We must decolonise our societies in order to increase equality and reduce systemic oppression. Having such a major street on unceded indigenous land is a slap in the face and is a tacit approval of genocide, racism and colonialism.

An overhaul in education and accurate historical representation are essential to demonstrate a commitment to dismantling systems of white supremacy and colonization. May this step facilitate healing and be the first step of many we take to actively begin creating a more just and peaceful future for ALL.

In his time as a Member of Parliament, Benjamin Vaughan tried to persuade other MPs to continue the practice of slavery which is based on the ideology of domination and superiority over another race- at a time when others were actively abolishing it. It is shameful that we uphold these people as heroes in our communities by naming cities after them and declaring civic holidays in honour of them. Language, names and declarations of honourable historical figures matter! The community is speaking out and we'd like to organize with a petition. We need to stand up against people like Benjamin Vaughan who have made decisions as politicians and everyday humans that have caused trauma, violence and even death for Black, Indigenous and people of colour. A small step in the right direction, a potential answer to the Truth and Reconciliation Commission of Canada's many Calls to Action from our First Nations, Métis and Inuit people across the country, and a drop in the vast ocean of work left to do in creating an anti-racist city of "Vaughan".

The legacy of Henry Dundas, First Viscount Melville is highly problematic. As the MP for Midlothian in Westminster and as Secretary of State he actively participated in obstructing the abolition of slavery in the British Empire from 1791 to the end of his political career in 1806. Slavery was eventually abolished in 1833 and officially in British North America in 1834. But Dundas' actions to preserve the profiteering of his friends in the slave trade, cost tens of thousands of lives, if not more. Also, he was the last British MP to be impeached - for embezzlement and misappropriation of funds - though not convicted. If we truly wish for our public street names and monuments to reflect our values and priorities we must consider engaging the public in the process of excising those names which are no longer worthy of our honor or respect. Names such as that of Henry Dundas. It's extremely important this street name changes.

We must decolonise our societies in order to increase equality and reduce systemic oppression. Having such a major street on unceded indigenous land is a slap in the face and is a tacit approval of genocide, racism and colonialism.

Winston Churchill, despite his achievements including the liberation of Europe from tyranny, was also a British imperialist and white supremacist. His mishandling of the Bengal famine of 1943-1944 resulted in the deaths of 3 million people. He did not see the benefits of relief efforts and blamed the famine on the Indians themselves because, as per his own words, they “bred like rabbits”. He was a staunch supporter of British imperialism believing it was good for the “primitive” and “subject races”. He had referred to Palestinians as “barbaric hordes who ate little but camel dung”. He had promoted the use of poison gas against Kurds and Afghans during his role as minister of for war and air in 1919 where he said he was "strongly in favour of using poisoned gas against uncivilized tribes," In 1937 he said: “I do not admit, for instance, that a great wrong has been done to the Red Indians of America, or the black people of Australia. I do not admit that a wrong has been done to those people by the fact that a stronger race, a higher-grade race, or, at any rate, a more worldly wise race, to put it that way, has come in and taken their place.” There are many more unmentioned instances that make Winston Churchill an undoubtedly problematic character of history. His actions against the Third Reich do not absolve his actions elsewhere and we must be impartial in our judgement. As residents of Mississauga, we take pride in our city's cultural diversity. We believe in cultural tolerance and equality. Our street names need to reflect that as well. There have been calls and demonstrations in the UK for the dismantling of statues of Winston Churchill. We can do our part in removing his name from one of our most frequented street.

Family-owned Pam’s Roti has been a west end staple for decades - serving up delicious Caribbean eats for generations of Torontonians. Pam’s has been struggling to pay rent during the COVID-19 downturn -- but her landlord, Henry Goldberg, refuses to apply for the federal rent subsidy program to help her stay afloat, because it’s “too much work”. The neighborhood came together just before the rent deadline in June to crowdfund Pam’s $10,000 monthly rent -- which is an awesome demonstration of community solidarity -- but it’s not a long term solution. The landlord - Henry Goldberg - should be opting into the federally-funded program created exactly for this purpose: to make sure mom & pop shops like Pam’s don’t go under because of COVID-19. So if you’ve ever eaten at Pam’s - or simply agree that landlords should be using the tools available to them to help their tenants make it through these trying times, sign the petition! Source: https://www.blogto.com/eat_drink/2020/06/pams-roti-toronto-saved If you own or know a struggling local business and want to petition your landlord for increased support -- Click here to launch your campaign now! https://you.leadnow.ca/efforts/save-local-businesses-during-covid19/lookup/new

