Tag Archives: Kevin Thomason

CKMS Community Connections for 2 September 2024 with Alfred Lowrick of Fight For Farmland

 

Show Notes

Alfred Lowrick (a man wearing a dark shirt smiling at the camera, panelled walls in the background)
Alfred Lowrick

Alfred Lowrick of Fight For Farmland tells us about the “Land Assembly” proposed by Waterloo Region, the provincial government’s involvement, and what farmers and other citizens are doing about it.

The interview starts at 8m16s.

We also hear some of the speeches given at the Fight For Farmland protest rally held Monday 26 August 2024.

Fight For Farmland (a protest fist holding a stalk of wheat; black and white letters on a puce background)
 

Fight For Farmland Online:

Upcoming Events

Podcast

Download: ckms-community-connections-2024-09-02-episode166-Alfred-Lowrick-of-Fight-For-Farmland.mp3 (53 MB, 58m01s, episode 166)

Index

Time Title Album Artist
0m00s Theme for CKMS Community Connections ccc CKMS Sunflower logo (yellow petals surrounding a black centre with white wavies all on a teal background)
CKMS Community Connections
Steve Todd
0m54s 770 Acres 770 Acres - Steve Todd (gold and black letters, with a picture of Steve Todd in a field, wearing a black Stetson hat and black T-shirt and playing guitar)
(YouTube)
Punkeydoodles Steve Todd
4m08s The Sign on the 7/8 The Sign on the 7/8 Steve Todd (collage of gold and black lettering, the sign "Drinking Water Protection Zone", and Steve Todd wearing a black cowboy hat and black T-shirt and playing guitar)
(YouTube)
8m16s Alfred Lowrick tells us about the issues with the Wilmot land assembly: No consultation with the community; the planning for the environmental impact has not been done; the farmers don’t want to sell their land. Personally, Alfred is concerned that the Regional plan is not being followed, that the Countryside Line is not being observed, that employment lands are supposed to be on the east side of the Region. There was a one page letter that said “We want to buy your land, and we’ll come back and make you an offer.” It was a lowball offer, and if there was no agreement within ten days then expropriation would be an option. Alfred organized meetings between the farmers and the CAO and planning director of Wilmot Township, but they couldn’t talk about it because of a confidentiality agreement with the Region. This was followed by a delegation to Wilmot Township Council, but Alfred was limited to three minutes. Now, six months later they know a bit more, but not much.
16m50s Alfred has 70 questions for Regional Council, but his Freedom of Information requests have all been denied. There have been numerous town hall meetings organized by Fight For Farmland. And on Wednesday 28 August 2024 there was a protest rally outside the Regional headquarters with 40 tractors. There were numerous speakers, and support from the opposition in the Provincial government. There was a statement from the Provincial government stating they were funding this land assembly, but the “ground game” was at the Region of Waterloo office.
19m13s The Provincial government has changed the rules around municipal planning: Bill 185 (“Cutting Red Tape to Build More Homes Act”) and Bill 162 (“Get It Done Act”). Both make it easier for expropriation, making it easier for the Province to establish guidelines for planning. Some of this is driven by Federal policy, such as increased immigration which requires more housing, but it leaves the municipalities without much of a say in the planning process. Fight For Farmland has asked Wilmot Township councillors to declare themselves “unwilling hosts”, but Alfred thinks they won’t be able to do much, leaving it to the Regional government to decide who is an unwilling host or not. Fight For Farmland continues to work on it, they have some say at the municipal level, but once they get to the provincial level it’s more difficult.
21m23s A number of people presented at the Wilmot Township Council meeting on Monday 26 August 2024, but not exactly for what Fight For Farmland is asking Council to do. People from Fight For Farmland haven’t been able to delegate directly to Council, they’re planning on doing that on Monday 9 September 2024. Letters have been sent to Council to ask them to declare Wilmot Township an unwilling host, but there’s more process to go through. At the Regional Council meeting on Wednesday the staff was threatening to disband the meeting because there were too many people standing. But some people from the Fight For Farmland steering team, including Mark Reusser of the Waterloo Federation of Agriculture spoke directly to Regional Council. The rally showed that there is something that Regional Council needs to address. But no motions were brought forward.
24m22s Based on the statement from the Province that it’s a Regional issue, Bob thinks the Region could put a stop to this. But Alfred has heard too many conflicting statements from different levels of government, and doesn’t know who to believe. Alfred and Fight For Farmland wants this land assembly stopped, a proper planning process to take place with consultation from the community.
25m49s Bob is worried about the lack of transparency coming from all levels of government. Alfred says this is why he doesn’t believe anyone. This is affecting the lives of everyone in Wilmot, everyone in Wateloo Region. We know this is supposed to be an industrial site, but not whether it’s a chemical plant or an electronics plant. Alfred worries about a chemical spill affecting ground water. Bob points out that industrial plants damaged the ground water in Elmira, where he lives. All the wells in Elmira are contaminated, and there are still plumes of chemicals drifting through the aquifers. There are environmentalists on the team that keep raising these issues. Bob and Alfred talk about environmentalism in farming
33m20s Next steps: The Wilmot Council meeting on 9 September. Any other rallies or protests? Alfred points out that they’re just volunteers, it is unfair that farmers with 24/7 jobs need to take on this extra work. There is some legal work that needs to be done, more Freedom of Information requests to be sent… There are other groups that want to join, communications that need to go out, a website that needs to be maintained… They’re waiting for the Region to come forward with a plan to address some of the concerns they have. Except for one, the farmers have not had further contact about acquiring their land. If it comes to expropriation, that’s the legal aspects they have to address. To keep in touch people can go to https://www.fightforfarmland.com/, join the mailing list, and sign the petition. Make sure to sign the hardcopy petitions at the rallies. And there are other petitions from opposition parties as well. And everyone should write their Regional councillors, and Wilmot Council. All their contact information is on the Fight For Farmland website.
39m30s Plow-Down Putdown Plow-Down Putdown Steve Todd (collage of gold-and-black lettering, and Steve Todd wearing a black cowboy hat and T-shirt, and holding a guitar)
(YouTube)
Punkeydoodles Steve Todd
43m31s Speech by Mike Schreiner, Leader of the Green Party of Ontario.
49m41s Speech by Kevin Thomason, Environmentalist and co-organizer of Fight For Farmland.
53m50s Speech by Jenn Pfenning, President of the National Farmer’s Union.
57m11s Bob gives the end credits.

