WINDS OF CHANGE
STIMULATE GRASSROOTS DEMOCRACY
Lake Superior Action Research
Conservation (LSARC.ca) hosted John Laforet the President of Wind
Concerns Ontario for a holiday weekend agenda of events to raise
awareness of the importance of the October 6 Provincial election to the
health, economy, and environment of Ontario and Algoma.
Friday evening (Sept2) the
gathering of concerned citizens, which filled the Searchmont Community
Centre meeting room with some rather intense discussion of the many
threats that industrial wind developments pose for Ontario, had a
chance to directly challenge the NDP and PC candidates for Algoma
Manitoulin and Sault Ste Marie ridings.
Responding to concerns about more
industrial wind turbine penetration into the minimally impacted and
intact ecosystems of Algoma voiced by Bob Moore, local ornithology buff
and all round devotee of Lake Superior, PC Algoma Manitoulin candidate
Joe Chapman said, "Over my dead body!" He wanted to make it very
clear where he stood and had left himself as he said adamantly, "No
wiggle room there!".
The group had the opportunity to
hear what motivated PC Sault Ste. Marie candidate Jib Turner to toss
his hat into the ring almost as he did so, his official declaration was
made that evening. In his role as municipal councilor for
Manitoulin he felt personally and profoundly the anti-democratic nature
of the Green Energy Act. We look forward to hearing more from
this astute businessman and experienced representative of Algoma public
interest.
The Cristophers, who had battled
health issues in order to attend, had Mike Mantha, NDP candidate for
Algoma Manitoulin, on the ropes about his stated willingness to "listen
to his constituents and represent their wishes." Even without the
prevalence of Liberal propaganda and wind lobbyist sales pitches to
confound the system, "How exactly ," they asked, "would he go about
listening to all his constituents?" The current atmosphere of
greed and repression will not be quickly remediated by one person,
however well-intentioned, belatedly listening.
John Laforet intervened to save
the candidate from further hard questions and Celia Ross, Sault Ste
Marie NDP candidate, escaped more rancorous sparring, after her
suggestion that people wait for the NDP platform to be
elaborated. It is unlikely many would have been mollified by the
party line which promises to maintain the FIT program, and bring 10,700
MW renewable energy online by 2018 as well as institute Carbon Cap and
Trade.
Saturday's event on Havilland
Bay
culminated in a FLOAT-illa for a turbine-free Lake Superior.
Despite the threatening clouds the protest-paddlers enjoyed sharing the
preternaturally calm waters with flocks of ducks who seemed to approve
of the imaginative floats afloat. Watch for the dedicated Wind
Concerns Ontario supporters who attended the canvassing clinic on
Havilland Shores Drive. They will be circulating the Wind
Concerns Province-wide petition. In case you have been missed,
request a canvasser contact you, action@lsarc.ca
