On was recently on a political panel (see earlier post). "Perspectives with Jamie Young" airs frequently on Cable 10. Here's the list. There are a few more chances to see it before this Wednesday, June 29.
Plus, this year's shows will rotate all summer, but I don't have a listing of when the June 22 show might appear in July or August.
Sunday 6:00 AM
Monday 5:00 PM
Tuesday 7:00 AM, 2:00 PM, 10:00 PM
Wednesday 8:00 PM - LIVE SHOW rotation starts here
Thursday 12:00 PM, 4:00 PM
Friday 3:00 PM, 9:00 PM
Saturday 2:00 PM, 11:00 PM
Next post: "Change that puts people first," the NDP campaign for the fall, and the unveiling last Saturday
Monday, 27 June 2011
Thursday, 23 June 2011
Taking it to the airwaves
My political debut on TV was last night: a one hour panel discussion on Rogers Cable (York Region) with myself, and area candidates from the Liberal and Conservative parties. I believe the audience is several people.
The Liberal was Bernie Farber, on leave from the Canadian Jewish Congress and running in Thornhill. The Tory was Farid Wassef, on leave from his work as a pharmacist, and running in Oak Ridges. I'm on leave, so to speak, from ministry. It occurred to me the sacrifice of income all three of us are making to run for office. All three of us are concerned about our neighbours and our province. I may not be a perfect judge of character, but it seemed that both Mr. Farber and Mr. Wassef are in it for good reasons (even if their political philosophies are off base). And yet the cynical will dismiss us all as "crooks" or worse. As first time candidates all, we couldn't be accused of being slick.
It's a somewhat strange experience, being part of such a panel. The audience is nowhere to be seen, yet close enough to see every tic and twitch. To whom does one address one's thoughts? "Don't look at the cameras!" was the advice from the producer. We all sat on stools more or less in a row, so we tended to look at the host, Jamie Young, and sometimes at the person whose point we were challenging.
The conundrum of talking/debating on TV aside, it went pretty well. There was lively discussion. The other two kept on each other about the respective records of the Liberals and Conservatives, or proposing new spending or new tax cuts. I went to the root of issues such as health, education and jobs over and over. Mr. Farber used to be a social worker in Ottawa. He agreed with me about the kind of things, such as poverty, that really determine our health as a society. Mr. Wassef agreed with me at one point. That felt good, though I wasn't ready for it from a Conservative, so it threw me off for a second. Everyone seemed surprised that the minister mixed it up in a debate on politics. Have they never heard of Tommy Douglas?
When I started to get nervous, I reminded myself that people were counting on these kinds of ideas getting out there. It had nothing to do with me "performing" well. The New Democrats have a better analysis and better ideas for true progress as a society, and those ideas deserve to be out there, which was my task. I engaged Mr. Wassef in the corridor outside the studio. I don't know if he will get in or not. I took my deep concerns about the effect of vulnerable people and the economy should Hudak and the Tories form a government to him again, one on one. He seemed genuinely interested in the discussion and my concerns, and asked me to be in touch after the election. Naturally, I thought of a dozen things I could have said and meant to say on the air in the couple of hours after taping finished.
So it has begun--my entry into the public discussion. Alas, now that I'm an expert on televised political panels shows, I don't expect to be on another one during the campaign. Sic transit gloria mundi, as the ancient sage put it. Now you see 'em, now you don't. The thing that lasts is the argument, the fight, the struggle for real equality in our province and on our planet. "The people united will never be defeated." Believe it.
If you happen to catch the show ("Perspective") in repeat, let me know your thoughts.
The Liberal was Bernie Farber, on leave from the Canadian Jewish Congress and running in Thornhill. The Tory was Farid Wassef, on leave from his work as a pharmacist, and running in Oak Ridges. I'm on leave, so to speak, from ministry. It occurred to me the sacrifice of income all three of us are making to run for office. All three of us are concerned about our neighbours and our province. I may not be a perfect judge of character, but it seemed that both Mr. Farber and Mr. Wassef are in it for good reasons (even if their political philosophies are off base). And yet the cynical will dismiss us all as "crooks" or worse. As first time candidates all, we couldn't be accused of being slick.
