Info from the Organizers:
This documentary exposes a huge health and environmental scandal in the modern industrial system of meat and poultry production. In the U.S., the meat and poultry industry is dominated by dangerous uses of arsenic, antibiotics, growth hormones and by the dumping of massive amounts of sewage in fragile waterways and environments. The film documents the catastrophic impact on the environment and public health.Tom Baker, a former Ontario government food safety veterinarian, will lead off the discussion, looking at similarities and differences in the system in Canada compared to that in the USA.

For more info: www.socialistaction-canada.blogspot.com or call 416 – 535-8779

Date: Friday, May 18’12; Registration starts at 8:45 AM; Welcome & Keynote Address is from 9:15am-10:30am
Location: University of Toronto Scarborough Campus, UTSC Science Building, 1265 Military Trail, Toronto

Cost: It’s $5 but on the Event Brite system it says “free” because students don’t have credit cards to pre-pay. Payment will be taken at the door.

Registration: http://ourworldourresponsibility.eventbrite.ca

Info about Keynote Speaker:
Andrew Nikiforuk: Renowned Author, Journalist & Tar Sands Activist
The rapid development of the Alberta tar sands, the world’s largest energy project, has changed the political and economic character of the country. The bitumen boom, which impacts every part of the country, has also multiplied a whole new set of risks and liabilities including a petro dollar, the Dutch Disease and increasing economic dependency on the world’s most volatile commodity. As a consequence the proposed Enbridge pipeline, largely a Chinese project, has sparked one of the nation’s most intense political battles in Canada’s history.

Liz’s Comments: I’ll be one of the many presenters speaking to students during the am and pm, however the Workshop topics are for student attendance only because of space constraints.

Info from Organizers:
Are you having trouble falling or staying asleep? Do you wake up tired? Are you feeling overwhelmed by your life and responsibilities? When stress accumulates, your body’s mechanisms for protection and recovery are drained and many problems can develop. In this workshop, nutritionist Kate Leinweber will help you understand how to balance your blood sugar and hormone levels and deal with adrenal fatigue through the food choices you make…

Wednesday, May 16’12, 6:30 pm – 8:30 pm

Centre for Social Innovation Annex – Ground Floor (720 Bathurst Street).

CultivateTO is a CSA (Community Supported Agriculture), transforming backyards in the Wychwood, Riverdale and Dovercourt areas into vegetable gardens. We are helping neighbourhoods come together and learn more about sustainable urban farming and local, organic produce.Come see what plans we have in store for the 2012 growing season and meet other supporters!

www.cultivatetoronto.com (formerly Young Urban Farmers CSA)

Description from Organizers:
Speakers:
– Kevin McMahon, Director of Waterlife
– Mark Mattson, Lake Ontario Waterkeepers
– Chiefs of Ontario
– Maude Barlow, The Council of Canadians

Join Maude Barlow and other guests to celebrate the Great Lakes – a common heritage that belongs to the Earth, other species and future generations as well as our own. Hear how we can collectively protect them from private interests and government complacency and restore more democratic control over them.

Anyone concerned about these issues should write to voice your opinion, and I suggest you speak to whichever of these issues you are most passionate/knowledgeable about. Try to use as many facts as possible in your submission, because I think that it will be more likely to be taken seriously:
1) use of water for industrial purposes
2) local food
3) protecting farm land against development and foreign ownership of land
4) pollution and loss of wildlife habitat

Writing your submission to the Hearing is simple. There are no rules for length or content. You can even write an anonymous letter if you wish. The important thing is that you write. Politicians take very seriously letters & phone calls, because they receive them so rarely.
Torontoians need to do their part to support farmers. Local food grown in T.O. can’t possibly sustain us. If our borders were to be shut down for whatever reason (an outbreak, terrorist act, act) we have only 4 days food supply (and that’s basically coming from what’s in grocery stores).

