Notes from the London Council of Canadians potluck on October 21, 2015 (including a letter to Justin re Protecting the Thames)

London Council of Canadians supporters collect water from the Thames River at the Forks.

Twenty two members celebrated the end of the Stephen Harper era at our October 21 potluck meeting held at the Mary Campbell Common Room. The room has a fresh coat of green paint and all chairs are new! It is a beautiful place to meet and we are indebted to Kathy Kaill for reserving it for us to use. Conversation was intense, and about the election of course. Thank you all for bringing such wonderful food to share. 

After we finished eating, the subject for discussion was “Where do we go from here?” Suggestions considered came from 350.org, the Council of Canadians, and the Green Party as well as others with proportional representation appearing at the top of most people’s lists.

 http://campaign2015.fairvote.ca 

Rod Morley volunteered to head up a group which would collect a bottle of Thames River water to deliver to Justin Trudeau on Nov. 7 as part of a “Climate Welcome” gift. 

http://climatewelcome.ca/water 

Rod wrote, and Meg edited, a letter (see below) from our chapter to Prime Minister Trudeau asking him to protect our river from toxic oil spills. Dimitri Lascaris agreed to accept the bottle of water and deliver it and our letter personally when he goes to Ottawa. 

We had a guest, Jim Joyce, formerly from London, who plans to relocate here from Yellowknife and wants to become active with our chapter. In Yellowknife they are opposing fracking. Jim serves as Treasurer for the Yellowknife chapter. 

Upcoming events: 

 1) The next monthly event will be our annual AGM, November 18, with our business meeting at 6:30 pm and our potluck at 7:30. It will be at the Mary Campbell Co-op common room. 

 2) Climate Rally in solidarity with the Paris Climate Conference - Victoria Park - Nov. 29 - 1 - 4pm 

 3) “This Changes Everything” a film by Avi Lewis and Naomi Kline, will have its London debut on Dec. 7 as part of our Cinema Politica program of monthly documentaries. Venue and details will follow. 

Roberta Cory, Chair 
London Chapter, Council of Canadians 

----------------------------------------- 

October 26, 2015 

Dear Justin, 

We, the Council of Canadians London Chapter, are writing to you today and sending along a water sample from the former Heritage River known as the Antler/Thames River from Southwestern Ontario. We are providing this gift to you to remind you of your pledge to safeguard Canada’s bodies of water. 

We in Southwestern Ontario are deeply concerned about the possible environmental damage that could occur to Antler/Thames River should the Line 9 pipeline rupture where it crosses this once protected waterway. The Line 9 pipeline is over forty years old and was never purposed to transport the heavy and toxic diluted bitumen that it is now authorized to carry. 

Many of us in Southwestern Ontario do not want to see the repeat of tragedy that occurred near Kalamazoo Michigan just over five years ago when the Line 6B pipeline ruptured, spilling diluted bitumen into the Kalamazoo River. The Line 9 pipeline was built at the same time, and was built with the same materials and safeguards as Line 6B. We wouldn’t want to see the same devastating result here in Canada, and would hold your two new London MPs responsible should they not heed our warnings and work to stop this accident waiting to happen. It isn't a matter of if it happens – it's when.  

The good people of Southwestern Ontario would love to open up a dialogue with a representative of your government to see if we could come up with alternatives to seeing the start of diluted bitumen – dilbit - being transported through this pipeline. We would love to see if we could come up with new ways to power Canada’s prosperity, without destroying the environmental treasure that is Southwestern Ontario. 

Yours in hope,

Council of Canadians London Chapter http://www.londoncouncilofcanadians.ca/

Open Letter to Federal Candidates in the London, Ontario Area re Proportional Representation

Dear Candidate: 

Londoners need to hear about your support for a more proportional voting system. 

Last month, 530 academics, including over 30 Canada Research Chairs, signed an open letter calling on the parties to implement a more proportional voting system.

