Author Archives: dougdraper

The Legendary Quincy Jones Dies at Age 91

A Brief Commentary by Doug Draper

Posted November 4^th, 2024 on Niagara At Large

Michael Jackson (left) and Quincy Jones during their glory days

In the view of this wannabe musicologist, few individuals in the past 60 or more years has put a greater stamp on popular music than Quincy Jones, who died this November 3^rd, 2024 at age 91.

From music giants like Frank Sinatra, Count Basie and Ella Fitzgerald to Leslie Gore (of ‘It’s My Party’ fame) Diana Ross, Michael Jackson and on and on and on, he arranged and produced some of the best recordings in music history.

Among his crowning achievements as an arranger/producer was Michael Jackson’s blockbuster album ‘Thriller’ and its top-charting single ‘Billie Jean’. Continue reading →

Few Stand-Up Comedians In The World Have Made The Case Against Trump Better Than Jimmy Kimmel

Posted with a Brief Comment by Doug Draper on Niagara At Large

November 3rd, 2024, just two days away the most consequential U.S. Election in our lifetime

You can’t make this up. Here is Trump calling Kamala Harris supporters “scum” from a passenger seat in a garbage truck. Hey, Donald. How about swinging by my house and picking up one of those super gaudy pair of Trump sneakers I am dying to get rid of – Doug Draper, NAL

I don’t know if anyone, including Moses coming down from the Mount with a tablet that reads; “Thou Shalt Not Vote For Trump,” can convince members of the MAGA cult or anyone still undecided not to vote for the orange-face monster this late in the game.

But if anyone outside of Kamala Harris herself and some of her strongest supporters, including Liz Cheney and Barrack and Michelle Obama, can get them to at least give deserting  Trump a second thought, I think it might be late night talk show host and comedian Jimmy Kimmel with a special monologue he delivered just days ago.

Please take the time to watch it by clicking on the screen below. 

And to all of my fellow Canadians out there, please consider forwarding this appeal from Kimmel  to any friends and relatives you have in the United States before the November 5^th presidential vote –

• Doug Draper, reporter/publisher for Niagara At Large and an apologetic ‘Canadian For Kamala’ 

NIAGARA AT LARGE Encourages You To Join The Conversation By Sharing Your Views On This Post In The Space Following The Bernie Sanders Quote Below.

“A Politician Thinks Of The Next Election. A Leader Thinks Of The Next Generation.” – Bernie Sanders

A Brief Commentary by Niagara At Large reporter/publisher Doug Draper

Posted November 3^rd, 2024 on Niagara At Large

“I’m the last leaf on the tree
The autumn took the rest
But it won’t take me
I’m the last leaf on the tree

“When the autumn wind blows
They’re already gone
They flutter to the ground
They just can’t hang on”
– lyrics from a new song called ‘The Leaf’ by Willie Nelson

I have always been a spring and summer person.

The last leaf on the silver maple tree in my front yard that has a habit of being one on the first trees to sprout its buds in the spring and one of the first to drop its leaves in the fall.

Having said that, I admit that fall or autumn, as many prefer to call it, is a beautiful time of the year when leaves start turning various shades of red and yellow. But that only lasts a few short weeks before the leaves wither and die, then fall from the trees when the first chilly winds before winter blow.

Then, as morbid as it may sound, I can’t get the idea of dying out of my mind as my thoughts turn to so many friends and relatives others I came to know in my life who have passed on.

In that spirit, just this past week I discovered what for me is a perfect song for this time of year, written and performed by legendary singer/songwriter Willie Nelson. Continue reading →

“We must make our voices heard about the urgent need to address the twin crises of biodiversity loss and climate change.”

A Call-Out from Ontario Nature To Fill Out A Pre-Election Survey

(Find Details And Link For Filling Out Survey Below. )

Posted November 4^th, 2024 on Niagara At Large

Ontario Nature would like your input as we set our priorities for the upcoming provincial election.

We do not know exactly when the election will be called, but we believe that it could be as early as spring 2025. We want to be prepared by understanding your priorities. If you have any questions about the survey, please reply to this email or call 1-800-440-2366. Continue reading →

Make A Donation To Support Mental Health Services For Children Across Niagara

#ProjectPlaid campaign encourages open talk around Mental Health

A Call-Out for Support from Pathstone Mental Health

Posted November 3rd, 2024 on Niagara At Large

Niagara Region – Now into it’s 4th year at Pathstone, ProjectPlaid (#PP), was created to honour the life of Amelia Durocher after we lost her to suicide in 2019. But it wasn’t just about Amelia, says her mother Shanta Rangaratnam, the founder of this campaign.

“It was also about encouraging us all to talk openly about mental health, with the hope that something like this never happens to another family.”

Since 2019, PP has been marked every November across Niagara and culminates on the final Friday of that month, known now as Plaid Friday. On that day the campaign is amplified as the community wears plaid, which was Amelia’s signature style, talks about their mental health, and donates to Pathstone. Continue reading →

The upper reaches of Twelve Mile Creek in the Short Hills of Pelham provides unique habitat for freshwater brook trout. file photo NPCA

“This restoration project is a testament to our commitment to preserving the natural heritage of the Niagara Peninsula watershed. By addressing the erosion challenges in this area, we are protecting not only the habitat of native species like the native Brook Trout but also the overall health of the watershed.”   – John Metcalfe, Chair, NPCA Board of Directors

News from the Niagara Peninsula Conservation Authority

Posted November 1^st, 2024 on Niagara At Large

A look at a restored section of the upper reaches of the Twelve Mile Creek from a pedestrian walkway. Photo courtesy of Niagara Peninsula Conservation Authority

Niagara, Ontario – (This October 31^st, 2024). the Niagara Peninsula Conservation Authority (NPCA), in partnership with the Niagara Chapter of Trout Unlimited Canada, celebrated the completion of the Twelve Mile Creek Restoration Project in the Town of Pelham.

This critical initiative focused on remediating a severely eroded section of the creek near Highway 20 and Rice Road and implemented essential erosion control measures to protect the unique habitat of native Brook Trout. Continue reading →

“Not so sunny days.” – Marit Stiles, Ontario NDP Leader, slammed the Ford Conservatives’ abysmal housing record in the province’s latest fiscal update

A Statement from Ontario NDP Opposition Leader Marit Stiles

Posted November 1^st, 2024 on Niagara At Large

QUEEN’S PARK – Marit Stiles, Ontario NDP Leader, slammed the Ford Conservatives’ abysmal housing record in the province’s latest fiscal update after the Minister of Finance claimed it was ‘sunny days’ in the province’s economic outlook:

“It is clear as day that housing is no longer a priority for the Ford government, if it ever was,” said Stiles. “They wasted years on the Greenbelt scheme, ignored the advice of their own task force, refused to legalize fourplexes, and they’ve come nowhere close to meeting their targets.” Continue reading →

Final stage of expansion delivers on government’s promise to provide more choice and convenience

A News Release from the Office of Ontaro Premier Doug Ford

Posted November 1st, 2024 on Niagara At Large

I sure do Mr. Premier. You’re my main man!

A Brief Foreword by Niagara At Large reporter/publisher Doug Draper – Going back to his earliest days as Ontario’s Premier 2018, Doug Ford has always had a fixation on beer and booze and on making it cheaper and more accessible for people across the province.

Indeed, earlier on there was Ford’s ‘Buck A Beer’ which, at least in one beer connoisseur’s opinion, tasted like “carbonated mule piss” (which had me wondering if this person had ever actually tried carbonated mule piss) and there was his government’s green light to licenced bars to serve customers alcoholic beverages before noon. And now here we see Ford moving forward with his dream of making alcoholic beverages more accessible in convenience and grocery stores.

It is too bad Ford and company hasn’t spent as much time and effort  making quality public health care more accessible to people or building more affordable and convenient public transit systems to reduce the number of cars on our roads and highways or on shifting from climate-ravaging fossil fuels to greener formers of energy.

But after all, priorities are priorities aren’t they Mr. Premier. So raise a glass and down the hatch.

Now here is the News Release from the Premier’s Office –

TORONTO — As the final step in the government’s plan to give people in Ontario more choice and convenience, all licensed grocery stores and big-box grocery stores are now able to sell beer, wine, cider and ready-to-drink beverages, including in large pack sizes. Continue reading →

“Ontario Greens are calling on Ford to drop his war on bike lanes and invest in the modes of transportation that will actually reduce gridlock in Ontario.”

A Statement from Ontario’s Green Party

Posted November 1^st, 2024 on Niagara At Large

Bike lanes have become the latest political wedge that Doug Ford is using to rile up his base. Ford is ignoring all the evidence that says bike lanes are good for traffic, local businesses, and addressing climate change and is threatening to rip up bike lanes.

