Share on socials
2011 AGM recap
It’s hard to imagine the 2011 AGM was just over 
two months ago. The feedback has been tremendously positive, many commenting about how impressive it was to “choreograph” the black out during Mike’s speech for dramatic punch. The energy Mike’s speech contained, and the inspirational impact it had on the party, was nothing short of phenomenal. (Check out the video of Mike’s speech here!)
In addition to the leader’s speech, our guest speakers provided us the opportunity to further our understanding of the unique and important work that people are doing to improve our region, and our province. Keynote speaker Felix Braz, 
Green Party member of the Luxembourg Parliament, pointed out that the hope and optimism within our party today is similar to that in the Green Party of Europe a decade ago, before Europe elected their first Green Members of Parliament. He sees the same energy in the GPO today.
Speaker James Murphy summarized the direction of Savour Muskoka as a means to diversifying the farming and food processing market; at workshop, Katie Ungard outlined the special environmental and transportation challenges that confront women living in a rural setting; the Huntsville High School Eco-Tribes demonstrated how committed the youth of today are in making our province a better place, and Randy Pielsticker combined his involvement with the Tour D’Afrique and the AboutFace organization to motivate all of us to persevere and never lose sight of the greater good.
Our members have indicated that the weekend was well-organized, with fabulous food, a well-stocked hospitality suite, great camaraderie, and a heightened sense of optimism. Throughout the workshops and meetings, you could not help but feel extremely proud of where the GPO is and where it is going. There is a sense of respect and trust that is very special to the Green Party of Ontario. Constituency Associations and candidates have been empowered to take the platform, connect it to local issues, and engage their communities to share their thoughts and concerns.
– Matt Richter
Candidate, Parry Sound Muskoka
Vote on your favourite photos today!
We live in a province teaming with life that is rich in 
diversity. No matter where you live—from the Golden Horseshoe to the James Bay Frontier, or from the Ottawa Valley to the Lake of the Woods—you need not travel far to see alluring beauty all around you. We are truly fortunate to live in such a magnificent province.
To commemorate the exquisiteness of Ontario, the Green Party of Ontario started an annual calendar contest in 2010. The premise is simple: people select best photos of scenes from Ontario, and submit them for an online vote. The 12 photos with the most points are placed in the next calendar.
This year, we received a staggering 431 photos 
from 92 individuals, both from our own members and the general public. The photos are as varied as Ontario itself, and of outstanding quality. We sincerely appreciate the generosity of the photographers who submitted their photos for this endeavour.
Everyone is welcome to vote on their favourite photos, and no registration is required. Simply click the “Start Voting” image and rate as many photos as you like. The order of the photos is different for each online visitor and changes each day, so no one photo has an unfair advantage of being always first on the list.
If you see a photo you really like, be sure to click on the ‘Share’ graphic, and post it on your social networks, including Facebook and Twitter. Voting closes on July 31, so please don’t delay. Tell your friends about the contest and start voting now!
Fill out the form on the upper right-hand corner, and we will keep you up-to-date on the contest, the winning photos, and when the calendar becomes available this fall.
We hope you enjoy looking at the photos and choosing your favourites as much as we did.
Craig Cantin
Deputy Executive Director
Hello, Green Party of Ontario members!
Message from Bill Hewitt, GPO President
The election is quickly approaching! This is our chance to bring our message to the foreground of Ontario politics. I want to thank everyone who has been involved in our party, especially in our local organizations, office, and platform launch. Thank you for helping the party make headlines across the province. With your continued support, we can make headlines again on October 6, 2011.
Our party is ready for this election. We are fundraising more effectively than ever before. We are organizing ourselves and attracting new members. We are prepared and excited for the impending campaign, but we still need your help.
Our members have the skills, dedication, and experience that we need for this campaign. I encourage every one of you to become involved in some way as this election draws closer. Call either your local organization or our head office at 1-888-647-3366 to see how you can make a difference in this campaign. There is a lot of energy in our party, and we want to harness it to put Green MPPs in Queen’s Park.
There are still a few ridings looking for candidates for the election. If you are interested in running, email nominations@gpo.ca to learn more about candidacy, and the nominations process.
Thanks again to every single member of this party. Together we can accomplish our goals, but it would not be possible without you. Your continued support keeps our message in the public eye, something that is more important now than ever.
Thank you. Merci beaucoup. Megwich.
Bill Hewitt
President of the Green Party of Ontario
In this issue:
- 2011 AGM recap
- Join us for Super Saturday!
- Leader’s message
- Calling all volunteers…
- …and more!
Join us for Super Saturday!
With the October 6th election fast approaching, we want to reach as many voters as possible to share our five-point plan. So, Saturday, July 23rd, we will be starting a new initiative called Super Saturday!
This will be a province-wide campaign to talk to voters across Ontario.
Each time we hold a Super Saturday, we will let you know the time and location of a few ridings that will be out knocking on doors. You can join them to learn, help identify supporters, and see what all the excitement is about.
If you have never knocked on doors, no worries! You’ll be provided with training and placed on a team with other volunteers.
