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Tuesday, February 11, 2014

London Council of Canadians- ACTIONS AND UPDATES

Hello activists -

What a good turnout at last night's meeting,  Monday Feb. 10th.  Thank you all for coming out in the cold to create a critical mass for the CoC here in London.  Thank you Jessie and others for the snacks!!  

You will be receiving the minutes from our secretary, Aldous Smith. It will be complete and accurate with names, contact information, etc. The minutes of all past meetings are posted on the website and on Facebook so you can check them anytime if you have missed a meeting.

We have eight issues, campaigns, or areas of activism going right now!!!  We need you to pick one issue or campaign and let us know that we can count on you for a few hours of your time. Every one of these issues is vital so that we do not sleep through the gradual takeover of Democracy by the Harper government and its corporate agenda. 

Trade Justice London presented the main topic of the evening, with an action which followed.  Marie France, who represents LACASA (Latin American-Canadian Solidarity Association) is working with TJL because of LACASA's history in opposing previous attempts by powerful corporations to control Latin America through trade agreements. She and Aldous shared the strategies of successful campaigns which defeated past trade agreements.  Their work continues towards opposing CETA and the TPP. 

Jeff and Shirley are asking London to be one of the cities to kick off the new push back against privatization of health services. It will involve door to door campaigning. We have to let them know if we have the people to turn out to do this. 

Celeste and Margo are really working hard on the food security issue by campaigning against neonics and pesticides used on nursery plants that make them unhealthy for our pollinators. They have succeeded in getting a grower of non GM seed nominated to the city Agricultural  Advisory Committee. All the rest of the members are main stream farmers, so this is a big step. TREA's program Thursday at Grosvenor Lodge is about neonics. Food Not Lawns is also involved in this issue. 
Topic: Neonicotinoid Pesticides - Why Can't we Just STOP?
Presenter: Maureen Temme
Date: February 13, 2014
Time: 7:00 - 8:30 pm
Location: Grosvenor Lodge, 1017 Western Road

For more information call: 519-685-2845

The Solidarity Film Coalition, which meets every Tuesday at the Central Library near the Red Roaster, is completing plans for the April 4,5, and 6 "Water Rights" film festival at Museum London.  The three main films are Blue Gold, Waterlife, and Bottled Life with shorter films, speakers, and a "Water Walk" event for families and children. 

George Crowell has informed us about changes in the strategy to switch to greater use of the Bank of Canada. We will hear more about this campaign at our next steering committee meeting.

The Regional Social Forum is meeting at Tolpuddle Saturday, Feb. 15, 1-3. The CoC is involved in several components of this important movement. The Forum will be in London at the end of June or beginning of July. The National Social Forum will be in Ottawa the end of August. This is about the survival of Democracy and the demise of the Harper agenda of corporate rule. We will have busses leaving from London so that many of us can join the rally in Ottawa. 

David is planning the next CoC program around Gaza's Ark. We will keep you posted on the date and the program - please keep both Monday, March 17 and Tues. March 18 open - we will pick the date shortly. 

Julie has started an  Environmental Book Club the first and third Thursdays, 7-9,  at the Landon Library. The first meeting will be Thursday, March 6. The focus will be environmental/social issues around the world. Bring books and or titles you have read and would recommend to others. 

We are supporting the Opal Alliance in solidarity with the Oxford Coalition for Social Justice by joining the rally every Friday at 3:00 pm against the proposed Walker Landfill. We meet at 193 Duchess Ave. (Wortley Village) at 2:00 pm and ride pool to the rally location in Ingersoll, Woodstock, or at the gates to the Beachville Quarry. 510-601-2053 for a ride. 

The April meeting (date to be announced) will be a costume and prop making party. Creative work with music and laughter.  Most  materials will be provided (you will get a list of contributions you can bring). We will use our creations in our First Annual Earth Day Parade and will store them to use in future rallies and campaigns. 

The steering committee (open to those taking leadership in any of our campaigns) will be meeting soon.  If you are interested in becoming more involved let us know. 

