Green Roof @ Eglinton West Station

This Spacing wire post on the new green roof at Eglinton West station gives the heads-up on a positive change at one of our local landmarks.

"Rail for Toronto" BBQ with Jack Layton

In my email today:

Hey Toronto New Democrats,

Tired of John Baird and the Harper Government dismissing the needs of major municipalities like Toronto? Enjoy BBQs? Then we have an event for you.

On Friday, July 31st, come join the Beaches-East York NDP for a BBQ around the issue of federal funding for municipal infrastructure and transit, featuring Jack Layton! As well as discussing important issues facing Toronto, the event should be a great time, so feel free to bring out the whole family. The festivities are taking place at 9 Neville Park Bvld., right at the end of the 501, and are starting at 6:30.

There will be a $10 admittance charge ($5 for kids) covering burgers, hot dogs and pop, and there will be beer and wine available. Chicken and vegetarian options will also be available. Any profits will go to the Beaches-East York Federal NDP Riding Association.

Please RSVP to beyndp@gmail.com if are thinking about attending, as it will help us know the appropriate amount of food and beverages to have. Also check out the event, and sign up, on Facebook. We look forward to seeing you there!

The Beaches East York NDP Riding Association

Canada Replaces US as Worst Climate Performer!

This made the news headlines, and landed in my inbox from the WWF:

 

Oh Canada! Our Country Earns Failing Grade on Climate Change Action

For the first time, Canada has taken over last place from the United States in this years G8 Climate Scorecard rankings! This comes just as the G8 nations are set to meet next week in Italy in an effort to find solutions to the world's main issues, including climate change.

According to the report, developed by WWF and the global insurance company Allianz, the United States rose in the rankings due to recent actions taken by the Obama administration on green energy and vehicle fuel efficiency. Canada ended up at the bottom of the pack because our greenhouse gas emissions are not only still increasing, thanks in large part to the expansion of the tar sands, but also because we lack a credible plan to reduce emissions in the future. Learn more about Canada's climate performance by downloading the report.

Recent Notes

Some news from our Metro reps:

It's an exciting time for the MetroNDP. We are working towards establishing a Toronto Area Council and we would like to hear from you. Over the past few months we have been working on creating a draft constitution [...] We are circulating this draft to all riding presidents and secretaries and asking that they please review and share it with their respective ridings. Comments are due no later than Friday July 3rd midnight. [...]

 

We would like to have the Constitution for a proposed Toronto Area Council adopted at the next Provincial Council which is currently proposed to take place November 7, 2009.

In order for the constitution to make its way onto the agenda of the November 7th Council, it should be presented to the administration committee of the provincial executive for its meeting of September 15, 2009. It is hoped that the proposed constitution will be considered at the October provincial executive meeting and, barring unforseen circumstances, be placed on the agenda of the November 7 Provincial Council.

If you are interested in learning more about the proposed Toronto Area Council, which will become a forum for 416-area ridings to work together and share resources, send me a message or drop an email to info@metrondp.ca.

---

This comes from the Parkdale-High Park NDP:

Parkdale-High Park NDP Riding Association presents

Progressive Tide in Latin America

Speakers: Maria Paez Victor, Alex Grant

Members of the recently merged Hands Off Venezuela/Louis Riel Bolivarian Circle. They have direct experience with events over the last decade in Venezuela and are familiar with major changes in the rest of Latin America

Fundamental change in the political and economic landscape has recently taken place in large portions of Latin America. What are the primary features of these changes and what is their relevance for Canada?

When: Thursday June 18, 2009 at 7:00 p.m.

Where: Bishop Marrocco/Thomas Merton Academy

1515 Bloor Street West. Just south-east of the Dundas West Subway station

Childcare will be available if requested no later than 5:00 pm Monday, June 15 E-mail info@phpndp.ca with childcare requests and with questions for further information

---

I saw at Barbara Frum library last night that there's some scaffolding out front and the major roof repairs are about to get underway. Good news, given the leaky ceiling we saw at our last meeting!

If you see anything interesting going on around the neighbourhood, or know about any events I haven't posted here, just leave a comment or send us an email!

Lawrence-Allen Renewal: Workshop Signup

I wasn't able to make it out to the Open Houses this week (there's one tonight, for those that are interested), but it looks like there are more consultations upcoming:

Dear Community Member:

 

You have previously participated in the Community Advisory Group for the Lawrence-Allen Revitalization Project.  We hope that you had the opportunity to attend one of our recent Open Houses on June 10 and 11.

 

At the open houses, we showed three Option Plans for the Lawrence-Allen Area.  Option Plans show different possible ways to arrange the area's streets, parks, and buildings.  Looking at different Option Plans is a way to understand possibilities for the neighbourhood and help us make choices about how the neighbourhood will change in the future.

