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Summit of the Americas
Events, Organisations, Links
(a People- & Planet-Friendly Portal & Guide)

Note: This page was published in 2001. For more up-to-date info:
see the Free Trade, Globalization & Fair Trade page.

Contents

(A) Summit of the Americas vs. The People's Summit
(B) Related Websites & Organisations
(C) Events, Films, Broadcasts, Courses, Links (revised Wed. April 11, 2001)
(D) Quebec / FTAA Follow-up Events
(E) Jobs, Apprenticeships, Volunteering
(F) Announcements, Resources, Links
(G) About the People- & Planet-Friendly

Subscribe or submit a listing: www.planetfriendly.net New/modified listings (since Apr 5) are indicated by an asterisk (*). In order by date. This document is www.planetfriendly.net/ftaa.html

(A) Summit of The Americas
Summit, People's Summit, Protests, Caravans, Resources & Links

The upcoming week holds both great opportunity and risk. For good or for bad, history will be made. Whatever concerns you most – health, education, environment, human rights – will be affected by what transpires behind closed doors, in public, and in the media.

On Friday to Sunday Apr 20-22, the "Summit of the Americas" is being held in Quebec City. The leaders of all the countries in North America, South America and the Caribbean (except Cuba) are meeting to put the final touches on the Free Trade Area of the Americas. The FTAA aims to extend the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA) to the whole hemisphere. Critics say that it is part of a destructive process – a process that supports corporate profit at the expense of the health, security and well-being of all people.

In the days leading up to the summit, an alternative "People's Summit" will be held, also in Quebec, involving people from many sectors, labour groups and communities. (Tues-Sat April 17-21 www.peoplessummit.org )

During the Summit, thousands of protesters – and thousands of police officers – will be in Quebec City. Various events, protests, rallies and peaceful acts of civil disobedience are planned. On Thursday April 19 and Friday April 20, dozens of buses will be departing from Toronto and other communities (see sections B and F). Also, on April 19, a border caravan will travel from Kingston to Quebec, attempting to ensure free passage of people across the border – and if they fail, threatening to close it down entirely.

For many, it will be difficult to get a balanced picture of what happens in Quebec. Just what the mainstream media covers – and what they don't cover – could be very revealing about the state of freedom of the press in Canada. To get a balanced picture, you must also seek out some of the alternative, independent voices, websites, listserves, radio and web-broadcasts. Please see the next section for links to a variety of sites & organisations involved in both sides of the debate.

Further down, in section (C) Events, are listings for a few final organising meetings, the Summit itself, the People's Summit and the Caravan.

For first-hand reports, plan to attend one of the many "eye-witness accounts", "report-backs", and follow-up meetings to be held in communities across the continent. Just a few of these are listed in section (D) below - more to be announced.

Note: in sections C, D and F, items that are directly related to the Summit are indicated with triple asterisks (***).

– Peter Blanchard www.planetfriendly.net

(B) Related Websites & Organisations

Independent & Alternative Sites

Here is a brief list of some of the alternative sites. If time allows, we will prepare a more extensive summary of sites, resources & views later in the week.

(1) Independent Media Sites

www.straightgoods.com/FTAA/ – "news you can use"; dedicated FTAA section

www.rabble.ca – "news for the rest of us", with Judy Rebick, Naomi Klein, more

www.planetfriendly.net – Ontario-based; events, links, resources, jobs: weekly e-mail newsletter
www.planetfriendly.net/ftaa.html – FTAA links

http://citizensontheweb.com – Toronto-based

www.indymedia.org – audio, video, photos, written accounts

http://quebec.indymedia.org ( http://www.cmaq.net ) – Centre for Media Alternatives of Quebec

www.tvac.ca – Toronto Video Activist Collective: videos & stills

http://ckln.sac.ryerson.ca – radio 88.1 FM & downloadable audio

www.thisisdemocracy.org – independent documentary of Seattle WTO protests

(2) Organizations, Activism, Discussion & more

www.canadians.org – Council of Canadians
www.canadians.org/citizen_caged.html – by Naomi Klein
www.canadians.org/campaigns/campaigns-tradepub-ftaa2.html
www.canadians.org/campaigns/campaigns-tradepub-ftaa_intro.html
Council of Canadians is "Canada's pre-eminent citizens' watchdog organization, with over 100,000 members & 50 chapters across the country". Introduction, publications, media releases, links

www.policyalternatives.ca – Canadian Centre for Policy Alternatives

www.sierraclub.ca/national/trade-env/ – Sierra Club, on trade & the environment

www.peoplessummit.org – alternative People's Summit held in Quebec City

www.sommetdespeuples.org/en/liens/media.html – links to media around the Americas

www.wtoaction.org – many links & readables

www.wtowatch.org – daily news, enormous library of documents

http://mai.flora.org/forum/ – on-going debate, news, analysis, announcements; large searchable archive; listserve

www.flora.org/ftaa/ – Ottawa Coalition to stop the FTAA

www.quebec2001.net – Anti-Capitalist Convergence of Montreal

www.mob4glob-toronto.ca – Toronto-based; articles, photos, events, more

www.tradewatch.org/FTAA/ftaahome.html – US-Based Global Trade Watch

www.corpwatch.org – "holding corporations accountable"

www.dwatch.ca – Democracy Watch
www.dwatch.ca/camp/twenty.html – 20 steps towards a modern, working democracy