Adding an additional lane of traffic will only encourage more people to drive. More people driving will mean more traffic and we’ll end up back where we started, only anyone who chooses to keep cycling will have a much more dangerous commute to work. Continue reading →

A Halloween Message from Niagara At Large reporter/publisher Doug Draper

Posted On Halloween Eve, October 31^st, 2024 on Niagara At Large

I think that if I had Dracula, Frankenstein and the Wicked Witch from Oz Land show up at my door,  all at the same time this Halloween night, it wouldn’t have me shaking with fear as much as I now am with only five days left before the vote count in the U.S.. presidential election.

With polls in that election continuing to show – for reasons beyond my comprehension -support in that do-or-die  race between Donald Trump and Kamala Harris virtually tied, there is a hell of a lot more at stake there than a trick or treat his Halloween night or someone smashing the pumpkin on my front stoop or soaping all the  windows of my car or home..

If Trump wins, it won’t just be the United States, from its economy and democracy to its vital social services aimed at fighting climate change that will be at stake. It will also wreak havoc on Canada, one of America’s closest and one of its biggest trading partners, and on many other allied nations around the world.

So earlier this week, when I first  saw the Trump Jack O’Lantern, or  “Trumpkin” as some call it, it had me almost wanting to run for the hills like that ‘Cowardly Lion’ in ‘The Wizard of Oz.”

On this Halloween eve, I pray that our American neighbours do the right thing when they go to the polls and liquidate this dangerous man the way Dorothy did to the  witch at that creepy old castle in Oz Land.

In the meantime, I will leave you with another photo of  a very nice pumpkin stand off Canboro Road in Pelham –

And here is one of the best big Halloween balloons I spotted a few days ago on a front land  near Chippawa Park in Welland. The shark actually thrashes back and forth as it devours, head first, one of the characters in the 1970s Jaws movie –

Finally, here is to all my many loyal followers on Niagara At Large on this Halloween Day, 2024. I can never thank you enough for your support.

And if you don’t mind I am going to  repeat something I have said several times here over the past two months.

Please contact all of your American friends and relatives and urge them to vote for Kamala Harris while they still can.

• Dour Draper,NAL, and our family cat Luna who is the purr-fect colour to greet young trick or treaters at the door one Halloween

NIAGARA AT LARGE Encourages You To Join The Conversation By Sharing Your Views On This Post In The Space Following The Bernie Sanders Quote Below.

“A Politician Thinks Of The Next Election. A Leader Thinks Of The Next Generation.” – Bernie Sanders

“They’ll take your soul, they’ll take your power
Unless you save it and that’s that
Unless you stand up and take it back.”- lyrics from the Stevie Nicks song ‘The Lighthouse’

Posted By Doug Draper On Niagara At Large

October 31^st, 2024

Just In Time For The November 5^th U.S. Elections, The Legendary Stevie Nicks Goes Viral With A Song She Wrote And Performed, With The Support Of Co-Producer And Singer/Songwriter Cheryl Crow, Urging Women And All Others In Her Country To Stand Up And Vote For Women’s Health Care And Reproductive Rights.

To Hear And Watch A  Powerful Video Of Stevie Nicks Performing This Song, Click On The Screen Immediately Below –

To Read The Lyrics To The Song, Click On – Stevie Nicks – The Lighthouse Lyrics | Genius Lyrics

U.S. Democratic Party presidential candidate Kamala Harris must win! There is no option B unless, for some insane reason, you want to follow Trump through the Gates of Hell.

If You Can Vote In The United States, Please Vote For The Only Candidate For President Of A Major Party That Support’s Women’s Right To Choose For Themselves When It Comes To Their Reproductive Health, Kamala Harris.

And If You Are A Canadian Like I Am Who Cannot Vote But Who Has Friends And Relatives In The United States Contact Them As Soon As You Can Before The November 5^th Election And Urge Them To Vote For Kamala Harris Too.

A Quick P.S. – There are growing reports in Canada that Pierre Poilievre and his federal Conservatives may move to limit or eliminate women’s reproductive rights if they win the next federal election.

NIAGARA AT LARGE Encourages You To Join The Conversation By Sharing Your Views On This Post In The Space Following The Bernie Sanders Quote Below.

“A Politician Thinks Of The Next Election. A Leader Thinks Of The Next Generation.” – Bernie Sanders

Ford’s Government’s 2024 Fall Economic Statement continues to invest in rebuilding the provincial economy while keeping costs down for workers and families.

News from the Ontario Conservative Government of Premier Doug Ford

Posted October 30^th, 2024 on Niagara At Large

Ontaro Premier Doug Ford insists this is all about making things better for me and for you

TORONTO — Today (this October 30^th,2024), Ontario Minister of Finance Peter Bethlenfalvy released the 2024 Ontario Economic Outlook and Fiscal Review: Building Ontario for You.

The government continues to take a fiscally responsible approach towards building the critical infrastructure our growing communities need, reducing gridlock, and making life more affordable by keeping taxes low and putting more money back in your pocket.

“Our government’s responsible approach has resulted in an improved fiscal position since the 2024 Budget, allowing us to keep taxes low, invest in infrastructure like roads, highways, hospitals and schools, and provide immediate relief to Ontario families as part of our plan to keep costs down,” said Minister Bethlenfalvy. Continue reading →

Payments will support families facing high interest rates and the federal carbon tax

A News Release from the Office of Ontario Premier Doug Ford

Posted October 29th, 2024 on Niagara At Large

Doug Draper at work in the newsroom, back in the days when there still were newsrooms. file photo

A Brief Foreword from Niagara At Large reporter/publisher Doug Draper – Between this announcement and another the Ford government made this past October 27^th that it is extending the reduction on the provincial tax at gas pumps for drivers, it sure is beginning to smell like Ford will be calling a snap election in the not-to-distant future.

With that in mind, is this rebate and the gas tax reduction a way of bribing voters across Ontario with what, after all, is our own money?

And unless I am missing something, will millionaires and billionaires across the province receive one of these $200 rebate cheques too? Can’t their portion go to funding services like health care or public transit?

More on this later. Now here is the Ford government’s news release –

Continue reading →

Extended Tax Cut Would Save Ontario Households $380 on Average

News from the Constituency Office of Niagara West (Ford Government) MPP Sam Oosterhoff

Posted October 28th, 2024 on Niagara At Large

Niagara West Tory MPP Sam Oosterhoff (left) and his boss, Premier Doug Ford

BEAMSVILLE – As part of the upcoming 2024 Ontario Economic Outlook and Fiscal Review, the Ontario government is keeping costs down for drivers and businesses by introducing legislation that would, if passed, extend the temporary rate cuts on the gasoline and fuel taxes for the fourth time, until June 30, 2025.

These extended cuts would ensure the rates remain at nine cents per litre through to June 30, 2025, saving Ontario households $380 on average over the three years since the cuts were first introduced.

“In a time of economic uncertainty, our government is continuing to keep costs down for drivers by continuing to extend tax cuts on gas and fuel,” said Sam Oosterhoff, MPP for Niagara West. Continue reading →

From the Central Station Education Initiative (CSEI), a non-profit group of volunteers dedicated to preserving Welland’s Central Fire Station

Posted October 29^th, 2024 on Niagara At Large

Welland, Ontario – Help support the preservation of Welland’s proud fire-fighting heritage.Come down and see us at the Farmers’ Market and get your free Central Fire Station t-shirt as a gift, for a minimum cash donation of $50!

High-quality, 100% cotton, Gildan brand T-shirts with a full colour stencil of the Central Fire Station will be given out as free gifts to patrons at the Market who donate a minimum of $50 to our charitable campaign.  Continue reading →

A Statement from Niagara Falls Riding NDP MPP Wayne Gates

Posted October 28th, 2024 on Niagara At Large

QUEENS PARK – Niagara Falls NDP MPP, Wayne Gates, questioned the Ford government on the significant wait times for MRI (Magnetic Resonance Imaging) services that Niagara residents are facing.

“While the Premier chose to take a five-month long summer break, my constituents are experiencing a crisis when it comes to accessing MRI services in Niagara,” said Gates.

“Residents – including seniors – are having to travel as far as Mississauga and the United States to get a timely MRI and are having to pay out of pocket for the service. Continue reading →

A Joint Statement from ENVIRONMENTAL DEFENCE, TRANSLINK MAYORS’ COUNCIL OF METRO VANCOUVER, CITY OF TORONTO, CITY OF OTTAWA, CITY OF EDMONTON, CITY OF CALGARY, CITY OF BRAMPTON, SOCIÉTÉ DE TRANSPORT DE MONTRÉAL

Posted October 28^th, 2024 on Niagara At Large

Ottawa  – This October 28^th, 2024, mayors and transit board chairs representing urban regions across Canada met in Ottawa alongside transit and community advocates to call on the federal government to work with local and provincial governments to address the funding crisis facing the country’s largest transit agencies, and develop a new, sustainable funding model for public transportation.

