Power plant bad for Holland Marsh
King letter to the editor -
Oct 04, 2008
The Holland Marsh Growers’ Association and Environmental Defence can spot a lethal threat to farmland in the Greenbelt when we see one.
The proposals for “peaker” power plants in both King Township and Bradford-West Gwillimbury are, in two words, fundamentally flawed. Not only do the proposals go against local and provincial efforts to protect farmland, the local environment and reduce Ontario’s contribution to global warming, but they set a dangerous precedent for our future.
If, in a rash decision, the peaker plant is built on any of the sites surrounding the Holland Marsh, would the citizens of Ontario be happy with a decision that chooses energy over food?
For Ontarians to thrive, certain basic necessities need to be met: clean air, clean water, safe food, and shelter. A peaker plant could affect three of these four:
• Air - potential air pollution from the power plant has not been ruled out;
• Water - different construction options are currently on the table with some using the limited water supply that’s available and;
• Food - with no idea of what the construction and subsequent operation of the power plant will have on Canada’s richest production soil.
In an age of food insecurity and rising transportation costs, how could anyone consider using some of Canada’s most valuable farmland for a power plant?
Perhaps some Holland Marsh carrots would provide Queen’s Park with the clear vision that many MPPs are clearly missing.
Jamie Reaume
Holland Marsh Growers’ Association
Mike Layton
program manager, Environmental Defence
Language skills not Dion’s problem
Aurora letter to the editor -
Oct 04, 2008
Re: Sad if language challenges sink Dion, column, Sept. 18
Columnist Bernie O’Neill tries to make the point that Stephane Dion is being rejected because of his poor mastery of the English language.
May I point out one of the longest-serving Canadian prime not only didn’t speak English very well, but was also accused of not speaking either official language very well. The man I speak of is, of course, Jean Chretien.
Mr. Chretien has always been much more comfortable in his mother tongue, French. He was always heavily dependent on his speechwriters and translators to capture the essence of his message for English-speaking Canadians.
As I recall, it didn’t seem to hamper him one bit.
I guess what I want to point out is that it may not be the messenger, but rather the message. Canadians have come to realize Mr. Dion is a man who doesn’t know which way to go on many important issues, the most important of which is his Green Shift plan.
Not too long ago, he said a carbon tax was a bad idea. On top of that, many prominent Liberal MPs found the policy difficult to understand and doubly difficult to sell to Canadians. Most taxpayers aren’t buying this proposal and see the Liberal plan for what it is — a tax grab at exactly the wrong time.
I will vote for a party that understands the economic realities Canada faces, not policies that would depress our economy and drain the pockets of taxpayers and businesses trying to prosper.
Greg Rider
Aurora
Exotic animals have no place at fair
Aurora letter to the editor -
Oct 04, 2008
I planned to the attend the Markham Fall Fair this weekend.
However, I decided against attending with my family for one reason: the use of exotic animals at the fair for entertainment purposes.
For me, elephant rides and wild animal encounters are an unacceptable way for children to learn about animals and our environment.
When kept outside their natural habitat, these animals do not accurately represent their species. Beyond this, I have serious reservations about keeping wild animals in captivity.
I hope Blair Seeley, the president of the Markham Fair, will consider eliminating these acts from the fair next year. Doing so would have a huge impact on my decision to attend in 2009.
Josey Kitson
Aurora