Official (Pro-FTAA) Sites

www.ftaa-alca.org
- official site of the FTAA

www.summit-americas.org
- official site of the Summit of the Americas process
- affiliated with the Organization of American States (OAS)

www.americascanada.org/eventsummit/menu-e.asp
- Summit of the Americas (Quebec City 2001) official site

(C) Events, Courses, Broadcasts, Links

* Events in Toronto, Scarborough, Etobicoke, Burlington, Kleinberg, Caledon hills, Guelph, Kitchener, Stratford, Huntsville, Port Hope, Ottawa, Quebec City – plus a caravan from Kingston to Quebec City; a Vision TV broadcast; a CKLN 88.1 FM broadcast, webcast & downloads; and an online course.

*** Note: events & listings directly related to the Summit of the Americas & the People's Summit are indicated by a triple asterisk.

*** FREE THOUGHT AREA OF THE AIRWAVES - Independent Community Radio & Internet Broadcast/Download, beginning Mon Apr 9, CKLN 88.1 FM. Apr 9-22. Apr 9-13: a series of 15-minute documentaries about the proposed Free Trade Area of the Americas. Mon Apr 16 - Sun Apr 22: daily half-hour reports from Quebec City, as thousands gather to protest & present alternatives. Daily reports will be available online by 7pm EST. We invite community radio stations & Internet stations to download & broadcast our coverage! Apr 9-13: Intro to the FTAA; Democracy, Free Trade & the Summit of the Americas; Agriculture; Environment; Health; Education; Indigenous Peoples; Women; Plan Colombia; Protest Politics. Available online in MP3 & RealAudio format: www.radio4all.net and www.cmaq.net (also: low-traffic download sites for community radio stations who contact us in advance ckln-news@sac.ryerson.ca ) Mon Apr 16 - Sun Apr 22: Daily coverage from Quebec, the Peoples Summit and the Summit of the Americas itself. Mon - Thurs 7pm, Fri 6pm, Sat 10am-1pm, Sun 9:30-10:30am, Sun 10:30am-11:30am (Spanish); Sun 11:30am-1pm (RadioActive Feminism). Schedule updates & discussion - CKLN message board: http://ckln.sac.ryerson.ca/cklncgi-bin/UltraBoard/UltraBoard.cgi http://ckln.sac.ryerson.ca 88.1 FM

* RALLY FOR THE MORAINE! Thurs Apr 12, 11am, Toronto. Will the GTA become another Los Angeles-like megalopolis, polluted & sprawling from Lake Ontario to Lake Simcoe – or will the provincial government take a leadership role in enforcing true "smartgrowth" on the Moraine? According to a recent Earthroots poll, 76% of Moraine residents and 81% of Toronto residents want Premier Harris to personally intervene to ensure protection of the Oak Ridges Moraine. The Oak Ridges Moraine is the source of drinking water for over 250,000 people. Speakers: Josh Matlow (Earthroots) Mike Colle MPP, Marilyn Churley MPP, Debbe Crandall (STORM), others. Shadow guerilla theatre activist group - counter protest: "The Developers for Development". Songs by the Raging Grannies, music, entertainment. Add to the festivities! Bring a drum! This is the anniversary of the OMB denying Toronto standing at the Richmond Hill hearing on Moraine development. On the front steps of Queen's Park.. Free. Info: Josh 416-599-0152 josh@earthroots.org related: www.oakridgesmoraine.com www.earthroots.org www.oakridgesmoraine.org www.stormco.org www.smartgrowth.org

* GLOBALIZATION & THE FORESTS OF INDONESIA, Thurs Apr 12, 2:30-4pm, Toronto. Public lecture with Lesley Potter, Assoc Prof from Adelaide Univ, Australia. She has spent many years researching questions of forests, forest peoples & smallholder agriculture in Southeast Asia, especially Indonesia. Free, all welcome. 306 Lumbers Bldg., York Univ. RSVP: Dianne Zecchino 416-736-5285 diannez@yorku.ca [ www.yorku.ca/fes www.yorku.ca/ycas www.yorku.ca/lasnubes ]

* YOUNG ENVIRONMENTAL PROFESSIONALS, Thurs April 12, 6pm, Toronto. Cross-sectoral forums to exchange ideas, develop contacts, learn about new initiatives & jobs, and have fun. 2nd Thursday of each month. Bow & Arrow Pub, Yonge just north of Davisville. Please confirm details: Stephanie Tencer, stencer@web.ca 416-971-4484. www.peck.ca/yep/yep.htm

* DAVID ORCHARD ON GLOBALIZATION, Thu Apr 12, 7-10pm, Huntsville. With David Orchard, organic farmer; author of the best-seller "The Fight for Canada: Four Centuries of Resistance to American Expansionism"; chair of Citizens Concerned About Free Trade; one of Canada's best known critics of free trade agreements. In 1998 Mr. Orchard ran for leadership of the Progressive Conservative Party of Canada placing second to Joe Clark. Related books & info will be available. Free/donation. Huntsville Public Library 7 Minerva St. E. Info: Pat Alcock 705-789-6334 www.davidorchard.com/ccaft Grant Orchard 416-922-7867

