GVAT Newsletter - Translating politicians’ promises into action on affordable housing and climate justice
With new municipal councils, and a new Capital Region District (CRD) board, GVAT has a lot of work to do. During the municipal election, the mayors of Victoria, Saanich, Esquimalt and Oak Bay agreed to implement GVAT’s Homes for All Platform. And before that, GVAT got key climate justice policies passed at Victoria City Council and the CRD that have still not been implemented. Now we are ramping up the work of translating promises and policy into real action, which includes getting our issues into the media through op-eds and letters to the editor.
Highlights:
Op-ed in Times Colonist, and other Homes for All updates
Op-ed and Letter to Editor by GVAT’s Climate Justice Team
United We Stand Forestry Rally Saturday Feb. 25
Organisational development workshop guides GVAT’s steps forward
Profiles: Meet Monika Bhardwaj, one of our most recent Climate ART recruits
Ideas for what to do with this newsletter! Spreading the word!
Affordable Housing
On November 14 the Times Colonist published an opinion article (op-ed) by Nicole Chaland and Lynn Beak about GVAT’s Homes For All Assembly and campaign. This op-ed Mayors in the core municipalities pledge action on housing: A commentary on behalf the Greater Victoria Acting Together Homes for All Campaign is part of our strategy to translate election promises into concrete action.
Another key part of our campaign strategy is to meet with the mayors, and supportive council members. Affordable Housing team members are already arranging these meetings, and attended the inaugural council meetings in Victoria, Saanich and Esquimalt.
You can read more about GVAT’s Homes For All assembly in our last newsletter. Almost 400 representatives of GVAT member and aligned organizations, and supporters of our housing vision, joined us on October 2nd. You can watch the full event here, and a 5 minute highlight video here, and see how this is different from all candidates meetings. We do most of the talking, and in this case all the candidates agreed to our platform.
What is next?
Climate Justice
In November, the Climate ART got an op-ed published in Focus on Victoria, and got a shorter version published as a letter to the editor in the Saanich News, Victoria News, and Goldstream News (West Shore).
Climate co-lead, Eric Doherty, worked with allied groups during the municipal election campaign to achieve a strong commitment by a number of municipal candidates on GVAT’s transportation priorities of reducing car traffic, welcoming people who use wheelchairs and mobility scooters to use All Ages and Abilities bike and roll routes and making transit more affordable. We are well positioned to push our mayors and councillors to move from promises and policy to real action.
Eric also provided technical advice for Amnesty International Canada’s comic on climate justice and transportation Stop Paving Over Our Rights, which focuses on shifting funding from highway expansion to public transit, walking, rolling and cycling (one of GVAT’s campaign priorities).
The Climate ART recently met with George Heyman, BC Minister of Environment and Climate Change Strategy to discuss these transportation issues, as well as GVAT’s other Climate Justice priorities.
Save the Date: All GVAT members are wanted on Saturday February 25th to participate in the United We Stand forestry march and rally. We will carry our new GVAT banner as well as the GVAT member org banners made for the Homes for All Assembly. Forestry practices in BC, such as logging at-risk old growth and clearcutting, are still routinely destroying forests that are globally important to slowing climate change through drawing down carbon from the atmosphere and storing it in trees and soil. These same forests clean our air and water, regulate water cycle, moderate local weather, protect us from many climate change effects (extreme temperatures, droughts, floods, landslides, wildfires), support biodiversity and build healthy soil upon which our food supply depends. Tell others in your member organization about this important opportunity to let our new Premier know the size of public support for better forestry practices and have fun with fellow GVAT’ers at the same time. (Look at how much fun these people are having advertising the rally. GVAT Climate ARTist, Amalia Schelhorn is the real life artist who choreographed this dance and trained the dancers.) The United We Stand Declaration clearly supports UNDRIP and support for forestry communities as they transition to sustainable forestry practices and diversified green economies.
Mental Health and Addictions
Premier David Eby announced that twelve Peer Assisted Crisis Teams (PACTs) will be created across the province, which seems like good news for getting permanent funding for Victoria’s new Peer Assisted Crisis Team. Victoria’s PACT only has funding for one year, and the start of operations has been delayed multiple times. GVAT will keep working to ensure Victoria’s PACT receives adequate permanent funding.
Organisational Development Workshop
On Sunday November 6, our organisational and team development consultant Sonia Theroux led a half day workshop which included over twenty people from across the organisation. Sonia will be developing a report that is intended to be a living document, as opposed to just a summary of findings. Drawing from engagement work including this event, the report will help us become more effective, efficient and equitable. It will also include recommendations for future trainings and workshops.
Profile: Monika Bhardwaj, Climate ART member
What keeps you awake at night or is of special concern to you these days?
I am one of the founders and Chief Curator of Global Shapers Club which is a World Economic Forum Initiative and this is the project which is keeping me engaged. The goal of this initiative is to bring change using grassroots initiatives by the young people of the nation.
What gives you hope or gets you up in the morning?
The inner zeal to be the best in anything and everything I do. The early morning sun is my biggest source of inspiration because no matter how dark was the night or how fierce are the clouds, it always rises up and spreads the joy and warmth in every creature’s life!
What is one possibility you see in a future built on the success of GVAT and other groups working for the common good?
I am confident that the nation will be able to realize sustainability development goals due to the commitment and dedication of the members of GVAT.
Tell us about a hobby or interest you have.
I am a voracious reader and a curious soul who loves to dig deep about who we are, where we come from and where we are going!
What motivates you to leadership in GVAT?
As I mentioned, my intrinsic motivation to do good wherever I am has made me join this incredible platform which provides opportunity to every individual to make the world a better place!
What is one favourite action you have taken as a result of being involved with GVAT?
The favourite action has been to work on a few proposals related to climate change, Forestry management among others!
Any special thoughts to share with other newsletter readers?
My only thought is Just Be and don’t try to become what the new world, especially social media, is tempting mankind to become. The world can survive without billionaires but can’t survive without farmers! Find the cause that you are passionate about and just be that force which can bring the change!
GVAT has just established more power and a higher profile. Now is a great time to join us:
https://www.gvat.ca/get-involved
Spread the word!
Civil society has power if we are many working together for the common good. If you belong to a GVAT member group, why not include highlights and a link to our newsletters in your organisation’s newsletter?
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GVAT External Communications Team - Eric Doherty, Patricia Lane, Amalia Schelhorn, Jane Welton & Peggy Wilmot
We recognize GVAT conducts its business on the lands of First Nations across this region: Lək̓ʷəŋən (Songhees) and Xwsepsum (Esquimalt) Nations in the core area, the W̱SÁNEĆ Nations {W̱JOȽEȽP (Tsartlip), BOḰEĆEN (Pauquachin), SȾÁUTW̱,(Tsawout) and W̱SIKEM (Tseycum)} on the Saanich Peninsula and Gulf Islands, Sc'ianew (Beecher Bay), T’Sou-ke, and Pacheedaht in the west , and MÁLEXEȽ (Malahat) in the north.