Other speeches that weren’t in the show:

CKMS Community Connections Hour One airs on CKMS-FM 102.7 on Monday from 11:00am to Noon, and Hour Two airs alternate Fridays from 3:00pm to 4:00pm.

Got music, spoken word, or other interesting stuff? Let us know at ccc@radiowaterloo.ca or leave a comment on our “About” page.

CKMS logo with wavies coming out the sidesSubscribe to the CKMS Community Connections podcast!

CKMS | 102.7 FM | Radio Waterloo | Community ConnectionsSee all CKMS Community Connections shows!

Bonus Video

Video: CKMS Community Connections for Monday 2 September 2024 (Radio Waterloo Video, 159 MB, 58m43s)

Show notes and podcast interview content is Copyright © 2024 by the participants, and released under a CC BYCreative Commons Attribution Only license. Copy, re-use, and derivative works are allowed with attribution to Radio Waterloo and a link to this page. Music selections are copyright by the respective rights holders. The theme music is written and performed by Steven Todd.

CKMS News -2023-09-29- Discussing the unfolding greenbelt scandal with Kevin Thomason

CKMS News – 2023-09-29 – Greenbelt updates, no compensation for developers.

By: dan kellar

Kitchener, ON –  As the Greenbelt situation continues to evolve, CKMS news again spoke with Kevin Thomason of the Grand River Environmental Network, and a local campaigner on a handful of campaigns to protect the Grand River watershed and the Waterloo moraine. For quite a while now Kevin has been organizing against Ontario’s conservative government’s plans to develop the ecologically important lands of the protected Greenbelt.  

First, however, some recent background. As our last interview with Kevin was set to air on September 21st, Doug Ford announced he would be reversing the Greenbelt land deals saying “I am very, very sorry… it was a mistake to open the Greenbelt.” He added his actions were “with the best of intentions”, and that he “prides himself on keeping his promises”. With the 2018 promises to never develop the Green Belt, in mind,  Ford once again promised to “won’t make any changes to the green belt in the future”. 

