2017 Planning Meeting Minutes

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Toronto 350 Planning Meeting Minutes

January 10, 2017 - Steelworkers Hall

Our organization follows the AODA, which is here.

Present: Katie (Chair and Minutes), Caleb, Kika, Estella, Caleb, Sharon, Nickie V-L, Alan, Roger, Valerie, Phil, Sharon, John Sharkey, Snowcubb (late), Paula (late), Brandon (late).

Land Acknowledgement

15 minutes: 2016 Review:

• January--People’s Injunction--Action at Carolyn Bennett’s office--Kinder Morgan--NEB reform/UofT Divestment Decision and response

• February--Hot Stuff Fundraiser, Home Fires Burning

• March--Leap Manifesto Town Hall with MPP Cheri Dinovo and Avi Lewis

• April--Board Fundraiser, Debunking Growth: Economics 101 educational workshop, Divest OTPP at OTPP AGM

• May-September--Lysistrata Climate play fundraiser with Trinity Church, Peoples Climate Plan Teach In--over 100 participants/Meetings--participated in 5 MP meetingsber

• October-Climate 101

• September-November--COTTFN fundraising--November 30 rally in Ottawa to support supreme court day

• November--Sit-in at Carolyn Bennett’s office to ask her to reject Kinder Morgan/Kinder Morgan Vigil

• December--Strategy Session--New Board of Directors

20 min--COTTFN--Going forward!

Bucketing was very successful,  lots of different groups and events involved--, student unions and trade unions were very generous, special events, pin--have sold over 500 in less than a month, --total 150,000 raised so far (across S. Ontario).

• Costs-winning will be 400,000-500,000--Chippewa have paid 200,000 to lawyers so far

• Supreme court has 6 months, thought they would take their time, but might be sooner (end of February)

• Brainstorm going forward--still a live issue

• Question about what the pipeline the hearing was about exactly-- had to do with  Enbridge Line 9--which the NEB approved the reversal of to carry tarsands bitumen--there was lots of opposition from communities along the line--but the Chippewas of the Thames challenge seemed the best place to put opposition resources at this time

• History of organizing in Toronto--many groups have worked for years--did municipal lobbying--city councillors didn’t want to touch it--not their jurisdiction

• Phil has tried to contact city of Mississauga about safety of Line 9--can’t ge much of an answer

• What about a tour of Line 9? Or an art exhibit?  Printerz Direct Action seems like an interesting arty contact--apply for funding from federal government?  --Federal funds for arts--have focus on Indigneous issues right now

• Continue bucketing? Yes.  Anti-trump rallies a possibility

• Promoting pin sales--small businesses? Coffee shops?  Patagonia?  Lush? Yoga?

• Myeengun Henry wants to hold joint meetingof  varioius cities fundraising networks (probably in Kitchener).  Valerie will keep us updated.

• Should the fundraising group continue to work at Toronto 350 meetings?  Yes

• Question: could settler citizens of Canada do what the Chippewa of the Thames did?  No.

• Question about tactics. Legal challenges need to be complimented with Direct Action and mass education and demonstration

15 minutes Pipelines/Tarsands update

• At strategy session decided to refocus on opposing Energy East, while taking guidance for solidarity with continued Kinder Morgan opposition from West Coast

• NEB has chosen new panel for Energy East hearings--they will need to decide how to proceed--many environmental groups urging to start process over again from beginning-we need to re-engage supporters on this--update them

• 2 First Nations groups from Treaty 9 are asking court for an injunction to stop Transcanada from doing “integrity digs” on existing pipeline on their territory (which would become Energy East)--looking for solidarity at Ontario Superior Court on January25.  Good chance to build relationships--

• Ideas for Transcanada Injunction support: --Livestream--Snowcubb

• Potluck with visitors from Treaty 9?  --marybe at CSI?  Katie will stay in touch with contact, Kika interested--Volop to help plan

• Line 3 Pipeline--how to support resistance?  Find contacts with people.  Amelia Rose and Katie trying to guage interest amongst various people/orgs to have a cross organization strategy session on pipelines in general.

15 minutes-Municipal engagement campaign update--Kalina the lead--absent due to weather

15 minutes-Transform T.O--City of Toronto Budget submission--still chance to submit a written request to have Transform TO climate plan funded in the 2017 budget.  Email budget committee at b...@toronto.ca or your local councillor.  Upcoming townhalls on budget:

Councillor Budget Town Halls  

From this website:  

http://torontocandobetter.ca/2016/12/20/take-part-in-councillor-budget-town-halls/

January 10 & 17 – Ward 41 Chin Lee – at 7pm at 31 Glen Watford Dr

January 17 – Ward 10 James Pasternak Annual Town Hall from 6:30pm to 8:30pm at Antibes Community Centre, 140 Antibes Drive, gym

January 19 – Ward 27 Kristyn Wong-Tam at 6:30pm at 519 Church Street Community Centre, 519 Church Street, room 106

January 19 – Ward 33 Shelley Carroll from 6-8pm at Fairview Library, 35 Fairview Mall Drive

January 26 – Ward 13 Gord Perk & Ward 14 Sarah Doucette co-hosting budget town hall from 7-9pm at Bishop Marrocco/Thomas Merton School, 1515 Bloor Street West, 3rd floor, staff room

January 28 – Ward 18 Ana Bailao from 11am to 1 pm at Wallace Emerson Community Centre, 1260 Dufferin St

February 9 – Ward 21 Joe Mihevc at 7pm at Theatre Direct, 601 Christie Street

There is also a budget town hall for Wards 19 and 20 at Scadding Court Community Centre on Jan 12th. Councillors Joe Cressy & Mike Layton's City Budget Town Hall

7pm Scadding Court Community Centre 707 Dundas St. W. (Bathurst and Dundas)

Other--Do we want to have a climate justice contingent at the Trump rally on 21st at Queen’s Park?  Need to get in touch with organizers--maybe make a banner?

Upcoming Events-

Wednesday, Jan. 11: Green Economy Perspective--Forum wit Chair of Canada’s Ecofiscal Commission--Registration $20 5-6PM--Centre for Social Innovation

Meeting Room D - Ground Level

192 Spadina Avenue in Toronto

Wed. Jan 11: Innovative Cities & Climate Change, with David Miller, President & CEO of WWF C--7PM-9:30 PM--Swansea Townhall (run by Green 13)

General:

Phil--Carbon Tax in Alberta--Income based--but are cutting corporate taxes on oil companies--hard to figure what will be the real effects on GHG--seems like a strange way to announce oil subsidies.  

Next meeting will be a conflict resolution--communication workshop--mandatory for executive.  We will look into getting another  room for those who want to have a regular meeting as well.

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January 17 Planning Meeting Minutes

1. Land Acknowledgement

"I would like to acknowledge this sacred land on which the Steelworkers Hall operates. It has been a site of human activity for 15,000 years. This land is the territory of the Huron-Wendat and Petun First Nations, the Seneca, and most recently, the Mississaugas of the Credit River. The territory was the subject of the Dish With One Spoon Wampum Belt Covenant, an agreement between the Iroquois Confederacy and Confederacy of the Ojibwe and allied nations to peaceably share and care for the resources around the Great Lakes.

Today, the meeting place of Toronto is still the home to many Indigenous people from across Turtle Island and we are grateful to have the opportunity to work in the community, on this territory."

Our organization follows our disability which is here.

2. Introductions.

Question: What do you hope to see toronto350.org do in the next couple months? In a few words.

Caleb-work to reform NEB

Valerie-Bonds with labour around just transition

Brandon-Bonds with FN communities

John-fight against trudeau’s climate policy

Amelia Rose-pipelines, divestment movement

Frank- Fight against oil subsidies and trudeau’s other climate policies

Rachel- Sharing knowledge about climate change

Philip-late

Niki-late

3. Trump rally: will we have a contingent?

-Find Banner-contact Katie

-Who can come: John, Brandon

-Cottfn bucketing at Trump rally

-Meeting at 11:30pm at queen’s park subway (north-east corner)

-New flyers

-ask for permission to bucket

4. Municipal Campaign: Discussion/brainstorm

-Upcoming initiative: Greenprint for greater TO

-Works for just transition (green infrastructure)

-Document around this comes out soon so we can look at that

-Fight against use of Concrete (that emits CO2) in infrastructure

-Control by citizens (accountability) of our systems like TTC

-Green jobs in TO: it is difficult to present green program to oppressed communities because right says it costs more

-Important to have info/stats on how green initiatives will actually help working people

-link this with labour and anti-racism (climate change is racist)

-Environmental organizations always say no we should try fighting for something not just against things

-Group called SolarShare that works on solar panel co-ops

-Empowers communities because they control power (also financial incentive because communities make money off it)

-Partner or talk with these groups and work with them to show we’re not just about stats and we’re fighting for something

-Auditor said that we’re getting too high hydro bills because we gave solar panel owners too much money and we used too many gas plants

-We should be willing to pay slightly more for solar and stop gas plants

-Public transit is a climate issue (which isn’t often apparent in media) and everyone’s for it

-Climate dimension is missing in transit discussion

-we need much more transit than anyone’s talking about (full LRT system)

-Next step: -Connecting with SolarShare (Brandon)

-Connecting with Greenprint (Valerie)

5. COTTFN

-$30K raised in TO alone

-$150K raised in total ($200K spent already for lawyers)

-Looking decision to come down soon (February or March)

-Table at universities (York+UofT)

-Looking for stores to fundraise at: Patagonia, Lush

-Sell pins at stores

-Approach for pins and organizational donation (organizational donation first)

-St. Lawrence market bucket/table

-Kensington bucket or stores in Kensington to raise money at or from

-Letter/email template to send to stores

-Professional online flyer

-Draft display card: Paula and Estella

-Email request: Niki

-Patagonia grants (could this be an option to get funds?)

-two first nations against Energy East filed lawsuits on same grounds as COTTFN

-Many others as well have (this is building a movement)

6. Upcoming events:

-Looking for a National KM day of action sometime soon maybe

-East end against line 9 meeting the 18th of January 6:30PM

-Municipal budget town halls (look online for details)

-First Board Meeting end of January

-Next meeting Tuesday the 24th: about our website

-Feb. 3- Put your $ where your <3 is brainstorm session (more details to come

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Janurary 31 2016 Meeting Minutes

1. Land Acknowledgement

Our organization follows our disability which is here.

