Stop Deportation of Issam al-Yamani

Hello friends of Palestine in KW and area,

A lot going on right now, here in Canada.

  1. This urgent action came in today from Canadian Friends of Sabeel. Mr ISSAM AL-YAMANI, a Palestinian-Canadian activist in Mississauga, is about to be deported. LETTERS NEEDED BY FRI AUG 4 if possible. At this link Action: Letters of support requested for Issam Al Yamani, facing deportation threat from Canada you will find more information and a sample letter. Issam has lived peacefully in Canada since 1985, and has no country to return to. Here is a letter I wrote today to Ministers Goodale and Hussen. Please act today.

    From: Eleanor Grant <eleanor7000@gmail.com>
    Date: Thu, Aug 3, 2017 at 12:58 PM
    Subject: Stop Deportation of Issam al-Yamani
    To: Goodale.R@parl.gc.ca, Hussen.A@parl.gc.ca
    Cc: Clement.T@parl.gc.ca, Rempel.M@parl.gc.ca, Mulcair.T@parl.gc.ca, matthew.dube@parl.gc.ca, Kwan.J@parl.gc.ca, Virani.A@parl.gc.ca, Chagger.B@parl.gc.ca

    To the Honourable Ahmed Hussen and Ralph Goodale, Ministers of Immigration and Public Safety:

    Re the deportation order against Mr Issam al-Yamani

    Please grant Ministerial Relief from deportation to this man, who has lived peacefully in Canada for more than 30 years.

    And please review his case and reinstate his permanent resident status.

    I draw your attention to this informative letter from the Ontario Civil Liberties Association:

    http://ocla.ca/letter-canadas-record-regarding-the-civil-rights-of-mr-issam-al-yamani/

    In addition to the facts mentioned in the letter, I would add that the PFLP was not a banned group in Canada until 2003, long after Mr Al-Yamani ceased association with it; and that Mr Al-Yamani would become stateless if deported to Lebanon, where he was born a refugee.

    Mr Al-Yamani has no national home but Canada and he has been an exemplary Canadian resident and family man.

    I urge you to let him stay in Canada and to drop all threats against him.

    Yours Sincerely,

    Eleanor Grant
    Waterloo Ont

    cc Opposition critics Tony Clement, Michelle Rempel, Tom Mulcair, Matthew Dube, Jenny Kwan

    cc Arif Virani MP cc Bardish Chagger MP

    I made 2 small mistakes in the recipient list cc line:

    1. Instead of Arif Virani MP I meant to cc it to Omar Alghabra, who is Issam’s own MP.
    2. The address for Matt Dube (NDP critic for Public Safety) should be matthew.dube@parl.gc.ca .

    You will of course want to change Bardish Chagger to your MP if you don’t live in Waterloo.

  2. You may also be interested to hear that Canadian-Israeli journalist DAVID SHEEN is facing a defamation lawsuit by an unsavoury Israeli general. David does exceptional work making known in the West the increasingly racist culture happening in Israel at present; I heard him speak at U Waterloo in 2015. Canadian Journalists for Free Expression is asking the Cdn govt to get involved:

    Defamation suit against Israeli-Canadian journalist David Sheen must be dismissed – CJFE | Canadian Journalists for Free Expression

    As yet they have not requested mass support.

  3. If you’ve been following the case of HASSAN DIAB, the Lebanese-Canadian professor being detained in France on flimsy charges – his supporters are requesting financial support for his mounting legal costs:

    Justice for Hassan Diab | Bring Hassan Home!

    Click on How You Can Help.

  4. Lastly, close to home in London Ont, an assortment of Islamophobic hate groups are getting a foothold. I heard today that a Christian Peacemaker Teams group in Kitchener has been asked to support a Speak Peace rally in London on Aug 26 at one of these hate events. To attend, some training in nonviolence is required – the training will take place in London on Aug 25 and 26. IF YOU THINK YOU WOULD LIKE TO TAKE PART IN THIS TRAINING AND THE RALLY, I will put you in touch with Esther of CPT in Kitchener.

Thank You for all you do to be a light in these times.

Eleanor Grant
on Twitter @eleanor70001

Speak Peace Rally — 26 August 2017, London, Ontario

Hello CPT and seekers of justice and peace Friends, Several weeks ago there was a rally that PEGIDA, a right wing Islamophobic group held in London, and our group People for Peace was there to counter their message. The turnout was better than expected and we outnumbered the above group, and were mostly successful in drowning out their hateful rhetoric. Having to plan at short notice, we did experience a number of situations during the rally which could have been managed in a more positive way.

