Join the groups and organizations that make up KWPeace for a midday meal and a conversation about Peace, Nonviolence, Social Justice and Climate Change.
Tamara Lorincz The guest speaker is Tamara Lorincz, who is completing her PhD studies in Global Governance at the Balsillie School of International Affairs. She will talk about Canada’s new defence and foreign policies and the environmental and social impacts such as climate, military spending, etc. The food for this event is provided by Kitchener Food Not Bombs, which picks up donated food from grocery stores, cooks fresh vegan meals, and serves these meals to the community for free! All groups and organizations working towards Peace, Nonviolence, Social Justice or Climate Change are invited to have an information table around the rotunda. Please register to reserve your place.
There is no charge for this event, but donations are gratefully accepted to offset the costs.
What: Perspectives On Peace — Where’s The Peace and Justice? Canada’s New Foreign and Defence Policies When: Saturday, 27 October 2018 from noon to 2:00pm Where: The Rotunda, Kitchener City Hall Location: 200 King Street West, Kitchener, Ontario Map
Cities and regions around the globe are taking the myriad threats of climate change VERY seriously, and many are taking active steps to ‘future proof’ their communities. We are already seeing the impacts in our own backyards – and we know that decisions will need to be made today to address tomorrow’s looming climate dangers. On behalf of Region residents and voters concerned with the devastating impacts of climate change felt right here in the Region of Waterloo and across our warming planet, we asked candidates seeking office in the Region of Waterloo to review and reply to a survey questions.
The answers from all 4 candidates seeking Regional Chair position are posted HERE.
Athough this is not a Green Party event, this event was conceived and inspired by our friend Michael Purves-Smith, so it’s a very GREEN event! Hope to see you there!
The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change released a special report today on the impacts of global warming of 1.5℃ above pre-industrial levels.
The report outlines the considerable challenges of meeting the Paris Agreement’s more ambitious goal of limiting warming to 1.5℃, the global effort needed to achieve the target, and the consequences of not.
Correction: A previous version of this article stated that the Australian Labor Party had a goal of reaching 50% renewable energy by 2050. But the ALP hope to achieve the 50% target via an emissions intensity scheme by 2030.
Hi WR Greens: Did you know that voters in Cambridge have a referendum question on Ranked Ballots this municipal election:
Are you in favour of the City of Cambridge using a ranked ballot voting system for the 2022 municipal election?
The Yes! Cambridge advocacy group is holding an informational Town Hall Meeting on Thursday, 11 October 2018 at 7:00pm for anyone who wants to know more about how Ranked Ballots could work, and what the effects might be on campaigns and elections.
Note that this is not a Green Party event, but since electoral reform is a fundamental Green Party policy I expect it’s of interest, especially for those people living and voting in Cambridge.
What: Yes! Cambridge Town Hall Meeting on Ranked Ballots When: Thursday, 11 October 2018 from 7:00pm to 8:30pm Where: Wesley United Church Location: 6 Cambridge Street, Cambridge, Ontario Map
Although I have issues with the colonial origins of our “Thanksgiving” tradition, the idea of expressing public thanks for that for which we are truly thankful is a good one. It is especially easy to forget such things when so many negative things are ongoing, but to be able to continue to work for a sustainable workable future, it is important not to allow despair to prevail. We can draw strength from reminding ourselves that there is still plenty of good in the world, and by harnessing that good, we can build the future we need for our children, and generations to follow.
In 2018 Canada, I am thankful so many of us have come to understand the necessity of adopting a proportional representation voting system, in spite of Mr. Trudeaus’s attempt to shut the idea of a truly representative democracy back in the closet, as his predecessors have done throughout Canadian history.
So I am very thankful that, instead of allowing this to happen:
the Provinces of BC and PEI are holding electoral reform referenda
the Yukon Territory has undertaken a study of electoral reform
a new government has been elected in Quebec after all opposition parties made a public pact to enact Proportional Representation no matter which formed new government
Ontario struggles under an FPTP extremist government which strips its most populous city in the country of almost half its (already) inadequate municipal representation
New Brunswick again suffers an electoral outcome like that which triggered its previous electoral reform process
Alberta looks down the barrel at the prospect of right wing populism in its already toxic atmosphere of polarization
Canadian provinces are pitted against each other by the federal government
PEI political polling suggests the PEI Greens may form the first Green led government in Canada
As an Ontarian, I don’t care who’s first but we can’t afford not to change. Defenders Of The Status Quo fight so hard because once any jurisdiction in Canada adopts Proportional Representation and the sky doesn’t fall, the rest of us will be able to see with our own eyes that the myths they’ve frightened generations of Canadians with have always been pure misinformation. Once that happens, the rest of the country will fall into Proportional Representation like dominoes. We are surely at a Proportional Representation tipping point.