It's a somewhat strange experience, being part of such a panel. The audience is nowhere to be seen, yet close enough to see every tic and twitch. To whom does one address one's thoughts? "Don't look at the cameras!" was the advice from the producer. We all sat on stools more or less in a row, so we tended to look at the host, Jamie Young, and sometimes at the person whose point we were challenging.
The conundrum of talking/debating on TV aside, it went pretty well. There was lively discussion. The other two kept on each other about the respective records of the Liberals and Conservatives, or proposing new spending or new tax cuts. I went to the root of issues such as health, education and jobs over and over. Mr. Farber used to be a social worker in Ottawa. He agreed with me about the kind of things, such as poverty, that really determine our health as a society. Mr. Wassef agreed with me at one point. That felt good, though I wasn't ready for it from a Conservative, so it threw me off for a second. Everyone seemed surprised that the minister mixed it up in a debate on politics. Have they never heard of Tommy Douglas?
When I started to get nervous, I reminded myself that people were counting on these kinds of ideas getting out there. It had nothing to do with me "performing" well. The New Democrats have a better analysis and better ideas for true progress as a society, and those ideas deserve to be out there, which was my task. I engaged Mr. Wassef in the corridor outside the studio. I don't know if he will get in or not. I took my deep concerns about the effect of vulnerable people and the economy should Hudak and the Tories form a government to him again, one on one. He seemed genuinely interested in the discussion and my concerns, and asked me to be in touch after the election. Naturally, I thought of a dozen things I could have said and meant to say on the air in the couple of hours after taping finished.
So it has begun--my entry into the public discussion. Alas, now that I'm an expert on televised political panels shows, I don't expect to be on another one during the campaign. Sic transit gloria mundi, as the ancient sage put it. Now you see 'em, now you don't. The thing that lasts is the argument, the fight, the struggle for real equality in our province and on our planet. "The people united will never be defeated." Believe it.
If you happen to catch the show ("Perspective") in repeat, let me know your thoughts.
Tuesday, 21 June 2011
The vision thing
George Bush the 1st famously referred to "the vision thing" during a campaign in the 90s, creating a memorable quote while revealing a certain emptiness around the pesky question of a vision for his nation. Now it's time for those of us running in the fall election to step up on that subject.
The campaign is already forcing me to focus more sharply on a vision for Ontario that is both specific and achievable. I have long had a vision of a world more just and peaceful, but politics is not called "art of the possible" for nothing. Visioning is an excellent exercise. I recommend it. It starts with "If I were a member of the provincial legislature, I would...," or some such beginning. And that's where the crunch comes, of course. What is the top priority for the province? What is next, and so on? Do those things have costs? How will they be paid for? For me the top priority is doing something about the shameful disparity between ultra-high income individuals and those with very little. The gap is just too expensive to sustain, in every way.
Tomorrow night is the TV taping on Rogers Cable with me, a Liberal and a Conservative candidate from three different ridings in York Region. Vision will definitely come up, because I will be presenting one from a social democratic perspective and asking the others to clarify their's for viewers. Wish me luck!
The show airs live at 8 p.m. on the Rogers channel, then is repeated once or more every day for a week, and sporadically through the summer, as I understand it.
On a more personal note, I said goodbye to all my friends and acquaintance at the community lunch at Trinity United Church. It was a good moment, and I was moved to think of the relationships that have developed there over the years. The meal is known as LAMP, for Lunch at My Place. Keep on shining, LAMP!
The campaign is already forcing me to focus more sharply on a vision for Ontario that is both specific and achievable. I have long had a vision of a world more just and peaceful, but politics is not called "art of the possible" for nothing. Visioning is an excellent exercise. I recommend it. It starts with "If I were a member of the provincial legislature, I would...," or some such beginning. And that's where the crunch comes, of course. What is the top priority for the province? What is next, and so on? Do those things have costs? How will they be paid for? For me the top priority is doing something about the shameful disparity between ultra-high income individuals and those with very little. The gap is just too expensive to sustain, in every way.
Tomorrow night is the TV taping on Rogers Cable with me, a Liberal and a Conservative candidate from three different ridings in York Region. Vision will definitely come up, because I will be presenting one from a social democratic perspective and asking the others to clarify their's for viewers. Wish me luck!
The show airs live at 8 p.m. on the Rogers channel, then is repeated once or more every day for a week, and sporadically through the summer, as I understand it.
