Notes + Events

Provincial Convention

Hot on the heels of the Federal leadership convention will be the Provincial Convention, April 13 to 15 in Hamilton. We will be calling a meeting to select delegates shortly, but if you are interested in attending, you're encouraged to get in touch.

ONDP Community Roundtable re: upcoming provincial budget

From provincial office:

You are invited to join MPP/Finance Critic Michael Prue at a pre-budget conversation in your community. Below and attached are the confirmed dates, times, and locations.

Please feel free to forward this invitation to other people in the community who may be interested in attending.Please note that in order to accommodate everyone, we highly recommend that you send an RSVP.

Thanks again and if you have any further questions feel free to contact me directly.

Cheers,
Rowena Santos

Tour & Outreach, Ontario NDP Caucus
o) 416-325-2203
e) santosr@ndp.on.ca



Toronto-Danforth By-Election

From our friends in Toronto-Danforth:

Toronto-Danforth federal candidate Craig Scott is having the official opening of the campaign office.

When: Saturday January 28th, 2012

Time 1:00 P.M.

Where: 838 Broadview Ave. (West side of Broadview Ave. just north of Danforth Ave.)

In attendance will be Olivia Chow, Mike Layton and Peter Tabuns.

Please note that the campaign is looking for volunteer workers for various duties.

AGM / Nomination Meeting - August 11, 2011

Provincial/Federal Riding Association
Annual General Meeting

Thursday, August 11, 2011 Meeting starts at 8:00 pm

Barbara Frum Library

20 Covington Road

North York

(just west of Bathurst and north of Lawrence)

Guest speaker: TBA

We will be electing a new executive, including: President, Vice-President, Secretary, Financial Agent, Membership Officer, Youth Officer and Women’s Representative. Any member in good standing is eligible to run. (see over for more details)

Nomination Meeting

The meeting to select our candidate for the next provincial election will also be held on:

Thursday, August 11^th, 2011

Barbara Frum Public Library

(20 Covington Rd., 3rd Floor)

Meeting starts at: 8:00 pm sharp

We have one declared candidate:

Gerti Dervishi

The nomination meeting will be held immediately following the conclusion of the AGM and the election of the riding executive.

All members of the NDP in good standing living within the boundaries of Eglinton Lawrence, including new members who have been members for at least 30 days prior to the nomination, are entitled to vote. If there is an election call, this meeting will be changed and you will be notified by telephone.

IMPORTANT: Provincial Council on June 10, 2006 adopted new rules to govern nomination meetings. All Candidates for Nomination must read, agree to uphold, and sign the Declaration of Candidate Responsibilities, the Candidate’s Declaration, and Candidate’s Disclosure found in the Nomination Candidate workbook. All of these documents must be received by the Ontario NDP office in Toronto at least 7 days prior to the riding nomination for a candidate’s name to be placed into nomination. Therefore prospective candidates can no longer run from the floor.

For more information feel free to contact:

eglintonlawrencendp@yahoo.ca or

elndp.blogspot.com

Questions? Concerns? Would you like to help out, but maybe not as a member of the executive? We need all the help can get! Do not hesitate to get in touch with us, and we will find something for you.

Defeat/Renewal?

In the wake of the crushing defeat of tonight's election, even the prospect of a strengthened NDP caucus leaves a sour taste when considered against the election of a Conservative majority, which can now proceed to push even further down the dangerous roads it has been leading the country.

And with the NDP's strategy in this election seemingly validated, once wonders if there will ever be attention paid to riding associations left to their own devices to wither.

It is possible that this "orange wave" has gotten new people interested in the NDP, and it's possible that the threat posed by a majority Conservative government might give some people an incentive to stand up and fight. If so, then please: step forward and roll up your sleeves!

What is to be the future of the Eglinton-Lawrence riding assocation? Are there people willing to step forward to reconstitute it with new energy and ideas? Or should it just be wound down and put out of its misery?

Ward 15 race in Now Weekly

The race in Ward 15 is starting to get some more attention, including an article in this week's NOW magazine.