Supporters of a proportional system for Canada are almost unanimously in agreement that a made-in-Canada, proportional solution means we keep local representation, and all candidates face the voters. PR is not one system, it’s a principle - that no matter where you live, your vote should count, and that 39% of the vote should earn roughly 39% of the seats. The last ten Canadian commissions to study the question have recommended PR and 50 year of evidence from around the world strongly correlates proportional systems with higher voter turnout, policies which better reflect voters, stable governments and better representation for women. 

Party policy on electoral reform is already well known and does not need repeating. What Londoners need to hear now is your personal commitment to advocate for a more proportional voting system if you are elected on October 19. 

Many Londoners will be voting for change on October 19: you and your party stand to benefit from that trend. However that change will not be complete unless we also get a proportional voting system as part of electoral reform as well.  

We need your help to “make every vote count” in future elections. We would like to communicate your personal position on Proportional Representation to our organization’s supporters. Please communicate your position on this important issue to us at your earliest convenience.

Sincerely, 

Meg Borthwick, Robert Cory, Roberta Cory, Geoff Crealock, Margo Does, David Heap, Celeste Lemire, Paula Marcotte, Julie Picken-Cooper, and Aldous Smith 

on behalf of the Council of Canadians, London Chapter

Monthly Meeting January 8, 2015: LeadNow and Fair Vote: featured speakers, Lorna Cairns and German Gutierrez

German Gutierrez

Thursday 
January 8, 2015
6:30 pm
London Public Library
Landon Branch
167 Wortley Rd.
London, Ontario


Martha Bishop Room 

DEMOCRACY IN CANADA: 
FAIR ELECTIONS AND ELECTORAL REFORM 

Our focus from January through March will be on election issues. The Jan. 8th meeting will feature presentations from LeadNow and from Fair Vote Canada, followed by Q & A with the audience. Bring your election questions for these expert speakers and expect a lively, informative event. Donations are welcome. 

6:30 Coffee, tea, snacks (bring something to share) and social 

7:00 Business, reports and announcements 

7:15 Speakers: Lorna Cairns, LeadNow and German Gutierrez, Fair Vote Canada 

FRAGRANCE FREE EVENT! Please be respectful of attendees who have serious allergies! All are welcome! Free! Refreshments! Donations accepted gratefully! 

Roberta 519-601-2053 (Questions, bus routes, ride pool). 

Details: 

Lorna Cairns, LeadNow: 

Leadnow.ca is an independent advocacy organization dedicated to achieving progress through democracy. They bring Canadians together to build a stronger democracy that protects our environment, creates economic opportunity, increases equality, and guarantees universal health care. 

1.) Leadnow supporters across Canada had indicated that defeating Harper in 2015 is the highest priority. 

2.) Leadnow sent in one of their full time staffers to facilitate a meeting to introduce the Leadnow voting strategy to Londoners on December 8. The meeting was a great success and the rest will be history! 

German Gutierrez, Fair Vote Canada: 

From the website:
www.fairvote.ca 

“Fair Vote Canada (FVC) is a grassroots multi-partisan citizens’ campaign for voting system reform. We promote the introduction of an element of proportional representation into elections for all levels of government and throughout civil society.” 

As a local representative for Fair Vote Canada, German Gutierrez-Sanin will be speaking on proportional representation. German is a journalist; a member of the Inter-American Press Association; a Professor at Fanshawe College – School of Language and Liberal Studies; a social activist and former NDP candidate in the Riding of London North Centre for the 2011 Federal Election. He currently sits as a member of the Central Council of the London and Middlesex Local Immigration Partnership (LMLIP) of which he has been a member since its creation in 2010.

----------------------------------------

Minutes of our last monthly business meeting:
http://londoncouncilofcanadians.ca/LondonCoCMeetingMinutes.pdf
(Our last monthly meeting on Nov. 6 had no business component. Our AGM was held on Nov. 28.)

