Back at ya, Harper

Stop Everything
Rebecca McNeil

October 9, 2009

I have spent the past year trying to follow the antics of the big players on Parliament Hill, and this weekend just threw another wrench in the drama that is becoming Canadian politics. Over the past year we have watched the Liberals change leaders from a boy scout to an assertive “foreigner”, the NDP go from the biggest denouncers of Harper to backing them in a confidence motion, and watched Harper move the Conservatives slowly but surely from far right to right of centre – not a small step in the world of Conservative Party politics.

In an October 1st editorial Globe and Mail writer Michael Bliss announced that “In a historic shift, the Tories have seized the centre and are set to become the natural governing party.” I assume if you have time to read this blog you’ve likely already scoured the daily papers so this won’t require a full explanation, but it is becoming increasingly evident that Harper will be our leader through the rest of this year. This means he’s our guy for the international climate change decisions this year, and we are going to have to find a way to make sure that strong climate change policies and action makes it onto his agenda.

The good news is that with a government turning increasingly to the centre, they are backing a lot of issues on would not have normally have been supportive. Take Employment Insurance. Harper has taken an uncharacteristic stance to secure his Party’s position as leader of this country, and the NDP in turn propped up his government as a big ol’ thank you. Call it opportunistic, but it gives me some comfort to think that in the midst of achieving his own priorities our Prime Minister is able to adopt policies that will actually end up supporting Canadians.

In this hopeful vein, myself and several thousand other people will be heading to Parliament on October 24th, to “fill the hill” and let the Prime Minister know we are serious about taking action on climate change, and want him to be as well when he attends the international talks in Copenhagen this December. We don’t have many shots to get it right, and neither does Harper.

As the Prime Minister belted out this weekend that he gets by with a little help from his friends, I think we were all curious if there was some sort of symbolic message with the choice of song. I’ll be the first to admit I sort of loved watching his literal song and dance. But a quick piece of advice, Mr. Harper: if you want more friends, making decisions that won’t condemn our country to a life of natural disasters, drought, disease and possible extinction, will make you a very popular guy. And a rendition of Mean Mr. Mustard couldn’t hurt either.

Callin for a new generation of Moonies

Darcy Higgins

We all owe a big thank you to Ban Ki Moon.

The UN Secretary-General, it appears, has basically stopped everything to put climate on top of his agenda, having convened over 100 heads of state for meetings on the climate crisis. He did this with a little ambition and a lot of optimism, pulling these leaders together to get things moving on a political level, towards necessary aims at Copenhagen. His challenge to fellow leaders: “Your words have been heard around the world. Let your actions now be seen. There is little time left. The opportunity and responsibility to avoid catastrophic climate change is in your hands”.

The convention in New York was met with a world of actions from the public. On Monday, TckTckTck launched a global wakeup call with 1500 events in 112 countries, including several in Canada, at least three in Toronto. Showings of The Age of Stupid were also premiered in countries worldwide Monday and Tuesday. Rebecca and I attended one of those events.

Stupid was enough to give anyone the heebie-jeebies. Set in a 2055 dystopia based on real scientific projections for what will happen to our planet should we not reduce emissions, the central question was, why didn’t we act when we knew what was coming? Perhaps far-fetched, perhaps not, but virtual annihilation of the human species was portrayed. Do today’s global citizens actually realize, actually feel that this possibility is heading our way if we don’t act? I don’t think so. The movie therefore made it real. Even if you set your disaster expectations a little lower, science still leaves us with harsh realities to come.

To be honest, the film really was a shock to the system. What we’re doing here in disaster prevention is the most important work that we could be doing right now.
The film led us through in-depth stories of people who live among us… in England, Louisiana, India and Nigeria. These stories provide insight as to why we aren’t acting and analyze our collective and individual addictions to oil. A lot is about jobs, necessities and wants, and a failure of social-economic-political systems to lead us to a re-organized economy. Answers to the “why we didn’t act” question exist all around us, but the consistent posing of the question in the film made me continually reflect on the gravity of the situation.

