Tag Archives: Green MPP

Politics

Ont. Green Party Offers Top 10 List – It’s Easy Being Green

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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
GREEN PARTY HITS BACK WITH “IT’S EASY BEING GREEN” CAMPAIGN
Toronto, ON – Today, the Green Party of Ontario launched a campaign to dispel the myth started by Kermit the Frog, that it’s not easy being Green.

“We wanted to take this opportunity to let folks in Ontario know that it actually is easy to be Green,” said Rebecca Harrison, Director of Communications. “We know Kermit the Frog started quite the rumour, but we know that our team continues to grow as our message reaches more and more people across Ontario.”

The Green Party compiled a list of top 10 reasons why it’s easy being Green, and has started a online campaign to promote the reasons that it is easy being green. Ontarians can contribute their own reasons at Silo Direct Link To Green Party It’s Easy Being Green Webpage [1] or on Facebook Silo Direct Link To Green Party Of Ontario Facebook Page

The Green Party of Ontario’s membership has more than doubled this year, and the party is running a full slate of 107 candidates in this election.

TOP 10 REASONS WHY IT’S EASY BEING GREEN

10. We get to answer questions about Kermit the Frog at least once every four years. (More often with a minority government!)
9. There is one party that knows how important healthy local food [3] is for our families and communities.
8. Ontarians are already going green. Whether it’s recycling, buying local food or switching off lights, people in Ontario are already choosing sustainable options. It’s time for Queen’s Park to catch up.
7. Only the Green Party has a plan to reduce taxes on the things we want [4] – income and jobs, and put a price on the things we don’t want – waste, pollution and greenhouse gas emissions.
6. Birkenstocks are comfortable. Come on – you know they are!
5. The old parties have energy plans that reward energy hogs. The Green Party has a plan that saves you money by saving energy. [5]
4. Only one party is calling for an end to corporate and union political donations [6]. Corporations and unions don’t vote – people do.
3. Everyone likes the underdog! We have to work hard to earn your trust and your vote, which is why our sleeves are rolled up and we’re knocking on doors in communities across Ontario.
2. The words “Local Food”, “Mega-Quarry [7]” and “Climate Change [8]” didn’t cross the lips of the old party Leaders in the televised debate once. You know that debate, the one with no clear winner? (Or new ideas?)
1. Because even one Green MPP can make a difference at Queen’s Park. Look at Elizabeth May, Canada’s first Green MP now sitting in the House of Commons, the first Green MPs in Australia and Great Britain, and the first Green State Government in Germany.

Media Contact:
Rebecca Harrison
Director of Communications
Green Party of Ontario
(905) 999 – 5479
rebeccaharrison@gpo.ca
Sent from Green Party of Ontario
PO Box 1132
Toronto, ON M4Y 2T8
Canada

Politics

Ont. Greens Pledge: Will End Corporate And Union Election Donations

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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:

Green Party will eliminate corporate and union donations to political parties
Orangeville, Ontario – Green Party Leader Mike Schreiner (Simcoe-Grey) and Deputy Leader Rob Strang (Dufferin-Caledon) announced the Green Party’s plan to reform the Ontario electoral system to ensure that special interests take a back seat to the priorities of Ontarians.

“It takes a lot of money to run a political campaign the likes of the old line parties. Primetime advertising, a fleet of buses emblazoned with their faces – all cost money,” said Schreiner. “This type of extravagant spending has become the norm, making corporate and union donations the lifeblood of the old parties.”
The problem lies in the fact that corporations and unions don’t vote – people do. And when corporations and unions are allowed to donate, the people in them are effectively allowed to exceed the contribution limits of other individuals set by the province.
“With the province facing controversial developments that threaten farmland and clean water like the mega quarry in Melancthon, we need to ensure that the voices of Ontarians are paramount to that of developers,” added Strang.

Corporate and Union donations have been prohibited in democracies around the world including the Federal government in Canada. By ending such donations, the Green Party argues that politicians remove even the appearance of undue influence.

“Politics as usual in Ontario is not working,” concluded Schreiner.
“Only one party has the courage to change the way parties function from the campaign up. That is why we need Green MPPs at Queen’s Park.”

