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- September 2023
September 2023
Christopher Bonasia
September 07, 2023
Hello,
The last few days in Ottawa have been…warm.
In fact, Wednesday temperatures—which read 31.9 C at 5 p.m., with the humidex making it feel like 41C—broke a 78-year record set when City thermometers reached 31.5C in 1945. Normal temperatures for early September are closer to highs of 21C and lows of 11C, and Ottawans can expect more comfortable weather for the coming weekend.
Image Credit: C. Bonasia
Typically, other important events are listed in the ‘Other News’ section featured lower in the newsletter. But in this month’s newsletter, I’m pulling one story towards the top to note a coalition of community groups and Ottawa residents that are taking the Ottawa Police Services Board to court for violating their right to freedom of expression guaranteed under the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms. You can find out more here.
The claim alleges that the actions of the Board limit both the manner and content of expression of the Plaintiffs contrary to Section 2b) of the Charter which grants all Canadians freedom of thought, belief, opinion and expression. These limits include the Board refusing to allow for virtual public delegations after it resumed in-person meetings in March 2022 as COVID-19 restrictions eased. The Board then passed a motion at its February 27, 2023 meeting that.
a) limited delegations to one hour for all delegations combined when there had been no limit
b) limited delegations to three (3) minutes it more than twelve (12) people register to speak during the hour
c) prioritized delegates who have not spoken in the last three months, and
d) required delegates to submit their comments in writing beforehand.
Stories from the PEN!
And now on to the Stories from the PEN, where you can read articles by individuals and organizations stepping up to engage in issues affecting our local communities.
In Demand Better Public Transit—For the Climate, William van Geest writes again from Ecology Ottawa to encourage Ottawans to call for better public transit. Residents can contact the mayor and their councillor with demands, sign a soon-to-be circulated petition, and join in a planned rally at City Hall at the end of September.
Stefan Klietsch, our treasurer, contributed to this month’s newsletter to write about Greek-Canadian Dimitri Lascaris’ recent presentations regarding the Ukraine war, as well as some of the Ukranian diaspora’s criticisms of Lascaris’ statements.
And Frances Bernardino, an intern at Sea Change Canada, seeks to raise awareness about ocean issues in Connecting Ottawa to the Ocean.
From the PEN Archives
Our September 1996 issue featured an article about two London-based Greenpeace activists who used some newfangled tech—the internet—to build awareness about McDonald’s environmental and ethical transgressions.
“The McSpotlight is beginning to attract the attention of the mainstream press. It has gathered accolades for both its content and design. In one twelve-week period, the total estimated number of visitors was estimated at 41,000, based on 1.7 million ‘hits.’ McDonalds themselves accessed the site 1,300 times in its first week.”
Peace & Environment News, September 1996: Volume 11 Number 7
Other News
The Finance and Corporate Services committee goes before full council on Sept. 13, and has voted to cap this year’s tax increase at 2.5%.
Applications for the 2023 Rural Community-Building Grants Program, which is designed to support rural-based community project undertakings by non-profit organizations such as community associations and agricultural groups, is now open. Funding is project-based, with a defined beginning and end and measurable outcomes. Read more here.
In late August, Ottawa city councillor Laura Dudas called for axing the city's new vacant unit tax, “suggesting the administration of the new levy is ‘an unparalleled annual bureaucratic burden’ on households.” Dudas’ call came after preliminary numbers showed a higher number of vacant units than initially expected.
This summer of wildfires has given rise to conspiracy theories about their causes—read these articles by The Energy Mix and The Hotshot Wake Up about the need to tell fact from fiction.
You’ve probably read about it already, but the PEN would be remiss to not include a link about the Greenbelt Land Grab and the Special Report on Changes to the Greenbelt recently released by the Office of the Auditor General of Ontario. In the fallout, it seems that more Greenbelt land could be opened to future development.
Image Credit: C. Bonasia
—Christopher Bonasia, PEN editor
PERC appreciates all of our readers for giving us this chance to connect with members of our community, and we love being able to provide you with a forum to discuss pressing environmental and social justice issues.
But we also rely on your support to make this happen. If you are interested in helping our organization continue to use storytelling and networking to help individuals, non-profits, and community groups work locally for a greener and more peaceful world, please consider making a donation to the Peace and Environment Resource Centre. You can find out more on our website, or by using this link.
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