Despite Moon’s efforts, all is not well coming out of New York. The U.S. and China have left without committing to new binding targets. And Stephen Harper skipped most of the meetings, instead attending a Tim Horton’s anniversary event in Oakville the day of Barack Obama’s speech to the UN.

Things move slowly in politics – even more so in global politics – but this climate change isn’t slowing at all. If we are to have any hope in making an impact we must:
• keep up the pressure
• be patient – but not too patient
• watch, host and discuss screenings of The Age of Stupid
• continue to act as we lead up to Climate Day, October 24
• brace ourselves: a final agreement may not come until next year
• say a private thanks to Ban Ki Moon and commit to moving Harper’s agenda to where it needs to be
• become a Moonie

The Age of Stupid is showing again in Toronto at the MUCK Film Festival on October 3rd. If you would like to organize a screening, contact Darcy.

With less than three months left to define an international agreement in Copenhagan, young sustainability activists Rebecca McNeil and Darcy Higgins launch Stop Everything, a new column engaging in political strategies for change in tackling the climate crisis. They'll follow the youth climate movement in Canada and others as they work to cap greenhouse gas emissions and change society, and show you ways you can be involved at this most critical juncture.
Find, discuss and learn at: Sustainability is Step One

US to Canada: We don’t want yer kind here

Yer kind of shamelessly dirty oil, anyways.

Stop Everything
Rebecca McNeil

2009/09/16

This is the first time in my life I can recall Americans looking like a shining example of leadership and responsibility compared to us. When I was growing up our grade school teachers would endlessly pontificate on our national reputation: honourable, polite and neighbourly. We were peacekeepers, stewards of our land, and distributors of universal healthcare. Ask anyone, they would say, and they can tell you of Canada’s stellar track record and may even get down to kiss your feet, although being Canadian, you are too modest to let them.

Perhaps the last eight years allowed our egos to inflate, as well. The Michael Moore school of thinking did a lot to salute our nation, and during the Bush administration you could hear many a liberally-minded citizen from Oregon or Connecticut (and even some out of West Virginia) dreaming about the sunny, socialist shores of Canada. But either the rose coloured glasses were trampled under Obama’s inauguration parade or our southern neighbours were never really wearing them. All I know is, now they’re worried about us getting in the way of their actions to reduce climate change, and I don’t blame them.

Today Prime Minister Stephen Harper is in Washington trying to ride Obama’s coattails before a potential election. He is also battering our already-bruised reputation by pushing the Alberta Tar Sands to be excluded from any effective climate change reduction plans they come up with (and yes, isn’t he already on his fourth plan anyway?) The tar sands industry is the fastest growing greenhouse gas polluter in Canada, spewing more than many European countries, and Harper is not only looking to sustain this industry, but grow it.

Plenty of Americans now think it is we who will hinder them during the global climate change discussions, prompting the American-based Rainforest Action Network to string a banner across a Niagara Falls bridge kindly asking Harper to get lost.

It’s a shift in perspective, really. A few years ago Harper was faired poorly on climate change action, but he was still no Bush. Well, fast forward and he’s that much farther from Obama. Seemingly overnight the American national standard has changed and their Bob the Builder attitude combined with the charm that literally oozes out of Obama means they are easily becoming the North American leaders on climate change. What remains to be seen is if we will end up looking uneducated and manipulated by industry, declaring climate change to be a myth along with UFO’s and unicorns, or if Harper can leave his personal views at home and do what his country, and the rest of the world, need him to.

Check out the parody of Harper’s ‘Just Visiting’ ads by Environmental Defence.

While you’re there, be sure to send Harper a letter that’s politely-worded, but stills tells him exactly what you think of how he should be acting in Washington. ‘Cause we’re paying attention eh?


