November 9, 2022

Politicization of Wind Energy in Rural Canada 🌎

November 09, 2022

Clearing a New Path™ and Clearing a New Path Podcast™ are products of Radar Media, located in Dorchester, Ontario on the traditional territory of the Anishinaabe, Haudenosaunee and Neutral peoples who once used this land as their traditional beaver hunting grounds.  As a settler here I’m committed to deepening understanding of Indigenous communities and reframing responsibilities to land and community. I am grateful to Mother Earth for the opportunity for love and connection and to the spirits of the Elders and the Medicine People who still walk the Earth.

NOVEMBER 9, 2022

I come to this work as a white woman of privilege; a vulnerable allyship student.I get things wrong often and I am open to, and welcome opportunities to be called in about the content in this newsletter, in order to create safe, brave spaces for all. The purpose is to unite people in rural Canada.I am grateful to walk along this journey in grace, love and empathy together.Simply hit 'reply' to contribute, suggest and

Please support our work. We can't do this without the support of rural folks like you.

POLITICIZING WIND ENERGY IN RURAL CANADA

Today's episode came from an email from a newsletter subscriber, Ruby. She expressed concern about a wind turbine project planned in Eastern Ontario, in the area where Ruby and her husband plan to retire. She sent me a noise assessment and some other resources. I was able to connect with

. He’s an

.

He’s a researcher and teacher, studying the social ramifications of low carbon energy transitions, including things like wind turbines, wind farms and solar farm development, all across Canada and the UK.

Chad has experience working with communities building sustainable energy systems that benefit the communities themselves, both financially and environmentally. He talks about his work with this First Nations community in New Brunswick in the episode.

He's also done research on the politicization of wind energy, specifically comparing Ontario and Nova Scotia. One of the most interesting pieces of the interview, at least to me, was Chad's explanation of how wind energy was presented initially to citizens, and which parties were in power when this happened, comparing the two Canadian provinces and how it has influenced opposition and/or acceptance by citizens who supported or opposed those parties at the time, and how the sentiments have lingered.We touch on innovation in wind energy, such as off-shore technology and the cost comparison of various forms of energy sources.

WIND TURBINE OPPOSITION

"Wind Concerns Ontario is a province-wide advocacy organization whose mission is to provide information on the potential impact of industrial-scale wind power generation on the economy, human health, and the natural environment."Their website provides specific directions on how to organize and has presentations, flyers and brochures that grassroots groups can utilize.

"Wind Concerns Ontario is a coalition of individuals and grassroots citizen’s groups from across Ontario. Wind Concerns Ontario is incorporated with Industry Canada and receives no funding other than membership fees and donations. We are a strictly volunteer organization and, save for legal advisors and other consultants, rely on the dedicated work of members of citizen groups throughout Ontario."

Scrolling through the organization's Twitter feed, there are retweets of organizations bashing the Green Party and the NDP for supporting green energy, and supporting nuclear power over wind energy. It doesn't appear to be a non-partisan organization, but feel free to review for yourself.

David Donavon is Chief of Staff to Ontario’s Minister of Energy. This is the rest of his Twitter bio: Canadian & Commonwealth History & Politics Junkie. Energy & Environment nerd. Monarchist. Anglican. LGBT.

Energy, the many sources and resources we utilize in Canada have always been contentious issues, and have become increasingly political. We'll delve into some more of these complex issues in future episodes.

CLEARING A NEW PATH PODCAST REWIND

Season Kirkwood always sticks out as one of my favourite guests and all around interesting human.

Season admits to being a bit of a nomad. They spent much of their adult life, living in different cities and towns, working in different sectors to develop their entrepreneurial passions.They worked for the City of Winnipeg before leaving to pursue land-based recreation entrepreneurial development.

Season shares knowledge of Métis culture and isn't shy speaking about colonization and capitalism and how they feel about the world.

I was struck by their sheer passion for community and inclusiveness. Plus, they're a captivating storyteller.

NOTE: When we first did this interview, Season identified as 'she' but has subsequently asked to be identified with the pronouns they/them

OUR FIRST REPORT: HOW INCLUSIVE ARE CANADA'S CHAMBERS OF COMMERCE?

What if university students graded Canada’s Chambers of Commerce on DEI?It started with a conversation with a Black woman entrepreneur and her experience with her local Chamber of Commerce. She simply asked to see herself represented on the chamber’s website. Her fight for visual representation lasted over 2 years.

Radar Media (the company that produces the podcast and newsletter) pitched a project to Venture for Canada’s Intrapreneurship program. The project looked to create a report card on Canada’s Chambers of Commerce. Venture for Canada connects organizations with projects with students from traditionally underrepresented groups.

Three university students from different parts of Canada, came up with the methodology and have recommendations for the Chambers, Chamber provincial organizations, Chamber member businesses, DEI practitioners and researchers as well as policy makers.

For access to the national report and a full list of chambers and individual grades across the country you can visit our website.

OPEN SUNDAY CIRCLE

This past Sunday I hosted another Rural Open Sunday Circle and the topic was:

What's wrong with health care in rural Canada?

I'm editing it now and it will be available soon.

However, so many folks reached out to me afterwards and wanted to speak about the issue that I will host the topic again this Sunday and I'm changing the time to see if that works better.

RESPECTFUL

Please join if you can!

Join Zoom Meeting (it's the same link every week)

Sunday, November 13, 20226:30 p.m. NT5:00 p.m. AT4:00 p.m. ET 3:00 a.m. CT2:00 p.m. MT1:00 p.m. PT

Can't make it and want to leave us a voice message? Click the link below!

REMEMBRANCE DAY - NOVEMBER 11

LEST WE FORGET

When we'd go to visit my grandmother (my grandfather sadly died when I was 5) we'd always take a trip up to the legion. In many small Canadian towns, this is an important meeting place.

Today, I wondered how the Royal Canadian Legion started. This is from their website:

"When the First World War came to an end, numerous Veterans groups and regimental associations representing former service members were created. Despite their shared goals, efforts were fragmented and unsuccessful.

An appeal for unity led to the formation of the Dominion Veterans Alliance and, in Winnipeg in 1925, the Legion was founded as “The Canadian Legion of the British Empire Service League.” It was incorporated by a special Act of Parliament and the Charter was issued in July 1926. On December 19, 1960, Queen Elizabeth II gave her consent to use the prefix 'Royal', and the organization became known as 'The Royal Canadian Legion." The Act of Incorporation was later amended in 1961 to make the change official."Is the legion the heart of your small town? Tell me about it. Leave me a message below.

Apparently that has changed because the Royal Canadian Legion now has a Poppy Store!

THANK YOU VETERANS FOR YOUR SERVICEWant to help fund original stories focused on rural Canada?Every donation helps!

SUPPORTERS

This newsletter and the Clearing a New Path™ podcast are supported by Xplore Business, formerly Xplornet Enterprise Solutions.