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Friday, March 22, 2013

World Water Day Forum

Saturday March 23rd World Water Day event-
9:00AM to 3:00PM in the Stevenson and Hunt Room of the Central Library
Speakers include:
The CoC's own Louise Hollingsworth
Barry Orr - City of London
Maryanne MacDonald - Waste Free World
City of London spokesperson for the Urban Watershed
Steve Sauder of the Upper Thames River Conservation Authority
Dr Slobodan Simonovic - Chair of Engineering Institute of Catastrophic Loss Reduction

FREE OF CHARGE (donations welcome)


World Water Day Event Media Release 

The London Chapter of the Council of Canadians welcomes all to our World Water Day event, held on Saturday March 23rd – In the Stevenson and Hunt Room of the Central London Public Library from 9:00AM to 3:00PM.
Speakers Include:
The Council’s own Louise Hollingsworth – Speaking about The Water Cycle and how it affects vegetation. She will also be providing information on ReForest London.
The City of London’s Planning, Environmental and Engineering Services for Wastewater Treatment Operations ‘ Barry Orr – Providing a great audio/visual display about what Londoners are putting down their drains.
Maryanne MacDonald from Waste Free World – Discussing why we need to turn away from bottled water.
From the Upper Thames River Conservation Authority, Steve Sauder – Talking about the health of the Thames River Watershed and about the Authority’s efforts to maintain the health of the Watershed.
Ending the day with Dr. Slobodan Simonovic, the Chair of Engineering for the Institute of Catastrophic Loss Prevention - From Water Conflict to Water Cooperation - A Systems Approach. How to solve conflicts resulting from the sharing of water between different stakeholders.
His talk will be a very topical discussion considering the current condition of our Great Lakes.

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For more information please contact:
Rod Morley
rmorley1@sympatico.ca
519 872-0008

Wednesday, March 6, 2013

Mining Justice Speaking Tour

“Water is more precious than Gold”

Photos from the event: click here!


Backgrounder

From the organizer:

"With the support from organizations like the Council of Canadians, Mining Watch Canada, KAIROS, The United Church of Canada, The Natural Resources [Council] of Maine, B.T.S., and SALVaide among others, Salvadoran Activists will be speaking on the Negative Impact the Canadian Mining Industry has in El Salvador and other Latin American nations.

Moreover, the activists who are representative of the El Salvadoran National Roundtable Against Metallic Mining (La Mesa) an organization that is seeking, with the support from other organizations, a ban on Metallic Mining in El Salvador.

The leading effort for this event is carried out by Council of Canadians, London Chapter.

In Solidarity
Selvin Mejia"


Media and Community members Advisory
For Immediate Release
 March 6th, 2013
Speaking tour “Challenging Canada’s international mining practices” arrives next in London, ON
WHAT: Salvadoran activists will be in London, ON to garner support from the Canadian, Latin-American and other conscientious community members for a campaign to make El Salvador the first country to ban metal mining. The event is part of a continent-wide Water Is More Precious than Gold speaking tour that is raising awareness about the negative impact of Canadian mining operations on El Salvador.
WHO: The event features (Vidalina Morales and Sandra Carolina Ascencio), representative(s) from the El Salvadoran National Roundtable against Metallic Mining (the Mesa). Since 2006, the Mesa has brought together hundreds of communities and thousands of people from across El Salvador, including environmental, community-based, research, legal and religious organizations, to successfully halt mining operations in the country and to call for a ban on metal mining.
 WHEN & WHERE: The Water Is More Precious than Gold public forum in London, Ontario will be held at East London Public Library (2016 Dundas Street East - near Clarke Side Road and Dundas St. East) *** CHANGED TO ROOM 103 LABATT HALL (LH103), KINGS UNIVERSITY COLLEGE, 266 EPWORTH AVE., LONDON, ONTARIO *** on Saturday, March 16th, 2013 at 3:00pm. The tour is holding events in 20 cities across Canada and the US (full list of cities and dates below), including Vancouver, London, Guelph, Toronto, Ottawa, Peterborough, Halifax, Moncton, and Fredericton. Following the events in Canada, the speaking tour will head south to the US, with talks in Bangor, Portland, New York, Boston, New Jersey, and Washington DC.  
WHY: The speaking tour aims to build greater awareness about the issues facing El Salvador and other Latin American countries, challenge the unjust practices of Canadian, US and other mining companies, including Pacific Rim and Goldcorp, and build relationships with groups in North America, including those confronting their own local mining issues. The speaking tour will be followed by an international Fact-Finding Mission to El Salvador on May 9-13, aiming to build awareness around the dangers of mining in El Salvador.
The Mesa is also worried about possible contamination from upstream mining projects just over the border in Guatemala and Honduras. Goldcorp’s Cerro Blanco mine, for example, is located only 18 km from El Salvador in the headwaters of the Lempa River, the main source of water for over 60% of the population of El Salvador.
 The event in London, ON is led by the Council of Canadians, London Chapter - El evento en London, ON esta encabezado por el Consejo de Canadienses, sucursal London.
‘Water is More Precious than Gold’ speaking tour events

