AGM 2011 Resolutions
January 15th, 2012
Please click the link below to read the resolutions determined at the Council of Canadians National AGM 2011.
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Bruce Power cannot ship nuclear waste until permit is renewed
January 5th, 2012
By Emma Lui
Bruce Power will not be able to ship the 16 radioactive steam generators until they renew their permit with the Canadian Nuclear Safety Commission (CNSC). Read more at the national Council of Canadians site by clicking on the link provided below.
http://canadians.org/blog/?p=12917
Posted in Latest News, Water | Comments (0)
Where will our food come from in the future?
January 5th, 2012
Wednesday, January 18th at 7pm at the Italian Canadian Club we have a presentation from our MP, Frank Valeriote, who is on the Agrifood Committee.
It will be well worthwhile and you will have a chance to ask questions from the decision makers and educators in the Food arena.
Frank Valeriote – MP for Guelph invites you to a discussion on “Where will our food come from in the future?”
Presentations shall be made by:
Pat Vanderkooy – Public Affairs Manager, Dieticians of Canada
Discussion: What is in our food and what food labels tell us
Bette Jean Crews – Past President, Ontario Federation of Agriculture
Discussion: Buy Local and Differing Standards
Dr. Sylvain Charlebois – Dean (Acting) & Professor, College of Management and Economics, University of Guelph
Discussion: Small abattoir, good standards and safe quality
Dr. Evan Fraser – Department of Geography, College of Applied Human and Social Sciences, University of Guelph
Discussion: Empires of Feast & Famine/Planning Enough Good Food in 2050
Dr. Ralph Martin – Loblaw Chair in Sustainable Food Production, Department of Plant Agriculture, University of Guelph
Discussion: National Food Strategy–what goes in to one and why we need one
For further information please contact the office of Frank Valeriote, Member of Parliament, at 40 Cork Street East, Guelph
519-837-8276 (ValerF1@parl.gc.ca or www.frankvaleriotemp.ca )
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City Council Opposes CETA Ratification
January 4th, 2012
Council of Canadians and many other groups attended City Council on Dec. 19th to oppose CETA.
Guelph Wellington Coalition for Social Justice (George Kelly), Guelph Labour Council ( Terry O’Connor), the Central Students Association (Derek Alton and Drew Garvie), Guelph Wellington Health Coalition (Magee McGuire), Guelph Civic League ( Dave Sills), James Reinhart, Clare Devlin, Keith Bellairs and Council of Canadians (Norah Chaloner). We will be keeping in touch with the city on this issue and will keep you informed. However, since it may be signed in early 2012, we still need to raise awareness about this trade agreement. So, let your friends and neighbours know. We need to know the details and have input to get the protections that we need for strong communities.
See the article in Guelph Mercury Dec. 20/11 by Scott Tracey.
http://www.guelphmercury.com/news/local/article/642016–council-balks-at-eu-trade-agreement
and in the Guelph Tribune Dec. 22/11by Doug Hallett.
“Guelph City Council is opposing ratification by Ottawa of a free trade deal with the European Union that city staff warns could open up municipal water systems across Canada to privatization.
By a 6-4 vote, council backed a city staff recommendation that Guelph not support ratification of the proposed Canada-EU Comprehensive Economic and Trade Agreement (CETA) without more information from the federal government and more opportunity for input from municipal governments and the public…”
http://www.guelphtribune.ca/news/guelph-council-opposes-federal-trade-deal/
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Resolution on CETA
December 12th, 2011
Trade Agreement – European Union Resolution
WHEREAS the Canadian government is close to concluding negotiations with the European Union (EU) on a Comprehensive Economic and Trade Agreement (CETA), with participation from provinces and territories; and
WHEREAS the Municipality of Guelph recognizes the importance of trade to local, provincial and national economies but also the impact that trade agreements can have on the powers of local governments; and
WHEREAS in the CETA, Canada has exchanged an initial procurement offer with the EU (listing sub-federal entities that will be bound by the rules of procurement chapter) that may include the Municipality of Guelph and that would explicitly ties the Municipality of Guelph to the terms and conditions of an international trade agreement; and
WHEREAS the EU is insisting on full access to procurement by municipalities, school boards, universities, hospitals, utilities and other provincial agencies, which could significantly reduce the freedom of these bodies to hire or source locally on public contracts, or to use public spending as a tool for economic development, environmental protection and support for local farmers and small businesses; and
WHEREAS procurement rules in the CETA combined with investment protections related to transit, water, electricity and other public services delivered locally may lock in privatization and make it prohibitively expensive to apply new regulations, to re-municipalize services, or create new municipal programs; and
WHEREAS the Municipality of Guelph already has an open and fair procurement policy, and that it is not the international norm for municipal governments to be covered by procurement agreements such as the one proposed in the CETA; and
WHEREAS disputes by private firms against local policy decisions could be taken before private trade tribunals that lack transparency and have the authority to impose fines;
THEREFORE be it resolved that Guelph Chapter Council of Canadians requests:
1. That the province exclude the Municipality of Guelph from the Canada-EU CETA, and that it otherwise protect the powers of municipalities, hospitals, school boards, utilities, universities and other sub-federal agencies to use public procurement, services and investment as tools to create local jobs, protect the environment, and support local development; and that
2. The province disclose its initial procurement, services and investment offers to the EU, explain the impacts CETA would have on municipal governance, and give M.U.S.H. sector entities the freedom to decide whether or not they will be bound by the procurement, investment and regulatory rules in the agreement; and that
3. This resolution be sent to the Provincial Municipal Association and the Federation of Canadian Municipalities, the Ontario Hospital Association, the Ontario University Association and the Ontario School Board Association for consideration and circulation.