PEGIDA was not happy with us however, and are now coming back with a vengeance on August 26, and they are courting other right wing groups to come with them, as listed in the announcement below, for another rally on the steps of London’s city hall. There have also been vitriolic comments aimed at individuals within our group, threats, and that too, is concerning. We support our Muslim community and want to communicate a message of welcome, and “Speaking Peace”. We feel an urgent need for an even larger peaceful presence, and are planning a two to three hour “Nonviolence Training” to be held either on Friday evening or early Saturday morning, prior to the event. We are still working out details and it depends too, on who may be coming from a distance. We are prepared to offer accommodations as needed. There are already offers for car pooling from a distance.

Please let me know whether you can come, when, what your needs will be, and whether you can help with the “Nonviolence Training”. As we find out who is coming and when, I will provide more details as we plan for this event. Please plan to bring your singing voices, justice and peace signs, banners, rainbows, bubbles, balloons etc, to make it a colourful event!

In peace and solidarity,

Esther Kern <estherk@cpt.org>

Speak Peace Not HateThere are several groups in and around London (PEGIDA, JDL. Proud Boys, Sons of Odin, biker groups such as Hell’s Angels etc.), all xenophobic groups spewing hate who are gathering to try to spread their messages of intolerance and Islamophobia. People for Peace London calls on all Londoners to join us for a peaceful, non violent, inclusive, diverse counter rally:

Saturday August 26, 10:30 am.

London, in front of or near City Hall at Dufferin and Wellington (note: this location may change, and we may gather earlier in Victoria Park to prepare ourselves). We will dispel the myths that the hate groups promote, educate the public and stand together in unity against their violent messages. Please bring drums, rattles, stories of inclusion, poetry and your love for humanity.

Please share the Facebook event and watch that page for updates:

Anti Hate Rally- London Ontario | Facebook

—–

People for Peace, London Ontario

Protestors with bannerSparks fly at London City Hall as protesters clash during anti-Islam rally – London | Globalnews.ca (22 July 2017)

CBC News reports on Cross Cultures event

Kitchener marks UN Day for Elimination of Racial Discrimination

We need to “treat each other as human beings instead of labelling and stereotyping,” organizer says

CBC News Posted: Mar 21, 2017 7:00 AM ET

This flag was used at a Walk Against Racism in Regina in February. A day-long event at Kitchener City Hall Tuesday is dedicated to the United Nation's International Day for the Elimination of Racial Discrimination.

This flag was used at a Walk Against Racism in Regina in February. A day-long event at Kitchener City Hall Tuesday is dedicated to the United Nation’s International Day for the Elimination of Racial Discrimination. (CBC)

External Links

(Note: CBC does not endorse and is not responsible for the content of external links.)

An all-day event at Kitchener City Hall Tuesday is meant to open the discussion on racism in Waterloo region.

The event marks the United Nations’ International Day for the Elimination of Racial Discrimination and is organized by the editor of the local website Cross Cultures, Gehan Sabry.

In the past year, there has been a lot of talk about racism in the region and Sabry hopes this event — now in its 16th year — will help kickstart more dialogue about the issue.

“There is racism,” Sabry said.

“Sometimes it’s more obvious and to the surface,” she added. “We’re hoping that people, through understanding each other, that there will be less of the unknown and treat each other as human beings instead of labelling and stereotyping and being leery of other people because they just don’t understand them.”

Everyone has talents, passions

The day will include several speakers, presentations, booths, music and discussions. The morning and early afternoon is largely for high school students, but the public is encouraged to take part in events starting at 2 p.m.

One of those talks will be by the organization Bridges to Belonging. Executive director Cameron Dearlove said that group is known for helping people with developmental disabilities or mental health issues, but he says they help anyone who struggles to build a full life in the community.

He said their message will be about how we need to see each other as people first.

“Everybody, whether you have a disability or not, has gifts, has talents, has passions,” he said. “If people aren’t sharing those, that’s our job to help people uncover those and find the places where they can share those and build their life within the community.”

‘More peace, more respect’

This year’s theme is Our Home On Native Land, and Sabry said it’s important because we need to remember “we are all guests of the Indigenous people of this Turtle Island.”

Sabry, who is Muslim, said she hopes people will come, listen and then go back to their communities and talk about the issues.

