[All] More Ford Flip-Flops & Losses, Former AG Speaks Out, Schneider's Lands, Get It Done Act, Bill 23, and Other Updates

Fri Feb 16 11:09:22 EST 2024

Good Day,

Ford flip-flops and losses continue, new ominous omnibus Acts are coming, and activities on numerous issues continue:

1) Get It Done Omnibus Act Coming - We’re hearing that the legislation will be called Bill 1, the “Get It Done” Act and will be introduced when the provincial legislature returns next week.  It will include new tools to make it easier for the provincial government to expropriate land to proceed with major infrastructure projects.  It is also expected to further weaken environmental protections and have a renewed push for more urban sprawl onto farmland and greenspace.  If it is as devastating as some insiders are predicting this omnibus bill will require significant pushback and opposition.

	The Narwhal - Documents Show Ontario May Move To Allow Expropriation Of Land Before Environmental Review:
	https://thenarwhal.ca/ontario-expropriation-land-bill/

2) Ford Loses Bill 124 Appeal - Doug Ford’s provincial government suffered another major loss with the courts deciding that Bill 124 infringed on Charter Rights and is unconstitutional.  This is a huge victory for nurses, teachers and thousands of public sector workers who have had wages unfairly capped and has lead to a massive exodus of health-care workers during the pandemic as well as in recent months.  The government has said that it will repeal Bill 124 in its entirety in the coming weeks.

One only has to wonder about the tremendous court costs and negative impacts on our healthcare system from this wasteful approach by Doug Fords Conservative government and yet another flip-flop by the Premier who continues to show that he can actually get little done while our healthcare system, education system, environment, and housing face continued crisis.

	The Toronto Star - Doug Ford Backs Down On Wage Restraint Legislation:
	https://www.thestar.com/politics/provincial/doug-ford-backs-down-on-wage-restraint-legislation/article_c233a9da-c764-11ee-8ab5-27c9e92f9abd.html

	CBC - Ontario To Repeal Wage-Cap :aw After Appeal Court Rules Ford Government’s Bill 124 Unconstitutional:
	https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/toronto/bill-124-appeal-court-ruling-ontario-1.7112291

	CityNews - Ford Government Loses Appeal As Court Rules Wage Restraint Law Bill 124 Is Unconstitutional:
	https://kitchener.citynews.ca/2024/02/12/bill-124-ontario-wage-restraint-court-ruling/?

3) Bonnie Lysyk Speaks Out About Lack Of Transparency - Former Auditor General Bonnie Lysyk recently became a columnist with The Trillium news organization reporting on Queens Park.  Her first column “Please just answer the questions” was published on February 5h and is well worth your time to read:

	The Trillium - Please Just Answer The Questions:
	https://www.thetrillium.ca/opinion/please-just-answer-the-questions-8177924

4) Schneider’s Land Donation Update - The hundreds of acres of land that the Schneider family wants to donate to the rare Charitable Land Trust continues to be in the news as hundreds of citizens and groups have answered the family’s request for help by writing Wilmot Township Council and Staff.  The promised Wilmot Township Staff Report was not completed in time for Monday’s Council meeting and it is hoped that we will see this report that will provide a better understanding of how the township arrived at their demands for a 12 car parking lot and will hopefully provide a variety of potential alternative solutions in time for the next Wilmot Township Council Meeting on Monday, February 26th. 

Please continue to speak up and do all that you can to help ensure that this incredible donation of these spectacular environmentally sensitive lands that are a jewel atop the Waterloo Moraine succeeds.

5) More Confusing Changes From The Ford Government - The Minister of Transportation and the Premier have announced future bans on tolls on all provincial highways (with the exception of Hwy 407), automatic free license plate renewals, and a continued freeze on drivers licence and photo card renewals.  This unusual move by the provincial government is counter to most provincial and state governments that use these fees from drivers to help cover the road expenses and will cost the province at least $1 billion of potential revenues.  It remains to be seen how unpaid tickets, outstanding fines, and even proof of valid insurance will be handled by this government that has repeatedly demonstrated it isn’t good at managing the details.

	CP24News - Ontario Banning Tolls For Future Governments:
	https://www.cp24.com/news/ontario-banning-tolls-on-provincial-highways-other-than-407-1.6770181

	CityNews - Ford Government To Scrap Ontario Licence Plate Registration:
	https://kitchener.citynews.ca/2024/02/13/ontario-licence-plate-renewal-registration-fees-doug-ford-government/?

