Greetings
Hello and welcome to the November 2023 Saanich-Gulf Islands Greens newsletter. There is a lot of news from the SGI EDA, upcoming events from the local BC Greens, and much, much more! We hope that you enjoy reading it!
Notes from Elizabeth
Newsflash from Kitchener Centre! David Suzuki sent Aislinn this statement! A huge boost to the volunteers going door to door!
“I am very pleased to endorse Aislinn Clancy as the next MPP for Kitchener Centre. Mike Morrice, Green MP, had already proven that a Kitchener Centre Green can move mountains. With Aislinn Clancy doubling Mike Schreiner’s Green caucus in Queens Park, Doug Ford will face some real opposition!” – David Suzuki
I just spent two days door knocking and phone calling with Aislinn and her amazing team of volunteers. we are up to over 2200 lawn signs. The buzz feels like Saanich Gulf Islands right before we won in 2011. My message to voters in Kitchener Centre has come straight from our experience in SGI. With Mike Morrice already the area’s federal MP, having a provincial rep. in Ontario (called the MPP), Aislinn and Mike could do the same kind of collaborative networking across jurisdictional boundaries as Adam Olsen and I do now.
Fingers crossed every which way. The advance polls in KC are over with a high early voter turn out.
It is not too late to volunteer to help the volunteer phone calling team – you can contact them here!
Many thanks!
Elizabeth
Saanich-Gulf Islands EDA Report
40th Birthday Bash for the Green Party of Canada
Yes, it’s been 40 years since inception! Dr. Trevor Hancock, one of the co-founders, regaled us with his humorous and detailed recollections of the early days. The legendary Bob Bossin and Calvin Cairns provided stirring lyrics and foot-stomping music. Jonathan Pednault, the GPC’s Deputy Leader, introduced our own Elizabeth May, who gave a poignant speech before leading a traditional Dutch Auction fundraiser. And the whole audience participated in a singalong led by John Kidder.
It was a warm and enjoyable evening for 130 supporters at the Charlie White Theatre in Sidney,beginning with food and drinks, reconnecting with old friends and making new friends, all accompanied by fine classical music on the piano by Sydney Bulman-Fleming (Professor Emeritus, Department of Mathematics, Wilfrid Laurier University).
By the end of the evening, we had also raised net proceeds of about $30,000! These will be split evenly between the SGI EDA and GPC’s national office to support other EDAs. Photo credits to Harald Hommel, with thanks.
Meet your new SGI Executive!
The SGI Greens’ Annual General Meeting on October 22 marked the departure of three of seven members of your Executive Committee, and the election of three new members.
Many heartfelt thanks for their contributions to three wonderful volunteers who are moving on to other things:
- Mona Donovan Pieta VanDyke Dan Kells (former CEO)
A big welcome, and thanks for stepping forward to contribute to the EDA go to:
- Jim Deas Debra Kelly Shelagh Levey
Further recognition goes to:
- Helena Murray-Hill, elected to a second 3-year term, providing our much-appreciated connection to Young Greens at UVic. Helena has been instrumental in revitalization of the UVIC Greens following the pandemic.
- Tom Niemann, elected at the AGM after serving as Secretary by appointment after last year’s AGM.
- Mary Leslie, who continues to provide insight, inspiration, and a lot of work in the background.
- Jennifer Kennedy, our Financial Agent, always keeping our financial affairs in order.
If you would like to read more about the above seven members of your current Executive, see the short bio’s on our website.
The new Executive Committee had its first meeting on November 13. Among other things decided at the meeting, Tom Niemann was selected as the new CEO. Elections Canada has been duly notified about the changes in our Executive Committee.
If you’d like your Executive Committee to know or do something of particular interest to you, please speak with any of them who you know, or get in touch by sending a brief note to info@sgigreenparty.ca or calling 778-351-3335. We will be happy to connect for a face-to-face discussion if you like.