With less than three months left to define an international agreement in Copenhagan, young sustainability activists Rebecca McNeil and Darcy Higgins launch Stop Everything, a new column engaging in political strategies for change in tackling the climate crisis. They'll follow the youth climate movement in Canada and others as they work to cap greenhouse gas emissions and change society, and show you ways you can be involved at this most critical juncture.
Find, discuss and learn at: Sustainability is Step One

Do the right thing, no matter what China does

Stop Everything
Rebecca McNeil

Timing is a funny thing. Just as I am having these apocalyptic realizations that we have very little time to make some mind-bogglingly major changes to industry and how we live our lives, so too is Preston Manning. Yes, that Preston Manning, former leader of the Reform Party of Canada (read: uber conservative).
It seems there is a point that many powerful, or formerly powerful men reach in their careers when they soften, open up to ideas one would never have imagined they could get behind, and look with shining, idealistic eyes to the “younger generation.” Correlating milestones often include becoming a grandfather, having a humbling health scare and/or retiring officially from their political/business careers so these concepts don’t become are a liability as they simply revel in their newly-found sage status.

This may or may not be the case with Mr. Manning. As he said himself to a Bay Street crowd at the Empire Club on Thursday, “Conservation and conservative are very closely linked,” and it seems that in his heart of hearts he truly believes we need to act against climate change. Really, he makes a good point. I know several people from my parents’ generation who have only ever voted for the Conservatives or the Green Party in their entire lives.

While I have had the opportunity to hear many leading thinkers and activists share their position on climate issues, including Ray Anderson, David Suzuki, Bill McKibben, Robert Kennedy Jr. and Hunter Lovins, it is not every day I get to hear a bible-toting, fiscal conservative discuss how the corporate sector needs to step up to the plate to meet our climate change problem head on. So when invited to the Royal York where Mr. Manning was to speak to members of the Empire Club I was delighted. As he began his remarks he braced his audience for what would be a ground-breaking discovery: the market can’t survive without resources, which we are using up at a startling rate.

It’s a good thing I was sitting down.

As much as I take this perspective for granted, Manning brought up some good points. It was not so long ago that Canada drank to the Queen (in this particular case it was only 30 minutes prior, since apparently the Empire Club still does that) and went to war for England, and now we think of ourselves purely as a sovereign nation. A shift in perspective is critical for change to be made, in both the corporate and political sectors, since as Manning pointed out, many still view the market in four boxes: extract, refine, create, consume. Apparently this whole frontier-land notion is hard to shake.

He also pontificated how being revolutionary thinkers runs deep through our ancestry, taking a trip through time to recall how a ragtag group of settlements in the most Northern parts of the Americas would band together as a joint nation between the French and English, creating the second largest country in the world and building the world’s longest rail system to connect this patchwork of a nation.

It is both rare and wonderful to hear unbridled Canadiana from someone who actually means it. This man comes from an era of politics that defined us as a nation, and he maintains a relentless faith in Canadians as a people. When asked about whether or not Canada should wait to act on Climate Change until the bigger producers, like China, commit, Manning unabashedly waxed poetic. “You know I was asked that question before and I said – but isn’t it important to do the right thing? No Matter what the Chinese do, isn’t it important that Canada does the right thing?”

Now someone type it up and send it to Harper. The man’s already received enough correspondence from me.

Email: harpeS@parl.gc.ca


With three months left to define an international agreement in Copenhagan, young sustainability activists Rebecca McNeil and Darcy Higgins launch Stop Everything, a new column engaging in political strategies for change in tackling the climate crisis. They'll follow the youth climate movement in Canada and others as they work to cap greenhouse gas emissions and change society, and show you ways you can be involved at this most critical juncture.
Find, discuss and learn at: Sustainability is Step One

Photo taken from Red Tory v.3.0

Stop Everything

It’s easy to forget in a world of swirling priorities and frequently changing news stories that the foundation on which we all base our work is reaching a dangerously fragile point. Last year, in the wake of a seemingly overnight recession, we were reminded that at any moment the rug can be pulled out from under us and our collective energies and focus must immediately shift to a pressing issue.

