Raymond Scholz, nomination contestant

Raymond Scholz is one of several people who expect to be contesting the Federal Green Party nomination in Toronto-Danforth. Here is the bio he’s supplied:

Hello. My name is Raymond Scholz, and I want to slay the Giant.

I have lived and worked, as a self-employed graphic designer and artist, in the East End of Toronto since 1990.

A Green Party member since 2006, my sense of the need for compassion and balance in human endeavour was developed at a young age. I was often aware of the disconnection between the comments of my elders and their actions (e.g. “This woodland area is a piece of paradise – we need to buldoze an easy access to the lake”). Or, towards many issues of injustice, either a “what-can-you-do?” shrug of the shoulders, or the angry proclaimation that “these people should stop complaining, and we’d all be okay”… or something to that effect. I became aware that a lot of grown-ups often did not see very far beyond the ends of their noses, nor did they wish to.

At 14, I went to the Sportsmen’s Show in Toronto, and saw an horrific display of the effects of leg-hold traps.  A week later I was distributing pamphlets around my Mississauga neighbourhood calling for a ban on leg-hold traps and a boycott on fur.

In high school, with the encouragement of a teacher, I was involved in the creation of a local Greenpeace chapter, which mounted fundraising events and sought to increase public awarness around the whale and seal hunts, animal trapping, nuclear power the risks of transporting oil on the high seas.

In the 1990s, as an artist, I involved myself in many projects, including working on the planning committee for Round-up ‘92, a city-wide, doors-open art exhibition.

Also, in the 1990s, I served on the Board of Directors of Stone Soup Food Co-op, an east-end Toronto natural foods co-op, which promoted local businesses, locally grown organic produce and empowerment to the disadvantaged.

It was during this period that I gained a greater appreciation of the importance of the “Local Economy”, and in developing communities that are more self-sustaining and locally-driven.  This is what led me to working part-time in the vendor stalls at local organic farmers’ markets, selling yummy pies and other baked goods, made locally from locally grown organic stuff.

Also, over the years, I have donated time and art toward various good causes such as the recent “Rubber Boot Ball” fundraiser for Citzens’ Environment Watch and the Power To Choose citizens’ forum on alternative energy strategies, held this past June in Toronto.

My interest in social justice and the environment is also evident in my professional life as a graphic artist, working, over the years, for organisations such as Greenpeace, Citizens’ Environment Watch, Canadian Parks and Wilderness Society, Amnesty International, the Canadian Centre for Victims of Torture, and many others, in their fund-raising and advocacy campaigns.

When I’m not doing all this stuff, I enjoy reading, playing the piano and guitar, canoeing, biking, painting, woodworking and hanging out with my son Aidan and my cat Nellie.

Now, because I’m not busy enough, I would like to lead you, the Danforth Greens, in the charge to slay the giant, Jack Layton, in the next Federal election!

Cheers,
Raymond.