Their call for a new deal for public transit was supported by a wide array of stakeholders including transit industry representatives, environmental NGO’s, public transit rider groups, and unions.

Following a meeting of mayors and board chairs from six transit agencies and more than 15 transit and community groups from across Canada during the Transit for Tomorrow Summit, participants agreed to jointly call on the federal government to play a leadership role in advancing a New Transit Funding Model, which calls for a new approach that quickly expands the revenues available to meet both capital and operating needs, and ns with governments’ shared objectives on affordability, housing, climate action, economic growth and accessibility. Continue reading →

“Nobody should ever have to choose between paying their bills and accessing life-saving mental health care, but that’s exactly the choice too many people in Ontario are forced to make.”            – Marit Styles, Ontario’s Official Opposition NDP Leader

News from the New Democratic Party (NDP) of Ontario

Posted October 28^th, 2024 on Niagara At Large

Ontario NDP Leader Marit Stiles

QUEEN’S PARK – Marit Stiles, Leader of the Ontario NDP, pledged today (this October 28^{th, 2024})  secure universal access to mental health care for everyone across Ontario.

“If there’s one thing that rings true all across this province, it is the need for mental health services,” said Stiles.

“Universal access to mental health services is not just a nice-to-have, it is essential. Not giving the people of Ontario universal access to publicly funded and publicly delivered mental health care services is a massive failure of this government, and today, we are giving the Ford government an opportunity to change that. Continue reading →

Nations Must Close Huge Emissions Gap In New Climate Pledges

“Today’s (October 24^th, 2024) Emissions Gap report is clear: we’re playing with fire; but there can be no more playing for time. We’re out of time. Closing the emissions gap means closing the ambition gap, the implementation gap, and the finance gap. Starting at COP29.”

A New Report from the United Nations  Environment Program (UNEP)

Posted October 28^th, 2024 on Niagara At Large

• It is still technically possible to meet the 1.5°C goal, but only with a G20-led massive global mobilization to cut all greenhouse gas emissions, starting today
• Continuation of current policies will lead to a catastrophic temperature rise of up to 3.1°C
• Current commitments for 2030 are not being met; even if they are met, temperature rise would only be limited to 2.6-2.8°C

Nations (around the world) must collectively commit to cutting 42 per cent off annual greenhouse gas emissions by 2030 and 57 per cent by 2035 in the next round of Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs) – and back this up with rapid action – or the Paris Agreement’s 1.5°C goal will be gone within a few years, according to a new UN Environment Program (UNEP) report. Continue reading →

Do Canadians Want To Live Next To – Let Along Visit – A Country Trump Describes As A ‘Garbage Can’ And ‘Hell Hole’?

A Brief Commentary by Niagara At Large reporter/publisher Doug Draper

Posted October 25^th, 2-24 on Niagara At Large

“We-re like a garbage can for the world,” bellowed Donald Trump during one of his rallies late this October.

America, he continued to a large crowd of cheering supporters has turned into a “hell hole” infested with murderers, drug dealers, on-the-loose mental patients and the like – what he frequently refers to, like Hitler often did to dehumanize people he wanted to round up and subject to whatever punishment – as “vermin.”

Trump goes on spewing this bile, mostly about immigrants of colour, even though his country’s own FBI statistics show that crime in his country has trended downward and are mostly committed by homegrown Americans.

But in Trumpland, who gives a damn about the facts.

Continue reading →

Health Coalition fully supports bill banning 2-tier clinics, increasing fines and expanding public access

News from the Ontario Health Coalition, a non-profit citizens group advocating for quality, public health care services across the province

Posted October 25^th, 2024 on Niagara At Large

The Ontario Health Coalition is calling for Ontarians to put their full support behind a new Private Member’s Bill introduced this October 24^th by Liberal Health Critic Dr. Adil Shamji.

Almost a full year ago, Health Minister Sylvia Jones promised to take action to stop private clinics where Nurse Practitioners had started to charge patients user fees for access to health care.

For years, both Premier Doug Ford and his Health Ministers have sworn that no patient would have to “use their credit card, only their OHIP card” while in reality allowing private clinics to charge patients a growing array of user fees and extra-billing.

Patients are being charged hundreds of dollars in fees for access to primary care and thousands of dollars for access to needed surgeries and diagnostic tests. Such charges are what our Public Medicare laws were set out to prevent.

Continue reading →

Earth’s worsening vital signs indicate a “critical and unpredictable new phase of the climate crisis. The Very Fabric Of Life On Earth Is Imperiled,” says 2024 State Of The Climate Report

Once again, scientists are warning that we’re “on the brink of an irreversible climate disaster. … If future generations are to inherit the world they deserve, decisive action is needed, and fast.”

News from Oregon State University in Corvallis Oregon, U.S.A.

First Published: October 8, 2024 | Original story from Oregon State University

Posted October 25^th, 2024 on Niagara At Large

A Brief Foreword by Doug Draper at Niagara At Large – NAL is posting this important report as one more in a growing mountain of warnings from scientists around the world that the climate crisis is real and that every community and government in our region and others across this country needs to join in taking immediate action to address this threat to a sustainable existence on this planet.

Now here is is the News Report from scientsts at Oegon State University –

An international coalition led by Oregon State University scientists concludes in its annual report published today that the Earth’s worsening vital signs indicate a “critical and unpredictable new phase of the climate crisis” and that “decisive action is needed, and fast.”

The collaboration directed by OSU’s William Ripple and former postdoctoral researcher Christopher Wolf outlines areas where policy change is needed – energy, pollutants, nature, food and economy – in “The 2024 State of the Climate Report: Perilous Times on Planet Earth,” published in BioScience.

“A large portion of the very fabric of life on our planet is imperiled,” said Ripple, a distinguished professor in the Oregon State University College of Forestry. “Ecological overshoot, taking more than the Earth can safely give, has pushed the planet into climatic conditions more threatening than anything witnessed even by our prehistoric relatives.

“We’re already in the midst of abrupt climate upheaval, which jeopardizes life on Earth like nothing humans have ever seen,” he added. “For example, Hurricane Helene caused more than 200 deaths in the southeastern United States and massive flooding in a North Carolina mountain area thought to be a safe haven from climate change.”

Driver being rescued from his vehicle following one of the devastating hurricanes that ravaged communities in the southern United States

Of the 35 planetary vital signs the scientists use to track climate change annually, 25 are at record extremes, he notes. 

The three hottest days ever came in July 2024, and fossil fuel emissions are at an all-time high, as are human population and ruminant livestock population, the climate report shows.

Human population is increasing at the rate of approximately 200,000 people per day, and the number of ruminant livestock – hoofed mammals such as cattle, sheep and goats that produce greenhouse gases and are energy intensive to raise – rises by roughly 170,000 each day.

The annual consumption of fossil fuels climbed by 1.5% in 2023, mainly because of big jumps in coal (1.6%) and oil use (2.5%), the report indicates.

Renewable energy use also increased in 2023 – solar and wind consumption together were up 15% over 2022. But the use of renewables is just one-fourteenth of fossil fuel use, and the recent rise in the use of renewables is attributable mainly to increased demand rather than because they are replacing fossil fuels.

The report shows that annual tree cover loss globally rose from 22.8 million hectares in 2022 to 28.3 million in 2023, and based on global year-to-date averages, the concentrations of atmospheric carbon dioxide and methane are at all-time highs.

“The growth rate of methane emissions has been accelerating, which is extremely troubling,” said Wolf, now a scientist with Corvallis-based Terrestrial Ecosystems Research Associates, known as TERA. “Nitrous oxide, which is potent and long-lived, is also at a record high.”

Other points of concern from the report, Wolf notes, are:

• The Earth’s average surface temperature is at an all-time high.
• Ocean acidity and heat content, as well as average global sea level, are at record extremes.
• Greenland ice mass, Antarctica ice mass and average glacier thickness are at all-time lows.
• Twenty-eight amplifying feedback loops – those that exacerbate climate change, such as permafrost thawing – have been identified.
• In 2023, there were an estimated 2,325 heat-related deaths in the United States, a 117% increase from 1999.

“Since the publication of our 2023 report, multiple climate-related disasters have taken place, including a series of heat waves across Asia that killed more than a thousand people and led to temperatures reaching 122 degrees Fahrenheit in parts of India,” Ripple said.

“Climate change has already displaced millions of people, with the potential to displace hundreds of millions or even billions. That would likely lead to greater geopolitical instability, possibly even partial societal collapse.”