After Ford admitted his governments’ mistakes, the conservative premiere suggested that developers may need to be compensated. However, on September 27th, and right after this interview with Kevin Thomason was completed, new minister of municipal affairs and housing minister Paul Calandra announced that developers will not be compensated for the reversal of the Ford governments Greenbelt decision.   Thomason had said that developers do not have a special “right to develop”, and that land speculation and profit making are not protected acts. For now, it would seem, the Ford government agrees with Thomason. 

Immediately after Calandra was named minister on September 4th, he announced that the greenbelt development plans were going ahead, and that any reviews may lead to more greenbelt land being taken for housing developments. On September 25th, the NDP tabled the “Green Belt Protection Act” which the conservatives voted down at first reading. Calandra said the conservatives will table better legislation that will  “codify” Greenbelt boundaries. All these major turnabouts in policy and the handful of resignations in the past months in the conservative government only reinforce what NPD leader Marit Stiles told Allison Jones of the Canadian Press “I don’t trust this government at all to fix a mess of their own making”. 

In this interview Kevin Thomason maintains his position that despite the conservative’s recent reversal on the development of the greenbelt, the Ford government is “corrupt”. Arguing that the Greenbelt was not the only area where Ford is attempting to take develop ecologically important lands under the guise of the housing crisis, and “given it to developers”, noting that “the RCMP do not investigate favouritism, they investigate crime”.  

Kevin also spoke of the ongoing resistance to Doug Ford’s plans, including highway 413 construction, highway 7 expansion, forcing housing sprawl over other ecologically important lands with ministerial zoning orders, and other patterns of behaviour from the Ford government which “are not serving the best interest of Ontarians”. 

These problematic patterns are an issue Phil Pothen, the Ontario Environment Program Manager of the environmental advocacy organisation Environmental Defense, has also discussed. As Phil said in a September 21st press release:
“While we welcome Premier Ford’s full reversal of the inappropriate removals of Greenbelt lands, the Ontario government’s $8.3 billion gift to developers represented just the most visible part of a dishonest and counterproductive push for sprawl that will only worsen Ontario’s housing shortage. To clean up what remains of the Ontario government’s land use and environmental mess, including Highway 413, it is essential to strengthen Greenbelt protections to ensure future government’s can’t try this again.”

Pothen continued:
“We hope this change marks the beginning of a broader shift away from the government’s current misguided policies, including: forced boundary expansions in Hamilton and Halton, Waterloo and elsewhere; its lowering of Growth Plan density requirements; its gutting of Conservation Authorities; and its dismantling of regional land use planning. These damaging decisions, along with attempts to repeal laws which promote efficient land use and construction, must also be reversed.” 

In a statement to CKMS News on September 13th, days before Ford’s Greenbelt reversal announcement, Kitchener-Conestoga PC MPP Mike Harris Jr. said that he supported Ford’s direction, writing that the conservative government will continue with their plan to build homes on “non-sensitive” Green Belt lands claiming this was “requested by many municipalities”.  Harris concluded: “I want to emphasize that, under the continued leadership of our Premier, our Government will prioritize addressing the housing crisis.”

Following Ford’s greenbelt reversal announcement on the 21st, MPP Harris, responded to CKMS News with a statement regarding the quick policy changes from his government, saying:
“After extensive consultations with cabinet, caucus and upon reviewing the public’s response, the Premier decided that the Greenbelt would be preserved.”

Harris added that the government will maintain the protection on the lands they had added to the Greenbelt to compensate for the lands they removed and that “As the process of reversing the decision is complex, more information will be released as it becomes available.” 

CKMS News has asked MPP Harris about the corruption allegations and the criminal investigation but did not receive a response by the time of publication.  CKMS will continue to provide updates to this ongoing story.

 

CKMS News – 2023-09-21 – Kevin Thomason discusses mounting pressure on Doug Ford over the Green Belt

CKMS News -2023-09-21- GREN Greenbelt Update.

By: dan kellar

Kitchener, ON – 

Today show features an interview with Kevin Thomason of the Grand River Environmental Network, who is working on a handful of campaigns to protect the Grand River watershed and the Waterloo moraine, and for quite a while now organising against Ontario’s conservative government’s plans to develop the ecologically important lands of the protected “Green Belt”.  

