Ontario election news

[angela bischoff]

Vote for Proportional Representation in the Ontario Referendum!

Check out 'Vote for MMP' http://www.voteformmp.ca/ to find out more about
the Mixed Member Proportional option being offered for the first time in
the Oct. 10 Ontario  election. This could very well set a new direction
for politics in Canada, replacing First Past the Post, or winner take all.

Proportional Representation (PR) is much more representative than First
Past the Post. For example, the current Liberal government won 70% of the
seats with only 46% of the popular vote. With a PR system, 46% of the vote
would translate closer to 46% of the seats.

Canada and the US are two of the few western democracies not on track to
use some version of proportional representation in government. Ontario
could change that in this next historic election.

Tell your friends to learn more about proportional rep because we need 60%
of the voters to support this referendum for it to move forward.
http://www.voteformmp.ca/

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Environmental Election Debate!

The Environmental Priorities Coalition
(<http://www.prioritiesforontario.ca/>www.prioritiesforontario.ca) is
hosting an election debate on some of the most critical issues of our
time, including phasing out coal and developing a clean energy system. 
Come out and hear for yourself what the major parties have to say on
issues like clean air and water, green spaces, wilderness protection and
eliminating toxics and waste.

When: Wednesday, October 3, 2007
Time: 7 - 8:30 p.m. (doors open at 6:30 p.m.)
Place: Isabel Bader Theatre*, 93 Charles St. W., Toronto (one block south
of Bloor St., one block east of the Royal Ontario Museum).
Free - first come, first seated.
No signs, banners, props or costumes please!

*wheelchair accessible with a sound system for the hearing impaired.

Isabel Bader Theatre is Bullfrog Powered with green electricity.

If you can’t make it out to the debate, you can watch it live by webcast
at <http://www.prioritiesforontario.ca/>www.prioritiesforontario.ca.

Please pass this message on to your friends.

Thank you.

Jack Gibbons, Chair
Ontario Clean Air Alliance
402-625 Church St, Toronto M4Y 2G1
Phone: 416-926-1907 ext. 240
Fax: 416-926-1601
Email: <mailto:jack at cleanairalliance.org>jack at cleanairalliance.org
Website: <http://www.cleanairalliance.org/>www.cleanairalliance.org
Contest: <http://www.peakbusters.ca/>www.PeakBusters.ca

The Ontario Clean Air Alliance is a coalition of health, environmental,
and consumer organizations, faith communities, municipalities, utilities,
unions, corporations and individuals working for cleaner air through a
coal phase-out and the shift to a renewable electricity future. Our
partner organizations represent more than six million Ontarians.

To subscribe or unsubscribe to this list please visit
<http://www.cleanairalliance.org/getin/index.html>http://www.cleanairalliance.org/getin/index.html.

Authorized by the Ontario Clean Air Alliance.

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From: "Paul York" <pyork_2002 at hotmail.com>

Pieter and I have written a question for candidates that speaks to the
issue of nuclear energy. Feel free to use at any debate you attend, or
when parties knock on your door.
__

How can the Liberals and Tories justify the single largest purchase of
nuclear power in the world -- $46 billion dollars over twenty years --
when:

A) it has been established by Dr. Keith Stewart of the World Wildlife Fund
that Ontario's baseload energy needs could be met by renewables and
conservation, without nuclear, and still able to shut down coal power by
2009, five years ahead of the Liberal plan; and

B) how can you justify new nuclear when there is no clear plan for
disposal of radioactive waste and the half-life of this waste -- at least
25,000 years -- puts 8,000 generations at risk -- especially when only 3
or 4 generations of Ontarians will benefit from the additional power?

Furthermore, isn't the case that big business, such as the auto sector, is
the real beneficiary of nuclear power, given that 50% of all energy demand
in Ontario comes from 2% of the users (in other words, big business)?

Given these facts, how can you possible justify your support for nuclear
power?

