Huntsville — Councilor — Ward 1
1. What actions have you personally taken to support a greener, more sustainable climate?
I love that you asked about my actions and activism which essentially began in earnest during the 2010 G8 where I created the Water Protest, a three day of advocacy with the clear message that water is a human right. This led to me be being a guest panelist at the 2012 Powershift in Ottawa, an incredible four day event with 18 to 30 year olds planning an alternative energy future and discussing Indigenous rights where I was speaking to Faith on the Front Lines.
I became actively involved with the Idle No More movement in 2013 and the efforts to stop the pipeline at Standing Rock. I was included in the work searching for Justice for the Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women in Canada and Walking With Our Sisters. This work remains part of my life and will always be part of my effort to address the inequality and injustice for Indigenous, Inuit and Metis people in Canada . I am also a recognised Water Protector and as the woman who occupied the sacred Bala Falls protecting the Traditional Wahta Mohawks Portage in 2014 I learned so much about the issues facing responsible respectful land use planning by all levels of government and the complete fraud that was the Ontario Green Energy Act. I can speak clearly to the issues of this deeply flawed act that has destroyed so much farmland and woodlands and privatized most waterfalls in Ontario. We need a much deeper dig on truly green energy without the false green washing of the industry. My understanding of new technologies will make our battle against oil and gas an easy win and I look forward to being part of a team working together to make that happen.
2. What opportunities for climate leadership at the municipal level (e.g. greenhouse gas emissions (GHGs)) would you champion in one or more of these areas: Buildings | Housing | Land use (sprawl) | Transportation | Other
We need informed leadership at the local level in order to find grass roots solutions to the issues of balancing the ecology, the local economy and creating a kind community which includes engaging in serious storm water management planning . The storms and downpours we are getting are clearly doing damage and this is issue truly needs to be given priority since we all know that our economy is directly related to the health of our community . Our natural beauty and proximity to Algonquin Park is what makes Muskoka special and we need genuine efforts to clarify the most responsible path for development and we need to enforce that future development is done in a respectfully, resilient and financially responsible way . There is so much information we can also access in the Town of Huntsville Unity Plan that sits on the shelf gathering dust. My experience in permaculture and land use planning will help me be a strong voice at the table asking the hard questions. We also have serious issues to consider regarding the potential of leachate entering the Muskoka River from the old Tannery Site where there are vats of very toxic chemicals buried in the ground in concrete vats and we cannot be assured they still remain stable. The conversation about the tannery site has gone on for over twenty years. I will be asking for full testing to be put in place with the help of other levels of government in hopes that we can work together to ensure we do not have a real tragedy in our future. We all know that timely investments in our infrastructures will save money and the ecology in the future.
3. A long-term problem requires a long-term solution. What is your 100-year plan? If elected, what would be your first action?
Environment justice and activism have always been a big part of my adult life , I grew up on a family farm and moved to Huntsville in 1967. I was a homesteader in the eighties and became a professional Gardener and Permaculture Educator in the nineties . Permaculture Principles provide for a full compliment of land stewardship to and including governance , land use planning , food security and the creation of healthy happy communities. I know a great deal about working with others and ask for your support to help me bring real change to government. 100 years from now lets plan for future generations to be able to look back and see how this election changed everything in Muskoka for the better.