Thomason spoke of the ongoing resistance to Doug Ford’s attempts to take land out of the green belt under the guise of the housing crisis, and “giving it to developers”.  Calling the government “corrupt”, Thomason called for Doug Ford to “do the right job or get out of the way”.  Kevin also shared hope for a better future saying “we have to succeed, or future survival depends on it”.

In a recent statement to CKMS News Kitchener-Conestoga PC MPP Mike Harris Jr. supported Ford, saying that the conservative government will continue with their plan to build homes on “non-sensitive” Green Belt lands claiming this was “requested by many municipalities”.  Harris concluded: “I want to emphasize that, under the continued leadership of our Premier, our Government will prioritize addressing the housing crisis, ensuring more people have a place to call home.”

As this piece was set to air, Doug Ford held a press conference announcing he would be reversing the Green Belt land deals saying “I am very, very sorry… it was a mistake to open the Greenbelt.” He added his actions were “with the best of intentions”, and that he “prides himself on keeping his promises”. With the 2018 promises to never develop the Green Belt, in mind,  Ford once again promised to “won’t make any changes to the green belt in the future”. 

CKMS News will have a follow up show with analysis of Ford’s announcement.

CKMS News has asked MPP Harris for a comment on this recent decision by Ford, and will include that response in the follow up.

 

CKMS Community Connections for 30 December 2022 with Kevin Thomason and Henriette Thompson of Stop Bill 23

Show Notes

Developer Fees Go Down. | Taxes Go Up. | Stop Bill 23

Stop Bill 23 | Experts say Bill 23 Does More Harm for Affordable Housing than Good

More Money for Developers | Stop Bill 23

No More Urban Sprawl | Stop Bill 23

No Protection for Renters | Stop Bill 23

Protect Our Farmland | Stop Bill 23

Jeff Stager talks to Kevin Thomason and Henriette Thompson, who organize a number of community groups to stop Bill 23, More Homes Built Faster Act, 2022.

The interview starts at 6m07s.

This episode was re-broadcast on Guelph University’s CFRU-FM 93.3 on the Breezy Breakfast Radio Hour on 2 January 2023.

Online:

Kevin Thomason
Henriette Thompson
Environmental Defence
Hold The Line

Stop Bill 23 | Protect Our Water Save Our Wetlands | Stop Bill 23 We Care If Our Houses Flood | Stop Bill 23 Stop Bill 23 | We Have The Right to Protect Our Communities We Will Not Sell Conservation Lands | Stop Bill 23

Podcast

Download: ckms-community-connections-2022-12-30-episode107.mp3 (55.7 MB, 57m59s, episode 107)