On a more personal note, I said goodbye to all my friends and acquaintance at the community lunch at Trinity United Church. It was a good moment, and I was moved to think of the relationships that have developed there over the years. The meal is known as LAMP, for Lunch at My Place. Keep on shining, LAMP!
Thursday, 16 June 2011
G20 Agriculture Ministers action on food security
Here's my version of a letter organized by Oxfam to draw attention to the looming food crisis on the planet. Supporters are encouraged to write to their Minister of Agriculture. In the case of Canada, that's the Honourable Gerry Ritz. Go online to Oxfam to check out the campaign.
Dear Minister Ritz,
There are nearly a billion hungry people in the world, and you are in a position to help them. On behalf of all Canadians, you need to show leadership at the G20 Agriculture Ministers Summit on June 20-21.
To ensure vulnerable people and countries have the food they need, I urge you to:
1. Help build resilience to food price shocks
National food reserves can help stabilize prices. Canada and the G20 should encourage countries to use them, and Canada should support the G20 proposal for regional emergency reserves.
2. Insist on greater transparency regarding food stocks
Rising prices are in part due to uncertainty about how much food exporting countries have on hand. Canada should support the G20 proposal to publish timely information on actual and forecasted food stocks.
3. Take measures to limit excessive speculation
Excessive speculation in commodity derivatives can drive up food prices. Canada should support a G20 agreement for improved regulation of commodity futures markets.
4. Phase out incentives to use food for fuel
Requirements for minimum ethanol content in gasoline divert massive amounts of corn from the world market, raising the price while doing nothing for the climate. Canada should start phasing out its minimum content rule, and support the G20 proposal to suspend it when food prices are high.
There is an old story about Joseph, sold into slavery in Egypt over three thousand years ago, who ended up saving the whole region through his foresight and care. He arranged for food to be stored in good years ready for "lean" years, and averted a terrible famine. We could learn from this story.
Thank you very much for your attention to these issues. I look forward to hearing from you.
Dear Minister Ritz,
There are nearly a billion hungry people in the world, and you are in a position to help them. On behalf of all Canadians, you need to show leadership at the G20 Agriculture Ministers Summit on June 20-21.
To ensure vulnerable people and countries have the food they need, I urge you to:
1. Help build resilience to food price shocks
National food reserves can help stabilize prices. Canada and the G20 should encourage countries to use them, and Canada should support the G20 proposal for regional emergency reserves.
2. Insist on greater transparency regarding food stocks
Rising prices are in part due to uncertainty about how much food exporting countries have on hand. Canada should support the G20 proposal to publish timely information on actual and forecasted food stocks.
3. Take measures to limit excessive speculation
Excessive speculation in commodity derivatives can drive up food prices. Canada should support a G20 agreement for improved regulation of commodity futures markets.
4. Phase out incentives to use food for fuel
Requirements for minimum ethanol content in gasoline divert massive amounts of corn from the world market, raising the price while doing nothing for the climate. Canada should start phasing out its minimum content rule, and support the G20 proposal to suspend it when food prices are high.
There is an old story about Joseph, sold into slavery in Egypt over three thousand years ago, who ended up saving the whole region through his foresight and care. He arranged for food to be stored in good years ready for "lean" years, and averted a terrible famine. We could learn from this story.
Thank you very much for your attention to these issues. I look forward to hearing from you.
Wednesday, 15 June 2011
Working for change
Back with the gang this afternoon at another meeting trying to reduce and then eliminate poverty. There is a blizzard of initials--groups, projects, programs--evidence of a great deal of concern and energy for a better province. Then there are ninety-seven of the present MPPs standing in the way (the total of Liberals and Conservatives). Frustrating isn't the word for it. We can find millions and billions for warfighting equipment and high tech combat in distant places, but we can't seem to make our neighbours' well being a priority. What does that say about us?
John came by the church again this afternoon. He loses his trailer home tomorrow, and there is nothing to be done about it. He has a lease agreement for $450/month, but he has been forced to pay $600, plus another $100 for heat not called for in his agreement, so the landlord is already in violation of the Tenant Protection Act, but John's being evicted, and there is no help. The shelters are full, the wait for rent-geared-to-income housing in York Region is 11-15 years the social worker from the Housing Help Centre just told me, and a new place in the Newmarket-Aurora area will take 75-80% of John's $1100/month income. So my frustration pales in comparison with John's. John is smart, funny, well-informed, a banker in a former life. He admits that booze got the better of him during a difficult period, and now he is a casualty of a badly torn safety net. He's not the only one. There are tens of thousands of Ontarians in what is sometimes called "deep" poverty.