Your Green MPPs will: ● End corporate and union donations to political parties, candidates and campaigns in provincial and municipal elections

Media Contact: Rebecca Harrison
Director of Communications Green Party of Ontario 905-999-5479
rebeccaharrison@gpo.ca Sent from Green Party of Ontario

PO Box 1132
Toronto, ON M4Y 2T8
Canada

Links:
——
[1]
http://press.gpo.ca/http://press.gpo.ca/index.php?q=civicrm/mailing/optout&reset=1&jid=153&qid=39207&h=dda107b6bc6ee0b6

Politics

Ont. Green Party: Back-room Collaboration Excluded Us From Televised Debate

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GREEN PARTY OF ONTARIO CALLS FOR DEMOCRACY IN PROVINCIAL LEADERS’DEBATE

TORONTO, ONTARIO – Green Party of Ontario Leader, Mike Schreiner, penned an open letter to Ontarians today. Despite public outcry, the Green Party of Ontario was excluded from the provincial leader’s debate.

“I would have welcomed the chance to go head to head with the other Leaders,” says Schreiner. “As a small business owner who grew up on a farm, I know first-hand how to create jobs and responsibly manage our financial and natural resources. Greens are tackling the tough issues with straight talk and sensible, long-term solutions that need to be heard in the debate.”

The Green Party is running a full slate of 107 candidates in every riding in the province in this election. The Green Platform, released before the other parties’, tackles the major challenges facing Ontario today, with a long-term perspective that secures our children’s future.

The Green Party is clearly part of a growing global political movement that has elected officials all over the world – including seats in Germany, Britain, Australia and most recently, in Canada at the federal level with the election of Elizabeth May earlier this year. The Greens in the German state of Baden-Württemberg also formed government earlier this year, a global first.

Irrespective of the consortium’s decision to exclude the Greens in tonight’s debate support has been gaining for their inclusion in this election:

* According to an Ipsos Reid poll released on Monday, September 26, three quarters of Ontarian’s agree that the Mike Schreiner should be included in this year’s Leaders’ Debate.

* People across the political spectrum support fair and inclusive debates – municipal councillors, community leaders and members of all parties have signed a grassroots campaign ‘Mike at the Mic [1]’, started by Dave Meslin, a Toronto community activist.
* TVO has recently announced that Green Party candidates will be included in all of their election debates. This decision was made democratically according to Steve Paiken, “…after seeking input from our production team, [we] realize that the Greens had fully developed, and in some cases, quite different positions from the three mainline parties on a host of other issues as well.”
* Dozens of organizations, including the City of Mississauga, the Ontario Chamber of Commerce and the Canadian Federation of Independent Business have asked for the Green Party’s position on a wide variety of issues.

“The other parties speak about issues that area carefully calculated to gain power,” said Schreiner. “They neglect the real issues facing Ontarians and someone needs to make them answer for that.”
————————-

AN OPEN LETTER TO ONTARIANS

Dear Neighbours,

Tonight (Sept 27, 2011 CP) , many of you will watch the only televised Leaders’ debate in this provincial election.

I would have welcomed the chance to go head to head with these professional politicians. But I am sorry to say that you won’t have a chance to hear from the Green Party during the debate.

Unfortunately, the decision to deny the Green Party a seat at the table for this debate was made by a few non-elected broadcasters meeting in a back-room in collaboration with the three old parties.

I know you were looking forward to hearing a voice that reflects your desire to fix politics as usual.

To make sure Ontario is leader in the twenty-first century global economy, we must make the connection between a healthy environment and a strong economy. We will lower payroll taxes on local businesses to make it cheaper and easier to create good local jobs and lower income taxes so your money can support our local economy. Our plan to put a price on carbon will create jobs, strengthen our economy, balance the budget and reduce pollution and carbon emissions.

We need smart planning that puts clean air, water, land and communities first – instead we have the Liberal’s fair-weather environmentalism where decisions about mega-quarries and gas-plants only come when it’s politically convenient.

The Conservatives want to pull us back into the last century with their energy plans that will kill green energy and borrow billions to build expensive, inflexible new nuclear.

All of the old parties have irresponsible plans that borrow money to subsidize the wasteful use of energy.

The Green Party of Ontario is the only party helping you to save money by saving energy. Our green energy plan starts with low cost solutions that prioritize energy efficiency and conservation. Our plan will create good local jobs across the province and reduce the amount of money the province must spend on new sources of energy.

We are the only party dedicated to making family farming a top priority in this province, so we can all enjoy fresh, affordable food on our tables, today, and in the future.

We are the only party calling for a smart, fair, equitable school board system with a plan to engage citizens in determining the best way forward.

These are tough issues that the Green Party would have raised in the debate. And while the other parties may be too afraid to give us a seat at the table, our voice will not be silenced, nor will it slow our growth. We have policies that will improve your life and our communities today, tomorrow and years from now.