*** ART & MUSIC AGAINST THE FTAA, Thu Apr 12, 7:30pm-12am, Toronto. Stop the FTAA or Somebody will Start to Sing, an evening of music, spoken word, sketch comedy and radical cheerleading featuring the songs of Brian Champ, the poetry of Stephen Kerr and Dawnamatrix, the comedy of Mike McGregor, and others. Raffles & prizes. Fundraiser for Downtown Against the FTAA. $5-10 at the door. Winnie's Bar, 488 Parliament (at Carleton). Info: Stephen Kerr stephen.kerr@sympatico.ca 416-778-1319 (Downtown Against the FTAA)

* HOWLIN' FOR WOLVES, Thurs Apr 12, 9:30pm, Toronto. Join us for a Wolf Howl, Slides & Film. Music by del Gado & Natalie. Earthroots' Wolves Ontario! project. At fressen restaurant, 478 Queen W. 416-504-5127 Info/reserve (suggested): Earthroots 416-599-0152 info@earthroots.org www.earthroots.org www.wolvesontario.org First in a series of months dedicated to organizations who foster sustainability - each month a different org, at fressen restaurant.

*** DRUMMERS, INSTRUMENTALISTS, SINGERS & DANCERS, Thurs-Wed Apr 12-18, Toronto. There are a number of meetings going on over the next week, in which drummers, instrumentalists, singers, dancers, radical cheerleaders, and various artists are finalizing their plans for the protest in Quebec City, against the Free Trade Agreement of the Americas. Rhythmic jams, making lightweight drums out large water-jugs, sharing of songs, putting together songsheets, and figuring out when and where to meet in Quebec City, etc. Numerous places around Toronto. Info: Andrew James andreyovich@hotmail.com 416-534-7464 (leave message) www.mob4glob-toronto.ca

*** GOING TO QUEBEC CITY? Sat Apr 14, 10:30am, Toronto. Affinitizing & clusterizing meeting, for all those headed to Quebec City for the actions against the Summit of the Americas. For people who would like to join affinity groups, and for active affinity groups who want to develop joint actions. Also: a "lay of the land" update from Quebec City. OISE, 252 Bloor W. (St. George subway). Info: 416-536-0994 [related: www.mob4glob-toronto.ca ]

* TOOKER GOMBERG IN BURLINGTON, Sat Apr 14, 1-4pm, Burlington. With Tooker Gomberg, Toronto mayoral runner-up, long-time environmental activist, writer, former Edmonton City Councillor, and current host of the webTV show Eco-Freako ( www.Epress.ca ). Tooker will speak about his recent mayoral campaign. Come out, hear Tooker speak, learn more about the Green Party of Ontario (Hamilton & Burlington ridings). Free, all welcome. Ken Skerret Community Room, 444 Locust (just NW of Brant & Lakeshore). Info: Tom Snyder burlingtongreens@hotmail.com 905-333-0103 [related: www.greenparty.on.ca Tooker & Angela's writings can be found at: www.greenspiration.org ]

* EARTH WEEKS 2001, April 14-29, worldwide. Making history, making change... 500 million people, 164 countries - it all begins with you! Tree plantings, clean-ups, waste reduction programs, environmental festivals, workshops, displays, and environmental program launches are among the thousands of events scheduled to take place in Canadian communities. Register your event online! Searchable calendar of events, year-round activities, more: www.earthday.ca

* A PEOPLE'S BUDGET FOR TORONTO, Tue Apr 17, 10am-2pm, Toronto. Join with people from across Toronto to demand a People's Budget to keep our communities healthy, inclusive and vital! Tell all levels of government to stop the cuts to recreation, libraries, TTC, arts, public health, literacy, housing, grants. See the real cost of the proposed City Budget. We demand that city councillors draw a line in the sand – and demand a fair deal from the provincial & federal government! 10am - 2pm, Nathan Phillips Square, City Hall: (1) Participate in a wide variety of city run & city-sponsored programs & services. See literacy programs, women's drop-ins, seniors, children's & youth programs in action. (2) Celebrate the Spirit of Community, Community Stage: the best in the City's entertainment & performance arts, and success stories from communities across the City. (3) Talk to your city Councillor (City Hall Rotunda) While you're down at City Hall, join a delegation to share your concerns about the budget cuts with your Councillor. Come to the Save Our City table in the Rotunda, for all the info you'll need before meeting your councillor. (4) Rally for a People's Budget, noon - 1pm: No service cuts & no privatization! Bring your banners! Light lunch provided. (5) City Hall Committee Room #1, 1pm - evening: the Policy & Finance Committee of City Council are meeting to consider massive cuts to the budget. We need to maintain a community presence all day. Toronto City Hall, Queen at Bay (Queen or Osgoode subway). Info/get involved: Save Our City 416-351-0095 x258 www.saveourcity.ca

