Today Was a Gift

I went out to the garden today. It is one of my favorite ways to spend my time.

Some of the trees in my backyard paradise

The temperature went up to 75 degrees. It was perfect! I kept thinking to myself "This day of warm weather is a gift to me, perfect for what I need to do."

Planters cleaned out for the Winter

The first of the Fall leaves gathered

 I know in my heart that every day is a gift. But today it felt particularly so.

The Happiness Formula

I did four things today to make myself feel good. I have decided that they are part of my happiness formula.

I talked to John. I needed time to chat with my best friend and my love, John. I didn't need him to solve any problems or even advise me (although that was acceptable, I decided.) I just needed John to listen and to spend time with me engaged in conversation.

It was good. Just what I needed. 

I went out to the garden. For the past several weeks, the garden has lost its charm. The sprinkler system along with the rain drowned the impatiens. Many of the beds are looking sad. But today the crisper air and quiet in the neighbourhood beckoned me to my backyard paradise. I cleared away some dead annuals and small accumulation of autumn leaves. 

Oh, it does my heart good to be out there. Always. It works for me.

I practiced my yoga. It has been far too long since I practiced regularly. I started this afternoon by heating my room. Then I found some lovely choral music that would play longer than forty-five minutes without a CD change. I did one set of the Bikram magical twenty-six. 

It is magic. Something happens when I do Bikram yoga. A shift. To the good side.

I watched a great movie. As new subscribers to Netflix, we have enjoyed watching many films this summer. Most were good and some were great. Tonight was a great one. Hugo is a delightful tale about dreams and courage. As added bonuses, the movie has a happy ending and a wonderful final piece of music.

It was an easy film to watch. Great acting and a good story. It set my heart right. 

I am off to bed settled and happy. All feels right with the world. It is so great when you find the right formula!

Settling In

It has been just over three weeks now since "the little one" arrived at our house. Fancy Pants a.k.a. Tuxedo has made himself quite at home and to say that we put out the welcoming blanket....well, that would be an understatement.

Oh, the joys of having a puppy in the house again! It has been such fun to get puppy licks, even though Tux's licking is so enthusiastic that it is hard to breathe! And the shenanigans that go on between Tux and his half-sister, Emma is non-stop.

Tux wants to do everything that Emma does and today was a big day. He made the leap up to the raised bed in the backyard where the squirrels and chipmunks hang out and collect their peanuts. No more safe territory for Emma, away from Tux's constant harassment. 

Emma & Tux on watch for the critters

I celebrated Tux's gymnastic achievement and his third weekend with us by creating some special labels for their crates: the pink label for the Princess Emma-lotta-Trouble and the slick black & white themed one for Mr. Fancy Pants, Tuxedo. 

Decorated Dog Dens

What a pair! It is amazing how quickly these dogs steal your heart. In less than a month, we are absolutely smitten with not one, but two lovable Lhasas.

Pickle Day

Today was the perfect day for pickle-making. It was one of the first days of cool weather. It was cloudy and the wind was blowing. The sound of the leaves dancing on the trees and the sunlight leaving shadows on the ground was very Fall-ish.

I have fond memories of these kinds of canning days...the windows steamed from the boiling water in the canner and the smell of dill, cucumbers and vinegar in the air. I usually turn on some music and sing while I am in the kitchen. And then after the long day of standing and hauling yet more supplies up from the basement, I collapse into bed, dead tired but so satisfied with the line-up of jars on the kitchen counter. As I fall asleep, I can hear the final few lids popping and I hope for 100% success in the jars being sealed. I dream about biting into that first crunchy dill.

