Gord Hunter’s retirement after 30 dedicated years of serving the Knoxdale- Merivale Ward has opened the doors for fresh new thinking. James O’Grady, born and raised in Nepean, has answered the call and hopes to get more people involved in the process along with him. Citizen participation, he believes, is key. “The dysfunction we are experiencing at City Hall is directly related to a decision-making process that no longer includes the residents and communities of this city as it once did.” He adds, “The problems associated with amalgamation have never been resolved”.
Daniel Stringer says inappropriate intensification and a disturbing pace of redevelopment along the Richmond/Wellington corridor have eroded the quality of life within the community. Calling for better management of development, he believes in looking at the lifespan of projects in order to control ‘hurried transformation.’
A skilled advocate and goverment relations consultant Capital Candidate Isabel Metcalfe has an extensive track record in the Ottawa region providing strategic advice to national organizations dealing with government. “I like to listen, bring people together and then get things done,” she said.
The former Regional Chair before amalgamation, Clark is nobody’s fool. We’d love to see City Managers try and pull some of their current stunts on Clark. To be a fly on the wall for any of those conversations... Clark is a voice of reason, conviction, experience and sanity. He has an exceptional corporate knowledge of the City and will be a substantive and much needed voice at City Hall. His return will signal Ottawans are serious about change! Voters in Rideau Rockcliffe can do the entire city a favour by making him their Councillor.
Jennifer Robitaille says that economic development sustainable environment social considerations and good governance are the foundations required to build a strong community and successful city.
Wallace has been very active in the Ward and already, his actions have had great results. He founded the Blossom Park/ Sawmill Creek Community Association and he was instrumental in the reopening of Albion Road, a story that was widely covered in the media. “I have had the opportunity to meet and speak with a number of residents and businesses here in Gloucester- Southgate over the past several years, more so of course in the past couple of months. I find that there is a very real desire for change this time around.”
Calling for councillors to work as a team, College Ward candidate Julia Ringma says solutions must benefit the city as a whole. C-300: MINING FOR ACCOUNTABILITY
The core argument of the mining industry is that C-300 (The Responsible Mining Bill) would cause reputational damage to mining companies. This is nonsense. C-300 didn’t cause reputational damage in the case of the allegations of murder against Blackfire in Mexico. It’s not even clear that C-300 would apply to the Mexican situation. What is clear, however, is that Canada’s reputation is being harmed by the actions of irresponsible mining companies. When our own Governor General is faced with protesters chanting “Canada go home”, it’s hardly a good day for our relationship with the Mexican people.
Our troubles don’t end in Mexico. In Honduras, Guatemala, Chile, Argentina and in literally dozens of other countries, complaints are being raised against Canadian-based mining companies. Our national reputation is being abused. Witness after witness at the House of Commons Foreign Affairs and International Trade committee testified of incidents, which if they were to happen here, would give rise to jail terms, fines and lawsuits. With an image such as this of our companies abroad, it is no wonder then that Canadians are no longer being met with the warm reception which we once took for granted.
Witnesses appearing before committee such as Tyler Giannini of the Harvard Human Rights Law School and Sarah Knuckey of the University of New York Center for Human Rights gave damning testimony on the practices of Canadian mining companies, which they witnessed in the developing world. Testimony was also given by Alex Neve, the Secretary General of Amnesty International Canada, Michael Casey Executive Director of Development and Peace, Richard Janda from McGill law school, Daviken Studnicki-Gizbert, a McGill history professor, Stephan Hunt, district director from United Steelworkers,Toby Heaps, the founder of Corporate Knights and even the former Minister of Environment from Argentina, Romina Picolotti, who has fought her fair share of battles with Canadian mining companies. This is only part of a long list of very credible and respected individuals who have come forward to speak to this issue. The mining industry’s response to this testimony has been to brush it off, deny it, or attack the credibility of the witness.With the evidence mounting to substantiate the testimony though, this tactic of deny deny, deny is becoming less and less believable.
The hearings before the Foreign Affairs committee are just one small part of the growing and incontrovertible evidence that shows Canada has a serious corporate social responsibility problem in the extractive industry. It also points to Bill C-300 as a step in the right direction. C-300 seeks to bring accountability and transparency to incidents of breaches of environmental and corporate social responsibility standards. If a company is found to be non-compliant the sanctions to be applied would be a direction by a Minister of the Crown to withdraw our investments in Export Development Canada (EDC) and the Canadian Pension Plan (CPP).
These sanctions are neither drastic nor unreasonable. It should be the responsibility of companies operating overseas to use mining practices that respect basic human rights. The witnesses and the Canadian public want Canada, as the world centre for mining financing, to be accountable for its investments. If Canada invests in these companies through EDC & CPP, surely it’s not too much to ask that Canadian mining companies account to the Canadian taxpayers and pensioners in a transparent fashion.
The mining companies and their lawyers have made the argument that this small bill will destroy the Canadian mining industry and drive companies out of Canada. Their “sky is falling” argument is losing credibility. Canada is the world centre for mining. It has the best technology, the biggest companies, the most expertise and the most favourable conditions. When C-300 passes, these facts will remain the same. Good corporate social responsibility is good for business, and good business is good corporate social responsibility. A responsible mining bill is good for Canada. It is more than a little perplexing to me then why the mining companies have put up such an enormous fight against such a modest bill.
So as abuse heaps upon abuse and the government stonewalls and ridicules the credibility of witnesses and appoints a toothless counsellor, the problems of the mining industry remain. The call for action on this issue is neither drastic nor frivolous nor vexatious. Yet it has been met with enormous resistance, for simply suggesting that the “emperor has clothes”. Bill C-300 is a modest proposal that can be seen as a limited stepping stone to better corporate practice. Perhaps the only reason that can be given for the resistance is a Biblical one, “there are none so blind as those who will not see.”n
First Nations Health Issues: From Poverty to Wellness Interview with AFN National Chief Phil Fontain
Written by Jennifer Hartley
Take a close look at some recent statistics for First Nations. Overcrowded, modest houses crammed with multiple families abound. There is mould growth and unsafe drinking water in 44% of homes. Tuberculosis rates are 29 times higher than that of others born in Canada; life expectancy on average is between five and seven years less than everyone else plus there are higher levels of asthma, rashes and allergies in children. Moreover, another statistic that is particularly poignant, population growth for First Nations is booming to the tune of about double the Canadian average. Absent of change and with an increasing population, these health issues will become a larger problem for First Nations and Canadian society as a whole.
The March report, The State of the First Nation Economy and the Struggle to Make Poverty History, declared that “in 2009, First Nations communities are still, on average, the most disadvantaged social/cultural group in Canada on a host of measures including income, unemployment, health, education, child welfare, housing and other forms of infrastructure.”
There is no question that there is a significant correlation between socioeconomic status and health. It is true the world over, across all societies and populations, that the economically disadvantaged have poorer health. Canada’s First Nations are no exception and as Assembly of First Nations National Chief Phil Fontaine explains, the situation for First Nations is compounded by two factors unique to First Nations communities: “interjurisdictional barriers to health care and inequitable funding.”