“I’m hoping people will be encouraged to share this information with others: Their family, their friends, their colleagues. And that we can promote better feelings amongst us, more peace, more respect, mutual respect,” she said.

Kitchener marks UN Day for Elimination of Racial Discrimination – Kitchener-Waterloo – CBC News

The Age of Consequences: Screening and Panel Discussion — Tuesday, 28 March 2017

Climate change may no longer be a choice, but we still have a choice of consequences. What will we choose: War or Peace?

 


THE AGE OF CONSEQUENCES – THEATRICAL TRAILER on Vimeo

THE AGE OF CONSEQUENCES investigates the impacts of climate change on increased resource scarcity, migration, and conflict through the lens of US national security and global stability.
 
Join us for a screening of this compelling documentary by the award winning directors of REQUIEM FOR THE AMERICAN DREAM. Participate in an engaging discussion with a panel of distinguished experts, to explore the implications of climate change from a peace and justice perspective.
 

Through unflinching case-study analysis, distinguished admirals, generals and military veterans take us beyond the headlines of the conflict in Syria, the social unrest of the Arab Spring, the rise of radicalized groups like ISIS, and the European refugee crisis — and lay bare how climate change stressors interact with societal tensions, sparking conflict… Whether a long-term vulnerability or sudden shock, the film unpacks how water and food shortages, drought, extreme weather, and sea-level rise function as ‘accelerants of instability’ and ‘catalysts for conflict’ in volatile regions of the world… The film’s unnerving assessment is by no means reason for fatalism — but instead a call to action to rethink how we use and produce energy.

(The Age of Consequences, Synopsis)
 

Panel members:

Photo of Rick Cober Bauman, ED of MCC Ontario 
Rick Cober Bauman, Executive Director – Mennonite Central Committee Ontario. Rick has served with MCC for 26 years, including 3 years in Labrador in the Innu Community of Sheshatshit, and the last 7 1/2 years as Executive Director of MCC Ontario. This experience has brought him into contact with many stories of relief, development and peace around the world. Rick works in the Kitchener office, but is available across Ontario.
 
 
Photo of Simon Dalby, CIGI chair and Balsillie School of International Affairs

Simon Dalby, CIGI Chair in the Political Economy of Climate Change, Balsillie School of International Affairs. Simon is also the Acting Chair of the Master in International Public Policy program, and Professor of Geography and Environmental Studies at Wilfrid Laurier University. His published research deals with climate change, political ecology, geopolitics, global security, environmental change, militarization and the spatial dimensions of governance.
 
 
Photo of Jessica West, Project Officer at Project Ploughshares

Jessica West, Program Officer at Project Ploughshares. Jessica is a Ph.D. Candidate in the Global Governance program at the Balsillie School of International Affairs, Wilfrid Laurier University, who is pursuing a specialization in conflict and security studies. She has a Master’s of Arts degree in International Affairs from the Norman Paterson School of International Affairs. Prior to beginning her doctoral studies, Jessica managed an international research project on space security and served as the editor of its annual publication as part of her role at Project Ploughshares.
 
 

When: Tuesday, 28 March 2017 6:30pm-9:30pm
Where: Conrad Grebel University College, 140 Westmount Road North, Waterloo Map

Please register at Age of Consequences – Film Screening and Panel Discussion Tickets | Eventbrite

 

This is a free event. Refreshments will be served.

Events – Divest Waterloo

Our Home On Native Land – Tuesday, 21 March 2017

please join us

Tuesday, 21 March 2017, 8:45am to 8:45pm
Rotunda, Kitchener City Hall

(even by Skype – that can be arranged)

Cross Culture’s
annual commemoration of the

UN International Day for Elimination of Racial Discrimination 2017

in our 16th year

a FREE public event

8:45 am

Opening Ceremony

Elder Jean Becker
&
O’Canada
dignitaries bringing greetings

theme for this year:

Our Home ON Native Land

  • speakers
  • multimedia presentations
  • panel discussions
  • essays on various related topics
  • booths

Inspector Mike Haffner

Mike Haffner is the WRPS Executive Officer to the Chief and is there on behalf of the Chief – will give acknowledgement of our indigenous peoples land

Hate Crime Presentation

WRPS

Kristin Little is an extremely valuable civilian member of our police service. She is an Open Source Analyst with the Hate Crime and Extremism Investigative Team. She monitors social media for 15 different police services in Ontario. She will be talking about hate crimes and the different types, hate incidents, why people commit hate crimes, types of extremism and the importance of reporting hate crimes

Our Home ON Native Land

  • are indigenous people history and culture being taught in your school? If so, by whom?
  • where are you getting your information from?
  • what do you need to inform yourself ?
  • what is your extent of awareness, your experience, your interaction with indigenous people and in what capacity ?