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Dont' waste your vote. Vote for Clean Energy!
http://www.voteforcleanenergy.ca/

Will you consider the future of clean energy in Ontario when you decide
who to vote for? On October 10th, 2007, Ontario votes – the winner of this
election will decide whether to replace our aging electricity system with
dirty, dangerous, and expensive coal and nuclear power or whether
Ontario’s future will be fueled by clean alternatives and conservation.
Vote for Clean Energy is a strictly non-partisan voter education campaign
by five leading environmental groups.

Will you consider the future of clean energy in Ontario when you decide
who to vote for?

If you live in Ontario, please consider signing yourself up for a sign
at:
<http://www.voteforcleanenergy.ca/for_voters>http://www.voteforcleanenergy.ca/for_voters 

The Vote for Clean Energy campaign is a non-partisan, educational
initiative supported by Greenpeace Canada, the Ontario Clean Air
Alliance, Pembina Institute, the Sierra Club of Canada Ontario Chapter,
and WWF – Canada. We do not directly or indirectly endorse any political
party or candidate, but are asking all political parties to make a
credible plan for greening our energy system a key part of their
platforms and are encouraging Ontarians to make their ballot box
decision based on who they think will build a healthier environment,
economy and climate, for today and tomorrow.

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Peaceful Parks Coalition
August 2007

Promises Made, Promises Broken

The Peaceful Parks Coalition will be organizing a public outreach campaign
for the Ontario provincial election set for October 10, 2007.

Please get involved.

Key environmental issues will be decided with this election and you can
help facilitate a better future for us all.  Our plan is simply to
distribute informational flyers to voters and encourage them to vote for a
clean environment on Election Day.

Please contact us at:  <mailto:ppc at peacefulparks.org>ppc at peacefulparks.org
  or telephone 416.785.8636

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Promises Made,  Promises Broken

Ontario’s provincial election, set for October 10, 2007 will be fought and
won on environmental policy.

Many environmental issues are at historical junctions and this election
will determine the path forward.

In deciding which political party will best serve our environmental
future, please consider the province’s beleaguered provincial parks’
system.

Why ?

Because when politicians fail to protect natural areas that are already
set aside for preservation, such as provincial parks, then they are
unlikely to make the harder decisions concerning our greater environment.

So when candidates are asking for your vote, please ask them what their
vision is for Ontario’s provincial parks and conservation reserves.

Please consider the status quo –  Since Dalton McGuinty has been Premier:

New legislation governing Ontario’s provincial parks and conservation
reserves has been passed.
The new Provincial Parks and Conservation Reserves Act replaces the 50
year old Provincial Parks Act.
But rather than being at the vanguard of park protection,  the new
legislation betrays the solid public sentiment of greater protection, and
instead introduces regressive regulations.

For Example: 

Wilderness Parks are vast undisturbed areas where nature is allowed to
function freely with no or little human influence.
To protect these values, the old Provincial Parks Act prohibited
mechanized travel.  Not anymore. These areas are now potentially opened to
 cars, trucks, ATVs, and snowmobiles.
Commercial logging in Algonquin Park is allowed to continue in 78% of the
park’s famed woodlands.  Only 22% is off limits to the timber industry.
A recent recommendation by the Ontario Parks Board of Directors to
substantially reduce commercial logging in Algonquin Park has been ignored
by the McGuinty government.
Sport hunting and fishing are now entrenched in provincial parks and
conservation reserves.
The regulations associated with the old Provincial Parks Act recommended a
phase-out of sport hunting in parks.  The new regulations
suggest no such policy direction.

Provincial parks and conservation reserves better our quality of life and
capture the essence of our province. 

Degrading what has already been set aside for preservation only
demonstrates a fundamental lack of environmental awareness.

If governments can’t protect areas of established natural heritage, can
they make the harder decisions of clean energy, clean air and clean
water?  

Ask your candidates.

Peaceful Parks Coalition
P.O. Box 326, Station B
Toronto, Ontario M5T 2C2
<http://www.peacefulparks.org>www.peacefulparks.org


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