<html><head><meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html; charset=utf-8"></head><body style="word-wrap: break-word; -webkit-nbsp-mode: space; line-break: after-white-space;" class=""><div class="">Good Day,</div><div class=""><div class=""><br class=""></div><div class="">Here’s the latest on Bill 23, the Greenbelt attacks, and Regional Planning destruction:</div><div class=""><br class=""></div><div class=""><span class=""><font size="4" class=""><font class="" style="font-weight: bold;">1) MPP Mike Harris Jr Called Out - </font></font></span><span class="">Congratulations to the Nith Valley Ecoboosters for calling out Kitchener-Conestoga MPP Mike Harris Jr for not answering their multiple e-mails, phone calls, inquiries, and even a protest at his office about the lack of a response to their efforts for over 11 weeks. Not only they they finally secure a rare meeting with Mike Jr. but they also were able to garner very impressive media coverage calling out the completely unacceptable lack of responsiveness from this elected official. </span></div><div class=""><div class=""><span class=""><font class=""><span class=""><br class=""></span></font></span></div><div class=""><span class=""><font class=""><span class="">Hopefully other MPP’s will take note and do a better job of meeting with our concerned citizens and groups rather than hiding as many have been over the past few months. We need to continue to call out these elected officials, ensure that they do better, and are held to account:</span></font></span></div><div class=""><br class=""></div><div class=""><span class=""><font class=""><span class=""><span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space:pre"> </span>The Record - Luisa D’Amato - Should You Have to Wait 11 Weeks Before Hearing Back from Your MPP:<br class=""><div dir="auto" style="word-wrap: break-word; -webkit-nbsp-mode: space; line-break: after-white-space;" class=""><span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space:pre"> </span><a href="https://www.therecord.com/news/waterloo-region/opinion/2023/02/21/should-you-have-to-wait-11-weeks-before-hearing-back-from-your-mpp.html" class="">https://www.therecord.com/news/waterloo-region/opinion/2023/02/21/should-you-have-to-wait-11-weeks-before-hearing-back-from-your-mpp.html</a></div><div class=""><br class=""></div></span></font></span></div><div class=""><span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space:pre"> </span>Woolwich Observer Article on Mike Harris protest:</div><div class=""><span class=""><font class=""><span class=""><div><span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space:pre"> </span><a href="https://observerxtra.com/2023/02/16/protesters-look-for-local-mpp-to-be-more-responsive/" class="">https://observerxtra.com/2023/02/16/protesters-look-for-local-mpp-to-be-more-responsive/</a></div><div class=""><br class=""></div><div class=""><span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space:pre"> </span>After A Protest, Nith Valley Ecoboosters Receive Response From MPP</div></span></font></span></div><div class=""><span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space:pre"> </span><a href="https://www.wilmotpost.ca/news/article.php?After-a-protest-Nith-Valley-Ecoboosters-receive-response-from-MPP-2961" class="">https://www.wilmotpost.ca/news/article.php?After-a-protest-Nith-Valley-Ecoboosters-receive-response-from-MPP-2961</a></div><div class=""></div></div><div class=""><br class=""></div><div class=""><br class=""></div><div class=""><font class=""><font size="4" class=""><b class=""><span class="">2) W</span><span class="">elc</span></b></font><b class="" style="font-size: large;">ome Back Doug Protest Party -</b></font> Join us this coming Saturday, February 25th for a large rally on the Queen’s Park Legislature Lawn from 11:00am to 1pm. With an all-star line-up of speakers as well as a musical guests such as Sarah Harmer and Samba Squad this should be a fun event for the entire family. More details can be found in the poster attached below and at the following website / newspaper article:</div><div><div class=""><div class=""><br class=""></div><div class=""><span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span><b class="" style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); caret-color: rgb(38, 40, 42); color: rgb(38, 40, 42);"><font size="4" class=""><div class="" style="caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 12px; font-weight: 400; display: inline !important;"><a href="https://www.welcomebackdoug.com/" class="">https://www.welcomebackdoug.com</a> </div></font></b></div><div class=""><br class=""></div></div></div><div><div class=""><div class=""><span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span>A great local call to action by Susan Koswan - Gearing Up for the Next Round:</div><div class=""><span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span><a