The Amazon Rainforest stands to make "a significant contribution to pulling carbon dioxide out of the atmosphere. Coe [Earth Systems Scientist] likens it not to a pair of lungs, but to a giant air conditioner that cools the planet—one of our most powerful in mitigating climate change, alongside other tropical forests in central Africa and Asia—some of which are also currently burning" (for a more accurate look at the role of the Amazon: https://www.nationalgeographic.com/environment/2019/08/why-amazon-doesnt-produce-20-percent-worlds-oxygen/). Its loss, together with our lack of political will to stop carbon emissions and the absence of means to capture carbon effectively are posing a severe threat to people worldwide. Importantly, about one million Indigenous people live in the Amazon. It is also home to three million species of plants and animals (https://www.bbc.com/news/world-latin-america-49433437). These fires are material and deadly. And their frequency is spurred by Bolsonaro's policies, which have accelerated deforestation, up 88% (https://globalnews.ca/news/5794191/amazon-rainforest-fire-explained/), due to farming, logging, and drilling. "The National Institute for Space Research (INPE) has recorded more than 74,000 fires so far this year [in the Amazon] – an 84 per cent increase on the same period in 2018. It’s the highest number since records began in 2013." (https://globalnews.ca/news/5794191/amazon-rainforest-fire-explained/). Take a deep breath and imagine smoke filling your lungs on a darkened afternoon, just as residents of São Paulo did at 3 p.m. Monday, August 19.

It is hurtful and discriminatory to call people with mental illness "animals", "nutcases", and "crazy crazy".

LeadNow has a campaign to make gay "conversion therapy" illegal. That's great! But the original "conversion therapy" is the one that was invented to abuse autistic people, ABA. Gay "conversion therapy" was invented by the same man who invented ABA, Ivar Lovaas. Sadly, the mainstream thinks that ABA is helpful for autistic kids. That's horrifying. Why is ABA bad? ABA causes PTSD and zaps autistic people of their free will and decision making abilities. See: https://blog.theautismsite.greatergood.com/aba-therapy-controversy/ ABA is bad for the same reasons that "gay conversion therapy" is bad: "The strong and punitive aversives Lovaas suggested may not be as widely used today, but the reliance on rewards and punishment continues in other “therapies” and “interventions” that use the principles of ABA, which I’ll discuss in a future article. Some therapists argue that the more “modern” forms of ABA are more humane approaches, but they are nonetheless still based in the idea that autistic ways of being in the world are unacceptable and must be eradicated. So what’s the connection to gay conversion therapy? Well, Lovaas was also substantially involved in the Feminine Boy Project, which has strong connections to what is today known as gay conversion therapy. Psychologist George Rekers, a key figure in the world of conversion therapy (and co-founder of the notoriously anti-gay Family Research Council), used Lovaas’s techniques to treat so-called “deviant sex-role behaviors” in male children. And when you think about it, even if Lovaas had no connections at all to gay conversion therapy, ABA has enough similarities to gay conversion therapy that many autistics refer to it as 'autistic conversion therapy.'" See: https://nsadvocate.org/2018/07/11/treating-autism-as-a-problem-the-connection-between-gay-conversion-therapy-and-aba/

As a result of these cuts, several teachers across the board will lose their jobs. This will create a bigger discrepancy in the student to teacher ratio and fewer classes overall. Students in Mississauga have already noticed fewer course options and electives being cut (Chen). Thus, the courses students are interested in will be eliminated, preventing them from exploring a variety of interests. This will make it harder for them to gain the knowledge and skills they need to be successful. Furthermore, Diane Dewing, the president of the Ontario Teachers’ Federation, is worried about how school boards will explain certain courses moving forward (Chen). “We fear that art classes, which often have small numbers of students, will disappear because there simply won’t be the funding to have that teacher”(Dewing). Forcing teachers to take on a huge number of students whether in the classroom or via e-learning will also decrease the quality of education students are receiving. Not only does it reduce individual support for students, but also reduces the engagement of students in their classes. At a time where mental health issues are skyrocketing among young people and being acknowledged, these cuts will make it even more difficult to support these students (Durkacz). As a student myself with a post-secondary pathway in mind to eventually work in education. Being able to find a job is now a huge concern. Since it presents me with an uncertainty of whether or not I'll be able to find a stable job. This isn't only a problem that applies to me but is a problem for many young well-qualified teachers. So many educators have been waiting after many years of occasional work to get a permanent job, "only to see their hope turn to despair" (Durkacz). The purpose of improvements to the education system should be to improve the well-being and learning of Ontarians instead of doing the opposite, hurting them. If you care about the education for the youth of today, tomorrow, and the future. What are you waiting for? Sign our petition now!

Peoples health and persons have been kept in a position of peril year after year and month after month. Some have developed PTSD because of these actions and there have been many suicides for loss of hope. This raise must be adjusted yearly to keep up with the cost of living, as all deserve a quality of life!

The U.S.is operating a system of concentration camps; it is committing grievous human rights violations against the most vulnerable population imaginable: unaccompanied children.

