Local ketchup loves local potatoes!

 

(London): Mike Schreiner, leader of the Green Party of Ontario, says Green MPPs will take bold action to support Ontario’s food and beverage processing sector.

 

“Ontarians want the corn, peas, tomatoes, and strawberries grown here to be processed here,” says Schreiner. “Local food processing is key to keeping the family farm in business.” 

 

The food and farming sector employs more than 740,000 people and contributes more than $40 billion to Ontario's economy. Ontario’s food and beverage processors alone generate $40 billion in revenue, create 125,000 jobs directly, and contribute $11 billion to Ontario’s GDP. 

 

In the wake of the Heinz ketchup factory closing in Leamington in 2013 -- and in response to pressure from Green Party supporters and local food advocates -- the Liberal government announced some funds for food processing. 

 

Unfortunately, the Heinz announcement was only one in a string of Ontario processing plant closures. In the past five years Ontario has lost a major sweet corn and pea canning factory in Exeter and a fruit canning plant near Niagara-on-the-Lake. Since 1998, the province has lost more than half of its small abattoirs.  

 

“Greens will continue to push for a dedicated fund to support homegrown entrepreneurs to start and expand local food processing businesses,” says Schreiner. “Greens will also push for regulatory changes to make it easier for local producers to bring products to market.” 

 

The GPO is calling for regulatory reforms that support small and medium scale food producers who must comply with rules written for large processing firms. 

  

Mike Schreiner and the Green Party are committed to bringing honesty, integrity, and good public policy to Queen’s Park

Ontario's education system must support kids with special needs by making smarter priorities - See more at: http://www.gpo.ca/media-release/ontarios-education-system-must-support-kids-special-needs-making-smarter-priorities#sthash.6GucUSCn.dpuf

Queen's Park - Green Party of Ontario leader Mike Schreiner is calling for the Liberal government to immediately make funds available so that kids with special needs can go to school every day.

 

"It is unacceptable for the Liberals to fail kids with special needs when the money is there,” said Schreiner. “Right now we are wasting it on duplicate services and empty chairs. If Ontario ended school segregation and merged the public and Catholic boards, we could save more than $1 billion a year.”

 

According to a study conducted by People for Education, 49% of school principals have asked parents to keep children with special needs at home, mainly because schools are under-staffed.

 

In elementary schools there is only one special education teacher per 37 students with special needs. In high schools the number falls to one for every 74 students.

 

“I have to say I’m ashamed. How can we be failing these kids in this way?” said Schreiner. “I’m not even sure it’s legal,” he added. The Education Act requires that children attend school unless they are ill.

 

For many years, the GPO has called for the merger of the Catholic and public school boards into one English board and one French board. The cost savings of this merger could fund special education needs, protect communities from school closures, and address persistent human rights concerns.

- See more at: http://www.gpo.ca/media-release/ontarios-education-system-must-support-kids-special-needs-making-smarter-priorities#sthash.6GucUSCn.dpuf

Nine shots. One dead teen. Something wrong with this picture?

 In the wake of the tragic shooting death of Toronto teen Sammy Yatim, the Green Party of Ontario is calling for more robust civilian oversight of policing through the reform of the SIU (Special Investigations Unit).

 

“We have a two-tiered justice system in Ontario,” said Mark Daye, Toronto Centre Candidate for the GPO. “One for civilians and one for police. The Green Party supports the important work that the police provide, and we want to ensure proper oversight and accountability is in place to maintain public confidence in our police force.” 

 

The SIU, created in 1990 is failing in its mandate to conduct independent investigations. 

In its current form the SIU is made up of 54 investigators, 47 of whom are former police officers.

 

The GPO passed a policy resolution at its Annual General Meeting in June of 2013 calling for more police accountability and oversight. The policy resolution supports the call by the Ontario Ombudsman for the need for substantive reforms to the province’s system of civilian police oversight.

 

“The Liberal government has failed to act on the Ombudsman’s recommendations to reform the SIU,” says Daye. “This is irresponsible, and the Green Party will continue to push the government to implement reforms to the SIU.”

 

According to a recent Toronto Star article, only 16 convictions have resulted from more than 3,400 investigations conducted by the SIU, and only three of those convictions have led to jail time. 

 

The Green Party of Ontario advocates a comprehensive approach to addressing issues of police accountability that acknowledges the social, cultural, and institutional factors that inform police conduct.

- See more at: http://www.gpo.ca/media-release/green-party-calls-reform-siu#sthash.GwNMgos4.dpuf

Pride Message from Green Party of Ontario leader, Mike Schreiner

Green Party of Ontario leader, Mike Schreiner, made the following statement on Toronto Pride Week:

 

“One of my favourite things about Ontario is that our province is teeming with diversity - whether it’s the richness of our landscape or the cultural diversity in our cities, towns and neighbourhoods.

 

This week marks the 33rd anniversary of the 2013 Toronto Pride, one of the largest displays of Pride in the world; an event that encourages tolerance, acceptance, and inclusivity.  

 

In Ontario, and indeed Canada, hard fought battles over the past decades mean that we all generally benefit from legislation that offers protections against discrimination and intolerance. 

 

I congratulate and thank the leaders in the LGBTQ community who fought against the odds to bring political change to Ontario.

 

This fight is not over. We know that discrimination still exists. Sadly, in Ontario this is the case, where our tax dollars fund a school system that uses discriminatory hiring practices. 

 

Our provincial government continues to uphold discrimination against LGBTQ teachers and students, by supporting a separate school system that makes one-third of Ontario’s teaching jobs off limits to these teachers. 

 

It’s time to move to one school system, so that fiscally responsible, efficient, equitable, and effective education is available to all our of children.

 

I am committed to working with Ontarians to ensure our province provides a welcoming, safe and equal place for all people. Let’s take this opportunity to celebrate our diversity by joining in Pride Week festivities." 

The Green Party of Ontario continues to make the issue of discrimination in Ontario's publicly funded schools a priority and asks for you to send a strong message to Queen's Park by signing their petition.

Click here to sign