Author archive

I hope you’ll be able to join us for our next Green Party Pub Night, featuring Deborah Coyne, this Thursday evening.

Thursday, 2015 July 2, 6:30 pm – 9:30 pm
Stratengers, 1130 Queen St E, two blocks East of Pape

Our Pub Nights are a wonderful opportunity to meet like-minded people and talk about the upcoming campaign and issues that are important to you. It is also a chance to hear from dynamic and high profile speakers on topics covering politics, the environment, and democracy. All are welcome, from across the GTA and beyond.     Read more »

As many of you may know I’ve been very active in Toronto-Danforth’s Green Party. After a month-long campaign amongst our members, I am pleased to have been chosen by our membership last night to lead our party into the next federal election as the candidate for Toronto-Danforth.

Toronto-Danforth is a large riding that includes Leslieville, Little India, Broadview’s Chinatown, Greektown and Riverdale. It’s very Green with a large membership, strong voter support, and often sets the agenda in local politics.

I’m looking forward to the election in 2015 and a chance to run for Parliament. It’s an opportunity for us to stand up for democratic reform, social justice and environmental sustainability.

I’m grateful for Laura’s support as I juggle pre-election preparation with the the many exciting projects we are working on at EXPECT.

I’m a also very grateful for Dharini’s support, who really is the greatest wife anyone could ask for.

Stay tuned…

This is an exciting time in Canadian political history. It’s an exciting time for the Toronto-Danforth Greens.

The Green Party of Canada has never had as much momentum as we do now. In this upcoming election we are perfectly positioned to make a historic move and dramatically increase our representation in Parliament.

I hope you will give me an opportunity to build on this momentum, and support my bid to be the next Green candidate in Toronto-Danforth.

Update: Chris was selected by the membership to be the Green Party of Canada candidate for Toronto-Danforth.

I am a long time resident of Toronto-Danforth, having lived here since 1999. I have been very active in supporting my east end community, from sponsoring local youth soccer teams to supporting the fight against the Toronto Island airport expansion. During this time I have had the opportunity to build close relationships with the residents, something that is essential in running a successful grass-roots campaign.

I have also been an active member of the Toronto-Danforth’s Green Party serving four terms on the Executive, as the riding’s Financial Agent. I have come to know many of the key members in our riding from the most active volunteers to those who donate on a regular bases.

During my tenure I have also been on the campaign teams that fought the 2011 general election, the 2012 by-election to fill Jack Layton’s empty seat, and was actively involved in Jane Farrow’s municipal campaign. Working on these three campaigns in Toronto-Danforth has given me a unique insight into how the Greens can win our local riding in 2015.

My work outside Toronto-Danforth directly supports my political work inside the riding. As a director / producer I have both taught at the university level and have extensive experience in:

• marketing
• fundraising
• media relations
• volunteer management

All skills essential to running a winning campaign.

I believe in:

• A smart, modern economy that serves Canadians, and not the other way around. An economy that promotes growth through international trade that is fair to all, creates thousands of jobs through investment in green industries and is based on a revenue-neutral carbon pricing system that reflects the true cost of products.
• Reforming the voting system by implementing proportional representation and taking steps that move us away from the party system.  Doing so will promote true local representation that is free from external pressures that do not necessarily serve local constituents.
• Decentralizing the PMO, allowing MPs holding power to vote with their heart, and not vote as they are whipped.
• Recognizing the injustice done to our First Nation’s peoples, and moving towards implementing the sprit of the UN Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples.
• Immediately taking action to repel the Canada-China FIPA and return Canada’s economic and democratic sovereignty to its citizens.
• Bringing in aggressive measures required to avoid catastrophic climate impact by implementing an economy-wide strategy to reduce GHG (avoiding global average temperatures reaching 2 degrees C above pre-Industrial revolution levels), while we make the transition to a clean energy economy.
• And finally, stopping the Energy East, Northern Gateway and Keystone XL pipelines from being built.

My website, www.vote2019.ca, offers more information on my background. I hope you will take a moment to visit this site and consider supporting my efforts in turning Toronto-Danforth green in 2015.

Sincerely, Chris Tolley

If you would like to meet Jane Farrow in person, please consider popping in on her office opening party.

Wednesday, 2014 September 10, 6:30 to 8:30pm
600 Gerrard St East (just east of Broadview)

On September 2, six members of our executive met with Jane Farrow and talked at length with her about her platform and vision for the city. During that evening it became clear that Jane shares similar values with us as a party and association.

The decision to endorse Jane’s run for City Council was unanimous. Soon after this meeting we drafted this statement:

Jane Farrow understands what it takes to build a vibrant, vital, sustainable, and green city. Her approach to biking, public transportation, and urban development are both sophisticated and realistic. Jane represents the change our riding is hungry for, and we urge our members, and all others with a strong green agenda to support her bid for City Council.

Toronto-Danforth Federal Green Party Association Executive members:
Adriana Mugnatto-Hamu, Bob Halstead,
Charlie Halpern-Hamu, Chris Tolley,
Douglas Wright, Ed Chin

This upcoming election is an important one. We hope our members are able to take the time to research Jane and her platform. We feel that if you do, you too will agree that Jane represents the change we are looking for in Ward 30.

If you would like to find out more, please visit JaneFarrow.ca or connect on Facebook.