1. Introductions

2. Tabling opportunity at Agincourt CI climate fair. Morning of February 22.

3. Conference: CanRoots TO

-What does the $125 for small groups cover (ask Ben)-Tresanne

-Good looking agenda

-How much are we willing to spend on it?

5. Feb. 3-divestment group meeting at Greenpeace, 6:15-8

6. Comedy fundraiser at the Comedy Bar the 7th at 8PM!!!!

7. We need a treasurer because our’s is stepping down at the next election

-we should try to get somebody in soon so we can trust them by the time we hand over control of finances

-Ellery will train the person

5. Breakout Groups:

-OTPP Divestment--Working on getting the ontario Teacher’s Pension Plan to divest in Fossil Fuel holdings

-COTTFN--Raising money for COTTFN for their court battle with Enbridge around Line 9. Raised $30,000 already

-Pipelines--Working the endless fight against pipelines, focusing right now on Energy East and the new NEB (energy east NEB review will be restarting from the beginning which sets the process back 2 years). Wednesday and Thursday hearings will not be on Energy East, will be on modernizing and reforming the NEB (nothing to do with any particular pipeline). These hearings will be near the airport. Thursday will be contributions by indigenous groups only.

-Municipal--trying to get Toronto to be a greener city. This is a new campaign and is just getting off the ground

-People’s Climate March--there will be a people’s climate march in New York and a march for science in Washington. We might try to send busses down to those but that would be difficult because Trump. There has been some work on organizing one in TO or Ottawa. How are we going to make this bigger than just a march.

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February 21 Planning Meeting Minutes

Our organization follows our disability which is here.

Introductions:

Brian Young – retired teacher involved with us for three years, appreciates doing things quickly

Alex – new! Done climate stuff for a few years

Robin – new! Can’t remember where she heard of us

Erin – engineer, heard about us in Naomi Klein’s book

Alan – semi-retired

Alex – nursing student, heard about us through TCAN

Tresanne – our president! Three years with us

Kalina – Media and Creative Coordinator

Amelia Rose – running the meeting!

Roger – late

Ellery – late

Sarah – new and late!

Snowcubb – late

Philip - late

 

Land Recognition: I acknowledge the sacred land on which the United Steelworkers Hall operates. This land has been a site of human activity for 15,000 years. This land is the territory of the Huron-Wendat and Petun First Nations, the Seneca, and most recently, the Mississaugas of the Credit River. The territory was the subject of the Dish with One Spoon Wampum Belt Covenant, an agreement between the Iroquois Confederacy and Confederacy of the Ojibwe and allied nations to peaceably share and care for the resources around the Great Lakes. Today, the meeting place of Toronto350 is still the home to many Indigenous people from across Turtle Island, and we are grateful to have the opportunity to work on this territory.

 

1.     Valerie’s Email

·       Valerie is our COTTFN fundraising head for their Supreme Court case against Enbridge

·       we’ve raised approximately $30,000

·       may have a decision by March, may have to move to other forms of action

·       Update: 80 pins left for sale if anyone wants to buy them! Contact kal...@toronto350.org if you want to help sell them

·       March 3 they will be bucketing at Hot Docs at Naomi Klein’s talk – if you want to join the team contact vla...@pacificcoast.net

2.     March in April

·       there will be a big one in Washington

·       Toronto will have one on April 29, but there will be events the week before and after, meetings are on Thursdays

·       Earth Day is on the 22 – there will be a science demonstration (there was one in Boston this past weekend), want to make the connection between Earth and Science as strong as possible

·       talk about having a teach-in beforehand

·       week after the 29^th would be the time for specific political action such as letter-writing, going to MP’s offices, etc.

·       meeting will be at CSI on Bathurst at 3:30pm this Thursday (people from Greenpeace, 350, Council of Canadians, Leap Manifesto, David Suzuki Foundation, etc. are organizing)

·       we ended up having 3,000 people at Nathan Phillips Square for the People’s Climate March in 2014 based mostly on word of mouth

·       want to have people everywhere doing this, worldwide involvement

·       Alex – what do we want to get out of it? Brian – there was a clear need for people around the world to come together because we’re approaching the end. From our perspective, it’s about mobilizing more people to put pressure where necessary. We can all make changes in our own lives, but it’s system changes that we really need. Alan – needed to be a Canadian focus with all the emphasis on Trump. We don’t have control over the States, but we have input and say over what happens here, especially with Trudeau being pro-pipeline.

·       Kalina: Buses to Washington? Amelia Rose: as a group we’ve decided not to because if we get turned away it’ll look bad on us. If anyone is interested in organizing, go for it, but as a group we’re not doing it.

3.     OTTP

·       looking at organizing event

·       news report came out a couple days ago about Kinder Morgan needing $6.8 billion to build the pipeline

·       they’re looking to pension plans and banks for funding – asking us to pay for our own demise and we want to make a stink about it

·       want to mobilize people on the street in front of pension plan offices at Finch and Yonge (goal is 40 ppl)

·       get down and dirty, start going and do what we can to make a splash

·       splash mostly through social media because conventional media doesn’t tend to cover stories like this

·       Kim Fry on maternity leave has connections with NDP and LEAP, spoke to Council of Canadians, Greenpeace, concerned about water, etc.

·       between 4:00-6:00 next Thursday (March 2)

·       Brian has a list of jobs – he needs people! CALL TO ACTION!

·       rule for divestment is a) don’t make any new investments in fossil fuels; b) divest from fossil fuels; c) use that money to invest in clean energy

·       GOAL: make clear that an investment in Kinder Morgan is an investment in our own destruction.

·       there has been an education process for the teachers to learn more about how this affects everyone’s future

·       Alex has potential student connection for divestment strategy

·       nice lead-up to later events

·       global week of divestment actions is May 5-13, but we need to work quickly beforehand

·       one of most obscene things is that they have $20 billion in straight fossil fuel investments, not including air travel, etc.

·       a year ago they invested $3.3 billion in Synovis who is a major player in the tar sands, they were struggling and the teachers essentially bailed them out

·       they could give Kinder Morgan the money they need, but we don’t want them to

·       Elementary teachers tend to be more supportive, secondary not so much

·       need to mobilize people – word of mouth, phone calls, Facebook event, etc.

·       Canada Pension Plan has categorically refused to divest, it’s rooted in the Canadian economy – dammit!

·       Pension Plan pays out to retirees, but every teacher pays into it

·       have a low carbon agenda happening, but we’re working against it

·       possible letter of concern

·       Tresanne: do you have someone to write the letter? Alex: do we have a hashtag for social media? Brian: #divest

·       Sarah can help with mobilization, same with Alex

·       Alan knows someone on executive, he will contact

·       Brian: we need to refine message and make contacts, event should be up by Thursday

·       Roger and Alan will work on letter of concern

·       Dino is at Trinity St. Paul’s – Kalina will get it to the event! Brian and Amelia Rose will do inventory on signage and let us know what we need

·       looking at Monday, February 27 for the art build

·       need to rent battery powered speaker and microphone from Long & McQuade

·       need a notable speaker to draw attention – can also encourage retired teacher, existing teacher, and student to speak

·       if anyone has contacts with high school or university students that would be interested, please reach out

·       four people to act as “marshals” to interact with building security, the police will know that we’re there

·       Line 9 goes right behind the building, Brian would like to stand on it, power in knowing it’s flowing below us

·       Media contacts – someone to contact to get the word out. Mark Carney was head of Bank of Canada, now head of Bank of England, has hands full with Brexit, came to Canada and spoke to a business group about “the tragedy of the horizon” and not seeing what’s in front of us

·       media to either take pictures or interview, a little bit of coverage, we will also be our own coverage – Roger will be on social media, possibility for live stream

·       Kim Fry has produced detailed article about divestment for Ontario Teacher’s newsletter

·       Tresanne: what about number 4? Brian: similar to Facebook event. Will work with Roger to create letter you can just sign

·       Sarah: where would the letter go? Brian: someone had the idea to write to Glen Murray, he said it’s up to the education minister, we could possibly contact them, Ron Mock

·       Alan: who makes the actual decision to invest or not to invest?

·       Brian: basically the investment body is a separate body than pension fund and they have a CIO, don’t necessarily listen to us, but listen to what’s happening in the world, big investments are made by whole group, smaller ones by smaller group

·       Sarah: may not bow to pressure by public, but maybe from teachers? So if we could get somebody from the union or the teachers…

·       Brian: you try to go to one of the guiding bodies, that group says divest, then other group says they have “fiduciary duties”

·       five teacher unions, each under umbrella – goal to get umbrella to tell board members to encourage divestment

·       Sarah: is the target audience the teachers or the people dropping by?

·       Brian: won’t be many people dropping by, thinks the broader the message is distributed, the better

·       Sarah: if the message can be simpler it might be easier to connect people with the issue

·       Brian: we can’t be making investments that are going to ruin the world, we have five times more fossil fuels than we can actually burn

·       Philip: do the teachers unions do other actions? They own sports teams, are they selfish? Brian: that’s muddying the waters, investment in fossil fuels is a bad investment

·       Sarah: people might listen if there are viable alternatives, other investments aren’t necessarily viable to businesses, in the letter it would be beneficial to point to good investments that can be made

·       Brian: Bombardier building jet planes getting bailed out by government to build planes when they should be building windmills or effective transit systems

·       bee...@rogers.com – contact him if you want to get involved!

·       TO SUMMARIZE: investment in oil and fossil fuels is a bad idea

                                               i.     GOAL: raise public awareness about divestment and Kinder Morgan

                                              ii.     divestment is a goal to show people we can’t keep going this way

·       Laval only has to divest $11 million, OTPP has billions

·       Alex: where does the policy come from? Brian: within community, dealing with old laws

·       Alan: half of pension fund are representatives of Ontario teacher’s fund, other half is provincial government which creates a political issue. Brian: why we’re approaching it through Ministers of Environment and Education

·       Roger: what’s the blockage within the teacher’s union? Brian: they’re selfish and think it will hurt their pension, has been working with For Our Grandchildren for six or seven years.