Gallagher's Market on Highway 20 in Pelham

The canning process began this morning with the purchase of baskets of cucumbers, fresh garlic, onions, dill, vinegar and coarse salt. This year, I went to Gallagher's in Pelham and was delighted to find a good supply of small cucumbers at a decent price: $25 per half bushel. I willingly paid for the small cuces. They are so much easier to pack into jars and the small ones ensure that each jar is packed to capacity. While at Gallagher's, I met a fellow canner, Norma, and we began to talk prices and sizes and recipes. We traded email addresses and kept each other posted during the day. Norma cooks her jars in the oven, a technique that I had never heard. Oh my, it is great to meet kindred kitchen spirits. We could have talked for hours while at the store but I was anxious to get home to get started.

I bought two of the baskets on the floor along the right side

Thanks to my late mother-in-law, Madeleine, I make the best pickles across the land, if I do say so myself! The secret recipe was handed down many years ago and I have never strayed from the formula. The only time that I have had any difficulties is when I somehow messed up the salt/vinegar/water proportions in the brine or kept the jars in the water bath too long. This year, I was very careful.

I wanted these to be perfect. We are almost out of our supply, so this was a much needed day of putting-away. Last year, I missed the 'window' of cucumber supply, so I promised myself that this would be the year and that I would not leave it too late. The 2010 jars are getting a little tired and we have been rationing them so that they would last until now.

2010 Pickle-making: I had help from our new Lhasa pup, Emma

I was very organized this year, getting the kitchen clean, the jars and lids ready, the water boiling, the recipe reviewed, and the onion and garlic cut up all before the canning process began. Auntie helped and we had a great time chatting and washing cucumbers together. What a great help she was. At 86, she is doing so well and loves the local produce. So this putting-away was right up her alley. With her help, I finished canning the bushel. The result was 39 jars, packed full as you can see!

2012 Pickle-making: Thirty-nine jars of Heather's Famous Dill Pickles

"To every thing there is a season." And this is canning season, no doubt. It felt so good to enjoy this autumnal ritual and to stock my pantry once again with the produce of Niagara. Thank you Auntie, Madeleine, Norma, Gallagher's and Niagara!

Full Snowy Days

Some thoughts on this wonderful day:

Emma decked out in her Cone of Shame

Emma is wearing the Cone of Shame after the surgery to fix her cherry eye. It is not slowing her down one bit.

Three of the sisters: (from left to right) Emma, Pepsi, and Meme

I attended my first Handling Class with Emma in Milton with Sandra (breeder of Emma) and Emma's two sisters, Pepsi and Meme. Emma was a natural in the ring and an instant star. I was so inspired to see her prance about, as if she owned the ring. 

We were sure that Pepsi (the middle one in the photo) was going to be great in the ring. But as Sandra was coaxing Pepsi around the ring, tail down, obviously uncomfortable, Meme was observing from her crate and barking non-stop as if to let us know that she wanted to be given the chance. And sure enough, shy little Meme outperformed Pepsi. The instant she set foot in the ring, her head and tail went up and she strut her stuff. It was amazing to see! Despite the snow storm and accompanying slippery roads on the way home from Milton, seeing these wonderful dogs learn the Show routine was worth it.

My first homemade card...well, first in a long time

I designed my first card, inspired by a woman named Dawn on the web. This first is for my Dad. I was up until 3. So much scrapbooking inspiration….so little time!

2010 Christmas Tree

It is the end of Christmas and our beautiful tree is put to bed until next year.

Quilters With Big Hearts

The Quilters from Albright Manor in Beamsville hosted a luncheon today at the Friendship Centre. This group of women create beautiful quilts to give to those in need in our community. Many have been given to cancer patients and last week, five were given to the new patients at McNally House. Each quilt is created with love and before it is given, the women gather to say a prayer for the recipient. One member of the group spoke about the fact that she knew nothing about quilting when she joined the group. Now she is one of their most prolific quilters.

It was an honour to be among these women with big hearts. I hope that they raised a lot of money from today's lunch and that they can continue to cover our community with the special kind of warmth from their beautiful quilts.

In the photo, from left to right sitting are: Kathy Kirby-Smith, Bev Rennie, Margaret Oliver and standing are: Clare Minarcik, Heather Carter and Carol Holmes.

