Posts Tagged ‘Toronto Wind Action’
A Sunrise Ceremony at the Scarborough Bluffs with David Grey Eagle and Toronto Wind Action
I was honoured to join with a number of Guildwood residents, the leaders of Toronto Wind Action and David Grey Eagle for a sunrise ceremony to honour the Scarborough Bluffs – a part of my community that Guildwood residents carry in our hearts, and will continue fighting to protect.
For those of us who got out of bed on a Sunday morning, and made our way to the Guild Inn for 5:30 am to be witness and participate it’s something we will surely never forget. As I waited for the group to arrive, I wandered around the Guild Inn park and saw two rabbits having breakfast, and was surrounded by the sounds of birds singing. There wasn’t any human generated noise to be heard.
David Grey Eagle shared an important message that day and in the video below, one about protecting nature, our drinking water and our rights – all things under siege by our government.
We must continue to stand together and stand up to protect all that we hold dear, and speak for those who cannot speak for themselves. The impacted wildlife that live in the Scarborough Bluffs, the birds along our lakefront and the fish within it’s waters need voices and need to be protected from the irresponsible proposal Toronto Hydro has endorsed and the Provincial Government and our local representatives appear willing to accept.
Perhaps the most significant pledge I’ve made as the only Ward 43 resident running for Toronto City Council is my firm commitment to protect the Scarborough Bluffs, and the Lake from Toronto Hydro’s proposal and work with the Toronto Regional Conservation Authority to give Guildwood residents and wildlife restored access to natural beaches and a waterfront worthy of such a special place.
Below is a video that shows some of the most important messages David Grey Eagle shared with us that day.
My Speech to Toronto Wind Action Supporters in Guildwood
I was pleased to be given the opportunity to speak at Toronto Wind Action‘s very successful meeting in Guildwood last week. The quality and calibre of the leadership team of this community based organization is incredible. Together they planned and executed a very effective meeting to provide residents with some facts about wind power. They did a great service to our community, our city and our province.
For my part, it was an honour to speak to members of my community in my capacity as a local activist and the President of Wind Concerns Ontario. Toronto Wind Action’s meeting helped to turn up the heat in Guildwood and across the Scarborough waterfront and has resulted in further growth of the opposition movement forming in Toronto as a whole.
As the only Ward 43 candidate running to be our City Councillor, I’ll be holding a community meeting on municipal issues including wind turbines on Monday June 14th at 7pm at Jack Miner Senior Public School. I hope to see many residents there and will gladly expand on my plans at that time to put a halt to Toronto Hydro’s project.
No Comments »Toronto Observer: Stolen Signs Cause A Disturbance in Guildwood
I was happy to see the Toronto Observer cover the stolen lawn signs in Guildwood and very proud to see so many members of our community have put replacement signs on their lawn. Residents have demonstrated they are resolute in their opposition to Toronto Hydro and won’t let anyone’s illegal activity deny them of their right to speak out or use signs to display that opposition. – John Laforet
Below is the full text.
Toronto Observer: Stolen signs cause a disturbance in Guildwood
Caitlin Stojanovski
Posted 25 March 2010
Guildwood residents are upset over anti-turbine signs that have been stolen from their front lawns.
“This is the second time this has happened,” said Laura Ricci, who lives on Slyvan Avenue.
Led by the Toronto Wind Action group, residents of Guildwood have been opposing the provincial government’s plan to construct wind turbines in the Scarborough Bluffs, citing the amount of land needed for the wind farms.
The signs, featuring the slogan “Save our Shoreline”, were reportedly stolen at night on March 16 from homes on Prince Phillip Boulevard, Catalina Drive and Sylvan Avenue.
A resident reported a sign missing from the residents’ own front lawn, then drove through the neighbourhood and reported more empty front lawns.
“It’s a display of vandalism,” said John Laforet, a candidate for Toronto city councillor in Ward 43. “Over 40 signs for [Toronto Wind Action] have gone missing,”
The 12-by-24 inch signs are purchased by residents or dropped off by Toronto Wind Action activists, for supporters to display on their front lawns.
The signs have been a vital part of the campaign to raise awareness.
“Similar disappearances happened before Christmas,” said Timo Puhakka, president of theGuildwood Village Community Association.
No arrests were made in connection with the earlier thefts.
A photograph of the alleged thief, taken from a resident’s security camera footage, was given to police after the Christmas thefts.
Guildwood community members speculate these recent thefts are the work of the same person.
Other residents have been looking through their security camera feeds to see if they can catch the culprit on film, said Ricci.
The supporters of Toronto Wind Action say they are not going to let the thefts get in the way of expressing their opposition to the government plan.
“My next-door neighbour replaced their sign the next day,” Ricci said, adding that she has seen the signs returning to front lawns.