The same can be true when we think of our environment. True, these issues have been surprisingly resilient as they remained on a public agenda throughout a recession, countless political scandals and despite the many distractions of everyday life. But within this broad term “environment” lies a plethora of topics: sustainable food, air pollution, public transit, local wine, clean water, waste reduction, recycling, conservation... and beyond that social concerns like housing, rising debt, AIDS, community-building, queer rights, war and corruption. The energy of environmental and progressive movements along with the attention of the public are constantly being pushed and pulled in a tug of war for precious resources and media so they can stay afloat on the public and political agenda and hopefully some progress will be made.

But is there a large, scary elephant in the room that environmentalists and the public at large are tending to forget about in their day-to-day priorities? Upon finishing my undergraduate degree in Environmental Studies I began working in the land-use planning/agricultural sector and have moved on to work on projects that engage youth in environmental education and work to protect rights of citizens to participate in public action. Important stuff, at least I think.

Every once in a while though, I have my system shocked with the reality that we are reaching those scary numbers: the dates that climatologists predicted we have until we reach the point of no return; the number of chances we have to make a serious commitment to this undeniably and globally-permeating problem; and what scientists have defined as 350 parts per million of carbon dioxide in our atmosphere as the tipping point. We’re told we have until 2015-2017 to stop increasing and begin to reduce the amount of greenhouse gases we pump into the atmosphere. And we have only one international framework that provides the chance of getting us there. We have all learned by now that this is the issue to end all issues, and if we can’t get ourselves out of this mess, all our other hard work will have been in vain.

But who wants to talk about climate change? Let’s face it, it’s abstract, number-based and there are lots of concepts and jargon from cap and trade to COP15 that exclude most of us from the discussion, leaving it to some political PR rep to tell us which systems are good for us.

We have allowed ourselves to feel distant and unsure from this issue and be told by our economic experts that we cannot afford to put any serious investments into it. The same folks that couldn’t predict the massive, world-reaching recession last year don’t foresee a problem with climate change. Okay. Perhaps I would have greater confidence if our own Conservative Federal Government website didn’t have an entire website displaying potential impending emergencies brought on by climate change such as “floods, damage of fresh water resources, food scarcity, drought” and other such goodies. We young people have also been telling ourselves that it’s okay not to engage in politics as long as we’re doing good things in NGOs and international development. Meanwhile, our Government sits back and enjoys the free ride.

And while I’m very happy to see that people in Toronto are now being charged a nominal fee to reduce plastic bags, you can buy local produce at many of your community grocery stores, municipalities are banning bottled water from public buildings, and other such victories, I worry about this dark cloud looming over us. And I can’t help but wonder if perhaps we should all just stop what we’re doing and try to get this one, very important thing right.

Rebecca McNeil lives, works and plays in Toronto and can be reached at: mcneil.rebecca@gmail.com She wonders, if a global climate crisis does ensue, making our environment practically unlivable, if she will have wished that she had spent the past six years baking pies and playing the piano instead of working on various environmental and social issues.

With three months left to define an international agreement in Copenhagan, young sustainability activists Rebecca McNeil and Darcy Higgins launch Stop Everything, a new column engaging in political strategies for change in tackling the climate crisis. They'll follow the youth climate movement in Canada and others as they work to cap greenhouse gas emissions and change society, and show you ways you can be involved at this most critical juncture.
Find, discuss and learn at: Sustainability is Step One

Conservation in Ontario

Every year we in Ontario see the power go up that we use just a little and this means we need more power to help us. With the Ontario Government now signaling that they are in with Wind Power, they are building them faster than any other source in the province. Instead of installing Wind Power, we as Ontarioians should be lowering our impact on the Earth.

To achieve this lower impact, we need to converse our energy and start to enjoy the outdoors. As Youth, we live our life with electricity more than we do without this. Youth need to get out and tell everyone to turn off all the power everyday, and start to meet people who are out in our neighbourhoods. With this, we would be accelerating our path to a more Renewable Ontario, and make us #1 in the world for conservation.

Youth need to step up and take the voice of one and turn this into a movement. We need to start closing off streets and having block parties every week to show people we can converse power. With every street that closes off, more people get out of their homes and enjoy the world a little bit more.

