[GREN-Exec] How to Speak Up to Support Growing the Greenbelt - A Webinar

Tue Mar 9 07:56:44 EST 2021

Dear K,

As people my age used to say when we were teenagers, Right On!  Thanks for your considerations.

- Greg

________________________________
From: Kevin Thomason <kevinthomason at mac.com>
Sent: Monday, March 8, 2021 7:43 PM
To: Greg Michalenko
Cc: GREN Executive
Subject: Re: [GREN-Exec] How to Speak Up to Support Growing the Greenbelt - A Webinar

Hi Greg,

Brilliant follow-up!  It appears that the fresh country air this weekend has resulted in some wonderful insights and suggestions.  I think that your analysis is excellent and succinctly summarizes what so many people have been trying to articulate on recent calls that I have been on.

If you don’t mind, I will suggest these avenues as excellent paths forward to deal with the Ford government and advocate for greater protection.

Cheers,
Kevin.

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

Kevin Thomason

1115 Cedar Grove Road
Waterloo, Ontario Canada  N2J 3Z4

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

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

On Mar 8, 2021, at 3:09 PM, Greg Michalenko <gcmichalenko at uwaterloo.ca<mailto:gcmichalenko at uwaterloo.ca>> wrote:

Dear Kevin,

I took the weekend off for normal life support activities, including prowling around the countryside looking (unsuccessfully) for snowy owls and baking a lotus root upside down cake.

I have been thinking about the strategy from last week's meetings.

  1.   The Green Belt Alliance should continue to propose its own vision for green belt expansion.  It must avoid being co-opted by Ford's handlers' strategy of  oh-so-gently kneecapping the Greenbelt advocates.  I am quite sure that we have a situation of Putin Lite. The real powers are the development oligarchs who have realized that the way to proceed with Ford is like feeding peanuts to a chipmunk: give the happy little fellow enough treats and praise, and you've got him in your pocket.  There are probably lots of opponents within the caucus, but they are scared for their own prospects, and won't challenge him.  The professional handlers know that the weak point politically at the moment is green belt advocacy.  People like parks, covid has brought out droves of people who can only go for walks or go out on a skiing or hiking trail, or plant their own gardens. Green belts are a lovely idea. So what the Ford clique needs to do is come across as THE  Green Belt Champions.  To do so they can yield on one small area, the Guelph moraine, and try to take all the credit away from their most savvy potential enemy:  Mike Schreiner.

2.  The enthusiastic, but inexperienced activists in the general area of the Guelph-Paris Moraine, should NOT use the name "Coalition for the Paris-Guelph Moraine.  That sucks them right into the back-room hacks' strategy of setting Ford up as a green belt champion.  We need desperately to avoid any suggestion that expanding just  this little wisp of the geography of central Ontario into the green belt will be enough. We must at all costs avoid plugging in a conservationist halo around the petty despot's head and make  it shine to  adoring multitudes.  The group should call themselves something like "the Central Ontario Green Belt coalition" or use an emblematic title based on some adored critter or iconic species of vegetation or historic figure. The stated and advertised aim of the group should be to expand the green belt in order to safeguard nature, ecology, rational panning, and begin working on climate change problems, thus indicating that protecting the G-P moraine is but one part of a larger initiative.
3.  The group should communicate to the government that it has taken note of its proposal re the G-P moraine.  It should  state that this is a welcome first step, a hopefully non-partisan response to the private  member's bill put forward by Guelph MPP Mike Schreiner, duly elected in the last election by the citizens of the Guelph riding, and responding to the concerns of his constituents to safeguard their health and the purity of their domestic water supply.
3.  The group should let the government know that this cannot be the only response to public concerns for expanding the greenbelt (has anyone done a professional survey to see what level of support there is generally in southern Ontario for expanding the green belt?).  It is a welcome initiative, but only one small part of a needed larger expansion.
4.  The group should indicate to the gov't that it respects the govt's proposal, but also recognizes that Schreiner's bill must be accepted in good faith, and should be considered as the foundation for taking the G-P moraine into the greenbelt.  Therefore it will examine both proposals and its comments will be guided by seeing which provides the best protection, in this particular case.

- Greg

________________________________
From: Executive <executive-bounces at gren.ca<mailto:executive-bounces at gren.ca>> on behalf of Kevin Thomason <kevinthomason at mac.com<mailto:kevinthomason at mac.com>>
Sent: Sunday, March 7, 2021 12:52 PM
To: GREN Executive
Subject: [GREN-Exec] Fwd: How to Speak Up to Support Growing the Greenbelt - A Webinar

Hi GREN Executive,

Thanks for the call on Friday to discuss some of the Greenbelt challenges and opportunities before us.  I will have updates on what we spoke about later today.  In the meantime below is an event that CELA is running for some of the Brantford groups this coming Wednesday evening.