Ward 15 - All candidates meeting

Just got word of this -- a chance for residents in Ward 15 to hear the candidates in person.

Eglinton-Lawrence Ward 15
Candidates Meeting

Candidates:
Josh Colle
Rob Davis
Tony Evangelista
Ron Singer
Eva Tavares

Tuesday October 5, 2010
Columbus Centre, Columbus Room
901 Lawrence Avenue West
7 – 9 pm
(Doors open at 6:30 pm)

 

If anyone has more news about events in Ward 15 or 16, please leave a comment or send us an email.

Municipal Election - TV Debates

I note that Dale Goldhawk will be hosting a series of televised All Candidates Debates on Rogers TV, and that Ward 15 (west of Bathurst) and Ward 16 (east of Bathurst) will both be on Tuesday, September 28th.

Tune in a meet your candidates! (To the extent that one can "tune" their TV's in this day and age, anyways.)

More info here. (PDF link)

Is there a progressive choice for Ward 15?

With the retirement of long-serving councillor Howard Moscoe, there is a wide-open, incumbent-free race in Ward 15 the upcoming municipal election. (The boundaries of Ward 15 mostly correspond to the west half of the profincial/federal Eglinton-Lawrence riding, except where it dips south of Eglinton west of Wiona and north of it east of Winona).

So far, the local campaign has been very low profile. In fact, I received my first piece of campaign literature this week, from perpetual far-right fringe candidate Ron Singer, who has allied himself with the cringe-inducing policies of angry blowhard Rob Ford.

Is there a progressive candidate in Ward 15? Someone who will step forward and announce they are committed to a fair society, to transit, to the environment? Are they out knocking on doors? Will we hear from them at our doorsteps?

The election is going to be here sooner than we know it, so let's hope anyone courting the progressive voters in Ward 15 makes themselves known.

Reboot / Mayoral Debate

Let's try and get things re-started around here!

Any help in the form of local events or links to interesting things would be appreciated!

Meanwhile, there is a mayoral debate in our neighbourhood tomorrow night:

A mayoral debate will be held at Villa Colombo, 40 Playfair Ave., Tuesday, Sept. 14, from 7 to 9:30 p.m.

The debate, organized by the National Congress of Italian Canadians-Toronto District and the Canadian Italian Business and Professional Association, will include candidates Rob Ford, Joe Pantalone, Rocco Rossi, George Smitherman and Sarah Thomson.

Senator Art Eggleton will act as moderator.

Rally for a Public Inquiry Concerning the Actions at the G20

Rally for a Public Inquiry Concerning the Actions at the G20

Date:	Thursday, July 1, 2010
Time:	5:30pm - 11:30pm
Location:	Queens Park (in front of the legislature)
Street:	Queens Park Crescent
City/Town:	Toronto, ON
	View Map

Description

Our Chief of Police misinformed the public as to laws that were passed. Our police arrested innocent and peaceful protesters. Those protesters were held in detention centres with little food or water.

We want to know why the Black Bloc were allowed to trash our city! We want to know why police barged into people's homes in the middle of the night! We want to know why the police thought that misinforming the public was a good idea!

Are you outraged? WE ARE! Come join us for a peaceful protest!

Those of you not in Toronto: We will be having solidarity protests in various cities on the 17th. Please join this group and help organize and spread the word!

http://www.facebook.com/specialshi?v=wall&story_fbid=751379792437#!/event.php?eid=139227296091761

Not on facebook? Go to http://torontoparticipates.ca/ for details!

G20 March Info

New Democrats from across the province will join our brothers and sisters in the Ontario Labour Federation for a rally and march during the Toronto G20 Summit.

We demand that world leaders put people first and create a world that is sustainable, with decent jobs for everyone, and protects human rights. 

Saturday, June 26th, 1:00pm

Queen's Park, South Lawn

Remember to wear orange and bring bottled water.

For more information, email: Ndpg20@gmail.com

G8/G20 Rally - June 26

People First! We Deserve Better!