Even in the unlikely event PR is staved off a little longer, at least Canadians are beginning to understand that even with our existing grotesquely inequitable voting system, we need to stop being bullied into voting ‘strategically’ for lesser evils but instead vote for what we want.
I am thankful that all five Waterloo Region Greens ranked in the top 20% of Ontario Green Party candidates in the 2018 provincial election.
I am thankful that, in spite of staggering odds against, and in the face of the Broadcast Consortium’s exclusion from the Ontario Leadership debates, Mike Schreiner made history this year by winning election as our first Ontario Greens Member of Provincial Parliament.
Bravo Mike!
WRGreens are thankful for our estimable federal and provincial representatives: Mike Schreiner and Elizabeth May.
And so I would like to wish us all a Happy Thanksgiving from everyone at WRgreens!
WRGreens Meetup: Kitchener Centre Candidate Stacey Danckert and Teresa Cornwell host GPC Deputy Leader Jo-Ann Roberts and GPO orrganizer Maureen Balsillie at our DTK Office
During the 2018 Election the WRGreens were able to host a conversation in our Downtown Kitchener Office with Green Party of Canada Deputy Leader Jo-Ann Roberts. It wasn’t just an election pep talk, it was also a terrific opportunity to discuss all manner of things Green, including the way forward.
In this era of knee-jerk partisanship and decision-based evidence making, the currency of actual ideas has become sadly devalued in Canadian politics. Veteran broadcaster (and Green Party Deputy Leader) Jo-Ann Roberts is changing all that with the new podcast *People, Politics and Planet*, a wide-ranging audio journey through some fascinating political terrain where you’ll meet some of the country’s most thought-provoking policy innovators.
Sure, they mostly lean towards Green — but, as Jo-Ann finds out, that’s where the all interesting stuff is happening.
Among an incredible lineup of Green headliners from across Canada and around the word we have the brilliant Caroline Lucas, the UK MP for Brighton Pavilion who holds the distinction of being the first Green Party candidate in the world to be elected under the odious First-Past-The-Post, proving it was possible to break the glass ceiling.
For those of us unable to attend the 2018 Green Party of Canada Convention in BC, we can watch the the high points being streamed online via the GPC Facebook Page. You can also follow the Convention on Twitter at #greenconv18
Meanwhile, the PEI Greens were polling ridiculously well in January, of this year, and then even better in August. Must have something to do with the way Greens do politics differently.
Note that this is not a Green Party event, although Green Party members are encouraged to attend
Earth is in crisis, but there is much we can and should do. How can we work with nature to heal the wounds we’ve inflicted?
A handful of leading-edge thinkers will be presenting their solutions at a public forum. All speakers have been involved in research and practices that contribute to the reversal of greenhouse gas emissions through natural agricultural approaches and tree-planting to restore land, and from environmental activists who see the need to encourage any and all methods to draw down existing carbon that will complement the technological methods of preventing future emissions.
This event will honour Michael Purves-Smith, who initiated the project, but did not live to see it take place. Michael’s goal was to raise awareness in Waterloo Region of the urgency for a holistic solution to the crisis of the biosphere.
Partnering With Nature To Heal The Biosphere
Welcome and IntroductionJohn Jackson
Start Susan Bryant and Shannon Purves-Smith
4 per 1000 Initiative Jodi Koberinski
Climate Smart Food Lloyd Helferty
Soil, Organic Matter, Decomposition Dr. Paul Voroney, University of Guelph
Q & A with panel
Population, Importance of Educating Women Shannon Purves-Smith
Restoring Nature, Restoring Ourselves Martin Tamlyn, Ignatius Centre
Nature Bonds and Transforming Taxation Niara van Gaalen
Download the poster (.PDF, 2 MBytes)
CC BY-ND
Yes! Cambridge
https://rss.simplecast.com/podcasts/7692/rss
