NOW until December 10th is our time to offer feedback. UPDATE- FEEDBACK PERIOD HAS BEEN EXTENDED UNTIL DECEMBER 14. Wood Buffalo National Park was designated a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1983, in part because of its great concentration of migratory wildlife; its vast inland delta, the Peace-Athabasca Delta; and the fact that it is home to many endangered species such as the Whooping Crane. The park encompass an area larger than the country of Switzerland. The UNESCO designation means that this place has Outstanding Universal Value, and places it among such global treasures as the Great Barrier Reef and the Pyramids. It is also the traditional homeland of 11 Indigenous groups. In 2014, the Mikisew Cree First Nation petitioned UNESCO to add Wood Buffalo National Park to their list of World Heritage Sites in Danger. UNESCO agreed there were serious issues in the park, and gave Parks Canada 17 recommendations in order to keep Wood Buffalo off the list. Parks Canada has released a draft Action Plan for public feedback. At this time, there is no plan to address Recommendation 4 - to conduct a full social and environmental impact assessment of the impacts of the Site C Dam on Wood Buffalo National Park. We understand that much work has taken place with the 11 Indigenous groups within the Park, which we respect; however, we feel meaningful engagement with the Canadian public has not occurred. The sustained integrity of the Outstanding Universal Value of Wood Buffalo is a concern for all Canadians. Unfortunately, the Action Plan falls short in responding to all 17 recommendations from UNESCO’s reactive monitoring mission. A significant shortfall is the failure to respond to Recommendation 4 – “conduct, in line with ICUN World Heritage Advice Note on Environmental Assessment, and environmental and social impact assessment of the Site C Project, and if moved forward, any hydropower projects potentially affecting the Outstanding Universal Value of the Property” (p. 43). By failing to meet this recommendation, Parks Canada undermines efforts to successfully address the threats to Wood Buffalo National Park. Water quality and quantity are the key underlying challenges to the other 16 recommendations identified. From UNESCO’s 2017 Report on the Peace-Athabasca Delta: …Site C…has so far not been assessed in terms of its impacts of the already altered Peace-Athabasca Delta even though the latter is both a fundamental contributor for the justification of World Heritage and Ramsar status, and home to several Aboriginal Peoples.   …the 2014 federal environmental assessment of the Site C project didn’t examine the impacts on the delta because the projects proponent, BC Hydro claimed there would be ‘no detectable effect…the federal panel restated BC Hydro’s position, ‘without providing a conceivable technical rationale for this conclusion’… Parks Canada claims that, “previous assessments are sufficient”, despite presenting evidence at the Joint Review Panel that stated Site C would have a negative impact on the Peace-Athabasca Delta and despite continued calls from Indigenous groups for the discontinuation of the project. You can get more information and request a copy of the Draft Action Plan here: https://www.pc.gc.ca/en/pn-np/nt/woodbuffalo/info/SEA_EES/action/engagement

The Petition: WHEREAS the University of Saskatchewan was founded for, and has a proud tradition of serving as an institution of higher learning for all the people of Saskatchewan, advancing unbiased science and knowledge for the benefit of society as a whole, independent of commercial interests; WHEREAS the University of Saskatchewan’s administration has recently exerted its considerable efforts and resources towards suppressing information with regard to the University's corporate partnerships with agriculture chemical companies, like Monsanto, Bayer, Dow, Syngenta et alia; WE THE UNDERSIGNED do petition University Chancellor, the Honourable Roy Romanow (elected by University Senate), to make representations within the University of Saskatchewan Administration to cease their legal obstruction and to comply with the prudent and reasonable recommendations of Saskatchewan's Information and Privacy Commissioner to lift the University's heavy redactions on the proceedings of the Symposium on "Research Management and the Right to Know" (Dec. 2015) and similar documents requested for public scrutiny. End of petition With the redactions lifted, the blatant attempts to suppress and hide the collusion between U of S industry chairs, faculty and the GMO/AgriChemical corporations will be more clearly revealed. The next step will be an even more public indictment of these activities. And we promise to keep you, our supporters, informed as we continue this struggle. Please join us!!!