The Liberal plan to get a 25% reduction of families living in poverty in 5 years got sidelined by the recession. It won't be achieving its goal by 2013. New Democrats will keep fighting for decent, affordable housing for John, and a comprehensive response to the scandal of poverty in the province no matter how the election turns out, but it would be so much simpler if we formed the government!
John came by the church again this afternoon. He loses his trailer home tomorrow, and there is nothing to be done about it. He has a lease agreement for $450/month, but he has been forced to pay $600, plus another $100 for heat not called for in his agreement, so the landlord is already in violation of the Tenant Protection Act, but John's being evicted, and there is no help. The shelters are full, the wait for rent-geared-to-income housing in York Region is 11-15 years the social worker from the Housing Help Centre just told me, and a new place in the Newmarket-Aurora area will take 75-80% of John's $1100/month income. So my frustration pales in comparison with John's. John is smart, funny, well-informed, a banker in a former life. He admits that booze got the better of him during a difficult period, and now he is a casualty of a badly torn safety net. He's not the only one. There are tens of thousands of Ontarians in what is sometimes called "deep" poverty.
The Liberal plan to get a 25% reduction of families living in poverty in 5 years got sidelined by the recession. It won't be achieving its goal by 2013. New Democrats will keep fighting for decent, affordable housing for John, and a comprehensive response to the scandal of poverty in the province no matter how the election turns out, but it would be so much simpler if we formed the government!
Tuesday, 14 June 2011
First Queen's Park visit
Here I am (top left) at Queen's Park, or at least a significant proportion of me, joining Andrea Horwath for a press conference. (See earlier post.) With help from many thousands of residents of the riding on October 6, I will be seeing a lot of the place.
Monday, 13 June 2011
Nominated, then standing with William Lyon Mackenzie
Quite a weekend. I was very excited to be with New Democrats on Sunday afternoon. Great energy in the room--a mixture of long term and new members. It was a proud moment to receive the nomination with family present. What an honour to represent the party in the coming campaign. There was then a fantastic outpouring of pledges, too, a nice start to the fund raising. (More details on how to give in the weeks to come.)
I was disappointed with Conservative candidate Frank Klees' broadside in the local paper on Sunday. He came out swinging at the Working Families Coalition, going so far as to suggest that they could "buy" the election with their spending on ads. This seems curious coming from the party with the biggest war chest, and a demonstrated eagerness to run attack ads. A court told the Tories there simply was no evidence that the coalition is affiliated with another party, but that didn't stop Mr. Klees making that same allegation in his large, multi-thousand dollar ad. The coalition represents nurses, teachers, industrial workers and many others, the people the Tories claim to fighting for. Not surprisingly, when they look closely at the Conservative platform they see the assault on wages, benefits and dignity resuming if the Conservatives form a government.
Today was another happy one for me: down to Queen's Park to be with Andrea Horwath, leader of the party, as she introduced about ten of us new candidates to the media, and spoke about the appetite of Ontarians for real change. She was wonderful, as usual. She has the ability to be practical and visionary at the same time. What a great premier she will make. The event was outside on the grounds. In fact, it was right up against the large, elegant monument to William Lyon Mackenzie, one-time member for York in the provincial government, and honoured as a fighter for responsible government in Ontario. Mackenzie roused the citizenry in Newmarket before his little band headed down Yonge Street to take on the establishment in 1837. The rebels objected to the creation of a class system in this country, and the creeping elitism taking place then. (Some things never seem to change.) Great legacy to remember whenever we go to the polls around here.
It was a beautiful, sunny morning, more family turned up, and I was again thrilled to be in this race, raising the issues that matter for the people of Newmarket-Aurora. Got home easily on that publicly funded GO system, and joined a room full of fellow citizens giving blood. I have another appointment for September, and that's the only blood I expect to shed in the election (barring uneven sidewalks or unfriendly dogs), but I'm willing to spend sweat, and, depending on how sad the stories I meet along the way, even tears before October 6.
