Monday, January 24th, 6:30 – 8:00 pm
From the Meeting link: torontopolice.webex.com/join/b84677
By phone: 416-216-5643 (Access code: 132 912 1333)
Monday, January 24th, 6:30 – 8:00 pm
It’s our 11th annual pumpkin parade on Monday and we are really looking forward to seeing all the weird and wonderful jackolantern creations from the community! Bring your pumpkins and candles to the park between 6 and 8 pm and add them to the parade along the walkway. Marshals will be on hand to help you and to light the candles.
We are still looking for a few people to help with this event. If you are available, please email volunteer@deca.to.
We had a great turnout to our federal candidates meeting last night. DECA would like to thank Lindsay (Swooping Hawk) Kretschmer for her moderation of the debate, as well as the Board volunteers who worked to bring the event together under a very short timeline.
You can watch the recording on our youtube channel. Apologies for the giant timer taking up the screen! (Zoom records what it wants, not what the host has set up on the screen, we have learned. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ErvQjBTTK3c
For a comprehensive comparison of the party platforms, we like this CBC site: https://newsinteractives.cbc.ca/elections/federal/2021/party-platforms/#section-pipelines
Our blog writer Tina Novotny has prepared this description of the candidates running:
BEACHES-EAST YORK FEDERAL ELECTION CANDIDATES
In this snap election, there is a full slate of candidates vying for the MP seat of Beaches-East York.
LIBERAL
Two-time incumbent (2015, 2019) Nathaniel Erskine-Smith goes by “Nate” in the community. Erskine-Smith lists ten priorities on his election website, detailing the bills he’s introduced and other ways he’s acted on important issues. Serious Climate Action is priority #1, and other planks in his platform cover poverty reduction, a public health approach to drug use, supporting reconciliation, and strengthening animal protection. Nate holds a Master of Laws from Oxford University. He hosts a popular podcast called “Uncommons”.
NDP
The NDP candidate in Beaches-East York is Alejandra Ruiz Vargas. Ruiz Vargas is a frontline worker at Fred Victor Housing and is Chair of the East York Chapter of the Association of Community Organizations for Reform Now (ACORN) Canada, leading anti-poverty activism. Originally from Bogotá, Columbia, Ruiz Vargas lives with her daughter in Toronto, and promises bold action on climate change and green jobs, pharma, vision and dental care, and reforming immigration law to protect human rights.
GREEN PARTY
The Green Party candidate in Beaches-East York is Reuben DeBoer. The former Eglinton-Lawrence candidate for the Green Party in the last federal and provincial elections, De Boer has now moved to the Beaches-East York riding. He recently retired after an 11-year military career as a reservist artillery officer and currently works as for a medical laboratory diagnostics company. DeBoer holds a master’s degree in sustainability and took part in a United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change.
COMMUNIST
The Communist Party of Canada candidate in Beaches-East York is Jennifer Moxon, who also goes by “Moxie”. Moxon has worked on the frontlines of social services for two decades and is seeking a “People’s Recovery” this election, with investment in green infrastructure, increased corporate taxation, and a focus on Indigenous rights. Moxon says the inequalities revealed by the COVID19 pandemic need to be addressed. Connecting the social and climate crises, her party’s platform prioritizes people over profit.
PEOPLE’S PARTY
The People’s Party candidate in Beaches-East York is Radu Rautescu. Rautescu was born in Romania and has been a naturalized Canadian since 1993. Rautescu vows to fight relentlessly for minimal government intervention, protecting Canadians from censorship, restoring Indigenous trust, building a strong Canadian identity, sustainable immigration and ensuring the prosperity of Canadians.
DECA is excited to host a candidates meeting for the upcoming federal election in the Beaches-East York riding this Monday, September 13 at 7pm. The meeting will be moderated by Lindsay (Swooping Hawk) Kretschmer, executive director of the Toronto Aboriginal Support Services Council.
Pre-arranged questions for candidates come from the community, the DECA board, and the moderator. We extended invitations to the four candidates representing the Liberals, Conservatives (not attending), Green and NDP based on the criteria set out Federal leader debates, which is:
(i): on the date the general election is called, the party is represented in the House of Commons by a Member of Parliament who was elected as a member of that party; or
(ii): the party’s candidates for the most recent general election received at that election at least 4% of the number of valid votes cast; or
(iii): five days after the date the general election is called, the party receives a level of national support of at least 4%, determined by voting intention, and as measured by leading national public opinion polling organizations, using the average of those organizations’ most recently publicly-reported results.
(Source: https://www.newswire.ca/news-releases/leaders-debates-commissioner-david-johnston-sets-participation-criteria-for-next-federal-general-election-843285606.html)
The meeting will be in a webinar format with time for questions from the audience. Here is the invitation:
You are invited to a Zoom webinar.
When: Sep 13, 2021 07:00 PM Eastern Time (US and Canada)
Topic: Beaches-East York Candidates Meeting
Please click the link below to join the webinar:
https://us06web.zoom.us/j/87846271984
Or One tap mobile :
Canada: +15873281099,,87846271984# or +16473744685,,87846271984#
Or Telephone:
Dial(for higher quality, dial a number based on your current location):
Canada: +1 587 328 1099 or +1 647 374 4685 or +1 647 558 0588 or +1 778 907 2071 or +1 204 272 7920 or +1 438 809 7799
US: +1 312 626 6799 or +1 346 248 7799 or +1 669 900 6833 or +1 929 205 6099 or +1 253 215 8782 or +1 301 715 8592
Webinar ID: 878 4627 1984
International numbers available: https://us06web.zoom.us/u/kc6N1unx5X
Please note that we are awaiting consent from the candidates before we can assure a recording of this event.