TDSB staff have put together a plan that will allow class cohort sizes to decrease to 15-20 students per class, as recommended by Toronto Public Health. The plan costs $20 million dollars for additional teachers - drastically less than other plans or approaches - and it requires a slightly shorter school day. However, the plan cannot proceed unless the Minister of Education gives TDSB permission to shorten the school day by 48 minutes. And Minister Lecce has refused that permission. By refusing permission, the Minister is forcing Toronto schools to cram kids into larger classes where their risk of exposure is much higher due to a lack of physical distancing. There is no justification for such a risk when we have a high-quality, effective plan on the table. Tell the Minister - protect our kids and give TDSB the simple permission it needs to enact this plan. Note: if you'd like to read the full TDSB plan, you can do so here: https://www.tdsb.on.ca/Portals/0/docs/Returning%20to%20School_A%20Guide%20to%20the%20Safe%20Reopening%20of%20the%20TDSB_August%2010.pdf

We need to challenge the power of the military-industrial complex Do you know that the largest lobby group for the fighter jets is a charity - the Global Affairs Institute? We need the $19 billion for housing, child care, the green new deal, and for education, long-term care, etc. Quote: "More for COVID-19 latest hurdle in Canada's long road to buying new fighter jets" Fighter jets are a major polluter, and they are mainly used for air shows.

I have already reached out to Toronto Public Health, Ministry of Health, the Ministry of Government Services, The Ministry of Children, Community and Social Services, all without a response or a plan to address this issue. Although there is a requirement for PPE for disabled people to receive personal support and assistance, no individuals should be paying for PPE out of pocket, and yet, this is happening. I have talked to many non-profits, that have shared the concern that there is no commitment or funding for PPE for disabled people who need access to it for their activities of daily living where physical distancing is not possible. This petition requests that all levels of government work together to ensure that Attendants, Nurturing Assistants and people with Disabilities in Ontario are PPE secure. It appears that the government has forgotten about disabled people and the folks that support us. This lack of action is unacceptable. This lack of action puts lives at risk. Regards, Terri-Lynn Langdon, MSW, RSW Ontario Institute for Studies In Education, Social Justice Education, University of Toronto

Mental health calls are largely handled by untrained officers who don't have the skills to de-escalate crisis situations. This leads to unnecessary violence and killing of people in crisis, of which poor and IBPOC are largely overrepresented. In cities where mental health crisis teams are properly implemented, they provide clear benefits, including: - reducing carceral costs, - reducing the incidents of violence from the police, - reducing repeat calls for service, - reducing costly psychiatric hospitalizations, and - improving the use of officers’ time [1]. [1] https://www.prainc.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/03/RespondingtoBHCrisisviaCRModels.pdf

CanWhite Sands has applied for a sand processing plant to take out 5.5 CFL football fields squared by 26 stories high of silica sand each year for the next 25 years. The oxygenizing of this silica will produce acid of a pH of 2.44 leaching heavy metals like arsenic. The drainage is to the Brokenhead river where this acid along with a polyacrylamide which breaks down in sunlight and acid to acrylamide a potent neurotoxin. This project will pollute the Brokenhead river contaminate the carbonate aquifer and kill lake Winnipeg. This environmental assessment plan ignores key aspects of the proposal that will lead to this damage. Link to Government EAP: gov.mb.ca/sd/eal/registries/6057canwhite/index.html CWS Proposed Project Impacts to Brokenhead River - Dennis Analysis.pdf https://documentcloud.adobe.com/link/review?uri=urn:aaid:scds:US:f4976d99-cf02-4f89-8814-0505b2f4a1f4 Dennis LeNeveu's Correction of Free Press Article https://m.facebook.com/story.php?story_fbid=139593417826957&id=115584813561151 Risk Assessment of CanWhite Sands Project “Dangerous to Eastern Watershed” By “Our Line in the Sand”- a local community group https://documentcloud.adobe.com/link/review?uri=urn:aaid:scds:US:d9881975-18b3-45d2-8198-a8f9126fa284

In 2013, when the Hupacasath FN realized the negative impacts of the CC-FIPA, they launched legal action with the help of West Coast Environmental Law. They lost the case; now China has more economic power than all Cdn. First Nations put together. With the severe impacts of climate change, Canada has a global responsibility to save what is left of the ancient forests.

From this article in the Toronto Star on July 31st 2020 - "We know that home care workers in Ontario are already paid considerably less than those in long-term care. This situation must be corrected, not made worse. To stabilize the entire health system, home care workers must be paid at parity with those in long-term care. Workers in both sectors deserve a raise for the critical support they provide to our seniors. Ontario’s seniors are relying on the government to protect them. Safe, reliable, and compassionate home care from well-trained and well-paid staff is key to improving overall care for seniors."

When determining our long range plans, unit plans, and individual lesson plans, Ontario’s educators look to the curriculum to inform and guide us. The curriculum is determined by the Ministry of Education, which claims to conduct reviews on a regular basis. The curriculum for each subject area consists of general big ideas, and specific expectations that determine our learning goals and the outcomes of our students. For each subject area and subsequent strand (ie. number sense and numeration in math), there are general and specific expectations that tell us what our students should be able to do after successfully completing the academic year. These expectations shape what we teach every day. As there are no such curriculum expectations about Black identities or race, what requires teachers to include these subjects in their lessons? Nothing. Without Ministry mandated curriculum, Black identities and histories are not being taught in a meaningful way, and ultimately left to the discre​tion of the teacher. This approach will not uproot systemic racism in our schools, and there needs to be change in the curriculum given to teachers.

Government keeps us in poverty Which is not right. At 60yrs old you shouldnt have to starve To try and survive. Rent is way to High and you always have To live with someone To get rent paid. Housing takes forever.

Canada claims there is no systemic racism and this is proof that it is alive and well in Canada. The whole world pulled together in support of black lives matter, well Indigenous lives matter. This never should have happened.. these boys should not have been arrested and Erik should not have died. This needs to be addressed and dealt with properly as the people given authority by the federal government need to be investigated and held accountable.

The Communist Party of China (CPC) just passed a devastating new law that punishes anybody in Hong Kong who speaks out against the authoritarian regime. Left unchecked, CPC’s rampant trampling of rights in Hong Kong could destroy the city once declared the most ‘free’ in the world. Already, people and governments around the world have condemned China’s brutal new law that violates Hong Kong’s autonomy. Last week, the United Kingdom announced special visas to welcome Hong Kong citizens fleeing the region for fear of persecution and loss of freedom. The special accommodations include 5-year work and study visas, after which HK citizens can apply for citizenship. Some MPs are already in support of amending immigration rules to make it easier for Hong Kong citizens to find a path to permanent residency. Hong Kong citizens need our help. Will you sign the petition urging the federal government to provide special visas and a citizenship pathway to residents fleeing Hong Kong?

Protesting is our right and without it, we have no voice. This bill targets Indigenous people and is unconstitutional. It must be retracted to ensure our freedom of speech and freedom of protest.