TALK TO YOUR FRIENDS - SEND THIS TO YOUR CONTACTS - SHARE THIS WITH GROUPS YOU ARE INVOLVED WITH - THERE IS LOTS OF WORK TO DO AND IT IS MORE FUN WITH LESS STRESS WHEN THERE ARE MORE OF US DOING IT!! 

Roberta Cory, Chair
Council of Canadians, London Chapter

Wednesday, February 5, 2014

FREE or FAIR? The Trade Justice Movement!


You Are Invited
To a Presentation by

Trade Justice London

The Global Trade Justice Movement: 
Past Successes and Future Possibilities

Jennifer Chesnut, Chair
Trade Justice London
Council of Canadians
Council of Canadians
London Chapter

When:   Monday, February 10, 2014

Where:  Tolpuddle Co-op general room
380 Adelaide between Dundas and King

Time:  6:30 - 9:00 pm
Finger food, coffee, tea


Networking and Action Plans

This is a FRAGRANCE FREE event.

Bus goes down Dundas - questions - need a ride - 519 - 601 - 2053


Background:  Since the late 80's, trade deals have increasingly become the dominant model of inter-country governance. Written behind closed doors, trade justice action is a challenge ripe for those who care about water, poverty, food sovereignty, public services, culture and democracy. Learn about the successes in the trade justice movement from the MAI to the FTAA, and creative strategies past and present for educating and pressuring for fairer trade.


Council of Canadians, London Chapter   -   Agenda
Monday, Feb. 10,  2014 - 6:30 - 9:00 pm 

Tolpuddle Co-op general room (380 Adelaide between Dundas and King)

6:30 - 6:45 coffee, tea, finger food
Bring a plate of something to share if you can

1) BUSINESS - Reports and updates


Treasurer - Masoud Karimi
Trade Justice - Jennifer Chesnut 
Solidarity Film Coalition - Marie France 
Peace and Human Rights - David Heap 
Health - Jeff Hanks
Food Security - Celeste
Report on Birdbone Theatre - Roberta
Walker Landfill Protest every Friday - Roberta
Fundraising
services auction - Celeste 
Hyland film night - Roberta

2) Announcements

Gaza's Ark <info@gazaark.org>  Supporting Gaza
Paul Ferris, SumOfUs.org <us@sumofus.org>  Info on the TPP and actions to take
Oppose the "Fair Elections Art" which is NOT FAIR
"Hold the phone! Call for democracy"  12:30 pm today
Sign our Democracy 24/7 petition<http://www.canadians.org/election/letter-to-Harper.html> now, as we will be delivering the petition to Craig Scott, NDP Democratic Reform Critic, on Monday afternoon on Parliament Hill.

As part of the delivery, we're inviting people from Ottawa to join us on Parliament Hill for a mass phone-in to Conservative MPs asking them not to ram this legislation through without further thought and study. People across the country can also participate by phoning an MP from wherever they are. Start time is 12:30 PM. Craig Scott will be arriving to accept the petitions at 1:00 PM.
3) GLOBAL TRADE JUSTICE MOVEMENT: PAST SUCCESSES AND FUTURE POSSIBILITIES
    Program and action to follow

4) BREAKOUT GROUPS AND NETWORKING - FIND YOUR PASSION - PICK AN ISSUE

50 NEXT MEETING - Monday, March 17, 2014 - Tolpuddle - 6:30 to 9:00.
THE BOAT FROM GAZA - David Heap

Bus goes down Dundas. Ride pooling - offer a ride or need a ride - 519-601-2053

Meeting Minutes, Jan. 13, 2014
Present: Roberta Cory, Robert Cory, Aldous Smith, David Heap, Jennifer Chesnut, Masoud Karimi, Jeff Hanks, Julie Picken-Cooper, Anne Dyer, Jessie Hanke, Rod Morley, Celeste Lemire, Paula Marcotte, Christine Troughton, Kathy Clee, Phil Butterworth, Bryan Smith, Steve McSwiggan, Suzanne Crellin, Mike Farlowe, Deb Woodhall, Monika Rauche, Bill Smith, Jodi von Wahl, Susan Smith.
Agenda
BUSINESS
a) Reports and updates

