leaders don’t want Elizabeth May in the debates – because she would mop the floor with them”.
Our first flyers are in and distribution is about to begin. As of last night, our signs were finally on the presses. The company had been having problems with their presses, causing a delay of 3 days. But this weekend we hope to start getting lawn signs out.
I also canvassed my first poll with cards in hand. That’s what I’ll be doing for most of the rest of the campaign. Getting out and meeting people.
I have 18 boxes of cards sitting in the campaign office, ready to be handed out to the public. I can’t wait to start.
I’m exhausted. I had to take over the office today because my campaign manager had other non-campaign duties. He had thought he could do them while managing the campaign, but it has just been too busy.
We have had a tremendous response from people outraged at Elizabeth’s exclusion from the debates. Even non-Green voters are walking into the office and asking who they can write to in order to get Elizabeth in.
The campaign feels good. Positive and wonderful. I hope and expect sense to prevail. Elizabeth will be in the debates.
Emma Richardson
Ann Peel
Adriana Mugnatto-Hamu