There is an opportunity for us to do something like this with CELA in Waterloo Region should we desire.  Time is of the essence though and it seems that with only weeks to respond to Ford’s proposal we don’t have much lead time.  I wonder if our time would be better spent on our own response than trying to educate others.

Cheers,
Kevin.

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

----- Forwarded Message -----
From: Ella Haley, Project Manager <ella at lconserv.ca<mailto:ella at lconserv.ca>>
Sent: Saturday, March 6, 2021, 8:04:13 p.m. EST
Subject: How to Speak Up to Support Growing the Greenbelt - A Webinar

Please join us for a free webinar to learn about the opportunity to grow the Greenbelt
View this email in your browser<https://mailchi.mp/lconserv.org/how-to-speak-up-to-support-growing-the-greenbelt-a-webinar?e=998b51e52b>

[Logo]

Speak Up on How to Grow Ontario’s Greenbelt - Webinar

Please join us for a free webinar hosted by the CELA (Canadian Environmental Law Association) <https://lconserv.us19.list-manage.com/track/click?u=3a0f06261553e65f4199708dc&id=d2bf696eaf&e=998b51e52b> to learn about how to support growing the Greenbelt. Our focus will be on the central Grand River Watershed and the Paris-Galt Moraine.
Date: Wednesday March 10, 2021
Time: 7:00-8:15 PM ET
Registration<https://lconserv.us19.list-manage.com/track/click?u=3a0f06261553e65f4199708dc&id=1834200d8e&e=998b51e52b> is required.
During this webinar, you’ll learn about the importance of expanding the Greenbelt, including the need to protect water, habitat, and agriculture. We’ll talk about how you can make your voice heard about the importance of expanding the Greenbelt in your community, and how to talk to your local council and provincial MPP.
Speakers from the the Grand River Watershed in Brantford, the County of Brant and Wellington County will talk about the issues that impact their communities, and the importance of protecting the central Grand River watershed including the Paris-Galt moraine.
Background: The Greenbelt provides permanent protection to the agricultural land base and the ecological and hydrological features, areas and functions. Ontario’s Ministry of Municipal Affairs and Housing is seeking feedback<https://lconserv.us19.list-manage.com/track/click?u=3a0f06261553e65f4199708dc&id=c801ac7f14&e=998b51e52b> on ways to grow the size and further enhance the quality of the Greenbelt, with a priority of:
1.    A study area of lands focussed on the Paris Galt Moraine, which is home to critical groundwater resources
2.    Ideas for adding, expanding and further protecting Urban River Valleys

A large portion of the Grand River Watershed is left out of the protection of the Greenbelt.

[https://dim.mcusercontent.com/cs/3a0f06261553e65f4199708dc/images/f6016438-9bbd-45ba-aa81-ecc156ae4f02.png?w=564&dpr=2]

Speaker List:
•         Anastasia Lintner, Canadian Environmental Law Association<https://lconserv.us19.list-manage.com/track/click?u=3a0f06261553e65f4199708dc&id=8a4f4c81fd&e=998b51e52b>
•         Joan Faux and Ella Haley, Langford Conservancy<https://lconserv.us19.list-manage.com/track/click?u=3a0f06261553e65f4199708dc&id=909cf1c09c&e=998b51e52b> and Sustainable Brant/Better Brant<https://lconserv.us19.list-manage.com/track/click?u=3a0f06261553e65f4199708dc&id=1846ef6186&e=998b51e52b>
•         Mary Lou Knectel, Brant Land Trust<https://lconserv.us19.list-manage.com/track/click?u=3a0f06261553e65f4199708dc&id=bc91da6e15&e=998b51e52b>
•         Mike Marcolongo, Protect Our Moraine<https://lconserv.us19.list-manage.com/track/click?u=3a0f06261553e65f4199708dc&id=f523d2dfad&e=998b51e52b>, Guelph
•         Dave Neumann, former mayor of Brantford, provincial MPP, and defender of the Greenbelt
•         Marc Laferriere, Councillor – Ward 2 County of Brant
This session is open to anyone interested in learning more about Greenbelt expansion. There is no charge for the webinar but registration<https://lconserv.us19.list-manage.com/track/click?u=3a0f06261553e65f4199708dc&id=8596455445&e=998b51e52b> is required.

Learn More & Register

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