The scientists say their goal is “to provide clear, evidence-based insights that inspire informed and bold responses from citizens to researchers and world leaders.”

Specifically, they recommend the rapid adoption of policies that:

• Implement a global carbon price that could limit emissions by the wealthy while potentially providing funding for further climate action.
• Enhance energy efficiency and conservation while replacing fossil fuels with low-carbon renewables.
• Curb emissions of greenhouse gases, including those categorized as short-term pollutants such as methane.
• Protect and restore biodiverse ecosystems, which play key roles in carbon cycling and storage.
• Encourage a shift toward eating habits that emphasize plant-based foods.
• Promote sustainable ecological economics and greatly reduce overconsumption and waste by the wealthy.
• Integrate climate change education into global curriculums to boost awareness, literacy and action.

“Despite six reports from the International Panel on Climate Change, hundreds of other reports, tens of thousands of scientific papers and 28 annual meetings of the UN’s Conference of the Parties, the world has made very little headway on climate change,” Wolf said.

“Humanity’s future depends on creativity, moral fiber and perseverance. If future generations are to inherit the world they deserve, decisive action is needed, and fast.”

This year’s meeting – officially the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change – will be held Nov. 11-22 in Baku, Azerbaijan, and “it’s imperative that huge progress is made,” Ripple said.

This article has been republished from the following materials. Note: material may have been edited for length and content. For further information, please contact the cited source. Our press release publishing policy can be accessed here.

“The Very Fabric Of Life On Earth Is Imperiled,” Says 2024 State Of The Climate Report | IFLScience

For a related report released this October 24th, 2024 by the United Nations Environmental Programme, click on – https://www.unep.org/news-and-stories/press-release/nations-must-close-huge-emissions-gap-new-climate-pledges-and#:~:text=Cali%2FNairobi%2C%2024%20October%202024,be%20gone%20within%20a%20few

NIAGARA AT LARGE Encourages You To Join The Conversation By Sharing Your Views On This Post In The Space Following The Bernie Sanders Quote Below.

“A Politician Thinks Of The Next Election. A Leader Thinks Of The Next Generation.” – Bernie Sanders

This Pay-What-You-Can event takes place on Friday  November 1^st at 7pm at FirstOntario Performing Arts Centre in Downtown St. Catharines.

 “Artificial intelligence is a hot topic many people are curious about. It’s my hope people will leave the presentation with an appreciation for what AI can potentially achieve, but also what its limitations and biases might be.” – Dr. Peter Berg, Dean, Faculty of Mathematics and Science at Brock University

A News Release from Brock University and the FirstOntario Permforming Arts Centre in St. Catharines/Niagara

Posted October 25^th, 2024 on Niagara At Large

St. Catharines, Ontario – Artificial intelligence (AI) is rapidly transforming how we live, work and understand the world around us. At the forefront of this revolution are large language models (LLMs), which are reshaping the way we interact with information. But how exactly are these technologies influencing our perception of truth and reality?

The FirstOntario PAC has proudly partnered with the Brock University’s Faculty of Mathematics and Science to present “In Search of Truth: How Large Language Models Are Shaping Our Reality (and How We Are Shaping Theirs!)”—a thought-provoking public talk that will explore the capabilities, limitations, and ethical challenges of AI in the digital age. This Pay-What-You-Can event takes place on Friday 1 November at 7pm. Continue reading →

“I am hearing from patients in Niagara being turned away, told to go to the hospital and to get their supplies. Imagine needing chemotherapy and being told to pay out of pocket for supplies. This is what’s been happening in Ontario right now.”                       – Wayne Gates, NDP MPP for a Niagara Falls Riding that includes Niagara-on-the-Lake and Fort Erie

A News Release from the Constituency Office of Niagara Falls NDP MPP Wayne Gates

Posted October 24^th, 2024 on Niagara At Large

QUEEN’S PARK – MPP Gates  (Niagara Falls) called for answers and action after Niagara residents and physicians have come forward after facing shortages in medical care supplies while accessing chemotherapy and palliative care.

“We’re in the middle of a healthcare crisis, and instead of helping, this government is making things worse,” said MPP Gates.

“Palliative care doctors in Niagara are being forced to learn through word of mouth that the supplies they depend on are no longer available. Ford’s government knew about this for over a month and did nothing.” Continue reading →

“Protecting the health of our Great Lakes is crucial for the environment, our communities, and future generations. This research will not only provide critical insights but will also strengthen ongoing monitoring and remediation efforts in collaboration with local partners,”                                                         – Vance Badawey, Member of Parliament for Niagara Centre

News from Brock University in St. Catharines, Ontario

Posted October 24^th, 2024 on Niagara At Large

Toxic algae washing up along  Lake Erie shores. Untreated runoff of contamination from farmlands and urban areas are major sources

Algae that wash up on shorelines and start turning black aren’t just a smelly eyesore — they could also be the source of a dangerous chemical compound that contaminates the surrounding environment and endangers public health.

Brock University Assistant Professor of Chemistry Vaughn Mangal and his team are studying a type of algae found in Lake Erie, called Cladophora, to better understand if and how it produces methylmercury, a compound derived from mercury.

“When mercury converts to methylmercury, that creates a neurotoxin dangerous to human health,” says Mangal. “Previous research has shown that this can happen, but nobody has looked at whether or not this is actively happening in Lake Erie.” Continue reading →

Environmental Defence Canada has requested the federal government to immediately designate all new major highways in Ontario for federal Impact Assessments

“(Ontario) Premier Ford’s callous and contemptuous disregard for wildlife, rivers, clean water and culture, cannot be legally ignored by the federal government.”    – Tim Gray, Executive Director,  Environmental Defence

A News Release from Environmental Defence Canada, a non-profit, citizens group advocating for environmental protection

Posted October 23^rd, 2024 on Niagara At Large

Premier Doug Ford’s idea of “building” a better Ontario. Paving more paradise, even in a time of climate crisis

Toronto – The Ontario (Doug Ford) government’s omnibus highways bill, which it has labeled the ‘Reducing Gridlock, Saving You Time Act, 2024’, would bulldoze ahead with destructive new highways that make traffic worse.

The bill ignores environmental values, hinders affordable solutions to traffic congestion, undermines efforts to deliver affordable infill housing and puts the province on a collision course with the federal government.

The proposed ‘Building Highways Faster Act, 2024’ and ‘Highway 413 Act, 2024’ would prioritize costly and complicated new highway projects over faster, more affordable alternatives that would provide real relief for commuters without destroying farms, species and rivers. Continue reading →

Join the Mini Forest Community Planting & help us reach our 1,000 Tree Challenge!

This free event will take place on Saturday, November 2nd, 2024, from 9:15 a.m. to 11 a.m.at Rotary Park in Lincoln

A Call-Out to Community Members from the Town of Lincoln in Niagara, Ontario

Posted October 23^rd, 2024 on Niagara At Large

(A Brief Foreword Nfrom Doug Draper at Niagara At Large -Pats on the back should go to Lincoln Mayor Sandra Easton and her town council for partnering with Ontariogreen Conservation Association to do this. And two thumbs up to the Town of Lincoln for openly making the link here between planting and preserving trees as a way of fighting climate change. More municipal governments in our Niagara region should  take note.)

Lincoln, ON –  The Town of Lincoln, in collaboration with Ontariogreen Conservation Association , invites community members to participate in the Mini Forest Community Planting event. This free event will take place on Saturday, November 2, 2024, from 9:15 a.m. to 11 a.m.at Rotary Park. Continue reading →

However, the environmental group cautions the province “against looking for ways to further expand the natural gas pipeline network, which we will oppose with our supporters at each step. Heat pumps are a more affordable heating option and should be the default in any home, new or existing.”

A Statement from the not-for-profit citizens group Environmental Defence on Minister Lecce’s Announcement Regarding Ontario’s Energy “Vision”

Posted October 23rd, 2024 on Niagara At Large

Toronto – Ontario’s commitment to move forward with an integrated and longer-term energy plan, announced this October 21st, 2024, is a step forward.

This “plan to plan” indicates that the provincial government has come a long way from the ideologically-driven cancellation of over 750 clean power projects and the days of removing EV chargers. This speaks to the undeniable opportunity presented by the energy transition.

However, any praise for Ontario’s new commitment to energy planning must be tempered by the move this government made almost six years ago to remove the requirement for Ontario to issue Long Term Energy Plans every three years. Continue reading →

“Young families and seniors in my riding saw their Enbridge bills double last year. That volatility wreaks havoc on household budgets and pushes those on fixed incomes to the brink.”                – St. Cathraines NDP MPP Jennie Stevens

A News Release from the Constituency Office of St. Catharines NDP MPP Jennie Stevens

Posted October 23^rd, 2024 on Niagara At Large

St. Catharines NDP MPP Jennie Stevens

QUEEN’S PARK – Official Opposition NDP MPP Jennie Stevens (St. Catharines) introduced legislation this October 23rd, 2024  that would help families and seniors keep the cost of home heating low in an affordability crisis.

