Happy New Year Folks!
New Year’s Resolution
It was easy making my New Year’s resolution for 2012 – much the same as my 2011’s – to work at “saving the world” and “making our community a better place to live”.
I was told that saving the world was a tall order! Through the Council of Canadians we have a plethora of friends to assist with the task! Our 120,000 member strong organization with 70 Chapters across Canada make for wonderful friends in helping to save the world!
Making our London community a better place to live gets easier every day as more friends join our 2000 plus member strong London Chapter!
In 1985 Maude Barlow started Council of Canadians, which gives all Canadians a portal to be heard! Let your voice be heard! If you have an issue that affects Canadians we want to know about it and put into action a call to attention on your issues with an action plan to publicize and work towards sustainable, effective resolutions.
Saving the world – making our community a better place, starts fresh everyday when we get up and look into the mirror – it starts with you and I - one day at a time!
2011 Reflections
Happy Anniversary London Chapter Council of Canadians! It was one year ago on January 12, 2011 that 8 of us met at the Central Library to re-ignite our Chapter. We started on building what is today a fresh, vibrant and engaged Chapter that has offered exiting, educational and productive events for our membership.
Our high praise and thank you to everyone that stepped forward to plan, organize and attend events, complete Chapter admin and make our members feel welcome! There were thousands of emails, telephone calls and hours spent on our Chapter activities in 2011. London Chapter – We Are Driven! THANK YOU!
Thank you to our Council of Canadians staff: Mark Calzavara our Regional Organizer; Maryam Adrangi, Regional Admin; Brent Patterson, Campaigns & Communications Director; Jeannette Muhongayire, Member Services in Ottawa HQ; to all the Campaignors; Roy Brady our Regional Chapter Rep and a huge and loving thank you to Maude Barlow – please visit us often!
Several years ago local CFPL TV News Anchor Jack Burghardt was the MC at a musical event at London’s Centennial Hall. In his introduction to the evening’s performance he stated that live events are unique in that the audience will be the only ones to share and appreciate the intricacies of that particular program and the vitality of those performing that night. Every event is different in how it embaces the audience, the chemistry of everyone developing familiarity with each other and members of the cast and how those attending become part of the historic story that only happens once! The individual experience commences as you come into the hall then works into a mutual bond by sharing the intrigue of the experience. My message – please come out and join us "live" at Chapter events!
In 2011, our Chapter provided several opportunities for our members and the public to attend live events:
- James Loney – September – International Peace Day
- Maude Barlow – October – talk on water & “Breakfast with Maude”
- Glen Pearson – November – Poverty in Canada & London and OCCUPY
- Paul Moist, Linda Wayne & Maude Barlow – December – The CETA Tour
CETA with our Chapter’s “live” CETApus, CETA Diorama in the window of 246 Dundas Street, CETA Open Mics; Occupy London support; Electro Motive Diesel Lock-Out; Bottled Water; Bank of Canada and the Canadian Boat to Gaza have been some of the issues our Chapter addressed in 2011.
Along with a World Water Day film event, Monthly Membership meetings and our Chapter’s Annual Bar-B-Q we had a full slate of events to engage our members!
Our Chapter was represented at Council of Canadians Events in 2011
- Elaine Mahon – Toronto Chapter Water Forum in March
- Don McLeod – COC Regional Conference in Toronto in May
- David Heap – COC AGM in Montreal in October
In summary: Thank you for your support as members and affiliates; thank you to everyone active with organizing and attending events and thank you Council of Canadians for your support!
Onward in 2012
We had our 1st meeting of 2012 on January 10. Jeff Fitchett, London Chapter Co Chair Energy – Fossil Fuels, presented “Canada’s Ethical Oil Fallacy – The Alberta Oil Sands”. Everyone in attendance was provided with an in depth look at one of the world’s largest environmental disasters. Along with his narration Jeff showed us visual images of what Maude Barlow calls our Canadian Mordor. (JRR Tolkiens universe of Middle earth). Please see our web site for Jeff's presentation.
Each Month we will feature a program with a 1-hour presentation organized by our Chapter’s Committee Chairs. Our Membership Meeting Agendas will have a simple informative format:
Introductions
Secretary’s Report
Treasurer’s Report
Summary of past events
Feature Program Presentation with Q&A 1-hour
Announcements
Adjourn
Additional special programs will be offered and organized by our Chapter’s Committee’s – here are two proposals:
March 22 World Water Day – A special program is being planned.
http://www.unwater.org/
September 21 International Day of Peace
http://internationaldayofpeace.org/about/background.html
http://www.un.org/en/events/peaceday/
http://www.facebook.com/peaceday
Peace One Day
http://www.peaceoneday.org/en/welcome
http://www.facebook.com/peaceoneday
A special program is being planned.
October Council of Canadians Annual General Meeting –
November 12 London Chapter Annual General Meeting
We are focusing on our London Chapter Membership in 2012 to increase our membership, improve communications, provide educational programs to address your concerns and encourage more members to attend “live” events!’
London Chapter Executive & Committee Chairs – we still have vacancies to fill!
Please contact me to get on the “inside” of our Chapter!
Lead – Follow or Support Council of Canadians with your financial contributions!
REMEMBER To keep informed please check our London Chapter Web site and event Calendar regularly: www.londoncouncilofcanadians.ca
Best wishes to everyone for a healthy, educational and prosperous New Year!
Please come out and join us – live!
Onward!
Yours from the Council
Don McLeod
London Chapter Facilitator & Contact
Council of Canadians
London Chapter Web: www.londoncouncilofcanadians.ca
London Chapter Email: info@londoncouncilofcanadians.ca
Chapter Facebook: www.facebook.com/londoncoc
National Web: www.canadians.org
Stop CETA: www.stopCETA.ca