  •   Treasurer - Masoud Karimi: updated C of C accounts.
  •   Trade Justice - Jennifer Chesnut
o NAFTA closing factories, creating insecurity for jobs. 500,000 jobs lost since 1994.
o Outlined Our Intercontinental Day of Trade Justice Action, on Feb 1st. 20th anniversary
of NAFTA.
o Please connect with us if you have a network you can help with. Walk begins at noon; and movie at 2pm.
o Initiative for City Hall motion on CETA. Modelled on Toronto’s request for opt out and vote to Kathylnn Wynne. This will be ongoing through Jan/Feb.
Solidarity Film Coalition - Marie France
o Report by Paula Marcotte: Museum London co-sponsoring. April 5th and 6th. Theme
will be all water.
Peace and Human Rights - David Heap
o Regional People’s Social Forum, Central Library 1-5pm. Working towards peaceful social forum in August cross-Canada
o Prison Justice Film Festival showing around London from January 29th to February 2nd.
  •   Willexplore:connectionsbetw.IndigenousandPalestinianstruggles
  •   Immigration/detention/security certificates (current strike at Lindsay Detention Centre
  •   Effects of Residential Schools on Turtle Island, and connections to prisons
  •   QueerandTrans.prisoners
  •   Warondrugsandusers
  •   PoliticalprisonersinLatinAmerica
  •   Illegal and inhumane treatment of Omar Khadr
  •   TherewillbeaMarchmonthlymeetingaboutGaza’sArk
Health - Jeff Hanks
o Making Waves campaign in Windsor Jeff will update when info. available
o The federal health accord is running out in March. Conservatives have said they will peg spending to 3% of GDP which means about 36 billion in cuts planned. Harper said would keep escalator payments for a few years but has reneged and is refusing to give about 600 million promised.
o Ontario liberals passing legislation to allow LHINs (Local Health Integration Networks) to take cataract surgery and endoscopy out of hospitals and offer it in private clinics. This is seen as a move to privatize services and will lead to closure of rural and community hospitals as more and more services are offered in clinics. Necessary to try to stop them by mobilizing people.
Water Committee
o Roberta: We have no water committee. Need to discuss this and bring a group togther. On breakout, cards from Maude’s visit circulated, to get momentum for inititatives to go with.
Related issues that could be addressed by Water committee: Conservation; The RIGHTS of water, legal protection; Education about water issues - Blue Communities Project; Fracking and aquifers



f) NEXT
o o o
Charlie Angus’ book Unlikely Radicals – on the mine dump war.
Penn Kemp’s book in memory of Jack Layton. $25:00, $5 of which goes to C of C Tailings of Warren Peace, $20:00
 
Bee issue and neonicotinoids headed up by Celeste and Margo. They approached city hall for ban on neos, but no go. Work continues apace.
OPAL Presentation: Steve McsSwiggan, Suzanne Crellin , Bryan Smith, gave compelling and informative presentation on the proposed Ingersoll Dump.
o “Located adjacent to Ingersoll, Centreville, and Beachville, the proposed Walker Industries mega-landfill would occupy a section of Carmeuse Lime's quarry operation and is planned to be the 4th largest landfill in Canada” -- opalalliance.ca
o Next protest Beachville Rd and Embro Rd. [See ‘Stop the Dump’ on FB] o See also: www.opalalliance.ca
o For similar information, see movie, Trashed, by Jeremy Irons.
Fundraising Initiatives discussed. o Celeste - Services auction
Servicesdonated,fromgardeningtolawyerdonatingawill.LasttimeCeleste was part of Services fund raiser, netted over $6,000.
o David Heap - Hyland film night
David is talking with Ali (Mgr. of Hyland); Roberta will follow up.
Roberta introduced books
Birdbone Theatre, doing Line 9 work. Coming to Woodstock and Feb 2-3 at East Village Coffee House
MEETING - Monday, February 10, 2014 - Tolpuddle - 6:30 to 9:00.