I was disappointed with Conservative candidate Frank Klees' broadside in the local paper on Sunday. He came out swinging at the Working Families Coalition, going so far as to suggest that they could "buy" the election with their spending on ads. This seems curious coming from the party with the biggest war chest, and a demonstrated eagerness to run attack ads. A court told the Tories there simply was no evidence that the coalition is affiliated with another party, but that didn't stop Mr. Klees making that same allegation in his large, multi-thousand dollar ad. The coalition represents nurses, teachers, industrial workers and many others, the people the Tories claim to fighting for. Not surprisingly, when they look closely at the Conservative platform they see the assault on wages, benefits and dignity resuming if the Conservatives form a government.
Today was another happy one for me: down to Queen's Park to be with Andrea Horwath, leader of the party, as she introduced about ten of us new candidates to the media, and spoke about the appetite of Ontarians for real change. She was wonderful, as usual. She has the ability to be practical and visionary at the same time. What a great premier she will make. The event was outside on the grounds. In fact, it was right up against the large, elegant monument to William Lyon Mackenzie, one-time member for York in the provincial government, and honoured as a fighter for responsible government in Ontario. Mackenzie roused the citizenry in Newmarket before his little band headed down Yonge Street to take on the establishment in 1837. The rebels objected to the creation of a class system in this country, and the creeping elitism taking place then. (Some things never seem to change.) Great legacy to remember whenever we go to the polls around here.
It was a beautiful, sunny morning, more family turned up, and I was again thrilled to be in this race, raising the issues that matter for the people of Newmarket-Aurora. Got home easily on that publicly funded GO system, and joined a room full of fellow citizens giving blood. I have another appointment for September, and that's the only blood I expect to shed in the election (barring uneven sidewalks or unfriendly dogs), but I'm willing to spend sweat, and, depending on how sad the stories I meet along the way, even tears before October 6.
Friday, 10 June 2011
A poverty-free Ontario
What a great morning I had on Tuesday, in the sense of thought-provoking and challenging. The York Region Food Network (not a TV channel but a group dedicated to food security) teamed up with the York Region Human Services Planning Board to present thinking on how to eliminate poverty in the Region and province. Guests from the Social Planning Network of Ontario were featured. Retired professor Marvyn Novick was the main speaker, and he was powerful and inspiring.
Novick described poverty as a moral issue, and called it "a moral stain" on Ontario. He's right. It is. We spend money on all kinds of things. We choose not to spend enough to lift every Ontarian to an income that would ensure their dignity. His address was called "Dignity for All." That's the real goal. Poverty is demeaning, and we need to agree to make it history. He's fed up with hearing that the time is not right. Unemployment insurance was introduced in 1941 during World War II. The family allowance came along in 1945, just as the war was ending, and the government was mortgaged to the hilt to pay for armies and munitions. People just made them priorities. They had an ethic of collective responsibility, an ethic that has suffered in recent decades with an onslaught of personal responsibility thinking.
Novick took on the big excuses for our inaction, the "buts" people add after they agree that poverty is bad. "Get a job." Over half of low income families get their income from work. Pay rates are just too low and the affordable housing supply is inadequate, meaning some people spend 80-90% of their income on rent and utilities. "Get an education." Over half of low income Ontarians have post-secondary education. And the small fortune they spent getting it are likely helping keep them from getting ahead. "Get out of that welfare family." Canada has a low proportion of so-called intergenerational poverty. That term was imported from the United States where some opinion leaders use it to refer to a racialized group, African-Americans. In actual fact, a very small percent of low income Canadians were born into poverty. In other words, working and furthering one's education will not necessarily be a springboard out of poverty. And the circumstances of one's early life are not a good predictor of one's later income level.
Novick has stopped apologizing for sounding militant. He points out that women first, then gay and lesbian people in the 20th century didn't care if some people's feelings were hurt when they set about getting their rights. And he goes back to the 1948 United Nations Declaration of Human Rights to find the basis of his call for "dignity for all."
I drove straight from the presentation in Aurora to the weekly community meal served by Trinity United Church in Newmarket where I am a minister. At my table, all three guests suffer from depression. They are articulate about how bad that disease is, and how important it is to have a reason, such as a community meal, to get out of the house each day. Could there be a more stark illustration of what people had been talking and thinking about all morning? The volunteers at Trinity work very hard to make the lunch a place of warmth and dignity, and I am proud of them for that. And they would likely go right on providing a community meal even if the Ontario government ensured all citizens of an adequate income because the lunch serves other purposes besides hunger for food.