Since the Blackout in the summer of 2003, Ontario has been trying to conserve power in every way possible. We have seen the Ontario Government go from Coal to Nuclear to Wind in Energy, and we need to tell them to turn off power now. With this, since 2007, we have seen a yearly day called Earth Hour, where for one hour we turn off all the power possible.

All of the above is great, but we need to tell the Ontario Government to take bold steps in conversation and renewable energy to make Ontario the world leader.


Stand Up with Youth across Ontario, and enjoy Power Free Days.


Goal (this week): Enjoy 1 Block Party in the Streets

Nuclear halted

Congratulations to all the members who have been advocating for change to the Government's plan and the costs of reactors.
Minister Smitherman had a press conference this morning announcing that none of the nuclear bids will be accepted: http://www.newswire.ca/en/releases/archive/June2009/29/c2683.html
http://www.theglobeandmail.com/news/national/ontario-suspends-nuclear-power-plans/article1200469/

Now time to move on to the conservation and renewables of the future.
http://www.marketwatch.com/story/ontario-canada-lauded-as-north-american-wind-power-leader-20096299700

Write Premier McGuinty to tell him this was the right decision and now is the time to move ahead with real clean energy and conservation.
McGuinty@premier.gov.on.ca

Don't buy AECL, says May

Ontario should not purchase another AECL reactor, says May.

The history of all nuclear reactors in Ontario are way off time and budget - and aren't a secure solution to keeping the lights on in Ontario in an affordable manner.
Ontario shouldn't buy them and the Federal Government should help.

Tell the PM not to wasting recession money in nukes

The Provincial Government has apparently chosen AECL to build new nukes in the province.
See the article and send a message to: HarpeS@parl.gc.ca

Act on May 20

Nukes in more trouble

Find an important Ontario nuclear update .

YCRO's Submission on the Green Energy Act

Take a moment this Earth Day to send a message to the Premier to tell him that nuclear is not green: Dalton.McGuinty@premier.gov.on.ca

Below, take a look at our submission to the Government on the Green Energy and Green Economy Act. Please feel free to take these arguments and ideas in your own letters to MPPs.

Dear Mr. Day,

Thank you for accepting our submission for comment on the Green Energy and Green Economy Act. I am writing to you on behalf of the Youth Coalition for a Renewable Ontario, which represents four youth-run organizations based in the province.

We would like to begin by congratulating the Government of Ontario on the Act. We support the goals as well as the main mechanism to increase renewable energy, that being the feed-in-tariff. The time to introduce Bill 150 was yesterday, however, we note North American leadership in this legislation and appreciate the speed at which it has been developed under the direction of Deputy Premier George Smitherman.

The Coalition understands that there is more that can be done within the Act and that nuclear investment in the province would force renewable generation to compete with a large, highly subsidised industry. We therefore recommend a number of changes and/or additions so that the Act:

- eliminates the ability for nuclear generation companies to pass capital cost overruns onto taxpayers and ratepayers, and implement stiff penalties for project delays;
- does not allow the government to bypass public review of major non-renewable generation proposals;
- includes combined heat and power in the feed-in-tariff program;
- allows for all possible opportunities to increase demand-side management and conservation in all provincial sectors;
- defines strong conservation targets within the Building Code;
- includes prices for community and First Nations projects for all types of renewable power development;
- includes ambitious targets for conservation and renewable power;
- increases the 2MW cap for community based water power; and
- does not place green energy projects in already threatened farmland, forest, prairie or wetland.

In the worst recession in six decades it is evident that this Act, particularly with the above additions and those being recommended by the Green Energy Act Coalition, will be able to increase green jobs within the province and allow Ontario to move to a 100% clean, just and renewable energy system.

Sincerely

Darcy Higgins, on behalf of the

Youth Coalition for a Renewable Ontario

Sierra Youth Coalition
Students Against Climate Change
University of Waterloo Sustainability Project
Queen's Backing Action on Climate Change

An update on Scarborough Bluffs wind study

For those of you who are interested - a letter explaining where they are in the current study. Members of the present Youth Coalition were involved in these meetings.
This is the text from the pdf which I can send out.