Index

Time Title Album Artist
0m00s Theme for CKMS Community Connections ccc CKMS Sunflower logo (yellow petals surrounding a black centre with white wavies all on a teal background)
CKMS Community Connections
Steve Todd
0m25s Jeff Stager introduces Kevin Thomason and Henriette Thompson, and the first piece of music.
1m56s You’ve Got To Run (Spirit Of The Wind) Buffy Sainte-Marie | Medicine Songs (Bubby Sainte-Marie with eyes closed, holding a mic in her right hand, and with her left arm outstretched towards the viewer)
Medicine Songs
Buffy Sainte-Marie and Tanya Tagaq
5m36s Public Service Announcement: Hands Off the Greenbelt
6m07s Henriette talks about seeing Buffy Sainte-Marie in concert. Getting to know Henriette and Kevin. Introducing the next song.
10m07s Ontario’s Greenbelt – The Full Story (two men wearing hats standing in a field)
(YouTube)
Stuart Davis
10m57s Public Service Announcements: Doug Ford is forcing unsustainable urban sprawl on municipalities.
11m27s Thanks to listeners at CFRU-FM in Guelph! The concerns of youth with climate change. Henriette tells how she got involved in social and economic justice. The organizations in Waterloo Region involved in climate justice: Faith groups, a group to write letters to the editor, there’s an e-newsletter that goes to over 100 members, TransformWR workshops and webinars, and Bill-23 rallies. And Henriette still has time for other interests like music! Introducing the next song, in recognition of climate anxiety affecting all ages.
18m55s Like The Weather 10000 Maniacs | Like The Weather (black and white photo of a person holding a bow, shooting an arrow into the air)
In My Tribe
10,000 Maniacs
22m49s Public Service Announcement: Doug Ford is threatening to override our sustainable Regional official plan.
23m20s Kevin gives his background, how he got involved in environmental justice. How Waterloo Region set up its own environmental protections. Kevin helped set up a greenbelt area in Europe, from Finland to Bulgaria. Now the provincial goverment is coming to take away Waterloo Region’s protections. Kevin still has time to raise his children in the outdoors. Kevin introduces the next song.
29m34s Escarpment Blues Sarah Harmer | I'm A Mountain (illustration of a picture of a mountain hanging on a wall beside a door above a red chair)
I’m A Mountain
Sarah Harmer
33m28s Kevin has seen Sarah Harmer in concert, Henriette hasn’t, but loves her music. Jeff introduces the next PSA.
35m28s Public Service Announcement: Despite our unique global success…
35m58s Henriette explains how these PSAs address the issues in fighting Bill 23 in three ways: 1) There are real-world effects of political decisions, eg. housing shortages. 2) These real-world effects are not just affecting people, but creatures and whole ecosystems. Bill 23 is undoing the work that has been done to see how interconnected we really are. 3) Bill 23 is undermining trust in government and politicians. Without trust the fabric of society comes apart. Kevin says over 41 individuals and community groups provided funding for producing the PSAs. Fighting Bill 23 has brought together groups that have never worked together before, that were at odds with each other over other issues. The previous PSA was specific to Waterloo Region like our Regional Plan, a bold document which has set the tone for the entire region. It has done things that were rarely done before, eg. the Blue Box program, the LRT, the Countryside Line. Other areas like Hamilton are now emulating our success, eg. the LRT and stopping urban sprawl. Our plans were unanimously supported by the Region’s municipalities, but the province just overrode that by requiring growth on farmland and the Greenbelt. Henriette acknowledges the support of the Small Change Fund, how it has enabled their group to communicate broadly and deeply about important matters. Kevin says we’re lucky to live in this community with groups to bring their resources together: Kevin’s environmental contacts, Henriette’s faith-based groups, Jeff’s agricultural people. The entire community needs to be involved, there are opportunities for everyone, eg. submitting comments on the Environmental Registry of Ontario to give suggestions indicate concerns. Some consultations are getting tens of thousands of comments from people across the province, almost unanimously opposing these plans. Henriette says Indigenous leaders are saying that the provice has not exercised its duty to consult with First Nations. She finds it inconceivable that governments can trample over people’s rights. Kevin is disturbed by the lack of response — protests are held in front of empty offices, where the politicians and staff have been told to not come in to work to avoid the protests. Henriette introduces the next song, which provides hope that another world is possible.
47m43s What A Wonderful World What A Wonderful World | Louis Armstrong
(single)
Louis Armstrong
49m58s Public Service Announcement: Doug Ford has just used his majority to force Bill 23 into law.
50m30s Kevin brings a positive message, other countries are making good environmental decisions. Henriette gives tribute to the young environmental leaders, Indigenous leaders, and land defenders from East Africa, and partners from Kairos who spoke at COP27 and the biodiversity event in Montréal. Henriette stongly encourages everyone who has been hesitating to get involved to do it now: Write your MPP, write a letter to the editor, submit a comment to the Ontario Environmental Registry. Do it now. Contact, reach out, learn, and get involved. Don’t delay.
53m15s If A Tree Falls Bruce Cockburn - Big Circumstance (Bruce Cockburn sitting on a stool between two green stripes)
Big Circumstance
Bruce Cockburn
54m36s Henriette and Kevin tell us what they will be doing in the next two hours, two days, two weeks, two months, and two years, Jeff says goodbye, and the end credits play.

CKMS Community Connections Hour One airs on CKMS-FM 102.7 on Monday from 11:00am to Noon, and Hour Two airs on Friday from 3:00pm to 4:00pm.

Got music, spoken word, or other interesting stuff? Let us know at office@radiowaterloo.ca or leave a comment on our “About” page.

CKMS logo with wavies coming out the sidesSubscribe to the CKMS Community Connections podcast!

CKMS | 102.7 FM | Radio Waterloo | Community ConnectionsSee all CKMS Community Connections shows!

Show notes and podcast interview content is Copyright © 2022 by the participants, and released under a CC BYCreative Commons Attribution Only license. Copy, re-use, and derivative works are allowed with attribution to Radio Waterloo and a link to this page. Music selections are copyright by the respective rights holders.