[All] Incredible FordFest Rally!

Sun Sep 10 15:07:29 EDT 2023

Good Day!

1) FordFest Protest Rally - Kudo’s and thank you to the hundreds of people who came out to the Rally outside FordFest on Friday afternoon!  It was incredible to see such an amazing turnout of citizens from all walks of life across our vast watershed working together to send such strong messages to the provincial government. 

Our protest was the lead item on evening newcasts across the province with great coverage on all the major networks:

	CityNews TV Live - Greenbelt Scandal Follows Premier To FordFest:
	https://youtu.be/I60603sJFyA?

	Global News at 5:30 Toronto - FordFest Fury:
	https://globalnews.ca/video/9949331/global-news-at-530-toronto-sept-8-2023

	CTV CKCO News - 6pm Friday:
	https://kitchener.ctvnews.ca/video?clipId=2763566

	The Record - Ford Promises Homes In Ontario For Under $500,000 During Speech at Kitchener FordFest:
	https://www.therecord.com/news/waterloo-region/ford-promises-homes-in-ontario-for-under-500-000-during-speech-at-kitchener-fordfest/article_3ddb1daf-2b0c-5377-bb1c-45aedb061d30.html

	CBC - Premier Doug Ford Met By Protesters in Kitchener, Ont. Amid Heavy Police Presence:
	https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/kitchener-waterloo/ford-fest-kitchener-waterloo-region-1.6960609

	Global News - Protests Planned As FordFest Comes To Kitchener:
	https://globalnews.ca/news/9947201/kitchener-ontario-ford-fest-protest/

	CityNews - Protesters Rally Outside Ford Fest in Kitchener:
	https://kitchener.citynews.ca/2023/09/08/protesters-rally-outside-ford-fest-in-kitchener/

	The Record - Ford’s Big Party In Kitchener Was About Moving On From His Mistakes.  It Was Also A Piece of Marketing Genius:
	https://www.therecord.com/news/waterloo-region/ford-s-big-party-in-kitchener-was-about-moving-on-from-his-mistakes-it-was/article_425a4d11-74cb-5d39-b643-b5ef52f89a0b.html

	CTV News - Protestors and Supporters Welcome Doug Ford to Kitchener:
	https://kitchener.ctvnews.ca/protestors-and-supporters-welcome-premier-doug-ford-to-kitchener-1.6552846

There was also excellent coverage on social media, radio, and other print media.  Not often is Kitchener-Waterloo the lead item on the Toronto and Ottawa news.  One of the news teams from Toronto might have said it best when asked if they were going into FordFest and they said “No way - the real story is out here”.

It was great to see so many creative signs, hear such excellent speeches from all of the Opposition Parties, and see so much enthusiasm from participants across the vast rally site over several hours.  

We still haven’t been able to determine if Premier Doug Ford was in the OPP Protective Vehicle that wasn't able to enter through the main exit.  Thank you to everyone for showing restraint/control, respecting police while also sending a very strong message to the VIP’s in the group of vehicles.  Video’s of it have received hundreds of thousands of views on social media including the video shot by Sean O’Shea of Global News on his personal cell phone:

	Global News Sean O’Shea - Twitter Video Doug Ford Protective Vehicle Turned Away at FordFest in Kitchener:
	https://twitter.com/ConsumerSOS/status/1700267734507155673

Photos showing the passion and energy of the event along with the creativity of the signs are attached below.  

We need to continue to speak up and ensure the government hears our concerns about Greenbelt, Bill 23, Regional Planning, housing, corruption, lack of consultation and other issues along with the concerns about healthcare and education.  Please share any ideas on how we can continue to work with the amazing labour, healthcare and education unions as well as other groups across the Grand River Watershed.

2) Upcoming Greenbelt Rallies and Events - People across the province are speaking up in record numbers as the Greenbelt Scandal continues to grow.  There are an impressive number of rallies/events being planned including:

	Barrie - Sept 12th
	Hamilton - Sept 14th (see below for more information)
	Markdale - Sept 14th
	Brampton - Sept 15th
	Queens Park - Sept 16th
	Newmarket Sept 17th
	Bowling Green - International Plowing Match (IPM) - Sept 19th to 23rd
	Richmond Hill - Sept 23rd
	Oakville - Sept 23rd
	Queen’s Park - Sept 25th
	Duffins Rouge Ag Preserve and Rouge National - Oct 1st

Please take action and lets keep building momentum.  Learn more and how to participate at:  https://environmentaldefence.ca/handsoffthegreenbelt/

3) Hamilton Sept 14th Rally Details - Apparently the Province is now resorting to a rigged “negotiation” and “consultation” process to try to create the false impression that Hamilton is acquiescing to Greenbelt removal.  Hamilton City Council has agreed to host two public meetings that will allow the public to demonstrate a clear outpouring of opposition to any Greenbelt development.  The first meeting held this past week overflowed the facility with at least 800 people attending a venue that could only hold 500. 

	Special Meeting of City of Hamilton Planning Committee - To delegate to the Planning Committee contact clerk at hamilton.ca <mailto:clerk at hamilton.ca>.  Stop Sprawl Hamilton will be holding a large rally before the meeting at 5:30pm in front of the venue.  Follow them on Facebook or Instagram for details.