We will continue to reach out to Ontarians face-to-face, as our 107 candidates continue to knock on countless doors to earn your trust, and your vote on Oct 6th. We will continue to listen to you and present solutions to the issues that matter to you.

In my travels across our great province, I have been awed and inspired to see the commitment and dedication of thousands of individuals – people just like you – making their communities a better place.

Please take a moment to check out our platform. It’s time for a better, more sustainable Ontario. It’s time to vote Green so we can work with you to fix politics as usual in Ontario.

Thank you,

Mike Schreiner
Leader of the Green Party of Ontario

Media Contact:

Rebecca Harrison
Director of Communications Green Party of Ontario
(c) 905-999-5479
(e) rebeccaharrison@gpo.ca
Sent from Green Party of Ontario

PO Box 1132
Toronto, ON M4Y 2T8
Canada

Links:
——
[1] Silo Direct Link To Ontario Green Party Press Website
[2] rebeccaharrison@gpo.ca

Politics

ON Green’s Leader: Liberals Play Politics at Holland Marsh Expense

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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Toronto, Ontario – Green Party of Ontario Leader, Mike Schreiner, questions the Liberal’s commitment to communities. On the heels on an announcement to stop a gas plant in another Liberal riding, construction is proceeding with the development in the Holland Marsh.

“For two years the Liberals have stonewalled residents and municipal governments on this gas plant. Yet there is no movement until they needed an announcement to help their campaign in a close race.” said Schreiner. “Do we need elections every 6 months for the Liberals to do the right thing?”

While the Liberals are quick to promote their recent flip flop on the proposed gas plant in Mississauga, they conveniently neglect to mention the gas plant currently going ahead in the Holland Marsh on land that should be protected by Greenbelt legislation.

The Liberals have now cancelled two gas plants in two Liberal held ridings, while the Holland Marsh gas plant, in a Conservative riding, moves forward. Last year, the government stopped a hearing at the Ontario Municipal Board, side-stepped the Planning Act and their own Greenbelt legislation to ensure the plant would move forward.

The Holland Marsh gas-plant is located on an active flood plain, in the Ansnorveldt wetlands, in legislatively-protected designated countryside of the Greenbelt. The Holland Marsh is home to Ontario’s most fertile farmland. The Holland Marsh produces $50M of Ontario’s locally grown food, which is threatened by this development. This site was chosen over less sensitive areas that were available. The plant is opposed by the local community.

“If the Liberals were acting with the environment and local communities as their primary motivation, they would have started with better planning for all gas plants,” added Schreiner. “We need legislation for buffer zones around gas plants to protect the safety our communities.”

Ontario needs Green MPPs at Queen’s Park to put the interests of citizens and communities ahead of partisan politics.

“After 8 years of majority control of this province the Liberals expect Ontarians to trust them to make good on promises in what is shaping up to be a minority government,” said Schreiner. “This desperation is nothing more than an admission that they have misspent their time at Queen’s Park. Green MPP’s at Queen’s Park will ensure decisions start with respect for our farmland, the environment and our communities.”

Rebecca Harrison

Director of Communications
Green Party of Ontario
(c) 905-999-5479
(e) rebeccaharrison@gpo.ca

Sent from Green Party of Ontario
PO Box 1132
Toronto, ON M4Y 2T8
Canada

Links:
——
[1] E-mail Rebecca Harrison
[2] Silo Direct Link To Ontario Green Party Press Website

Politics

Ontario Greens Pledge To End One-size-fits-all Family Farm Regulation

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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:

GREENS TO END ONE-SIZE-FITS-ALL REGULATIONS THAT PUNISH LOCAL BUSINESSES

DUNEDIN, ONTARIO – Today, Green Party of Ontario (GPO) Leader Mike Schreiner joined Neil Metheral, owner of Dunedin’s Metheral Meats, to announce the Green Party’s plan to end the one-size-fits-all regulations that punish local businesses and limits access to local food.

“Local food processors are an essential part of building strong local economies with good local jobs,” said Schreiner. “We must create a level playing field for local food processors and family farms by introducing regulations that recognize the differences in the size and scope of operations.”

The decline of local processing facilities in Ontario makes it difficult for farmers to access higher value markets and to brand local products. The loss of local processors also restricts consumer choice and access to healthy local food.

Over the last decade, governments have written regulations to address health and safety concerns at large operations without consideration of the unique needs of small and medium sized processors. The number of small and medium sized abbatoirs, like Metheral’s, in Ontario has declined by approximately 70% in the last
decade.