“Across Ontario, seniors and young families are grappling with rising home heating costs”, said Stevens. “No one should be forced to choose between heating their home and putting food on the table, especially seniors already on a fixed income.”

The Affordable Home Heating Act would establish a Heating Support Program that would offer on-bill relief for eligible households who heat with natural gas, similar to the Ontario Electricity Support Program (OESP). Continue reading →

“Climate change has a direct negative impact on our budgets and bank accounts. Failing to grasp the economic threat posed by climate change has led many Canadians and decision-makers to drastically underestimate both the economic benefits of climate policies and the cost of failing to act.” — Rick Smith, President, Canadian Climate Institute

A News Release from The Canadian Climate Institute with a Brief Foreword from Niagara At Large reporter/publisher Doug Draper

Posted October 22^nd, 2024 on Niagara At Large

A Foreword by Doug Draper at NAL – Every time another report comes out about the astronomical costs we, as communities, as a province, and as a country – face from ever more frequent and severe climate-related disasters, it makes a mockery of the arguments too many of our fellow citizens and business and political leaders continue to make that the cost of addressing climate change is or will cost too much.

Those arguments are doing nothing but costing us time and money as a climate crisis that could ultimately devastate our life-sustaining resources grows ever worse and we, as a people, need to stand up and push back against them.

Now here is the News Relase from The Canadian Climate Institute –

Forests and communities ravaged in unprecedented numbers of wildfires across Canada.

OTTAWA, Canada —The financial toll from this year’s two biggest extreme weather disasters have already surpassed $1.8 billion, counting only insured losses, according to a new online tool created by the Canadian Climate Institute.

A single afternoon of heavy rain in Toronto caused flooding that may wind up costing almost $1 billion. The wildfire that destroyed parts of Jasper will cost at least $880 million in insured losses alone. Continue reading →

 A Brief Comment by Doug Draper

Posted October 22^nd, 2024 on Niagara At Large

This past weekend, while my wife Mary and I were walking through some of those neighbourhoods in Buffalo, New York, rich with trees and beautiful turn of the last century homes, we spotted the the following sign on a front lawn.

As the November 7^th, U.S. presidential election grows nerve-rackingly close, this sign, standing on the lawn next two one supporting presidential candidate Kamala Harris, speaks for itself so I will simply leave you with a message I have repeated a number of times now to my fellow Canadians. Continue reading →

“We desperately need properly-funded, compassionate care and treatment programs focused on mental health and addiction, and our legislation must be modernized to reflect the realities of this crisis.” – St. Catharines Mayor Mat Siscoe

A Statement by Mat Siscoe, Mayor of St. Catharines, Ontario

Posted October 22^nd, 2024 on Niagara At Large

St. Catharines Mayor and Niagara Regional Councillor Mat Siscoe

St. Catharines, Niagara – I fully support the Motion on Chronic Homelessness, Mental Health, Safety, and Addictions Crisis approved by the Ontario Big City Mayors Caucus (OBCM).

The motion highlights two clear realities: the growing humanitarian crisis affecting our communities, and the immediate action needed from both the provincial and federal governments.

This crisis is being exacerbated by the lack of proper support for people facing homelessness, mental health issue and addictions.  Ontario’s cities have been left to deal with this crisis without adequate resources, legal authority and support—even though mental health care, addiction treatment and housing are provincial responsibilities. Continue reading →

On the first day back at Queen’s Park for the Fall, NDP MPP Wayne Gates called for investment in the the Fort Erie seniors project

News from the Constituency Office of Niagara Falls Riding NDP MPP Wayne Gates

Posted October 22^nd, 2024 on Niagara At Large

Niagara Falls NDP MPP Wayne Gates on his feet in the Ontario legislature

QUEENS PARK – On the first day back at Queen’s Park (this Monday, October 20th, 2024) , NDP MPP Wayne Gates (Niagara Falls) called for investment in the the Fort Erie Lions Club, Douglas Heights Seniors Residence project.

Led by the Fort Erie Lions, the new nine-story, independent housing apartment will provide 62 units of much-needed affordable housing to seniors and will connect residents to the Fort Erie Lions Seniors Centre.

“This affordable housing project needs to raise $1.5 million to qualify for federal funding,” said Gates. “We know what is possible when every level of government comes together to support a project like this. The province must come to the table to help get this across the finish line.” Continue reading →

Seven climate change activists are leading the first lawsuit of its kind in Canada.

“With this ruling, these seven young Ontarians have proven how crucial youth voices are in the fight against climate change. Their victory is a significant moment for climate action in Canada and serves as a beacon of hope.”                                                                     – Ecojustice lawyer, Fraser Thomson   

A News Release from Ecolustice, Canada’s largest environmental law charity

Posted October 21^st, 2024 on Niagara At Large

A Brief Foreword Note from Niagara At Large reporter/publisher Doug Draper – I believe that every one of us who cares about a better future for generations to come should do everything we can to support these young people.

Now here is the News Release from Ecojustice  –

Toronto, Ont. – An Ontario  top court. The Court of Appeal ruled in favour of their youth-led climate lawsuit against the Ontario government. The ruling confirms that Ontario’s weak target is risking the lives and well-being of Ontarians.

The ‘magnificent seven’ you might call them. The young people courageous enough to take Ontario’s Ford government to court for not doing enough about climate change

 Ontario argued that its climate actions were not subject to the Charter. This was completely rejected by the Court. The Court of Appeal has simplified the issues, shining a light directly on Ontario’s inadequate target and confirming that Ontario must conduct its climate response in accordance with high standards of the Charter. Continue reading →

An Open Letter from Niagara Centre NDP MPP Jeff Burch to Ford Heath Minister Syvlia Jones

Posted October 20^th, 2024 on Niagara At Large

Dear Minister Jones:

Niagara Centre NDP MPP Jeff Burch

I had an urgent email from a Registered Nurse in Niagara, who pleaded for help and saying, “Our patients need help, and our hands are tied.”

This nurse must remain anonymous for the sake of her job but told me, along with her colleagues, they provide nursing care in homes and retirement homes all over Niagara.  Ontario Health at Home changed their medical supplies vendor from Calea to Bayshore.

Nurses are now scrambling to collect unused wound supplies from one home to use in another. There are horror stories of Nurses having to wrap patient’s wounds in towels. There is just nothing available to use.

Continue reading →

“It’s time people in Ontario felt hope again that things can be better. We will be working every day to show people exactly that.”

A Message from Ontario NDP and Official Opposition Leader Marit Stiles

Posted October 21^st, 2024 on Niagara At Large

Ontario NDP Leader Marit Stiles

QUEEN’S PARK – Ontario NDP leader Marit Stiles is pledging to fight for what matters to people and shine a light on Ford’s continued costly failures as the provincial legislature resumes after a 5-month recess.

“Ontarians are working harder than ever but feel like they just can’t get ahead.

“They’re stuck looking for housing, stuck waiting for a doctor and stuck paying the bill for Doug Ford’s schemes and scandals. Continue reading →

“Together we were able to raise an additional $2,100 for named charities which has brought our donations total to nearly $21,000 over the past four years of Garden Fest and Harvest Fest,” – Tim O’Brien, Event Chair.

Some Good News from The Knights of Columbus in Thorold, Ontaro

Posted October 21^th, 2024 on Niagara At Large

Thorold, Ontario —The Knights of Columbus Sacred Heart Council 2319 is pleased to announce the successful celebration of Harvest Fest held on Saturday, September 7, 2024 at the Nick Basciano Centre in Thorold.

The third annual event attracted over 200 attendees, while raising $2,100 for charities.  It was great to see seniors in addition to young families participating in the activities as their kids enjoyed the free popcorn and helium-filled balloons offered by the Knights.

As a community event, Harvest Fest invited people to come together, taste the foods, and enjoy fun learning activities, while supporting charitable organizations.  Profits from the event will allow for a donation of $1,050 to Hospice Niagara and $1,050 will also be given to Thorold Community Activities Group. Continue reading →

“Horse Sense for Kids has been providing at-risk children and vulnerable youth with a safe place to be mentored and develop life skills since 2003.” – Niagara West MPP Sam Oosterhoff.