Monthly Meeting October 9, 2014: featured speaker, Sean Quigley

Thursday October 9, 2014
6:30 pm
London Public Library
Landon Branch
167 Wortley Rd.
London, Ontario

Martha Bishop Room 

FRAGRANCE FREE EVENT! Please be respectful of attendees who have serious allergies! 

All are welcome! Free! Refreshments! 
Donations to the coffee fund accepted gratefully! 

After meet and greet and a short business meeting, 

SEAN QUIGLEY

Executive Director of Emerging Leaders London Community Network, 

will speak on 

“Where Did All Our Talent Go?”

followed by Q&A. 

"The focus of the talk will be an overview of the Economics of SWO, The Talent Drain in London, and the Inability of traditional institutions to engage with the 20 to 44 year old demographic. London has been going through a shift in economics and demographics over the last 6 years. With the huge loss of employment in our city, the mass exodus of the 20 to 44 year old demographic, and the inability of traditional clubs and institutions to resonate with this group. there is a looming choice for London. Will we look continue to look to the past or create a modern future?"

Minutes of our last monthly meeting: http://londoncouncilofcanadians.ca/LondonCoCMeetingMinutes.pdf

October Agenda 
6:30 - 7:00 coffee, tea, snacks, social 
7:00 - 7:30 Business: Reports and Coming events 
Chair - Roberta Cory - National CoC Conference and AGM in Hamilton 
Website/social media - Rory 
Trade Justice - Jennifer - report on Anti CETA action 
Cinema Politica - Paula M. - "Finding Dawn” November 10, Central Library 
Water - Julie - Saturday, Oct. 18, Kairos sponsored conference “Downstream” 
Health - Jeff - Wed. Oct. 15, 6:00 pm Fox and Fiddle 
Energy - Roberta - Global Frackdown on Saturday, Oct. 11 
Food Security - Pollinator Sanctuary London - Margo 
OPAL actions - every Friday at 2:00 pm - call Roberta 519-601-2053 if going 
Peace - David and Paula - Friday, Oct. 10, 5:00 pm Vigil at Victoria Park 
Tabling - “Voices” event - Goodwill Building - Saturday, Oct. 18, volunteers needed London CoC AGM announcement - Jessie C., Committee Chair - Friday, November 28, 2014 
Democracy - Fair Elections and Proportional Representation 

7:30 - 8:30 Speaker: Sean Quigley - The London We Want: “Where Did All Our Talent Go?” Q and A 

8:30 - AGM committee - meet with Jessie C.
8:45 - Cleanup volunteers needed to get out by 9:00 pm November meeting - AGM

September Monthly Meeting of the London Chapter of the Council of Canadians

Documentary film: "KOCH BROTHERS EXPOSED"

Thursday September 11, 2014 at 6:00 pm - 8:45 pm in  Landon Branch, London Public Library, 167 Wortley Road,  Martha Bishop Room.

The September Monthly Meeting of the London Chapter of the Council of Canadians starts at 6:00 pm; the film starts at 7:30 pm. 

All are welcome! Free! Refreshments! 

Donations accepted gratefully! 

Minutes of our June 16, 2014 Monthly Meeting:
http://londoncouncilofcanadians.ca/LondonCoCMeetingMinutes.pdf

"We've reissued Koch Brothers Exposed in an updated version, Koch Brothers Exposed: 2014 Edition, to shine a light on them. We've delved even deeper into where their money is going, who their money is hurting, and how much they are making..."
http://www.bravenewfilms.org/koch2014

Anti-Harper Demonstration: Anonymous Report from the Marconi Club, May 2, 2014

Conservative "Volunteer" confronting anti-Harper demonstrators

Report on the Conservatives 3rd year anniversary party from the Marconi Club: In the line up there were some people who threw disgust at the protest but even more of them felt uncomfortable and nervous in the line so the protest had some effect. No microphones for questions from the audience and I have never seen so many RCMP and local police at an event in London before. They had what appeared to be the Western Conservative Club (Hitler Youth) on the stage behind where Harper spoke so the cameras could film the youngest Conservative contingent even though the crowd was predominantly 50+. They did however have the creme of London's political, business, academic and even members of London's non profit agencies there. 