“The cost of regulations imposed on processers will most affect the profit for the farmer and the price for the consumer,” said Metheral “With better support we could hire a student to oversee HACCP to assess our quality at a decent wage. In most small plants we can’t keep up with these costs.”

The Metheral’s small Dunedin processing plant was founded in 1991. It is an essential part of the family’s farm – in operation for 8 generations – and the local economy.

As part of the Ontario Food and Farming Strategy, the Green Party will work with the food and agricultural sector, as well as other levels of government, to develop regulations, by-laws and zoning laws appropriate for family farms and farm-based businesses.

“We have to reverse the closure of local food processing facilities since they are essential to building a local sustainable food system,” said Schreiner “We need smart regulations to promote food safety while putting local processors on a level playing field.

According to a 2010 survey conducted by Farmers Feed Cities, an overwhelming 99% of Ontarians agree that farming is important to Ontario’s well-being. It’s time to ensure that local farmers are supported so that all Ontarian’s have access to healthy food grown close to home.

GREEN MPPS WILL:

· End one-size-fits-all regulations for family farms and local food processors

· Implement smart regulations that recognize differences in the size of operations.

· Eliminate tax penalties and reduce zoning restrictions to facilitate local, on-farm food enterprises and innovative sources of farm income.

· Improve income stabilization programs so they are more accessible for family farms, cover a wider range of products and don’t penalize farmers who experience bad years.

For more information on the Green Party’s 5 Point Plan visit: Silo Direct Link To Green Party’s 5 Point Plan

Rebecca Harrison
Director of Communications
Green Party of Ontario
905 999 5479
rebeccaharrison@gpo.ca
http://Silo Direct Link to Green Party of Ontario’s Press Site
Sent from Green Party of Ontario

PO Box 1132
Toronto, ON M4Y 2T8
Canada

Links:
——
[1] http://www.gpo.ca/

Politics

Ont. Green Party Says “Will Use SmartMeters To Put $ In Your Pocket”

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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:

Green Party Will Use Smart Meters to Put Money in Your Pocket

Toronto, Ontario – Green Party of Ontario Leader, Mike Schreiner announced his party’s commitment to Smart Meter changes that encourage innovative ways for Ontarians to save money by saving energy. Schreiner along with Philip Playfair, the owner of Toronto conservation company Lowfoot, spoke at the home of Barry Martin, a Lowfoot customer.

“The Green Party would use smart meters to save us money, by using them to create a market for conservation,” said Schreiner. “Local entrepreneurs such as Lowfoot have already started businesses that pay people to conserve energy. Energy bureaucrats need to move out of the way to foster innovative ideas like this that reward people for efficiency and conservation.”

The Green Party would develop a Conservation Energy Pool (CEP) to serve as a market for kilowatts saved. The CEP would enable entrepreneurs to develop viable businesses that pay people to save energy verified by available smart meter data.

“Our mission is to generate power plant level generation via energy conservation,” said Playfair. “By engaging Ontarians and providing them with their usage information they can take an active role in conservation.”

The Green Party would end the centralized, command and control conservation programs developed by Ontario Power Authority bureaucrats. The Party’s plan would use existing technology to help individuals and businesses to measure their energy use in order to identify and verify savings.

“Getting involved with Lowfoot was a way to help us learn about conserving. Most of our changes were rudimentary-things,” said Martin. “That said, the social nature, gaming aspect and transparency involved helped us become conscious of our habits in a hurry. We now feel great about lowering our consumption and our costs.”

Your Green MPPs will:

– Develop a market for entrepreneurs to deliver conservation and energy efficient products and programs

– Support innovation and investment to make Ontario a leader in the new Energy Economy

End the command-and-control conservation programs developed by Ontario Power Authority bureaucrats, and empower Local Distribution Companies to develop local programs to meet conservation targets.

About Lowfoot Inc. :
Toronto based, Lowfoot Inc. securely connects to smart meter data and automatically displays the client’s electricity usage. They help manage their client’s electricity, reduce bills and help clients earn rewards for their conservation. They also offer a web based social network of people who are conserving energy, wanting to learn how to conserve energy or are interested in their energy use patterns.

For more information on the Green Party of Ontario’s Energy Plan visit: Silo Direct Link To Green Party Ontario PressSite

Media Contact:
Rebecca Harrison
Director of Communications
Green Party of Ontario
(c) 905-999-5479
(e) rebeccaharrison@gpo.ca
Sent from Green Party of Ontario

PO Box 1132
Toronto, ON M4Y 2T8
Canada

Links:
——
Silo Direct Link To Alternative Green Party Ontario PressSite