List of contributors to Raise the Hammer, with a brief bio for each author and links to that author's articles.
Don McLean is chair of Friends of Red Hill Valley. He teaches environmental studies for two Canadian universities. He is also an active volunteer with Citizens at City Hall (CATCH).
Aerotropolis Secrecy Leaves Citizens and Councillors in the Dark - If our governments don't tell us what the debate is about, how can we reasonably be expected even to know what questions to ask? Published Jul. 7, 2008
The Green Standard on User Fees - A look at three recent major environmental issues dealt with by council sheds some light on whether user pay is a principle or just a convenient debating tool. Published Mar. 24, 2008
Upper James Rapid Transit a Dumb Idea - It is disturbing that our transit officials are now being told to put the aerotropolis scheme ahead of providing service to those who want and need it. Published Dec. 20, 2007
Terry Cooke, Red Hill, and the Politics of Division - Far from 'redundant', the environmental assessment Terry Cooke helped squash would have revealed major problems with the planned expressway and given opponents a fair hearing. Published Nov. 8, 2007
Fuel Efficiency is Not the Answer - Increasing fuel efficiency in vehicles by itself simply lowers the cost of driving and encourages more sprawl development. Published Mar. 19, 2007
Eisenberger Must Stand Firm on Ending Red Hill Lawsuit - Mayor Eisenberger needs strong backing from the community to fend off those who want him to shake down Canadian taxpayers for cash. Published Jan. 24, 2007
Compromise Works Both Ways - It takes two to compromise or negotiate, but expressway supporters refused even to consider the many alternatives proposed by Friends of Red Hill and others. Published Oct. 7, 2005
Time to End Area Rating for Transit, Published Sep. 12, 2007 under Transportation
(return to Contributors)
Proponents do not have to rationalize the need for transit or look at alternatives (only alternative construction methods) since the need for transit and the benefits to communities, the environment and the economy are clear." -- From the Government of Ontario's New Transit Environmental Assessment Process
ISSN: 1715-1554
Transit IS Pedestrian-Friendly (Aug. 25, 2008) - I really hope McMaster University will reconsider its decision to move the B-Line express buses off-campus, particularly given that the justification is to make the campus more pedestrian-friendly
Hamilton Lost 20% of Farmland since 1991 (Aug. 25, 2008) -
The Toronto Star has published an interactive map of lost farmland across southern Ontario.
Hamilton alone lost 20 percent of its farms in the 15 years between 1991 and 2006. Click on a high
Fringe Festival Review: I Am Not Neil Young (Aug. 22, 2008) -
What does it mean to live in the shadow of greatness? How can a talent made famous for his ability to impersonate demonstrate or even discover his own true self?
Frank Wilks is not Neil Y
Fringe Festival Review: New Talent (Aug. 22, 2008) -
The emotionally harrowing tale of a young woman driven by circumstance into the escort business, New Talent is simply a tremendous performance.
Interweaving a personal tragedy with a public
Fringe Festival Review: Lear's Shadow (Aug. 22, 2008) - The tragic Lear's Shadow boils Shakespeare's King Lear down to its essence: not the conflict between an insecure father and his treacherous daughters but rather the interplay between a foo
Fringe Festival Review: Because I Can (Aug. 21, 2008) -
Written by Allison McWood and directed by James Henderson, Because I Can is a screwball comedy that parlays a simple premise into a lively hour of very funny entertainment.
Karina Berschteyn