Majority of Ontarians support an end to Catholic School funding.

From the Toronto Sun:

More Ontarians support the end of public funding to Catholic schools than favour preserving it, a new poll shows.

Dr. Lorne Bozinoff, president of Forum Research Inc., said the three main political parties in the province are at odds with average citizens on this major and controversial issue.

“We have an area where public policy is out of step with public opinion,” Bozinoff said Friday. “The public - they’re marching to their own drummer; they’re just reacting to what they agree or disagree with and they’ve not been persuaded that this long-standing current policy is the right one. And they’re telling us that.”

Forum Research polled 1,102 Ontarians over Oct 30-31, and found that 50% disagreed when asked if Catholic schools should continue to receive public funding, compared to 44% who agreed.

The rejection of public funding for separate schools was consistent across age and gender groups.

New Democrat Party and Green Party backers were strongly opposed with about two-thirds nixing the idea.

Only the Green Party has proposed a single publicly-funded education system.

  

Full Story

Regulations at root of problem, Ontario Green Party leader says

Regulations and tax rules need to be reformed so farmers can sell their products in local markets, Ontario Green Party Leader Mike Schreiner said here yesterday.

"We want to support prosperous, vibrant local economies and communities," Schreiner said.
Schreiner joined Leeds-Grenville Green candidate Neil Kudrinko in a byelection campaign event at Countryman's Estate Winery.
The winery's owners, Gene and Marsha Countryman, have been involved in a protracted dispute with Farm Credit Canada, which holds an overdue mortgage on the Countrymans' farm and residence.
Kudrinko said the Countrymans' winery is struggling because it cannot place its product adequately on the market, and that is just one example of a small Ontario farmer facing "overbearing regulations."
"The Countrymans' situation exemplifies what's wrong with Ontario agriculture today," said Kudrinko.
"It's forgotten the relationship between the producer and the consumer."
Kudrinko is one of four candidates hoping to succeed former MPP Bob Runciman in a March 4 byelection. Runciman was recently appointed to the federal Senate.

Read the full article from the Kingston Whig-Standard

Green Party of Ontario website

Are B.C.'s Gulf Islands the key to Elizabeth May's victory?

SIDNEY, B.C. -- ‘‘I'm getting kind of a bad rap," says Elizabeth May. She lowers her voice to a mocking bass. "‘Oooh, she moves here, she moves there.'"

Peripatetic, yes. Apologetic, no. The Green Party leader has been told by her executive council to just win a darn seat in the House of Commons already.

Recently of New Glasgow, N.S. and Ottawa and London, Ont., Ms. May has moved west, to the opposite end of the country. Where her chances of winning are best, according to polling data collected by a national firm for the Greens.

Source: National Post. Click here for the full story.

Brockville Streets Close For Mountie

Thousands of mourners are expected in the eastern Ontario city of Brockville Tuesday for the funeral of an RCMP constable killed in Nunavut last week.

Const. Douglas Scott, 20, was serving in the remote Arctic hamlet of Kimmirut on Baffin Island when he was shot while responding to a drunk driving call on Nov. 5.

Final preparations were underway Monday and early Tuesday for the full regimental service to be held at 1 p.m. in Wall Street United Church, a short distance from Scott's hometown of Lyn.

Read the full story from CBC news here.

My Favorite Punk Band

I have never hear any of their music, and I don't want to. I love these guys for one reason only. My only issue with them is that they bought the domain name ihatesally.com before I did.

I first heard of this group a few weeks ago when I was at the CD Release party of a local Toronto band. My boyfriend, David, came back from the mens room with a sticker he had torn off the wall. It was a black background with a white spiderweb and the words "I hate Sally". Naturally he knew how grateful I would be for this superb example of sticker craftsmanship and usage of the english language so he gave it to me, and I will treasure it always. I keep it on the front of my day planner so I will never forget how much I love David.

Please support I Hate Sally. Judging from their website these guys will need all the help they can get. I think I might order a CD from them on St. Valentines Day, just because.

I could go on, but I won't. You can read all about it in my book when it comes out.

WANTED: UPDATE

Residents in small-town eastern Ontario worried a fugitive could be in their midst Tuesday after forensics teams began searching a wooded area in Renfrew, where a truck linked to three killings was discovered. The full story from CBC.ca is here.