·       Brian: Toronto350 had great team working to divest UofT, they were basically told to buzz off, McGill and UofT not willing to make same commitment as Laval

·       as a teacher, you have no control

·       explicitly set up to prevent activism affecting investments

·       Alan: we’re attacking the foundation of the system, Trudeau’s main argument is that we need to have balance between environment and economy, retired teachers’ livelihood depends on the pension so that breeds hesitancy, from investment perspective it’s the bottom line, Trudeau made decision because Big Oil is talking in his ear louder than us, people earning good money in tar sands are not going to be on board if there isn’t an alternative to their way of life, Trudeau needs to set up a federally financed fund to re-train people with skills in fossil fuel industry to participate in green transition and future

·       Brian: Catholics have a lot going for them with Pope Francis – he has said we need to stop destroying Creation

·       group is developing lists of all Catholic groups that will be divesting

·       in beginning of May there will be an announcement about that initiative

·       Erin: OTPP, half of people are part of teachers union? So they’re teachers and teacher representatives (part of the system), so we need to change their minds? Brian: we need to ask them to put pressure where it’s needed. Roger: they have a fiduciary responsibility by law so it’s hard to change policy. Sarah: but they could ask them to look at alternative investments. Erin: thinking of petition letters, who they’ll be going to, etc.

·       Brian: the people who we want to know about this politically are the Premier Kathleen Wynne, the Education Minister and the Environmental Minister, all MPP’s should be canvassed about it, with Canada Pension Plan should be Trudeau, Financial Minister

·       Philip: what exactly are their fiduciary responsibilities? Roger: a legal structure where they get the most out of it. Philip: if we want to understand the policies, we need to understand we’re a natural resource-based economy; teachers won’t be able to decide for themselves. Roger: with the legal structure they could get fired or put in jail if they don’t comply with their responsibilities. Brian: it’s a body they hire who is responsible for showing how they’ve been able to achieve their responsibilities. Philip: is there a motion we could pass? Brian: individual members or locals have brought motions, but to date no one has voted on any of these motions, last year they were finally discussed, hopefully this year one or two unions will pass a motion.

·       Roger: if we know the names of the people appointed by the unions…are they public? We could have people send them mail and emails. Brian: ultimately those people respond to the unions.

·       Brian: body of teachers has union, unions meet annually to discuss and present motions, that then goes to the Ontario Teachers’ Federation and that becomes part of their consideration, each local union has monthly meeting for members

·       Erin: would goal of letters to be to add ammunition to these meetings? Brian: we’ve attended their meetings for the past two or three years and handed out pamphlets to explain

·       Kalina: what do we do with the awareness now that it’s raised? Brian: there’s elections happening and we want questions for the candidates about divestment and strong level of support at meetings

·       Erin will look into creating an online petition people can sign

·       Letter will be going to Wynne, Education Minister, Environment Minister

·       Tresanne will be working on letter as well! Also there’s pizza.

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March 7 Planning Meeting Agenda

Our organization follows our disability which is here.

1. 1. Land Acknowledgement (1 min)

"I would like to acknowledge this sacred land on which the Steelworkers Hall operates. It has been a site of human activity for 15,000 years. This land is the territory of the Huron-Wendat and Petun First Nations, the Seneca, and most recently, the Mississaugas of the Credit River. The territory was the subject of the Dish With One Spoon Wampum Belt Covenant, an agreement between the Iroquois Confederacy and Confederacy of the Ojibwe and allied nations to peaceably share and care for the resources around the Great Lakes.

Today, the meeting place of Toronto is still the home to many Indigenous people from across Turtle Island and we are grateful to have the opportunity to work in the community, on this territory."

2. Introductions. (7 min)

• Kalina

• Tresanne

• Amelia-Rose

• Brian

• Alan

• Caleb

• Snowcubb

• Aaron

• Alex

3. Who’s Going to the Conflict Resolution Workshop the 21st of March? (2 min)

• Exec

4. 350.org Social media training (2 min)

• Webinar on Social media organized by 350.org March 8th.

• Link: http://myaccount.maestroconference.com/conference/register/57S7CT8W2XHERG46

5. Debrief and review of the OTPP rally Thursday Feb. 2. (15 min)

• Thanks to everybody who helped out

• Came together because of media report of KM people coming to pensions to get money

• Came together on a short timeline mainly on resources we already have

• People of all different generations coming together to fight for climate

• Lots of old faces and new faces (about 25-30 people)

• We got our message across: pension people got in touch and tried to stop rally

• Got us the attention of OTPP

• Good Chant but we should make it flow better for future

• March to Energy East helped us get in touch for what we were fighting against

• Didn’t cost a lot

• We should have a budget before day of

• This budget should be approved by multiple people

• It cost about $100

• We met new people and handed lots of leaflets on the corner

• We got a lot of honks

• What we could improve on:

• We didn’t reach out enough on social media to get people out (individuals reaching out, not 350)

• TO350 needs more branding

• We should have sent out another big blast day before

• Live streaming needs more coordination, and it was out of focus, need to be clear on what we live tweet vs live stream

• Be more on media and be faster on media

• It was very quick, finished very fast, time advertised needs to be more accurate

• It’s way out of the way (Yongue and Finch)

• Reach out to other schools in future

• Hard to generate interest outside of teachers

• Media and education through media

• Would have been great to get print article in NOW

• Hashtags weren't used in all comms

• We need to decide better which hashtags to use

6. Should we have parties in TO city hall? Event and discussion. (10 min)

• This is the event:https://www.eventbrite.ca/e/partying-up-toronto-city-council-tickets-32484627395

• Monday March 20th at 7pm

• Alan:

• Political parties don’t have much good/interesting to offer

• Kalina

• There shouldn’t be parties at city hall

• She doesn’t like party politics because it creates an unnecessary divide and people spend time arguing about which party, not which issue

-          caleb went to toronto ndp area council meeting

-          idea of having city level NDP got shot down quickly

-          once you add party system it would discourage people who vote for progressive but don’t identify with a progressive party

-          would allow Liberal parties to skirt up the middle every time and control city council

-          city council is an independent body with independent councillors

-          people should be accountable to their own wards, as opposed to parties

-          Alan: almost none of parties have anything interesting to offer, if they did maybe people would actually join in, if we relate it to what we do we know climate change is a political issue and no party has really taken a strong stance

7. Lesson/ideas from a workshop Kalina attended. (10 min)

• Slides from the workshop: https://drive.google.com/file/d/0B1xUA6Oc1yDrWmp6bXJBT0RmQ0k/view

• Wasn’t a great event

• It had very basic info, not much depth

• Lessons learned:

• Be specific: make everything scheduled

• Use a run sheet (detailed description of what should be done and schedule)

• Know your location very well, know sound, video and do trial run

• Know the people who work there and know your contacts in case things go wrong (who to ask for help)

• Have a detailed budget to judge if event was successful

• Examples in slide show

• Make sure you choose right venue for the event

• Advertise event in a way to make it appealing

• We need good graphic design for free because people will assume the event is the quality of the design/flyer

• Always follow up with people who attended event with comment card

• Cater to a particular demographic: know your audience

• Have a detailed outreach plan

• Present venue effectively, stick to a theme

• We have a free 2 hour consultation with workshop organizer

• If we have a graphics library, then we could crank out specific materials much more quickly

• Have specific tasks for specific people

• Give people very clear roles and have only a few people or one person working on many small tasks

8. Presentation of the decisions made at the Board/Exec meeting on the future of the president role, fundraising plan and our financial situation. (2-3 min)

• Specifics are in minutes from the exec/board meeting from Tuesday February 28

9. Report back on People’s Climate March (Caleb). (10 min)

• Planning to have march on April 29, tied in with global movement (one in New York and Washington)

• 50 sister marches planned including ours

• We’re planning on having the march, but also extending the event

• Coalition of climate-focused people and groups across Toronto want to do an educational week beforehand

• Student-focused climate educaiton that could be rolled out in schools, concert either at Massey Hall or Danforth Music Hall

• On the 22nd there will be a teach-in led by teachers at OAC

• Elementary teachers have committed to supporting it fully

• Toronto350 has been asked to do an educational event, best way might be during a Tuesday meeting

• Talking about a route for the march - city hall and Queen’s Park are both booked

• Queen’s Park available for part of time

• Want 6 weeks notice

• Want non-profit sponsor - need to talk to Ellery

• Want thousands of people out!

• Maybe we can walk past the American Embassy

• Alan: What is our messaging?

• Caleb: we have a committee that’s working on messaging, want it to be 1-2 people only, trying to develop 1-2 page “mission statement,” close to having a website up

• Overarching message at peoplesclimatemarch.com

• March 22 is Earth Day and World Water Day

• Taylor was talking about making the week after a week of action

• Brian: spoke to Taylor who brought up the ten actions in 100 days, want to make it clear what people can do - we need ideas for what to do besides contacting elected representatives

• Will send out notes about the last meeting soon

• NDP convention is happening that week so it’d be great to show them we care and want/need them to be progressive

• Caleb has pushed through an Energy East motion that will hopefully come up

• 21-23 at Metro Toronto Convention Centre is the Ontario NDP Convention

• Brian: having something dramatic and performance oriented - for example in Britain with the black cloth being left at the stairs

• Katie: organizing committee will be working on march, concert, and outreach, and encouraging other people to do things

• Elementary teachers are doing the teach-in

• International Socialists have some panels and talks planned for that week

• Who do we want to attend the Tuesday teach-in? Katie: we could do a movie or something, we have had teach-ins before that have brought around 100ppl

• Last teach-in we had was a panel before the people’s climate consultations talking about how to get your message across at a community hall

• Teach-in could be setting up a targeted action

• Caleb has contact with Wellington Water Watchers - peeps fighting Nestle and are interested in doing something about water

• Katie: people’s climate is the focus

• Are other groups doing pipeline things that week or can we do it up?

• Katie: there’s a national coalition that has main message of anti-tar sands, march will be more broad - couldn’t talk about pipelines and tar sands if we wanted the labor unions involved

10. Municipal, people’s climate march (60 min)

• Municipal campaign:

• Municipal politics(provincial election coming up)

• We need to be pro-something(ex: solar)

• Maybe we need to focus on municipal election (should it be the main focus?)

• How do we integrate small businesses and make it affordable to be green (municipal policy)

• What can we do to monitor what happens to waste after thrown in the trash

• It’s so expensive to eat local (because of free trade)

• It’s so expensive to support local business and green local economy(incentives?)