Better yet, instead of contacting “your Executive,” how about becoming “you the Executive?” We are all volunteers, we’re friendly and supportive, and we are always looking for fresh ideas, talent and (occasionally) helpful elbow grease. If you have ever wondered what it’s like being an “Executive” for an EDA, you may want to read minutes from our past meetings, attend a meeting as a guest to see for yourself, or step right up and volunteer to join! We currently have seven members, which is the minimum, and there’s room for up to four more people.
Thank you for being an interested member of the SGI Green Party EDA. Your Executive Committee looks forward to working for and with you, to promote Green principles and support our hardworking MP, Elizabeth May.
Tom Niemann, CEO and Secretary
Thank you, Dan!
Dan Kells, our CEO from 2021-2023, stepped down at the AGM. He received a big Thank You! from members and a gift from the other Executive Committee members. It hardly seems enough!
Dan’s dedication and cheerful enthusiasm about the Green Party helped get us through these difficult years for the GPC. He always kept the big picture front and centre, ensuring that the SGI EDA acted to benefit its own members, other EDAs, and the GPC as a whole. He provided unwavering support for our MP Elizabeth May.
Dan loves the Green community, and this always showed. We were lucky and are thankful to have had Dan’s leadership, and can hardly find adequate words to express it beyond a heartfelt “Thank you, Dan!” We know you won’t be far, and will join us at many events!
Donations: Year-end reminder
It’s that time of year again when people plan their year-end gifts.
We welcome your gifts with open arms! Donation options can be reviewed here under the “donations” heading or you can donate directly here. Thank you for your consideration of this request!
BC Greens News and Events
Coming Up! Voices of Saanich & the Islands: Dec 5th @ 7 pm on Zoom!
Join Adam Olsen and guests online with leader Sonia Furstenau for some fun interviews with upcoming BC Greens MLA candidates Arzeena Hamir (Courtenay-Comox), Christina Winter (Victoria-Swan Lake), Dr. Lisa Gunderson (Oak Bay-Gordon Head), Nicole Charlwood (Kootenay Central), Jeremy Valeriote (West Vancouver-Sea to Sky), and Ned Taylor (Saanich South). Enjoy listening to a wide ranging discussion of many of the compelling issues of the day, all done in a late night talk show format. Join us – and learn some of the most interesting information about these compelling candidates! Registration is here.
Ned Taylor launch
On November 13th, Ned Taylor’s campaign to become the next MLA for Saanich South was officially launched. Hosted by Dr. Lisa Gunderson (Candidate, Oak Bay-Gordon Head) the welcoming speeches from MLA Adam Olsen and MP Elizabeth May highlighted the evening.
If you live in the Saanich South area, please consider volunteering or making a donation to support Ned’s campaign. You can also pre-order a lawn sign for the October 2024 BC election!
The Green Knitters
The Green Knitters have been busy these past weeks, and have many lovely items for sale just in time for the cold weather. The knitters will host a “porch sale” on Sunday, December 3rd from 2 – 4 pm in North Saanich. Please email for the address. The photo represents the types of items and patterns which will be available, all knit from 100% Canadian wool.
Gardening News
As many of us scale back our gardening activities or refocus them to longer term projects (and immediate jobs like clearing fallen branches, tidying up gardening tools and mulching beds for winter etc), the Peninsula Food Growers Co-Op is as active as ever. This wonderful group shares knowledge, experience, food, seeds and friendship in their monthly meetings. If you are not already part of this group but are interested in growing some (even a little) of your own food, feel free to sign up for the newsletter and meetings by contacting Gary Searing.
Book Corner
Do you have eco-anxiety and see no hope for dealing with the climate crisis? If so, How to Be a Climate Optimist: Blueprints For A Better World by Chris Turner is a must read.
The author has spent the last twenty years delving into climate solutions that are making a difference, from almost energy sustainable Danish islands, to vast fleets of electric buses in China, solar panel factories in California, and other exciting breakthroughs around the globe.