Great Day Planning in NWG

I have had the great privilege of working with some fabulous women. These are some of the best. They are interested and interesting. Today, they, along with one male supporter, took the time - on a Saturday morning in Spring - to talk about campaign strategy. Our facilitator, Lynne Steele, did a great job of balancing our talk about policy and ideas with our plans for winning the next election. How lucky I am to work with such interesting, committed and talented people!

Taking Time for Inspiration

Larry Bitner and I meet regularly for coffee. We worked together for years at Niagara College Business Development Centre. I have fond memories of our work together on various projects. There are some people that you just click with. Larry is one of those people for me.

We're both Certified Business Counsellors and through the years we have discussed and counselled thousands of entrepreneurs. Larry continues to provide guidance to businesses in the Niagara region and lucky are those entrepreneurs who have Larry as their Business Coach. With years of experience in advertising, marketing, sales, coaching (sports and business), teaching, curriculum development, speaking and writing, Larry is a real find for any business owner.

Although we have parted professional ways, we always find so much to talk about. And I am always fascinated with Larry's newest ideas and successes. Lately when we meet we talk about his famous Blog. On October 18, 2007 Larry's website won the 2007 eNiagara WebAward in the category of “Best Blog." It is an amazing, creative, inspiring piece of work...quite typical of Larry! Check it out at www.larrybitner.com. You'll find lots on it to inspire you and apply to your life, whether you have a business or are aiming to be the best in whatever you do.

Coming In From The Cold

What a weekend! Most of eastern Ontario received a weather wallop that started Friday afternoon and ended Sunday morning. In Hamilton/Niagara, there was a quite a mix of conditions – high winds, blowing and drifting snow, thunder, lightning, freezing rain and up to 50 centimetres of the white stuff. And that was on top of the freezing rain mix that fell on Thursday.

My husband and I spent Friday night and Saturday digging out. Rather than tempting fate, I decided to forego all of the pre-planned events (including some celebrating International Women’s Day), heed the weather alerts and stay home, safe and warm in my Fonthill home. I decided to do some old-fashioned shovelling to get some exercise and break the monotony of being housebound for most of the weekend.

Each time that I would come inside after another session of shovelling, my coat was covered in snow and I found myself chilled to the bone. However, it didn’t take long to warm up. Home-made chilli, muffins, tea, a warm bath and a fire took the edge off the chill in a hurry. I felt so fortunate to be dry, safe and warm and in a home that I can count on to shield me from the elements.

As I comforted myself in the shelter and warmth of my home, I couldn’t help but think about those less fortunate. Looking out on the snow and hearing the thunder and wind starting to howl, I wondered what it would be like to be out there, stranded. It’s hard for me to imagine.

Homelessness is more prevalent than we wish to think about. And if you live in a suburb or in a rural area, you are not hit with the realities often. You don’t typically see the homeless like you do if you live in a city.

The statistics are disturbing and it hasn’t taken long to figure out that the homeless are not a priority in the Harper government.

• A few months ago, the Conservative candidate in Toronto Centre, Mark Warner, was turfed by Harper because he dared list homelessness as part of his campaign platform.
  
• Approximately 200,000 Canadians are homeless, lacking a fundamental human right according to Article 25(1) of the United Nations Declaration of Human Rights.
• In February 2008 the Federal Minister responsible for Housing failed to show up at the first national housing summit with Provincial and Territorial Housing Ministers. It’s the first time in a decade the federal Minster has boycotted a national meeting. This snub was despite the fact there is a growing crisis in affordable housing and homelessness in Canada.
• There is speculation that the Conservatives may privatize CMHC. The word is that this federal agency that plays a valuable role in providing affordable housing to Canadians would be transformed into an organization that benefits only a select few.
• Canada is the only major industrialized country without a National Housing Strategy.

