Author Archives: dougdraper

News from the Niagara Health System, an amalgamation of hospital services in Niagara, Ontario

Niagara, Ontario, December 4^th, 2015 – Niagara Health System is pleased to announce that we’ve been named a National Best Practice Hospital for Biomedical Engineering.

Some of the membes of the Niagara Health System’s award-winning biomedical engineering team. Photo courtesy of Niagara Health System.

The designation was achieved following our Biomedical Engineering department participating in a week-long Peer Review directed by the Canadian Medical and Biological Engineering Society (CMBES) in September. The NHS is one of few hospitals in Canada to achieve this National Best Practice status.

Jean Ngoie, Regional Manager of Biomedical Engineering, formally requested a CMBES Peer Review to assess the department’s performance and to meet our requirements for Accreditation. The survey took place over five days in September. In addition to interviewing members of the NHS team, surveyors met with customers and stakeholders to ascertain the level of satisfaction with the services provided. Continue reading →

• Full Text Of Speech from the Throne to Open the First Session of the Forty-second Parliament of Canada

“Honourable Senators, Members of the House of Commons, Ladies and gentlemen,

As the representative of Her Majesty The Queen, I am pleased to be here to deliver the Speech from the Throne.

A warm welcome to those of you who are returning to your duties as parliamentarians, including those who are returning after an absence.  Know that your experience is valued.

Cover of the hard copy of Canada’s Liberal Government’s first Throne Speech

Welcome also to the 197 members who are newly elected.  Your enthusiasm and fresh ideas will serve your country well.

I call on all parliamentarians to work together, with a renewed spirit of innovation, openness and collaboration.

As governor general, I have seen first-hand what a great country Canada is—from coast to coast to coast.

And I also know this: We can be even better.

How?

By being smart, and caring—on a scale as never before.

The times we live in demand nothing less.

Canada succeeds in large part because here, diverse perspectives and different opinions are celebrated, not silenced. Continue reading →

Canada’s New Democrat Party’s Reaction To Liberal Throne Speech

Ottawa, Ontario, December 2015 – New Democrats greeted this December 4th’s first Liberal Speech from the Throne with encouragement in the change of tone and with a willingness to help turn today’s broad commitments into action.

Canada’s NDP Leader Tom Mulcair

 “We are pleased to see the Liberal government take the crisis of climate change and Canada’s relationship with Indigenous peoples seriously, but the speech was thin and it is unfortunate to see that reinstating home mail delivery and returning the age of retirement to 65 were both overlooked in today’s Throne Speech,” said NDP Leader Tom Mulcair (Outremont). “We hope the Liberals will accept the NDP suggestion to fix their tax cut proposal so that it doesn’t leave two thirds of Canadians behind. Canadians can trust the NDP to fight for their jobs, their family and their community.” Continue reading →

• Sets Country On Path To Higher Deficits, Says Conservative’s Interim Leader Rona Ambrose

Canada’s Conservative Party’s Reaction To Throne Speech

Ottawa, Ontario, December 4^th, 2015 – The Liberal government’s Speech from the Throne sets Canada on a path to higher deficits and debt; and higher taxes including a carbon tax; while ignoring Canadian farmers, businesses, and free trade and turning Canada’s back on the threat of Islamic State terror, said the Leader of the Official Opposition, Rona Ambrose.

Canadian Conservative Opposition Leader Rona Ambrose

“The Speech from the Throne is a loud and clear warning to Canadians that the Liberals are about to take us down a fiscally reckless path. It’s short on detail, but full of big spending commitments,” said Ambrose.

“The Throne Speech just formalizes the dismal fiscal approach the Liberals have already begun to take. A 30-day Liberal spending spree has blown the surplus they inherited. The Finance Minister has taken an eraser to any time or money limit on the deficits he’s planning to run,” said Ambrose. Continue reading →

Statement from Progressive Conservative Party  Economic Development, Employment & Infrastructure Critic Monte McNaughton

(A Brief Foreword to McNaughton’s statement from Niagara At Large publisher Doug Draper – Niagara, Ontario readers of this post should know that Statistics Canada figures released this December 4th show that Niagara’s unemployment rate was 7.8 per cent for this past November, higher than the national average of 7.1 per cent and also higher than the Ocober jobless rate for Niagara of 7.3 per cent.)

The latest jobless figures from Statistics Canada are bleak for Niagara, for Ontario and for the country.

Queen’s Park, December 4th, 2015 – “The job numbers released today unfortunately show that Ontario’s unemployment rate increased in November.

The Auditor General’s report this week highlighted that Ontario has had the third worst record of private sector job creation in Canada since 2000. It appears the Liberals intend to continue this trend, as our economy lost a further 36,400 private sector jobs this month.

Today’s job losses report confirms what the Ontario PC Caucus has said all along: the Liberal Government is incapable of developing a long-term plan to grow the economy and create jobs.  The Auditor General’s review of Ontario’s Economic Development and Employment Programs confirmed this. Continue reading →

• “Ontario is a beacon of hope to those who are fleeing war and desperation. We’re working hard to give Syrian refugees new hope and new opportunity.” – Michael Chan, Minister of Citizenship, Immigration and International Trade

News from the Government of Ontario

Queen’s Park, December 4^th, 2015 – Ontario is preparing to welcome refugees to the province by allocating funding to sponsorship efforts, establishing a Special Advisory Table on Refugees, and encouraging people and organizations in the province to volunteer.

Syrian refugees wait in overseas camps for chance for a new home.

Earlier this year, Ontario committed $8.5 million over two and a half years to deliver both settlement and integration supports to refugees, as well as to help organizations and groups that are privately sponsoring refugees. Since then, Ontario has allocated a total of $1.8 million to Lifeline Syria, Refugee 613, Catholic Crosscultural Services, Catholic Centre for Immigrants, Ottawa and the University of Ottawa Refugee Sponsorship Support Program. These funds will: Continue reading →

• Bill Would Set Tougher Penalties For Anyone Who Strikes A Motorcycle, Bike Or Pedestrian

News from  Ontario’s New Democratic Party 

Queen’s Park, December 2015 – Ontario NDP MPP Wayne Gates’ (Niagara Falls) Private Members Bill 154 – Contraventions Causing Death or Serious Bodily Harm passed second reading on Thursday, bringing it one step closer to being law. The bill introduces a new section to the Highway Traffic Act (HTA) that will strengthen penalties for drivers who cause, or contribute to causing, death or serious injury while violating the Act.

Niagara Falls MPP Wayne Gates

Gates noted that his proposed additions to the HTA will “help ensure that anyone who strikes a motorcycle, bike, or a pedestrian, causing death or serious injury, is subject to penalties that fit the crime.”

Between 1993 and 2011, 275 motorcyclists were killed in accidents through no fault of their own. In some instances, a driver who hit a motorcycle, killing the riders, was subject only to a $500 fine for an illegal left turn under the Highway Traffic Act. Continue reading →

News from Niagara, Ontario’s Regional Government 

Niagara Region, December 2015 – This December 3^rd, Niagara Regional Council approved its 2016 tax supported operating budget of $510.4 million, of which $159 million is supported by Regional property taxes.