April 13, 2009

Dear Interested Resident:

Re: Notice of Completion – Proposed Toronto Hydro Lake Ontario Anemometer
MNR Class Environmental Assessment Process, Category B Project
Toronto Hydro Energy Services (TH Energy) has recently submitted an application to the Ontario Ministry of Natural
Resources (MNR) to conduct testing of wind resources in order to secure a Land Use Permit and an Application of
Record Status for Crown lands. The Land Use Permit and the Application of Record Status secure the right to use
the Crown Land area approved for exploration, on condition that all MNR requirements, including Environmental
Assessment (EA) requirements, are met. The TH Energy proposal is part of a two year exploration phase to
determine the potential economic viability for the development of a possible wind energy facility. The proposed
boundary of the Land Use Permit and the Application of Record Status is attached.

The Notice of Commencement
was previously issued on August 12 and 13, 2008.
TH Energy proposes to construct an anemometer platform to conduct the wind testing. An anemometer is a
miniature weather station that tests for wind speed, wind direction, temperature, humidity etc. An anemometer
platform is a stand-alone structure that would be affixed to the lake-bottom, with two small wind generators and a
solar photovoltaic (PV) panel to power the instruments. It is a temporary structure and will be removed after it has
served its purpose. The proposed structure has the following general dimensions/characteristics:
• A structural steel platform located in approximately 12.2 m of water extending from lake bottom to
approximately 4 m above lake water level;
• A width of approximately 5 m; and
• An anemometer instrument, auxiliary power system and navigation lights located atop this platform.
Additional project information is available on our website at the following address:
www.torontohydroenergy.com/offshorewind.

A Category B project evaluation and consultation process was carried out in accordance with the Class EA process
for MNR Resource Stewardship and Facility Development Projects, and it identified no significant adverse
environmental effects. As part of this Class EA process, consultation with the public was held at two separate
meetings (November/08 and January/09) in order to consult on the project with local stakeholders and other
interested parties. Further, a Project Evaluation Report was prepared in order to document the evaluation undertaken
and the consultation process carried out.

The Project Evaluation Report will be on public display for review and is available at the following locations during
normal business hours:

Toronto Hydro Corporation
14 Carlton Street
Toronto, ON
Phone: 416-542-3000

Ministry of Natural Resources
50 Bloomington Road West
Aurora, ON
Phone: 905-713-7386

Scarborough Civic Centre (Clerk’s Office)
150 Borough Drive, 3rd Floor
Toronto, ON
Phone: 416-396-7288

City of Pickering (Clerk’s Office)
One The Esplanade
Pickering, ON
Phone: 905-420-4660

Town of Ajax (Clerk’s Office)
65 Harwood Ave. S.
Ajax, ON
Phone: 905-683-4550

Port Union Library
Port Union Recreation Centre
5450 Lawrence Ave. East
Toronto, ON
Phone: 416-396-8885

Cliffcrest Library
Cliffcrest Plaza
3017 Kingston Road
Toronto, ON
Phone: 416-396-8916

Guildwood Library
Guildwood Plaza
123 Guildwood Parkway
Toronto, ON
Phone: 416-396-8872

Taylor Memorial Library
1440 Kingston Road
Toronto, ON
Phone: 416-396-8939

The public review period will commence on April 15, 2009 and continue for a period of 30-calendar days (ending
May 14, 2009). Interested persons may provide written comments to MNR or AECOM (acting on behalf of Toronto
Hydro) listed below within the review period.