It’s not easy for me to imagine what it is like to be homeless, but I do have some experience working with the unfortunate and underprivileged. It is a matter of circumstance that people find themselves in situations that we can’t imagine. And for some of us, at some point during our lifetime, we will find ourselves in need and welcoming the hand of a stranger. If it weren’t for a number of our community organizations like Glanbrook/Stoney Creek/Caledonia and District Community Food Banks, Hamilton Food Share, Good Shepherd Centre, The Salvation Army, Mission Services of Hamilton, Neighbour to Neighbour, St. Matthews’s House, The Living Rock, Wesley Urban Ministries, Welcome Inn, Community Care of West Niagara, Grimsby Benevolent Fund, West Niagara Second Stage Housing, Pelham Cares, The Hope Centre, St. Kevin’s Food Bank, Open Arms Mission, Women’s Place and Welland Multicultural and Heritage Centre, (to name a few) many of our less fortunate would go hungry and homeless.

My Mom used to say to me “There, but for the grace of God, go you or I.” This weekend was a time for me to count my blessings, reflect on my good fortune and the values that I hold most dear. My Canada provides for all Canadians, regardless of socioeconomic or cultural backgrounds. My Canada provides the opportunity for all Canadians to live in warm, safe homes that provide for happier, healthier and safer lives. And my Canada provides the opportunity for every Canadian to have a roof over their heads because it is a fundamental right and one that Canadians deserve.

Body Image is Not Black and White

I met artist Cheryl-Ann Webster tonight at the opening of the Beautiful Women Project at the Downtown Art Centre in Hamilton. The exhibit, displaying the clay torsos of 120 real women, aged nineteen to ninety-one, is incredible. Each torso is a piece of art, reflecting the uniqueness of each woman. Accompanying each torso is a story about the woman with wonderful bits of wisdom and insight. "Our bodies tell our life story. They are portraits of our journeys and experiences. Knowing that our body is beautiful just as it exists is a message more people need to see and hear." says Cheryl Ann.

The Project is a teaching and healing tool for everyone and is designed to raise awareness about the link between self-worth, self-identity and physical appearance.

The show is presented by the YWCA Hamilton and runs until April 19th. What a great way to kick off International Women's Week!

Canvassing in Toronto Centre

We went into Toronto Centre to help Bob Rae today. It was a great day, starting at St. Lawrence Market and ending at a home in CabbageTown with CPAC in tow. From the numbers at the rally this afternoon at Campaign Headquarters, Bob should take this one easily. It was a pleasure to learn from a pro like Bob today. He has wonderful people skills and handles questions as only someone with his 30 years experience can do. It will be great to have him in the House of Commons after his ByElection win on March 17th.

Getting Smart on Crime

During the recent visit of the Hon. Marlene Jennings, Justice Critic, I listened to the views of community members, those employed in organizations working with youth, and experts – those who study youth justice matters at our colleges and universities. During three roundtables held in the three corners of this riding which attracted over 120 participants, a great discussion ensued focussing on the root causes of crime, funding for youth programs, and proposed changes to the Youth Criminal Justice Act.

So, it was with great interest that I read about MP Dean Allison’s announcement about the Conservative Government’s funding of some youth based crime prevention initiatives here in Niagara. I completely support the announcement to fund the Youth Options for Success initiative for four years, particularly in light of the fact that Mr. Allison’s party is usually reticent to support long-term support of crime prevention programs. Only 8 of 27 applications for funding for youth crime prevention programs between January 2006 and September 2007 were funded for more than 12 months. This is no way to help our troubled youth in our communities and it is great to see that Mr. Allison has chosen to make Niagara an exception to the Conservative short-term funding rule.

It is troubling, however to read of Allison’s call for the government to “follow through with our promise to look at changes to the Youth Criminal Justice Act.” When Minister Nicholson tabled Bill C-25 last fall, he cited a recent Royal Commission by Justice Merlin Nunn. Justice Nunn says “The Youth Criminal Justice Act is legislation that provides an intelligent, modern, and advanced approach to dealing with youths involved in criminal activities. Canada is now far ahead of other countries in its treatment of youth in conflict with the law.” Unfortunately, Mr. Allison and the Conservatives seem to ignore this assessment when they condemn the Act for being “too soft” on youth.