The Raptors took the world by storm last night. Against all odds and every doubt, your team of underestimated players turned breakout stars defeated the Golden State Warriors. Canadians cheered you on every step of the way - and it is a journey that has united a broad spectrum of diverse communities in a deafening, excited, unapologetic roar of pride. But now your team faces the traditional invitation to a meet and greet that the winning team always has with the President of the United States in the White House. The only problem is that the current president is Donald Trump - and he represents everything that the Raptors aren’t: divisive, alienating, and selfish. If the Raptors refuse to meet for a splashy photo-op with Trump, you will send a clear message to the world that your team, and Canadians at large, do not condone President Trump’s blatant disregard for the well-being of Americans. Dear Raptors, please don't visit Trump. Sincerely, We The North --- MORE INFO --- President Trump has enacted laws to separate children from parents and placed them in cages [1]. He has called Neo-Nazis “very fine people” [2] and placed a travel ban on Muslims [3], all while tweeting a steady stream of offhand racist remarks [4]. On the other hand - your captain Kyle Lowry called Trump’s travel ban on Muslims “bullshit” [5], your team President Masai Ujiri paid a visit to a First Nations community to encourage youth to be proud of their identity [6], and your whole team represents (and has unified) the most diverse city in the world. The Raptors represent equality and diversity, and a visit with Trump threatens to tarnish those beliefs. If the Raptors refuse to attend the White House, you can vilify Trump’s actions and stand in unity with the broad coalition of Torontonians and Canadians who are cheering you on. [1] https://www.bbc.com/news/world-us-canada-44518942 [2] https://www.motherjones.com/politics/2019/04/trump-defends-claim-that-there-were-very-fine-people-on-both-sides-of-white-supremacist-rally/ [3] https://www.aljazeera.com/topics/spotlight/trump-muslims-ban.html [4] https://www.mcsweeneys.net/articles/atrocities-1-to-112 [5] https://www.cbc.ca/sports/basketball/nba/kyle-lowry-donald-trump-travel-ban-1.3958633 [6] https://www.thestar.com/sports/raptors/2017/01/12/with-help-from-raptors-giant-masai-ujiri-teens-from-la-loche-learn-to-dream-big-arthur.html

Quite simply, the issues faced that are at a crisis point have been overlooked and ignored by the mainstream, corporate juggernaut; need the people without cynicism and broken,disillusioned hope that what we say is what we'll do...they are ready; look around the world, Quebec, Friday protests, use of social media...it needs to happen now

"The water crisis was created by Canada and has been maintained by Canada for decades, with devastating but predictable outcomes. This form of racism has real-life consequences for First Nations. It’s time to make all those land acknowledgements mean something. It’s time to start living by the spirit of the treaties: mutual respect, mutual protection and mutual benefit. It’s time to show a real sign of good faith and end the water crisis on reserves now. It’s a matter of life and death for First Nations." Source: https://policyoptions.irpp.org/magazines/february-2019/first-nations-water-problems-crisis-canadas-making/ (Note: this petition was created by Yvonne Aburrow, quoting Pamela Palmater, Mi'kmaq lawyer, professor, activist and politician from Mi'kma'ki, New Brunswick, Canada.) Photo credit: https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Lake-huron-ipperwash-beach.jpg#/media/File:Lake-huron-ipperwash-beach.jpg

A child requiring hospice palliative care is a tragedy; a child requiring hospice palliative care and having no access is a catastrophe. 3000 children die each year in Ontario, many more children for years with conditions that will inevitably shorten their lives. For these most horrific of occasions, we must ensure that every Ontarian child in need and their family has access to high-quality care. For children with serious health conditions, a palliative approach to care can increase quality of life (joy, fun, activity, socialization) and decrease the pain and suffering associated with their condition. For the families of these children, hospice palliative care systems help support the emotional, psychological, spiritual, social, financial, and logistic burden that comes along with caring for a child with a serious health condition. Paediatric hospice palliative care aims to support families where they feel most comfortable - which is, more often than not, at home - including at the end of their child's life. However, there are times when home is not feasible or when families simply need a break from 24/7 caregiving, pediatric hospices offer a home-like environment with 24/7 access to care and a community of love and support. Paediatric hospice palliative care supports families (parents, siblings, grandparents, others) at diagnosis, through the illness course, at end of life, and beyond the child's death with the immense grief that comes with loving a child with a short life. And yet, a report from 2012 found that 81% of Canadian children who had died and could have benefitted from hospice palliative care had no access. All children and families in Ontario should have access to these supports in an equitable fashion. Bill 114, the Nancy Rose Act, sets the strategy to get us there. The Bill: https://www.ola.org/en/legislative-business/bills/parliament-42/session-1/bill-114 Sandy introducing the Bill: https://tinyurl.com/yyhc79qy News coverage: https://globalnews.ca/news/5331029/hamilton-mpp-sandy-shaw-pediatric-hospice-ontario/ https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/hamilton/nancy-rose-1.5154598 https://www.thespec.com/living-story/9397436-mpp-sandy-shaw-to-pitch-a-provincewide-pediatric-palliative-care-strategy/ https://omny.fm/shows/scott-radley-show/how-will-the-nancy-rose-act-affect-children-across

So we can have life on planet earth

Why is this important? The Project Promotes The Following Benefits to Our Society: + Green Technology. + Jobs. + Clean Environment and ecologically clean world. + Fair Economy. + Strong Democracy.