Guardians of the Lake

Lake Ontario Waterkeeper and The Sustainability Network are proud to present Guardians of the Lake: An Evening with Gord Downie and Lake Ontario Waterkeeper Mark Mattson Tuesday, January 27, 2009.

Join Lake Ontario Waterkeeper and the Sustainability Network for an informal  presentation and discussion about the efforts to win back clean water and ensure every  community on the lake has access to environmental justice.  Learn about  Waterkeeper’s ongoing struggles with the Darlington and Pickering nuclear proposals and the need to assess the potential environmental impacts of these projects.  Find out about the gains and losses from recent decision with Lafarge Cement. 

Lake Ontario Waterkeeper is part of a new wave of environmentalism that trains individuals and volunteer groups to be local water guardians and to report pollution concerns.  Waterkeeper works to show communities that there is more to choose from than a ‘polluted’ or ‘less polluted’ future.

Gord Downie is the lead vocalist and driving creative force behind “Canada’s band”, The Tragically Hip, who have thrilled audiences around the world with their live performances for two decades. When not writing, recording and touring tirelessly with The Tragically Hip, Downie also enjoys a successful career as a solo artist. In the summer of 2001, he released Coke Machine Glow - an album accompanied by a book of poetry, of the same name. Coke Machine Glow garnered critical acclaim, paving the way for 2003’s Battle of the Nudes, Downie’s second solo endeavor.  He is a trustee of Lake Ontario.

Mark Mattson is President and Waterkeeper of Lake Ontario.  He works tirelessly to promote and defend the ideals that safe waterways belong to the people. Mark graduated of the University of Windsor School of Law, and is a member of the Law Society of Upper Canada. He founded Lake Ontario Waterkeeper in 2001 and has acted as counsel for environmental and public interest groups at over fifty hearings, including the Walkerton Inquiry. He is co-author of The Citizens Guide to Environmental Investigation and Private Prosecution and host of the weekly radio show and podcast Living At the Barricades. 

Lose your illusions (Jan. 20, 2008)

Mark and Krystyn are joined this week by Tragically Hip frontman and co-applicant Gord Downie for a look back at the Lafarge Alternative Fuels Project case in Bath, ON.  After being denied leave to appeal, Lafarge has formally withdrawn its application to burn plastics, tires and other waste as a fuel source for its Bath, ON kiln.

Music on this week's show:

Birds - Dave Clark and Dawn Blithe

Welcome to the Jungle - Richard Cheese & Lounge Against the Machine