G8 & G20
PUBLIC RALLY and MARCH

Saturday, June 26 @ 1:00 p.m.
QUEEN'S PARK - TORONTO

March ends at Trinity Bellwoods Park (Queen Street West @ Trinity Drive)

WHAT'S THIS ALL ABOUT?

The G8 & G20 Summits taking place in Ontario from June 25-27 offer Canadians a rare opportunity to speak out on priorities that the world's most wealthy and powerful nations should adopt on economic recovery, environment, human rights, decent jobs, and social justice.
Decisions taken by the G8 & G20 governments impact on millions of lives in Canada and around the world.

Join us on June 26. Show the world that Canadians still share the dream of a better world for everyone.

Toronto Area Council Launch Sat March 27th

This is the culmination of a lot of work, and could be an important vehicle for ensuring our local priorities are being heard:

Friends, New Democrats are doing exciting things in Toronto. After Cathy Crowe's exciting campaign in Toronto-Centre, we're organizing to keep setting the agenda. The Toronto Area Council is holding their first meeting this Saturday March 27th. A full agenda for the inaugural meeting is copied below and background information on the council is available on their website www.torontondp.ca. I hope you will join me, members of my caucus and special guests for a "Members' Levee" - an evening of entertainment and a free social following the business portion of the meeting at 5pm. Andrea Horwath

INAUGURAL ANNUAL GENERAL MEETING TORONTO AREA COUNCIL SATURDAY MARCH 27, 2010 STEEL HALL 25 Cecil Street Toronto, Ontario

10:00   Registration Opens 11:00  Establishing the Toronto Area Council: How can it help?  What can it do? ·       Working groups break-out sessions 1:00     Lunch ·       Light lunch will be provided 2:00    Business Meeting ·       Elections and adoption of by-laws 5:00    Social ·       Cash bar and entertainment

Voters in Eglinton-Lawrence have been getting a lot of these. Will we start to feel lonely or less-appreciated if the steady stream of mail from random Conservative MP's stops?

MPs vote to stop mailing flyers outside ridings on taxpayers' dime

OTTAWA–MPs have voted to put a stop to the practice of mailing taxpayer-funded political flyers to voters outside their own ridings.

In a surprisingly close result Tuesday, MPs passed a Liberal motion to scrap the so-called 10-percenters by a vote of 140-137.

New Democrats, who had argued in favour of retaining the right to communicate with voters all across the country, ended up supporting the motion, which included several other proposals aimed at saving the government more than $1 billion annually.

The Bloc Québécois also supported it while Conservatives, who've made the most use of the mailouts, were opposed.

The controversial 10-percenters – so named because MPs can send one-page flyers to distant voters in numbers equal to 10 per cent of the electors in their own ridings – are estimated to cost up to $10 million each year.

Unlike other opposition motions that the government can ignore, Liberals maintain Tuesday's motion is binding. It was worded as a directive to the Speaker of the House of Commons and the board of internal economy, which set the rules for MPs' mailing privileges.

The flyers have been the source of considerable tension among the various parties over the last couple of years. They've been used increasingly to launch vicious partisan attacks against political opponents.

 

Community Consultation Meeting: Proposed Yonge-Eglinton Urban Growth Centre Boundaries

For those in the east half of our riding, and especially those down towards Yonge & Eg, there's a "community consultation" coming up tomorrow:

Community Consultation Meeting

 

Wednesday March 3^rd, 2010

7:00PM

North Toronto Memorial Community Centre

200 Eglinton Avenue, West

Main Floor Meeting Room

 
 

Proposed Yonge-Eglinton Urban Growth Centre Boundaries

 

The Planning Department and Councillors Stintz, Walker and Jenkins invite you to a public consultation meeting to discuss the proposed boundaries of the Yonge-Eglinton Urban Growth Centre and necessary amendments to the Yonge-Eglinton Secondary Plan.

 

The Provincial Growth Plan identifies areas of intensification called Urban Growth Centres in cities throughout Ontario.  In Toronto the Province has identified 5 Urban Growth Centres: Downtown/Waterfront, Scarborough Centre, North York Centre, Etobicoke Centre and Yonge-Eglinton Centre.  In 2008 the Province released their boundaries for these Centres which the City must incorporate into its Official Plan in order to comply with the Provincial Growth Plan.