• Incentives for homeowners to go green and make houses green

• Transit and public transport

• Goal: give people a tangible way to make a change in the climate (that’s made through your elected reps)

• Put attention to local economy because it’s more sustainable

• Make our participation easier and more effective

• Figure out with our contacts what’s already going on around this

• Is there a green infrastructure guideline for it to be green

• Costs a lot to make developments green

• Buns trading: online barter system could help us

[ac]

Toronto350 Meeting Agenda

March 28, 2017

1. Land Recognition (2min)

"I would like to acknowledge this sacred land on which the Steelworkers Hall operates. It has been a site of human activity for 15,000 years. This land is the territory of the Huron-Wendat and Petun First Nations, the Seneca, and most recently, the Mississaugas of the Credit River. The territory was the subject of the Dish With One Spoon Wampum Belt Covenant, an agreement between the Iroquois Confederacy and Confederacy of the Ojibwe and allied nations to peaceably share and care for the resources around the Great Lakes.

Today, the meeting place of Toronto is still the home to many Indigenous people from across Turtle Island and we are grateful to have the opportunity to work in the community, on this territory."

2. Introductions - preferred pronouns (5min)

• Brian

• Caleb

• Natasha

• Kalina

• Amelia Rose

• Philip

• Valerie

• Tresanne

• Erin

• Sara

• Brian

• Lyn

3. Overview of Planning for PCM w/ Volunteer Opportunities (15min)

• Call-in

• We will set up a space to do a phone bank so people can call MPs and councilors

• Lysistrata Reading

• We’re trying to find a date

• We’re looking for actors (diverse cast)

• Blanket Exercise

• Will be on April 25

• Tresanne’s contacting Kairos

• Does anybody know good aboriginal speakers for the event

• Art in Activism

• Trying to build more art (visual and other) into activismbut h

4. Overview of Current Toronto350 Campaigns w/ Volunteer Opportunities (15min)

• Pipelines - Energy East Comments, etc.

• Trying to block pipeline development (Kinder Morgan, Keystone, Energy East, Line 9)

• But Trump will call Nebraska...don’t worry

• On toronto350.org, please send message to NEB modernization notice - http://www.toronto350.org/motion_to_neb_restart_energy_east

• Event at TD center by LeadNow for TD’s shareholder meeting. We’re invited to come with our signs and make a lot of noise

• “This Beer Fights Pipelines” initiative

• Breweries partnered up to make a beer that is against pipelines, then they donate beer profits to pipeline resistance (fights Kinder Morgan)

• The campaign launch will be in June

• Municipal Campaign

• We have a lot of ideas

• We want to partner up with other groups doing good work around municipal climate stuff

• Ecospark????? A school education group

• OTPP Update - upcoming meeting, etc.

• We held the OTPP rally a few weeks ago

• We got an article in NOW about the rally

• We got a lot of action from the rally

• OTPP people sent us an email before rally saying they aren’t in talks with Kinder Morgan

• Next week (Thursday April 6 3:30-6 or so) will be OTPP AGM at college and yonge

• We’re going to get teachers to speak at the meetings

• Want people out on the street saying we want divestment! (3:30-4:30)

• We will be handing out postcards that will be sent to Trudeau

• Inside they’re going to up the ante asking to divest

• We’re going to question the assertion that it’s the pension’s duty to make money through fossil fuels

• Meeting to plan this is Saturday at 11am at Yonge and Bloor (The Bay 5th floor cafeteria)

• Chippewas Fundraising

• We’ve raised 30K that we know of, decision on the supreme court

5. Breakouts (45min)

• Call-in-4 people

• Lysistrata-1 person

• Art in Activism-5 people

• “This Beer Fights Pipelines”-4 people

• Municipal Campaign-6 people

• Ecospark ???

• Environmental charity that gets people to take individual action

• Talk a lot about walkable/

• TEA, TCAN, and ClimateFast are groups also fighting for this

• In May, there is a vote for the 2050 climate plan which involves no money (they’ll approve)

• TEA is working a lot with marginalized communities to get funding in budget and link with climate

• Supporting proper subsidization for transit costs (make it economical to leave the car at home) because cars count as 35% of emissions in TO

• Making TTC cheaper than driving

• FIT solar panels loan program is being ended because they say solar is getting cheaper

• There isn’t any green energy opportunities for condo developments

• We need more money for green infrastructure

• There is no independent place you can go to to find good contractors to install green energy

• Energy storage (going off the grid while in the city is becoming more realistic)

• Transit based campaign will have a wider reach

• We should squeeze the gov for money around transit

• We should give students free transit passes to develop lifetime habit

• Draft policy statement about city transit

• You need data about what’s happening in other parts of the world around this stuff and how it’s working

• Talk to people from TTC riders association and TEA

• Research health impact of emissions (Asma)

6. Report Back (20min)

• Next steps for campaigns/initiatives/events

• Everyone’s tasks for the next week

• Everybody: read TransformTO report

• Caleb - TTC riders and TEA

• Philip - what are other places in the world doing for public transit? Go to innovation minister’s meeting.

• Sara - call other groups who did beer campaigns, contact breweries

• Kalina - Follow up with other breweries she’s contacted with phone calls. Find venue for campaign launch (bar or brewery). Make event page for art builds.

• Valerie: Bring placards to art builds to be redone. Reach out to CFS for a button-maker.

• Tresanne: Promote for art builds for PCM from noon-6pm each Sunday leading up to the march at 33 Cecil. Find and collect art supplies. Send Kalina text for facebook event

• Brian: bring art supplies for the builds and send Kalina photos

• Erin: Call breweries assigned to her

7. Upcoming Events/Announcements

• Art Builds April 2, 9, 16 from 12-6pm

• TD AGM protest at 9 AM thursday at TD main building

• April 4th: Toronto’s Climate Challenge from 6-9pm at the city council chambers. This is an educational event

• International Socialists Conference as part of the climate week of education from April 21-22 at 569 Spadina Avenue (more info at marxismconference.ca)

• Art workshop about the items in your home and how those relate to natural world (Monday April 17 tbd)

• Building Relationships and Coalitions with Frontline Communities Webinar (Kalina needs to send link)

• Indigenous Resistance to Tankers and Pipelines Webcast (https://attendee.gotowebinar.com/register/9020195863631107842)

• Toronto350 elections April 11

• PCM Meeting tomorrow night

• Tres b-day at Red Room!

[ac]

TGM Agenda April 11 2017

1. Land Recognition (2min)

"I would like to acknowledge this sacred land on which the Steelworkers Hall operates. It has been a site of human activity for 15,000 years. This land is the territory of the Huron-Wendat and Petun First Nations, the Seneca, and most recently, the Mississaugas of the Credit River. The territory was the subject of the Dish With One Spoon Wampum Belt Covenant, an agreement between the Iroquois Confederacy and Confederacy of the Ojibwe and allied nations to peaceably share and care for the resources around the Great Lakes.

Today, the meeting place of Toronto is still the home to many Indigenous people from across Turtle Island and we are grateful to have the opportunity to work in the community, on this territory."

2. Introductions - preferred pronouns (5min)

Kalina - she/her

Roger - he

Estella - she/her

Amelia Rose - they/them

Snowcubb - he/him

Martin - he/him

Tresanne - she/her

Anju Chauhan - she/her

3. Financial Report (10 mins)

• $3,695 in our account

• Going to be getting donations that are just for PCM, then reimbursing

• If you want more information about financials, talk to Tresanne

• Importance of account balance is that motion was passed to decide whether or not to pay president for next month if there was $3500 in account

4. Constitutional amendments (15 mins)

• To become a voting member, you need to attend two planning meetings and fill out a survey on our website. Tresanne proposes an amendment to the constitution to remove Article 2 of Section 3, Caleb seconds, 8-Y 0-N 2-A

• Notice of innovation meetings must be sent out at least 6 calendar days prior to meetings with date, time, and place. Tresanne proposes taking out requirement for “place.” Proposition rejected.

5. Proposition of new position and adoption of role description (10 mins)

• Tresanne is leaving in October and is creating the position of Vice President (someone who will train for the next six months)

• VP Description: work closely with the president to learn how to run the organization and grow the movement by empowering core members. From April to October 2017 the vice president will increasingly take on tasks that fall under both short term detail oriented tasks as well as long term tasks. This position may be paid from July to September. The intention is that the vice president will run for and be a highly qualified candidate for the president position at the elections in October 2017

• You can vote if you have come to two meetings in the past year

• 8-Y, 0-N, 0-A, motion passes

6. Exec elections and reading of role descriptions (60 mins)

• Role description doc for reference: https://docs.google.com/document/d/1M2zGYZvRZKhBLCjn7QVTTAL7Tulmzxfsf01FqCCPxXg/edit

• President: Tresanne nominates herself, Katie seconds, 8-Y 0-N 1-A (TRES PRES)

• Vice President: Tresanne nominates Amelia Rose, Roger seconds, 6-Y 0-N 3-A (AR VP)

• Treasurer: Anju nominates herself (background in economics and finance, worked as Treasurer for non-profit that support education-related projects in India for underprivileged children, excited to work with Ellery on a transition and know more about what the role entails), Tresanne seconds, 10-Y 0-N 0-A (ANJU TREASURER)

• Administrative Coordinator: Caleb nominates Estella (been relatively active in climate movement for past couple years, fundraised for Chippewas of the Thames, wants to get more involved, is organized, has experience in communications and web development), Valerie seconds, 10-Y 0-N 0-A (ESTELLA AC)

• Communications Coordinator: Katie nominates Roger, Ashley was talking to Roger about shadowing him for the role until August, Tresanne seconds, 10-Y 0-N 0-A

• Media & Creative Coordinator: Roger nominates Kalina, Valerie seconds, 10-Y 0-N 0-A

• Volunteer Coordinator: Kalina nominates Valerie (important for leadership to be united, have more of a routine so org is more accessible to volunteers, more joint work with other allies esp. labour movement, etc., was great working with Chippewas, link us in with a whole other world other organizers might not be connected with), Tresanne seconds, 9-Y 0-N 0-A

• Research Coordinator: Valerie nominates Erin, Kalina seconds, 8-Y 0-N 2-A

• Access to resources/materials/publications other members may not have

• Other people can link up with research coordinator

• Divest OTPP Lead: Amelia Rose nominates Brian Young, Roger seconds, 9-Y 0-N

• What are the volunteer opportunities on this campaign? Attend rallies, get government to say they want to divest (½ of pension owned by government, ½ by OTPP), events and outreach

• Anju needs to take her position back to her work because of potential conflict of interest (work deals with mutual funds, pension plans, etc.)

• Municipal Campaign Lead: Caleb self-nominates, Tresanne seconds, 9-Y 0-N 1-A

• Pipelines Campaign Lead: Kalina nominates Katie, Valerie seconds, 9-Y 0-N 1-A

7. Update on what we are planning and what action needs to be taken assignment of action items (any time remaining)

• People’s Climate March (April 29)

• Listening Circle - tomorrow night!