6) Recent Media - Current news articles include stories on Greenbelt development approvals, climate change denials by the provincial government, serious issues at the Ontario Landlord and Tenant Board, and Durham tax troubles from sprawl:

	The Record - The Politics of Forest And Greenspace:
	https://www.therecord.com/opinion/columnists/the-politics-of-forest-and-greenspace/article_2c7af631-9c62-50af-8b87-3a8e4fa8f264.html

	National Observer - The Mysterious Case Of The Ontario Monks And A Long-Term Care Home That Won Another Greenbelt Development Approval:
	https://www.nationalobserver.com/2024/02/15/news/mysterious-case-ontario-monks-long-term-care-home-greenbelt

	The Narwhal - Climate Change Is Hitting Ontario Farms Hard.  Why Won’t The Government Talk About It?
	https://thenarwhal.ca/ontario-climate-impact-report/

	CBC - Feds Will Stop Investing In Large Road Projects Environment Minister Says:
	https://www.cbc.ca/news/politics/guilbeault-no-new-roads-1.7114867

	The Toronto Star - Doug Ford’s Partisan Ignorance Has Left 53,000 Tenants And Landlords Dangling:
	https://www.thestar.com/politics/political-opinion/doug-fords-partisan-ignorance-has-left-53-000-tenants-and-landlords-dangling/article_a80250f0-cb80-11ee-ae27-6f14f528c648.html

	The Toronto Star - “There’s No Business Case For This”: Durham’s Heavily Taxed Residents Fear The Added Costs Of Region’s Sprawl:
	https://www.thestar.com/politics/provincial/doug-ford-backs-down-on-wage-restraint-legislation/article_c233a9da-c764-11ee-8ab5-27c9e92f9abd.html
	Councillors approved destroying 9,000 acres of farmland but the plan was not supported by Staff who said housing needs could be met with just 2,300 acres yet Councillors overrode staff and approve 9,000+ acres for development.

	The Toronto Star - She Wanted To Help The Environment.  But That’s Not Always Easy For A Teenager:
	https://www.thestar.com/news/gta/she-wanted-to-help-the-environment-but-thats-not-always-easy-for-a-teenager/article_487ddcf0-b6d9-11ee-9ccf-af9145fa86b4.html

7) Endangered Species Act Action Alerts - Ontario Nature - Hold the provincial government accountable for weakening the species at risk protections with this excellent on-line e-mail form by February 20th:

	https://ontarionature.good.do/weakening-SAR-protections/email/

And The Wilderness Committee also has a great letter writing tool to help you tell the Ontario government that species at risk are not red tape:

	https://www.wildernesscommittee.org/take-action/tell-ontario-species-risk-are-not-red-tape

8) Natural (Methane) Gas Expansion Pushback - A number of organizations are pushing back on natural gas expansion by calling out Enbridge and the provincial government intent on introducing new legislation to reverse the recent Ontario Energy Board decision:

	City of Hamilton - unanimously passed a motion supporting the end of the Enbridge ratepayers’ subsidizing new gas hookups:
https://environmentaldefence.ca/2024/02/14/environmental-defence-applauds-hamilton-motion-supporting-end-of-pipeline-subsidy/

	CAPE Natural Gas Sign-on - The Canadian Associations of Physicians for the Environment (CAPE) would like you to speak up about the provincial government's concerning efforts to force unsustainable fossil methane gas into Ontario homes for the coming decades.  Speak up now to support the Ontario Energy Board's decision that Ontario should not be expanding fossil fuel infrastructure:

	https://act.cape.ca/newmode_enbridge_fee_hike

	LeadNow - has a letter to mobilize Ontarians to speak out against methane gas expansion:
	https://you.leadnow.ca/petitions/support-the-oeb-don-t-let-doug-ford-and-enbridge-sabotage-our-future

9) Other Relevant Media - Includes devastation at our colleges and universities, and calls for GO Trains:

	The Toronto Star - How Shamelessly Has Doug Ford Ground Down Ontario’s Colleges and Universities?  Let Me Count The Ways:
	https://www.thestar.com/politics/political-opinion/how-shamelessly-has-doug-ford-ground-down-ontarios-colleges-and-universities-let-me-count-the/article_fbcc04dc-c9ec-11ee-8a86-b7a310e552b8.html

	CityNews - Ontario Green Party Calls On Ford Government To Get Kitchener Moving:
	https://kitchener.citynews.ca/2024/02/15/ontario-green-party-calls-on-ford-government-to-get-kitchener-moving/?