Niagara, Ontario’s regional council headquarters

This budget is focused on maintaining existing services and reinvesting in strategic areas that will enable a more prosperous Niagara, with no overall cost increase for residents.

Residents will see a zero per cent budget related increase on the Regional portion of their property tax bill.  For the average household with a home assessed at $240,500, the Regional portion of your tax bill will remain unchanged from 2015, at $1,402.

“Our Council is keeping regional taxes low by approving zero per cent property tax increases which ensures affordability for Niagara residents, while making sure that we are focused on delivering the services and programs that will build a more prosperous Niagara,” said Regional Chair Alan Caslin.  “This budget enables us to advance transportation initiatives across our region, and foster an attractive and collaborative environment for the private sector to bring profitable investment and new jobs to Niagara.” Continue reading →

• Government offers “no evidence that re-building Bruce reactors can keep our lights on at a lower cost.”

A Message of Concern from the Ontario Clean Air Alliance – a citizens activist group on energy issues

Toronto, Ontario – This December 3^rd, 2015, Ontario’s Energy Minister, Bob Chiarelli, announced that the Government of Ontario is signing a contract with Bruce Power to pay for the re-building of six of its aging, outdated nuclear reactors.

Ontario’s Liberal government determined to keep Bruce nuclear plant, seen here on Lake Huron shores, going for decades to come

According to Minister Chiarelli’s preliminary estimate, the project will cost $13 billion. However, according to the actual wording of the Government’s contract with Bruce Power, the final capital cost and price of electricity from the re-built reactors of the project is still to be determined.

In other words, this deal continues the long tradition of leaving ratepayers on the hook for capital cost overruns, whether it is through absorbing debt or paying a fat premium for power or both. Continue reading →

• Jonathan Morrison “was a great guy and the students loved him.”

News from Niagara College in Niagara, Ontario

December 2015 – Students from Niagara College’s Recreation and Leisure Services program are going through hoops in memory of a former student.

Jonathan Morrison

The students are not only organizing the Jonathan Morrison Memorial Award Wheelchair Basketball Fundraiser, some of them are revving up to participate in the game. As part of the Jonathan Morrison Memorial Award Wheelchair Basketball Fundraiser to take place on Saturday, December 5, a team of students from the program will take on the Brock Niagara Penguins – a wheelchair basketball team for people with special needs – on Saturday, Dec. 5. Continue reading →

A Brief Commentary by Niagara At Large publisher Doug Draper

Some of you on the Ontario side of the Niagara River might be saying to yourselves; ‘There he goes again. Why is he posting yet another commentary on the gun culture in the United States?’

Ted Cruz, a Canadian-born Senator for Texas and Republican running for his country’s presidential nomination, has tweeted a call for prayer for the California mass shooting victims but is totally opposed to background checks or any other rules for better controlling who can purchase a gun in America.

Well first, Niagara At Large, I am proud to say, has subscribers on the American side of the Niagara River, in the Buffalo and other cities and towns in Erie and Niagara Counties, New York that we include in a binational community of communities we call the Greater Niagara Region.

Second, I know I am not the only one on the Canadian side of the river who has close friends and relatives living in the United States, at least some of whom are far more disturbed by the mass circulation of guns and death toll from gun-related assaults in their country than the rest of the world is.

And finally, for those who believe America’s gun culture is not a Canadian problem, investigations by police and other bodies have repeatedly shown that more than have the guns used in violent crimes in Canada were smuggled across the border from the gun-drenched United States.

So in the wake of one of the most recent shoot-ups in the U.S. – at, of all places, a health centre dedicated to helping people with developmental disabilities, and where 14 people were slaughtered and many more wounded in what is being called one of the worst massing shooting episodes in the country so far – I want to join some others in celebrating the courage of the editors of the New York Daily News. Continue reading →

• “I challenge readers to see the similarities and the differences among human and animal work-lives.” – Book’s author Kendra Coulter

News from Brock University in Niagara, Ontario

December 3^rd, 2015 – From courthouse dogs supporting child witnesses to rats sniffing out landmines, the work animals do is diverse and fascinating.

Brock University professor and book author Kendra Coulter. Photo courtesy of Brock University

Yet we often underestimate their role in the workplace and even put them in degrading and dangerous situations, says Brock University labour expert Kendra Coulter.

Coulter’s new book, Animals, Work, and the Promise of Interspecies Solidarity, is a unique look at the contributions, problems, and possibilities of work involving animals.

“Animals use their minds, bodies, and abilities in so many different ways,” says Coulter. “But despite its effects on literally billions of lives, work involving animals has not been well-studied in work and labour studies, or in animal studies.” Continue reading →

• Conservative Opposition Leader Calls For Energy Minister’s Resignation

News from Ontario’s Conservative Party

Queen’s Park, December 2015  – This December 3^rd in the Legislature, Leader of the Official Opposition Patrick Brown grilled the Premier on how the Liberal Government’s mishandling of the electricity sector is costing ratepayers billions of dollars.

Ontario Opposition Leader Patrick Brown calls for resignation of this guy – Energy Minister Bob Chiarelli – after Auditor General’s report reveals billions of dollars of mismanagement in energy field.

The Auditor General’s report highlighted that as a result of Liberal mismanagement, between 2006 and 2014, the people of Ontario have been overcharged $37 billion for electricity.  What’s more, ratepayers will continue to be overcharged another $133 billion dollars over the next 18 years – resulting in a total of $170 billion in unnecessary costs to ratepayers.

“After yesterday’s scathing report from the Auditor General many people on that side of the aisle have questions to answer,” stated Leader Patrick Brown to the Ontario Liberal Caucus. Continue reading →

• Agreement Secures Low-Cost, Clean Electricity Supply and Supports 23,000 Jobs Across Province

News from Ontario’s Liberal Government and Ministry of Energy

Queen’s Park, December 3^rd, 2015 – Ontario has updated its contract with Bruce Power and will proceed with the refurbishment of six nuclear units at the Tiverton-based nuclear generation station.

Ontario government driving for expansion of massive Bruce nuclear power plant on shores of Lake Huron

Nuclear refurbishment will boost economic activity across Ontario, create jobs, ensure savings for ratepayers and secure a clean supply of reliable electricity. The Bruce Power refurbishment project will make up to 23,000 jobs possible and generate about $6.3 billion in annual economic benefits in communities throughout the province. Ontario is home to a globally recognized CANDU nuclear supply chain with more than 180 companies employing thousands of highly skilled workers.

The government was further able to optimize the nuclear refurbishment schedule in order to maximize the value of existing nuclear units. The revised timeline will mean construction commences in 2020, rather than the previously estimated start date of 2016. Continue reading →

A Call-Out from Niagara Action For Animals for a Home for Buddy

Another stray looking for home!  This is not a NAfA cat per say, but we are happy to advertise, in hopes of finding Buddy a permanent home.

NAFA friend Ed writes in part:

Buddy needs a warm home

Can you help find a home for Buddy? A stray just showed up, must have been dumped, so very friendly and desperate for a home. Young, under 1 Year, I think. I am taking care of him in the barn.  Buddy is lovable and loves to be held and purrs like crazy.

