Toronto Environmental Alliance

September 18, 2011
Don Peat
Toronto SUN

It’s a breakfast of champions — just not champions of smaller government.

Before Monday’s marathon executive committee meeting digs into a more than 300-person-long speakers’ list and a laundry list of cuts, OneToronto is organizing a “Champions of Toronto” breakfast.

The breakfast will be served up from 7:30 a.m. to 9 a.m. at Holy Trinity Church in downtown Toronto.

According to its website, OneToronto is a network of environmental, arts, student, labour and social justice groups including the Canadian Union of Public Employees (CUPE) and the Toronto Environmental Alliance (TEA).

Franz Hartmann, executive director of TEA, said they are expecting at least 200 people for the modest buffet-style breakfast, which will include bread from the Fred Victor Mission catering program.

“The key point (of the breakfast) was to bring Torontonians together from all corners to celebrate city services,” Hartmann said. “It’s really a celebration.”

Following the breakfast, Hartmann said the group will walk over to the executive committee meeting at city hall to drive home the message that the cuts being proposed are hurtful.

“They are not gravy, these are services people need,” he said.

While July’s city council meeting featured deputations from 169 speakers begging councillors not to make cuts, Hartmann said he thinks the politicians may be more likely to listen this time around.

“Councillors know there is no support for these cuts,” he said.

As originally published here: http://m.torontosun.com/2011/09/18/breakfast-to-celebrate-city-services?noimage