For our first Super Saturday, please have a look at the list below for the ridings that will be out knocking on doors/participating in community events. Join them if you can, for as long as you’re able. If you can’t make it, you can still help out! Please consider connecting with your local campaign or signing up for phone canvassing by emailing info@gpo.ca or calling 1 (888) 647-3366.
Super Saturday canvassing locations:
Riding: Simcoe-Grey
Candidate: Mike Schreiner
When: We will have two canvassing sessions,10:00am-12:00pm and 1:00pm-3:00pm, with lunch provided at noon.
Where: Banting Memorial High School parking lot, 203 Victoria Street E., Alliston
Contact: Bill Hewitt, bhewitt@gpo.ca, 1-805-208-2045
Riding: Ottawa-Vanier
Candidate: Dave Bagler
When: 1:00pm-6:00pm
Where: 377 Rideau Street, Meet in front of the Public Library on Rideau St. between Nelson and Friel
Contact: Katie Gibbs, 613-866-6921
Riding: Guelph
Candidate:Steve Dyck
When: 9:30 am
Where: River Run Centre, 35 Woolwich Street, Guelph
Contact: David Estill, 519-835-3313, info@steveforguelph.ca
Hillside Festival is a Guelph music festival known for great music, local food, and environmentalism. The Guelph Greens are going to be giving out water, buttons and T-shirts to those who are taking the shuttle bus into Hillside. We’re also going to be cheering on those who bike out to the festival. We’re looking for some people to help us get our word out there while encouraging those who leave their cars at home that day. Also, if you’re planning on heading in to Hillside, wear a GPO shirt or button to show your support.
I hope you can come out to canvass or participate in a local event. This is an amazing learning opportunity to learn, and to continue to build momentum towards October 6th, 2011. With your help, we can send Green MPPs to Queen’s Park this year!
Thank you,
Jaymini Bhikha
Director of the Leader’s Office
Calling all Volunteers
What an exciting time this is for the Green Party of
Ontario!
With only two months before the official start of the provincial election, we need to continue our campaign strategy and ramp up our efforts as we push forward to make 2011 our greatest election effort to date.
With this in mind, there are many opportunities to get involved with the Green Party.
- Beginning the first week of August, the Green Party of Ontario will be holding weekend and extended weekday hours at our downtown office, located at 14 Isabella St, Toronto. Tuesdays and Wednesdays, our office will be open until 8pm; Saturdays and Sundays, it will be open between 11am and 5pm.
We will be looking for volunteers to help with phone canvassing, door canvassing in key ridings, fundraising, research, writing, and a variety of other activities at both the central and local levels.
- This coming Saturday, July 23rd, we will begin a province-wide campaign, called Super Saturday, to talk to voters across Ontario. Each time we hold a Super Saturday, we will let you know the time and location of a few ridings that will be out knocking on doors. You can join them to learn, help identify supporters, and see what all the excitement is about.
If you have never knocked on doors, no worries! You’ll be provided with training, and placed on a team with other volunteers. You can find out more about this initiative by clicking here.
- We are actively looking for candidates in certain ridings across the province. If running as a Green Party candidate this election is something that interests you, please contact our central office!
If you are interested in taking advantage of any of these opportunities either at our central office and/or with your local association, please contact us by phone or e-mail (provided below). We are always welcoming new members to the team!
Phone:
416-977-7476
Toll-free:
888-647-3366
E-mail:
admin@gpo.ca
Address:
14 Isabella Street
Toronto, ON M4Y 1N1
We appreciate your continued support of the Green Party of Ontario and are looking forward to having you on board!
Leader’s message
The Green Party of Ontario is motivated, now more than ever, to put Green MPPs in Queen’s Park. Elizabeth May has already demonstrated the important difference even one Green MP can make.
We are more ready than ever to share our Green vision thanks to you, our members, supporters, volunteers, and staff who work tirelessly to spread our message of hope and real change for a sustainable future in 
On May 25th, we launched our 5-Point Plan for Ontario that promises green jobs, affordable energy, healthy food, accessible healthcare, and good government. I want to thank the thousands of members and supporters who contributed to our platform. As a result of your input, this platform reflects the diverse needs of all Ontarians today and in the future.
I am currently on the road, sharing the platform with communities across the province. I am meeting with people like you to learn more about what makes this province tick, because my number one priority is to engage and empower Ontarians in building a sustainable future for ourselves, our children, and future generations.
I invite you to join our strong and growing team. We still need candidates to share our bold vision and sensible solutions! If you, or someone you know, are interested and qualified, I encourage you to contact us at nominations@gpo.ca. You may also contact me personally at leader@gpo.ca.
It’s time for a political party with the courage and convictions to tackle the tough issues—rising energy prices, sustainable public health care, and climate change—with sensible, long-term solutions. It’s wrong to punt these problems to our kids.
It’s time for Ontario to go Green. Thanks for your continued support and dedication.
Mike Schreiner
Leader of the Green Party of Ontario
And don’t forget to sign our petition to have Mike included in the televised Leaders’ debates at letmikespeak.ca
Editor: Alethea Spiridon
Copy editor: Joanne Haskins
Contact: newsletter@gpo.ca