The legacy of Henry Dundas, First Viscount Melville is highly problematic. As the MP for Midlothian in Westminster and as Secretary of State he actively participated in obstructing the abolition of slavery in the British Empire from 1791 to the end of his political career in 1806. Slavery was eventually abolished in 1833 and officially in British North America in 1834. But Dundas' actions to preserve the profiteering of his friends in the slave trade, cost tens of thousands of lives, if not more. Also he was the last British MP to be impeached - for embezzlement and misappropriation of funds - though not convicted. If we truly wish for our public street names and monuments to reflect our values and priorities we must consider engaging the public in the process of excising those names which are no longer worthy of our honour or respect. Names such as that of Henry Dundas. Street names change frequently and it's important that this one does. It is also worth mentioning that Dundas's monument in Edinburgh, Scotland has been the target of recent demonstrations and calls for that city to consider removing it.

Between the lockdown and the cancellation of in-person Pride events, the Church Street community, endangered even before COVID-19, may not recover. LGBTQ2S performers, artists, servers, creators and other workers have been particularly hard hit. If our stores, cafes, restaurants and bars close permanently, we will lose an essential, life-saving network for LGBTQ2S youths, now and in the future. When I was a struggling teenager, bullied in school and often lonely, knowing the community was there was a lifeline for me, even if I was too young to go to bars and had to settle on a Starbucks coffee. I was lucky. For me, "it got better." But LGBTQ2S young people are still struggling, and we've seen an increase in hate crimes during the pandemic. Canada and Toronto in particular are recognized as a beacon for LGBTQ2S rights. Toronto Pride is rightfully known around the world, contributing millions to the local economy. But every year, the village shrinks, with queer-opened businesses and venues closing and our once-vibrant community fading. Now is the time for action, before our neighbourhood disappears forever. Please reform CECRA so it supports community businesses.

While I love my role as a makeup artist, it has given me a unique view of the inequalities in the beauty industry. Between brands that solely cater to a white audience to makeup artists lacking the education to properly apply makeup on black people and people of colour, this industry has failed to be inclusive to all. I want to emphasize that while this petition may be fuelled by the recent and particularly gruesome injustices, effecting the black community, this is an ongoing issue and cannot be treated as a fleeting topic that can be instantly fixed. This is a deeply rooted issue that has been taking place long before this petition and will continue if each one of us in the beauty industry doesn't take a stand against injustice. I am calling all beauty institutions to take a hard look at their curriculums so that, finding a beauty school graduate who knows how to do hair/makeup for a black person and people of colour is no longer rare. I am insisting that equal time, care and repetition be given to teaching students how to perfect hair/makeup for a black person and people of colour, as it has never been made a priority in this industry and it is time that changes, now. I am holding our industry accountable for the fact that when a search for 'professional makeup looks' is entered in google, there is not a black person or person of colour in sight. We need to change the beauty standards to include everyone and to put a stop to any who would deem hairstyles such as dreadlocks and cornrows and natural texture as "unprofessional". While Youtube and other social media platforms can be a great source of inspiration for young aspiring makeup artists, it often neglects the key fundamentals that it takes to be a professional working as a hair and makeup artist. Things like, colour correction, colour matching, colour theory and product knowledge are all essential tools that allows an artist to give everyone that sits in their chair, an equal experience. These are the things that a student expects to learn when entering makeup school and sadly it is what it sorely lacking.

This is important as a man`s life was lost after just having a near-fatal heart attack which I had 2 weeks ago myself was threatened with eviction and less than a half-hour later dead in hallway floor after complaining to JOHN DEVRIES Superintendant 315 Edmon Street Deseronto. On, that he just had been called and threatened to be evicted and the stressed to death literally. I myself by abuse of position By Michelle Lang and Her supervisor Sue Bowness after a decade on a rent geared to income face eviction to the street right now only COVID has stopped them from this.

Richmond’s lack of dense, affordable housing has created a world where there aren’t enough homes for everyone who needs one (read: everyone), and the ones that do get housed are paying ludicrous prices for a basic human right. A tight, rigid housing market means people will be locked out of our society, quite literally. With a more compact, affordable, and greener land, we can begin to correct these wrongs. People will be able to have more of a financial cushion for when things go wrong, workers won’t have to spend hours of their lives traveling to and from their jobs, and our next generation won’t have to move across oceans to find a home they can afford.