[All] Fw: [Notforsale] Bill 132 - Joint Submission

Fri Nov 29 08:24:50 EST 2019

Dear Lulu,

Thank you for forwarding this to GREN members.  There's a larger story here - and GREN has been part of it!.  Environmental Defence has only reported on part of the campaign to defend our environment and particularly water against the Bill 132 juggernaut.  On behalf of GREN I prepared a detailed evaluation of two issues, the threat of proposed changes to the Aggregate Resources Act to the security of Waterloo region's - and other municipalities' - drinking water.  The second issue is a dreadful new loophole that would allow gravel companies to destroy significant natural areas to grub out the gravel beneath.

The Region of Waterloo is also alarmed by this Act and its planners did good work in producing an exhaustive technical analysis to expose and oppose this looming disaster.

What Environmental Defence has overlooked or not been aware of is that numerous citizens groups have been very busy on this issue.  On GREN's behalf i spent a lot of time researching these two questions and submitting a report on time to the Environmental Registry.  I've just received an email that it has been "approved" and listed.  In addition I went last week to London to appear at a hearing of he Standing Committee on General Governance of the Legislative Assembly of Ontario that is forced specifically on Bill 132.  The Committee consists of about 16 MPPs, including Mike Harris from the government (who didn't ask any questions) , Catherine Fife of the NDP from the Waterloo Riding (who did a wonderful job of asking questions to amplify the importance and implications of this disastrous bill) as well as Guelph's Green MPP Mr. Schreiner who is an expert in quiet advocacy to expose the treachery of the Ford government.

What was most encouraging was the presence of other strong intervenors.  Unlike the despicable lobbying of the Ontario Anglers and Hunters group which has been persuading Ford to help them slaughter cormorants and wolves, the Thames River Anglers Association bravely stood up for clean water (which is obviously good for fish), respect for the environment, and principled protective legislation, and soundly attacked the Aggregate Act changes.  The Oxford [County] Environmental Action Committee and Transition to Less Waste came out swinging with a remarkable 21-page report outlining local problems while also roundly condemning the province-wide implications of Bill 132.  The Oxford Coalition fr Social Justice helpfully put the issues into an expanded context "the aggregate industry pits urban and rural communities against each other" and showed the parallels between environmental destruction and the destruction of progressive attempts to turn our infrastructure development away from providing a foundation for a Green Economy.

There were also appeals from the Conservation Action Committee of Nature London (which was included as a signatory to the Environmental Defence submission you've provided), the London Environmental Network, the Urban League of London, the Wellington Water Watchers ( Well done guys!), the Citizens for Clean Water that has formed around concerns for a big gravel pit just west of here (a very good, firm verbal reprimand from our young new affiliate which is  on a roaring learning curve), and a group from Guelph.

I'm disappointed that Environmental Defence neglected to report on the ongoing Standing committee representations and overlooked getting GREN to sign on to the list of 39 groups, (mainly from Ontario Nature ) supporting their submission.  I've sent them  a friendly note asking them to liaise better with us in the future.  i was also disappointed that Waterloo Region Nature wasn't on the list along with the other member groups of Ontario Nature.  I belong to the group which is just learning that it has to take on a more politically overt stance and will encourage it to learn to play to its strengths  (several GREN members also belong to it).

I was greatly encouraged to witness the uprising that has developed against Bill 132 and what remarkable citizen forces there now are in the London-Waterloo Region- Guelph area.  Environmental Defence is a wonderful, courageous ally.  These comments are respectfully submitted in the spirit of making common cause as best we can against the disastrous authoritarian government we are saddled with and its powerful oligarch allies in the developer and aggregate industries.

Our muscles are growing - ya better watch out Doug Ford, Ontario Fossil-in-Chief.

- Grrrr, Greg Michalenko

________________________________
From: All <all-bounces at gren.ca> on behalf of Lanteigne <water.lulu at yahoo.ca>
Sent: Friday, November 29, 2019 12:17 AM
To: GREN >
Subject: [All] Fw: [Notforsale] Bill 132 - Joint Submission

We saw a nice push back against Doug Ford cuts as seen in the attachments thanks to Environmental Defence and many others.

Lulu :0)

----- Forwarded Message -----
From: Laura Severinac <lseverinac at environmentaldefence.ca>
To: Not for Sale campaign list <notforsale at glcserve.com>
Sent: Thursday, November 28, 2019, 10:23:53 a.m. EST
Subject: [Notforsale] Bill 132 - Joint Submission

Hello everyone,

Attached is a joint submission from Environmental Defence, Ontario Nature and 39 endorsing organizations regarding Bill 132 and ERO notices: #019-0774, #019-0481 and #019-0750. It was sent yesterday.

cheers,
Laura

Laura Severinac

Project Coordinator, Ontario Not For Sale

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