I would keep him, but already have 4 rescues.  

Please contact Ed at 289 820 5611 or by email edgarnis@gmail.com  if you can help.

Niagara Action for Animals is a non-profit, all volunteer charity devoted to ending all forms of animal cruelty through education, direct action and legitimate protest.  Nothing contained in this email is intended to encourage or incite illicit acts.  Please let us know (by return email) if you no longer wish to receive these email alerts. 

 Visit Niagara At Large at www.niagaraatlarge.com for more news and commentary for and from the greater bi-national Niagara region.

(NOW IT IS YOUR TURN. Niagara At Large encourages you to share your views on this post. A reminder that we only post comments by individuals who share their first and last name with them.)

Comments on the Ontario’s Auditor General’s Report from the Office of the province’s Conservative Opposition Leader Patrick Brown

Queen’s Park, December 2015 – The 2015 Annual Report by Ontario’s Auditor General is a devastating indictment of 12 years of Liberal waste and mismanagement, Leader of the Official Opposition Patrick Brown said this December 2^nd.

Ontario PC Leader Patrick Brown

The Auditor General’s report highlighted that Ontario’s growing debt burden continues to take money away from the funding of key government programs, such as desperately needed health and social services.

“The Auditor General’s report confirms what the Progressive Conservative Caucus has been saying all along – the Wynne Liberals have no real plan to either balance the budget or reduce the province’s growing debt burden,” stated Leader Patrick Brown. “The Auditor General highlights that by 2018, the net debt owed by every Ontario resident will be approximately $23,000 per person.” Continue reading →

Comments on the Ontario Auditor’s Report from the Office of the province’s NDP Leader Andrea Horwath

Queen’s Park, December 2015 – This December 2^nd, Ontario’s Auditor-

Ontario NDP Leader Andrea Horwath

General released a scathing Annual Report, showing that the choices made by Premier Wynne and her Liberal government are increasingly out of touch with the priorities of Ontario families.

“Today’s report shows that the Liberals are out of touch with what Ontarians need and are failing at the fundamentals like, caring for our most vulnerable, caring for seniors, and delivering affordable electricity” said Horwath. “Ontarians deserve a government that gets it right and works for all Ontarians.” Continue reading →

• “There are numerous areas where improvements are needed to enhance the quality and cost-effectiveness of government.” – Report

News from the Office of Ontario’s Auditor General

Toronto, Ontario – This December 2^nd, Auditor General Bonnie Lysyk’s 2015 Annual Report was tabled in the Ontario Legislature.

Ontario Auditor General Bonnie Lysyk releases critical annual report on cost and effectiveness of government services.

It covered results from a wide range of value-for-money audits, including energy planning, health-care services, long-term-care homes, child welfare, infrastructure planning, and electricity transmission and distribution.

“This year’s report shows there are numerous areas where improvements are needed to enhance the quality and cost-effectiveness of government and broader-public-sector services,” Lysyk said.

There are 14 value-for-money audits contained in the Report, as well as a chapter on annual reports of government agencies and a section on government debt. Continue reading →

• Less Than One Week After Mass Shooting At Planned Parenthood Clinic, 14 More Gunned To Death In America

A Brief Comment from Niagara At Large publisher Doug Draper

It’s December 2^nd, 2015 – less than a week after a gun-wielding wacko blew away three people at a Planned Parenthood clinic in Colorado – and here we already have another mass shooting in America.

On CNN and the other U.S. cable channels, there are the obligatory ‘BREAKING NEWS’ banners at the bottom of screens lit up with now all-to-familiar live footage of heavily armed police surrounding a building and people being wheeled out on stretchers among onlookers with hands partly cupped over shocked expressions on their faces – this time in San Bernardino California, at a government operated regional facility for assisting people with developmental disabilities. Continue reading →

A Media Release from Niagara, Ontario’s Regional Government

Niagara Region, Nov. 27, 2015 – Earlier this year, a May 13 meeting of the Region’s Long-Term Care Task Force unintentionally contravened the open meeting provision of the Municipal Act and the Region’s procedural bylaw. This breach can be directly attributed to the ratio of elected officials to staff and members of the public present at the meeting.

Niagara, Ontario’s regional council headquarters

A Message to Canadians from Federal New Democrat Party Leader Tom Mulcair

Ottawa, Ontario, December 2015 – This December 1^st, I arrived home from the international climate change summit in Paris where I met with people from around the world about how we can tackle climate change.

Canada’s NDP Leader Tom Mulcair

The task at hand is critical, and it can’t wait any longer to be addressed.

We owe it to the world and future generations to do better. We owe it to them to make this international summit a success because climate change is a threat to humanity.

I welcome the new government’s tone on climate change but words must be backed by a plan and real action, and Canada still does not have that. Continue reading →

• Robust New Tools Will Provide Consumers With a Stronger Voice

News from the Government of Ontario

(A Brief Foreword Note from Niagara At Large publisher Doug Draper – Having had individuals at my door, trying to push an energy contract on me around some vague promise that my hydro costs would go down and it would cost me less if the electrical parts of my furnace and water heater conked out, the Ontario government has done us a favour, even if this legislation went no further than to ban these individuals form knocking at the doors of unsuspecting energy consumers.

I have read and heard horror stories from people who signed these contracts and I almost did it myself once when I answered the door while I was suffering from a bad head cold and had my guard down. Good riddance to these door knocking scam artists, although I suspect we will now find ourselves confronting them via email and robo calls.)

Queen’s Park, December 2015 – This December 1^st, Ontario passed legislation to protect consumers by strengthening the Ontario Energy Board (OEB) and improving its ability to ensure continuity of service. Continue reading →

• Greenbelt “not quite big enough to contain poorly-planned, low density, urban sprawl” – Ontario Greenbelt Alliance

A Message from the citizen watchdog group Ontario Greenbelt Alliance

November 2015 – When the Greenbelt was created in 2005, many observers warned that it was not quite big enough to contain poorly-planned, low density, urban sprawl.

Grape vines in Ontario’s Greenbeilt stretching from the Niagara River and Niagara-on-the-Lake, around Hamilton and north of Lake Ontario and outside the urban boundaries of the Greater Toronto Area.

Over the past 10 years we’ve seen that the Greenbelt is effective at limiting sprawl but leapfrog development beyond its boundaries threatens to undermine the Greenbelt Plan.

Over the past 10 years, local citizens’ groups and municipal councils have been working to expand the Greenbelt into their communities and build a tangible connection to local farmland and the greenspace that help to clean our air and water.