 

If you were not able to attend one of the Open Houses, or if you would like a further opportunity to discuss the Option Plans, please consider attending one of our upcoming workshops:

 

June 16, 2009              6:30 - 8:30 pm Barbara Frum Library

 

June 18, 2009              6:30 - 8:30 pm Lawrence Heights Community Centre

 

July 7, 2009                 6:30 - 8:30 pm location to be determined

 

July 9, 2009                 6:30 - 8:30 pm Lawrence Heights Community Centre

 

The workshops will have the same information as the Open Houses, but will provide an opportunity to discuss the Option Plans in small groups with other community members.

 

Space is limited at the workshops, so please reserve a spot.  If you would like to attend one, please RSVP to Sandra Thomson at (416) 395-7178, or by email to sthomson@toronto.ca

 

If you have any questions about the Lawrence-Allen Revitalization Project, please feel free to contact Kyle Knoeck, Michael Noble, or myself.

 

Regards,

Ann-Marie Nasr

Project Manager

(416) 395-7180

 

Kyle Knoeck

Senior Planner

(416) 395-7116

 

Michael Noble

Assistant Planner

(416) 395-7106

Project Website:  www.toronto.ca/lawrenceallen.htm

 

Email:  lawrenceallen@toronto.ca

 

If you've been out to any of these meetings, I'd love to hear your opinions about both the process and the proposals. Leave a comment or send a message our way!

 

 

 

Halifax and other news

I'm sure we're all sending our congratulations to Nova Scotia after an historic win for the NDP in Tuesday's provincial election. If this makes you want to see Halifax, do remember that we are still looking for delegates to the National NDP Convention, August 14-16 2009. If you are interested, contact us ASAP! Early-bird registration rates end soon!

Also: Good Jobs For All Rally:



We have also been sent a petition to improve access to EI:



You can also download a copy of this here.

Show your Pride!

A message from the Ontario NDP LGBT Caucus:

With Pride celebrations beginning across the Province, the Ontario LGBT Caucus is hard at work creating the biggest, loudest and sexiest NDP presence at Pride in 29 years. Our Pride Planning Committee has brought together individuals from the NDP community to plan, organize and create our presence.
We are all very excited about what is happening around Pride this year, and we
want to invite local riding associations to get involved.
Pride is a celebration of the historic and ongoing struggles of the LGBT community, as well as a spirit of hope and empowerment for Gays, Lesbians, Bisexuals, Trans and all disadvantaged individuals around the world. Pride is also a time for fun, entertainment and activism.
This year, our Caucus will endeavor to engage with the LGBT community through our Pride presence. Ours will be a celebration of the shared political ethos of our Party and our community, highlighting our common political ideals such as equality, human rights and freedom.
We would like to extend an invitation to the Riding Association and all its members to come out and participate in the Pride celebrations we are planning in Toronto. [...]. Please take note of the following dates:

Toronto Dyke March - Saturday, June 27 2:00 PM - 4:00 PM     
 Beginning at corner of Church St. and Hayden St.      
(Although the march itself is Women-only, male members of the Party are encouraged come and support the march at the NDP booth.)      

Saturday booth noon - 6pm Nancy Brown is co-ordinating      
Call 416 815 0893 to sign up for a one hour shift
     
Toronto Pride Parade - Sunday, June 28 2:00 PM - 6:00 PM      
Beginning at corner of Church St. and Bloor St.      
(Please let us know if you would prefer to be on the flatbed float, or march behind the truck.)      

Sunday booth 10am - 6pm Nancy Brown is co-ordinating      
Call 416 815 0893 to sign up for a one hour shift      

For further details on any of the above Pride events or information on how you
can participate and/or support, please email chairs.lgbtcaucus@gmail.com.

Meeting Notification for Proposed New City of Toronto Zoning By-Law

For those in the Ward 16 (east of Bathurst) side of Eglinton-Lawrence:

NOTICE OF PUBLIC MEETINGS

PROPOSED NEW CITY OF TORONTO ZONING

BY-LAW

 

MEETING 1:

 

Monday, June 15, 2009 at 7:00 p.m. at the North Toronto Memorial Community Centre (Multi-Purpose Room) - 200 Eglinton Avenue West.

 

This meeting is for residents in the former City of Toronto portion of Ward 16.

 

MEETING 2:

 

Wednesday, June 24, 2009 at 7:00 p.m. at the Agricola Finnish Lutheran Congregation (Fellowship Hall) - 25 Old York Mills Road.

 

This meeting is for residents in the former North York portion of   Ward 16.

 

 

Dear Resident,

 

Please attend one of two public meetings I have organized with Councillor Cliff Jenkins (Ward 25) with regard to the new draft Zoning By-law that is being proposed for the City of Toronto.

