End of legislature session kills bill to withdraw approval
By Gail Swainson Toronto Star
Opponents of a controversial garbage dump north of Barrie are warning that Premier Dalton McGuinty’s prorogation of the legislature — which killed a private member’s bill that would have permanently revoked approvals for Site 41 — leaves the door open on a revival of the controversial landfill proposal.
“Until the province revokes the certificate of approval, county council could still sell the site to a private developer or develop it again themselves,” Anne Ritchie Nahuis, a local farmer and dump opponent, said Monday.
Simcoe County council — which voted to scrap the dump last fall following intense public pressure — has so far refused to make a formal request to the province to have the certificate of approval withdrawn.
Provincial Environment Minister John Gerrestsen said during question period in the legislature last week that the province would revoke the certificate of approval if only county politicians would formally ask.
“If the County of Simcoe were to ask us, we would do that,” Gerrestsen said. He also said the dump is, “from a scientific viewpoint, an appropriate site,” a comment that enraged opponents.
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Back to square one for Site 41 legislation
By Travis Mealing Midland Mirror
MIDLAND – When Bill 32 passed second reading in the Ontario legislature in November, Simcoe North MPP Garfield Dunlop trumpeted the moment as a triumph for Joe Public.
Now, he’s worried Joe Public is about to be stepped on by Premier Dalton McGuinty.
…“The premier insists nothing will be lost because of prorogation, saying every single one of their bills will be preserved, but he neglected to mention the fact that a number of private member’s bills … will be lost,” Dunlop stated in a press release.
“McGuinty’s decision to pull the plug is disappointing for not only me, but the thousands of constituents in Simcoe North who have worked so hard with me on Bill 32.”
Dunlop, who called the move a “slap in the face” to ordinary folks who successfully changed county politicians’ minds on the issue, said he plans to reintroduce Bill 32 at his first opportunity.
“Dalton McGuinty’s tactics will not deter our efforts to remove the certificate of approval on Site 41,” he said.
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Right on, Garfield. McGuinty’s tactics will not deter our efforts to remove the Certificate of Approval from Site 41.
And yes, I do feel (as part of Joe Public) that McGuinty just slapped us in the face.
We are at the ready for the next phase.
Sincerely, Donna D.
….like a knockout punch in return for the nth slap in the face.
With due respect to Garfield Dunlop I do not feel that the people who oppose dump site 41 are particularly ‘ordinary’. Heroic, extraordinary, angry and determined would be a better way of describing them. They have finally realized that they cannot trust governments to protect our environment- our water and our air. This is a wise realization since most governments have consistently failed. Garfield Dunlop’s party, the conservatives, voted to legalize incineration! Successive ministers of the environment have handed out certificates of approval seemingly as rewards for those who are doing the polluting. We the ordinary average public have stood there unable to believe our senses and wondering if it will ever get better. Unfortunately this is a mistake. When we vote we are in effect hiring a politician to represent our interests. This is only the beginning. We have to supervise our new employees. When we ourselves are hired for a job we expect to be supervised particularly at first. The newly hired politician is particularly vulnerable to the illusion of power. It must be made clear to them from the very beginning that they are there to represent us particularly around fundamental issues like protecting the environment. If we cannot carry out this supervision individually we need to organize in order to be effective. Corporations, business interests are very well-organized to influence governments. They are concerned exclusively with money. We are concerned with quality of life. Politicians and corporations represent a concentration of power. This gives them an advantage. On the other hand we have the numbers, we are the vast majority. We must learn to concentrate our strength, focus it, and use it in a responsible way to ensure that governments and corporations respect our quality of life.
This is a good time to develop such a system. Women are now beginning to realize that they have just as much to contribute to government as men. Not only that they are very good at organization. Unfortunately a lot of men are still living in the ‘good old days’ when women ‘did as they were told’. Let us say to them gently but firmly ‘Gentlemen that time has passed. Get ready to face the future’.
However the situation is now becoming urgent. Our health is being undermined and our lives are being threatened by the folly and criminal behavior of a few people all under the banner of profit. We have the capacity and therefore the responsibility to do something about this. Governments claim legitimacy because we vote for them. Corporations make vast profits because we work for them and pay for their services. We are angry and we complain because we know something is wrong but we feel helpless to do anything about it. Yet we are the vast majority of the people. We cannot afford to simply get on with our lives and ignore what is happening before our eyes. We must join together and decide what we are going to do about all of this. First let’s promptly put an end to any future for site 41 and any other dump site in Simcoe County. If we prepare well for the coming elections this might be enough.
Nickolas Rowe
Nickolas you take the words right out of my mouth. So now that I have you on side how about we go get another person to start thinking and of course acting. This election is ours to lose. Only 10,000 more to go and we will win hands down. make sure you come out on the 20th for that meeting. maybe whoever is responsible for this site could put up a banner telling one and all where and when the meeting is going to be. Maybe all those who are finally convinced that there is only one way to deal with those in power today. That is to remove them from power tomorrow.
jim tolnai
Nickolas..you are a very wise man and your comments are right on! I especially like what you say about the women..unfortunately a lot of men don’t agree with your views.
I would like to see the voting system changed and use proportional voting systems that accurately translate the votes people cast into representation in government.
Here is the link for more info: http://www.fairvote.ca/en/civicrm/profile/create?gid=7&reset=1