href="https://www.therecord.com/opinion/2023/02/15/gearing-up-for-next-round-in-fight-to-save-greenbelt.html?rf" class="">https://www.therecord.com/opinion/2023/02/15/gearing-up-for-next-round-in-fight-to-save-greenbelt.html?rf</a></div><div class=""><br class=""></div></div></div><div class=""><br class=""></div><div class=""><b class=""><font size="4" class="">3) </font></b><b class=""><font size="4" class="">We’re Watching You Event - </font></b>Congratulations to all the people who made it to Queen’s Park on Tuesday to pack the Visitor’s Gallery at the Legislature and make it clear to the Doug Ford and his Conservative government that we are watching and are not going away as he hoped. Over 120 citizens filled the galleries while opposition MPPs grilled Ford and his government with new questions about developers influence over this government and his cozy relations with many who have benefited from recent government decisions. Reporters and media from across the province reported on the rough start to this Legislative Session for the Premier:</div><div class=""><br class=""></div><div class=""><span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span>Everything is going Green as MPP’s return to the Legislature:</div><div class=""><div><span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space:pre"> </span><a href="https://www.thestar.com/politics/provincial/2023/02/20/health-crisis-greenbelt-scheme-doug-ford-in-the-spotlight-as-mpps-return-heres-what-you-should-know.html" class="">https://www.thestar.com/politics/provincial/2023/02/20/health-crisis-greenbelt-scheme-doug-ford-in-the-spotlight-as-mpps-return-heres-what-you-should-know.html</a></div><div><br class=""></div><div><span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space:pre"> </span>Ford Grilled Over Daughter’s Stag and Doe:</div><div><span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space:pre"> </span><a href="https://www.therecord.com/ts/politics/provincial/2023/02/21/doug-ford-grilled-over-daughters-stag-and-doe-party-does-the-premier-understand-how-bad-this-looks.html" class="">https://www.therecord.com/ts/politics/provincial/2023/02/21/doug-ford-grilled-over-daughters-stag-and-doe-party-does-the-premier-understand-how-bad-this-looks.html</a></div><div><br class=""></div><div><span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space:pre"> </span>CBC - Ford Faces Questions About Relationships with Developers:</div><div><span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space:pre"> </span><a href="https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/toronto/ford-ontario-stag-doe-emergencies-act-1.6755384" class="">https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/toronto/ford-ontario-stag-doe-emergencies-act-1.6755384</a></div><div class=""><br class=""></div><div class=""><span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space:pre"> </span>Ford Won’t Be Sunk Easily by Scandal:</div></div><div class=""><div><span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space:pre"> </span><a href="https://nationalpost.com/opinion/doug-ford-wont-be-sunk-easily-by-scandal" class="">https://nationalpost.com/opinion/doug-ford-wont-be-sunk-easily-by-scandal</a></div><div class=""><br class=""></div></div><div class=""><br class=""></div><div class=""><div class=""><span class=""><font class=""><span class=""><font size="4" class=""><font class="" style="font-weight: bold;">4) Other Recent Media Coverage </font></font><font class="" style="font-weight: bold;">-</font></span><span class=""> The significant amount of media articles and news coverage about Bill 23 continues on other fronts as well:</span></font></span></div><div class=""><br class=""></div></div></div><div class=""><span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space:pre"> </span>The NDP has filed more complaints with Integrity Commissioner as more details continue to be learned about Ford family events:</div><div class=""><span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space:pre"> </span><a href="https://www.thestar.com/politics/provincial/2023/02/23/ndp-files-complaint-over-doug-ford-family-events-linked-to-developers.html" class="">https://www.thestar.com/politics/provincial/2023/02/23/ndp-files-complaint-over-doug-ford-family-events-linked-to-developers.html</a></div><div class=""><br class=""></div><div class=""><span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space:pre"> </span>The floodgates open as other developers are now seeking Greenbelt land removals….