Harper was way late in getting started, and he spoke, thankfully, for only about twenty minutes. What he didn't talk about was more interesting than he did talk about which are the Con's faithful, a strong stable economy, safer streets, etc. He did drone on about the economy but he never mentioned the oil and gas industry at all. He talked about making strong and preserving things for the future but he only gave one line to the environment in the way of preserving Canada's park system, the rest of the night was made up on the Con's talking points and the fact that the opposition fought him on all of the "great" things the Con's have done for Canada during this session. When he talked about the opposition he only talked about the NDP Party as a whole but Justin Trudeau only for the Liberals. 

He wanted the Party faithful to keep working for the Party but I am surprised he never mentioned anything about money for the next election. I would have figured that would have been the time to try and get those purses and wallets loosen up but I expect massive amounts of follow up requests. 

Harper's biggest round of applause was for his support for Israel against Arab terrorists (his words) and second biggest was for his support for the Ukraine. It seems that Cons believe everything western news outlets broadcast or publish.

For a news story on the demonstration click here.

London CoC Steering Committee

The following members of the Steering Committee for the London Chapter were elected at our AGM on November 25, 2013:

Roberta Cory, Chapter Chair:

Roberta joined the CoC in 2001 and was active on the Water Committee of the London Chapter. From 2005 to 2010 she was on the Board of the Victoria, BC Chapter as Membership Chair. She was instrumental in restarting the London Chapter in 2010 and has devoted a large portion of her life since then towards Trade Justice, Water, and Mining Justice issues.

Masoud Karimi, Treasurer:

Former bookkeeper and Math teacher.

Aldous Smith, Secretary:

Aldous became a Council of Canadians member in 2012. As well as attending rallies, writing letters and helping create advertising and C of C booths for various events, he has worked as the designated printer and editor for the London chapter. He has two Masters degrees from Western, and he is a published author and literary critic.

David Heap, Media & Communications Chair:

Associate professor (French & Linguistics) at Western and father of two, David has served in the past as Peace & Social Justice chair for the London Chapter of the Council of Canadians. He is also active locally with People for Peace London, and the Latin American Canadian Solidarity Association (LACASA), and nationally / internationally with the Canadian Boat to Gaza / Gaza's Ark campaign (endorsed by the Council of Canadians). He has often acted as media spokesperson for different causes, and has published widely on e.g. rabble.ca, among other places.

Geoff Crealock, Membership Chair:

Geoff has served over the past three years as Membership Chair.

Robert Cory (“Rory”), Website/Social Media Admin:

Retired professor at Western. Member since 2001. Webmaster for the Victoria, BC Chapter 2006-2010. Website/Social Media Admin for the London, ON Chapter since 2011.

Upcoming Events

It is going to be busy season for events and meetings, both for Council events and events that many of our members that are active in. I will provide you with only of the many events that I know of that are coming. I will be quite willing to create many more updates for our members if anyone has an event they would like promoted. The first one starts later today:

September 24th @ 1:00PM Victoria Park Bandshell: London Rally for support of Tarek Loubani and John Greyson. There is a concurring rally happening in Montreal as well. There are also transportation provided for people providing they can get to University Hospital on Perth Drive and or Victoria Hospital, in front of the B Tower on Base Line Rd. E. by 12:30PM. For more details, check on Facebook or do a web search.

September 25th @ 7:00PM Vitali Student Lounge, Kings University College 266 Epworth Ave: A video and a discussion with its director on Why Professors Can't Tell You The Truth About 9/11. Should make for thought provoking insights into the world. Free admission and free parking. For more information contact Ed Corrigan 519 439-4015 

September 27th @ 11:00 AM 148 Fullarton Street: Tell Fortune Minerals: Get Out of the Sacred Headwaters. Fortune Minerals is a London based resource company that is planning to remove a mountain top in B.C. to exploit the coal reserves there. The B.C. Government did not work with the Tahltan Nation, where this mountain resides. Any mining there has the potential of destroying three rivers and the way of life of the Tahltan Nation. This is not how we want London Companies to do business. 148 Fullarton St. is the head office of Fortune Minerals. 