The Winemaker

Narsiesse

Narsiesse a First Nation writer, director, and filmmaker will open up about THE WINEMAKER film series and discuss some elements of the film’s origins that cover many of his passions, including First Nation mythos. Narsiesse will show phase one of THE WINEMAKER film series, then will share various artwork created by artists from around the world, who were inspired by THE WINEMAKER imagery and many of its First Nation themes and symbols. An interactive discussion and an opportunity to speak with Narsiesse and other members of THE WINEMAKER cast follows

Two videos

Home To Me & Outsiders

two lovely music videos done my First Nations, Metis and Inuit students in Canada followed by group discussion(led by Marianna Worth & Tammy Webster)

Presentations by

Islamic School of Cambridge & others

Unity banner

to include all students signing

Closing remarks

Bring your own lunch

schools usually attend from the morning till approximately 2:00pm when they need to return to their respective schools
however . . . students are welcome to stay and attend .. but at their own responsibility or accompanied by their own adults

Afternoon Session
2:00pm – 7:00pm

we continue with
more speakers & interactive dialogue

discussions around
discrimination against “other”
the emerging / surfacing biases and fear of unknowns

2:00 pm

The different labels attached to Muslim women

Fauzia Mazhar

2:15 pm

Skypeing with Wendy Goldsmith

A social worker and mother of three from London Ontario

As a social worker she has worked with many marginalized and traumatized individuals, families and communities and began her work in Palestine after Operation ‘Cast Lead’ and saw through photos and direct accounts of the horror and devastation inflicted by Israel on Gaza. Wendy is a member of the steering committee of Canada Boat to Gaza, a representative at Freedom Flotilla Coalition and on the Media team for the Women’s Boat to Gaza. Wendy recently returned from Barcelona, Spain, Ajaccio, Corsica and Messina, Sicily where she participated in the sailing of the Zaytouna

2:30 pm

The Political Meaning of Teaching Introductory Psychology to Indigenous Students

Dr. Richard Walsh

A retired professor of psychology at Wilfrid Laurier University, where he specialized in community psychology and in the history, philosophy, and ethics of psychology. He is the lead author of the 2014 book, A Critical History and Philosophy of Psychology, published by Cambridge University Press. In 1999 he received Laurier’s outstanding teaching award.
Richard is an active member of a local faith community; he sings in its choir and in Inshallah, the local interfaith choir
Richard was the Green Party candidate for Waterloo in the 2015 federal election. He serves as critic for mental health in the Green Party of Canada Shadow Cabinet. He is also the critic for poverty reduction in the Green Party of Ontario Shadow Cabinet
Locally, he is a founding member of the Alliance Against Poverty

3:00 pm

Bridges to Belonging

Cameron Dearlove – executive director
Carmen Sutherland – community relations

“Bridges to Belonging ‘s vision for “a Waterloo Region where everyone belongs- where we value meaningful relationships, honour choices and dreams, and celebrate the uniqueness of each person”. How do we get there? How does inclusion and belonging interact, and how are they different? How can you build bridges to belonging in your community?”

3:45 pm

Wasai Rahimi

Current president of the Afghan Association of Waterloo Region, Wasai was born in Kabul, Afghanistan, and for over 22 years has served with numerous non-profit organizations, here in Canada and overseas and has been living in Kitchener for the past 14 years

  • he is serving at the Safe and Healthy Community Advisory Committee, at the City of Kitchener
  • he is representing Kitchener residence at the Safety-Kleen Public Liaison Committee
  • he is a Board member of Bridges to Belonging Waterloo Region
  • he is founder and Executive Director of iHelp International
  • B A -Kabul University diploma – Conestoga College in Electrical Engineering Technology where he also studied Civil Engineering and Management

4:00 pm

The Laurier Friendship Dinners

The Laurier Friendship Dinners brought forty Laurier students, fourteen Syrian newcomer families and 40 community members together for a series of celebratory, welcoming dinners in the fall of 2016. Come and listen to a group of students, Syrian newcomers and community members share what they learned about refugee realities and building cross cultural friendships through this initiative in which students and community members collaborated through family visits, menu planning, grocery shopping, cooking Syrian feasts and celebrating together

Syrian refugees — newcomers — integration

…the existing homelessness & poverty
the concerns of a community split between prioritizing:

  • addressing the existing poverty and homelessness
    vs
    being sensitive to fellow human suffering
  • hospitable
    vs
    suspicious
  • resentful of the funding allocated to accommodating and integrating refugees
    vs
    contributions and benefits to the economy of bringing newcomers
  • and whatever more comes up in the discussions

5:00 pm

Political Policies for Indigenous Peoples

Bob Jonkman

Resolutions passed by the Green Party at last year’s Special General Meeting.