</div><div dir="auto" style="word-wrap: break-word; -webkit-nbsp-mode: space; line-break: after-white-space;" class=""><span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space:pre"> </span><a href="https://thenarwhal.ca/ontario-greenbelt-removal-requests/" class="">https://thenarwhal.ca/ontario-greenbelt-removal-requests/</a></div><div dir="auto" style="word-wrap: break-word; -webkit-nbsp-mode: space; line-break: after-white-space;" class=""><br class=""></div><div dir="auto" style="word-wrap: break-word; -webkit-nbsp-mode: space; line-break: after-white-space;" class=""><div dir="auto" style="word-wrap: break-word; -webkit-nbsp-mode: space; line-break: after-white-space;" class=""><div dir="auto" style="word-wrap: break-word; -webkit-nbsp-mode: space; line-break: after-white-space;" class=""><div style="word-wrap: break-word; -webkit-nbsp-mode: space; line-break: after-white-space;" class=""><div style="word-wrap: break-word; -webkit-nbsp-mode: space; line-break: after-white-space;" class=""><div><span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space:pre"> </span>Insiders and Government Appointees Also Attended Doug Ford’s Daughter’s Wedding:</div><div><span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space:pre"> </span><a href="https://www.thestar.com/news/investigations/2023/02/23/insiders-government-appointees-also-attended-doug-fords-daughters-wedding.html" class="">https://www.thestar.com/news/investigations/2023/02/23/insiders-government-appointees-also-attended-doug-fords-daughters-wedding.html</a></div><div><br class=""></div><div><span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space:pre"> </span>Ottawa Should Fight Doug Ford’s Greenbelt Plan:</div><div><div><span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space:pre"> </span><a href="https://www.therecord.com/ts/politics/federal/2023/02/21/ottawa-should-fight-doug-fords-greenbelt-plan-liberal-mps-in-the-gta-argue.html" class="">https://www.therecord.com/ts/politics/federal/2023/02/21/ottawa-should-fight-doug-fords-greenbelt-plan-liberal-mps-in-the-gta-argue.html</a></div><div><br class=""></div><div><span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space:pre"> </span>Doug Ford Has Failed the Accountability Test:</div><div><span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space:pre"> </span><a href="https://www.therecord.com/ts/politics/political-opinion/2023/02/22/doug-ford-has-failed-the-accountability-test.html?itm_source=parsely-api" class="">https://www.therecord.com/ts/politics/political-opinion/2023/02/22/doug-ford-has-failed-the-accountability-test.html?itm_source=parsely-api</a></div><div><br class=""></div></div><div><br class=""></div><div><div><b class=""><font size="4" class="">5) Other Impacts and Fallout from Bill 23</font></b> - The fallout and unintended consequences of the poorly conceived Bill 23 continue to unfold around the province. Below are some media articles from the past week detailing issues and impacts municipalities are facing: </div><div><br class=""></div><div><span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span>Ford’s Housing Plan Fails in Waterloo:<br class=""><div class=""><div dir="auto" style="word-wrap: break-word; -webkit-nbsp-mode: space; line-break: after-white-space;" class=""><div dir="auto" style="word-wrap: break-word; -webkit-nbsp-mode: space; line-break: after-white-space;" class=""><div style="word-wrap: break-word; -webkit-nbsp-mode: space; line-break: after-white-space;" class=""><div style="word-wrap: break-word; -webkit-nbsp-mode: space; line-break: after-white-space;" class=""><div><span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span><a href="https://www.ontariondp.ca/news/ndp-ford-s-housing-plan-fails-it-s-first-test-waterloo" class="">https://www.ontariondp.ca/news/ndp-ford-s-housing-plan-fails-it-s-first-test-waterloo</a></div><div class=""><br class=""></div></div></div></div></div></div></div><div><span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span>Bill 23 Impacts Cambridge Taxes:</div><div><div><span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span><a href="https://kitchener.citynews.ca/local-news/cambridge-council-to-mull-tax-increase-before-final-budget-vote-on-tuesday-6576039" class="">https://kitchener.citynews.ca/local-news/cambridge-council-to-mull-tax-increase-before-final-budget-vote-on-tuesday-6576039</a></div><div class=""><br class=""></div><div class=""><span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span>Mike Moffat and the Smart Prosperity Institute Stress the Importance of the Integrity Greenbelt:</div></div><div><span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span><a href="https://institute.smartprosperity.ca/OntariosGreenbelt" class="">https://institute.smartprosperity.ca/OntariosGreenbelt</a></div><div><br class=""></div><div><br class=""></div></div><div><b class=""><font size="4" class="">6) Reminder - No Meeting this Friday - Our next update meeting will be <span class=""><font class="">Friday, March 3rd at 5:30pm </font></span></font></b></div><div class=""><div dir="auto" class="" style="word-wrap: break-word; -webkit-nbsp-mode: space; line-break: after-white-space;"><div class=""><div class=""><div dir="auto" class="" style="word-wrap: break-word; -webkit-nbsp-mode: space; line-break: after-white-space;"><div class="" style="word-wrap: break-word; -webkit-nbsp-mode: space; line-break: after-white-space;"><div class="" style="word-wrap: break-word; -webkit-nbsp-mode: space; line-break: after-white-space;"><div class=""><div class=""><div class=""><div class=""><br class=""></div><div class=""><div class="" style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;"><span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space:pre"> </span>Topic: Grand River Watershed Bill 23 Bi-Weekly Zoom Meeting</div><div class="" style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;"><span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space:pre"> </span>Time: Every Other Friday at 5:30pm EST</div><div class="" style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 14px;"><br class=""></div><div class="" style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;"><span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space:pre"> </span>Join Zoom Meeting</div><div class="" style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;"><span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space:pre"> </span><a href="https://us06web.zoom.us/j/82644695701?pwd=bnRsUGtWSUcrRnFWR21uYVBISG9jZz09" class="">https://us06web.zoom.us/j/82644695701?pwd=bnRsUGtWSUcrRnFWR21uYVBISG9jZz09</a></div><div class="" style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 14px;"><br class=""></div><div class="" style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;"><span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space:pre"> </span>Meeting ID: 826 4469 5701</div><div class="" style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;"><span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space:pre"> </span>Passcode: 713374</div><div class="" style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;"><br class=""></div><div class="" style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;"><br class=""></div></div></div><div class=""><div class="">Thanks for all the great efforts so far. Please share any questions or ideas.</div><div class=""><div id="ydp9fa07544yiv0892781770yqtfd24641" class="ydp9fa07544yiv0892781770yqt1303954863"><div class=""><br clear="none" class=""><div dir="ltr" class=""><div class="" style="caret-color: rgb(38, 40, 42); color: rgb(38, 40, 42);"><span class="ydp9fa07544yiv0892781770ydp8bacb94dyiv1865983000Apple-style-span">Cheers,</span></div><div class="" style="caret-color: rgb(38, 40, 42); color: rgb(38, 40, 42);">Kevin Thomason and Mike Marcolongo on behalf of all our community groups.</div><div class=""><br class=""></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div><div class="">-----------------------------------</div><div class=""><div dir="auto" class="" style="word-wrap: break-word; -webkit-nbsp-mode: space; line-break: after-white-space;"><div dir="auto" class="" style="word-wrap: break-word; -webkit-nbsp-mode: space; line-break: after-white-space;"><div class=""><div dir="auto" class="" style="word-wrap: break-word; -webkit-nbsp-mode: space; line-break: after-white-space;"><div dir="auto" class="" style="word-wrap: break-word; -webkit-nbsp-mode: space; line-break: after-white-space;"><div class="" style="word-wrap: break-word; -webkit-nbsp-mode: space; line-break: after-white-space;"><div class="" style="word-wrap: break-word; -webkit-nbsp-mode: space; line-break: after-white-space;"><div class=""><div class=""><b class="" style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); caret-color: rgb(38, 40, 42); color: rgb(38, 40, 42);"><font size="4" class="">A) Upcoming Events</font></b></div><div class=""><div class="" style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"><br class=""></div><div class="" style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"><b class="" style="caret-color: rgb(38, 40, 42); color: rgb(38, 40, 42);"><font size="4" class=""><div class="" style="caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 12px; font-weight: 400;">Saturday, February 25th - 11:00am - Welcome Back Doug Rally at the Legislature Lawn - <a href="https://www.welcomebackdoug.com/" class="">https://www.welcomebackdoug.com</a> </div><div class="" style="caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 12px; font-weight: 400;"><br class=""></div></font></b></div></div></div><div class=""><div class="x_x_x_x_elementToProof" style="caret-color: rgb(38, 40, 42); color: rgb(38, 40, 42); font-family: Calibri, Helvetica, sans-serif; margin: 0px;"><span class="ContentPasted0" style="margin: 0px;"><b class="ydp9fa07544yiv0892781770ydp8bacb94dyiv1865983000" style="caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: Helvetica;"><font size="4" class="ydp9fa07544yiv0892781770ydp8bacb94dyiv1865983000"><b class="" style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); caret-color: rgb(38, 40, 42); color: rgb(38, 40, 42);"><font size="4" class=""><div class="" style="caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 12px; font-weight: 400;"><div class=""></div></div></font></b></font></b></span></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div><div><br class=""></div><div></div></div></div></div></div></div></body></html>