* EARTH HEALING - ECOLOGICAL & SPIRITUAL RENEWAL, Tues Apr 17, 4-7pm, Toronto. With Richard Klugston, Editor of Earth Ethics (Director, Center for Respect of Life & Environment; key contributor to the United Nation's Earth Charter); Ingrid Leman Stefanovic (author of "Safeguarding Our Common Future: Rethinking Sustainable Development"); Edmund O'sullivan (author of "Transformative Learning"). Refreshments. $10 / students: donation. OISE Auditorium, room G162, 252 Bloor W. (St. George subway). More info/RSVP: Donna Workman ies.gradinfo@utoronto.ca 416-978-7077 www.utoronto.ca/env/eaite.htm [related: www.utoronto.ca/env/ies.htm & www.web.net/~eaite ]

* LITERACY BARRIERS, Tue Apr 17, 7-9pm, Toronto. With literacy researcher Ellen Long. Free. 7th Floor South Panoramic Lounge, OISE, 252 Bloor W. Info: Matthew Adams catalystcentre@web.ca 416-516-9546 www.catalystcentre.ca

* CLEAN HOUSE, CLEAN PLANET, Tues Apr 17, 7:30pm sharp, Toronto. How to be clean & green in your home! Health & environmental concerns regarding chemical-based cleaners, non-toxic alternatives. With Alison Schlecter, Earth Concerns Cleaning Service. Grassroots, 372 Danforth (Chester subway). Info/register: Molly 416-944-1993

*** PEOPLE'S SUMMIT OF THE AMERICAS, Tues-Sat Apr 17-21, Quebec City. Many sectors, labour groups & community coalitions across Ontario are organizing to go to Quebec for the Second People's Summit of the Americas, a series of events hosted by people from across North & South America, to demonstrate that there are viable & exciting alternatives to the form globalization is taking right now. Some events are public, while some are open to Peoples Summit delegates only. Both are listed on their website. Public events include: Peace in the Americas & Plan Colombia Apr 18; the Dollarisation of the Americas Apr 19; "Quebec to Qatar: Stop the Sell-off!" Apr 19; Health Apr 19; Access to Education Apr 19; Indigenous America Apr 19; Teach-in Apr 20; march Apr 21; the Fight for the Americas Apr 21. www.peoplessummit.org www.sommetdespeuples.org

* FUNDRAISING: Major Individual Donors, Tues Apr 17 - June 1, online. Online course for environmental nonprofits. Major individual donors (not companies or foundations) have given millions to nonprofits & charities while alive, and even more in their wills. More & more donors are expressing strong environmental values, including young dot-com rich philanthropists. With Ken Wyman, one of Canada's foremost fundraisers. Tapping individual donors is a critical component of any comprehensive fundraising strategy. Reading materials, interactive lessons, facilitated listserv discussion groups, answers to emailed questions, detailed guides, sample letters, online guest experts. 3 hrs/wk. $65. Space is limited. www.greenability.org [related: http://sustain.web.net ]

* PROTEST MCDONALDS & MURDER KING, Wed Apr 18, noon-2pm, Toronto. Protest animal slaughter, oppressive labour policies, more. Possibly including serving veggie burgers, leafletting, anti-Ronald McDonald clown, music. Eglinton & Yonge (Eglinton subway) Info: 416-596-2331 free_animals@hotmail.com [related: www.mcspotlight.org ]

* WASTE DIVERSION TASK FORCE - ENGO Meeting, Wed Apr 18, 3-7pm, Toronto. Round-table discussion & light dinner to allow detailed discussion between environmental non-governmental organizations (ENGO's) and the Task Force. [note that this event is not for the general public; public meetings around the city were held Feb-Apr]. City Hall, Members' Lounge. Register: 416-392-9365 works_consultation@city.toronto.on.ca (max. 3 reps per org.) Info: Bob Davis 416-392-2990 bdavis@city.toronto.on.ca www.city.toronto.on.ca/taskforce2010

* THE POLICE & YOU: Youth Forum, Wed Apr 18, 5pm, Toronto. Secondary school students get to talk to police officers about stuff like how youth view police, how to join the force, how to complain, how to make policing in your community better. Free; pizza & beverages from 5-5:30pm. 5:30-8:30pm: presentation & small group discussion. Parents & concerned adults are welcome to attend, but the primary objective of the small group discussions is for teenagers to talk to police officers about their issues. Jamaican Canadian Association, 995 Arrow Rd (Finch & Weston) 416-746-5772 (#84 Sheppard bus west from Sheppard or Downsview stn). www.stlc.com/forums.htm

* WET/DRY RECYCLING TOURS, 10:30am-noon or 2:30-4pm. Tours of Guelph's progressive wet/dry recycling facilities. Info/register: Tracey Croswell 519-767-0598 x244 tcroswell@city.guelph.on.ca [ www.city.guelph.on.ca ]

* ONTARIO WASTE MINIMIZATION AWARDS, Wed Apr 18, 5:30-9pm, Guelph. With Elizabeth Witmer (Ontario Minister of the Environment), Karen Farbridge (Mayor of Guelph) & the Recycling Council of Ontario. Recognizing the outstanding environmental protection initiatives of Ontario individuals, businesses & orgs. Awards for youth, adults, schools, businesses, municipalities, environmental news story, best community effort, sustainable technology, more. Also, the 'Wet-Dry Blues' & other songs by James Gordon. $50/$65. At the beautiful Du Maurier Theatre, River Run Centre, 35 Woolwich St., Guelph. Info/register if possible by Apr 11: Valentina Mitova rcoevents@rco.on.ca 416-960-1025 x23 www.rco.on.ca www.rco.on.ca/awards.html Ana Almeida ana@rco.on.ca 416-960-1025 x16