5:15 pm

The Disconnect

Dimitri Lascaris

Dimitri Lascaris is a lawyer, activist and journalist. He is the former justice critic in the shadow cabinet of the Green Party of Canada. In 2012, he was named by Canadian Lawyer Magazine as one of the 25 most influential lawyers in Canada, and in 2013, Canadian Business Magazine named him one of the 50 most influential persons in Canadian business. He is currently a board member and correspondent of The Real News Network, based in Baltimore, Maryland.

Dimitri will discuss the disconnect between Canadian public opinion and the Canadian government’s unqualified support for the government of Israel.The International Court of Justice has held unanimously that Israel’s settlements constitute a grave breach of international law. Virtually the entire international community, including Canada’s government, agrees with this assessment. Yet the Canadian government continues to support Israel lavishly. A new poll leaves no doubt that Canadians do not agree with its government’s approach to Israel. Why does this disconnect exist?

6:00 pm

Mino Ode Kwewak N’gamowak

Good Hearted Women Singers

Mino Ode Kwewak N’gamowak (Good Hearted Women Singers) are an Indigenous and non-Indigenous women’s drum circle following the teachings of Community Elder Jean Becker and led by Songkeeper, Kelly Laurila. Our outreach and singing in public has much to do with building positive relations with Settler peoples. Although Canada is in a process of reconciliation, colonization and assimilation policies still permeate the lives of many Indigenous peoples today. In addition the water, mother earth and our environment need everyone’s help. We believe that building relationships with one another can help us understand one another and work towards the good of all peoples.

All My Relations

Kelly Laurila
Songkeeper

Songs our drum circle will sing:

Nibe — We ask for respect, gratitude and love for the water. respect you, we thank you, we love you
(Song created by Anishinabe woman, Josephine Mandamim)
Humma (Ulali. A lullabye to comfort in difficult times)
Friendship (Mohawk Friendship song. We extend our welcome and friendship to all of you)
Seven Grandfathers (love, respect, truth, honesty, humility, courage, wisdom). For reconciliation.

Kip Carpenter

I am from Ontario and grew up along the mazina’iga-ziibi/Missinihe-ziibi (Credit River) and the springs of the Naadaw-zaaga-ziibi (Nottawasaga River). As far as I know my ancestors are of Irish and English decent. I have relatives from Pimicikamak Cree Nation, known as Cross Lake, and other connections to the original people of Turtle Island. My given name is Kip Matthew Carpenter.

The first time he met Mino Ode Kwewak N’gamowak it was a true honour to offer a poetic blessing to these Good Hearted Women. Having been born on Turtle Island it is deeply humbling for him to be able to express support in anyway possible for the international day to end racism. Much of his time has been spent in what is now known as Ontario and if there is ever a chance such as this to express and pray for more progress or healing, it is with deep gratitude he offers much more than his words. He will and does listen. He hopes semaa will keep him strong as he offers this same blessing again to all today. Acknowledging this land was taken in broken treaties, his support to the best of his ability is freely offered, he currently lives in Guelph and his given name is Kip Carpenter.

G’chi miigewetch, Kip

PEACE VIGIL

followed by the

PEACE concert

and the visual artists extravaganza …

Brenda Lewis

Brenda Lewis is a professional musician – Jazz Soul & Roots vocalist, publicist and human rights advocate, longtime Guelph resident she was most recently featured in The Jazz Room’s celebrated concert series in Uptown Waterloo, and currently performs with some of Canada’s finest musicians, including Margaret Stowe, Tony Quarrington, Jeff Bird, John Zadro and Gayle Ackroyd in this region, Toronto and across Ontario in acclaimed venues and festivals. Her CDs have been played on CBC, BBC and Jazz.FM and her new jazz release “Far & Near” (her third) is quickly garnering critical praise

Rhythms in Steel

Rhythms in Steel have been playing for about 3 years as a six piece acoustic Steelband in Waterloo Region. Band members include

  • Lisbeth Haddad on the tenor pan and vocalist
  • Murchison Callender on the tenor pan
  • Wendell Claxton on double seconds
  • Carol Taylor on the guitar pan
  • Karen Asumang and Chloe Callender on percussion

The band’s repertoire has a Caribbean flavour of reggae, soca, calypso and folk songs of the Caribbean. They perform at Parties, Churches, Retirement homes, Schools, Community Festivals and Fundraising Events for Charities.

