This is what Canada’s economic stimulus package would have looked like if the Green Party had been in charge …

The current financial crisis and attendant economic downturn is a grave concern.  Nevertheless, it creates, as do all moments of crisis, an opportunity for innovation and creativity.  It is clear we must not allow speculative bubbles to threaten the real economy.  Real jobs building real things in Canada should be favoured over short-term, speculative and largely imaginary, economic activity, such as, hedge funds, and pyramid schemes.   A “made in Canada” policy should apply to all government purchases–military equipment, Coast Guard vessels, etc.  Shipping government contracts overseas or down south is unacceptable while thousands of manufacturing jobs are being lost here in Canada.     Read more »

The Ontario Municipal Board (OMB) is an arms-length judiciary that handles land use disputes between municipalities and people and businesses. Its decisions are often controversial since it has the power to over-rule decisions made by elected municipal councils and if often does over-ride those decisions. Of course any organization, elected or unelected, can make bad decisions, but democracy is flaunted when an appointed body can overrule elected politicians.

The existence of the OMB goes against the core Green Party principles of democracy and decentralization.     Read more »

Here’s a pretty good summary of our production cycle and how it has to change.  The only thing I wish it included was something about how our energy has practical limits, too.  It runs somewhat longer than a YouTube video, sort of like a short movie.  So watch when you have a bit of time.

This event is presented by the Centre for the Environment at University of Toronto.  It’s a panel discussion with industry leaders in support of positive environmental practices.

Corporate Responsibility: The Greening of Success
Wednesday, 2007 November 21, 7 pm
Hart House, East Common Room.  Free.

Tonight is your opportunity to meet Edward Burtynsky, the photographer of those spectacular photos that look so achingly beautiful until you realize what you are seeing.  He photographs the impacts of industry on the environment, but infuses an aesthetic sense even to the most disturbing scenes.  The bright ribbon is a river flowing red, the lovely pattern of concentric rectangles is a deep open-pit mine, the people in it no bigger than pin pricks, the little flickers of lights on the monolithic shadow are the torches of workers in Bangladesh painstakingly deconstructing the hulks of decrepit ships.  There are orderly stacks of tires and compressed telephones, piles of computers and televisions and clothes.  They’re very eye-opening.

Edward Burtynsky at Worldchanging at the Berkeley
Wednesday, 2007 November 14, 7 pm
315 Queen St East