March 9                           Vancouver
March 10                         Kamloops, BC
March 11 & 12                Vancouver, BC
March 13                         Victoria, BC
March 14                         Parksville, BC
March 16                         London, ON
March 17                         Guelph, ON
March 18 & 19                Toronto, ON
March 20                         Peterborough, ON
March 21 & 22                Ottawa, ON       
March 21 & 22                Montreal, QC
March 23 & 24                 Kingston, ON
March 24 & 25                Halifax, NS/March 25 evening Mahone Bay
March 26                         Tatamagouche, NS
March 27                         Sackville/Moncton, NB
March 28                         Fredericton, NB                            
March 29                         Bangor, ME
April 1                              Augusta, ME / Portland, ME
April 2 & 3                       Boston, MA
April 3                              New Jersey, NY
April 4                              New York, NY
April 5-10                         Washington, DC


ESPAÑOL 
Aviso para los medios de comunicación y miembros de la comunidad
Comunicado Urgente
6 de Marzo de 2013
Gira de Conferencias “Desafiando las Practicas Canadienses en la Minería Internacional” llega a próximamente a London, ON


QUE: Activistas Salvadoreñas estarán en London, Ontario para adquirir apoyo e informar a la comunidad Canadiense, Latinoamericana y demás miembros de la comunidad de la campana para hacer El Salvador, el primer país en prohibir la minería metálica. El evento es parte de una gira continental nominada “El Agua es Mas Valiosa que el Oro” que esta dando a conocer el impacto negativo de las operaciones mineras Canadienses en El Salvador
QUIEN: el evento figura a Vidalina Morales y Sandra Carolina Ascencio, representantes de la Mesa Nacional contra la Minería Metálica (La Mesa). Desde el ano 2006 La Mesa ha logrado unir cientos de comunidades de base, entidades legales, organizaciones religiosas,  ambientales y de investigación , en la exitoso paro de operaciones mineras  en el país y quien llaman a una prohibición total de la minería metálica
CUANDO y DONDE: La presentación de el foro publico  “El Agua es Mas Valiosa que el Oro” en London, Ontario será llevada acabo en la Biblioteca Publica del Este de London (2016 Calle Dundas Este – cerca de la intersección Clarke Side Road y Calle Dundas Este) el Sábado 16 de Marzo de 2013 a las 3:00pm. La gira tendrá eventos en 20 ciudades a través de Canadá y los Estados Unidos (vea la lista mas abajo), que incluyen Vancouver, London, Guelph, Toronto, Ottawa, Peterborough, Halifax, Moncton, and Fredericton. Al finalizar sus presentaciones en Canadá la gira viajara hacia el sur en los Estados Unidos, con presentaciones en Bangor, Portland, New York, Boston, New Jersey y Washington D.F.
PORQUE: la gira intenta crear mas conciencia acerca de la problemática que El Salvador y otros países Latino Americanos encaran, sobre el desafío de la practicas injustas de compañías mineras canadienses y americanas entre otras que incluyen Pacific Rim y Goldcorp y la construcción de relaciones con grupos en Norte America, incluyendo esos que actualmente enfrentan problemas con su propia minería local. La gira será seguida por una misión investigativa en El Salvador durante el 9-13 de Mayo, diseñada a crear conciencia de los peligros de la minería en El Salvador.
La Mesa también esta preocupada con la posible contaminación de proyectos mineros cual están rio arriba y justo al frontera en Guatemala y Honduras. Por ejemplo, la mina “Cerro Blanco” de Goldcorp, cual esta a 18 kilómetros de El Salvador en la fuente de el Rio Lempa, la fuente principal de agua para mas del 60% de la población de El Salvador.

“El Agua es Mas Valiosa que el Oro” – Fechas y Ciudades 

Marzo 9                           Vancouver 
Marzo 10                         Kamloops, BC
Marzo 11 & 12                Vancouver, BC
Marzo 13                         Victoria, BC
Marzo 14                         Parksville, BC
Marzo 16                         London, ON
Marzo 17                         Guelph, ON
Marzo 18 & 19                Toronto, ON
Marzo 20                         Peterborough, ON
Marzo 21 & 22                Ottawa, ON       
Marzo 21 & 22                Montreal, QC
Marzo 23 & 24                Kingston, ON
Marzo 24 & 25                Halifax, NS/Marzo 25 evening Mahone Bay
Marzo 26                         Tatamagouche, NS
Marzo 27                         Sackville/Moncton, NB
Marzo 28                         Fredericton, NB                            
Marzo 29                         Bangor, ME
Abril 1                              Augusta, ME / Portland, ME
Abril 2 & 3                       Boston, MA
Abril 3                              New Jersey, NY
Abril 4                              New York, NY
Abril 5-10                         Washington, DC




Saturday, March 2, 2013

Save Our Services Health Care Rally!

40 million in cuts coming to hospitals in London Ontario and 3 billion coming province wide. Join us at the health minister's office at 242 Piccadilly st. Monday Mar 4 at 4pm for some street theatre (musical beds and chairs) and help us Save our Services. All welcome!



Photos click here