September 28th @ 10:00 AM Queens Park ( Western Fair Grounds behind the Western Fair Market ): The Local Organized Organic Knowledge or L.O.O.K. Fest. An all day event providing you with new knowledge and just plain good feelings. For details, check Facebook or contact Jennifer Chestnut. 

After the L.O.O.K. Fest, a nice drive might be in order for : September 28th @7:00PM Bayfield Town Hall: Our own Maude Barlow will be speaking. The topic will be The Great Lakes will need Great Friends. This is the same topic that Maude spoke about last year in London but I am sure that there will be new material covered including some discussion of her new book Blue Future and she will be signing copies of her other books Blue Covenant and Blue Gold. Admission $25.00. If there is enough interest we might be able to arrange some car pooling. Contact me at 519 872-0008 or rmorley1@sympatico.ca to see what we can do. 

October 8th @ 7:00PM General Room Tolpuddle CO-OP 380 Adelaide St. N. ( across from the London Police Station ): The London Chapter of the Council of Canadian's first monthly meeting. This is still very much an open meeting with discussions of past and future events. If any member would like to discuss a certain issue or promote an event from one of their other groups, contact me at 519 872-0008 or rmorley1@sympatico.ca to have your information added to the agenda. More information about our AGM in November will be discussed as well. 

November 5th @ 5:00PM Victoria Park: Million Mask March. People from around the world are gathering that day ( Guy Fawkes Day) to remind the world what it has forgotten. That fairness, justice and freedom are more than just words. People are gathering at 5:00PM and a march is happening at 6:00PM. Anonymous masks will be provided for those who attend. This is not a protest because you are not allowed to cover your face anymore in Canada if you are protesting. Search for Million Mask March- London Ontario on Facebook for more information. 

November 15th @ 9:00AM More information to follow. The CoC has been asked to take part in the OPSEU youth day discussing Water is a Human Right. We will be talking for 45mins to a an hour about water issues. I will add more details about this event shortly but I would welcome assistance from some of our more passionate members about water to assist me in preparing our discussion and in having a table for information about water and our initiatives contact me at 519 872-0008 or rmorley1@sympatico.ca 

November 25th @ 7:00PM ( Tentative date): The London Chapter's Annual General Meeting. More details to come very soon about this night. Elections for the Chapter's executives will occur that night. Please see our bylaws (next blog post) for more information and duties of each position. 

That is all for now but more information will be coming soon about the future dates. If you have an event that you would like to promote to the Chapter's members, please feel free to contact me. I still want top hear from members on ways that we can improve the Chapter. This is your Chapter. Help me to help all of us in making this a more relevant force across the region. 

Sincerely 

Rod Morley, Facilitator

NOTICE OF ANNUAL GENERAL MEETING

London Chapter Council of Canadians
London, Ontario, Canada
Date: Monday, November 12, 2012
Place: Lamplighter Best Western, 591 Wellington Road South 
Time: 5:00 PM registration & verification of member credentials
5:30 PM AGM
6:30 PM Reception
7:00PM Dinner

8:00PM Speaker is Briana Blencowe “Human Trafficking”
Followed by a Question and Answer Period
9:30PM Adjourn

Agenda:
http://londoncouncilofcanadians.ca/LondonChapterAGMAgenda2012.pdf

(NOTE: "Verification of member credentials" refers to VERBAL verification that you are a member. You may have to sign a sheet stating that you are a member, but you will not show any card or any other piece of paper.)

