Archive for Participatory democracy

Professor Lynn McDonald from the University of Guelph will  speak on “How Democracy Fails the Environment (and what we should do to reform it)”.

Toronto Peak Oil Discussion Group November Meetup
Wednesday, 2006 November 22, 6:45 pm
Frankland Community School
second floor, community room C
816 Logan Avenue (two blocks east of Chester station)
PWYC

Here’s a quote from an article she wrote in the Toronto Star:

An oil company that takes out the oil, sells it, makes enough money so that all concerned can live in luxury, then leaves the land and water systems polluted, can do so with impunity. Its executives, indeed, are featured in business magazines, given the Order of Canada and praised as pillars of the community. They even call what they do production, as if they had made the oil and gas in the first place.

Instead of dealing with this, the great political and constitutional issue, we debate federal vs. provincial rights over resources. And our policies encourage flagrantly wasteful use, such as cheap deals to sell ever more flights, use up more fossil fuels and cause more global warming.

…

The president of the Royal Society in Britain recommended the undertaking of a massive campaign to develop green energy to replace reliance on fossil fuels. In scope he said it needs to be like the Americans’ Apollo program.

I suggest that we need a similar massive rethinking of our political, economic and social systems.

After the meeting, the group moves a block east to Cafe Frappe, 519 Danforth Ave.

You are invited to RSVP.

[This is the speech Adriana delivered at the Stop Climate Chaos rally at Nathan Phillips Square yesterday.]

Hi, I’m standing in today for somebody called Elizabeth May: famous environmental crusader, former Executive Director of the Sierra Club of Canada, Order of Canada recipient, Leader of the Green Party of Canada. No sweat.     Read more »

Lana Choi has alerted me to this event.  Sounds interesting.  They are looking to spotlight leading environmental innovators in many cities across Canada.  Toronto’s turn is coming up on November 14.

Worldchanging Toronto at the Berkeley
Tuesday, 2006 November 14, 7 pm
315 Queen St East
RSVP WorldchangingToronto@Gmail.com

On Wednesday, October 11, there was a second public consultation on what is being called a pipeline “reinforcement” for the line feeding the Portlands power plant (in reality a massive expansion, with a substantially larger pipe and increased pressure).  This meeting generated a far smaller crowd than the first and the following day, we learned why.  Most local residents received their notices regarding the event the day after it happened, including a number of Green supporters who contacted me.

Because of the number of public complaints, Stantec, the consulting company which is organizing these consultations, arranged for a third public consultation, and has just announced the date.     Read more »

The Green Party of Canada just won a battle over the threshold for receiving federal funding for political activities.  This was a courtcase initiated by former leader Jim Harris, and he writes about it in his blog.  This will result in a significant one-time payment to the Green Party of Canada for past discrimination, and will open the way for other small parties to grow.