Power to Choose; Coal plant shut-down; I love nukes!

[angela bischoff]

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1. Power to Choose
A Citizens Forum on Ontario's Energy Future
Metro Hall, 55 John Street, room 308/309, Toronto
Saturday June 23, 2007

What:
A forum for citizens to express opinions, share
knowledge and discuss strategies to create a
sustainable energy future for Ontario. Sponsored
by Greenpeace, World Wildlife Fund, and
EvolutionGreen.  A registration form is attached.

When:
Saturday June 23 2007, 9:00 a.m. to 5:30 p.m.
Come for all or part of this important event.

Where:
Metro Hall, 55 John Street, Toronto, room 308/309
(at King St. & John, 3 blocks W of University, from
the St. Andrew subway stop)

Who:
Ontarians, young and old, who want safe, clean,
and affordable energy.

Why:
The McGuinty government has decided to abandon
its phaseout of coal generation. It intends to spend
$40 billion to restore and build new nuclear power
plants (8 new reactors at Bruce and Darlington,
and/or rebuilding 18 existing reactors). Despite the
environmental consequences and finite nature of
fossil fuels, only half-hearted efforts are being made
for conservation and renewable energy. The
government exempted this Integrated Power
System Plan (IPSP) from environmental
assessment, and will subject it to only a limited
review by the Ontario Energy Board. Environmental
disaster, and billions of dollars are at stake, yet no
meaningful public consultation has taken place.
Ontario citizens deserve to have a say in their
energy future.

Free:
Power to Choose is free and is being organized by
committed volunteers and environmental groups.
Refreshments and lunch will be provided. If you or
your organization can make a donation, please do.
Organizations are encouraged to sponsor the
transportation costs and lodging of any
representatives they may send.
Everyone is welcome.  Please attend.

What else:
Public deputations will be video recorded and
compiled along with written deputations in a report
to be presented to the Government. If you would
like to have your deputation recorded, but cannot
attend the public forum, let us know.

Register:
Please fill out the form below and e-mail it to
register.PowerToChoose at gmail.com
Deadline for registration is Monday June 18, 2007.

More info:
Adriana Mugnatto-Hamu, 416-462-3993
info.PowerToChoose at gmail.com

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2. ANSWERS ARE NOT IN SMOKESTACKS

"We want ... Better Solutions to Global Warming and Climate Change than
Nukes and Fossil Fuels."
Toronto Star, May 23, 2007 B6

Please come out to our weekly vigils / info pickets
EVERY TUESDAY  10 - 11 am 
Ontario Power Generation  building
SW corner of University and College, Toronto

and/or send a letter (sample below)
Re: GLOBAL WARMING AND SHUTTING DOWN ONTARIO COAL PLANTS
<http://ontario.indymedia.ca/twiki/bin/view/Ontario/GLOBALWARMINGANDSHUTTINGDOWNONTCOALPLANTS>http://ontario.indymedia.ca/twiki/bin/view/Ontario/GLOBALWARMINGANDSHUTTINGDOWNONTCOALPLANTS

McGuinty, -----  shut them down!!!

Greenhouse gases up 90% from Ontario coal plants from 1995-2005 (Tor Star,
Feb 1/07)

Closing down Ontario coal stacks amounts to taking all the cars and small
trucks off our streets

McGuinty government says that "the annual costs of coal-fired generation,
including health and environmental costs, ... [is] significantly higher
than other electricity generation options."

 Premier Dalton McGuinty's # 1 Election Promise was to close Ont.'s coal
fired power plants by 2007. In fact, his exact words were, "Come hell or
highwater, Ontario coal plants will close by 2007." Let's hold him to
that promise. Nanticoke is Canada's # 1 Polluter and Greenhouse Gas
Emitter and N. America's largest coal plant. It's killed thousands and
made even more ill. Cancer now surpasses heart disease as the # 1 killer.
Tell McGuinty to keep his promise. The health of all Ontarians demand it.

Also tell Premier McGuinty to stop replacing smokestack with a smokestack.
Tell him  to stop the proposed giant methane plant in the Portlands that
is going ahead without a full environmental assessment and is opposed by
Mayor David Miller, most local politicians, the Board of Health etc.