Mark Patterson
Ministry of Natural Resources
50 Bloomington Road West
Aurora, Ontario L4G 3G8
Phone: 905-713-7386
Fax: 905-713-7361
E-mail: Mark.Patterson@mnr.gov.on.ca

Ian Dobrindt, MCIP, RPP, CCEP
AECOM
300 Town Centre Blvd, Suite 300
Markham, Ontario L3R 5Z6
Phone: 905-477-8400 x 213
Fax: 905-477-1456
E-mail: Ian.Dobrindt@aecom.com

Where there are outstanding concerns about this project that cannot be resolved in discussion with MNR, concerned
parties have an opportunity to formally request the Minister of the Environment to issue a Part II Order requiring the
project be subject to an Individual Environmental Assessment (IEA) under the Environmental Assessment Act. As
this decision rests with the Minister of Environment, please direct your inquiries in this regard to the Minister at the
following address, and copy to MNR and TH Energy, before the end of the 30 calendar day review period (May 14,
2009):
Minister of the Environment
135 St. Clair Avenue
10th Floor, Toronto, ON M4V 1P5

If MNR considers there are no significant outstanding concerns by the end of the 30-calendar day review period, the
MNR may permit the implementation of the undertaking without further public notice.
In addition to the MNR EA requirements, the proposal is also subject to the Canadian Environmental Assessment Act
(CEAA), as it is anticipated that a federal trigger will occur. A CEAA Screening may take place to seek formal
Federal approvals.

Yours very truly,
TORONTO HYDRO CORPORATION
Joyce McLean
Director, Strategic Issues

cc: I. Dobrindt, AECOM
M. Patterson, Ministry of Natural Resources
Proposed Boundary for Applicant of Record Status including Land Use Permit Location

Nuclear Globally

A new study on stating that nuclear cannot make an impact in fighting climate change.

Wind Power in Canada

Wind Power, where oh where is the Wind Power in our Country? Can you say everywhere, oh yes it is everywhere. Wind is not dying down at all. How come there aren't many Wind Turbines to hold the power and turn us into a renewable energy leader?

Well, I have travelled across this country and seen some really amazing Wind Power projects and feel that there is a need to just continue building. The best part about Wind is that you know that somewhere in the country the wind always blows. The province with the most Wind Turbines is Alberta, yes Alberta. Even with the Tar Sands they have amazing projects going on everywhere. Only as of last year did they get rid of their cap on Turbines.

Now where is Ontario on this issue? Well, so far behind that we can't even say the Government supports Wind Turbines until we, the citizens of Ontario, see action. We have one in Downtown Toronto, which makes people in power feel so happy they are doing good on the environment. Even as companies in Ontario try to put in new Wind Turbine projects, NIMBY (Not in My Backyard) groups say "We don't like the looks of them." Do they want a shiny new fur coat on a wind turbine? I feel that many people in Ontario just don't get this at all.

The right solution for Ontario is to allow every single person in the province to put up a small wind power project on their roof. This way we can take hold of the real power that is coming around us everyday. The amount of power that the Wind could produce would be enough to take out all Coal and Nuclear Power Stations.

The ironic thing is that the Nuclear Power in Pickering Ontario has a Wind Turbine on the site but it doesn't do anything. Just sits there everyday, and goes around and around and around.


Why can't we just create a 100% renewable energy future in Ontario? There is no reason we can't. We need to Green our skylight.


Goal: Put a Wind Turbine on the CN Tower

Unclear about Nuclear?

EVENT - No Nukes in Ontario: a teach-in!

Mar 13-14, 2009, at the U of T

Join us for a teach-in on nuclear energy in Ontario. What are the concerns surrounding nuclear energy, and what are the alternatives?

On the evening of Friday March 13 at 7:00 p.m. there will a screening of the film Battle of Chernobyl. Earth Sciences Auditorium (ES 1050), 33 Willcocks, U of T. For a description of the movie see http://icarusfilms.com/new2007/batt.html

Workshops will be held all day on Saturday Mar. 14, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. in the Kofffler Centre, 569 Spadina (just north of College St.), Room 108, U of T

This conference will provide valuable information on the cost, the health effects, the ethical considerations, and the effectiveness of nuclear energy as compared to alternatives (e.g. renewable energy sources).

$25 – or pay-what-you-can. Free for U of T students.

