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Sunday, October 24, 2010

Radio Press Release - Election Survey Results



Sustainable Brant
 Election Survey Results
Sustainable Brant members are pleased to report a high return on their election survey.Candidates answered 17 questions based on two themes: 

1)     Protecting the ecology of our county:   air and water quality, prime farmland and heritage buildings; promoting local food , waste diversion and sustainable transportation, and

2)     Fostering democracy:  banning corporate and union donations, enabling delegations to council, fostering more transparency at council and keeping sewer and water infrastructure public.
In general candidates strongly opposed annexation of county lands by Brantford, and
amalgamation of the county and city.  There was good support for local food initiatives, preserving heritage buildings, improving waste diversion efforts and for more openness and dialogue with ratepayers. 

Some candidates showed interest in learning more about more ecological practices in other municipalities. These practices include: waste diversion, banning on the spread of sewage sludge on farmland, protecting farmland, and more sustainable ways in other communities of moving people and goods (rather than building the proposed highway 424).

A number of the candidates oppose the privatization of water and sewer infrastructure, would like to see stringent monitoring by the county of air emissions from the new brick factory at the airport, and do not find the Green Hub process to be clear, open or democratic.
None of the candidates who replied declared that they accepted donations from corporations or unions

Very few candidates addressed the possible shipment of Brant’s garbage to Six Nations to be incinerated or local food procurement.

To get a good grasp of candidates’ opinions, check out:
http://sustainablebrant.blogspot.com/2010/10/candidate-election-survey-results.html

Sustainable Brant 
(sustainablebrant@gmail.com, Tel: 519-647-0307)
http://sustainablebrant.blogspot.com/

Brant County Election Survey

Food not Sprawl
Vote October 25

Your elected representatives will decide on a number of key issues on your behalf. Will they represent your views?

We asked candidates questions based on two themes:

1) Protecting the ecology of our county : air and water quality, prime farmland and heritage buildings; promoting local food , waste diversion and sustainable transportation, and

2) Fostering democracy : banning corporate and union donations, enabling delegations to council, fostering more transparency at council and keeping sewer and water infrastructure public.

Read the replies: sustainablebrant.blogspot.com

Will our economic development be based on:
  • fostering Brant County as a “ food basket ” - building a local, healthy food economy OR on making Brant County a “garbage hub ” - accepting garbage and toxic materials from other communities?
  • How will farmers compete with the foreign land grab in Brant County? Will Brant become another Mississauga ?
  •  Will council protect our heritage one-room schools and community centres throughout the county?
  • Will council ensure that we do not accept “dirty industry ”?

Follow councilor's records. Here is a sampling:

Recorded vote on residential development of the Innes-Welton farms;
  • Councilors voting to protect prime farmland : : Powell, Atfield, Simons, Schmidt, Haggart and Gatward
  • Council or s voting for development on prime farmland : Eddy, Wheat , Hodge, Chambers, an d Coleman. [Mar3/09 ]

Restricting Delegations: we convinced council to defeat a motion from Councilor Chambers that would “restrict delegations that have a pp eared previously at Committee or Council meetings from speaking on the same issue”. Defeated. (Apr. 7, 2009 Council minutes).

Check out the candidates: We must be vigilant due to development pressure on our council. Ward 5 residents: Although your candidates have been acclaimed, you can still vote for Mayor.

Vote October 25, 2010

Sustainable Brant: We protect health, preserve farmland and our rural heritage buildings, and foster a local food based economy.

Contact sustainablebrant@gmail.com , 519-647-0307 

Thursday, October 21, 2010

County of Brant: Paris Agricultural Society Debate



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Video recorded by ArcPro HD Video Productions

County of Brant: Cainsville Debate


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Video recorded by ArcPro HD Video Productions

Wednesday, October 20, 2010

Candidate Election Survey Results

Please CLICK HERE for a summary of the survey questions.


Where indicated click on the candidates name to view their survey results.

CANDIDATES FOR THE OFFICE OF MAYOR
(1 to be elected)
Ronald E.F. Eddy              [no response]
R.R.#1 Paris, ON
519-442-2040
E-mail: ron.eddy@brant.ca
Hugh (Roy) Haggart        [survey results]
61 Bradbury Crescent
Paris, ON N3L 4E2
519-442-6198
E-mail: haggartformayor@bell.net
John Weaver      [survey results]
123 West River Road
Paris, ON N3L 3E2
519-442-7757
E-mail: jweaverfamily@gmail.com
Shawn Pratt         [survey results]
58 West River Street
Paris, N3L 2V1
Home: 519-442-6104
Work: 519-442-3334
Fax: 519-442-3340
E-mail: shawnpratt4mayor@gmail.com
Steve Comisky     [survey results]
9 Pinehill Drive
RR 4, Brantford, ON N3T 5L7
519-758-4466 or 519-752-1007
E-mail: stevecomisky1@hotmail.com

CANDIDATES FOR THE OFFICE OF COUNCILLOR, WARD 1
(2 to be elected)

John Wheat    [survey results]
25 West Street
St. George, ON N0E 1N0
519-448-1648
Steve Schmitt  [survey results]
317 McLean School Road
St. George, ON N0E 1N0
519-448-1759
E-mail: schmellio@sympatico.ca
Deborah AndrĂ©   [survey results]
12 Main Street North, P.O. Box 417
St. George, ON N0E 1N0
519-448-1889
E-mail: deborah.andre@sympatico.ca