Signed by:
Norah Chaloner and Keith Bellairs,
Co-chairs for Guelph Chapter, Council of Canadians
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December 10 Rally to Oppose CETA
December 9th, 2011
Last Monday, reps from Guelph Labour Council, CUPE, Wellington Water Watchers, and Council of Canadians attended the CAFES committee at City Hall. We asked for an exemption of our city from the CETA trade agreement until the details are made public and do not preference profits for EU corporations over our right to make choices in the future.
We return to City Hall on Dec. 19th and need a full house to show concern for this serious threat to our local autonomy. Please consider making a presentation yourself and/or attending. Your support would be most appreciated to draw attention to this.
And please tell others and call your mayor and councillors! Find your ward and councillors at http://guelph.ca/council/index.php/?page_id=5
In the meantime, this Saturday, take a half hour to help us air the issue as we again take CETA-pus to the Farmers Market crowd and share information on this threat. Meet opposite Farmers Market on Gordon St. at 11 am.
To see the CETApus rally in action, go to the link below. Hope to see you with us Dec. 10th (and then Dec.19th at City Hall).
Norah for CoC – Guelph
Guelph chapter tells City Council to demand an exemption from CETA
More information at http://www.canadians.org/trade/ or local website http://www.coc-guelph.ca/
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CETA Explanation Video
December 6th, 2011
Please watch for a detailed explanation of CETA.
http://www.guelphmercury.com/videozone/634636
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December 3rd RALLY to OPPOSE CETA.
December 6th, 2011
CETApus on the march
We gathered in Essex St Parkette at 11 a.m. opposite the Farmers Market on Gordon St with the big CETA-pus that draws attention to the many grasping tentacles of this trade agreement.
The CETA will affect every aspect of your life and our community.
This family friendly rally raised awareness of the secret CETA agreement. The leaked details prioritize “the rights of profit” over considerations like “local jobs”, “Buy Local” or “environmental considerations” in procurement contracts. The Harper government wants this Canada European Trade and Investment Agreement signed in early 2012.
Many-armed monster, CETApus.
We walked for 30 minutes up and down Gordon Street. Join us next Saturday for a repeat performance if it is not raining. We will have more signs on the CETApus explaining more clearly what it is grasping for!
Supported by Council of Canadians – Guelph Chapter, Guelph Wellington Health Coalition and Guelph Wellington Coalition for Social Justice
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Protesting Bill C-10
November 28th, 2011
http://www.guelphmercury.com/videozone/630678
Our local members in action against Harper’s expensive and flawed omnibus crime bill, C-10.
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Rally to Oppose CETA
November 27th, 2011
Dec 3rd, Saturday, at 11 a.m.for the Rally to Oppose CETA in front of the Farmers Market.
Join us in Essex St. Parkette opposite the Farmers Market on Gordon St.
Watch for the big CETA-pus that will draw attention to the many grasping tentacles of this agreement. The CETA will affect every aspect of your life and our community. This family friendly rally will raise awareness to the secret details of the CETA agreement.
The leaked details prioritize “the rights of profit” over considerations like “local jobs” , “Buy Local” or “environmental concerns” in procurement contracts. The Harper government wants this Canada European Trade and Investment Agreement signed in early 2012.
We will walk for 30 minutes up and down Gordon St past the Farmers Market. Watch out for the CETA-pus!
Council of Canadians- Guelph Chapter / Guelph Wellington Health Coalition / Guelph Wellington Coalition for Social Justice
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