Royal City Rag, May 29 – Canadian Environment Week, Contemporary Dance And Spark Of Brilliance

Royal City Rag on May 29 was our last 7.00 a.m. start before we move to our new, more-civilised 8-10 a.m. Saturday slot.

In the first hour we were joined by our good friends Chris and Sally from Transition Guelph. Among other things, we chatted about Canadian Environment Week (May 30 – June 5), Saturday’s ecomarket at Stone Road Mall and the Council of Canadians special townhall style meeting on Growth, Gravel and Groundwater and the threats facing our community that takes place at Harcourt Memorial United Church, 87 Dean Ave, Guelph, ON on June 3 a 7 p.m.

An expert panel featuring members from Gravel Watch, Grand River Environmental Network, FORCE (Friends of Rural Communities and the Environment), CARRA (Cranberry Area Ratepayers and Residents Association),  North Dufferin Agriculture and Community Taskforce (opposing the giant quarry above Luther Marsh, at the top of Grand River headwaters) as well as local hydrologist Hugh Whiteley will discuss the impact of quarries, pipelines, roads and new development on the future sustainability of both our city and the Grand River watershed.

Listen to Hour 1:

Download Hour 1

In the second hour, Royal City Rag Culture Vulture Daniel Poulin returned to the show to discuss the upcoming Guelph Contemporary Dance Festival.

This year the festival runs from June 3-6 at locations throughout our lovely city. On the Stage A, B & C (formerly the Main Stage Series) and Youth Moves will be held at the River Run Centre. In the Park (formerly the Site-Specific Series) will be taking place at Exhibition Park and On the Street (formerly the Noon-time Series) in St. George’s Square. The four days of dance will feature youth performers, local artists as well as acclaimed national performers from across Canada.

Listen to Hour 2:

Download Hour 2

In the third hour (9-10 a.m.) we were pleased to welcome Jay Lefler, co-founder of Spark of Brilliance into the studio.

Spark of Brilliance is a community-based initiative that promotes healing and recovery for people coping with mental health challenges. Creative art programs and services are designed to enhance quality of life for participants, inspire independent thinking and grow self-esteem. Spark programs empower individuals and families with the skills they need help make meaningful contributions to their community.

Spark of Brilliance is bringing the work of four talented artists to Guelph community space, 10 Carden in an exhibition entitled “Power To The Arts”. This exhibition will demonstrate a broad range of artistic expressions in oil, ink, collage, mosaic, and mixed media. Artists Barb Cohen, Lisa Cosier, Marcey Gray and Jay Lefler hope to raise awareness of how their personal experiences with mental health issues have been overcome. They also want the community to understand how recovery can happen through connecting with the creative spirit.

This special event takes place on Monday, May 31 from 7 to 9 p.m. Local singer-songwriter D Eve Archer will entertain and refreshments will be served.

Listen to Hour 3:

Download Hour 3

Music:
Kate Bush, Hello Earth from Hounds Of Love
Peter Mayer, Blue Boat Home from Earth Town Square
Kermit The Frog, It’s Not Easy Being Green from Muppets Greatest Hits
Ray Charles, Lucky Old Sun from  A Look Homeward
Gord Downie And The Country Of Miracles, The East Wind from The Ground Bounce
Kid Coma (featuring Doug Larson), Little Bird from Nightmares And Dreamers
Los Lobos, Little Things from The Town And The City
M Mucci, Chase Down Alice Street from Time Lost
Kid Coma (featuring Doug Larson), Omar Bradley from Complete Metamorphosis
Don Amero, Hometown from Change Your Life
Darden Smith, The Painter from Native Soil
Spark Of Brilliance Troubadours, Healing Embers from Healing Embers

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Hope For Communities Struggling Against Polluting Industries – February 19

On November 20, 2008, the Supreme Court of Canada ruled unanimously that Canadians have the right to launch class action lawsuits against polluters, and that nuisance claims require proof only of “abnormal inconvenience,” not of wrongdoing or “fault.”

This decision constitutes a major victory for environmentalists. The way has now been cleared for citizens to insist that polluters pay for the damage they cause, even when they have broken no laws.

The Supreme Court decision could be a game changer for residents fighting proposed gravel operations in Ontario, where, until now, the aggregate industry has been so powerful that even citizens’ most strenuous opposition rarely has succeeded in preventing even the most egregious abuse.

Now, for the first time, citizens have the means to force aggregate operators to consider the potential financial consequences of a class action lawsuit for damages when proposing gravel operations in environmentally sensitive locations, such as the Inverhaugh Valley, West Montrose, Erin, or Luther Marsh.

On Thursday, February 19, at 7.00 p.m.,  Gravel Watch Ontario (GWO) will present an evening with two noted experts on environmental law in Canada:

• Bea Olivastri, Executive Office of Friends of the Earth Canada, will discuss your environmental rights, and the recent unanimous decision by the Supreme Court of Canada requiring a cement manufacturer to pay $15 million in community damages, despite having satisfied all environmental regulations.
• Anastasia Lintner, Staff Lawyer with Ecojustice (formerly Sierra Legal Defence Fund), Canada’s foremost not for profit organization of lawyers and scientists devoted to the environment) will lead a panel discussion.

Gravel Watch Ontario is an organization composed of people from all over the province who are dealing with problems just like ours. Through their efforts (as well as the hammer of experience), more and more people are becoming aware of the province’s failure to deal adequately with the serious environmental issues surrounding gravel pits.

In fact, the province’s antiquated, discredited “cheap gravel” policy and its correspondingly weak regulatory and policy framework have resulted, inevitably, in unacceptable, unsustainably high environmental and human health costs at the same time as they continue to generate huge profits for the aggregate industry. Clearly, we cannot rely on our governments to ensure the health of the environment.

At the GWO meeting on February 19, we’ll have an opportunity to learn about how we can use the law to help protect our communities and the environment from the reckless exploitation of aggregate operations. See you there!

Gravel Watch Ontario presents an evening with Beatrice Olivastri and Anastasia Lintner
When: Thursday, February 19, 2009 at 7.00 p.m.
Where: Puslinch Community Centre, 23 Brock Road S, Aberfoyle
Cost: $10 including refreshment table. Students free.

Seating is limited. Reserve your seat by sending a message to ann.ironside@sympatico.ca or 519-334-2364. Arrive by 6.45 p.m. to claim a reserved seat.

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