Dance Performance

by students from the African UBUNTU kids club
Acoustic Steel is a six member acoustic steel band. The musicians are:

  • Carol Taylor on first pan (melody)
  • Cheryl Dietrich on double seconds (harmony)
  • Rob Hartung on cello (bass)
  • Sam Ogilvie on electric bass
  • Dick Smith and Kerren Asumang on djembe

The band started playing together seven years ago and play a diverse selection of songs suited to the unique sound of the Steel drum and rhythms of the Caribbean. Events at which the band has been invited to play include
Community Festivals, Charitable Fundraising Events, Weddings, private parties and Corporate functions

Brenda Hodge
Sylver Dragon

  • demo on how to do a memory bracelet … they are fun and fairly quick
  • poem

Canoes Eye View

one of the regular participants over the years will be performing as a three piece this year

This is always a work in progress … it grows as you:

  • contact us saying you will participate
  • present, have a booth, etc
  • help us spread the word among your contacts…

please feel free to call or email me to participate

  • present / share
  • have an information booth
    and
  • for further details

—
Gehan D. Sabry
Editor / Publisher
Cross Cultures magazine (since 1991)
POB 20002 Kitchener ON N2P 2B4
Tel: +1–519–748–9520
Fax: +1–519–893–4259
email: crosscultures@bellnet.ca
www.crosscultures.ca

Board Games Night for Peace and Nonviolence — Wednesday, 15 March 2017

KW Peace logoKWPeace Presents

Board Game Night
for Peace & Nonviolence

Community building through playing games. Bring a game or play one of ours.

Admission is free


KW Peace logo
kwpeace.ca
Join us on Facebook:
Kitchener.Waterloo.Peace


Wednesday 15 March 2017 7:00pm
Queen Street Commons Cafe
43 Queen St. S., Kitchener Map

Board games are inherently about competition, conflict and conquest. What can we learn about peace and nonviolence from playing board games?

Come join us for an evening traditional board games such as Chess, Checkers, and Monopoly.

Special feature: KWPeace member Isaiah has developed an educational game that explores and makes accessible the complex relationship between environmental limits, climate change and various conflicts within and between societies. He’s happy to present this game to our group — Come out, and be one of the first people to play!

Download the poster (.PDF, 396 kBytes)

Day of Action For Electoral Reform — 11 February 2017 at 1:00pm

This is our spiffy poster for Saturday’s National Day of Action for ELECTORAL REFORM event.

National Day of Action for Electoral Reform

If you can print a few copies to put up in your neighborhood that would be enormously helpful.

You can Download the full size colour PDF here (4 MBytes)

or Download the full size Black and White PDF here (3 MBytes)

or Download the full size Duotone PDF here (1 MByte)

or choose the jpg image size you want from Flickr

This poster is released with a Creative Commons 0 Public Domain Dedication which allows anyone to legally print and use it for any purpose.

If you’re in or near Waterloo Region, Ontario, please print and distribute as many posters as possible on public property where allowed Be sure to get permission before posting on private property, in retail stores, on community bulletin boards etc.

Help Make This Event A Success!

COME

Plan to attend if you can, and bring as many friends, family members, neighbors, co-workers, your kid’s teachers … anyone you know!  This isn’t about politicians , it is really about us… we deserve to have our votes count.  It’s only fair!

SHARE
Share the event on your social media.

FACEBOOK

Sign up on the Facebook Event Page
https://www.facebook.com/events/1371976016188409/

Share the event (click on the “share” button at the top of the right sidebar and choose where to share)

TWITTER

Retweet @FairVoteWaterloo’s event announcement

and other tweets about the event between now and Saturday.

For making your own tweets, the event hashtags include:
#PerformOnReform
#ChaqueVoteCompte
#SeeYouSaturday
#ERRE
#CDNpoli

Bring Your Own Sign

Give your inner child free reign to create your very own sign!

If you’ve got kids, get them involved ~ make it a family art project.  Use Bristol Board or just ordinary cardboard.