 

The City of Toronto's Planning Division is proposing a new Zoning By-law to replace the 43 zoning by-laws inherited from amalgamation.  A draft By-law has been prepared by Planning Staff with a recommended implementation date by the end of 2009.  Some of the proposed changes include:

 

·        a new definition of height to the top of the roof rather than the mid-point of the roof, as presently exists;

·        new formulas for calculating front, rear and side yard setbacks;

·        a higher standard of 10 metres for the height of homes; and

·        banning of reverse-slopping driveways city-wide.

 

It is not yet known what influence, if any, these changes will have on residential development in Ward 16.  Councillor Jenkins and I have arranged these meetings in order to help you and your neighbours gain a better understanding of the impacts of the proposed changes and their potential effects on your community.  Wards 16 and 25 include portions of both the former municipalities of Toronto and North York.  Each district has its own Zoning By-law that will be impacted differently by these changes. 

 

Please note, the meeting on June 15^th is for residents that live in the former City of Toronto portion of Ward 16.  The meeting on June 24^th is for residents that reside in the former North York portion of the ward.

 

If you have any questions please contact my office at 416-392-4090.

 

 

Sincerely,

 

 

 

 Karen Stintz
City Councillor
Ward 16, Eglinton-Lawrence
City of Toronto
(416) 392-4090

Some upcoming events

A few upcoming events passing through my in-box. If you catch wind of something, let us know!

1) Lawrence-Allen Revitalization Open Houses

The next round of meetings in the Lawrence-Allen Revitalization project begins next week with two open houses on

Wednesday June 10th and Thursday the 11th.   Wednesday's meeting will be at Bathurst Heights Secondary in the evening.  On Thursday we will be at the Lawrence Heights Community Centre in the afternoon and evening.

 

We will be presenting and discussing detailed option plans for the neighbourhood, which have been put together since our last meetings in March.  Following the meetings, this information will be posted on the project web site and at the library, community centre and other locations.  There will also be further opportunities to discuss these plans in the weeks to come.

2) Eglinton LRT Open Houses

The next round of public consultation including updated designs will occur in June.  There will be six open houses between June 15 and 25 from 6:30 to 9:00 pm:

• June 15: William Lea Room, 1073 Millwood Rd
• June 17: Eglinton Public School, 223 Eglinton Avenue East
• June 18: Richview Collegiate, 1738 Islington Avenue
• June 23: York Memorial Collegiate, 2690 Eglinton Avenue West (at Keele Street)
• June 24: Beth Sholom Synagogue, 1445 Eglinton Avenue West (at Allen Road)
• June 25: Don Montgomery Community Recreation Centre (formerly Mid Scarb. CC), 2467 Eglinton Ave East

If anyone wants to join me for a visit on June 24th, just leave a comment or send an email.

3) Open Internet Town Hall
 

SaveourNet.ca is partnering with Rabble.ca for a very special event. Held during Net Change Week in Toronto, SaveourNet.ca and Rabble.ca will present Toronto's Open Internet Town Hall, which will be filmed by TheREALNews.com.

Where:

Live from the Gladstone Hotel in Toronto, 1214 Queen St. West

When:

Monday June 8, 2009 at 7pm

Featured speakers for the Town Hall include:

*Mark Surman (Executive Director of the Mozilla Foundation)

*Olivia Chow (Member of Parliament (NDP))

*Rocky Gaudrault (CEO of Teksavvy Solutions Inc.)

*Steve Anderson (Co-founder of SaveourNet.ca)

*Derek Blackadder (National Representative with CUPE)

Special Guests:
* Olivia Chow – MP
* David Skinner – Prof, York U
* Kim Elliot – Rabble.ca
* Mark Kuznicki – remarkk consultant

Until now, Canada's Internet has been an open network and a level playing field for free speech, innovation, and consumer choice. All that is now under threat.

Being held during Net Change Week in Toronto, Toronto's Open Internet Town Hall is designed to give local citizens the chance to shape Canada's broadband future. As Canada falls behind other OECD countries on Internet speed, cost, and openness, SaveourNet.ca will host a lively discussion guided by panelists representing web innovators, social change leaders, and public policy gurus.

We will gather citizen testimony that SaveOurNet.ca's Steve Anderson will use to guide his presentation to the CRTC at the July 6 "Traffic Management" hearing. We will also record the town hall meetings and present video testimonials to the CRTC and share them online. Information gathered at the town hall meeting will also help us develop the "Open Internet Declaration" which we will put before MPs and policy makers.


We want to engage the public in discussion on what the future of the Internet should look like by addressing the following questions:

* How can we ensure Internet services for everyone in Canada?
* How do we expand consumer choice and lower costs for Internet services?
* How can the Internet be a catalyst for economic growth, jobs, and prosperity?
* How do we preserve the Internet's level playing field so everyone can access the content, applications, and services of their choice?
* What roles should the federal government, local governments, private industry, and everyday citizens play to build a better Internet?
* What can and should citizens do right now?