Doug Ford just scrapped the Office of the Provincial Advocate for Children and Youth, which is responsible for making sure kids in the welfare system and other institutions are protected from abuse. This will leave the most vulnerable people imaginable -- children accessing public services, children with disabilities, Indigenous children -- without independent oversight, advocacy and protection that they need. [1] This office plays an incredibly important role in the lives of young people and those who care for them in this province. It ensures that young people, and especially those living in the care of public institutions such as child welfare and youth justice, have a voice in decisions that affect their lives. The discontinuation of this office and amalgamation with the Ombudsman office will inevitably lead to its serious reduction of capacity and expertise to help young people who desperately need this support. The Ombudsman of Ontario does not have the experience, expertise and participatory methods in working with young people in the areas of child welfare, child & youth mental health and youth justice sectors. Not only do young people benefit tremendously from this Office's work, professionals across the country regularly highlight this Office's leadership role in the province and Canada. And Ford’s doing it to fund corporate handouts. He’s claiming there's no money for it, but with millions in tax cuts to corporations and the wealthy, that’s more than a bit rich. We can’t allow him to strip children of their rights and their safety. We saw that after massive backlash about the Ford government moving to debate whether to remove gender identity from school curriculums, he backtracked and shut it down. [2] If we show them that the majority of people in Ontario won’t tolerate these absolutely callous cuts to children’s safety with a massive petition, he could reverse again. They could be packing up the office of Provincial Advocacy for Children and Youth any day now. Will you add your name before it’s dismantled? [1] https://www.thestar.com/opinion/contributors/2018/11/19/eliminating-the-ontario-child-advocates-office-a-mistake.html [2] https://toronto.citynews.ca/2018/11/19/ford-gender-identity-debate/

Dispenasry workers face fines, arrest, and up to 2 years in jail for the crime of working (and paying taxes) in a grey/black market venture. Please help workers caught in this regrettable, structural failure under Ontario's Conservative Government, and its failed MJ distribution scheme. More arrests, this time in Ottawa and Windsor, maybe Leo Lucier could get you some respondents: https://sputniknews.com/us/201811091069661388-cannabis-shops-raided-ontario/ TO police raided 5 dispensaries, 19 October: https://www.theglobeandmail.com/cannabis/article-toronto-police-raid-and-shut-down-five-marijuana-dispensaries-vow-to/ 6 arrested in Hamilton, Oct. 25: https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/hamilton/hamilton-police-execute-warrant-georgia-peach-cannabis-dispensary-1.4880436) And four more arrests Tues, 6 Nov, in Essex, ON: https://theprovince.com/news/local-news/opp-lay-cannabis-act-charges-after-raid-on-pot-shop-in-essex/wcm/f65698d7-ea66-49b3-8a03-23220ced72ed

Racialized youth are disproportionately impacted by Canada’s criminal justice system. Racial disparities exist within Canada’s policing, courts, and correction services but are rarely discussed. According to Statistic Canada’s (2018) correctional statistic from 2016-2017 Indigenous youth account for 46% of incarcerated youth. Black Canadians are one of the fastest growing populations in federal prisons. Our justice system is rooted in injustice and continues to criminalize, victimize, and marginalize racialized youth. As a nation we need to move past punitive approaches to youth criminality and towards holistic approaches. Racialized youth deserve a justice system that is inclusive, equitable, and truly just!

Brad Trost, the Conservative MP from Saskatoon - University, is slotted to appear on racist hate site The Rebel this Saturday. [1] MP Trost is an elected official and has no business promoting hate. We can't allow any major political party in Canada to legitimize The Rebel’s xenophobic, islamophobic, racist anti-Semitic and all-around hateful content. We've seen how this can sow the seeds of white supremacy, extremism and violence. [2] We all have an obligation to stand against this. Last Friday, thousands protested the Munk Debate with Steve Bannon. Now we have to stand up again. If enough of us speak out, it could scare Mr. Trost into backing down. Will you add your name to demand Conservative MP Brad Trost cancel his Saturday appearance on The Rebel? Sources: [1] https://twitter.com/mbueckert/status/1058487790474838016?s=21 [2] http://www.nationalobserver.com/2017/03/15/news/rebel-media-defending-contributor-behind-repulsive-rant-was-praised-white

To celebrate cultural identity of 7000 years old Indus Valley civilization

On April 18th, Vancouver City Council unanimously passed a motion to advocate to the Province of British Columbia to allow permanent residents the right to vote in municipal elections. Now we need the support of those in the provincial government to amend the Vancouver Charter (1953) to expand voting rights to permanent residents. With your support, we can show the Ministry of Municipal Affairs and Housing Honourable Selina Robinson that the public believes every voice in our community should have a right to participate in democracy. Permanent Residents are valuable, contributing members to society and they deserve to be represented in their local government. Sign the petition to tell your MLAs and the B.C.’s the Ministry of Housing and Municipal Affairs to allow Permanent Residents the right to vote.