The Nunn report calls for changes to the Youth Criminal Justice Act in the areas of pre-trial detention and sentencing principles. Justice Nunn called for more ability to detain young offenders awaiting trial in order to prevent committal of further offences and to allow judges more discretion in sentencing by considering what is in the interest of public protection. These are measures that the Liberal Party supports. He does not, however, endorse the very tired Conservative language about getting “tough on crime” nor the principles of denunciation and deterrence being proposed. He refers specifically to this line of thinking in his report: “Many critics believe that jail is the answer: there they’ll learn the error of their ways. These critics pay little attention to contrary evidence, nor do they understand that with young persons, jail for the terms they recommend does not correct or rehabilitate, but rather often turns out a person whose behaviour is much worse than it was.”

Funding youth programs like the Youth Options for Success on a long-term basis is the right thing to do. I wonder if Mr. Allison has read the Nunn Report, or has considered some of the deeper causes of crime – poverty, lack of housing and viable alternatives – that his government so blatantly ignores when it comes to getting smart on crime.

The Power of a Few

On Friday, the Mayor of Pelham announced that the controversial berm in Fenwick will be removed. A group of concerned citizens has been tireless in their efforts to get this result. Their success is a testament to the power of a few and the importance of citizen engagement to our democracy.

The group organized as the truckloads of paper fibre biosolids (PFBs) and mineral soil began unloading on a Church Street site in the Spring of 2006. They began meeting and talking. They started monitoring the situation by taking photographs and tracking the number of trucks dumping the material on the site. They began sending letters to the Ministry of Environment. They requested meetings with all levels of government. Most importantly, the group exercised a stance that is critical to this kind of grassroots activism: they were open to meeting with anyone from any organization or political stripe.

I toured the berm and asked if I could help by involving the expertise of environmental consultants and university professors, Dr. Mohammed Dore, Dr. Andrew Laursen, Dr. Lynda McCarthy, and Dr. Sophia Dore. We met with the citizens group in an open meeting in Fenwick on February 1, 2007. After the meeting, the four scientists guided the group in the requests for testing and finally, in the compilation of a comprehensive report that was sent to all parties involved.

The ups and downs of the group were many. After two years and a fight that never stopped, the group was successful in getting their message across. According to the Press Release issued January 25, the berm will begin dismantling as early as this week.

I wish to extend my greatest congratulations to Carolyn Botari who championed the cause. My thanks to the group of scientists who led the group through the process and provided technical expertise and guidance. Thanks to the Town Council and Mayor of Pelham, Dave Augustyn, the Mayor of Thorold, Henry D’Angelo, Abitibi Consolidated, Greenland Greenhouses Inc. and the Ministry of the Environment. Most importantly, thank you to all the citizens who took part in this grassroots movement. You are proof positive that your voice matters.

It was a privilege for me to work with this group of engaged citizens prepared to fight to the end for a cause in which they believed. "Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful, committed citizens can change the world; indeed, it;s the only thing that ever does." (Margaret Mead, anthropologist)

Understanding the Early Years in Niagara

A breakfast forum was hosted by the Early Childhood Community Development Centre this morning in St. Catharines. Data was presented on the results of a survey of neighbourhoods in the Niagara Region. An instrument called the Early Development Instrument was developed to measure 'readiness to learn in school' and the results are based on an overall sample size of 3,014. Glory Ressler, Coordinator, Understanding the Early Years Niagara Region, and Tiffany Gartner, Data Analysis Coordinator, Ontario Early Years Niagara Region reviewed some fascinating results of the survey. The following conclusions were reviewed.

• almost 1 in 4 Niagara children are not ready for learning
• poor scores impact future success and, eventually, community health and prosperity
  
• larger percentages of children living in poverty are vulnerable
• the largest number of children at risk live in middle/upper income families
• small changes for a large proportion of the population will have the most impact
• neighbourhood makes a difference - not always in a predictable manner
• access to resources also seems important
• low scores, differences and surprises can inspire further study and action.