Speakers include

- Jack Gibbons, Ontario Clearn Air Alliance
- Dave Martin, Greenpeace
- Shawn-Patrick Stensil, Greenpeace
- Dr. Dorothy Goldin-Rosenberg, OISE
- Cherise Burda, Pembina
- Keith Stewart, World Wildlife Fund
- Greg Allen
- Phyllis Creighton, Veterans Against Nuclear Arms
- Helen Chilas, Canadian Voice Of Women for Peace
- Jim Elve, Nanticoke
- John Morand, Port Hope
- Norm Rubin, Energy Probe
- Vinay Jindal, Physicians for Global Survival
- Jos Higginson

And many more.

Sponsored by: Ontario Clean Air Alliance, Greenpeace, University of Toronto Students Union, Students Against Climate Change, Veterans Against Nuclear Arms, Hiroshima Day Coalition, Canadian Voice of Women for Peace, Planet in Focus, and Physicians for Global Survival.
_____

Want more background info? Check out
http://www.renewableisdoable.ca
http://Blogs.greenpeace.ca/nuclear
http://ontariosgreenfuture.ca

Register now! http://nuketeachin.eventbrite.com

For more info: nuketeachin@yahoo.ca

Green Jobs...

With the new Green Energy Act out in the wild there are 50,000 jobs that are going to be created with this act. With this we need to see more Fairs that are geared towards Green Jobs to create a Green Economy. All these fairs of late have been well attended as the economy goes downhill more every month, and the way out of this recession is jobs in renewable energy.

We don't need jobs in the Nuclear Industry but in the renewable energy area, which is good for everyone in any diversity community. We can create this in industry, commercial firms, and environmental NGOs to provide a comprehensive representation of the potential clean green economy future. It is our hope that through presenting employment options that extend beyond traditional consumer and manufacturing culture, participants will be inspired to work towards a truly innovative future.

Pushing the Ontario Government to create more jobs in renewable energy is the way to go. With this, Ontario should be investing in more Green Job Fair as Youth are having a hard time finding jobs in Green Economy. If we are able to get every Youth into industries that are safe and green, we will be pushing ahead of other provinces and countries. Our goal should be to create more jobs in Clean Energy than any country in Europe.

Tell the MPP in your area to create a new way forward by providing a huge list of where youth can find Green Jobs. Youth are willing to work in the Clean Green Economy more then any other age group. We need to send a message to our MPPs, we want Jobs in Renewable Energy.

New jobs in Ontario

Toronto-based Moran Solar is coming up with the kinds of new technology that Ontario needs. But without Government investment, and moving their support for the private sector from nuclear to renewables, imbedded advantages for old industries with fewer jobs will remain; the good companies will continue to find their way to jurisdictions that give them support. The job numbers quoted by McGuinty can happen if we make a major shift in support.

Write a letter to your local newspaper saying that every investment in nuclear in the province is an investment that should be made in renewable technologies and conservation - a combined more affordable way of moving forward!

Green Energy Act about to be released - make it nuke-free!

Ontario youth perform outside of Deputy Premier George Smitherman's office, acting out Curious George's exploration of energy issues, and seeing the light.

Let's go nuclear!

The numbers on nuclear

Check the Ontario's Green Future campaign to learn about the free ride that's been given to the nuclear industry... then send a letter to Deputy Premier Smitherman letting him know you want a Nuclear Cost Responsibility Act.

Tel: 416-972-7683
Fax: 416-972-7686
Email: gsmitherman.mpp.co@liberal.ola.org

Green energy for Ontario

The importance of the coming challenge is huge.
Ontario is up to deciding where we want to for our energy future - with implications on climate change, social justice, community sustainability and the new economy.

The Provincial Government is about to bring about a Green Energy Act with a predicted value of 50,000 jobs and a complete overhaul of the energy system - but with more green energy on the way, at quite a cost - how can we keep subsidizing the nuclear industry? A type of power generation that is inherently unclearn, dangerous and expensive.
We believe in a 100% renewable energy system for Ontario.

To get involved, email to have your group join on, to get on our email list, or post your own thoughts on the blog.

Darcy Higgins
darcyhiggins@gmail.com