10) Ontario Place For All - The amazing folks battling for Ontario Place have launched a new campaign to send Therme a message.  Learn more and see photos of the great creativity/artwork on the cities largest chalkboard wall at:

	https://mailchi.mp/18a425b3ca1f/febupdate?e=45a9b8f0ca

11) The Future of Farmland Forum - The Ontario Farmland Trust would like to invite you to the annual Farmland Forum on March 21st from 9am to 5pm at the Grandway Events Centre in Elora and online.  Registration and more information can be found at:

	https://ontariofarmlandtrust.ca/forum/

12) Reminder - Next Meeting - Join us next Friday, February 23rd at 5:30pm to discuss the latest news and what’s next:

	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

Wednesday, February 21st - 8pm - Elmira Awareness Event - Rural Roots, Elmira - more details below

Wednesday, February 21st -  6pm to 8pm - Elora Stormwater Management Public Meeting - check out post from @blackdogforestfarm

Friday, February 23rd - 5:30pm - Next update meeting on Zoom - https://us06web.zoom.us/j/82644695701?pwd=bnRsUGtWSUcrRnFWR21uYVBISG9jZz09

GreenDrinks KWC - Wednesday, February 28th 7pm to 9pm - Graffiti Market, 137 Glasgow Street, Kitchener - https://www.facebook.com/groups/KWGreenDrinks/

The Future of Farmland Forum - Thursday, March 21st 9am to 5pm - https://ontariofarmlandtrust.ca/forum/

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B) Elmira Awareness Event - Wednesday, February 21st 8pm:

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C) Speak Up and Ensure Your Voice is Heard:

Premier Doug Ford - doug.fordco at pc.ola.org <mailto:doug.fordco at pc.ola.org> or 416-325-1941
Paul Calandra - Minister of Municipal Affairs and Housing - paul.calandra at pc.ola.org <mailto:steve.clark at pc.ola.org> or 416-585-7000
Andrea Khanjin - Minster of Environment, Conservation and Parks - andrea.khanjin at pc.ola.org <mailto:andrea.khanjin at pc.ola.org> or 705-722-0575
Todd Smith - Minister of Energy - todd.smith at pc.ola.org <mailto:todd.smith at pc.ola.org> or 613-962-1144
Michael Parsa - Associate Minister of Housing - michael.parsaco at pc.ola.org <mailto:michael.parsaco at pc.ola.org>

Local Conservative MPPs:
Mike Harris Jr - MPP Kitchener-Conestoga - mike.harris at pc.ola.org <mailto:mike.harris at pc.ola.org> or 519-669-2090
Brian Riddell - MPP Cambridge - brian.riddell at pc.ola.org <mailto:brian.riddell at pc.ola.org> or 519-650-2770
Jess Dixon - MPP Kitchener South - jess.dixon at pc.ola.org <mailto:jess.dixon at pc.ola.org> or 519-650-9413
Will Bouma - MPP Brantford-Brant - will.bouma at pc.ola.org <mailto:will.bouma at pc.ola.org> or (519) 759-0361
Ted Arnott - MPP Wellington-Halton Hills - ted.arnott at pc.ola.org <mailto:ted.arnott at pc.ola.org> or (519) 787-5247
Ernie Hardeman - MPP Oxford - ernie.hardeman at pc.ola.org <mailto:ernie.hardeman at pc.ola.org> or (519) 537-5222
Matthew Rae - MPP Perth-Wellington - matthew.rae at pc.ola.org <mailto:matthew.rae at pc.ola.org> or (519) 272-0660

Local NDP MPPs:
Catherine Fife - MPP Waterloo - cfife-qp at ndp.on.ca <mailto:cfife-qp at ndp.on.ca> or 519-725-3477

Local Green Party MPPs:
Mike Schreiner - MPP Guelph - mschreiner at ola.org <mailto:mschreiner at ola.org> or (519) 836-4190
New! - Aislinn Clancy - MPP Kitchener Centre - new contact information coming soon

Independent MPPs:
Bobbi Ann Brady - MPP Haldimand-Norfolk - babrady-co at ola.org <mailto:babrady-co at ola.org> or (519) 428-0446

-----------------------------------
Kevin Thomason
Vice-Chair, Grand River Environmental Network
www.gren.ca <http://www.gren.ca/>

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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