Sign Tips

Keep it Simple : One Idea per sign (although you can have another on the back of a double sided sign)

Black and white, primary colours

Big easy to read letters

Not everyone feels they are artistic, so if you’re feeling inspired, if you make extras, no doubt there will be folks happy to carry them.

If you are looking for inspiration, you might get some ideas from the graphics in my PR For Canada or ERRE Flickr Albums.

Sign the Petition

Whether or not you can make it out on Saturday, you can sign the record breaking (85552 signatures as of writing) House of Commons e-616 ePetition here.  You don’t need to set up an account to sign, but you will need to confirm in email before it counts.  As I understand it this one was started by a Waterloo gent.

There is still time for the Canadian Government to adopt electoral reform in time for 2019.
That’s would still be the BEST possible outcome for Canadians.
And it just *might* happen if we make enough noise now.
(If not, we can get to work on making sure the next government does.)

Regards,
Laurel

Basilian Volunteer Teaching Corps

At the KWPeace Potluck Meeting on 19 January 2017, Dwyer Sullivan introduced us to the Basilian Volunteer Teaching Corps

Basilian

Building Community, Educating Those in Need

Basilian

Basilian Volunteer Teacher Corps (BVTC)

The Basilian Volunteer Teaching Corps

The Basilian Volunteer Teaching Corps
Growing In Faith Through Service

Breaking the cycle of poverty through education
Basilian Volunteer Teachers give direct service to communities oppressed by circumstances of poverty by working as tutors, classroom teachers and campus ministers

Teach or tutor in under-served areas of the inner city of Detroit
Volunteer placements include possible teaching opportunities at Detroit’s Cristo Rey High School, Holy Redeemer Elementary School, and Southwest Solutions, a community organization.

Basilian Volunteer Teacher Corps (BVTC)
Basilian Volunteers bring hope to their students while at the same time gaining valuable skills friendships and professional development.

Detroit Cristo Rey Students
The goal of our program is to provide opportunity for talented and creative College graduates to teach or tutor in under-served areas of the inner city of Detroit

We must restore hope to young people, help the old, be open to the future, spread love. Be poor among the poor. We need to include the excluded and preach peace.

The Basilian Volunteer Teaching Corps is committed to providing opportunity for talented and creative college graduates to teach or tutor while living simply in community. Identified sites are located in under-served areas of inner city Detroit and on the partially devastated Caribbean island of Montserrat.

The Basilian Fathers

The Congregation of St. Basil is a vibrant community of priests, students for the priesthood, lay associates and parishioners. Founded in France in 1822, the community currently ministers in parishes and schools in Canada, Colombia, France, Mexico and the United States.




 

#########
© 2015 Basilian Volunteer Teaching Corps. All rights reserved.
Contact: Victoria Koivu-Rybicki | vicki@bvtc.org
Phone: 313-303-7970

Eleanor Grant comments on Ontario’s Long-Term Energy Plan

Conservation — Good But We Can Do Better

I greatly appreciate Ontario’s efforts to help homeowners with the cost of conservation measures such as more efficient furnaces and better windows. I also appreciate efforts to build more transit and reduce car use. Much more needs to be done to reach northern communities. Please restore Ontario Northland rail service and expand it. And please do everything possible to expedite rail service on the Kitchener line.

Electricity Supply Mix — Greatly Increase Renewable

The decision to back out of contracts for renewable energy was short-sighted. Please revisit these contracts and ask whether the subsidies could be reduced or eliminated, now that costs are rapidly falling. What Ontario REALLY needs to do is invest in large-scale renewable energy as a public corporation, as we did a hundred years ago with Niagara. Costs are now becoming manageable to buy in and operate such facilities in the public interest. Dalton McGuinty should not have backed down on off-shore wind. Please recommit to off-shore wind, with the lessons learned about obtaining buy-in and participation from affected communities. Please make it easier for small producers to provide their own on-site generation and/or be paid for feeding into the grid. This is the appropriate role for the private sector, NOT the ownership of megaprojects. Encourage local co-ops, First Nations, and municipalities to generate renewable power for local use, including micro hydro. I was pleased to hear that Ontario is entering into agreements with Quebec and Manitoba to purchase hydro power from them. Given all of these real and potential opportunities to increase the renewable supply share, Ontario should set a target for 100% Renewable.