So here’s the background:

In Oct’11 an event called Foodstock took place in the Melancthon area and it was the attendance and lobby efforts of people just like us that got the ON Liberal Gov’t to promise a review of the ARA and an Environmental Assessment and Review (this was a huge victory because up until this point, legislation made quarries exempt from Enviro Assessment!). Now we all know that promises are made before elections and broken after. That is why we need to keep the pressure up.

Unfortunately the website of the organization that is lobbying against the Mega Quarry doesn’t have a great website: http://www.ndact.com . Therefore, I’ve tried to navigate you to where the best info is.

1) http://envirolaw.com/quick-toronto-hearings-aggregate-resources-act/

2) Carl Cosak (the farmer & NDACT representative who I heard speak about this issue sums it up here): http://this.org/magazine/2011/11/29/melancthon-quarry/

3) Oct’11 Report on the National (approx 16 min): http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=blI6sMKnHoE

4) Water Issues at stake: http://www.ndact.com/index.php/quarry-issues/quarry-issues-water

5) Video clip from CBC’s The National (16 min): http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=blI6sMKnHoE

Here’s the Act itself if you want to address specific points: http://www.e-laws.gov.on.ca/html/statutes/english/elaws_statutes_90a08_e.htm (quite short actually) or if you want a summary of how the Act came to be: http://users.xplornet.com/~dbaylis/mega-quarry/Reference/Aggregate%20Resources%20Act.htm

You must send your letters (by 5pm Wed., May 16) to the Clerk of the Standing Committee on General Government (be nice she is just a bureaucrat):
Tamara Pomanski – tamara_pomanski@ontla.ola.org or (f) 416-325-3505
(t) 416-325-3515
You can say whatever you want. Just make it clear that it’s about the ARA Review. Put whatever identifying info you want about yourself or send it unanimously.

Go one step further and cc your letter to the politicians on Hearing Committee (Note: the PC member seems to be the most progressive on the issue as she put forth a motion asking for the Hearings to be extended into the summer (and outside of Toronto to where farmers actually live!!!) Extension of the Hearings will now supposedly happen if Legislature approves it. The members of the Sub-committee of the Standing Committee on General Government are as follows:

1) Michael Coteau, MPP (Liberal) – 416-212-9760; mcoteau.mpp@liberal.ola.org – Derek is his Executive Assistant (EA)

2) Laurie Scott, MPP (PC) – 416-325-2771 laurie.scott@pc.ola.org – John is her EA

3) Rosario Marchese, MPP (NDP) – 416-325-9092 – rmarchese-co@ndp.on.ca – his EA is Juan

4) The Sub-committee is chaired by: David Orazietti, MPP (Liberal) dorazietti.mpp@liberal.ola.org – Jessica is his EA(?) 416-327-8522
Note: Although David is the Chair of this committee he can’t vote/make decisions. So it’s best to target the 3 politicians above and especially the NDP because I’m told that he’s the least responsive on this issue (and his office didn’t call me back Wed when I had called).

Contact information for all MPPs may be found here: http://www.ontla.on.ca/web/members/members_current.do?locale=en.

If you have any further questions, or just want to chat about this, feel free to contact me at me@lizrice.ca

Pls forward this email to your networks.

Tx
Liz Rice

Description from Organizers: Plenary, workshops and breakouts on connecting with affected communities.

Description from the Organizers:
25-, 50- or 75K bike challenge through the Rouge River watershed and along city streets and bike paths.

Info from the Organizer:
This event is being co-sponsored by the Diocese of Toronto and the Green Awakening Network of the United Church of Canada.

For more information contact: Anne Marie at 416-392-5302

Bring in electronic waste for recycling

Description from Organizers:
St. Agatha’s Catholic School’s Stewards of the Earth eco team is hosting their second annual Scarborough Green Fair on Saturday, May 12. There will be green exhibits, gardening displays, workshops (composting and container gardening), and great interactive activities for kids. Come explore the Bluffs on a nature walk and learn about bird and butterfly migration.