Poster:

http://londoncouncilofcanadians.ca/LondonChapterAGMposter2012.pdf

Human Trafficking Speaker Nov 12

For Immediate Release
October 30, 2012
Human Trafficking
Right here in London Ontario

November 12, 8 pm, come learn more from Briana Blencowe and her associate, a victim of the crime, when the London Chapter of the Council of Canadians present “Human Trafficking”.

As Briana explains, “I was thrilled when asked to speak at the London Council of Canadians Chapter Annual General meeting as their views for Canadian independence; promotion of policies on fair trade and action for justice is something I support. The fact that Council of Canadians attempts to place social issues in the spotlight is just what is needed when it comes to the problem of Human Trafficking in Canada.”

Human trafficking effects upwards of 25 million and is viewed as an international problem, still it lives right here in London Ontario. The United Nations reported in 2006 that an estimated global annual profit of 3.1billions dollars US making human trafficking the second most profitable organized crime.

Join us on November 12 at the Lamplighter Inn to learn more about this seemingly invisible crime right before our very eyes.

You are invited to join us for any or all portions of the evening. Please RSVP to Louise Hollingsworth (519) 679-0765. Tickets are also available at the East Village Coffeehouse, 785 Dundas St. Dinner tickets include a complimentary copy of Maude Barlow’s book "The Great Lakes Commons".

London Chapter of the Council of Canadians Annual General Meeting
Lamplighter Best Western, 591 Wellington Road
Monday November 12, 2012

5:30 pm ►Meeting
7 pm ►Dinner and Speaker— $40 includes book
8 pm ►Speaker only—free will donation

For more information on the Council of Canadians you can visit their website at: http://www.canadians.org/

For more information on the event contact Louise Hollingsworth 519-679-0765
Council of Canadians, London Chapter

Who's Running in Your Riding?

http://www.londoncommunitynews.com/2011/09/do-you-know-whos-running-in-your-riding/

All Candidates Meetings for 2011 Ontario Provincial Election

Check here for announcements of all candidates meetings as we find out about them!

3:30 p.m. Thursday September 8, 2011 at Kiwanis Seniors Centre, 78 Riverside Dr. "The Council for London Seniors hosts London's first all-candidates meeting of the Ontario election campaign. Come out and hear where candidates from all parties stand on the issues that are important to you."

All candidate's meeting/ healthcare debate, London North Center Riding

Tuesday, September 27 · 7:00pm - 10:00pm

AB Lucas Secondary School 656 Tennent Ave London Ontario
Best to get there an hour early. Very limited parking.

Health Care Rally in Toronto

"Rally to Safeguard Public Health Care for People Not for Profit" Tuesday Sept. 13, 2011, 12 noon, Queen's Park, Toronto:

http://londoncouncilofcanadians.ca/HealthCareRallyPoster.pdf

CAW Local 27 is graciously offering seats and a meal on the bus to all activists interested in attending the Toronto Health Care rally on September 13th. Call 519-455-3430 to reserve a seat. A free meal will be served on the bus, which leaves London at 8:45am.

Ontario Health Coalition Provincial Tabloid

"Everything You Ever Wanted to Know About Health Care and Taxes", a publication from the Ontario Health Coalition:

http://londoncouncilofcanadians.ca/OntarioHealthCoalitionProvincialTabloid.pdf

Letter from Maude Barlow on the recent election

Friends,

The 2011 federal election was historic in many ways and most of us are still trying to process the outcome. It is crucial that we pause to reflect on its meaning and think carefully about the next steps we must take.

While it is true that the remarkable surge in support for the NDP means a more dependable progressive voice in the House of Commons than we have had for years, it is equally true that the most socially and economically right-wing government perhaps in Canadian history has just won a substantial majority in the House and - along with their control of the Senate - is now free to implement its agenda even if every member of every other party votes against it.