Turner has watched solutions spread from the fringe to business, politics, industry and everyday life. He describes solutions to many of the worst emission problems like steel production, and shares his belief that we cannot imagine what is yet to come. After all, no one predicted Tesla!
The author stresses that the future can be better than the past. We just have to plan for it. We already have the tools and now need the will. In addition to making changes as individuals we need to demand improvements at the local, provincial and federal levels. Fortunately we already have Green MP’s and MLA’s pushing for change in government.
Shelagh Butterworth Levey
Focus on Community: Rewood
Sometimes two problems can make a solution. Problem One: Recent data from the Capital Regional District (CRD) estimates construction, renovation, and demolition waste accounts for over a third of waste destined for CRD landfills. Wood product accounts for 25% of total landfill-destined waste, a figure that is increasing all the time. Problem Two: Community gardens spend 25% of their budget buying wood to make raised beds and compost bins. The solution? Stuart Culbertson of ReWood, a group of volunteers dedicated to “liberating lumber” from demolition sites and repurposing it to support vibrant community gardens throughout the region.
For a full description of the evolution of ReWood, please visit their guest blog post at GetFed.
If you would like more information about donating salvaged wood, becoming a ReWood volunteer, or sourcing reclaimed wood for your community garden or urban farm, contact them at rewoodvic@gmail.com.
Sue Big Oil Campaign
Last June, the Town of View Royal has lent its support to The West Coast Environment Law group’s Sue Big Oil campaign. Squamish and Gibsons have also joined. Now the CRD is considering adding its weight to the action. If successful, Big Oil, who suppressed their own 1970’s research indicating that burning fossil fuels would cause climate change, would have to cover at least some of the costs currently being borne by local governments.
Please call upon your local councillors to vote yes. The more calls and emails mayors and councillors get, the more likely they are to support the motion. Big Oil got us into this mess. They should help get us out of it.
Contact links:
Community Information
- BC Health Care Matters, our province’s most high-profile patient advocacy group and brainchild of the brilliant Green, Camille Curry, is looking for volunteers to fill a wide range of needs. Check out the application page to see if your skills and experience might find a place with this vital cause. No time? You can always make a donation.
- UVic offers several micro-credential courses in issues related to the environment. Check out Amateur Landscape and Garden Design, Climate Action Planning, Ecological Restoration and/or Environmental Mapping with Drones here.
- Wondering how you’re doing in terms of reducing your personal carbon footprint? It might be time to take or retake the Carbon Calculator test. Before you begin, you will need to know how far you have driven in the past year, as well as how many kilowatt hours you used in hydro and your annual heating fuel use (if not electric). This data is readily available online from BC Hydro and whoever supplies your heating fuel.
Saanich Peninsula
- December 1 @ 7 pm: An Evening with John Vaillant, hosted by the Sidney and Peninsula Literary Society. John Vaillant will read from and discuss his latest book Fire Weather: The Making of a Beast. Tickets are available here. Matt Galloway (CBC radio The Current) talked about where to find that hope — and how to turn it into action — with authors Rebecca Solnit, John Vaillant and Chris Turner in a panel discussion recorded at the Vancouver Writers Festival 30 minute mark here.
- The Greater Victoria Green Team held its final event of the 2023 season on Saturday, November 25th removing invasive plants such as English ivy and Himalayan blackberry from Denham Till Park in North Saanich. The team works to restore natural habitats in our region and is an excellent way to build connection with the land and the community. They work with the Friends of North Saanich Parks and the District of North Saanich’s Parks Department. For more information, go to the Greater Victoria Green Team events page. To sign up for future events, email Program Coordinator, Severine severine@greenteamscanada.ca
Saanich
- For those in the Saanich/Gordon Head area, Pulling Together coordinates hundreds of volunteers at dozens of sites across our region. Volunteering outdoors with other like-minded community members helps care for your parks and feeds the soul!
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Questions? Comments? Feedback?