Today, over 115 community groups across the region support growing the Greenbelt and shaping future growth patterns to protect critical drinking water sources, healthy watersheds and rivers, and an abundant supply of clean water for agriculture and other businesses. Three quarters of residents in the Greater Golden Horseshoe feel it’s important to continue to grow the Greenbelt and nearly all agree that protecting our water resource systems and agricultural land is important to them. Continue reading →

• “A strong economy and healthy environment go hand-in-hand, and we are committed to leaving our children and grandchildren with a more sustainable and prosperous country.” – Justin Trudeau

News from the Office of Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau

Paris France, November 30^th, 2015 – The Canadian Prime Minister, Justin Trudeau, joined (this November 30^th) French President François Hollande, U.S. President Barack Obama and Bill Gates to announce the launch of Mission Innovation, an ambitious clean technology initiative that partners Canada with the United States, 18 other countries, and leading representatives from the private sector.

Canada’s Prime Minister Justin Trudeau

This global partnership, announced during the first day of the 21^st Conference of the Parties to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (COP 21), seeks to double government investment over the next five years in clean energy research and development, and to spur private sector investment in clean technology.

The Government of Canada fully supports this goal and clean technology research and development. Investing in clean technology can deliver real benefits for the environment and the economy, including more good-paying, middle class jobs for Canadians. Continue reading →

An Invite To You from Niagara Action for Animals, a region-wide group of volunteers advocating for the welfare of animals

(A Brief Foreword from NAL publisher Doug Draper – I will start by declaring a bias here. I spent time during my childhood with some wonderful dogs. But many, many years ago, a great cat walked into my life and ever since then, I have been a card-carrying cat lover.

Marshall is waiting for a friendly home

So when the volunteers at NAFA sent me a gallery of pictures of some of the kittens and cats up for adoption at a Welland Pet Valu store this coming Saturday, the first thought that crossed my mind was that if I had enough room and time for them, I’d take them all home. But I’m not so sure Dexter and Dylan – the two cats who already front and centre in our home – would care to share their favourite snoozin places with other felines.

So if you have the heart and place for the kind of friend who will always play it straight and never let you don’t, with plenty of purrs thrown in, this coming Saturday, December 5^th and Sunday, December 5^th, between the hours each day of 10 a.m. and 5 p.m. you may that friend at the Pet Valu store on Fitch Street in the Niagara city of Welland, Ontario.

Zuki is looking for a life-long pal

It is Niagara Action for Animals’ – more commonly known as NAFA – annual Holiday season adoption event and this dedicated group of volunteers has done a wonderful job over their years of looking after and finding good homes for animals.

So here are the details, immediately below, that NAFA members asked me to post for this event.)

What:  Niagara Action for Animals Home for the holidays Adoption Event and Vegan Bake Sale!

Details: Adoptathon featuring lots of adorable adoptable cats and kittens. Adoption fees are $100 for kittens and $50 for cats 6 months +, which includes spay/neuter, age appropriate vaccines, and microchip. Proceeds from vegan bake sale benefit NAfA’s outreach and spay/neuter programs. Also, your last chance to order NAfA’s 2016 “Cat-lendar”

Byron is purring for the right person to settle down with.

When: December 5th & 6th 2015, 10am-5pm Where: Pet Valu, Fitch St, Welland

1. If you would like to support our event, vegan baked goods can be dropped off to Pet Valu on the Friday or Saturday morning of the event!

Niagara Action for Animals is a non-profit, all volunteer charity devoted to ending all forms of animal cruelty through education, direct action and legitimate protest.

Find out more about NAFA by visiting http://www.niagaraactionforanimals.org/ .

Visit Niagara At Large at www.niagaraatlarge.com for more news and commentary for and from the greater bi-national Niagara region.

(NOW IT IS YOUR TURN. Niagara At Large encourages you to share your views on this post. A reminder that we only post comments by individuals who share their first and last name with them.)

• It’s Time To Turn The Channel On This Gun Murder Mess And Move On To Something Else

A Commentary by Doug Draper, Niagara At Large

Want one more example of a U.S. president who doesn’t have the finger on the pulse of his own country? Then check out this statement, released this November 28^th, by President Barack Obama in the wake of another mass shooting in America.

“This is not mornal,” said Obama. “We can’t let it become normal.”

“If we truly care about this — if we’re going to offer up our thoughts and prayers again, for God knows how many times, with a truly clean conscience — then we have to do something about the easy accessibility of weapons of war on our streets to people who have no business wielding them. Period,” Obama concluded. “Enough is enough.”

Enough is enough? In all due respect, no it isn’t, Mr. President. At the current rate of occurrance in your country, there will likely be one more mass shooting before Christmas, all to receive 24/7 coverage, like a reality TV show, as other issues from climate change to your nation’s crumbling infrastructure and lack of health care and education opportunities for poor and lower income people get the bum’s rush on CNN and the other major American cable networks. Continue reading →

• “Corporate income tax cuts could go down as one of the great Canadian public policy blunders of recent times.”

From the Canadian Centre for Policy Alternatives

Ottawa, Ontario, November 30^th, 2015 —Corporate income tax (CIT) cuts have not only failed to lead to faster growth, there is evidence to suggest that CIT rate reductions contributed to slower growth, says a study released today by the Canadian Centre for Policy Alternatives (CCPA).

The study, by Unifor economist and CCPA research associate Jordan Brennan, examines the relationship between the Canadian CIT regime and various dimensions of growth and finds there is no empirical or statistically significant relationship between corporate tax cuts and growth.’

“Corporate income tax cuts could go down as one of the great Canadian public policy blunders of recent times,” says Brennan. “The problem is the facts stubbornly refuse to support the notion that corporate tax cuts accelerate growth.” Continue reading →

A Call-Out to All of Us from the Green Party of Canada

November 2015 – Severe storms, rising grocery bills, flooded basements, unaffordable disaster insurance, and water shortages. These are the realities of climate change.

They don’t have to be the realities of our future. It’s not too late — but we have to take climate action now. Tomorrow, Elizabeth May will join world leaders for the start of the Paris Climate Conference.

This is our last and best chance to sign an international agreement that will allow us to avoid the worst consequences of climate change. We are running out of time — act now.

We are the only party that has consistently made climate action a priority, and the only party that will push Prime Minister Trudeau to go fast enough and far enough on the environment.

Say you are with us, add your name today. Here’s the link: secure.greenparty.ca/climate-action

Thanks for your support,

Emily McMillan,  Executive Director, Green Party of Canada

Visit Niagara At Large at www.niagaraatlarge.com for more news and commentary for and from the greater bi-national Niagara region.

(NOW IT IS YOUR TURN. Niagara At Large encourages you to share your views on this post. A reminder that we only post comments by individuals who share their first and last name with them.)

A Brief Comment from Doug Draper, Niagara At Large

November 2015 – If Niagara At Large was in the practice of featuring a ‘quote of the week’ on this site, then one by French President Francois Hollande – on the scale of the danger climate change poses to the planet – would most certainly top our list for the last full week of November 2015.

French President Francois Hollande

The quote is from a news conference in Malta this November 27^th and it goes as follows –

“Man is the worst enemy of man,” said the French president. “We can say it with terrorism but we can say the same when it comes to climate. Human beings are betraying nature, damaging the environment. It is therefore up to human beings to face up to their responsibilities.”

Continue reading →

A Commentary by Nick Fillmore

November 27^th, 2015 – In the early-1950s, when it became widely known that smoking caused cancer, giant tobacco companies formed the Tobacco Industry Research Council (TIRC). Its main goal was to deny the harmful effects of tobacco and confuse the public.