Electricity Supply Mix — Phase Out Nuclear

The Ministry discussion guide states that Ontario plans to rely on nuclear power for the foreseeable future for baseload capacity. Sinking billions more into Darlington and Bruce, and squeezing more years out of Pickering, seems like a huge waste of money. Not to speak of the proximity to population centres and the still unknown cost of future disposal of radioactive waste. We must stop refurbishing Darlington, and set a target for getting out of nuclear power. A combination of local renewable generation, rapidly improving storage technology, and an overall shifting toward conservation and publicly owned large-scale renewable would make possible an increasing share of baseload capacity being reliably borne by renewable sources. Phasing out nuclear is doable.

Public Ownership Is Key — Start By Buying Back Hydro One

Note that leasing out Bruce Power – so that a foreign company could reap profits from operating it while leaving the cost of decommissioning the plant and disposing of the waste to the public – was a bad deal for hydro consumers and the public purse. As for Hydro One, taxpayers are losing hundreds of millions in revenue in perpetuity by selling it. We also lose influence and control, since there’s nothing to stop the shares from being sold and resold and eventually amalgamated by a many-steps-removed foreign investor. Seriously what could Ontario do to stop that from happening? Ontario is going to need a set of policies to facilitate: transmission of power from Quebec and Manitoba, transmission to First Nations and remote communities, transmission to the Ring of Fire, “net metering” with small producers, and possibly the cession of more control over local generation. ALL of these policies are likely to be resisted by private owners. Note as well, that many Local Distributing Companies are in danger of being bought up by Hydro One, resulting in massive loss of municipal control as Hydro One passes to private owners. It’s hard to imagine anything much more short-sighted than losing the ownership of our electricity grid. It’s costly to the treasury, and forecloses on the policy options we will need to prepare for the future. Ontario must reverse course right now, stop any more IPOs of shares in Hydro One, and diligently buy back what has been sold.

Those Rising Costs — Green Energy Is Not The Cause

Ontarians would be willing to pay if we were building public assets for the future, in which we could all take pride and hope. We are not willing to pay for subsidies to large players in a market that’s already shifting toward renewables in terms of costs and profitability. We are not willing to pay for keeping Pickering alive while selling surplus power at a loss. We are not willing to pay for refurbishing Darlington when cheaper alternatives exist. We are not willing to pay for the loss of public revenue that was ours from Hydro One, and for the exorbitant salaries of consultants and managers to handle the privatization. We are not willing to risk also losing our LDCs and municipal control over them.

Conclusion — Reducing Costs And Raising The Funds

Transitioning to 21st century energy will take investment, in renewable projects, transit, EV charging networks, and more. The cost of doing this can be reduced by committing to phase out nuclear, by recommitting to public power and getting rid of corporate subsidies, and by buying INTO renewables now that the cost is falling. But the public will still have to raise funds, perhaps through a mix of a modest increase in rates (not like the ones we’ve seen — many of these need to be investigated and rolled back), combined with a modest increase in income taxes (people might have more trust if the levy were earmarked), the promotion of Green Bonds, and the facilitation of hundreds of local co-ops. There are solutions, lots of them, if public trust is regained. I hope to have shown here some ways that the general public and government can happily work together to build a 21st century long-term energy plan for Ontario.

Audio from Cross Cultures “our FREEDOMS a lively interactive town hall” with @DimitriLascaris, Rehab Nazzal and Wendy Goldsmith

Cross Cultures Town Hall with Dimitri Lascaris, Rehab Nazzal, and Wendy Goldsmith

On Monday, 17 October 2016 Cross Cultures hosted our FREEDOMS a lively interactive town hall with Dimitri Lascaris, Rehab Nazzal, Wendy Goldsmith, introduced by Gehan Sabry. This audio recording contains only the presentations; the Questions and Answers session is not available (not all participants allowed their comments to be made available).

Released: 2016. Genre: Speech.

Download: 2016-10-17-Town-Hall-with-Dimitri-Lascaris-Rehab-Nazzal-Wendy-Goldsmith-Speakers-only-no-QA.mp3 (22 MBytes, 1h4m)

Copyright © 2016 by Dimitri Lascaris, Rehab Nazzal, Wendy Goldsmith and Gehan Sabry, released under a CC BYCreative Commons — Attribution 4.0 International — CC BY 4.0 license.

Recorded on 17 October 2016 at St. Jerome’s University College, Waterloo, Ontario, Canada. Recording and post-production by Bob Jonkman.

Dimitri Lascaris Talks Banner_framed by Laurel L. Russwurm is used under a CC BYCreative Commons — Attribution 2.0 Generic — CC BY 2.0 license.