• Art Build (April 16)

• Home is Where the Balance Begins - arts-based workshop about interactions with our personal environment (April 17)

• KAIROS Blanket Exercise (April 25)

• Lysistrata - A Climate-Based Sex Comedy, live reading of an adaptation of the classic by Aristophanes (April 26)

• Call-in (May 2?)

• Should we see if someone in Toronto would be willing to do that challenge?

• 12-2? 11-4?

• Valerie would be interested in assisting

• Computers set up too for people to email

8. Shadows for exec roles

• Coverage in positions for continuity - if exec take vacation who can cover?

• President usually takes on role if it can’t be filled

• Maybe we should look into have cross-training for positions, improve delegation skills, retain volunteers

[ac]

April 18, 2017 Planning Meeting Minutes

1. Land Acknowledgement

2. Intros and preferred pronouns

• Caleb-He
• Amelia Rose-They
  
• Tresanne-She
  
• Erin-She
  
• Snowcubb-He
  
• Rose-Her
  
• Kalina-Her
  

3. Overview of planned events+what needs to be done

• Lysistrata

• Reading of a climate-sex comedy

• Scotiabank theatre, 6 noble st. 6:00-9:00

• Blanket exercise

• By KAIROS, circle discussion after

• Next tuesday at 6:30-8:30 at Steelworkers

• Call in

• Teach in

• Organized by ETT

• 9-3 at OISE near bloor and St. George

• It will be breakouts on Climate Justice education and teaching

• Open to the public

• Art Build

• 33 Cecil St 2-8pm on Saturday the 22

• We will make art for PCM

• March

• It would be great to go to other events with flyers and promote the march

• April 29 at Allen gardens 12pm

• Social media promotion

• We’re the only team doing outside of march events

• We need people to share the events on SM

• The more people the better because they will learn more about climate and volunteer

• Share the things TO350 posts and invite friends

4. Brainstorm for week of action

• Direct action (Katie’s action)

• What is a tangible, non-risky thing every person can do after the march

• Social media and donation strategy

• May have a concert in May

• All actions must have specific goal with specific demands to accomplish, no demonstration that won’t actually create change

5. Work on planning in small groups

• Social media planning (Kalina)

• Call in

• Should be advertised as a party

• Known that we’re providing food

• Make it a social event

• Send email to members after march with ONLY call-in info

• Lysistrata (maybe)

6. Report back from breakouts

• Action items

7. Events coming up

• Who will attend events

• What needs to be done day of at the venue (who will do what)

8. Closing

• Everyone states what they’re going to do when they leave (their assigned task)

[ameli...@toronto350.org]

June 6 Planning Meeting Minutes

 

• Land Acknowledgement (2min)

• I acknowledge the sacred land on which the United Steelworkers Hall operates. This land has been a site of human activity for 15,000 years. This land is the territory of the Huron-Wendat and Petun First Nations, the Seneca, and most recently, the Mississaugas of the Credit River. The territory was the subject of the Dish With One Spoon Wampum Belt Covenant, an agreement between the Iroquois Confederacy and Confederacy of the Ojibwe and allied nations to peaceably share and care for the resources around the Great Lakes. Today, the meeting place of Toronto is still the home to many Indigenous people from across Turtle Island and we are grateful to have the opportunity to work on this territory.

 

• Intro + Names (w/ preferred pronouns) (5min)

• Tresanne

• Amelia Rose

• Kalina

• Katie

• Valerie

• Alan

• Rose

• Ashley

 

DISCUSSION (110min)

 

1. Election of Communication Coordinator (20min)

1. Communications Coordinator: Internal Communications + Website + Social Media

    

   Internal Communications

   ● Sending out carefully written and proofread email blasts with events and updates to keep members informed and encourage them to be active

   ● Communicate with campaign leads to get updates to share with the broader membership (supporters)

   ● Coordinating blast timing so people don’t get overwhelmed with emails

   ● Strategizing communications by tracking blast open and click rates to continue to improve contact with members.

    

   Website Maintenance and Design

   ● Ensuring the Website is kept updated, including event pages connected to blasts

   ● Backup the website frequently

   ● Making campaign resources from the Google Drive accessible to volunteers through the website

    

   Social Media

   ● Posting pictures, memes, articles, and updates on the TO350 Facebook and Twitter.

   ● Responding to messages on the TO350 Facebook and Twitter

   ● Bottom­lining the development of messaging and talking points on key issues

   ● Stay on top of important climate news and ensure climate victories are highlighted

2. Valerie nominates Ashley, and Tresanne seconds that.

1. 9-Y 0-N 1-A

2. Debrief of Beer Launch & Next Steps (45min)

1. Amelia Rose: some people came, people we usually see at events. Good new location, great we paired with a beer company. Lot of people felt the event went well from who he talked to. Wasn’t enough people there (max 15-20), some people were in and out.

2. Kalina: there were not enough people, it wasn’t a party-fun vibe, not enough information about the pipeline, not enough to do at the actual event. Thoughts from Doug: wasn’t impressed, he didn’t feel he absorbed any information regarding the pipeline, but Tom gave him beer info and he liked it. Graphics look good, but the event didn’t stand up to it. Someone walking by would not have known that this was an event, let alone an event about pipelines. He was picturing a lot more people with picnic tables and larger set-up. Would’ve taken the approach of selling the beer to get people there – come for beer and barbeque – as opposed to touting the pipeline part. Name tags so people knew who to go to if they wanted to engage. A panel with information to read, visuals and/or pamphlets. Music was awful – not reflective of beer or what we were doing. Trumpet player looked bored. Should’ve maybe done it a bar. Should’ve had a sign. Should’ve had flyers in the Junction weeks in advance. Balloons. Party vibe. Tap the kegs not the oil. Weak. Dialogue was between those who already know about things as opposed to opened up to new guests. Discussion heard was often unproductive (ie. Trudeau sucks) as opposed to what the actual problem was, and what solutions we were offering. It was an insider event, not one overly welcoming to anyone outside our established group. Band outside.

3. Katie: decent amount of people there, about 60-70 throughout the night. Liked the music. Toronto350 volunteers did a good job at talking about the pipeline. About 15 people were just drinking and voting was good way to get them involved. Has started spreadsheet for outreach to bars. Talked about having future similar events to continue the momentum and make it an incentive for bars to carry the beer. Caleb’s dad plays regularly at a bar so we have potential to turn one of those nights into beer event. Need to stay on top of Tom to keep everything organized, especially money. We’ll be getting approx $150-200/keg. Bottles are more expensive so won’t be selling as many. Could potentially sell the keg to the bar at cost, and they can adjust pricing (i.e. make it cheaper so people drink more). Need to encourage bars to stock the beer! Bars would have to keep track of pints if we leave it up to them.

4. Valerie: thought it was great, voting for the image was great, handed out a few of the leaflets, didn’t have enormous expectations, they were met. Do we have a sense of who can work on this campaign moving forward? Does Tom have a sense of who the low-hanging fruit bar could be to pitch to first? There’s a range of commitment levels, some people can do local areas, others are going to hit the pavement/cold call. Going in person may work better.

5. Rose: fun, successful, voting worked really well. Nice place, but quite secluded, not in high traffic area. Next event we need lots of foot traffic. Would give us greater numbers and turnover.

6. Ashley: beginning was quiet, if we do another event there, do it a bit later. Thought it was good, voting on label was good. Possibility of having beer t-shirts. Would be helpful to have talking points.

7. Volunteers will signup with Katie and get information sheet from her to go to bars to stock the bar.

3. Plan for June 13th Educational (45min)

1. Idea is the 2nd Tuesday "of each month" will be an educational day of some sort

2. Between beer launch and tabling

3. What are the pipelines, what are the issues, what are we doing

4. Second part of night would be skills building - how do we present ourselves? What questions can we expect?

5. Nadine MacKinnon (made video for march) wants to do project for website where it’s really basic questions people can ask us and we answer via video

6. Valerie happy to share dos and don’ts of petition-making

4. TTC Riders

1. Group has been around for a few years, goal is to promote public transit and reduced fares for low-income peoples

2. Fair bit of financial support from transit union - one of the biggest locals in Toronto

3. One person works full time (Jessica Bell), they do outreach, lobby City Hall, the city did agree to some reduced fair, but not what’s needed, still stuck in bureaucracy

4. Feel it’s important to make link between what they’re doing and what we’re doing

5. Someone has a presentation on environmental effects of public transit, they would like to come and see how we could work together

6. Maybe do this in September/October where we’ll have higher turnout (cc Caleb on these emails)

5. Events

1. This weekend is Water Stock in Guelph, group that was fighting Nestle, big event, Crystal Sinclair is organizing a bus to go, bus is free and you get into the festival free as well, bus leaves at 8:30am Sunday (June 11), Crystal involved with opening ceremonies, all-day engagement, bus comes back around 8:00pm, limited spots so if you want one, do it up! (aka email Katie)

2. Friday night 6:30pm at Trinity St. Paul’s Avi Lewis and people of Leap are holding meeting, trying to see where Toronto wants to go with this, individual NDP constituencies have agreed to adopt. Leap could play a coordination role in our city because we have so many activist groups. We should work on our relationship with this organization.

3. Mining Injustice Solidarity Network - meet Louis Fernando at Harvest Noon, dinner and talking about mining in the global south

4. Naomi Klein’s book launch is tomorrow

5. Tools for Change Workshop 6:30-8:30pm tomorrow, soundbites, media, social media, etc.

6. Tresanne will be gone from Monday to the end of June - if you need things from her let her know before she’s gone

[ameli...@toronto350.org]

June 13 Educational Meeting Minutes

 

• Land Acknowledgement (2min)

• I acknowledge the sacred land on which the United Steelworkers Hall operates. This land has been a site of human activity for 15,000 years. This land is the territory of the Huron-Wendat and Petun First Nations, the Seneca, and most recently, the Mississaugas of the Credit River. The territory was the subject of the Dish With One Spoon Wampum Belt Covenant, an agreement between the Iroquois Confederacy and Confederacy of the Ojibwe and allied nations to peaceably share and care for the resources around the Great Lakes. Today, the meeting place of Toronto is still the home to many Indigenous people from across Turtle Island and we are grateful to have the opportunity to work on this territory.