As with all good studies we have completed in Niagara, what counts now is what we do with the information. It's time for our individual communities to learn more about the local information and then decide how to work together to ensure that every child has the opportunity to develop his/her full potential. As Thomas D'Aquino, President of the Canadian Council of Chief Executives said "If Canada is to succeed in forging a creative economy, we cannot afford to waste the talents of a single Canadian."

In the photo from left to right: Heather Carter, Aaron Bell, Ojibway Storyteller, Glory Ressler, Coordinator, Understanding the Early Years Niagara Region and Dr. Robin Williams, Medical Officer of Health and Commissioner of Public Health.

Hon. Carolyn Bennett Celebrates 10 Years

The Hon. Carolyn Bennett celebrated her 10th Anniversary of being the Member of Parliament for St. Paul's riding in Toronto. Paying special tribute to Carolyn at was former MP of the riding Barry Campbell, Bob Rae, Candidate for Toronto Centre, Irwin Cotler, MP for Mount Royal, Ken Dryden, MP for York Centre and Sue Barnes, MP for London West. Carolyn is my mentor and I am so lucky! Everyone spoke about her enthusiasm, adherence to principled leadership, and promotion of building the party from the grassroots and democracy between elections.

NWG Women's Group Off to a Great Start

The first inaugural meeting of the NWG Women's Group took place today at The Gables in Grimsby. About forty women from all walks of life came together to discuss the possibility of becoming a Club registered with the Liberal Party's Women Commission. In the photo from left to right: Katherine Medcalf, Rhonda Michalovicz, Linda Henry, Britt Traynor, Heather Carter, Alison Grewal, Helen Wilson, VP Women's Commission, Elizabeth Elliott, and Selvum Pillay, VP Laurier Liberal Ladies. Lynne Steele, former Riding President of York-Simcoe is in the front row.

Walt Addresses Laurier Liberal Ladies

Walt Lastewka, MP from 1993 to 2006 and Federal Candidate for St. Catharines addressed the Laurier Liberal Ladies today. Walt delivered a fabulous speech to the group of about seventy at the Howard Johnson Hotel at noon. In the photo from left to right: Joyce Morocco, Niagara Falls, Walt Lastewka, Heather Carter and Lina Seniuk, President, Laurier Liberal Ladies.

Taking the Lead on Poverty Reduction

Today, I attended a great event at the Learning Enrichment Foundation Centre in Toronto. Our leader Stephane Dion took a courageous step in announcing an ambitious poverty strategy. What gives weight to the announcement is the targets set. Under liberal leadership during the next five years, there will be a reduction in the number of Canadians living in poverty by thirty percent and the number of children by fifty percent. Currently, 3.4 million Canadians live in poverty of which 788,000 are children.

The plan calls for the use of a broad range of public policy instruments to ensure the targets are met including changes to the Working Income Tax Benefit, the Canada Child Tax Benefit, and the Guaranteed Income Supplement.

This poverty reduction plan affirms the liberal progressive strategy for Canada and gives Canadians a clear alternative to the uninspired and regressive policies of Harper and the conservatives.

I will never forget the debate I was in during the last election at Saltfleet High School in Stoney Creek. Someone asked what I was going to do about poverty, given Hamilton's high poverty rate. I remember being shocked when the woman told the audience and candidates about the number of children, particularly, that were living in poverty in Hamilton. I decided that I better learn as much as I could about poverty and that this was an issue of national importance.

Today Dion called on the staff and board members of the LEF and all Canadians to hold his feet to the fire, indicating that unless one aims high, accomplishments are few. This was a welcome announcement - a big and bold plan at a time when Canadians are hungry for a grander vision. I am so proud.