News from the Constituency Office of Niagara West Conservative MPP Sam Oosterhoff

Posted October 21^st, 2024 on Niagara At Large

Fenwick – Sam Oosterhoff, MPP for Niagara West, joined Brenda Langendoen, Executive Director of Horse Sense for Kids; Mike Britton, Board Member of Horse Sense for Kids, and Marvin Junkin, Mayor of the Town of Pelham, at B’N’R Stables in Fenwick, to announce $112,000 in funding received through the Resilient Communities Fund of the Ontario Trillium Foundation.

Members and supporters of Horse Sense for Kids with Niagara West MPP Sam Oosterhoff (second from right) and Pelham Mayor Marvin Junkin (right)

“Horse Sense for Kids has been providing at-risk children and vulnerable youth with a safe place to be mentored and develop life skills since 2003,” said MPP Oosterhoff.

“This provincial funding through the Ontario Trillium Foundation will support the horse therapy program at B’N’R Stables, helping young people develop mental wellness and self confidence.” Continue reading →

Province Proposing New Measures To Speed Up Priority Projects Like Highway 413 & The Garden City Skyway in Niagara

News from the Government of Ontario Premier Doug Ford with Foreword featuring opposition to Ford’s highway obsession by  Doug Draper at NAL

Posted October 17th, 2024 on Niagara At Large

A Brief Foreword by Niagara At Large reporter/publisher Doug Draper –

A mid-20th Century Neanderthal’s Vision of Ontario’s future, with less than a wit of concern for climate crises or the value of a healthy ecosystem.

Here we go again?

The answer to congestion and gridlock on Ontario’s roads and highways, according to Doug Ford and his Tories, is not to invest in growing big and better state-of–the art public transit systems for the 21^st Century or, at the very lease, encouraging more people to car pool.

Nor is it to promote more car sharing, working at home or planning communities that make it easier for people to get between their homes and other destinations on foot or on bicycles.

Not for an Ontario premier who keeps spinning his wheels in the 1950s and 1960s where the car became king.

Continue reading →

The Stakes for America, for Canada and for so many other nations around the world could not be greater

A Brief Commentary from Doug Draper, an unabashed Canadian for Kamala

Posted October 17^th, 2024 on Niagara At Large

On November 5^th  – just a couple of short weeks from now – millions of Americans will go to the polls to vote in an election that may very well decide the fate for peace, democracy and a good life, not only for people in their country, but for people in Canada and in nations around the world.

The choice in this U.S. presidential election, like no other in our lifetime,  could not be starker.

It is a choice between a malignant narcissistic demagogue in the name of Donald Trump who Mark Milley, a recently retired U.S. general and Joint Chief chair was recently described as “a fascist to the core” – a crazed maniac who has openly discussed ripping up the U.S. Constitution, using the military to go after his “enemies” in politics, in the media and other walks of life, and rounding up immigrants of colour for mass deportation, on one hand.

And then there is  U.S. Vice President and former Senator and California Attorney General Kamala Harris, who has a long record of standing up for freedom and democracy,  and for opportunities for  others to share in a decent life. Continue reading →

Canada must pay attention to new analysis that reiterates the age of fossil fuels is coming to an end as demand for coal, oil and gas are set to peak before the end of this decade

A Statement by Aly Hyder Ali, Oil and Gas Program Manager for the non-profit public interest group Environmental Defence

A News Release from Environmental Defence Canada

Posted November 16^th, 2024 on Niagara At Large

Ottawa, Canada– We are pleased to see that today’s report from the International Energy Agency (IEA) reaffirms that the world is very quickly approaching a future where clean energy can meet all growth in global energy demand, due to rapid adoption in clean energy technologies, improvements in energy efficiency and electrification.

This is great news, considering the outsized impacts of fossil fuels on driving climate change.

For Canada, a major oil and gas producing country, it is imperative to be prepared for the shift in the global energy market. Increasing investments in clean energy sources will not only help meet Canada’s climate targets, but also safeguard the Canadian economy. Continue reading →

A Statement from St. Catharines NDP MPP Jennie Stevens on Ontario’s Proposed Bike Lane Legislation

Posted October 16^th, 2024 on Niagara At Large

St. Catharines NDP MPP Jennie Stevens

St. Catharines, ON – MPP Jennie Stevens voiced strong opposition to the Ontario government’s newly proposed legislation that would force municipalities to seek approval from the province before replacing traffic lanes with bike lanes on municipal streets.

The legislation, expected to be tabled later this month, would limit municipalities’ ability to make their own decisions and implement bike lanes on main thoroughfares, even when cities have identified that doing so would promote active transportation and reduce traffic congestion locally.

 “This proposal is yet another example of the province overreaching into decisions that should be left up to municipal governments and planning departments,” said Stevens.

Continue reading →

A Commentary by Niagara At Large reporter/publisher Doug Draper

Posted October 15^th, 2024 on Niagara At Large

While driving my car to a grocery store this past Thanksgiving weekend, I had the radio on to news of the two killer hurricanes that have wreaked havoc on whole communities in the southern United States over the past few weeks and to a recent United Nations report predicting ever more frequent and severe weather-related episodes like this if we don’t take more action NOW to reduce our emissions of climate-ravaging carbon fuels.

On my trip to the grocery store, in front of my Honda Accord was one of those great big monster pick-up trucks – you know the kind – that block your view when you’re trying to make a left-hand turn at an intersection or when you are trying to pull out of your space, and there is one of these monstrosities sitting right next to you in a parking lot.

But here’s the clincher. Up there on the back window of that truck was a sticker that read in capital letters; “AXE The CARBON TAX.”

It’s a slight variation on the ‘Axe The Tax” slogan that federal Conservative Party Leader Pierre Poilievre repeats ad nauseam in place of detailing a climate plan of his own, but it’s the same idea. Continue reading →

A Joint statement from Atria Development and City of St. Catharines on 25 YMCA Dr. Property

Posted October 15^th, 2024 on Niagara At Large

Abandoned YMCA building near the Fairview Mall in north St. Catharines

St. Catharines/Niagara – Following discussions and negotiations in good faith related to the former recreation facility at 25 YMCA Dr., Atria Development and the City of St. Catharines announce that the future of the site will not include the existing facility. Instead, the site will be redeveloped to contribute to much-needed housing in St. Catharines.

Earlier in 2024, City Council initiated an investigation into the potential acquisition of the recreation facility at 25 YMCA Dr., formerly home to the Walker Family YMCA. Atria, which acquired the site in 2022, presented a proposal for the City to consider. Continue reading →

Instead Of Doing The Work (For Canadians) , Pierre Polievre’s Conservatives Prefer To Play Games.

A News Release from the Green Party of Canada

Posted October 15^th, 2024 on Niagara At Large

It’s been just a month since Parliament resumed, and already the Conservative Party of Canada is back to their old tricks–paralyzing the House of Commons and wasting time. All of this is an attempt to push a narrative that “after nine years of Trudeau, everything is broken” and force an election.

Did you know that EACH HOUR they spend dragging our MPs through non-confidence motions and unnecessary debates on privilege motions costs $70,000?

Since the beginning of October, their endless debate over delays in the government producing records related to Sustainable Development Technologies Canada has already COST OVER $1.7 MILLION IN TAXPAYER DOLLARS. Continue reading →

“For anyone to achieve something, they will have to show a little courage. You’re only on this earth once. You must give it all you’ve got.” – Ethel Kennedy, wife and best friends and partner of the late Senator Robert F. (‘Bobby’) Kennedy

A Brief Commentary by Doug Draper, who came of age inspired by the last few years in the life of Bobby Kennedy

Posted October 11^th, 2024 on Niagara At Large

Ethel Kennedy, just to the left of her husband, Senator Robert Kennedy, declaring a primary victory in his race for the U.S. presidency, just moments before he was assassinated.

For those of us who were old enough to watch it on our television sets, it was one of those nights that, even all these years later, is hard to ever forget.

It was the night in June of 1968 when U.S. Senator Robert F. Kennedy – known more  affectionately to millions as “Bobby”- entered a banquet room in The Ambassador Hotel in Los Angeles with his wife Ethel, both of them wearing big smiles as he accepted his victory in the California primary during his run for President of the United States. 

At that moment, for those who saw him as a ray of hope for social and racial justice and for bringing peace to the world, starting with his promise to end the war costing so much death and destruction  in Vietnam at the time , there were tears of jubilation.

Continue reading →

It’s Time We Humans Who Continue To Shell Out Money To Visit These Places Do Some Soul-Searching

A Commentary by Niagara At Large reporter/publisher Doug Draper

Posted October 10^th, 2024 on Niagara At Large

One of many beluga whales kept in captivity over the years for visitors to observe at the Marineland amusement park in Niagara Falls, Ontario

According to a CBC report aired this past October 9^th, yet another beluga whale has died at Marineland.

That brings the total number of belugas that have died at the aging Niagara Falls, Ontario amusement park to about 17 that we know of over the past five years.