So I was sad, and angry and hopeful again on Tuesday, thinking about what some people go through each day, and the fact that I/we let them. We can do better than this. Help make sure this becomes an election issue. Ask the candidates and parties what they will do to eliminate poverty. What are we waiting for?
Novick described poverty as a moral issue, and called it "a moral stain" on Ontario. He's right. It is. We spend money on all kinds of things. We choose not to spend enough to lift every Ontarian to an income that would ensure their dignity. His address was called "Dignity for All." That's the real goal. Poverty is demeaning, and we need to agree to make it history. He's fed up with hearing that the time is not right. Unemployment insurance was introduced in 1941 during World War II. The family allowance came along in 1945, just as the war was ending, and the government was mortgaged to the hilt to pay for armies and munitions. People just made them priorities. They had an ethic of collective responsibility, an ethic that has suffered in recent decades with an onslaught of personal responsibility thinking.
Novick took on the big excuses for our inaction, the "buts" people add after they agree that poverty is bad. "Get a job." Over half of low income families get their income from work. Pay rates are just too low and the affordable housing supply is inadequate, meaning some people spend 80-90% of their income on rent and utilities. "Get an education." Over half of low income Ontarians have post-secondary education. And the small fortune they spent getting it are likely helping keep them from getting ahead. "Get out of that welfare family." Canada has a low proportion of so-called intergenerational poverty. That term was imported from the United States where some opinion leaders use it to refer to a racialized group, African-Americans. In actual fact, a very small percent of low income Canadians were born into poverty. In other words, working and furthering one's education will not necessarily be a springboard out of poverty. And the circumstances of one's early life are not a good predictor of one's later income level.
Novick has stopped apologizing for sounding militant. He points out that women first, then gay and lesbian people in the 20th century didn't care if some people's feelings were hurt when they set about getting their rights. And he goes back to the 1948 United Nations Declaration of Human Rights to find the basis of his call for "dignity for all."
I drove straight from the presentation in Aurora to the weekly community meal served by Trinity United Church in Newmarket where I am a minister. At my table, all three guests suffer from depression. They are articulate about how bad that disease is, and how important it is to have a reason, such as a community meal, to get out of the house each day. Could there be a more stark illustration of what people had been talking and thinking about all morning? The volunteers at Trinity work very hard to make the lunch a place of warmth and dignity, and I am proud of them for that. And they would likely go right on providing a community meal even if the Ontario government ensured all citizens of an adequate income because the lunch serves other purposes besides hunger for food.
So I was sad, and angry and hopeful again on Tuesday, thinking about what some people go through each day, and the fact that I/we let them. We can do better than this. Help make sure this becomes an election issue. Ask the candidates and parties what they will do to eliminate poverty. What are we waiting for?
Saturday, 4 June 2011
Rainy day thoughts
Good to get rain today after a fairly dry week. Not so good if you were counting on fair way for today's activity.
Elsewhere, rain and the lack of it are becoming even bigger issues, it seems. Floods in some parts, wild fires in others. World food prices are high and rising due to droughts last year, and increased demand. As people in China and India and elsewhere grow their incomes, they want to eat more protein, like we do. The demand for increased supplies water, potash, and land to produce more and more food is going to be a big challenge in the decades to come because we may be running out of one, two, or even all three of those inputs. And in our part of the world, we are still chewing up the world's best farmland at an increasing rate. Help!
It would be good to see Ontario thinking harder about food security for Ontarians, and also collaborating with other jurisdictions to figure out answers for everybody. Teamwork. Meanwhile we have hungry people in every community in the province, and also an epidemic of obesity with its attendant problems. In other words, we haven't adjusted well to all the changes of the last century or two in the western world.
I wish we saw more leadership from Ontario and Canadian decision makers and opinion leaders on this stuff. Answer? Elect more New Democrats and help the province start to get real about what is sustainable for people and the environment. Elect a New Democrat in Newmarket-Aurora as part of a province-wide shift in thinking.
And while I am not getting the lawn cut (with my push mower) today, the water barrel is filling up. I'm inside musing and putting down some thoughts here instead of chasing weeds and trimming that broken branch in the backyard.
Your thoughts?
