Schreiner Presents “Save Our Water” Petition in Legislature

Guelph MPP Mike Schreiner presented a petition in the Ontario Legislature today that asks for the Provincial government to take steps to protect Ontario’s water from exploitation by private businesses. There’s presently a moratorium for issuing new water taking permits in the province, but 3,500 signatories on the petition are asking Queen’s Park to do better. Continue reading “Schreiner Presents “Save Our Water” Petition in Legislature”

GUELPH POLITICAST #189 – Maude!

Guelph knows water. We’re the largest community in Canada that depends exclusively on ground water for our needs, and we’re hyper aware of the dangers to our water supply and the urgent need to protect them. You know who else knows about working hard to protect Canada’s water? You should, she pops by with impressive regularity this time of year. Continue reading “GUELPH POLITICAST #189 – Maude!”

Maude Barlow Has Words for Guelph City Council

Guelph City Council will be deciding on how to officially respond to Nestle’s renewal for its Permit to Take Water in Aberfoyle on Monday. But if you thought the situation would pass before Maude Barlow had her say, you’d be wrong. Continue reading “Maude Barlow Has Words for Guelph City Council”

LIVE BLOG: Special Committee of the Whole on Water Taking

Water, water everywhere, but who has the right to take it? This is the questions that the committee, and about 37 delegations, will try and answer in this special meeting. You can click here for the amended agenda from City Hall, and you can click here to read Politico’s preview of today’s meeting. For the complete blow-by-blow of today’s committee meeting, you can follow me on Twitter, or follow along below via Storify. Continue reading “LIVE BLOG: Special Committee of the Whole on Water Taking”

The Puslinch Mayor Says What?

Guelph City Council will be discussing the Nestle Water renewal of its Permit to Take Water on Monday at a special meeting of Committee-of-the-Whole. When the matter was discussed at the end of September, council asked anyone who might be in favour of the renewal to make their wishes known. Be careful what you wish for. Continue reading “The Puslinch Mayor Says What?”

Committee of the Whole Preview – What’s on the Agenda for the November 7 Meetings?

Monday is going to be a very long day for Committe-of-the-Whole, with both a regular meeting in the afternoon, and a special meeting beginning at 7 pm. So what’s all on the agenda? Continue reading “Committee of the Whole Preview – What’s on the Agenda for the November 7 Meetings?”

Province Initiates [Some] Action on Water Bottling Companies

That splash you heard this morning was the Province of Ontario finally answering the call of thousands of community activists to finally doing something about companies taking millions of gallons of water per day for a pittance and shipping it out of town. Continue reading “Province Initiates [Some] Action on Water Bottling Companies”

City Sets Meeting Time for Exclusive Discussion on Water-Taking

Following council’s unanimous decision last week to discuss a motion to come out against further water-taking in the area as a political body at November’s Committee-of-the-Whole, Mayor Cam Guthrie has upped the ante by announcing a special meeting to be exclusively about the issue. Continue reading “City Sets Meeting Time for Exclusive Discussion on Water-Taking”

Horwath Hears Concerns About Local Water Taking

On the third floor of 10 Carden Street this afternoon, Guelph’s water advocates continued the push to protect area aquifers from water bottlers by meeting with Ontario NDP leader Andrea Horwath. For Horwath, the goal of the closed door meeting was to work with community members to draft a “broad water strategy” as opposed to a “knee jerk reaction.” Continue reading “Horwath Hears Concerns About Local Water Taking”

VIDEOS: Hundreds Support Gordon Motion, Outside and In City Hall

It was standing room only at city council last night as council debated a motion by Ward 2 Councillor James Gordon asking his fellow councillors on taking a stand against Nestle and their continued water taking at their Aberfoyle bottling plant. Now city council is often compared to a carnival, but there was no denying the carnival atmosphere prior to the meeting as hundreds of people gathered in front of City Hall to sing, speak and make noise, all to push council to support Gordon and his motion. Continue reading “VIDEOS: Hundreds Support Gordon Motion, Outside and In City Hall”