Niagara At Large

On Municipal Election Day – This October 22nd – Hire Those Politicians Who Will, Fire Those Who Won’t

A News Commentary by Doug Draper

Posted September 18th, 2018 on Niagara At Large

I heard a brief dispatch on CBC this Tuesday (September 18th) morning about a new report from the Insurance Bureau of Canada – the national association for the country’s insurance industry – about the surging costs of severe weather flooding and the urgent need to conserve what are left of our natural wetlands as one important way of protecting people’s properties from the destruction caused by floods.

Hearing that report drew my mind to the ongoing battle by environmental groups and by citizens in Niagara to save the sprawling, 482-acre Thundering Waters Forest and its more than 200 acres of wetlands in Niagara Falls, Ontario from a, more of half of which is wetlands, in Niagara Falls from an urban development plan backed by Chinese investors and supported by too many politicians on the local and regional council.

A peak at the wetlands inside the Thundering Waters Forest in Niagara Falls, Ontario

This development plan for what is referred to these days a “Riverfront community” began making headlines more than two years ago when, of all agencies, the Niagara Peninsula Conservation Authority (NPCA) was playing with the idea of trying something called “biodiversity offsetting” there – an idea that involves artificially constructing wetlands somewhere else to replace whatever real or natural wetlands may be drained over mowed over to make way for this development. Continue reading →

Some News from Niagara Action For Animals in Niagara, Ontario

Posted September 18^th, 2018 on Niagara At Large

Dear friends of animals

Rob Laidlaw has spent more than 30 years working to protect animals.  He is the founder of Zoocheck and regularly speaks to groups of all ages about animal issues and how individuals can empower themselves to effect change.

He has kindly donated copies of his book ‘Cat Champions’ which has won several honours and awards – it’s a great book for young readers, but contains information that adults will find interesting too. Continue reading →

Two Sessions – Wednesday, September 26th and Thursday, September 27th, 2018

An Invite to All from Ontario’s Niagara Parks Commission

Posted September 17th, 2018 on Niagara At Large

Niagara Falls, Ontario – As stewards of the rich environmental and cultural heritage along the Niagara River corridor, Niagara Parks is pleased to host two upcoming Public Information Centres, on September 26 and 27. These two sessions will provide information on Niagara Parks’ environmental stewardship role and present several key projects currently underway.

Niagara Parks’ new 10-year Strategic Plan places a renewed focus on environmental sustainability and we have established goals for restoring native species and culling invasive species, while enhancing the many formalized viewing areas, parkettes, picnic areas, and other shoreline sites for the benefit of wildlife and the public. Continue reading →

Respondents live in the eight Great Lakes states (Illinois, Indiana, Michigan, Minnesota, New York, Ohio, Pennsylvania and Wisconsin) and the Canadian province of Ontario.

Lakes Seen as Valuable for Recreation, Drinking Water and Essential to Region’s Economy

By Sally Cole-Misch, Canada/U.S. International Joint Commission

Posted September 16th, 2018 on Niagara At Large

Eighty eight percent of respondents to a new poll believe protecting the Great Lakes is important. And 55 percent are willing to pay more for consumer products as a result of increased regulations or enforcement to ensure the lakes are restored and protected. The numbers come from a second large survey by the IJC’s Great Lakes Water Quality Board.

The survey was completed in January 2018 and is summarized in a poll report released in mid-July. Continue reading →

PM Says Not A Single Word Here About The Trampling Of Our Rights And Freedoms In Ontario

“On this day, I hope all Canadians … give heart to their democracy, to treasure it, and to revere it.’ We have an opportunity to strengthen our democracy every day.” – Canada’s Prime Minister, Justin Trudeau

Protests in Ontario this September over Ford government over-riding Canada’s Charter of Rights and Freedoms

(A Brief Foreword Note from Niagara At Large publisher Doug Draper – These are good words, Mr. Prime Minister, but if you are a citizen in Ontario, and you stand up for democracy in the provincial legislature, you may be escorted out of this “peoples’ house” in handcuffs!)

What Follows Is Prime Minister Justin Trudeau’s statement on International Day of Democracy.

Posted September 15th, 2018 on Niagara At Large

September 15, 2018
Ottawa, Ontario

The Prime Minister, Justin Trudeau, today (September 15th) issued the following statement on the International Day of Democracy:

“On International Day of Democracy, I am reminded of the words of former Member of Parliament Arnold Chan. He was a close friend and colleague and, above all, a devoted public servant. While Arnold passed away exactly a year ago yesterday, his wisdom lives on and continues to hold lessons for us all – perhaps now more than ever.

Here is what standing up for democracy in Ontario’s Queen’s Park legislature could get you. What if she was your grandmother or mother or sister? Oh Canada. ….

“Arnold believed deeply in our democracy, and never lost sight of the individual, every day actions that make us who we are as a country. He reminded us how small acts of civility are foundational to democracy, as essential as casting a ballot. Continue reading →

Niagara’s Regional Council Now Faces A Plan To Expand Board Of Directors From 15 to 19 Members

A News Commentary by Doug Draper

Posted September 14th, 2018 on Niagara At Large

Niagara, Ontario – Niagara’s regional council is looking at a plan to increase the Niagara Peninsula Conservation Authority’s board of directors from 15 to 19 members.

Do we really need the board of directors the Niagara Peninsula Conservation Authority to get any larger?

The plan for adding another two members to the NPCA board from Niagara and two from the City of Hamilton is in the hopper. But at the suggestion of St. Catharines regional councillor Brian Heit, the Region’s council decided at its September 13th meeting to hold off giving the matter any further consideration until Ontario Auditor General Bonnie Lysyk releases her findings from a detailed audit her office has been conducting for several months now on the agency’s operations. Continue reading →