Spring is in the air! It’s been a busy five months for Liberals across Canada – we have a new Premier in Ontario, a new federal leader, and our neighbours on the west coast are fighting the good fight in a general election. What an exciting time to be a Liberal – you can feel the excitement and energy growing in the party from coast to coast to coast as we begin this new chapter.
Plus Parkdale—High Park Liberals played a prominent role in Continue reading
President Karin McNair (left) with Award Winner Veronica Wynne (centre) and Ruth Franks (right)
During National Volunteer Week in Canada (April 21-27) we celebrated and recognized volunteers who continue to support our riding association’s goals.
As part of our recognition, Veronica Wynne was presented with the Ruth Franks Award of Volunteer Excellence for the most outstanding volunteer in our riding over the past year by PHP Riding President Karin McNair and Ruth Franks.
If you show up for a PHP riding event, Veronica is either running it or out in front with her apron and hat! As the riding associations Vice President for Policy Action and Co-chair of the Policy Action committee, she has led initiatives including The Mental Health Stigma Free Zone committee, which hosted a Movie Matinee on Mental Health in August 2012 and filled the Revue Cinema.
“When you volunteer, if you want to make a difference, you can make sure your voice gets heard. You can’t complain if you are sitting on the sidelines.”
Wynne says she likes the Liberal Party because Continue reading
April 8th marked the 42nd International Roma Day, an event observed in cities and countries across the world. Here in Toronto, the Roma Community Centre coordinated a day of celebration that included a free screening of Gypsy Caravan at the Revue Cinema in Roncesvalles. Organizers were pleased with the celebration, noting that there wasn’t an empty seat in the theatre.
“It was absolutely incredible to have such a display of meaningful support from our broader Canadian community,” said Roma Community Centre Executive Director Gina Csanyi-Robah. “This has been a truly amazing year for us as a Canadian Roma community, and we have so much to be thankful for.” Continue reading
Congrats to the 5,000 participants who laced up for Harry’s Spring Run-off in support of prostate cancer research and the Princess Margaret Cancer Foundation. High Park delivered a stunningly crisp and sunny Saturday, helping runners and walkers to generate $320 000 for the cause.
Both elite athletes and weekend joggers came together, competing in the 8K, 5K and a children’s race, all part of the 35-year-old event that has become an unofficial harbinger Continue reading
Thurs, Nov 15th • 7-9 pm
Bishop Marrocco / Thomas Merton High School
1515 Bloor Street – across from Dundas West Station
All welcome!
A perfect weather day for this large, popular, regional cultural event.
Donning vibrant traditional garb and liberal tees, Gerard Kennedy and the Parkdale—High Park Liberals Association joined former Etobicoke Centre MP and candidate-in-waiting Borys Wrzesnewskyj for the parade on Bloor West, to kickoff the annual celebration of the rich Ukrainian-Canadian culture.
“Ukrainian-Canadians have been an intrinsic presence within this great city for over 110 years. Their steadfast commitment to values of hard work and community support speaks to their vital importance,” said Gerard Kennedy, both a former parade marshall and awarded as a person of Ukrainian-Canadian heritage of distinction by the community.
Started in 1995, the festival has attracted thousands of local residents and tourists of all backgrounds.
To receive invites to join our team at similar future events, please join our email list-serv here. For the full photo album from the event, please visit our Facebook page here.
Where: Loyola Arrupe, on Bloor near Keele Station
When: 10am
All are welcome!
Coming together to support the Daily Bread Food Bank
Gerard Kennedy joined ”Give30” organizer and former FLA members Ziyaad Mia, numerous volunteers and many others for a special event in support of the Daily Bread Food Bank. Held on a bright Sunday afternoon in Brampton’s beautiful Hickory Wood Public School Park, the gathering added to the success of a summer fundraising campaign, which invited people of all faiths to contribute $1 a day throughout the holy month of Ramadan.
“Too many of our friends and neighbours are going without enough to eat, despite their best efforts. Give 30 during Ramadan is an extension of Muslim tradition that everyone can take part in, and make our whole community stronger,” said Kennedy. “Give 30’s goal of $30,000 is particularly welcome in the summer, when the ability of food banks to support Toronto’s hungry is usually reduced due to depleted resources.”
The campaign raised over $27,000.
Russians around the world are following this civil liberties story
It’s not every day that the tribulations of a punk rock band make international headlines, but over the past few weeks, the battle between all-girl punk band Pussy Riot and the Russian government has been capturing the attention of people worldwide.
The three Pussy Riot members — Maria Alekhina, Yekaterina Samutsevich, and Nadezhda Tolokonnikova — were arrested and sentenced to two years in prison after staging a “punk prayer” that lambasted Vladimir Putin and the Russian Orthodox Church inside a well-known Moscow cathedral.
The punk group’s brazen actions have attracted the support of people and organizations worldwide. Organizations such as Amnesty International have begun their own crusade in support of Pussy Riot. According to a CBC report, “Amnesty called the verdict ‘a bitter blow for freedom of expression’ in Russia, adding that it believes the decision was politically motivated.”
The story took another turn when it was reported on August 26th that two other members of the group fled Russia to evade charges and a probable prison sentence similar to that of their bandmates. That same day, Pussy Riot tweeted that their unidentified bandmates had fled Russia and were planning to recruit foreign feminists to continue protesting.
As the Pussy Riot story develops, groups from around the world — including Parkdale–High Park’s Russian community — continue to watch closely.
Date & time: Thursday, September 20 at 7 pm
Location: Loyola Arrupe Centre for Seniors at Bloor and Keele
All are welcome!