Elsewhere, rain and the lack of it are becoming even bigger issues, it seems. Floods in some parts, wild fires in others. World food prices are high and rising due to droughts last year, and increased demand. As people in China and India and elsewhere grow their incomes, they want to eat more protein, like we do. The demand for increased supplies water, potash, and land to produce more and more food is going to be a big challenge in the decades to come because we may be running out of one, two, or even all three of those inputs. And in our part of the world, we are still chewing up the world's best farmland at an increasing rate. Help!
It would be good to see Ontario thinking harder about food security for Ontarians, and also collaborating with other jurisdictions to figure out answers for everybody. Teamwork. Meanwhile we have hungry people in every community in the province, and also an epidemic of obesity with its attendant problems. In other words, we haven't adjusted well to all the changes of the last century or two in the western world.
I wish we saw more leadership from Ontario and Canadian decision makers and opinion leaders on this stuff. Answer? Elect more New Democrats and help the province start to get real about what is sustainable for people and the environment. Elect a New Democrat in Newmarket-Aurora as part of a province-wide shift in thinking.
And while I am not getting the lawn cut (with my push mower) today, the water barrel is filling up. I'm inside musing and putting down some thoughts here instead of chasing weeds and trimming that broken branch in the backyard.
Your thoughts?
Friday, 3 June 2011
Contact me
Get hold of me during the campaign by:
- commenting on the blog
- e-mailing me at robinsrun2011@gmail.com
- other contacts to come soon
- commenting on the blog
- e-mailing me at robinsrun2011@gmail.com
- other contacts to come soon
Official start: June 12
Sunday, June 12 is the actual day. The Newmarket-Aurora NDP is holding it's annual meeting and nomination meeting that day. I will be there with a big smile and many supporters, presenting myself as a candidate for the riding. The meeting is at 1:30, at the CUPE 905 hall on Charles just south of Davis Drive. (Charles is the first street west of Prospect and the hospital.) You have to be a member to get in, but that's not hard. Just go to the Ontario NDP web site and join up. You'll need your credit card ready. (The fee is modest. Our ambitions are not.)
To actually vote on my candidacy, you had to join by May 13 at the latest. But even if can't vote that day, the more, the merrier. You can still get excited by the speeches and the anticipation of bringing change to Newmarket-Aurora and Ontario, sign up to work on the campaign, and donate money to get things started. Come out and see orange on June 12. (But remember to join first!)
To actually vote on my candidacy, you had to join by May 13 at the latest. But even if can't vote that day, the more, the merrier. You can still get excited by the speeches and the anticipation of bringing change to Newmarket-Aurora and Ontario, sign up to work on the campaign, and donate money to get things started. Come out and see orange on June 12. (But remember to join first!)
Thursday, 2 June 2011
Robin's run begins
A minister getting involved in politics? Happens all the time. Many of the founders of the predecessor of the NDP, the Commonwealth Cooperative Federation, or CCF, were ministers. They were interested in a society where people were treated fairly so they could keep their dignity. So I am. And many other ministers have served, or are working presently in legislatures for ideals they cherish. It's a good fit.
I want to record my run for the Ontario legislature in the Newmarket-Aurora riding in this blog, and create some community among those who get here to read it. Questions? Thoughts? I want to hear what's on your mind. I would like a respectful conversation, with contributors trying to get their vision for the riding or the province into words. And maybe we'll have some fun along the way.
I will be learning all the time. Being a keen observer of politics may not have prepared me to run. I'll be finding that out in the months ahead. Thanks for following me.
My vision is of a caring, fair society that prizes innovation, sustainability, and highly livable communities. I have a feeling I'll be refining my vision as I get talking to more people in Aurora and Newmarket. Stay tuned.
I want to record my run for the Ontario legislature in the Newmarket-Aurora riding in this blog, and create some community among those who get here to read it. Questions? Thoughts? I want to hear what's on your mind. I would like a respectful conversation, with contributors trying to get their vision for the riding or the province into words. And maybe we'll have some fun along the way.
I will be learning all the time. Being a keen observer of politics may not have prepared me to run. I'll be finding that out in the months ahead. Thanks for following me.
My vision is of a caring, fair society that prizes innovation, sustainability, and highly livable communities. I have a feeling I'll be refining my vision as I get talking to more people in Aurora and Newmarket. Stay tuned.
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