 

• Intro + Names (w/ preferred pronouns) (5min)

• Katie-to educate

• Valerie- to get used to engaging with public on climate issues

• Kathleen- Wants to do something about KM

• Amelia Rose

• Brian- because he feels happy here

• Jennifer- Here to learn

• David- wants to reach out to bars to carry beer

• Donna- wants to learn

• Ashley- wants to be more involved in the climate fight

• Caleb- Here to learn

• Rebecca- wants to learn about specific pipeline issues

• Late- 5 other people

 

EDUCATION (110min)

 

1. Educational on pipeline issues; followed by skills-building on engaging with the public on these issues.

 

• Why pipelines?

• Straddles the line between local and larger

• Pipelines pose huge risk to water

• Speeds up oil use and GHG emissions

• Pipelines are needed to expand tar sands (which are bad)

• Infringe on First Nations rights

• Pipelines are under federal jurisdiction so we can have impact on it (unlike resource extraction which is provincial)

• Pipelines put water at risk

• Drinking water

• Culture based on water

• Community food and economy based on water

• There is no proven way to clean up bitumen

• Climate issues

• Pipelines are built to carry oil from the expansion of tar sands, not oil already  being mined

• If tar sands expansion continues, by 2030 Canada will be 2nd in world on oil expansion

• Tar sands are being shifted a lot to being owned by foreign companies

• Companies in tar sands are being subsidized more if they are expanding so if they are building pipelines, they are expanding and being subsidized more, even if they don’t need pipelines

• “There is no scenario in which tar sands production increases and the world meets their Paris goals”-Oil Change Study

• Federal jurisdiction

• UNDRIP gives control over pipelines on their land to First Nations

• Canada has endorsed UNDRIP but hasn’t adopted it legally (government says it doesn’t mean First Nations have veto rights)

• Government has a duty to consult about resource extraction but that isn’t defined and gets passed around to province, federal, and company (nobody wants to do it)

• NEB is being overhauled under Trudeau

• We can’t keep building pipelines if we want to meet Paris Goals

• Keystone KL

• Approved by NEB

• 350 USA fought this very hard

• First Nations and Ranchers got together to fight pipeline on their land

• Obama rejected it but Trump approved

• Line 9b Reversal

• Goes through Toronto

• Large participation in NEB hearings in Toronto

• Showed NEB was very corrupt in this case

• We helped COTTFN with their legal fight against line 9

• If  they win the court case, it will be HUGE

• Pipeline was approved and is running

• First Nations near Sarnia did a direct action and shut down the line

• Energy East

• Biggest tar sands pipeline ever proposed (1.1 million barrels/day being carried to the east coast)

• Half pipeline reversal, half new line

• Got 500 people to apply to intervene in NEB hearings

• Confronted politicians and held “Block parties”

• Kinder Morgan-Trans Mountain Expansion

• 3x expansion of existing pipeline (to 890k barrels/day)

• Cause a 7x expansion of tanker traffic in Burrard Inlet

• Burnaby and Vancouver oppose pipeline

• Lots of First Nations and other opposition

• NEB and Trudeau approved pipeline

• Post-NEB panel said there’s a lot of questions to be answered about pipeline

• The decision faces 9 legal challenges (7 from first nations) and 7 separate challenges to NEB decision

• Green-NDP deal in BC said they would “use every tool at their disposal to stop KM

• We did a sit-in against on Carolyn Bennett's office and held a vigil at Queen’s Park

• Pipeline also faces funding challenges (investors don't want to invest)

• Our beer fundraising campaign

• An effort to raise money for legal challenges against Kinder Morgan

• Junction Brewery will donate all profits from one beer to the legal fund

• Beer name: Hopposition Ale

• Tagline: This Beer Fights Pipelines

• Approach Bars to carry the beer

• Bars selling Junction Beer already are the easiest targets

• Go to your neighbourhood bars

• Bottles are only being sold at Junction Brewery because they’re expensive

• We are trying to sell kegs to bars

• This is a delicious, summer ale with hops, malt and a beautiful golden colour

• Talking points for bars:

1.WHO ARE WE?

1. Toronto350.org is a local affiliate of 350.org.  We are a grassroots organization aiming to grow a movement to mitigate climate change, influence government, and challenge the power of the fossil fuel industry by galvanizing support for fossil fuel divestment of public institutions, influencing public representatives at all levels, educating about climate change issues, opposing pipelines and supporting First Nations communities fighting fossil fuel infrastructure.  

1. THE BEER

• Hopposition Ale is a small-batch beer specially brewed by Junction Brewery and provided to Toronto350.org to market as an anti-pipeline beer.  

• •The goals of this partnership are to raise awareness about pipeline issues and funds to support First Nations legal defences against the Kinder Morgan Trans Mountain pipeline.

• •Bars can order kegs of Hopposition Ale through Junction Brewery through the regular process and all proceeds after costs will go to Pull Together, an organization in BC supporting legal defence against Kinder Morgan.

• •So basically, we’re asking bars to stock this beer, they will make the same $$ they always do, but  $175/keg of Hopposition Ale they buy will go to fight the Kinder Morgan Pipeline.

     2. THE ISSUE:: WHY FIGHT THE KINDER MORGAN PIPELINE?  “People who care should cross the line”  James Hanson--Climate Scientist

•  Simply, the Kinder Morgan Transmountain pipeline project threatens ocean water, riverways,  community economics, climate commitments, First Nations Rights and basic democracy, and is opposed by hundreds of thousands of people in BC.  

• The approval of the Kinder Morgan  project in 2016 is at odds with Canada’s commitments to decreasing greenhouse gases in line with the Paris agreement, since it will allow for expansion of the Alberta tarsands, which has a large influence on world wide greenhouse gas emission due to its unconventional nature.  

• The Transmountain expansion  will triple the capacity of the current Kinder Morgan pipeline, from 250 barrels of bitumen a day to 890 barrels per day, encouraging expansion of the tarsands.   This will also increase the number of tankers in the Burrard Inlet by 7 fold,, putting at risk water, fishing, First Nations rights, and endangered Orcas.  Here are some good basic facts on the pipeline.  

3. BENEFITS--

• Stocking this beer will demonstrate not only great taste in beer, but also a social justice consciousness!  If you agree to stock Opposition Ale Toronto350.org would love to provide you with posters, coasters, and other swag to go with it.  We would also love to organize pub night events at bars stocking Hopposition Ale and invite our huge network--to promote the beer and your place of business!  It’s win, win, win!

Online Resources: :

http://environmentaldefence.ca/2017/03/30/kinder-morgan-snapshot/

 

• Outreach over the summer

• FAQs from public - answer the question by saying what you want to say. Twist your answer

• How to deal with FAQs: idea flip charts

                   

Please click on the images below to see full details.

[ameli...@toronto350.org]

June 20 Campaign Meeting Minutes

 

• Land Acknowledgement (2min)

• I acknowledge the sacred land on which the United Steelworkers Hall operates. This land has been a site of human activity for 15,000 years. This land is the territory of the Huron-Wendat and Petun First Nations, the Seneca, and most recently, the Mississaugas of the Credit River. The territory was the subject of the Dish With One Spoon Wampum Belt Covenant, an agreement between the Iroquois Confederacy and Confederacy of the Ojibwe and allied nations to peaceably share and care for the resources around the Great Lakes. Today, the meeting place of Toronto is still the home to many Indigenous people from across Turtle Island and we are grateful to have the opportunity to work on this territory.

 

• Intro + Names (with Summer plans/availability) (5min)

• Ashley - away 4 days in June, July, Aug and 5 days in Sept

• Valerie - away August through September 12th, accessible by e-mail

• Rose - working, unavailable 2 weekends in July

• Kalina - going to Vancouver

• Caleb - Starting a new job mid July, will be away at the cottage often

• Katie - away most of July

• Sean - arrived late

 

CAMPAIGN PLANNING (110min)

 

1. Next week’s tabling (25 mins)

• Outreach techniques that have worked in the past and can be replicated:

• Be friendly, start a conversation at first point of contact

• Be direct

• Table at an event - it’s easier to engage people who chose to attend (ex. farmer’s market, Canada150 event, etc.)

• Have materials on hand

• Have something people can engage with (ex. button maker)

• Have a petition and know it’s intended use -  is it a parliamentary petition or for informational purposes?

• Use visuals to attract people

• Katie suggested starting a list of events over the Summer to be used for outreach

• Theme for next Tuesday’s outreach: Stop Kinder Morgan

• We can also discuss TransformTO as it is a local initiative.  

• Caleb has a Toronto350  table apron that can be used.  We will look into making a new banner for future use

• Location:  Trinity Bellwoods Farmers Market, near Dundas & Shaw from 4-6pm

• Valerie will try to get get permission to join, if not we will set up nearby

• Action Items:  Katie will create beer campaign leaflets, Valerie will look into getting generic Toronto350 flyers and will create a petition, Caleb will look into getting TransformTO pamphlets, Kalina will design coasters and will try to set up a bar code for the Pull Together Gofundme page so people can make donations using their phones, Rose will provide an opaque jar for cash donations, Ashley will add the location and time of the outreach event to the e-mail blast before sending it

 

2. Next month’s calendar (15 mins)

• General overview for July:

• 1st Tuesday - Executive Meeting

• 2nd Tuesday - Film screening of Tomorrow at York University

• 3rd Tuesday - Campaign Planning Meeting

• 4th Tuesday - Outreach, location to be determined

• July 19th - Event for anti-pipeline beer campaign, to be confirmed

 

3. Beer campaign (20 mins)

• Tom is experiencing time and marketing design issues with the beer label and is working to resolve them

• Closing party to take place in the Fall at Junction Brewery’s new location

• Coasters

• Tom isn’t planning on ordering coasters for a while, so we would have to purchase them

• Brian will look into this and we can decide how many to order once we know the cost

• Bar Outreach

• Several volunteers are interested in helping

• Kathleen, a volunteer who attended the Pipeline Educational, has reached out to Brickworks.  They already sell Junction beer and are interested in selling Hopposition Ale.

• Tom mentioned there is a limited amount of beer available.  We should get going with bar outreach so he has more confidence in us.

• Bar outreach will be organized in Katie’s neighbourhood (Bloordale) either Friday or Saturday evening.  Volunteers will pair up and head to bars in the area.

• Summer Events

• Potential to hold an event at The Tranzac on July 19th.  Caleb’s Dad’s band is having a regular show there that day.

• Katie has a contact at Get Well and another bar on Dundas.  They were also interested in holding an event.