Combine that with the death of Kiska, the last orca – more popularly known by those who choose to exhibit these greater creatures for our entertainment as a “killer whale” – at the park in March of last years. Continue reading →

Hosted by the Niagara District Council of Women

Posted October 10^th, 2024 on Niaara At Large

OCTOBER 16, 2024 ZOOM MEETING AT 7:15 P.M. PRESENTATION AT 7:30 P.M., OPEN TO THE PUBLIC

Local Initiative Project To Address This In The Workplace

Presenters:  Sharon Njobo – Toes Niagara – Tools Of Empowerment For Success, Nathan Cheney – Brock University – Professional & Continuing Studies

It’s not always obvious. Sometimes human trafficking may not look like what we imagine.

Continue reading →

“People power, investigative journalism and a strong and relentless Opposition helped save the Greenbelt – but the people of Ontario are still waiting for the truth.” – Ontario NDP Leader Marit Stiles

A News Release from Ontario’s NDP Leader Marit Styies

Posted October 9^th, 2024 on Niagara At Large

QUEEN’S PARK – Marit Stiles, Ontario NDP leader, remains focused on holding Ford and his government to account for their corrupt Greenbelt scheme one year into the RCMP’s criminal investigation. Stiles is raising new questions following the Toronto Star’s report (https://www.thestar.com/politics/provincial/heres-who-rcmps-greenbelt-investigators-are-interviewing-and-the-one-question-theyre-asking-everyone/article_ca253e66-826b-11ef-9a9c-03229f619fd1.html) on the investigation.

“People power, investigative journalism and a strong and relentless Opposition helped save the Greenbelt – but the people of Ontario are still waiting for the truth,” said Stiles. “There is still so much we don’t know about this mess. Reports that the RCMP is investigating potential bank accounts in Europe show that the extent of this corruption may be bigger than anyone thought. Continue reading →

“Our government is here for the people of Jasper. With Minister Randy Boissonnault’s role as Ministerial Lead, we’re undertaking a collective effort – with resources, investments, and partnerships – to help Jasper recover.”                                              — Justin Trudeau, Prime Minister of Canada

News from the Office of Canada’s Prime Minister Justin Trudeau

Posted October 9^th, 2024 on Niagara At Large

A Brief Foreword by Niagara At Large reporter/publisher Doug Draper – As climate-related disasters – whether they be severe droughts,  wildfires, heat waves, windstorms or floods – like the abnormally dry weather followed by the wildfires  that ravaged the Town of Jasper, Alberta this past summer continue to occur with more intensity and frequency, I wonder how much more it will take for all those people out there who continue to believe that  the climate crisis we are facing is a  hoax or has nothing to do with the burning of fossil fuels and other human activities will wake up.

And to those among them who continue to argue that taking action to address the climate crisis will cost too much money, I wonder if any of them have considered the possibility that the cost of making the shift to a greener lifestyle may turn out to be a bargain compared to the soaring costs of climate-related damage and destruction we are facing now.

With that, here is the News Release from the Prime Minister’s Office

The historic Town of Jasper, Alberta and surrounding National Park consumed in flames

Ottawa, Ontario – Following last summer’s unprecedented wildfires that devastated the historic town of Jasper, the community is rebuilding. Businesses are getting back on their feet. Visitors are returning. Jasper is resilient.

Amid the fires, we worked closely with the Municipality of Jasper and the Government of Alberta to provide urgent support to Albertans and impacted Indigenous communities. As we look ahead, we remain committed to ensuring the long-term recovery of Jasper – one of Canada’s national treasures. Continue reading →

News from Hydro One in Ontario, Canada

Posted October 9^th, 2024 on Niagara At Large

With Hurricane Milton expected to make landfall in Florida this week, our employees are once again answering the call for mutual assistance.

Hydro One workers gathered in Niagara earlier this month, before crossing Canada/U.S. border and heading south to help restore power after Hurricane Helene. They will now stay to help American hydro crews restore power following Hurricane Milton, expected to be one of the most destructive storms of its kind in a century

While many of us prepare to celebrate Thanksgiving, 150 team members will be away from their families, in position to restore power safely once Hurricane Milton has passed alongside crews from Florida Power and Light.

The 100 power line workers who were assisting Georgia Power after Hurricane Helene have been released and are being redeployed to support Florida Power and Light as well as an additional 50 Hydro One forestry workers, who are currently on route. Continue reading →

Lowering the age of self-referral to mammograms to 40 connecting more women to life-saving screening sooner

“Breast cancer screening is critical to detect cancer early, when it’s easier to treat. It’s incredibly important that Ontario is expanding access to breast cancer screening through self-referral for people 40+ and will undoubtedly help to reduce the risk of dying of breast cancer for more people in Ontario.”    – Andrea Seale, CEO, Canadian Cancer Society

News from the Government of Ontario

Posted October 8th, 2024 on Niagara at Large

Starting this October 8th, 2034, women over the age of 40 can self-refer for publicly funded mammograms through the Ontario Breast Screening Program (OBSP). This historic expansion will give an additional one million women the option to connect to important screening services to detect and treat breast cancer sooner.

“Breast cancer affects one in every nine women in Ontario and we know early detection and increased access to treatment and care saves lives,” said Sylvia Jones, Deputy Premier and Minister of Health. “That is why today our government is proud to take this historic step by connecting an additional one million Ontarians to the care they need, when and where they need it.” Continue reading →

A News Release from Data Shows, a professional, non-partisan data gathering venue based in Ontario, Canada

Posted October 8th, 2024 on Niagara At Large

Regardless of how much support he is getting in national polls, Piere Poilievre appears to be almost  universally embraced by those who participated in the so-called “Freedom Convoy” that blocked the streets of Ottawa more than two years ago. Many climate deniers and anti-vaxxers – these Freedom Convoy activists among them, appear to be big backers too.

Polls from Abacus, Nanos and Mainstreet released this past week show the federal NDP overtaking the Liberals.

All three pollsters show the Liberals at their lowest level of support since the 2021 election and the NDP in territory they have never or rarely touched since the last vote.

New framing creates pathway to stop Poilievre.

Polls showing the NDP on the upswing and the Liberals on their way out start an important reframing of the next election. Continue reading →

If It Forms Province’s Next Government, NDP Leader Says Her Party Will Also Restore Services to Urgent Care Centres in Port Colborne and Fort Erie

A News Release from the Office of Ontario NDP Leader Marit Stiles

Posted October 7^th, 2024 on Niagara At Large

Marit Stiles, Ontario NDP leader

WELLAND – Marit Stiles, Ontario NDP, joined MPP Jeff Burch (Niagara Centre) to announce the Ontario NDP’s firm commitment to deliver better health care for the region with a new Welland Hospital and restored services to Niagara’s Urgent Care Centres in Port Colborne and Fort Erie.

“The people of Niagara deserve to have health care they can rely on,” said Stiles. “You deserve to see a doctor when you need one, and to get health care close to home. That’s why an Ontario NDP government will open a fully staffed and full-service hospital in Welland and restore services to Niagara’s Urgent Care centres. It’s time you had a government that puts you first.” Continue reading →

A Few Thoughts on the First Anniversary of the Israel-Hamas War

“I Want To Know Who The Men In the Shadows Are. I Want Somebody Asking Them Why. They can be counted on to tell us who our enemies are but they’re never the ones to fight or to die.” – Jackson Browne, from his song ‘Lives In The Balance’

By Doug Draper

Posted October 7^th, 2024 on Niagara At Large

On this first anniversary of the brutal attack by Hamas terrorists that murdered close to 1,200 men, women and children on the Israeli side of the Gaza/Israel border and took  some 200 more hostage, my first thoughts go to the many thousands of young people, right down to babies, who have been killed in the war that has been raging on ever since.

Photos of some of the children taken hostage in the October 7th, 2024 attack on Israel by Hamas

In my view, it is the children who are truly the most innocent and vulnerable victims of all this carnage.

And yes, the vast majority of young people who have died in what has come to be called this ‘Israel-Hamas War have been and continue to be Palestinians on the Gaza side of the border. Continue reading →

GNCC is hosting a special event on Wednesday, October 16, 2024, at Club Italia, bringing together business owners, community leaders, and professionals for a morning of networking, learning, and inspiration. See Details Below

A News Release from the Greater Niagara Chamber of Commerce in Niagara, Ontario

Posted October 7^th, 2024 on Niagara At Large

Hand sketched SUPPORT SMALL BUSINESS quote. Lettering for banner, header, advertisement

Niagara, Ontario – Small business has a big impact! Eleven million Canadians work for a small business, and small businesses produce more than one-third of all private-sector economic activity.