The tobacco lobby wormed its way into the United Nations’ World Health Organization (WHO), wreaking havoc and slowing the WHO’s efforts to reduce the growing number of cancer deaths.

Realizing that the tobacco corporations were obstructing progress, the WHO finally built a firewall between public health officials and industry lobbyists. Only then was it possible to better control tobacco.

Flash forward to Paris and the 21st annual UN Climate Conference, November 30 to December 11   The 190 participating countries are charged with trying to hold carbon emissions to liveable limits between the years 2020 and 2030.

But – just like when the tobacco lobby was powerful – the fossil fuel lobby is strongly influencing decisions to be made in Paris.

Pointing to the struggling world economic situation, the World Business Council for Sustainable Development (WBCSD) says climate change is important, but it should not jeopardize economic growth. Continue reading →

The Christmas Bird Count is North America’s longest-running citizen science project and a crucial part of Canada’s biodiversity monitoring database

News from Ontario Nature & The Many Niagara Volunteers who have joined in these annual counts

Toronto, November 23, 2015 – This holiday season, you can help our feathered friends by joining a Christmas Bird Count. These daylong, volunteer-run bird surveys are organized locally by naturalist groups. They are free and open to everyone – regardless of age or skill level.

Snowy Owl, photo by Ashley Hockenberry, Ontario Nature

This year’s counts will run from December 14, 2015 to January 5, 2016. Visit the Ontario Nature (www.ontarionature.org/cbc) and Bird Studies Canada (www.bsc-eoc.org/volunteer/cbc) websites to find a count near you. Ontario Nature member groups are coordinating more than 70 counts.

The Christmas Bird Count is North America’s longest-running citizen science project and a crucial part of Canada’s biodiversity monitoring database. Every volunteer who takes part in a count contributes to the study and conservation of birds. Scientists use these data to monitor the status of resident and migratory birds across the Western Hemisphere. Continue reading →

• Port Colborne Citizen Dick Moore Among The Recipients

News from the Government of Ontario

Queen’s Park, November 2015 – This November 26^th , Ontario recognized 21 outstanding seniors for their significant contributions to their communities and to the province.

This year’s Ontario Senior Achievement Award recipients include:

• A passionate environmentalist and conservationist who is helping to restore a population of water fowl around Southwestern Ontario that was nearing extinction.
• A writer and translator who has dedicated much of her time since retirement to bringing the unique voices of Ukrainian authors to Canadian readers.
• A long-time leader and advocate for the growing community of seniors identifying as lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and transsexual.

Dick Moore, a recipient from the Niagara, Ontario community of Port Colborne and the only one honoured this time from the Niagara region, is decribed this way in a backgrounder prepared by the government to accompany news  of the awards –

Dick Moore of Port Colborne is a long-time leader and advocate for the growing community of seniors identifying as lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and transsexual (LGBTT). He helped form the Senior PRIDE network and worked closely with the City of Toronto to ensure that the unique needs of LGBTT seniors were addressed in the city’s programs and services. Continue reading →

• Students Set Up Website To Collect Donations For Refuguees

News from Brock University

Niagara, Ontario, November 2015 – Three Brock University students will leave the school at 8 a.m. Friday for an incredible journey in support of Syrian refugees.

Friends Patrick Foster, Jad Nasser and Nigeria Goli Emiko Murphy will walk more than 100 kilometres from Friday, Nov. 27 to Sunday, Nov. 29 from the foot of Schmon Tower at Brock to Nathan Phillips Square in Toronto, where they’ll meet with officials from UNICEF Canada. Photo courtesy of Brock University

Friends Patrick Foster, Jad Nasser and Nigeria Goli Emiko Murphy will walk more than 100 kilometres from Friday, Nov. 27 to Sunday, Nov. 29 from Brock’s Schmon Tower to Nathan Phillips Square in Toronto, where they’ll meet with officials from UNICEF Canada.

The trio are expecting to walk between eight and 10 hours each day and complete the journey in downtown Toronto late Sunday afternoon.

The concept started with Foster, the co-president of UNICEF Brock, wanting to do something to help the refugees. Continue reading →

From the Office of Ontario NDP Leader Andrea Horwath

Queen’s Park, Ontario, November 2015 – In Question Period this November 25^th  Ontario NDP Leader Andrea Horwath called on the government to bring forward a meaningful plan to tackle climate change.

Ontario NDP Leader Andrea Horwath

“Climate change is one of the most important issues in our generation, and it needs more than just rhetoric. It actually needs a plan. Does this Premier have a plan that she’s actually bringing to the Paris summit?” said Horwath.

The NDP Leader expressed concern after the Liberal government cobbled together a climate change announcement yesterday that lacked substance. Instead of details, the Premier (Liberal Kathleen Wynne) offered a re-announcement that there will, at some point, be an announcement. Continue reading →

News from Ontario’s Conservative Party Opposition Leader Patrick Brown

Queen’s Park, Ontario, November 2015 – This November 25^th , Leader of the Official Opposition and PC Education Critic Patrick Brown urged the Premier (Kathleen Wynne) to support the Ontario PC Caucus’ Opposition Day Motion.

Ontario PC Leader Patrick Brown

The motion, being debated this afternoon, calls upon the Ontario Liberal Party to repay the Ministry of Education $3.7 million to reimburse Ontario’s students for the funds taken out of the classroom to pay for bargaining costs.

“If that money had been invested into Ontario’s education system it would have gone a long way,” stated Leader Patrick Brown in the Legislature.  “The Premier could have funded 75 educational assistants with that money.  She could have put that money towards special education programs.” Continue reading →

From Niagara Action For Animals, a Niagara, Ontario-based animal advocacy group

November 25^th, 2015 – From now until December 7th you will be able to order your very own “Cat-lendar” featuring some of the adorable adoptable cats and kittens from Niagara Action for Animals.

Calendars also feature animal-specific holidays! Order the calendar for yourself or as a gift for someone else, but order soon before it’s too late! NAfA Cat-lendars are $16 each and all profits from this campaign go to support NAfA’s spay and neuter programs in the community.

Get yours today by emailing Jami at: JamiCoughler@gmail.com or by completing this order form: https://docs.google.com/forms/d/1WwK8hcwAAmMQSMcBzbU3ciro7fjMibywwq5tatzUK8I/viewform?usp=send_form

Learn more about Niagara Action For Animals by clicking on – http://www.niagaraactionforanimals.org/ .

Visit Niagara At Large at www.niagaraatlarge.com for more news and commentary for and from the greater bi-national Niagara region.

(NOW IT IS YOUR TURN. Niagara At Large encourages you to share your views on this post. A reminder that we only post comments by individuals who share their first and last name with them.)

Another Call-Out to Canadians from Avaaz, a global online citizens organization

November 25^th, 2015 – The French government has just announced that with security still a major concern in Paris, we’ll have to cancel our massive climate march there on November 29th.