The Harper Conservatives are now free to:

- cut corporate taxes and transfer payments;

- go after public services, public sector workers and public pensions;

- allow the growth of private health services to undermine Medicare in the lead-up to the expiry of the Canada Health Accord in 2014;

- vigorously promote more unregulated free trade agreements like the Canada–European Union CETA, that will drastically curtail the democratic rights of local governments to promote local economic development, local resource sovereignty, or local food production;

- kill the Canadian Wheat Board;

- fast track the security perimeter deal with the United States that will violate the civil liberties of Canadians and give away crucial pieces of our sovereignty;

- kill the long-gun registry;

- continue to decimate environmental regulations, under fund source water protection, promote dirty energy projects such as the tar sands, gas fracking and Arctic oil and gas drilling, while ignoring the rights of nature;

- and spend our money on military equipment and prisons we don’t need and don’t want.

This means we at the Council of Canadians and civil society in general have our work cut out for us as never before

However, there are important signs of hope. The Harper Conservatives do not have the support of the majority of Canadians. Almost 40% of eligible Canadian voters did not cast a ballot in the election and of those who did, fully 60% voted for parties other than the Conservatives. This means that over two-thirds of Canadians who were eligible to vote did not cast a vote for the Harper agenda.

As well, the presence of an opposition with a clear progressive agenda on trade, social and environmental justice and public services will create the opportunity for unparalleled (until now) collaboration between Members of Parliament and progressive civil society. While we have had good working relationships with some Liberal MPs on some issues, how frustrating it was to see the Liberals side with the Conservatives on signing trade deals with corrupt and criminal regimes in Peru and Colombia. Further, the election of the first Green Party member, Elizabeth May, will open the door for an environmental debate and dialogue too long missing from the House of Commons

And, as Council of Canadians trade campaigner Stuart Trew reminds us, we have fought battles against both majority and minority governments before and won. Unfair deals such as the Multilateral Agreement on Investment and the Security and Prosperity Partnership were defeated by popular protest. Unfair trade deals are fought and won outside Parliament, in the court of public opinion, he points out. It was also public pressure that stopped Canadian troops from being sent to Iraq. Similarly, no matter how much Stephen Harper dislikes public health care (and is on record in his preference for private health services), he can go only so far in his dismantling of Medicare, so deeply loved and fiercely protected is this most important of Canadian social programs. And let Harper try to open the doors for commercial export of our water and see how far he gets!

In other words, this country and its values still belongs to the people. As our director of development, Jamian Logue, says, “Neither our democratic responsibilities nor our democratic opportunities ended on May 2. Democracy is a 24/7 pursuit. We have the right and responsibility to act beyond the ballot box.”

What is needed now is a coming together of progressive forces in civil society and the labour movement as never before in our country’s history. Social and trade justice groups, First Nations people, labour unions, women, environmentalists, faith-based organizations, the cultural community, farmers, public health care coalitions, front line public sector workers, and many others must come together to protect and promote the values that the majority of Canadians hold dear. And we must work with, and demand the active representation of, the opposition forces in the House of Commons. In particular, the NDP must oppose the Harper agenda with the full weight of its new power and the Liberals must redeem themselves by working alongside the NDP in defending the interests of the people of Canada.

As the old union saying goes, “Don’t mourn – organize!”. The Harper majority is unfortunately really due to our “first past the post” system. (An American friend writes that he and his colleagues are having trouble understanding how Stephen Harper is Prime Minister with way less than half the votes in Canada. This reminds us of the urgency to promote proportional representation.)

But support for the Harper agenda is paper-thin, as most Canadians do not share the values of this agenda. This then is our task: to work hard over the next four years to protect the laws, rights and services that generations of Canadians have fought for from being dismantled; fight the corporate-friendly, anti-environmental, security obsessed agenda that will come at us; and prepare the way for the kind of government in four years that does in fact, express the will of the people – one with an agenda of justice and respect, of care for the earth, of the more equitable sharing of our incredible bounty.

This will be hard work and will take a great deal of courage and commitment. But really, what more important thing do we have to do?

Maude Barlow

Chairperson

The Council of Canadians