CANDIDATES FOR THE OFFICE OF COUNCILLOR, WARD 2
(2 to be elected)

Thecla Ross  [survey results]
18 St. Patrick Street
Paris, ON N3L 1P7
519-442-4798
E-mail: theclaross@sympatico.ca
Don H. Cardy [survey results]
11 St. Patrick Street
Paris, ON N3L 1P6
519-761-2510
E-mail: don.cardy28@gmail.com
Shirley Simons  [survey results]
61 MacPherson Drive
Paris, N3L 4C9
519-442-3550
shirleysimons@rogers.com
John Timon   [survey results]
74 William Street
Paris, N3L 1L9
519-442-0833
E-mail john.timon@hotmail.com

CANDIDATES FOR THE OFFICE OF COUNCILLOR, WARD 3
(2 to be elected)

Clifford D. Atfield [survey results]
42 Amelia Street
Paris, ON N3L 1Z6
519-442-6041
E-mail: wingsc42@sympatico.ca
Larry S. Jones [survey results]
107 Hillside Avenue
Paris, ON N3L 3L4
519-302-0426
E-mail: larryjones@rogers.com
Murray Powell [survey results]
7 Mount Elgin Street
Paris, ON N3L 2G5
519-442-3863
E-mail: murray.powell@yahoo.ca
Gary Fitzpatrick [response]
131 Hillside Avenue
Paris, ON N3L 3L4
519-442-9651
E-mail: garsuefitz@bell.net

CANDIDATES FOR THE OFFICE OF COUNCILLOR, WARD 4
(2 to be elected)

Robert Chambers [no response]
144 Fairfield Road
R.R.3 Harley N0E 1E0
519-449-2633
E-mail: ginseng@silomail.com
Dave Mudge [no response]
341 Seventh Concession Road
R.R.1 Harley N0E 1E0
519-424-9024 or 1-877-724-9024
E-mail: davemudgeharley@hotmail.com
David Miller  [survey results]
15 Sixth Concesion Road
Brantford, ON N3T 5L7
519-449-1240
E-mail: jedamiller@sympatico.ca

CANDIDATES FOR THE OFFICE OF COUNCILLOR, WARD 5
(2 to be elected)

Brian Coleman [Survey Results]
10 Brant County Rd 18
R.R.7 Brantford N3T 5L9
519-753-2798
E-mail: brian.coleman@rogers.blackberry.net
Joan Gatward [no response]
7 Malcolm Street
Oakland, ON N0E 1L0
519-446-0060
E-mail: jgatward@sympatico.ca

SURVEY OF TRUSTEES
Responses from Candidates for School Trustee

Tuesday, March 30, 2010

Incineration Press Release

Press Release

Incineration: A Wise Choice?

Brant County is considering incineration as a way to deal with waste. Would it be a wise choice? Laurier Brantford’s Sustainability Centre and Sustainable Brant are hosting a public forum on incineration/gasification of municipal waste. We’re learning from other communities that successfully defeated incineration or gasification proposals and won awards for reducing, recyling and composting their waste.

Liz Benneian, founder of the Ontario Zero Waste Coalition and president of Oakvillegreen Conservation Association will discuss incineration on April 8 at 7 p.m. in the Carnegie Building, 73 George Street in room 206.

Benneian notes that Halton Region had proposed to spend $800 million to build an incinerator in that Region but changed direction after significant public resistance over the cost, human health and environmental concerns. “Oakvillegreen was pleased to take the lead on convincing Halton Region that burning garbage was not the best way to deal with waste,” says Benneian. She notes the Province of Ontario has committed itself to Zero Waste through the recent Waste Diversion Act review. Zero Waste is a philosophy for dealing with waste that relies on waste reduction, reuse and recycling.

Currently the County of Brant is considering building an incinerator/gasification facility near Powerline Road and Oak Park Road.

For more information call Ella Haley at 519-647-0040.

Liz Benneian, president of Oakvillegreen Conservation Association, is a former journalist and newspaper editor who has worked in Europe and Canada. Since 2004, she has been a full-time, volunteer environmental advocate. Under her leadership Oakvillegreen, successfully fought plans to build an incinerator in Halton, convinced the Province to turn 675 acres slated for development into two new conservation areas, stopped plans to put a paved pathway through a critical migratory bird stopover area, got a Town ban on pesticides and secured a bylaw to stop developers from clear cutting trees. During the past two years, Liz has been travelling around the province teaching grassroots groups how to become more effective advocates through Organize To Win seminars. In 2007, Liz was awarded both Oakville's Individual Community Spirit Award and the Rotary’s Paul Harris Fellowship Award for outstanding contributions to her community. Last June, she was chosen as Earth Day Canada's National Hometown Hero for 2009 and in February of 2010 she received an award from the Ontario Heritage Trust in recognition for her success in conserving the Province’s natural heritage.

Incineration In Brant County Information Night

Brant County is considering spending millions of tax $$ to build an incinerator.
Is that the best way to deal with garbage?

Free Public Forum
Thursday, April 8
Doors open 7 p.m. Carnegie Building
Room 206, 73 George St., Brantford
With: Liz Benneian President, Oakvillegreen Conservation Association
Founder, Ontario ZeroWaste Coalition
Recipient, Earth Day Canada’s National Hometown Hero Award

Oakvillegreen successfully fought an $800 million incinerator in Halton Region.

For more information contact Ella at 519-647-0040.