• Kalina would like to do a night of punk music as many in the punk scene are passionate about this issue.  Other suggestions:  comedy night, poetry night, visual art (painting & drinking), Karaoke, or tie the beer campaign into a Canada150 event

• Kalina suggested looking into music festivals taking place throughout the Summer that we could potentially promote/sell our beer at, and also suggested printing a big map that displays all the areas the pipeline will cross

• Caleb suggesting researching significant indigenous dates and holding events on those days to raise awareness of Resist150

• Kalina suggested working with Anju to set up a sponsorship package, however we would have to check the constitution as there is a protocol around this

• Other volunteer groups are welcome to promote the beer

• Action Items:  Katie will send an email to volunteers on the outreach list with details of this weekend’s bar outreach

 

4. Municipal Campaign (30 mins)

• We will try to convince a building to do a green energy retrofit

• The TransformTO climate plan came out a few months ago and building retrofits are included in the plan

• Caleb has a meeting with the Toronto Environmental Alliance on Thursday and would like to bring 3-5 ideas to them.

• Caleb also reached out to Good Jobs For All but has not heard back yet

• Building suggestions include:  Schools, TCHC, Banks, TTC, Queen’s Park, Union Station, Eaton Centre, CN Tower and universities

• Valerie is for TCHC because there is a social justice element to it and if Good Jobs for All is on board we can try to strike an agreement with them around community benefit

• TCHC has to complete a retrofit by 2050 anyway because TransformTO requires all government buildings to do so,  however we can encourage them to do it now

• Kalina suggested that TCHC practically helps people, but might not raise as much awareness as other buildings

• Public schools may not have the money to pay for a retrofit, however this would be a good opportunity to raise awareness about their lack of funding

• Rose thought the CN Tower would be fantastic to raise awareness and would highlight Toronto as a climate leader, but it is probably the least realistic option

• Caleb mentioned that Queen’s Park likely has a historical designation which may prevent them from doing a retrofit

• Caleb also suggested that retrofitting a TTC station would make transit a climate issue and could present an opportunity to work with TTCriders Assoc.

• Top choices: Schools and TCHC

• Potentials:  Universities, TTC Station

• No longer considering:  Banks, Eaton Centre, CN Tower

[ac]

August 8, 2017 - Campaign Planning Meeting

-Land acknowledgement 

-Introductions

Update on campaigns: 

Green Futures (municipal campaign): 

-Lots of research done by Rose, next step: meeting with school trustee re: retrofits
-Next next step would be speaking to individual schools

Pipelines: 

-Hopposition- unsure if it’s going to continue/if more kegs will become available

-Potential Sept anti Kinder Morgan rally, solidarity action in TO, or social media solidarity (2014 QC Rally had a campaign where they drew something on their hands and photographed it) - maybe an action by the water?

-Shane: Line 9 reactivation -legal challenges turned down but can maybe keep it alive 

-Microfit program ending in December, maybe connect it to Green Futures 

-Energy East   -redoing Energy East process 2018?   Ontario elections also in 2018 -what parties have spoken out against Energy East?

-Is it more worth it to focus actions on stopping new pipelines/expansions, rather than existing like Line 9?   Continuing to talk about Line 9/threats to local drinking water 

        -Last year groups stepped back from Line 9 due not enough motivation 

         Shane: Discussion on the economics of pipelines, not profitable long term   -Studies by various orgs that solar and wind can run the entire US    

         Caleb: Can we integrate this economic argument into our campaigns? Or is it for individual conversations?

-How to bring climate issues to people not currently involved   -Kalina: need to not be afraid of engaging with opposing arguments    -Potential social media strategy: one positive thing a day (something a city of group has done) and one other piece

-Submit op eds to papers whenever possible, especially surrounding any specific actions

Fundraising (Caleb):

-When new president gets elected, communication from them re: fundraising goal 

-Transparency and specific ways of how the money is used 

-Phone banking?   Potential phone banking "party" in the fall

-Communication around what has been done this year to back fundraising campaign 

Other potential fundraising:

Kalina: Trampoline park (Oakville), PWYC for workshops/educational events, 1-2 week pledge by exec to do something like not using a car and get people to sponsor

-Partnerships with local companies to sponsor  

-Merch? Merch people will wear, t-shirts, pins  -maybe silk screening event where people can make their own shirts (through Peace and Cotton)

Upcoming events:

Chemical Valley Project (6 Noble St) - play. On a few more days this week. 

Boardgames night next Tuesday ($10) 7pm  CSI Annex   -Aug 15

Toxic tour of chemical valley/petrochemical facilities Aug 20 8am, Christie Pitts  -FIND FB LINK   -Friday and Saturday there will be a water ceremony and workshops (but no transportation) David Suzuki Foundation beer and pizza at Christie Pitts -6pm Thurs

Potential Aug 22 Decolonization event rescheduling

[ac]

August 29, 2017 Meeting Minutes

Election of the President

1. Land Acknowledgment

2. Attendees: Kevin, Kat, Ashley, Valerie, Rose, Tresanne, Amelia Rose, Charlie, Kalina, Katie (late)

3. Role of the President: receives financial compensation, is a spokesperson, facilitates discussions and new campaigns, manages the team, connects with 350.org mothership, works on donations and grants, builds community relationships

Valerie nominates Amelia Rose. Tresanne seconds. Amelia Rose accepts.

Tres: what are you most excited about in this role?

AR: Be more active, have a more active community and meet more people.

10-Y 0-N 0-A – AMELIA ROSE ELECTED PRESIDENT

4. Upcoming Events

Tranzac – Thursday Night

• Hopposition Ale event

• Beer is on tap for a wedding happening simultaneously

• Venue bought at cost so we get more profit

• the SPECIAL INTEREST group is playing

• band starts around 10, welcome to come at 8

• Katie will bring a projector to play some videos on the Pull Together website

• Tranzac is at Bloor and Brunswick

• Invite your friends

KM Solidarity Event – Saturday, September 9

• Planning an intersAction, but if anyone has any ideas, contact us!

• Great chance to get involved as a new volunteer

• Plan is to be at Yonge & Dundas, but nothing is solid yet

Katie’s friend has a doc playing at Planet in Focus this October

• Potential for tabling

Katie and Kevin went to Six Nations blockade in Caledonia – same blockade that happened before over piece of land, want province to come back to negotiating table – if anyone is interested in this, contact Katie at ka...@toronto350.org

Valerie – sit-in happening at INAC

[Amelia Rose Khan]

September 19, 2017 Minutes

6:40 – Land Acknowledgment

6:42 – Introductions

6:43 – Meeting agenda was read

6:44 – Election introduction

-Role and responsibilities of board members outlined

6:45 - Prospective board members provide introductions

-Kyla Wiscombe: Outlines her climate activism experience (Greenpeace and independent actions), profession (academic administration)

-Amelia Rose reads Maya Dhanjal’s (not present) background statement

6:59 - Kyla leaves for the vote

Kyla is voted to the board unanimously

Maya voted to the board with abstentions

7:01 Tools for Change motion introduced

-Amelia Rose describes Tools for Change community partnerships

-Question about financial situation of 350 – not currently known

-Question about how 350’s money would be used – funds would go towards Tools for Change being made accessible to those without financial means to do so otherwise

-Question: Community partnership deadline is the end of the month (September)

-Debate on whether the community partnership is the best use of financial resources

-Point raised that money could be spent to send members to workshops on an ad-hoc basis

-Point raised that this would connect 350 to a broader network of activists

-Point raised that money might not be spent otherwise

7:16 – Vote held

Vote passes to become a community partner of Tools for Change (with abstentions and opposition)

7:17 – Vote passes to donate 10% of September fundraising to Pull Together campaign

7:18 – Campaign planning discussion

-Proposal for September: On Sunday go to Great Lakes Water Walk

-Tabling at the meeting point for the march

-In place of farmer’s market

-Table and chairs provided

-4 present members can go

-No “political stuff” – unclear meaning

-Charlie, Valerie, Kalina, Caleb

-Meeting at Marilyn Bell Park

-Can work out specifics of shifts later

-Estela to send out notes to membership on this topic

7:26 – discussion of next educational

-Proposal to be Energy East presented by Katie

-Recent changes to project (possible scrapping of project) may require a change of topic

-Even with such changes, the educational may still be in demand

7:29 – October schedule

-Need agenda for next executive meeting

-3rd Closed executive meeting

-10th Educational

-17th campaign planning, executive elections

-24th tabling

-Artisan farmer’s market at waterfront (339 Queen’s Quay West) tabling possibility ($100 cost)

-Only runs until Oct. 7th

-November events: Indigenous dance at King stage

7:32 – Phone banking fundraising

-Has not been done before by 350

-Nation builder has platform for calling

-27th and 28th of September are potential dates

-Need: Location, script, people with phones and laptops

-Could get pizza

-5 to 7, potential calling time

-Ask to use Greenpeace’s space

-Send info out to membership

7:37 – Agincourt Environmental Eco Fair

-High school asking for groups to come table Nov. 29th

-During the day

-Need people (Valerie, Charlie expressed interest)

7:40 – Professor at U of T contacted 350 about doing outreach to get community groups to join program to get STEM classes to investigate social consequences and relationships to STEM.

-Want 350 to make a video

-Want to understand how 350 operates (i.e. they would research us)

-Materials on their method to be sent out to executive

-Eventually start going into schools with us

-Point: Video might need to be worked into our November/December schedule

-Process: They talk to some executive members, take some video, then someone sits on some regular meetings, takes more video

-We have veto power over anything in video

-Next steps: they contact exec, exec gives go ahead (or not)

-Research group is at OISE

7:50 – Toxic Tour

-new dates Sept. 29th to Oct. 1st (cancelled in August)

-no official 350 statement, but can provide info about transport

7:53 – Pipeline campaign discussion

-Beer campaign ending in October (BC court cases begin)

-Successful event at end of August (pub night)

-No more related September events planned

-Energy East might be dead, community groups figuring out next strategies

-Group that engaged NEB on Energy East process still working, reassess other pipelines

[ac]

Divestment in fossil fuels campaigns for 2018

Breakout Sessions

 

Teachers pension plan divestment actions over the last 4 years - ongoing

• Where are we now? There was success in adding divestment awareness to the portfolio managers.

• Divestment for them = “engagement”

• would it help to engage pension plan members?

 

U of T campaign: Unsuccessful

• Although a committee advised that U of T divest in fossil fuels the administration said no.