107 municipalities receive funding through the Provincial Gas Tax Program. The Provincial Government cancelled an estimated $364 million per year in promised funding to these municipalities without notice in their 2019 Provincial Budget[1], putting our public transit service at risk[2]. Municipal public transit in Ontario has been underfunded since 1998 when the Harris government cut the fifty per cent subsidy of the net operating costs of municipal transit agencies [3]. Instead agencies have received a much smaller amount of funding through the Province’s gas tax program since 2004 [4]. To make life affordable, we need good public transit. We need more funding for our municipal public transit systems, so we can have lower fares and better service. The Provincial Government has quietly announced that they are going back on their promise to honour the previous government's commitment to double funding for municipal transit [5][6]. This increase in funding is critical in supporting a growing number of municipal transit systems across Ontario, serving over 90% of Ontario’s population [7], that connect our communities. It’s also imperative that long-term stable funding is reinstated for our transit systems to serve our communities well. Together we can hold the new government to their promise to double their contribution to municipalities and urge them to re-instate stable operating funding. Supporting Organizations: ActionKeele - North York Citizens United for a Sustainable Planet (CUSP) - Thunder Bay CodeRedTO - Toronto Environment Hamilton Hamilton Transit Riders Union Friends of Sudbury Transit Healthy Transportation Coalition - Ottawa Keep York Moving - York Region London Transit Riders Alliance London Environmental Network Scarborough Transit Action Network South Etobicoke Transit Action Committee Toronto Environmental Alliance (TEA) Transit Action Alliance of Guelph (TAAG) TTCriders - Toronto [1] https://budget.ontario.ca/pdf/2019/2019-ontario-budget-en.pdf [2] https://news.ontario.ca/mto/en/2019/01/2018-19-gas-tax-funding-by-municipality.html [3] https://www.blogto.com/city/2016/04/the_year_it_all_went_down_the_tubes_for_the_ttc/ [4] http://www.octn.ca/uploads/userfiles/files/Kevin%20Dowling%20-%20Gas%20Tax%20Introduction.pdf [5] https://news.ontario.ca/mto/en/2017/01/enhanced-gas-tax-program.html [6] https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/toronto/ford-gas-prices-fuel-tax-1.4665386 [7]http://www.octn.ca/uploads/userfiles/files/Questions%20and%20Answers%20on%20the%20Provincial%20Gas%20Tax%20MTO%20March%202017.pdf

This a Latin-american humanitarian crisis and chaos. We as Canadians have to step up and support a fair process to people needing real protection and entry into Canada. These people are escaping from gangs violence, government corruption and prosecution with the support of the US government who provides all the weapons and Trump has developed a hate campaign to stop these people in need of protection and violating their most basic human rights. Human Rights declaration: Article 14-Everyone has the right to seek and to enjoy in other countries asylum from persecution. We have to call for the Canada embassy in these countries to process valid refugees claims and allow them entry into Canada. They are not criminals, and are fleeing violence and deplorable economic hurdles. This is the time for Canada to just stay silent and complicit and act now and oppose this madness that has raised and has become part of the normal since the election of Donald Trump.

On Thursday October 11 Grassy Narrows leader Steve Fobister Sr. passed away after many decades of fighting mercury poisoning in his body and fighting denial from government. Steve’s grieving family says that "Steve always wanted the government to admit that he had been poisoned by mercury. Now we take up his fight to honour him. Trudeau and Elliott, will you admit that Steve was poisoned, and will you compensate Grassy Narrows fairly for our mercury crisis?" I am sad to hear that 48 years after mercury pollution was discovered in Grassy Narrows’ river no government has ever acknowledged that even one person in Grassy Narrows has been poisoned by mercury. This denial and environmental racism must end. I join Steve’s family in demanding that you admit now that Steve Fobister Sr. was poisoned and killed by mercury! I am shocked to learn that 94% of Grassy Narrows people receive no compensation for the mercury crisis which continues rob them of their loved ones and to ravage their health, culture, livelihood, rights, and environment. All must be compensated until they enjoy the same quality of life they enjoyed before mercury and the same wellbeing that others in Canada take for granted. Commit to compensate all Grassy Narrows people fairly for the ongoing mercury crisis which all governments have denied and neglected for so long! I further call on you to act quickly to fulfill your governments’ promises to: 1. Fully clean up Grassy Narrows’ river, 2. Build a care home and treatment center for mercury survivors in Grassy Narrows, 3. Comprehensively reform the Mercury Disability Board. The survivors of this avoidable disaster deserve the best possible health care and support including a Mercury Home and Treatment Centre so that their sick loved ones can be treated with dignity, close to their families. This is an issue that matters deeply to me and millions of other people, and I will be following this closely to see that mercury justice is delivered to Grassy Narrows.

LinkMentalHealth is a free website that connects people in the GTA to mental health services that’s best for them, regardless of what they can afford. If you, your spouse, or your parents, work full-time, OR you are a post-secondary student, you likely have mental health insurance coverage. Yes students, YOU HAVE COVERAGE! We’re here to help connect you to the best therapy option for you, based on gender, ethnicity, specialization and what you’re going through. **What if I don’t work, study or have coverage?** For those without coverage, we can also help connect you to free therapy programs that are available. Worried about the wait times of these programs or therapists? We display those too, and some have no wait times at all. **Are you an organization or representative that wants to support this cause and contribute your logo?** Contact us at [email protected] to sign your company, student union, or organization up and be our partner. You get your logo on our banners, and then we get your help to spread the word using #TorontoDoesTherapy.