This is heart-breaking for our Paris members, who have had enough heartbreak already, but hundreds of thousands will be marching all over the globe. And in Paris, people are donating their shoes to be lined up on the march route as a symbolic representation of their marching feet.

If we all join them by sending thousands of photos of us with our shoes, Avaaz will display our images in Paris to show Parisians they are not alone, and tell the world we all stand as one. Click here to join the global virtual march now, or here to see if there is a march near you. Continue reading →

• Province Charts Course to a Prosperous, Low-Carbon Future

“Climate change is the most pressing issue of our time (and) it’s imperative we take action on all fronts to effectively reduce greenhouse gas pollution while building a stronger economy.” –  Glen Murray, Minister of the Environment and Climate Change

News from the Government of Ontario

Queen’s Park, November 24^th, 2015 – Ontario took the next step in the fight against climate change today by releasing the province’s Climate Change Strategy. The strategy lays out the government’s vision for securing a healthy, clean and prosperous low-carbon future by transforming the way we live, move, work and adapt to our environment.

The strategy also supports Ontario’s proposed cap and trade program, which will help Ontario meet its emissions reduction targets, reward innovative companies and ensure that households and businesses thrive as the province transitions to a low-carbon economy. Continue reading →

• “We have a responsibility to significantly expand our refugee targets and give more victims of war a safe haven in Canada. The resettling of vulnerable refugees is a clear demonstration of this.” – Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau

  

  Canada’s Prime Minister Justin Trudeau

News from the Government of Canada

Ottawa, Ontario, November 24^th, 2015 –The Government of Canada is taking immediate action to welcome 25,000 Syrian refugees to Canada as quickly as possible, through a five-phase national plan. Canada can and will do more to help Syrian refugees who are desperately seeking safety, by offering them a new home.

The five phases are identifying Syrian refugees to come to Canada, selecting and processing Syrian refugees overseas, transportation to Canada, arrival and welcoming in Canada, and settlement and community integration. Protecting the safety, security, and health of Canadians and refugees is a key factor in guiding the Government of Canada’s actions throughout this initiative. Continue reading →

• “Why would this toxic liquid brew even be transported through our precious fruit lands, the highly populated Greater Toronto Area, and other rural or urban centres?” – Susan Pruyn, St. Catharines & District Council of Women

A News Analysis from Doug Draper, Niagara At Large

Niagara’s Regional government has sent a clear message to officials in Canada and the United States that it is opposed to a plan currently on the books to truck highly dangerous radioactive waste through the region to Niagara River border bridges.

Canada’s Chalk River nuclear facilities in Ontario’s upper Ottawa Valley

The call for a halt to the controversial plan was made at the request of the St. Catharines & District Council of Women – an almost century old public interest group in Niagara, Ontario with a mandate to raise public awareness on issues of interest and concern to the wider community. Continue reading →

• Canadian author & economist Jim Stafford.  CBC reporter & labour activist Bill Gillespie among Speakers at Friday, Nov. 27th event in St. Catharines, Ontario. See poster below for further details.

Click on the image to blow it up on your screen so it is friendlier to read.

Visit Niagara At Large at www.niagaraatlarge.com for more news and commentary for and from the greater bi-national Niagara region.

(NOW IT IS YOUR TURN. Niagara At Large encourages you to share your views on this post. A reminder that we only post comments by individuals who share their first and last name with them.)

• “Despite The Rhetoric, … Regional Council Failed To Focus On Water And Waste Water Affordability For Niagara’s Cities And Towns And Ultimately Failed Niagara’s Residents And Businesses.” – Pelham Mayor Dave Augustyn

A Column from Niagara, Ontario’s Town of Pelahm Mayor Dave Augustyn

Pelham, Ontario Mayor Dave Augustyn

November 23^rd, 2015 -Some (Niagara) Regional Councillors congratulated themselves for approving a “combined 0.03 per cent reduction in the Region’s Water and Wastewater budget, resulting in a net operating budget of $108 million.”

A recent news release quoted the Regional Chair (Al Caslin)  that, “These reduced budgets show that our Council is focused on affordability for Niagara residents.”

This upsets me.

First, this misleads by telling only part of the story.

 Second, the facts show that the Region’s “zero budget guidance” did not focus water and wastewater affordability. Continue reading →

A Brief Foreword from Niagara At Large publisher Doug Draper –

It was heartening to listen to the C BC Radio program Cross Country Check-up this past Sunday, November 23^rd and hear most of the people who phoned in say they support making Canada a home to refugees from war-torn Syria.

U.S. Senator for Massachusetts, Warren Elizabeth

Such is apparently not the case in our neighbouring United States where polls show a majority of Americans side with Donald Trump, Ted Cruz, Chris Christie and other Republicans running for that party’s presidential nomination who are calling for shutting the door on Syrian refugees unless they are Christians, for fear terrorists may slip in with them.

One of what appears to be a minority of U.S. politicians willing to stand with U.S. President Barack Obama and Democratic presidential contenders Hillary Clinton and Bernie Sanders in favour welcoming up to 10,000 of the refugees over the next year is a fellow Democrat from Massachusetts, Senator Elizabeth Warren who many progressives across the country hoped would run for president.

Her heartfelt words on the refugee issue, circulated in an email, are posted here.

Mass. Senator Elizabeth Warren, November 2015 –

“Over the past four years, millions of people have fled their homes in Syria, running for their lives. In recent months, the steady stream of refugees has been a flood that has swept across Europe.

Continue reading →

• Province Passes Landmark Law In Advance of Global Climate Change Summit

News from the Government of Ontario

Queen’s Park, Ontario November 2015 – In the lead up to the United Nations’ Conference of the Parties in Paris, Ontario passed legislation this November 23^rd to permanently ban coal-fired electricity generation in the province – a first in North America and a significant step in the fight against climate change.

Air emissions from the now off-line coal-fired electricity generating plant along Lake Erie in Nanticoke, Ontario were once the target of legal complaints filed by New York State

The Ending Coal for Cleaner Air Act prevents new and existing facilities from burning coal for the sole purpose of generating electricity. It sets maximum fines for anyone who violates the ban and enshrines the health and environmental benefits of making coal-fired electricity illegal in law.

This landmark legislation builds on Ontario’s leadership on climate change. Last year, Ontario closed its last coal-fired power plant. Closing coal-fired power plants represents one of the largest greenhouse gas reduction initiatives in North America. The closure has eliminated more than 30 megatonnes of annual GHG emissions, equivalent to taking seven-million vehicles off our roads. Continue reading →

• Sunday, November 29^th At Hamilton City Hall

A Foreword Note from Fiona McMurran, Council of Canadians, Niagara South

November 2015 – On the eve of the Paris Summit on Climate Change, rallies are planned for November 29^th  in communities all around the globe.

Niagara, Ontario residents are encouraged to join the march and rally in Hamilton.

Here are messages, posted below from two citizens groups, Hamilton 350 and Environment Hamilton, providing details on the coming ‘Hamilton2Paris’ march and rally in that city.

