Archive for 2007 February

Last Saturday, I participated in a rally to Close Guantanamo.  It was a rally I helped to organize with the USA Team of Amnesty International, but I never even blogged about it because I was so busy with other things.

Guantanamo is where the United States continues to hold hundreds of prisoners captured in Afghanistan.  By labeling these prisoners “enemy combatants”, the United States has claimed that they have no legal rights whatsoever.  The rally marked five years that the prison has been in operation.  Many of the prisoners that remain at Guantanamo have not had any contact with family in all these years.  Dozens of them are juveniles.  There have been suicides, hunger strikes, force-feedings and deaths.  Allegations of torture are numerous.  In fact, the United States does not deny engaging in sleep deprivation, playing loud and/or offensive music at all times of the night and day and using other techniques they do not deem torture when they are the torturers.  During the rally, we were asked for 5 minutes of silence to mark this grim anniversary.  As I thought about what these prisoners have endured, and what their families have endured, I started to cry, as I always do at Amnesty rallies.     Read more »

The government’s reaction to concerns raised by Environmental Commissioner Johanne Gelinas?  Replace her.

The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change is releasing its next report.

There’s a world-wide initiative to raise awareness for climate change. The plan is for everyone, at the same time around the globe, to turn off all electrical lights, computers, appliances and gadgets for five minutes on Thursday, February 1 (today).

In Toronto this will be from 1:55 pm to 2:00 pm.

Email me to have a chocogram bicycled to your door on Valentine’s day:

• Chocolate sunflower sprout hearts $2
• Oaxaca Crunch $5/90g

Michael Sacco of Choco Sol on Bathurst makes chocolate food, not candy. His business grew out of a time he spent in Mexico, helping to organize inter-community trade relationships. His chocolates are fairly traded, organically grown and locally manufactured with the cacao beans ground by bicycle power. The powder and butter are never separated. Many of his chocolates are sweetened with agave nectar, and are diabetic safe. I’ve tried them and they’re delicious.

For Valentines Day he’ll be making chocolate-covered sunflower sprouts in a heart shape for $2 each (sunflowers are the Green Party symbol). These must be eaten on Valentine’s Day as the sprouts wilt. If you want something that will last a few days, you can order his Oaxaca Crunch chocolate, $5 for a 90g package.

I have some friends who are willing to deliver these chocolates by bicycle (unless there’s a snowstorm, in which case I’ll have to make alternate arrangements). You need to put in your order to adriana@danforthgreens.ca by Wednesday Feb 7.

Get some for your kids, your mom, your brother, your neighbour.

Canadians for Kyoto is a recently formed group which will be putting on rallies across Canada, calling on Canada to recommit to Kyoto.

They are well organized and committed, but would appreciate any help. Plan to go on March 11, and consider volunteering some of your time.

Rally for Kyoto
Sunday, 2007 March 11, noon
Nathan Phillips Square