<html><head><meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html charset=windows-1252"></head><body style="word-wrap: break-word; -webkit-nbsp-mode: space; -webkit-line-break: after-white-space;" class="">Hi All:<div class=""><br class=""></div><div class="">I was hoping to attend the meeting this week, in particular because I have some thoughts on item #7, but I am unable due to another commitment so thought I would share some in writing.</div><div class=""><br class=""></div><div class="">While I couldn’t agree more that we need to do all we can to encourage all levels of government to protect, restore and sustain the health of the Grand River watershed, I am not convinced that a specific Act is what is needed. I realize that in other cases, such as Lake Simcoe and the Oak Ridges Moraine, these instruments have raised profile and advanced planning and management solutions. I just question whether in Grand, we need to go through the lengthy legislative process to do the same; I would suggest we may be better off pushing the buttons that already exists - everything from the Grand River Water Management Plan to implementation of the Source Water Protection plans to enhancing the Rural Water Quality program. I am told that the Water Management Plan, in particular, could be a strong vehicle for more integrated monitoring and management, but the GRCA needs to hear loud and clear from external forces that we want to see it implemented…and are willing to be partners in that. </div><div class=""><br class=""></div><div class="">I am also concerned that passing more of these geographically defined pieces of legislation will direct too much of the increasingly limited resources of provincial agencies, not to mention political attention and capital, to legislative process and away from implementation of existing law, policy and plans. I think it also sets precedent for all of the other watersheds to seek the same, which could fragment management and further spread out limited provincial government capacity. </div><div class=""><br class=""></div><div class="">Someone mentioned to me recently that they’d heard of a possible formal review of the Conservation Authorities Act, including mention in the Minister’s mandate letter - I can’t recall where I heard that, and I checked the mandate letter and didn’t see anything. Has anyone else heard of this, beyond mention a couple years back in a report by Don Drummond? Depending on context, that could be an opportunity to push for a modernized, integrated watershed management act and we here in the Grand could advocate to be the “model” for development and implementation.</div><div class=""><br class=""></div><div class="">Just my two cents from a bit of a distance. Sorry I can’t join you tomorrow evening.</div><div class=""><br class=""></div><div class="">Tony</div><div class=""><br class=""></div><div class="">Tony Maas</div><div class=""><a href="mailto:tony@maas-strategies.com" class="">tony@maas-strategies.com</a></div><div class=""><a href="http://www.tonymaas.ca" class="">www.tonymaas.ca</a></div><div class=""><br class=""></div><div class=""><br class=""></div><div class=""><br class=""><div><blockquote type="cite" class=""><div class="">On Jan 17, 2015, at 5:24 PM, John Jackson <<a href="mailto:jjackson@web.ca" class="">jjackson@web.ca</a>> wrote:</div><br class="Apple-interchange-newline"><div class="">
<title class="">GREN meeting January 22 </title>
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<font face="Calibri, Verdana, Helvetica, Arial" class=""><span style="font-size:11pt" class=""><b class="">GREN meeting: Thursday January 22, 2015, 7:15 p.m. to 9:15 p.m.<br class="">
</b></span></font><blockquote class="" type="cite"><blockquote class="" type="cite"><blockquote class="" type="cite"><font face="Calibri, Verdana, Helvetica, Arial" class=""><span style="font-size:11pt" class=""><b class=""> St. John’s Kitchen, Kitchener (Victoria at Weber), 2nd floor, enter from side, one block from transit, limited parking in back and you need to enter from Weber St.) <br class="">
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Agenda:<br class="">
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</span></font><ol class=""><li class=""><font face="Calibri, Verdana, Helvetica, Arial" class=""><span style="font-size:11pt" class="">Save the Bees meeting – Susan K
</span></font></li><li class=""><font face="Calibri, Verdana, Helvetica, Arial" class=""><span style="font-size:11pt" class="">Follow-up to municipal elections – all
</span></font></li><li class=""><font face="Calibri, Verdana, Helvetica, Arial" class=""><span style="font-size:11pt" class="">Update on status of official plan country-side line, greenbelt and work we may need to do in 2015 – Kevin & others
</span></font></li><li class=""><font face="Calibri, Verdana, Helvetica, Arial" class=""><span style="font-size:11pt" class="">Changing by-laws to avoid contamination threats from facilities such as drive-throughs, garages, etc. - Daphne
</span></font></li><li class=""><font face="Calibri, Verdana, Helvetica, Arial" class=""><span style="font-size:11pt" class=""> Proposal to incinerate municipal garbage: do we want to be active on this issue? - John J
</span></font></li><li class=""><font face="Calibri, Verdana, Helvetica, Arial" class=""><span style="font-size:11pt" class="">Biohazards – Guest Presenter - Lorraine Grenier
</span></font></li><li class=""><font face="Calibri, Verdana, Helvetica, Arial" class=""><span style="font-size:11pt" class="">Grand River Watershed Act - Lulu
</span></font></li><li class=""><font face="Calibri, Verdana, Helvetica, Arial" class=""><span style="font-size:11pt" class="">WREN proposal - John
</span></font></li><li class=""><font face="Calibri, Verdana, Helvetica, Arial" class=""><span style="font-size:11pt" class="">Other<br class="">
</span></font></li></ol><font face="Calibri, Verdana, Helvetica, Arial" class=""><span style="font-size:11pt" class=""><br class="">
Next meeting<br class="">
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Looking forward to seeing you.<br class="">
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John<br class="">
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-- <br class="">
John Jackson<br class="">
17 Major Street<br class="">
Kitchener, Ontario N2H 4R1<br class="">
519-744-7503<br class="">
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