Author Archives: dougdraper

‘I of course want to thank the fine folks of my riding—in Welland, Port Colborne, Thorold, Wainfleet and the south end of St. Catharines—for their support over the years.’ – Cindy Forster, MPP

A Statement by Niagara, Ontario area MPP Cindy Forster from Queen’s Park, Toronto

Posted April 26, 2018 on Niagara At Large

Cindy Forster, the outgoing NDP MPP for the Niagara area riding of Welland (Niagara Centre).

A Brief Foreword from NAL reporter and publisher Doug Draper – The following statement, delivered by Welland (Niagara Centre) Riding MPP Cindy Forster this past Wednesday, April 25th in the Ontario legislature, includes words of good-bye to that body as the current session of provincial parliament wraps up after Forster (as she announced earlier this year) decided not to run as a candidate in this June’s Ontario election.

Niagara At Large will be posting a tribute to Cindy Forest and what we regard as her dedicated and fearless work for a fair shake for her constituents and others across the province, and  her ongoing fight for openness and accountability from all public bodies, including Niagara’s regional government and the Niagara Peninsula Conservation Authority. Stay Tuned for that.

And now, here is Cindy Forster’s April 25th statement in the Ontario legislature at Queen’s Park –  

Wednesday 25 April 2018 Mercredi 25 avril 2018

Ms. Cindy Forster: “Thank you for the opportunity to speak to this bill. I’ll say up front that I may share my time if I happen to run out of words, but that’s unlikely. Continue reading →

 “I didn’t hear April’s voice as an NPCA Board Member when they decided to sue private citizen and Royal Canadian Air Force veteran Ed Smith for criticizing their lack of transparency and asking for accountability in how the NPCA spends our money.” –  Welland (Niagara Centre) Riding MPP Cindy Forster

 “Where was Mayor Jeffs and her Town of Wainfleet when the conservative cabal on Regional Council attacked the Town of Pelham’s right to manage their own finances? Almost every other Niagara municipality passed a motion in support of Pelham.” – Niagara Centre NDP candidate Jeff Burch

Niagara Centre (Welland) Riding NDP candidate Jeff Burch

A News Release from the Campaign of Niagara Centre Ontario NDP candidate Jeff Burch

Posted April 26th, 2018 on Niagara At Large

Welland, Ontario –  In a bizarre speech during a sparsely populated Welland Campaign Office Launch (earlier this month) Conservative candidate April Jeffs focused her attacks on Niagara Centre’s political legends, ignoring her opponents and policy ideas altogether.

After suggesting that merely opening a campaign office in Welland (this past April 14th) “sends a strong message that the people of South Niagara matter’’, Jeffs went on to suggest that the riding had suffered “years of being without a voice, being ignored and worse being invisible”. Continue reading →

A Brief One from Doug Draper

Posted April 25^th, 2018 on Niagara At Large

Now I know why social media can be so dangerous.

Here I was trying to let my birthday go by without notice, and I am receiving ‘Happy Birthday’ messages from nice people all over the place, including from a Reuters newsroom in Washington, D.C.,  a heritage inn called Old Sea Pines on Cape Cod, Massachusetts, and the green pastures of Harvard University around Cambridge and Boston.

I thank you very much for saying good things about what we are trying to do to build this Niagara At Large news site too.

I won’t say how old I turned today, however!

Let’s just say I’m a little older than I look in this photo taken for an award I won #*?? years ago for environment reporting.

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 “A politician thinks of the next election. A leader thinks of the next generation.” – Bernie Sanders

Annual Province-Wide Event Invites Communities To Give Back To The Environment

Free Mulch Pick-Up Also Available At Kingsbridge Park, Chippawa

A News Release from the Niagara Parks Commission

Posted April 25th, 2018 on Niagara At Large

Niagara Falls, Ontario  – Niagara Parks is pleased to once again partner with Forests Ontario and the TD Friends of the Environment Foundation, as part of a province-wide free community tree planting event to be held on Saturday, May 5 from 10 a.m. to 12 p.m.

Kingsbridge Park, long the Niagara Parkway and Niagara River, in the Niagara Falls, Ontario community of Chippawa

Participants will have the opportunity to directly support their community in a local reforestation project and learn more about the benefits of trees, shade and green urban spaces. With a goal of planting up to 500 new saplings, the annual tree planting event will take place this year at the Rapidsview Parking Lot, along the Niagara Parkway, just south of the Falls at Upper Rapids Boulevard. Continue reading →

Province Helping Boost Tourism, Create Jobs, Enhance Economic Growth

A News Release from the Constituency Office of St. Catharines MPP Jim Bradley

Posted April 25^th, 2018 on Niagara At Large

St. Catharines MPP Jim Bradley

Ontario is helping Niagara region attract investment and tourism, create jobs and enhance local economic growth by investing in the revitalization of the region’s downtown and main street areas.

Jim Bradley, MPP for St. Catharines, and Jeff Leal, Minister of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs and Minister Responsible for Small Business were in downtown St. Catharines today to make the announcement. The province is providing municipalities across Niagara region with up to $773,000 for a number of projects through the Main Street Revitalization Initiative, to help revitalize downtown and main street areas.

Vibrant main streets help attract visitors, create jobs and increase the competitiveness of small businesses, which are the backbone of our communities. Continue reading →

A News Release from Ontario’s Niagara Parks Commission

Posted April 24th, 2018 on Niagara At Large

Niagara Falls, Ontario – The Niagara Falls Illumination Board will light up Niagara Falls in white light this evening, as a symbol of binational support following the horrific attack on pedestrians in Toronto yesterday afternoon.

In honour of those who were killed and/or injured as a result of the senseless act, both the American and Canadian Horseshoe Falls will be illuminated from 9 p.m. to 9:15 p.m.

Continue reading →