From Environment Hamilton –

On November 29th, 2015, people around the world are coming together to unify in advocacy of climate change. November 30th sparks the beginning of the #COP21 talks in Paris and many Hamilton groups will be part of that effort to promote citizen engagement, environmental awareness and ultimately show our leaders that we are watching. Continue reading →

An Appeal from the Alliance for the Great Lakes, a U.S.-based citizens advocacy group for the protections of the lakes

(A Brief Niagara At Large foreword note – There is virtually unanimous agreement among environmental scientists on both sides of the Canada/U.S. border that if this invasive species of carp – indigenous to waters in Asia and imported our continent without government consent several years ago – enters the Great Lakes, they could , among other things, ravage a domestic fishery worth billions of dollars to both countries.)

Invasive Asian Carp leaping in waters of upper Mississippi River system near Lake Michigan.

Chicago, Illinois, November 2015 – Young Asian carp are now 66 miles closer to Lake Michigan than they were at the start of the year. Time is running short in efforts to keep these devastating fish out of the Great Lakes. Unfortunately, federal officials are not moving quickly.

The U. S. Army Corps of Engineers has the proven know-how and ability to take action and do it fast. But, the corps recently told Congress it will take at least three more years to study and recommend a plan for risk-reduction measures at the Brandon Road Lock and Dam on the Illinois River. Continue reading →

•  Public Information Sessions ‘Were A Great Missed Opportunity’ To Address These Key Issues

By John Bacher

During the third week of this November 2015, the Regional Municipality of Niagara held three public information sessions in the Niagara, Ontario municipalities of Grimsby, St. Catharines and Port Colborne.

A view inside one of Niagara, Ontario’s forested wetland areas – areas that conservationist John Bacher believes are getting the short end in Niagara Region’s current planning process.

The meetings focused on three separate but connected issues. Those issues are the planning of transportation, water and sewer services and the new five year review of the Niagara Regional Official Plan, required by the Planning Act.

It is a good thing that these issues are combined so that for instance, water and sewer lines are not extended beyond urban growth limits.

The roughly 150 people blessed to take part in these information sessions were able to meet Niagara staff and consultants developing the policies under review. What was helpful for the process is that there were copies of background reports. These included two worthy reports on “Whole Streets”, the region’s current transportation policy, and the bible for land use planning in the Niagara Region, the Dillon report. What was helpful about the process is that citizens engaged in it learn valuable background information, for instance, where sewer and water lines are actually located. Continue reading →

A Call Out from the Rise Up For Climate Justice Campaign in Western New York

Buffalo, New York, November 2015 – In preparation for the crucial United Nations Climate Conference in Paris, the Rise Up For Climate Justice Campaign of WNY sponsored a public rally in Niagara Square in September calling on our elected officials to act in earnest to curb Climate Change.

Now, as the start of the Conference nears, the Rise Up For Climate Justice Campaign will sponsor a Community Gathering to collect our voices and make them heard by U.S. negotiators in Paris.

Supporters have signed a Climate Justice Pledge. At the Community Gathering, a scroll bearing the names of the pledge signers will be ceremoniously passed on to UB law students who will travel to Paris and present it to an official at the U.N. Climate Conference.

Please Join Us!

Food, Music and Ceremony will be provided.

Families and children are welcome.

WHEN: Saturday, November 28 at 5:30pm to 8:30pm

WHERE: Temple Beth Zion (auditorium), 805 Delaware Ave., Buffalo [Map]

The Community Gathering is Free and Open to the Public.

RSVP HERE

Come show your support for our student representatives as they prepare to send our voices to Paris calling for bold action on climate change to ensure a just and livable future.

WHO ARE WE: The Rise Up For Climate Justice campaign comprises diverse groups of Western New Yorkers including people of different faiths, students, people of color, teachers, indigenous people, labor unions, community activists, environmentalists, artists, performers and local politicians. The campaign is open to all people

For more on information this and related events, visit the Re-Energize Buffalo website.

Visit Niagara At Large at www.niagaraatlarge.com for more news and commentary for and from the greater bi-national Niagara region.

(NOW IT IS YOUR TURN. Niagara At Large encourages you to share your views on this post. A reminder that we only post comments by individuals who share their first and last name with them.)

A Call-Out to Canadians from Avaaz, a global online citizens organization

November 2015 – In days, world leaders will be in Paris deciding on a climate deal that could save the planet, and we’re helping to organize a massive march on November 29th in Ottawa to show our new PM that the time for action is now — but we need everyone’s help to make it huge.

A march in New York City during a climate change meeting at United Nations this past September 2015

Together we made thousands of calls to voters to help win a new government for Canada, and now we can get PM Trudeau to support a planet-saving climate deal in Paris if we hit the phone lines again!

We know citizen-to-citizen calling works — progressive parties won every riding we called into in the election last month! So we’re asking Avaaz members across the country to personally call other Avaazers in Ottawa and ask them to march for a 100% clean future. Continue reading →

News from the Ontario New Demoractic Party

Queen’s Park, November 2015 — Citing a report that showed the number of Ontario families using food banks is on the rise, Ontario NDP Community and Social Services critic Sarah Campbell asked the Premier why her government isn’t doing more to help Ontarians in need.

“Yesterday, the annual HungerCount report on food bank usage was released, and the results are shocking. Since 2008, food bank usage in Ontario has risen more than 14%, while 48.6% of food banks in Ontario are reporting an increase in use,” said Campbell, MPP for Kenora—Rainy River. “More appalling still, nearly 34 per cent of food bank users are children.” Continue reading →

• 222 Acres Secured For People And Nature, To Be Managed By Erie County Department Of Parks, Recreation And Forestry

News from Buffalo Niagara Riverkeeper and The Nature Conservancy

(One Brief Foreword Note here from Niagara At Large publisher Doug Draper – For those of you on the Ontario side of the Niagara River and Lake Erie, you may wonder why the good news announced in this post matters to you.

A view of Eighteenmile Creek in a forested area now secured for the public in Erie County, New York. The creek is part of the watershed feeding the Niagara River. Photo courtesy of The Nature Conservancy.

As a long-time environment reporter on Great Lakes issues, I can say without doubt that anytime a significant piece of natural space is preserved in the Niagara River watershed on either side of the border, it is important for everyone who shares these freshwater resources because it means natural areas that help keep our waters clean and sustain fish populations and other wildlife.

So a resounding  Thank You to these two dedicated environmental groups in Erie County, New York for accomplishing this for all of us.)

Orchard Park, New York, November 20^th, 2015 – This past Friday, November 20^th, The Nature Conservancy and Buffalo Niagara Riverkeeper announced the successful protection of a 222-acre forest at the headwaters of Eighteenmile Creek, one of Lake Erie’s major tributaries. Representatives from Buffalo Niagara Riverkeeper and The Nature Conservancy were joined by Deputy Commissioner of Parks and Recreation Greg Olma, Deputy Erie County Executive Maria Whyte, Legislator John Mills and Concord Town Supervisor Eppolito at a celebration in Chestnut Ridge Park. Continue reading →

• Additional Protections Extended to Precarious and Foreign Workers

News from the Government of Ontario

Queen’s Park, November 20^th , 2015 – New changes to Ontario’s employment laws come into effect today to better protect precarious and foreign workers.

