WATER FORUM TODAY

The 10th Annual Grand River Watershed Water Forum runs today as per last Wednesday's Elmira Independent. The title of the Forum is "Inspiring Grand Transformations: Our Preferred Future". Attending at this Forum which will "examine how we are managing and conserving the water resources of the Grand and their importance to oue economy and quality of life", will be Joe Farwell of the GRCA, noted painter Ken Kirkby and Environmental Commissioner, Gord Miller. The timing of this Forum in relation to my posting in yesterday's Elmira Advocate is interesting. Clearly the weakness in any provincial legislation regarding water protection, lies in the implementation. These "forums" do little harm in that they raise awareness of the problems. Ten of them in a row however, and the Grand River is still the fourth most polluted river in Ontario. I believe that our citizens have long ago embraced the ideas and principles of environmental stewardship. Now if only our local politicians could get past talking about it and into making decisions that put the environment first rather than business, industry and monied interests.