A new issue of this thought-provoking journal from our friends at Parkdale-High Park:

Hearts & Minds

July/Aug 2009

The third issue is now available!

Click HERE to view online Click HERE to download pdf	A newsletter for members of the Parkdale-High Park riding association and the wider NDP community
	Strategic challenges in the Nova Scotia election (Jill Marzetti, Director of Organization, Nova Scotia 2009 campaign)
	2009 Liberal Budget and the Harmonized Sales Tax (HST) (Cheri DiNovo, MPP (Parkdale—High Park))
	Psychiatric survivors need jobs (David Reville, former NDP MPP (Riverdale))
	Getting eHealth back on track (France Gélinas, MPP (Nickel Belt))
	Air Canada: Fly it right (Peggy Nash, former MP (Parkdale—High Park))
	...and much more

Eglinton Crosstown LRT - Additional Open House - Sept 2nd, 2009

This is beyond our turf, but seeing as it involves the Eglinton LRT project, it seems relevant here:

The TTC and City of Toronto are hosting an additional Open House for this round of public consultation to display the preferred route of the Eglinton Crosstown LRT from Martin Grove Road to Pearson International Airport.  Plans for stop locations and potential construction methods for this section will also be displayed.

Details of the Open House are as follows:

Date: Wednesday, September 2nd

Time: 6:30pm to 9:00pm

Location: Etobicoke Olympium (Olympic Lounge 2nd floor)  590 Rathburn Road (just west of Renforth)

An updated series of Frequently Asked Questions and Answers is now posted on the project website. Please visit:
http://www.toronto.ca/involved/projects/eglinton_crosstown_lrt/index.htm

The direct link to the FAQs file is: http://www.toronto.ca/involved/projects/eglinton_crosstown_lrt/pdf/faq.pdf

St. Paul's by-election update

From The Star:

Vote called for Sept. 17 in St. Paul's

Aug 20, 2009 04:30 AM

Tanya Talaga -  Queen's Park Bureau

The battle for the key Toronto riding of St. Paul's is underway.

As expected, a Sept. 17 provincial by-election to fill the seat vacated by former Liberal economic development minister Michael Bryant was called yesterday.

It will be the first by-election since the Liberals unveiled their plan to harmonize the 8 per cent provincial sales tax with the 5 per cent federal goods and services tax, and the first since the eHealth Ontario spending scandal exploded.[...]

From the St. Paul's NDP website:

The nomination meeting will be held on Monday August 24, 2009 at 7pm at St.  Matthew's Bracondale House, 707 St. Clair Ave. West.

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St. Paul's by-election

There is an impending by-election in St. Paul's, our neighbouring riding to the south. I noticed this press release on the St. Paul's NDP website:

St. Paul's New Democrats to nominate candidate Sept. 9
Two declared candidates already in the race

New Democrats will select their candidate for the upcoming by-election in the Toronto riding of St. Paul's at a nomination meeting on September 9th, the party's provincial secretary announced this morning.

"This by-election is an opportunity to send a message to the McGuinty Liberals and send a strong representative to Queens Park," said Dennis Young.

"Two strong and respected individuals have already come forward to seek the NDP nomination and we look forward to a lively nomination process."

The nomination meeting will be held on September 9th at 7:00 p.m. at St.  Matthew's Bracondale House, 707 St. Clair Ave. West. The meeting date will be moved up if the by-election is called before then. Individuals interested in seeking the candidacy must declare by September 2nd.

The two declared candidates are:

Julian Heller - A local public education activist and ratepayer association leader, Heller has lived in the riding since 1983. He is a trial lawyer and ran as the NDP candidate in St. Paul's in both the 2003 and 2007 provincial general elections. Heller has built a reputation as an outspoken advocate for individuals, businesses and not-for-profit organizations.

Stuart Parker - A leading voice on environmental, poverty and voting reform issues for more than twenty years, Parker is a former director of Fair Vote Canada and Fair Vote Ontario. He is also a former leader of British Columbia's Green Party. Parker is currently a PhD candidate at the University of Toronto and has lived in St. Paul's since 2004.

St. Paul's has been vacant since former cabinet minister Michael Bryant resigned in early June. The Premier must call the by-election by December 7th.

York-Eglinton International Street Festival

Next weekend will see a street festival along the south-west corner of Eglinton-Lawrence:

The second annual York-Eglinton International Street Festival offers everyone a weekend of hot music and fun activities. On Friday, the street gets hopping with Djs and a sidewalk sale from 3 pm to 9 pm. On Saturday, see live musical performances by R&B, Reggae, Soul and Ska artists including Steele, Comfort, Mountainedge Crew, Jay Davis, and Frankie Foo & the YoYo Smugglers. Street magician Ray Chance will also perform, along with a number of multicultural dance troupes. There'll be exciting giveaways, kids' activities, and more. Free.

WHAT: 2nd Annual York-Eglinton International Street Festival

WHEN: Friday August 14th 3 pm to 9pm: Along Eglinton Ave strip from Marlee to Dufferin & Saturday August 15th noon to 9pm at 1607 Eglinton Ave West

WHERE: Along Eglinton Ave strip from Marlee to Dufferin & 1607 Eglinton Ave West

All the information on the event is available here.

From a CBC news story:

NDP to consider name change

Last Updated: Tuesday, August 4, 2009 | 9:27 PM ET

CBC News

The federal New Democratic Party will consider dropping the word "new" from its name when delegates gather for the party's annual convention in Halifax in two weeks.

The 1,000 delegates expected to attend the conference will either move to adopt the abbreviated moniker right away, reject it, or appoint a task force to study the name change.

One is, of course, welcome to reflect on whether "branding" is a paramount problem for this party today, as opposed to, say, administrative inertia, muddled policies, or what have you.

Town hall meeting with ONDP Leader, Andrea Horwath and NDP Pensions Critic, MPP Paul Miller - THIS THURSDAY!

In Ontario today - 2 out of every 3 people have no workplace pension coverage.

Join us for a Roundtable discussion to share your ideas on a Pensions Ontario Plan with Andrea Horwath, Leader Ontario's NDP & MPP Paul Miller, NDP Pensions Critic.

Details:
Thursday, August 6th
7:00 pm - 9:00 pm
Royal Canadian Legion, Toronto, Branch 31
1050 Weston Road
Accessible from the Eglinton Avenue West bus and the Weston Road bus from the Keele Subway Station, Branch 31 is one and a half blocks south of Eglinton Avenue West, on the west side of Weston Road. Parking is available on site, as well as on the street.

Please RSVP to MPP Paul Miller's office at 416-325-0707 or email: pmiller-qp@ndp.on.ca
We hope to see you there!

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