* ENVIRONMENTALLY SENSITIVE COMMUNITIES, Wed Apr 18, 6-8:30pm, Toronto. Techniques & practical examples of environmentally sensitive communities. Sponsored by Ont. Professional PIanners Institute GTA chapter. $15/$5 students/seniors. North York Public Library, 5120 Yonge (across from Civic Centre) (North York Centre subway). Register by fax: David McKay 905-761-5589 [related: www.ontarioplanners.on.ca ]

* CONCERT & ECO-AUCTION WITH JACK LAYTON, Wed April 18, 7/8pm-1am, Toronto. Tickets $20. With Jack Layton, Auctioneer. Proceeds to Clean Up the Don Campaign & Festive Earth's Spring Fair on May 6, Riverdale Park (an eco-festival for the whole family) Opera House, 735 Queen E. at Broadview. Info/tickets: Julia von Flotow 416-469-2977 x27 jvonflotow@festiveearth.com www.festiveearth.com

* SAVE OUR CITY - Community Meetings, Wed Apr 18, 7-9pm, Toronto. Help stop the cuts in service and demand that the province pays its fair share! North York Civic Centre, 5100 Yonge (North York C.C. subway). More info: www.standupfortoronto.ca www.saveourcity.ca 416-351-0095 x237

* GREENING YOUR HOME FROM THE INSIDE OUT, Wed Apr 18, 7:30pm sharp, Toronto. Save money, save energy & the environment by learning about energy reduction strategies for your home. Greig Labay, Operations Manager at Greensaver. Air quality, lighting, space heating, cooling, appliances, more. [ www.greensaver.org ] Grassroots, 372 Danforth (at Chester). Info/register: Molly 416-944-1993

* SUSTAINABLE CITIES, Wed Apr 18, 9pm, Vision TV. If sustainability is such a good thing why is it so hard to get there? Featuring a look at the remarkable urban policies of Curitiba, Brazil; with Jane Jacobs ( www.ideasthatmatter.com www.jacobs97.com ), Bill Rees, Bill McKibben. Third of a 5-part documentary series "ReInventing the World". www.asterisk.bc.ca www.visiontv.ca (cable 60 on Rogers Toronto; check local listings)

*** FTAA BORDER CARAVAN, Thurs Apr 19, from Kingston to Quebec City. Ensure safe border crossing for all people! Community activists from Eastern Ontario, upstate New York, the Mohawk Nation, Toronto, Guelph, NYC & New England would like to invite all FTAA opponents to take part in a border action caravan the day before demonstrations at the Summit of the Americas conference in Quebec City. Organizers & activists from Belleville, Peterborough, Toronto and all points west are invited to stay in Kingston with billets on the evening of Wed Apr 18. We will leave Kingston at 7am Thurs Apr 19 in caravan and travel towards Quebec City, along the "NAFTA Free Trade Corridor" Hwy 401. We will do this very slowly, creating a clogged artery in a major Canada-US trade route. We will stop at the 1000 Islands International Bridge past Gananoque to wait for allies from Syracuse, Utica, Binghamton, the rest of New York State & beyond. If they are not allowed free passage, we will close down the border. If they can't pass, nothing will. From the 1000 Islands bridge the Caravan will continue east, picking up activists from Ottawa at the junction of Hwy 401 & Hwy 16. (If we are blocking the bridge Ottawa activists could join us). The caravan will stop in Cornwall, again to ensure safe crossing at the border for anyone who wants to enter Canada. Near Cornwall are a series of locks for the St.Lawrence Seaway. We will lock down these locks, stopping the vast commercial shipping volume in or out of the Seaway. Paul Martin, Canada's Finance Minister owns CSL (Canada Shipping Lines) Closing the locks closes down not just an inhumane economic system but directly affects the pocketbooks of the very people implementing the neo-liberal agenda. From here caravanners could continue to Quebec City or keep the locks shut down. We hope to be in Cornwall by noon, which would leave lots of time to get to Quebec City the evening before all of the action. Contacts: Hamilton: grok@sprint.ca Kingston: msilburn@kingston.net Ottawa: dbleakney@cupw-sttp.org Toronto: ocap@tao.ca Other locations: www.tao.ca/~kdawg/contacts.html Info: www.tao.ca/~kdawg/smashftaa.html [background: www.wtoaction.org ]

* PUBLIC TRANSIT ACTION, Thurs Apr 19 & Mon Apr 23, 5pm-6:30am, Toronto. Help us hand out flyers at subway stations, to remind councillors of their commitments to make transit better! Despite budget cuts, we are surprisingly close to the 23 votes needed to stop a TTC fare hike. Help us focus on key wards: Dufferin Station Thurs Apr 19 5pm; Scarboro Centre Station Mon Apr 23 5pm; other dates t.b.a. Look for us near the entrance to the station, or near the Gateway News stand. Leafletting until 6:30 or so, followed often by a visit to a local restaurant. Rocket Riders Transit Users Group, a caucus of the Toronto Environmental Alliance. (regular meeting: Rocket Riders meets the first Tuesday of every month at Toronto City Hall, 100 Queen W., usu. Committee room 2) www.rocketriders.org rocketriders@yahoo.com

