<html><body><div style="color:#000; background-color:#fff; font-family:verdana, helvetica, sans-serif;font-size:12pt"><div><div><font class="Apple-style-span" face="verdana, helvetica, sans-serif">Hi folks</font></div><div><font class="Apple-style-span" face="verdana, helvetica, sans-serif"><br>I'm shocked. The next GRCA Watershed forum won't be until 2014. No more forum til then to discuss the state of the Grand River Watershed. I've been attending this forum for years. It's one of the few that allows industry, ministry reps and the public to gather together for candid discussions on the state of the Grand River Watershed. Last forum focused quite strongly on Tar Sands issues and this latest development is very much disturbing in my view. The GRCA gives their explanation but I think it's a chill from the feds pushing this. </font></div><div><font class="Apple-style-span" face="verdana, helvetica, sans-serif"><br></font></div><div><font
class="Apple-style-span" face="verdana, helvetica, sans-serif">At a time when the fisheries laws are being tampered with by the federal budget, when mega quarries threaten our headwaters it's very alarming that the forum will be cancelled for two years. </font></div><div><font class="Apple-style-span" face="verdana, helvetica, sans-serif"><br></font></div><div><font class="Apple-style-span" face="verdana, helvetica, sans-serif">Below is the GRCAs explaination as taken from their latest newsletter. </font></div><div><font class="Apple-style-span" face="verdana, helvetica, sans-serif"><br></font></div><div><font class="Apple-style-span" face="verdana, helvetica, sans-serif">It makes me think perhaps GREN should organize our own Citizens based watershed forum in the fall to discuss the mega quarry, the Line 9 reversal and impact of the proposed fisheries law changes. </font></div><div><font class="Apple-style-span" face="verdana, helvetica,
sans-serif"><br></font></div><div><font class="Apple-style-span" face="verdana, helvetica, sans-serif">Lulu </font></div><div><font class="Apple-style-span" face="verdana, helvetica, sans-serif">____________________________________________________</font></div><div><font class="Apple-style-span" face="verdana, helvetica, sans-serif"><br></font></div><div><font class="Apple-style-span" face="verdana, helvetica, sans-serif">Next Water Forum in 2014!</font></div><div><font class="Apple-style-span" face="verdana, helvetica, sans-serif"><br></font></div><div><font class="Apple-style-span" face="verdana, helvetica, sans-serif">The annual Grand River Water Forum will be </font><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: verdana, helvetica, sans-serif; ">suspended temporarily.</span></div><div><font class="Apple-style-span" face="verdana, helvetica, sans-serif"><br></font></div><div><font class="Apple-style-span" face="verdana, helvetica,
sans-serif">The first water forum was held in 2001 and this </font><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: verdana, helvetica, sans-serif; ">event has taken place annually each September. </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: verdana, helvetica, sans-serif; ">Early forums attracted as many as 400 people but </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: verdana, helvetica, sans-serif; ">this event needs to be revitalized to reach a larger </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: verdana, helvetica, sans-serif; ">audience and increase its impact in the larger </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: verdana, helvetica, sans-serif; ">watershed community.</span></div><div><font class="Apple-style-span" face="verdana, helvetica, sans-serif">This year instead of Water Forum, the GRCA </font><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: verdana,
helvetica, sans-serif; ">will hold a series of targeted workshops to advance </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: verdana, helvetica, sans-serif; ">the development of the Water Management Plan.</span></div><div><font class="Apple-style-span" face="verdana, helvetica, sans-serif">The GRCA is also participating in the Internation</font><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: verdana, helvetica, sans-serif; ">al Plowing Match in September at the same time</span></div><div><font class="Apple-style-span" face="verdana, helvetica, sans-serif">as Water Forum is usually held, so staff are already </font><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: verdana, helvetica, sans-serif; ">busy with that event.</span></div><div><font class="Apple-style-span" face="verdana, helvetica, sans-serif">In 2013, a forum will be held in the fall to </font><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: verdana, helvetica,
sans-serif; ">launch the Water Management Plan to the water</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: verdana, helvetica, sans-serif; ">shed community. A plan will be developed for a </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: verdana, helvetica, sans-serif; ">revitalized forum to be held in the fall of 2014</span></div><div style="font-family: verdana, helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; "><br></div></div></div></body></html>