[All] Fw: Regarding lack of reasonable notice regarding ARA review

Fri Jul 6 11:12:44 EDT 2012

----- Forwarded Message -----
From: Louisette Lanteigne <butterflybluelu at rogers.com>
To: "tamara_pomanski at ontla.ola.org" <tamara_pomanski at ontla.ola.org>; "jmilloy.mpp at liberal.ola.org" <jmilloy.mpp at liberal.ola.org>; "ahorwath-qp at ndp.on.ca" <ahorwath-qp at ndp.on.ca>; "dmcguinty.mpp.co at liberal.ola.org" <dmcguinty.mpp.co at liberal.ola.org>; "tim.hudak at pc.ola.org" <tim.hudak at pc.ola.org>; Tim ( MAH) Ryall <tim.ryall at ontario.ca>; "news570 at rogers.com" <news570 at rogers.com>; "newsroom at therecord.com" <newsroom at therecord.com>; "news at swo.ctv.ca" <news at swo.ctv.ca>; BobVrbanac <BVrbanac at waterloochronicle.ca>; "news at swo.ctv.ca" <news at swo.ctv.ca>; "news-tips at nytimes.com" <news-tips at nytimes.com>; "yournews at cbc.ca" <yournews at cbc.ca>; "Elizabeth.May at parl.gc.ca" <Elizabeth.May at parl.gc.ca>; "peter.braid at parl.gc.ca" <peter.braid at parl.gc.ca> 
Sent: Friday, July 6, 2012 12:00:58 AM
Subject: Regarding lack of reasonable notice regarding ARA review

Dear Mr. MIlloy

I am sharing this email with Provincial reps and the Media because I am absolutely outraged at the lack of reasonable notice you provided to me regarding the the ARA committee meetings. 

Back in May 15th, 2012  I took the time to write to you specifically to request that the ARA committee come to communities impacted by gravel pits to discuss concerns with area citizens. This morning, July 5th, you notified me of the fact the committee is coming to Kitchener but you failed to provide the time or location of the meeting. All you did was refer me to a website. Have you visited the link you provided?  It's like being handed the yellow pages without any reference what company to look for.  Here is the link you gave.

 http://www.ontla.on.ca/web/committee-proceedings/committees_detail.do?locale=en&detailPage=business&ID=145

You didn't provide any contact number, times, location or deadline information regarding delegation process for the ARA committee meeting in Kitchener.

When I finally managed to find the right contact person I called to register as a delegate and I found out the deadline to register was on July 3rd. Because the deadline passed I'm not allowed to be a delegate. Why didn't your office provide me with information regarding this meeting sooner? 

I have dedicated the last 12 years of my life trying to secure better policies to protect the Waterloo Moraine. I have used the Environmental Bill of Rights to try and secure a Waterloo Moraine Act. I was subject to a 2 million dollar SLAPP lawsuit for a website I created while trying to stop oil and diesel spills in new subdivisions. That website contributed to 39 charges and 309 stop actions related to labor law and environmental infringements. The lawsuit was dropped.  I even paid $27,000 and secured concessions at the Ontario Municipal Board to protect primary recharge in the West Side Lands in Waterloo with OMB appeal PL071044. I have sent you numerous correspondences over many years specifically out of concern for the need to protect our moraine from harmful projects including gravel pits because our food, water and economic systems are at risk by non sustainable development and gravel pits. 

Why on earth, was there no reasonable attempt made by you to simply provide a reasonable response to my May 15th inquiry prior to the actual deadlines so I could at least know when and where the hearing is and have a contact name so I could register as a delegate? Why was there such a blatant lack of public notices regarding the details of these hearings in your email and via the local media? 

I am absolutely outraged.  I have sacrificed so much of my life trying to protect and preserve our water, our farmlands and our local and national economy and the only chance I had to speak to the committee has been absolutely robbed from me because of a tardy and very vague response from your office. That's not reasonable. 

I submitted a written response to the committee today via power point that can now be viewed online here: 
http://www.slideshare.net/Waterloomoriane/ara-submission-lanteigne-aggregate-risks-gdp-impacts