• Universities campaigns could be successful – we should continue to focus our energy here.

• We should not have felt defeated and continued being louder – no does not mean no it means maybe.

• Do we know why they said no? Why did Toronto350 back down?

• We need a new strategy – who do we appeal to?

• Do we mobilize students or faculty or both?

• Talk to student unions – Department of climate change Scarborough campus?

• U of T boycott/divestment/sanctions committee

• U of T is the softest target – what about York? Ryerson? McMaster?

 

Continuing to focus on fossil fuels not as a moral objection but as a bad investment for our future. How effective is this approach likely to be?

Could a risk management company advise against fossil fuels investment? The G20 produced a financial stability board that recommended a standard for assessing climate related investment risk. Apparently these suggestions were useless.

 

Campaign ideas

• Target one bank that has the most fossil fuel investment for a campaign

• Election based campaign about divestment

• City of Toronto not invested in fossil fuels

• How can we make it easier for organizations to Divest?

• Can we start a campaign with a smaller divestment goal amount? 100,000? 1 million?

---

MUNICIPAL

a) School Retrofitting a high school in a diverse community

Participants thought this was a good idea

Suggestions/questions:

• What are school board guidelines about the use of energy/types of energy?

• How much money does the school board allocate for retrofits/capital spending?

• Find out how we would register with the school board to be able to access the proposed school for discussions with staff and students

• Messaging – need to be clear about what exactly we’re proposing, what we’re trying to change (i.e. lighting, heat/air conditioning systems, possible community garden), and emphasize the positive (cost efficiencies, environmental and community benefits); while anticipating negative responses and how to reply to them

• On a related note, who do we need to convince? What are the pressure points? E.g. trustees, parents and how to put pressure on trustees and influence parents?

• How do we get interest in this?

• Involve the students – kids are powerful especially at influencing parents; we can develop student leaders on climate change who will lead change at school and at home; how do we engage students? Make it part of their science (and other) classes

• Funding will be a challenge

• TEA has a video about a condo building that decided to go green; it shows what can be done; could be a model for us

• This has been attempted in Waterloo? Need to research

Note there was also discussion about retrofitting a university since there are passionate students, and we can hold administration accountable to their claims of sustainability; would not require permission to engage students); can work with student groups on the proposal

Volunteer commitment:

• Aseal interested in general proposal

• Lisa interested in the student leadership aspect

• Anthony interested in community garden aspect

• Charlie unsure

• Brian will check out the Waterloo efforts

b) Involvement in 2018 Municipal Election

Optional levels of involvement:

1. like Labour Council, we could endorse specific candidates, based on their demonstration of climate justice criteria we develop

2. provide general information to the public about climate issues, for them to consider as they attend all-candidates meetings, or go to the voting booth (e.g. could share TCAN info on Transform TO)

3. provide a “report card” on the various candidates, grading specific climate justice criteria we develop (we don’t endorse specific candidates, but report card shows who meets most of our criteria) (apparently TEA issues a report card, so maybe we could work with them and other groups on this; provide an intersectional approach, and by involving more groups would increase our public reach)

4. similar idea, but do “fact checking” on our website, to show where the candidates actually stand on climate issues e.g. on Transform TO budget votes, etc. – make sure TO350 members receive this info

5. hold town hall(s) with Mayor and Council candidates ( who to include?)

Regardless of which option we go with, we need to ensure our media presence is strong so our messages get out.

One issue to emphasize is for the city to put pressure on condo buildings and other buildings to become energy efficient.

Volunteers:

Brian - general

---

Pipelines

Pipeline Campaign Focus

• General preference for broad focus that involves supporting resistance to various pipelines and tar-sands development projects, but especially Kinder Morgan and Keystone XL.

• Support resistance to a more local pipeline as part of the campaign

• Ex: Line 9 – offer support to Chippewas of the Thames in whatever their next steps may be

• Interest in protesting the transportation of oil via trains as well

How?

• Reach out to various Indigenous groups, determine what their needs are and how we can support them

• Even though not all pipelines are local, we can find a local connection

• Protest at local banks that are funding fossil fuel development projects

• Legislative pressure – determine a key contact in Ontario that we can pressure

• Create awareness and/or get media attention by:

• Holding staged events

• Putting campaign posters up everywhere – being visible to the general public in Toronto

• Incorporating humour

• Holding a symbolic local “ghost” camp as a show of solidarity with protest camps along pipeline routes

• Collaborating with other environmental/conservation groups to organize meetings and initiatives, and to raise funds

Communication/Increasing Engagement

• Be visual and informative at the same time

• Use of infographics

• Create an imaginary scenario – what would happen if we built a pipeline through Toronto?  What would it look like if a spill happened here?

• Posters with imagery that will tap into peoples’ emotions

• Canada is often perceived as ``harmless`` but we produce/export large amounts of fossil fuels – illustrate the harm we are causing globally by doing this

• Make people aware of the alternatives to fossil fuels – show that renewable energy is accessible

• Make pipelines feel real – form a personal connection

• Organize a meeting where those most affected by pipelines and spills can share their stories and voice their concerns

• Meetings can be held locally or outside of the city

• Recognize the work needed to make this happen – if they can’t make it to a local meeting, can videoconferencing be used?

• Find out if/when/where meetings like this are already taking place and attend/encourage members to attend

• Hold informative panel discussions

• Speak at schools, events, etc.

---

Provincial Election 2018

Election Issues discussed:

• Cap and Trade / Carbon Tax

• Anticipating cap and trade and the carbon tax as wedge issues during the election, namely by the PCs.

• Counter the attack by discussing the cost of these programs versus the long-term cost of not acting on climate change related issues.

• Pocket-book issues of utmost importance during the election, so the draw back of discussing these programs is the short-term thinking of the electorate (it’s costing me money now).

• Farming and agriculture

• Highlighting the importance of buying local produce, thereby supporting local farms while reducing the carbon footprint of the produce we buy.

• Public Transit

• Advocating for more funds for public transit, and green transport initiatives.

• Just Transition

• Promoting the idea of a just transition away from carbon intensive industry, while creating good jobs based in a carbon neutral economy.

• Making sure no one is left behind in a changing economy

• Environmental Racism and Inequality

• Reaching out to less affluent communities in Toronto, and highlighting the disparity in access to clean water and air.

• Speaking about the issue of factories and industries that pollute within Toronto, and making the connection between low-income communities that surround these industrial areas.

• Sharing stories of people who live within or near large factories, and the effect they have on people’s mental and physical health.

Possible election message:

• Be a voice for the vulnerable (Environmental racism, indigenous rights and women’s rights)

• Ensure the message elicits an emotional response (It’s about future generations, what kind of environment do you want for your kids?)

• Speak to people as voters (you have the power to push for change with your vote)

• Be clear about our intention, people are will want to know who we support and why

Possible election tactics/tools

• Coordinate with other Toronto based environmental groups, have one message and campaign

• Issue a joint report card on candidates and parties on environmental issues.

• Use social media as a low-cost way of promoting our campaign

• Organize town halls with pro-climate action candidates to highlight them and thereby support their election

• Possibly endorse candidates

• Factcheck the election platforms of parties, are they telling us the truth, is their plan realistic, is there an element of accountability?

• Hold information pickets, phonebanks and community canvasses.   

---

[ac]

2017 AGM (December 5th)

• Land Acknowledgement (2min)

• I acknowledge the sacred land on which the United Steelworkers Hall operates. This land has been a site of human activity for 15,000 years. This land is the territory of the Huron-Wendat and Petun First Nations, the Seneca, and most recently, the Mississaugas of the Credit River. The territory was the subject of the Dish With One Spoon Wampum Belt Covenant, an agreement between the Iroquois Confederacy and Confederacy of the Ojibwe and allied nations to peaceably share and care for the resources around the Great Lakes. Today, the meeting place of Toronto is still the home to many Indigenous people from across Turtle Island and we are grateful to have the opportunity to work on this territory.

• Intro + Names (5min)(thing you’re grateful for)

• Liza - being able to make a trip back home

• Valerie - Years of work forcing Energy East dead!

• Amelia Rose - Learning about Indigenous people’s great work

• Caleb - community

• Madhav - Family’s all in good health

• Kayla - health and opportunity to work with us

FINANCIAL STATEMENT + BOARD ELECTIONS + UPDATES (60mins)

1. Financial Statement

1. Slightly less donations than last year.

2. We’re bringing in about $850 per month (compared to $900/month last year)

3. We have 52 unique donors

1. 12 regular

2. Rest one time

4. We have a very few major donors ($200-$750)

5. There has been a slight uptick in number of donors in the last few months

6. Our Balance is now $3,500

7. The president is getting paid consistently (monthly).

8. We are budgeted to spend about $20,000 next year

1. If we spend according to budget, we are spending 2x the money we are making

9. How will we fundraise to make up the shortfall?

1. Some money is coming in.

2. The board can take the lead on doing fundraising.

3. We can try to get a grant by writing a proposal

1. There’s a capacity building grant program run by the city of Toronto.

2. We need a list of possible grants

4. We could run some kind of event with a guest speaker

1. Could we get Bill McKibben? Naomi Klein?

2. We’ve done something like this before. It raises a lot of money but it’s a lot of work

3. We shouldn’t charge too much for this to keep it accessible for everyone

4. Amy Miller is a radical film-maker and Hala’s friend. She can show a documentary and speak

1. Hala will look into this and ask her

5. We want a big, spring event

6. We want events that raise min $500

1. We NEED to do a detailed budget breakdown

7. We could do a member’s video competition to engage artists. Video can be shown before the big film.

10. Financial Report Voting: Passed (approved)

2. Board Elections

1. Kayla

2. Liza - Treasurer

3. Maya M - Board Chair

4. Maya D

5. All voted in again!

3. Other Business + Updates

1. The draft 2018 city budget came out and it includes no money for the TransformTO climate plan (You can go to the TEA website to write a letter to the mayor)

1. More info will be going out to you

2. Divest OTPP campaign is investigating a new way get pension plans to divest (called SHIFT, more info might be coming)

3. There’s a group called GreenPAC trying to get environmental candidates elected (Kalina is working with them and it could be good to work with them for a provincial election campaign)

4. Our social is next week, Tuesday the 12th, at Valerie’s (email val...@toronto350.org for the address)

5. We can talk with Tim about fundraising in the new year

6. We need a new communication’s coordinator for the new year (email pres...@toronto350.org) for more info