 

The City does have the ability to make only minor adjustments to the Yonge-Eglinton Growth Centre boundaries established by the Province.  As can be seen from the small map the Provincial boundaries extend east of Yonge Street to include most the area roughly bounded by Yonge St. on the east, Mt. Pleasant on the west, a line north of Erskine Avenue on the north, and a line north of Soudan on the south.   The Growth Centre extends just west of Yonge Street between Orchard View and Berwick.  After consultations with community representatives staff are recommending only two minor changes to the Yonge-Eglinton Urban Growth Centre boundaries established by the Province.   Amendments to the Secondary Plan policies would seek to concentrate development with the highest heights and density at the four quadrants of the Yonge-Eglinton intersection, with descending heights and densities on Eglinton Avenue East as one gets farther from Yonge Street.  The 'Apartment Neighbourhoods' east of Yonge Street would be considered to be stable areas with compatible infill permitted on truly underutilized sites with existing apartment buildings.  Development on Yonge Street north of Roehampton and Mount Pleasant Road south of Eglinton would be mid-rise buildings with retail at-grade.

 

In addition, in response to the suggestions of community representatives to strengthen the Secondary Plan, some of the policies that have now been put in place for the 'four corners' of the Yonge-Eglinton quadrant that deserve broader applicability, are proposed to be extended to apply to the entire Secondary Plan Area.  These include: encouraging sustainable transportation initiatives, providing adequate parking supply, encouraging bicycle linkages to the City's bike route network, having new development improve the streetscape and sidewalks, encouraging mid-block connections on large blocks, providing community services in a timely manner, promoting community services that are flexible and multi-purpose, pursuing opportunities arising from development to develop new parkland, and identifying priorities for community benefits under Section 37 of the Planning Act.

 

If you cannot attend the meeting, you can still make your views known by emailing cgiles@toronto.ca or by fax to 416-397-4080 or by writing Christian Giles, Planner, Policy and Research, 55 John Street, 23^rd Floor, Toronto, Ontario, M5V 3C6.

 

Looking for more information? Please call Christian Giles at 416-392-0881 or visit the following web sites for more information about this initiative.

 

January 5, 2009 Report to Planning and Growth Management Committee (direction to undertake consultations RE: Yonge-Eglinton UGC): http://www.toronto.ca/legdocs/mmis/2009/pg/bgrd/backgroundfile-18454.pdf

 

Province of Ontario Places to Grow Program and Growth Plan:

http://www.placestogrow.ca/index.php?lang=eng

http://www.placestogrow.ca/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=9&Itemid=14

 

City of Toronto Official Plan:

http://www.toronto.ca/planning/official_plan/introduction.htm

 

Lawrence-Allen Revitalization Meeting Invitation and Project Update

An update on the ongoing consultations around the Lawrence Park redevelopment:

 

We are writing to let you know about a community open house where we will be presenting the emerging preferred plan for the area.

 

Date: February 25, 2010

Time: 1:30 - 8:30 p.m.

Location: Lawrence Heights Community Recreation Centre

Address: 5 Replin Road

 

Similar to the release of Option Plans in June 2009, the open house will be followed by a series of small group workshops.  You will have an opportunity to sign up for these workshops at the open house.  The expected workshop dates and locations are:

 

§   March 1: Barbara Frum Library
20 Covington Rd.
6:00 - 8:00 pm

§   March 8: Lawrence Heights Community Centre
5 Replin Rd.
7:00 - 9:00 pm

§   March 10: Sir Sandford Fleming Secondary School
50 Ameer Ave.
7:00 - 9:00 pm

§   March 24: Lawrence Heights Middle School
50 Highland Hill
7:00 - 9:00 pm

 

A full meeting notice and general Community Update is attached.

 

Thank-you,

 

The Lawrence-Allen Revitalization Team

 

http://www.toronto.ca/lawrenceallen.

lawrenceallen@toronto.ca