Toronto's Internet Town Hall will be held in the historic Gladstone Hotel Ballroom

1214 Queen Street West, Toronto

Monday 8 June, 2009

7 - 10pm

$10 – the associated cost will cover venue rental and production costs.

For more information about the campaign, visit http://saveournet.ca/

Doors Open

This weekend is Doors Open, always a neat opportunity to see what's inside some of Toronto's historical buildings. In case, say, you've had a hankering to go to the Don Jail.

I haven't done a hard count to compare, but it looks like venues north of, say, St. Clair are a bit thinner on the ground this year. Still, worth a subway trip to investigate a few places.

The Star has some articles and handy maps here.

Policy Wiki

Now here's a cool idea. Did you ever think that you could write a better law than what's out there already? The Globe and Mail has started a Policy Wiki where you can collaboratively do just that:
 

What is this site for?

We want you to help us send the government a message about what you think federal policy should look like, and the principles it should be based on. But we don't just want you to give us your comments (although that's fine too, and you can do that in the forum). We'd also like you to use the wiki's built-in tools to help us create a series of positions on policy issues, which we can pass on to the government as a tangible sign of what you think must be done. Although we are asking for you to rate the positions and rank? the issues you care about, however, it is not meant to be a simple popularity contest

Issues such as Immigration, Climate Change and Afghanistan are currently featured on the front page.

(Another similar wiki can be found at OpenPolitics.ca)

Toronto Civics 101

A new initiative from the City of Toronto:

Welcome to Toronto Civics 101 - the new public learning
series offered by the City of Toronto!

Do you wonder how decisions affecting your neighbourhood are made?

Do you wish you were more involved in your community and the city?

If you have questions, we have answers.

Mayor Miller invites you to get involved You'll need the Window Media Player. If you don't already have the player, you can safely download it for free.

The City of Toronto invites you to learn about your City government through the first Toronto Civics 101 program, starting this fall. In just six sessions you can find out how decisions are made, what's behind the numbers and news, who-does-what, and take a peek into the City's future. The sessions are free, and include visits to interesting City sites.

Toronto Civics 101 is for people who are interested in learning about how the City works, and want to make a difference in Toronto. The sessions are designed to be interesting and informative for people with little or no previous experience or knowledge of City government. Participants will represent a diversity of backgrounds and come from across the city.

To attend in person, you must live or own a business in Toronto and be at least 18 years of age. Space is limited but each session will also be posted on-line and archived for those wishing to follow along at their own convenience.

Full information here.

AGM and other news

Minutes from our AGM are here.  We elected a new executive, which is listed here.

 

Resolutions on "Israel/Palestine" and "Internal Organization" were passed at the AGM and will be sent to the federal convention.

We are still looking for potential delegates to the NDP Federal Convention (to be held in Halifax, August 14th to 16th 2009). Get in touch ASAP if you are interested.

The members of the executive are doing our best to maintain all the bureaucratic infrastructure required of a riding association. We always want to do more things, and have more meetings that don't revolve around agendas and committees. If that sounds like a good idea to you, we need your help! If there's a kind of event you think we should be holding, and you have a little time to help us get it organized, please let us know! Just leave a comment - even if you just want to pass along some ideas.

Keep an eye out in this space for (almost) up-to-the-minute news and notes. If you know of something going on in our neighbourhood, or if you're involved in activity you want people to know about, or just have an interesting link to share, just drop a note and I'll get it posted.

Hearts & Minds Online - Second Issue

Our friends in the Parkdale-High Park NDP (check out their stylish new website!) have the second issue of their snazzy, informative magazine online:

Hearts & Minds Online - Second Issue

After the positive comments received for the first issue of Hearts & Minds, we are pleased to announce the second issue of Hearts & Minds. We hope that you will find the articles both informative and a stimulus for discussion. Indeed, we soon hope to launch an online forum so that you will be able to share your feelings and opinions on individual items.

Start Reading Now

Fundraiser for Toronto Centre NDP

Sunday May 24, 2009

The Toronto Centre NDP Present:

Raoul and the Big Time

The evening will feature the music of acclaimed blues artists Raoul and the Big Time and a live auction. Tickets are $40 (with a tax receipt for $25)

Location: The Berkeley Church 315 Queen Street East

Auction items include tickets to Soulpepper Theatre, unique jewellery by designer Anita Agrawal, dancing lessons with Johnny A. Wright - star of Dirty Dancing, and much much more.

For tickets visit www.ticketbreak.com/event_details/2856

A Portion of the proceeds from this event will go to the Stephen Lewis Foundation.