* PALACE PIER TREE PLANTING, Thu Apr 19, 6-9pm, Etobicoke. Free. Palace Pier Park (waterfront park). Info: Aileen Barclay 416-661-6600 x5244 www.trca.on.ca www.trca.on.ca/6a.html (Toronto & Region Conservation Authority; many other outdoor activities can be found on their site)

* COMMUNITY RADIO - Benefits for Justice, Thu Apr 19, 9:30pm, Toronto. 9:30 - 10:15 guitarist Jason Fowler; 10:30 Hokum Blues Express – good feelin' blues. All proceeds to Eddy Brake's Legal Defence Fund, against the radio station that denied its members due process. www.tao.ca/~vac/ Minimum $5 donation requested. Silver Dollar Room, 486 Spadina Ave. (at College)

*** SUMMIT OF THE AMERICAS, Fri-Sun Apr 20-22, Quebec City. The 34 leaders of all the countries in North America, South America and the Caribbean (except Cuba) are meeting in Quebec City to rubber stamp their next steps towards a Free Trade Area of the Americas (the FTAA). This agreement champions free trade at the expense of the environment, workers and human rights and the sovereignty of national & regional governments. Teach-ins & protest rallies are being organized in Quebec and in many other communities. Join us in raising our voices to the corporate-powers-that-be that we won't accept a world where profit is valued over people! www.quebec2001.net/introen.html www.wtoaction.org www.cmaq.net www.mob4glob-toronto.ca 416-208-0785 [official, pro-summit site: http://americascanada.org/eventsummit/menu-e.asp ]

* SUSTAINABLE DESIGN & MANAGEMENT, Fri Apr 20, 4-6pm, Toronto. With Professor Martin Charter, co-author of "Sustainable Solutions", "Greener Marketing", and "Managing Eco-design", co-ordinator & Visiting Professor of Sustainable Product Design at the Centre for Sustainable Design ( www.cfsd.org.uk ), on Sustainable Supply Chain Mg't. Patty Watt Room, Design Exchange, 234 Bay. RSVP by Apr 18: Tasneem Babul 416-216-2126 tasneem@dxnet.net Info: www.dxnet.net www.projectsigma.com www.greenleaf-publishing.com

* CHANGING THE WORLD IN YOUR OWN BACKYARD, Fri Apr 20, 7:30-10pm, Alton (in the Caledon hills). With Lorraine Johnson, author of "The Ontario Naturalized Garden" and "Green Future: How to Make a World of Difference". Lorraine will share her wealth of knowledge on naturalized gardening, lawn care, native Ontario plants that flourish in our backyard gardens. She'll help us do away with lawnmowers, chemical pesticides & artificial fertilizers. Also: talk to green lawncare companies, natural gardeners & suppliers of organic gardening products who will have displays set up around the room, and meet Healthy Lawns Healthy People, our local crusaders intent on eliminating cosmetic pesticides in Caledon. $5, all welcome. SGI Canada Centre, 20490 Porterfield Rd, north of Alton on Hwy 136. Info: Nicola Ross cca@woodrising.com 519-927-0548 www.woodrising.com/cca/homepage.htm Heather Kendall 519-941-8961 (reg. mtg. usually last Fridays of Oct-May)

* HELP PLANT TREES & SHRUBS, Sat Apr 21 & Sun Apr 22, Toronto. A perfect activity for community groups, individuals & families - all welcome. Equip. & materials provided. Sat Apr 21, 10am-noon, Milne Hollow, south side of Lawrence E, just east of the Don Valley Parkway exit. Meet in the parking lot at the bottom of the hill. Sun Apr 22, 10am-noon. North Toronto Treatment Plant, behind Loblaws at Millwood Road btwn Laird Drive & the Leaside bridge over the Don. Look for the blue and white Metro Works signs. Sun Apr 22, 10am-noon, Humber Bay Shores Park East, south side of Lakeshore at the bottom of Parklawn Ave. Individuals need not pre-register. Complete list of events incl. weekday plantings for schools & others: 416-392-7842

* SOLAR & WIND ENERGY - Independent Power Workshop, Level 1, Sat Apr 21, 10-3pm, Kleinberg. Introductory solar & wind workshop. Cost-effective, practical, reliable. Held in Kortright's renewable energy cottage, powered by wind & sun. Unbiased info. Just north of Toronto (west of Canada's Wonderland). $45. Info/register: Alex Waters, Kortright Centre for Conservation, 905-832-2289 x240 www.kortright.org kcc@interlog.com