Ontario Labour Minister Kevin Flynn

Starting today, the Employment Standards Act, 2000 will be amended to allow individuals who are hired through a temporary help agency to recover unpaid wages from both the agency and the agency’s client-business, where the agency has not paid the wages.

To help strengthen protections for foreign workers, coverage under the Employment Protection for Foreign Nationals Act, 2009 is also being extended to foreign nationals who are employed or seeking employment in Ontario through an immigration or foreign temporary employee program. Under this new change: Continue reading →

“It would be a cruel irony indeed if ISIS can force families from their homes, then also prevent them from ever finding new ones.” – former U.S. secretary of state and presidential contender Hillary Clinton.

A Brief One from Niagara At Large publisher Doug Draper

While we Canadians discuss and debate plans to welcome thousands of Syrian refugees to our country, a similar debate is brewing across the border in the United States.

Democratic presidential candidate Hillary Clinton

And as much media attention as the likes of Donald Trump, a front-runner in the race for the Republican presidential nomination, is getting on cable channels for proposing to build border walls to keep Mexicans and now Syrians out, and to make all Muslims in the U.S. register their names in a national data bank for surveillance purposes, it is important to know that there are prominent political leaders in the U.S. who agree with Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau’s position that countries as blessed as ours have a responsibility to reach out to others in times of crisis. Continue reading →

“Ontario’s New Democrats are proud to stand with Ontarians and welcome Syrian refugees into the province.” – Teresa Armstrong, Citizenship and Immigration Critic, Ontario NDP

Queen’s Park, Ontario, November 20^th, 2015

Dear Premier Wynne,

As the Ontario NDP Critic for Citizenship and Immigration, I am writing to you today to ask that you provide the public with your government’s resettlement strategy for the Syrian refugees arriving in Ontario later this year.

Fleeing war and looking for a new homeland

Ontario’s New Democrats are proud to stand with Ontarians and welcome Syrian refugees into the province. And, we believe Ontario should be an example for the world to follow.

As a member of the global community we have a responsibility to reach out and welcome those who are fleeing a country ravaged by war. But, the government also has a responsibility to ensure that it has a robust plan in place, which is prepared to offer these people the services that they need. For example, this means making sure that these refugees have a warm place to live, money for food and winter clothing, and access to the required health services.

This week, I attended Journeys of Migration, an event hosted by the Western Centre for Research on Migration and Ethnic Relations Program at Western University. I heard success stories from refugees like Bassam, a lawyer from Iraq; Phuong, a business owner from Vietnam; and the touching story of the Ameen family, who recently arrived in Canada as government-assisted refugees. These individuals are part of the strong social fabric of Canada, and we have a responsibility to them to make sure that they feel a part of our community. This includes making sure that we have the proper resettlement services for those that need it.

We’re less than a month and half away from the Prime Minister’s deadline. A promise is simply not enough. The government needs a concrete plan to ensure that it has adequate support systems in place to accommodate and welcome these Syrian refugees. What is your affordable housing strategy? Your mental health counseling strategy? Your language support strategy? Your employment support strategy?

I welcome the opportunity to discuss these issues further and to be kept updated on the progress being made.

Yours, Teresa Armstrong, MPP London-Fanshawe

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– How Anti-Hunt Protesters Try To Suffocate Treaty Rights

An Analysis of recent events at Short Hills Provincial Park from the Christian Peacemaker Team and other Supporters of the Haudenosaunee Right to Hunt

(This is the latest in a series of commentaries Niagara At Large is posting for and against the latest fall deer hunt in Short Hills Provincial Park located near the centre of Niagara, Ontario.)

November 19^th, 2015 – The Ontario Provincial Police (OPP), the Niagara Regional Police (NRP) and the Ministry of Natural Resources and Forestry (MNRF) continue to comply with the anti-hunt protesters’ barricade which prevents hunters from entering and exiting the park.

People opposed to deer hunt protest near one of the entrances to Short Hills Provincial Park during a previous year’s hunt.

Negotiations ensure that the protesters’ stall-time is maintained at 5 minutes per vehicle. Hunters and supporters indicate that although this delay is incrementally less than previous years, tolerance and patience for this process is wearing thin. The barricade must be removed.

Haudenosaunee hunters must be supported in accessing their inherent and treaty rights without interference from anti-hunt protesters. Continue reading →

From the Green Party of Canada’s climate change critic Claire Martin

Green Party climate change critic Claire Martin

We are facing a climate crisis, and for the last decade, politicians in Ottawa have failed Canadians. We are less than two weeks away from the Paris Climate Conference — this is the time to act.

We finally have a government that is open to the idea of tackling climate change, but they won’t take the necessary steps unless we are there to push them.

We are the only party that has consistently made climate action a priority, and the only party that will push Prime Minister Trudeau to go fast enough and far enough on the environment. Continue reading →

Province Coordinating Efforts to Support the Federal Government’s Plan to Settle Syrian Refugees

• “We are proud of our inclusive and open society in Ontario.” – The Province’s Premier, Kathleen Wynne

News from the Government of Ontario

Queen’s Park, November 19^th, 2015 – The Ontario Government has established a Ministers’ Ad Hoc Committee on Refugees in order to support its commitment to help settle thousands of refugees before the end of the year. Ontario stands ready to support the federal government’s strategy, and will work to increase the capacity of settlement and integration services to meet the needs of the refugees who will be settled in Ontario.

Ontario Premier Kathleen Wynne stands by pledge to welcome 10,000 Syrian refugees to the province.

The ad hoc committee, co-chaired by Minister of Citizenship, Immigration and International Trade Michael Chan and Minister of Health and Long-term Care Eric Hoskins, held its first meeting on November 17. The committee is tasked with overseeing ongoing efforts and coordinating a cross-government response to prepare for incoming refugees and help them settle and integrate once they arrive. It will also work closely with the federal government to determine how Ontario can best support a national plan for refugee settlement. Continue reading →

No Muslims Please!

A Brief Comment from Doug Draper, Niagara At Large

A new Bloomberg poll, taken in the United States since the November 13^th Paris terrorist attacks , shows more than half the Americans surveyed stand against President Barack Obama’s plan to welcome 10,000 Syrian refugees to the U.S. in the months ahead and in favour of a call Republican presidential candidates like Donald Trump and Ted Cruz to keep them out.

Sadly, this person in somewhere U.S.A. may be outnumbered by those who would rather give the thumbs up to Donald Trump and thumbs down to Syrian refugees

Trump, the front-runner in the race for the Republican presidential nomination, has gone so far as to say that to keep Syrian refugees out, he would further fortify that “big beautiful wall” he would build to keep all those so-called undocumented Mexicans out after they are finished cleaning toilets for nickels and dimes for the circle of fat wallets he hangs with when he’s not pandering to peons at campaign rallies.

The Bloomberg poll shows that 53 per cent of Anericans now want the doors to their country shut to Syrian refugees while 11 per cent would accept only those who are Christians. Only 28 per cent want the doors left open to refugees from Syrian, just so long as there is a careful screening process in place.

Continue reading →