In celebration of Small Business Month, the Greater Niagara Chamber of Commerce (GNCC) is thrilled to host an inspiring event dedicated to empowering businesses with the tools they need to grow and thrive.

This event will take place on October 16, 2024, at Club Italia, bringing together business owners, community leaders, and professionals for a morning of networking, learning, and inspiration. Continue reading →

“These workers embody the spirit of cooperation that underpins our partnership with the United States, and we stand behind them as they work to turn the lights back on for our friends South of the border.”                                                                                             – Niagara West MPP and recently appointed Ontario Associate Minister of Energy Sam Oosterhoff

A News Release from the Constituency Office of Niagara West Ford Government MPP Sam Oosterhoff, with a Foreword by Niagara At Large reporter/publisher Doug Draper

Posted October 4^th, 2024 on Nagara At Large

A Brief Foreword by Doug Draper at Niagara At Large – 

Canada and USA flags Handshake vector illustration Eps 10

The number of things Ontario Premier Doug Ford and his Conservative government have done, are doing and are planning to do that are so objectionable to many of us would fill more books than I have room left for on my shelves.

However, when they do something that is unquestionably good, I believe in giving credit where credit is due.

Lending some of the manpower and technical support of Hydro One to our neighbours in the southern United States who are still trying to cope with more than a million power outages in the wake of Hurricane Helene – one of the most destructive and deadly hurricanes in history on this continent – is certainly one of those good things. Continue reading →

And In A Year When Niagara Homeowners Face Another Big Hike In Their Property Taxes, Guess Who’s Going To Pay For Them?

A News Commentary by Doug Draper at Niagara At Large

Posted October 3^rd, 2024 on Niagara At Large

Niagara Regional Headquarters in Thorold

At this past September 26^th’s meeting of Niagara Regional Council, the Council voted overwhelmingly to extend financial “incentives” aimed at making it more financially attractive for developers to build housing in the region.

It is an incentive program (known more formally as the ‘Smart Growth Regional Development Charges Reduction Program’) that may also continue placing more of a financial burden on existing homeowners and renters at a time when many are already struggling to cover the cost of property taxes that, for at least the last two years at the Regional government level, have been rising above the rate of inflation.

“We are looking at an eight percent increase in (property) taxes now,” said Fort Erie Regional Councillor Tom Insinna who wondered out loud at the September 26^th meeting if an extension of the incentive system would force the council to cut resources and personal from its existing services in an effort to keep that tax hike down. Continue reading →

“I want to know who the men in the shadows are,
I want to hear somebody asking them why,
They can’t be counted on to tell us
Who our enemies are,
But they’re never the ones to fight or to die.”

• Lyrics from Jackson Browne’s powerful antiwar song ‘Lives In The Balance’

A Commentary by Doug Draper at Niagara At Large

Posted October 3^rd, 2024

People are living in a complete state of denial if they don’t know that, between the climate crisis and the darkening clouds of war in the Middle East and elsewhere, we are living in truly dangerous times.

And if enough of us don’t face that fact, there is a real possibility that these dangerous and deadly threats to our lives will not be resolved. They will only grow worse.

There are at least a few things I have come to believe in my time on this planet and they are as follows -.

• We are never going to resolve the dangers we face by hiding our heads in the sand or by trading in misinformation or ‘alternative facts’.
• And in the case of war, in particular, we are never going to put an end to them by pitting one group of people against another – Israelis against Palestinians, Palestinians against Israelis, Russian citizens against Ukrainian citizens, Ukrainian citizens against Russian citizens, and on and on and on.

It is the political leaders who turn us against each other – who fan the flames of war or in the case of climate change, fail to take effective measures to address it, and it is all those merchants of death and destruction who profit off these disasters who we need to come together as people from all walks of life and use our power as citizens and voters to put out of business.

They are, what singer/songerwriter Jackson Browne calls in ‘Lives In The Balance’, arguably one of the most powerful antiwar songs of the past 50 years “the men in the shadows.”

To hear that song, click on the screen below –

Let’s Join Each Other In Standing Up For Peace and a Better Life for All on Our Planet – Doug Draper, Niagara At Large

NIAGARA AT LARGE Encourages You To Join The Conversation By Sharing Your Views On This Post In The Space Following The Bernie Sanders Quote Below.

“A Politician Thinks Of The Next Election. A Leader Thinks Of The Next Generation.” – Bernie Sanders

It’s One Way Of Supporting Our Local Farmers And The Green Land They Grow Food On And Of Sending A Message To The Profit Gougers Who Own And Operate The Big Grocery Chains

A Brief Commentary by Doug Draper at Niagara At Large

Posted October 2^nd, 2024

The height of this year’s season for growing food of all kinds may be over in Niagara but farmer’s markets are still offering the produce from all that growing across the region.

So while there is still time before the frost sets in and the snow flies, do what you can to support our local farmers by purchasing your food directly from them rather than from the corporate grocery chains that have been making record profits gouging us at the checkouts. Continue reading →

“More lanes on a highway will actually make gridlock even worse. Ford is taking us down the wrong path. A more expensive, slower, more polluting path.”                        – Ontario’s Green Party responding to the Ford Government’s idea of building a multi-billion dollar tunnel for more trucks and cars under Highway 401

A Message from the Green Party of Ontario

Posted October 2^nd, 2024 on Niagara At Large

Ontaro Premier Doug Ford plans for the province’s transportation would be laughable if they weren’t so potentially costly and dangerous.

Ford’s harebrained ideas to solve traffic haven’t stopped at ripping up bike lanes. I’m sure you’ve heard that last week Ford had the ridiculous suggestion to tunnel underneath Highway 401 to add even more lanes of traffic.

There’s many reasons why this suggestion is absurd The astronomical cost, the decades it would take to build – not to mention the alternatives.

Think about what the estimated $60 billion that could be spent on: building much-needed housing, public transit, or improving our hospitals.

Needless to say, opposition has been overwhelming, from experts to community groups. Continue reading →

“I want to make it clear that if there is ever a conflict between environmental quality and economic growth, I will go for beauty, clean air, water and landscape.” – then-U.S. Presidential candidate Jimmy Carter in 1976

A Tribute and Happy Birthday Message from Niagara At Large reporter/publisher Doug Draper

Posted October 1^st, 2024 on Niagara At Large

Jimmy Carter, as he looked during his years as U.S. President

At the risk of insulting all of the politicians out there, there are some people, in my view, who are too honest and too full of decency to be in politics.

One of those people is former U.S. President Jimmy Carter who turned 100-years old this October 1st 2024.

Jimmy Carter, who was trained as a nuclear scientist before he was elected Governor of his homes state of Georgia in 1971 and President of the United States in November in 1976, was also one of the first elected leader on the planet who could see the climate crisis coming and proposed measures to address it. Continue reading →

Welland’s historic Central Fire Hall remains a heritage gem in Niagara

News from volunteer members of the Central Education Initiative in Welland, Ontario

Posted October 1^st, 2024 on Niagara At Large

This past September 27^th, Welland’s 1926 Gotfredson Bickle Pumper returned to Central Fire Station, the first time the vintage fire truck has been in a Welland Fire Station for close to 70 years.

Central Station Education Initiative purchased this piece of Welland’s firefighting history with the help of a generous local donor in May of last year and it has been in storage since then.

Volunteers Fred Infantino and Dave Thomson (retired firefighters) with the Bickle at Central Fire Station on Friday Sept. 27, 2024.

Restoration work on the Bickle will continue in the future.

Continue reading →

Increase to $17.20 an hour brings Ontario’s minimum wage to among the highest in Canada

News from Ontario’s Ford Government Followed by a Brief Commentary by Niagara At Large reporter/publisher Doug Draper

Posted October 1st, 2024 on Niagara At Large

TORONTO — David Piccini, Minister of Labour, Immigration, Training and Skills Development (for Ontario), issued the following statement on increasing the province’s minimum wage:

“Today (this October 1st, 2024), the general minimum wage in Ontario increases from $16.55 per hour to $17.20, helping nearly one million workers earn more money for themselves and their families. Continue reading →

By Doug Draper

Posted September 30^th, 2024 on Niagara At Large

Singer/Songwriter and sometimes film actor Kris Kristofferson as he looked back then

If you are a member of the Baby Boomer generation that came of age in the 1960s with The Beatles, The Woodstock Festival and everything before and after and in between, it is hard to ignore the fact that many of our music heroes who came to fame at that time are passing away at an ever more frequent rate.

For me, one of them was Kris Kristofferson, a singer/songwriter and sometimes film actor (he played the lead male role in the 1974 version of ‘A Star Is Born’ with co-star Barbra Streisand) who died this past Saturday, September 28th, 2024 at age 88. Continue reading →