* POWERING OUR HOMES WITH WIND & SOLAR, Sat Apr 21, 9:30am-3:30pm, Ottawa. All about living off-the-grid. With various experts living, working & teaching in the field: John Ferguson (Office of the Environmental Commissioner of Ontario); Ziggy Kleinau (Citizens for Renewable Energy); Charlie Middleton (Ryerson); George Wright (Metcalfe Wind Electric). Status of deregulation of Ontario electricity market. Environmental Bill of Rights. $35/$20. Bring lunch. Lakeside Gardens Community Centre, Britannia Park. Info/register if possible: 7th Generation 7thgeneration@echelon.ca 613-839-3997 www.echelon.ca/7thgeneration www.web.ca/cfre

* ALL ABOUT TREES, Sat Apr 21, 9:30am & 1pm, Toronto. Getting to know your trees 9:30-noon. Buying, planting & pruning 1-3:30pm. With Tony Fleischmann, Certified Arborist. $15 per workshop (United Way). Lee Valley Tools, Toronto East Store, 1275 Morningside. More info/reserve: 416-746-0850 [related website about urban trees & forests: www.leaftoronto.org ]

* PLANT TREES & WILDFLOWERS IN THE ROUGE, Sat Apr 21, 10am, Scarborough/Toronto. We have thousands of trees, flowering shrubs & wildflowers ready for a home in the Rouge. All we need are the hands & hearts to help us plant them. Bring your gloves, boots (and rain gear if it's raining). Apr 21, May 5, or any other time you're available! Meet at Hillside Outdoor Education Centre, 2259 Meadowvale Rd, (bus 86A from Kennedy station to the Zoo). Info: Jarah West jarahwest@frw.on.ca 416-208-0252 www.frw.on.ca or Jim Robb 416-431-4556

* KW FTAA ON EARTH DAY? Sat Apr 21, 10am-2pm, Kitchener. Join the people of Kitchener-Waterloo to practice local democracy in front of Kitchener City Hall. Celebrate Earth Day with the whole family, clowns, entertainers & musicians. Walking tour of downtown Kitchener: discover the forces that strengthen or undermine local communities. Booths from local environmental groups. Speakers: Quebec City / FTAA; impacts on the environment & the local food system; corporatization of the media. Prizes for those wearing animal or plant costumes. Free. Kitchener City Hall. Info: Dave Steffler davistef@enoreo.on.ca 519-741-1733 www.wpirg.org/quebec

* ANNUAL GEAR SWAP at Mountain Equipment Co-Op, Sat Apr 21, 11am-1pm, Toronto. Buy & sell used gear; reduce, reuse, recycle, get some great stuff, save some money! Reduce your impact on the environment by participating in self-propelled, non-motorized outdoors activities. NOTE: items for sale must be brought to the store between Apr 1-20. Mountain Equipment Co-op, 400 King W. (just east of Spadina). Info: Paul Bredin pbredin@mec.ca 416-340-2667 www.mec.ca

* FOCUS ON WILDLIFE FESTIVAL, Sat Apr 21, 11am-5pm, Stratford. Wildlife artisans, live animals & birds of prey, educational programs, speakers from non-profit wildlife orgs, crafts for the kids. $3/$1. Stratford Fairgrounds More info: Ann Kelly gakelly@sympatico.ca 519-272-2367

* EARTH DAY 2001, Sun Apr 22, worldwide. Making history, making change... 500 million people, 164 countries - it all begins with you! Tree plantings, clean-ups, waste reduction programs, environmental festivals, workshops, displays, and environmental program launches are among the thousands of evvents scheduled to take place in Canadian communities. Earth Weeks are April 14-29. Register your event online! Searchable calendar of events across Canada, year-round activities, more: www.earthday.ca

* SOLAR & WIND POWER WORKSHOP, Level 2, Sun Apr 22, 10am-4pm, Maple/Kleinberg. Held in Kortright's renewable energy cottage, powered by wind & sun. Unbiased info. Just north of Toronto. $85. Info/register: Alex Waters, Kortright Centre for Conservation, 905-832-2289 x240 www.kortright.org kcc@interlog.com

* EARTHDAY COMMUNITY CEILIDH, Sun Apr 22, 7:30-11pm, Port Hope. A musical evening to celebrate Earthday, with the Cameron Family Singers & The Paddling Puppeteers. $5, cash bar. All proceeds to local environmental awareness projects. $5/pwyc, all welcome. Victor's/Lent's Lane. Info: Dake Kelly kelly.cottage@sympatic.ca 905-885-2672 (hosted by Northumberland Green Party)

* STOP CANCER WHERE IT STARTS, Mon Apr 23, 7-9pm, Toronto. Cancer & the Environment: Education & Prevention. A public forum with Kathleen Cooper (co-author of "Environmental Standard Setting & Children's Health www.cela.ca ); Ruth Grier (former Ont. Minister of Env. & Health); Andy King (director, Occup. Health Clinic for Ont. Workers & co-chair, Toronto Cancer Prevention Coalition Occup. & Env. W.G.); Sara Rosenthal (author of the "Anti-Cancer Book"). Room 2172, Medical Sciences Bldg., UofT (2nd bldg NW of College & University) (Queen's Park subway). Presented by various orgs., including Cdn. Assoc. for Physicians & the Env't www.cape.ca Cdn Env't Law Assoc. www.cela.ca Women's Health & Env't Network when@web.ca Toronto Environmental Alliance www.torontoenvironment.org [other great links about cancer/health & environment: www.stopcancer.org www.comeclean.org www.ewg.org ]

(D) FTAA / Quebec Follow-up Events
(more T.B.A.)