LETTER TO QUEEN'S PARK

We thank all people from Ontario and beyond who sent their advocacy
letters already.

If you have not had a chance, please write Premier Dalton McGuinty to urge
him to close down Ontario Coal Plants OR  take a second and email the
following letter (below) to:

Dalton McGuinty 
<mailto:dmcguinty.mpp.co at liberal.ola.org>dmcguinty.mpp.co at liberal.ola.org

CC to

John Tory, MPP    <mailto:john.tory at pc.ola.org> john.tory at pc.ola.org
Howard Hampton, MPP  <mailto:hhampton-qp at ndp.on.ca> hhampton-qp at ndp.on.ca

BCC to

Paradigm Shift Environmental Alliance 
<mailto:psea4earth at gmail.com>psea4earth at gmail.com

Premier Dalton McGuinty:

Your  # 1 Election Promise was to close Ont.'s coal fired power plants by
2007. In fact, your exact words were, "Come hell or highwater, Ontario
coal plants will close by 2007."

We are holding you to your promise.

Nanticoke is Canada's # 1 Polluter and Greenhouse Gas Emitter and N.
America's largest coal plant. It's killed thousands and made even more
ill. Cancer now surpasses heart disease as the # 1 killer.  Please keep
your promise. The health of all Ontarians demands it.

Also, we are asking you to stop the proposed giant methane plant in the
Portlands that is going ahead without a full environmental assessment and
is opposed by Mayor David Miller, most local politicians, the Board of
Health etc.

Greenhouse gases up 90% from Ontario coal plants from 1995-2005 (Tor Star,
Feb 1/07)

Closing down Ontario coal stacks amounts to taking all the cars and small
trucks off our streets

McGuinty government says that "the annual costs of coal-fired generation,
including health and environmental costs, ... [is] significantly higher
than other electricity generation options."


Sincerely,
NAME
ADDRESS OR CITY


Paradigm Shift Environmental Alliance  - PSEA
<mailto:psea4earth at gmail.com>psea4earth at gmail.com

unpaid / non-funded network of activists, students, academics, Aboriginal
etc.

********************************************************

3.  PROTEST McGUINTY'S EMISSIONS PLAN JUNE 11th (Monday), 10 a.m. Queen's
Park

The Liberal plan does nothing to stop climate change, and everything to
ensure re-election.

Apparently the provincial Liberals will make an announcement on June 11th
re: their pre-election emissions plan, even though Legislature is
prematurely closed for the summer.

The Liberal plan, coming months before the provincial election, appears to
be little more than "greenwash" and public relations spin, designed to win
support from uninformed voters.

The Liberal targets and mechanisms to fight climate change are completely
ineffective; they are a gift to big business and meant to fool the
electorate.

There will be a small non-violent non-partisan demonstration with banners
at 10 a.m. to 11:00 a.m. at Queen's Park on that day, which is a Monday.

There will be a big big banner "Terminate Coal Power" (from the Arnold
visit) and a smaller banner "Climate change crisis requires 80% emissions
cuts by 2017. Liberal emissions plan is just hot air." (If you have a
better idea for a slogan,
e-mail <mailto:pyork_2002 at hotmail.com>pyork_2002 at hotmail.com who is making
the banner)

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4. Action Alert - Please Circulate

We love nukes! (not really...)

Sign the petition to rename a nuclear plant after Ontario Premier Dalton
McGuinty!

Find out more (and sign the petition!) at www.ilovenukes.ca

There should be a Dalton McGuinty Memorial Nuclear Station.   Why? Because
no one else has done as much to promote nuclear power in Canada, and we
want everyone to know.

The Ontario government has bravely committed to spend $40 billion on
building new nuclear plants and repairing old ones that never worked
properly.

This ensures we won't be seeing a lot more of those pesky wind turbines or
solar panels in the province, as every penny we spend on nuclear energy
blocks the development of a clean, decentralized energy system. Both the
debt from building new nuclear plants and the tons of toxic nuclear waste
these plants generate will be around for a long time.

But people may forget who is responsible for this state of affairs, unless
we name a nuclear plant after the person that made it all happen: Ontario
Premier Dalton McGuinty.

So take action today, and sign the petition at www.ilovenukes.ca


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