The root issues I have about gravel pits is this:
Aggregates employ 35,000 people in Ontario.
>http://www.orangeville.com/news/local/article/1388452--safety-blitz-at-quarry-construction-sites-underway#.T_YSBiJGtAo.twitter
>
>
>Agriculture employs 100,000 people in Ontario for 2001 while mixed farming, animal production and crop production employed a further 81,000 people. (This doesn't even include restaurant sectors, distribution etc.) Nation Wide it provides for 8.3 percent of GDP (2000) and employs 2.2 million workers.  http://www.ledc.com/index.php/ledc/menu_link/industry-sectors/manufacturing/agri-food-processing/sector-profile/
>
>
>Agriculture is a renewable resources whereas aggregates aren't. There is not one single case example of a quarry being restored for A1 Farmland in Ontario.
We've got 89 active pits right now in the Region and more are in the works. They are already ripping up the farmlands for gravel pits and our aquifers are being exploited by are developers who look for hills to level onsite to offset building costs with gravel. Currently they don't require any aggregate permit to do this in spite of the risks it poses for our groundwater.
>
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>Drive by any of our new subdivisions and note the fact they are all being built BELOW the natural grade so they can exploit as much gravel as they can.  
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>The fact is water is a public commodity and when they exploit gravel, they are essentially robbing our community of the ability to gather and retain clean water to refill our wells. They rob us of natural flood control and aggravate our current level 1 and 2 drought conditions. 
Current source water protection laws only protect wellhead zones and intakes but there is no regard, no law to secure the actual protection for the natural source areas. 
>
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>Primary recharge is clearly identified in Waterloo Region and we should push for a mandatory prohibition on all aggregate extractions in this zone in order to protect our municipal water supply. agricultural sectors and economy for the long term. Time is of the essence because the world is going to need the food we grow much sooner than later. 
Below are the correspondences sent by your office today as well as the previous email I sent May 15 2012.

Thank you kindly for your time. 

Louisette Lanteigne
700 Star Flower Ave.
Waterloo Ont.
N2V 2L2

----- Forwarded Message -----
From: Milloy_John-MPP <jmilloy.mpp at liberal.ola.org>
To: "'butterflybluelu at rogers.com'" <butterflybluelu at rogers.com> 
Sent: Thursday, July 5, 2012 11:38:03 AM
Subject: RE: Please allow SCGG Travel Request re: ARA

Dear Ms. Lanteigne,   

Thank you for contacting me regarding the review of the Aggregate Resources Act (ARA) and the current public consultations that are taking place. 

As promised in March 2012, our government initiated a review of the Aggregate Resources Act through the all-party Standing Committee on General Government. As you may recall, I supported the call last summer by my former colleague, Leeanna Pendergast, MPP for Kitchener-Conestoga, for a provincial review of the ARA. 

The review will look at how we balance environmental, community and economic concerns within the current policy framework. Our government would to like thank all the stakeholders and Ontarians who have participated in committee hearings over the last couple of weeks. As this process unfolds, our government continues to listen to what people have to say in the management of this vital resource. 

As you may be aware, all committee travel requests are considered together by the House Leaders of the three parties. As part of a recent unanimous agreement between all three House Leaders, the Committee has been authorized to meet up to 4 days during June/July, on dates and in locations in Ontario established by the Committee. The Committee has already held hearings in Orangeville last week and is scheduled to meet in Kitchener on July 9th, in 
Ottawa on July 16th and in Sudbury on July 17th. 

Please note that you may follow the committee’s activities online, including any invitation for public input, on the Legislative Assembly of Ontario’s website. I include the link here for your information http://www.ontla.on.ca/web/committee-proceedings/committees_detail.do?locale=en&detailPage=business&ID=145

Once again, I wish to assure you that our government is committed to reviewing the Aggregate Resources Act to achieve an appropriate balance that meets our need for aggregate while protecting other key assets like water, natural heritage and agricultural resources.

I would like to thank you for writing and sharing your thoughts on this important matter.  

Sincerely,

John Milloy
Government House Leader

________________________________

From:Louisette Lanteigne [mailto:butterflybluelu at rogers.com] 
Sent: May 15, 2012 9:03 PM
To: gbisson at ndp.on.ca; Milloy_John-MPP-CO; john.yakabuski at pc.ola.org
Cc: tamara_pomanski at ontla.ola.org; Meghan Stenson; Orazietti_David-MPP; sylvia.jones at pc.ola.org
Subject: Please allow SCGG Travel Request re: ARA

Dear Ministers

I was very disappointed to see the House Leaders have not yet agreed to the Standing Committee on General Government's (SCGG) request to travel in regard to the Aggregate Resource Act (ARA) Review.  I am a Resident and Taxpayer of Ontario and I've been working on source water protection legislation for the last 12 years.  I would like to see the SCGG visit communities that are or will be impacted by aggregate operations including Melancthon and Waterloo Region.  I would also like to see the SCGG accept and consider further public input beyond the last scheduled ARA Review hearing tomorrow.   

Please answer "Yes" to the SCGG's travel request.  Thank you.

Louisette Lanteigne
700 Star Flower Ave.
Waterloo Ontario
N2V 2L2
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