	When: Thursday, September 14th, 2023 Rally at 5:30pm, Meeting at 6:00pm
	Where:  Ancaster Memorial Arts Theatre, 357 Wilson Street East, Ancaster 

Lets try to do everything that we can to support citizens and local communities in Hamilton - please write, call and attend these meetings.  Please reach out to Kevin Thomason (kevinthomason at mac.com) if you need a ride or would like to carpool to Ancaster for Thursday evening from Kitchener/Waterloo/Cambridge/Guelph.

Here’s coverage of this past Thursday’s Hamilton Meeting:

	City of Hamilton Sept 6th Meeting Report - Mike Marcolongo:
	https://twitter.com/marcolongo_mike/status/1699621884600418489

	Margaret Shkimba - Forced Community Input Is Not Better Than a Lie:
	https://medium.com/@menrvasofia/forced-community-input-is-no-better-than-a-lie-d41b71de22ea

4) Reminder - Meeting This Friday - Join us online this Friday, September 15th at 5:30pm:

	Topic: Grand River Watershed Bill 23 Bi-Weekly Zoom Meeting
	Time: Every Other Friday at 5:30pm EST

	Join Zoom Meeting
	https://us06web.zoom.us/j/82644695701?pwd=bnRsUGtWSUcrRnFWR21uYVBISG9jZz09

	Meeting ID: 826 4469 5701
	Passcode: 713374

Thanks for all the great efforts so far.  Please share any questions or ideas.

Cheers,
Kevin Thomason and Mike Marcolongo on behalf of all our community groups.

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A) Upcoming Events

Tuesday, September 12th - 7pm - Simcoe County Special Greenbelt Forum - https://www.eventbrite.com/e/uniting-for-a-sustainable-future-public-forum-on-the-greenbelt-tickets-699659128287?aff=scgcaugeml

Thursday, September 14th - 5:30pm - Hamilton Special Planning Meeting - Ancaster Memorial Arts Theatre 357 Wilson Street East - huge protest being planned in advance - https://www.ssho.ca/

Thursday, September 14th - 9am to 10am - Silent Markdale Protest - Premier Ford Attending Hospital Opening - Send A Message Directly To The Premier - https://www.facebook.com/events/319128030625983

Friday, September 15th - 3:00pm to 6:00pm - Brampton - Youth Climate Strike and Greenbelt Rally - Gage Park, 45 Main Street South - https://environmentaldefence.ca/handsoffthegreenbelt/

Friday, September 15th - 5:30pm - Next update meeting on Zoom - https://us06web.zoom.us/j/82644695701?pwd=bnRsUGtWSUcrRnFWR21uYVBISG9jZz09

Friday, September 15th - 8pm to 9pm - Faith Climate Justice Vigil - Waterloo Town Square - Join these weekly gatherings from Sept 1st to Dec 15th -  https://bit.ly/climate-vigils-wr

Saturday, September 16th - 11:00am - Queen’s Park - Toronto - Greenbelt Contingent at Fossil Fuel March - https://environmentaldefence.ca/handsoffthegreenbelt/

Sunday, September 17th - 2pm -Stratford March to End Fossil Fuels - Market Square Stratford  - https://perthcountysustainability.ca/climate-march/

Monday, September 18th - 5pm to 8pm - Centre For International Governance & Innovation - Waterloo - Protecting The Grand River Microplastics and Stewardship in the Haldimand Tract - https://act.environmentaldefence.ca/page/134226/event/1

Tuesday, September 19th to Saturday, September 23rd: International Plowing Match (IPM) booth for "The Keep the Greenbelt Promise" Campaign. The IPM is taking place just North-West of Grand Valley in Laurel and the Greenbelt Promise is looking for volunteers to help staff the booth! https://www.plowingmatch.org/ipm2023/

Saturday, September 23rd, 2023 - Richmond Hill Greenbelt Rally 1pm to 3pm - https://environmentaldefence.ca/handsoffthegreenbelt/

Saturday, September 23rd, 2023 - Oakville Greenbelt Rally  - https://environmentaldefence.ca/handsoffthegreenbelt/

Monday, September 25th - 12:00pm - Massive Healthcare Protest at Queen’s Park in Toronto - More information coming soon

Saturday, September 30th - EV Demonstration and Show - The Boardwalk, Waterloo - https://driveelectricweek.org/event?eventid=3585

Sunday, October 1st - Rally to Save Rouge Park and the DRAP - https://environmentaldefence.ca/handsoffthegreenbelt/

Saturday, October 28th - Already Sold Out! - Simcoe County Greenbelt Coalition Event with Margaret Atwood and Sarah Harmer - https://www.eventbrite.ca/e/gather-for-the-greenbelt-tickets-658110374847?aff=scgcaugeml

-----------------------------------
A) FordFest Rally at Bingeman’s Photos by Kevin Thomason and Mike Marcolongo:

-------------------------------------

Kevin Thomason
Vice-Chair, Grand River Environmental Network

Phone: (519) 888-0519
Mobile Phone/WhatsApp: (519) 240-1648
Twitter: @kthomason
E-mail: kevinthomason at mac.com <mailto:kevinthomason at mac.com>
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