*** REINVENTING THE WORLD, Vision TV, Wed April 25, 9pm. World premiere with Maude Barlow ( www.canadians.org ), David Korten, Paul Hawken, Jim Green, Amory & Hunter Lovins. www.asterisk.bc.ca www.visiontv.ca

*** AFTER THE FTAA - Report Back from Quebec City, Thurs May 3, 7:30pm, Ryerson Univ., Toronto. Part of the "Anti-Capitalism to Revolution" conference, May 3-6 ( 416-924-9042 www3.sympatico.ca/sworker )

*** WHO'S ECONOMY? Thurs-Sun May 10-13, Ryerson Univ., Toronto. Centre for Social Justice 416-927-0777 x224 1-888-803-8881 x224 conference@socialjustice.org www.socialjustice.org

*** More Events T.B.A.: see future editions or visit www.wtoaction.org

(E) Jobs, Apprenticeships, Volunteering

Recent Job & Apprenticeship Listings:

* SunRun Apprenticeships, 1 to 6 months, stipend, live-in (& wkshps)
* Sierra Club Volunteers at Festivals, Trade Shows & Events around Ontario
* Enviro Educ, Cdn Nature Fed, F/T contract, 30yrs & under
* Sust. Transport. P/T Asst. and/or researcher, Toronto, due Apr 27

For more details & more job listings, subscribe to the new
GoodWork mailing list. Subscribe / more info at:
www.planetfriendly.net/goodwork.html

(F) Other Announcements & Resources

*** CITIZEN CAGED - Open Sign-On Letter by Naomi Klein, to the Prime Minister of Canada (in consultation with the Canadian Civil Liberties Association, Clayton Ruby and actress/activist Sarah Polley). To read the letter, and to email a copy to Prime Minister Jean Chretien, go to: www.canadians.org/citizen_caged.html (Naomi Klein is author of No Logo www.nologo.org and a columnist with the Globe and Mail )

*** CITIZEN CAGED (excerpts only - the whole letter is at: www.canadians.org/citizen_caged.html )
"A condemnation... of the security arrangements that surround the Summit of the Americas... escalation of police violence & harassment of protesters... planned presence of approximately 6,000 police officers... constitutional right to peaceful assembly... democracy includes peaceful acts of civil disobedience... leaked Canadian Security Intelligence Service documents that portray protesters coming to Quebec City as "violent" yet fail to support that claim... such unsupported characterizations, repeated in press reports, could set the stage for excessive use of force by police... many of the activists headed for Quebec City are young people engaged in principled and peaceful expression and civil disobedience... It is not too late for the Summit of the Americas to be an event during which our political leaders do more than talk about democracy. They can also embody democratic principles of freedom of expression and movement by refusing to shield themselves from open criticism and debate on matters of crucial importance to citizens of the Americas... In this spirit, we call on the security forces at our borders and in Quebec City to vigorously defend not only the safety of visiting heads of state, but also the rights of political activists within Canada." www.canadians.org/citizen_caged.html

*** BUS TICKETS TO QUEBEC - Join the protests in Quebec City against the FTAA, and stand up for social justice & the environment! Coaches leave Toronto for Quebec City on the evening of Apr 19 and on return the evening of Apr 22. Accom. $10/night. $60-$100 (alternate arrangements can be made). Ticket info: mob4glob_buses@hotmail.com 416-208-0785. Hamilton bus & donations: Andrew Loucks 905-528-5925. [related: www.mob4glob-toronto.ca www.wtoaction.org http://mai.flora.org/forum/ www.cmaq.net www.quebec2001.org ]

*** FAITH BUSES TO QUEBEC - Two "Faith Buses" are now being organized so that people of various religions & faiths can travel together to the demonstrations against the Free Trade Area of the Americas (FTAA) meetings being held April 20-22 in Quebec City. Preceded by a pot-luck dinner & info session on the evening of either April 5 or 6 (details t.b.a.) $60-100 sliding scale, incl. simple accom. in Quebec City. Depart Thurs or Fri 10pm; return Sunday noon. Reserve your seat today! Info/tickets for Thursday Faith Bus: Nathalie Devaux 416-516-7535 ndevaux@hotmail.com Friday Faith Bus: Dave Banerjee 416-535-4144 mob4glob_buses@hotmail.com [related: www.ecej.org/ftaa.htm www.mob4glob-toronto.ca ]

* WHO'S POLLUTING IN YOUR NEIGHBOURHOOD??
By simply entering a postal code, you can find out who is polluting in your community, the type & quantity of pollution being released, and the potential health risks. This free service merges info from approximately 300 databases to create instant rankings based on pollution loads and health hazards for almost 2000 polluting facilities across Canada. Delve deeper into PollutionWatch's resources to find out where polluters are located on the street maps of your own community. Use the service's 'Take Action' feature to immediately fax or email a pre-written letter of complaint straight to the most dangerous polluters. www.pollutionwatch.org (a project of CELA, CIELAP & CEDF)

(G) About People & Planet

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