March 2010 Newsletter
Earth Hour 2010 – Candlelight Vigil
Last year hundreds of millions of people around the world joined the Earth Hour movement by turning off their lights for one hour. Earth Hour 2010 will continue the global call to action to every individual, business and community – a call to show leadership and be responsible for our future.
The Green Party is hosting a candlelight vigil on Parliament Hill during Earth Hour and you are invited to join us. I have confirmed with Public Works that the lights will be turned off promptly at 8:30 so plan to arrive a few minutes early. Join us and let’s combine our individual efforts to push for action on climate change.
We’ll have 300 beeswax candles to pass out but if you can bring your own that will help us make sure everyone has a candle. The event is free and open to all. Think about inviting someone you know who cares about climate change and the sustainability of our communities – real action starts by sharing with each other what our goals and aspirations are.
Help the World Wildlife Fund recognize your participation by registering with WWF Canada. Our governments need to know that millions of people want real action today.
You can also help us spread the word about Earth Hour and the vigil via an RSVP on Facebook and by inviting your friends. For an idea of what the vigil will be like check out the video from 2009.
On March 27th we’ll make a difference for an hour. By working together we can make a difference for a lifetime.
Sincerely,
Kevin O’Donnell
CEO, Ottawa Centre Greens
Please help us bring change to Parliament and Queen’s Park by donating to the Green Party in Ottawa Centre today.
Opportunities To Get Involved or Take Action
O-Train Bike Corridor & Somerset St. Reconstruction
On March 8th the Dalhousie Community Association (DCA) sent a letter to Vivi Chi and Mona Abouhenidy of the City cycling program, and Councillors Leadman and Holmes calling for the City to include a bicycle underpass in the planning process for the Somerset Street reconstruction process in 2010-2011. The DCA notes that:
- This path would be a vital link in the city and region wide official cycling plan;
- It would offer local residents and employees an easy off-road cycling route through the neighborhood and access to other neighborhoods and work places;
- It would connect with the existing Rideau Canal and Experimental Farm paths;
- It would eventually connect with the Ottawa River and BikeWest routes, offering access to the downtown;
- It would make a cycling loop possible, from our neighborhoods along the canal-downtown-Ottawa river-back to our west side communities;
- It would meet recreational and commuter cycling needs;
- It would offer a safe off-road route for those who prefer to avoid busier commercial streets.
If you would like to help to get a bicycle and pedestrian underpass included in the Somerset St. reconstruction plans please send me a quick email and we’ll be sure to update you about the upcoming activities. Of course you can also email or phone your councilor today as well – it’s never too early to start.
Upcoming Events
Community Update with Jen Hunter
Thursday, April 1, 8:30am to 9:30am
Location: Bridgehead on Elgin Street at McLaren
To become more aware and connected with what our communities are up to, Jen will be hosting an informal morning gathering at one of our riding’s lovely fair trade & organic coffee shops. If you are able, please join her to share and learn about the great work that people are up to in Ottawa Centre.
Go Green Expo
Saturday, March 20 and Sunday, March 21
Location: Lansdowne Park
Jen is attending the Go Green Expo at Lansdowne Park. She will be there on Sunday from noon til 3:30pm so stop by and say hi. The expo itself runs all day Saturday and Sunday. See their website for complete details.
News Highlights
Voters should think Green
Randall Denly, Ottawa Citizen, February 17th
The Greens’ new leader, Mike Schreiner, has released a platform aimed at Eastern Ontario. Imagine some political party thinking of us. Schreiner and the Greens are talking about the kinds of things that are actually on people’s minds like the food we eat and where it comes from, doing more for the environment, the energy efficiency of our homes and our right to make decisions for our own communities. It’s an attractive blend of populism and environmentalism… Read More…
Let Greens Speak
Mike Schreiner, GPO.ca, March 8th
In the 2007 Ontario general election, over 350,000 Ontarians agreed by voting Green. The GPO has momentum with strong showings in by-elections last week. Yet the political will of so many Ontarians is being stifled. The Green Party learned late last week that we will be denied access to the media scrum area of Queen’s Park. There will also be no space for the GPO leader during the Throne Speech later today. Read More…
Mark Your Calendars
We’ll share more details with you in upcoming newsletters but here are some key dates you can put in your calendar’s right now.
- April 10th, Green Party of Ontario Policy Townhall
- May 29th, Central Park Spring Cleanup (and Great Glebe Garage Sale!)
- August 20-22, Green Party of Canada Biennial General Meeting (in Toronto)
Message from the CFO
Just to let you know that we sent out all our 2009 tax receipts a few weeks ago. If you gave directly to the Ottawa Centre EDA (that is, by cheque made out to the EDA specifically, or on-line through our PayPal account), you should have received your receipts by now. About two dozen people gave directly to the EDA.
If you gave to the EDA through the central party office, the central office will issue your receipt. On-line donations made through www.green.ca and credit card donations for which we gave you a paper, hand-filled-out receipt are processed by the central office.
If you think you gave to the EDA directly and have not received a receipt, or if there is something wrong with the receipt you did receive, please send me an email to cfo@ottawagreens.ca. (Don’t email sensitive personal information, though.)
Cheers,
Michael D’Costa
Chief Financial Officer (Financial Agent)
Green Party of Canada in Ottawa Centre EDA
Links and Information
- Donate to the Ottawa Centre Greens
- Join the Green Party of Canada
- Join the Green Party of Ontario
- Register as a volunteer in Ottawa Centre
- We are on Twitter: @ottawactrgreens
- We are on Facebook: Ottawa Centre Greens
