Climate Change Town Hall In Winnipeg & Nestruck Submission

Climate Change Town Hall In Winnipeg & Nestruck Submission

Postby Oscar » Sat May 28, 2016 3:30 pm

Climate Change Town Hall In Winnipeg (Nestruck Submission follows . . . .)

[ http://www.manitobawildlands.org/news_i ... umber=2331 ]

May 27, 2016

Environment Minister Catherine McKenna is holding town halls across Canada in an effort to gather public feedback on the issue of climate change plan and how best the Canadian government can act on its obligations under the Paris Accord.

McKenna's town hall, Wednesday May 25th at 7 p.m. in the CanadInns Fort Garry on Pembina Highway, was part of the townhall process for Canada's participation in the Paris Accord and to hear Canadian's advice. Terry Duguid, Liberal MP for Winnipeg South, hosted the event.

Prime Minister Justin Trudeau formally added Canada's signature to the Paris Accord in April but most environmental commentators have said fulfilling it will the be hard part. Canada's nowhere near meeting targets to cut Canada's greenhouse emissions by 30 per cent let alone for 1.5 degrees Celsius ceiling on warming.

The townhall in Winnipeg was packed and pretty much standing room only in the cramped dining room on the basement of the CanadInns Fort Garry. So many people showed up that the stairs and antechamber leading outside the doors of the townhall were jammed with people. 350.org had bussed in 40 people.to the event.

Among the crowd were unions and representative from many environmental groups as well as First Nations and Metis leaders. Several NDP MLAs made and appearance, including Wab Kinew, no Manitoba PCs appeared to be in attendance. The Green Party of Manitoba was there in force with Green Party leader James Beddome, Dave Nickarz, Signe Knutson and Kelly Whelan-Enns among others attending.

It is unclear whether Minister McKenna understood that what she was witnessing was an educated public who understood there was far more to dealing with climate change than her power point presentation suggested.

Minister McKenna, in her closing remarks after 30 tables provided recommendations, told the diverse crowd of Winnipeggers her mind was blown. She congratulated everyone for the passion and ideas.


RELATED:

Canadians need input on climate change - May 27, 2016

[ http://www.winnipegfreepress.com/opinio ... 69631.html ]

Carr, McKenna holding town halls before Liberal convention - May 24, 2016
[ http://www.winnipegfreepress.com/local/ ... 89871.html ]

Winnipeg activists primed for Environment Minister Catherine McKenna - May 24, 2016
[ http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/manitoba/ ... -1.3598426 ]

Minister McKenna holds town hall with youth on climate change issues - May 18, 2016
[ http://www.newswire.ca/news-releases/mi ... 84881.html ]

Canada’s strategy for sustainable development - February 2016
[ https://www.canada.ca/en/services/envir ... ategy.html ]

= = = = =


From: Shane Nestruck
Sent: Friday, May 27, 2016 7:39 AM
Subject: Submission to Climate Change Town Hall - Winnipeg - May 25, 2016

Here is the submission from my table at the recent, May 25th, 2016 Climate Change Town Hall in Winnipeg

The mention of Opposition to the TPP “trade” agreement (unanimous with the whole 400 participants) was based upon the fact that IF the TPP is ratified, Canada will lose the ability to actually regulate any of the aspects of our economy, etc…Thus making any Canadian government decisions void! Again… any discussion, legislation or policy will have no effect if the TPP goes through

- - - - -

NESTRUCK SUBMISSION at Climate Change Town Hall . . .

Jane McDonald, Assistant to Minister Catherine McKenna

RE: ‘Town hall’ May 25, 2016 - Winnipeg

Thank you for coming to Wpg. We (in our group) seriously support the later comment exhorting you to have the COURAGE to actually represent the views of the assembly and Lead Canada to a far better effort to combat Climate Change.

Here is a summary of our points of interest:

We, like the very strong majority of the attendees,

OPPOSE:
Energy East Pipeline
TPP

SUPPORT the suggestions from other groups about:
Carbon pricing… taxes on Carbon
ENDING subsidies to carbon industries
Incentives and subsidies to Green Industries, Research, job training
Education at all levels … from elementary to university & the BUSINESS COMMUNITY
Emphasis on- Job training in green industries

We would like to emphasize that ‘Climate Issues’ are very much Social Justice Issues and the need to put weight on moving to a greener/more sustainable economy brings opportunities for improvements in Canada’s Social Justice record.

Some of the issues we only touched on are:

Food Security. We suggest that LOCAL agriculture should be focused first on providing food…a diversity of healthy safe foods… for the local population - e.g. NOT producing PORK for export over food for Manitobans. We recognize the integrity of the comment from another group - 'We often export and import the same agricultural products’

WATER ISSUES: from drinking water to retaining water on the land… retention ponds-marshes-wetlands... is a topic that provides all sorts of benefits to every aspect of health and economic sustainability and safety from flooding!

AGRICULTURE needs to be brought back to the cities with community gardens and roof-top gardens, greenhouses etc. Two examples from Wpg:

South Osborne Permaculture Commons
[ http://www.southosbornecommons.ca/ ]

Sustainable South Osborne
[ http://www.sustainablesouthosborne.com/ ... /about-us/ ]

Some ‘short’ suggestions:
Subsidizes to Solar, Wind, and Geo-thermal industries
Stopping MB Hydro from selling GAS over Electricity
Motivating New Flyer Bus to manufacture electric buses

TRANSPORTATION:
- We see the extreme need for New Comprehensive, and Co-ordinated PLANNING and subsidizing of transportation on every level
- Some of us recognize the wonderful opportunity that Rail Relocation offers Winnipeg in every aspect of urban transportation, and also HEALTH for the community

I have copied this to the other members of my group for their additions and emphasis.

I would also ask that you visit the URL after my name to see a very saleable and economic possibility to begin rail relocation - ‘A better future for Winnipeg’.

Lastly, I would like to add my enthusiastic exhortation to ‘HAVE COURAGE’. These are serious times and Canada needs Courageous Leadership!

Shane Nestruck
shanedn@shaw.ca
381 Arnold Ave.
Winnipeg, MB R3L 0W8
h 204-474-2588
c 204-510-8828
[ https://shanednblog.wordpress.com/2014/ ... -winnipeg/ ]

P.S. I arrived at the event early and distributed this message* on 35 cards (see below), found a consensus among MANY of the people there that we were there to make sure the government lives up to its promises about Climate Change.

* Beware!

This event is organized by the LIBERAL Party of Canada
The same party that: signed Kyoto & did NOTHING!
The party that created a ‘Climate Change Ministry’ BUT is pushing the Energy East Pipeline

To STOP FURTHER Climate Change we need real POLICY CHANGE!

Is this Green Washing? Make sure it is NOT!


S.:)
Oscar
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