Fundraising Training in Niagara

Adam Smith, Senior Manager of Grassroots Fundraising for the Liberal Party of Canada spent the day with a number of dedicated liberals from Niagara. Adam travelled from Ottawa yesterday and spent some extra time with our group from Niagara West-Glanbrook discussing fundraising ideas. What a valuable session it was! As you can see from the photo, we enjoy each other's company. From left to right: John Caron, Pat Butcher, Heather Carter, Adam Smith, Bill McFarland and Shirley Decaire.

Is Dean Listening?

Dean Allison, MP for Niagara West-Glanbrook is in Ottawa now, confident that he has a good understanding of the concerns of constituents in the riding. In a recent MP Report from Dean, he indicates during the summer months, he consulted with constituents and the three re-occurring themes were Afghanistan, justice and taxes.

During the same summer period, The Strategic Council* conducted a national survey. Canadians were asked “What is the most important issue facing Canada today – that is the one that you are most concerned about?” The results are interesting and, with the exception of the Afghanistan issue, highlight a different list of priorities. The biggest concern - at 23% of the respondents – was the environment, followed by healthcare at 16%, and terrorism (which includes all mentions of Afghanistan,) at 10%. The issue of taxes was way down the list – at 3% and crime/violence at 2%.

Like Dean, during September I manned a booth at the Smithville, Lincoln and Binbrook Fairs. We conducted a poll of attendees, asking them the question “What is the most important issue facing Canadians?” Our list was extensive with a total of 12 items; respondents were given one vote only and the opportunity for to write down other issues that did not appear on the list. The three priorities across all the Fairs were consistent. The number one issue was very clear: healthcare. The second priority was the environment, followed by education as the third issue. At the Smithville Fair, priorities number two and three switched places, with voters rating education slightly higher than the environment. It should be noted that the provincial issue of faith-based education funding was on people’s minds at the time and many individuals checked off “education” because they were either for or against funding of faith-based education. However, many individuals indicated that it was the cost of post-secondary education that was of concern when they chose the education issue as the most important issue.

If we are to take out the education choice because of the confusion over the faith-based funding issue, a provincial matter, we then look at the fourth issues down the list. At the Smithville Fair, the issue of taxes was a distant four at 5%. At Lincoln and Binbrook, crime came in fourth at only 8%. (In comparison, healthcare represented 45% and the environment 23% of the top five priorities.)

So what are we to make of the findings? First of all, there is a great amount of consistency between the national survey and the very informal survey done at our booths for the two top priorities. Healthcare and the environment share number one and two positions. Canadians and residents of Niagara West-Glanbrook are concerned about the state of our health care system and climate changes that are affecting our environment.

The results beg the question: Why didn’t Dean Allison identify the same top two issues during his consultation with constituents this summer? Did the issues not come up? When a constituent raised the issue of the healthcare crisis that we are facing, did he merely pass the buck to the province? What about the environment? Surely, Dean is receiving feedback that it is time for the government to act on the impending crisis and the climate changes we are witnessing.

The overriding characteristic of this government is its bulldozing ahead with its own agenda. And we have seen that Harper will stop at nothing to ensure that his minority government’s own priorities are given importance with little or no consultation with the other parties. During the last 18 months, MPs have been muzzled, parliamentary committees have been shut down by the Conservative Committee Chairs, and a Playbook manual has been distributed to all Conservatives outlining the ways to disrupt committee proceedings. Important priorities like the health of our citizens and the commitment to our environment are being ignored. I hope that you join me in urging Dean Allison, our representative of priorities in Niagara West-Glanbrook, to not fall prey to a narrow agenda that does not reflect the concerns of our residents. Although 36% of Canadians voted for the Conservatives during the last election, 100% of the people living in the communities across the riding expect that, in the democracy that we enjoy in Canada, Dean will listen to every voter’s concerns.

*The Strategic Counsel survey that tracks the concerns of Canadians from May 2005 to July 2007 can be found at http://www.thestrategiccounsel.com/our_news/polls/2007-07-16%20GMCTV%20July%2012-15.pdf