CPAC'S "MANUFACTURED CRISIS" MAKES THE K-W RECORD

First off the Waterloo Region Record owes CPAC an apology. The staff reporter who wrote the article in today's Record titled ""Dysfunction" on Elmira committee" should have interviewed CPAC's Chair, Dr. Dan Holt. Indeed she contacted him twice over a week ago and my understanding is that he was ready, able and willing to speak to her. She mangaged to procrastinate long enough that he finally was gone for holidays last weekend and part of this week. Then she speaks to a know nothing Ministry of the Environment "spokesperson" and to Councillor Mark Bauman. Mark does NOT speak on behalf of CPAC. If he speaks for anyone other than himself it is for Woolwich Council and in my opinion sometimes Chemtura's interests.

That said Mark could have done incredible damage to the truth with inaccurate comments. Overall I believe that short of his comments about inappropriate personal attacks he actually wasn't as bad as I feared from the way the article started out. Mark appears to be calling for a third party review of the method of the investigation and results. The devil of course is in the details. When the smoke clears lets hear what his position is then.

I will also moderate my criticism of reporter Paige Desmond in that she did point out that the 2028 deadline to cleanup Elmira's Aquifers is not on track. She also referenced a professional report (MTE Consultants) that there was a high potential for contamination to have spread south and east of the Chemtura property. Finally she also referenced the October 7, 1991 Settlement Agreement aka "Sweetheart Deal" between Chemtura and the Ont. M.O.E.. Hmm, I'm wondering something here. Did she get that info from e-mails she's received, from Mark Bauman (unlikely) or did she at the last minute talk to Dr. Dan Holt and simply not mention it here in her article? Very strange.

Reporter Paige Desmond refers to a CPAC membership shakeup. Mayor Shantz, Chemtura and the M.O.E. want to defang CPAC in a manner that doesn't appear authoritarian or dictatorial. The alleged "stakeholders" meeting is part of that plan. Unfortunately for the Mayor her political skills of manipulation, while subtle, have been unsucessful in fooling CPAC into compliance. They have politely said no thanks to her entreaties that originally one, now two members attend. CPAC are holding out for six members (all) attending plus it be a public meeting. Even with six members they will be grossly outnumbered at the table.

Part of the Mayor's plan has been to tarnish CPAC with my blunt disapproval of Chemtura, the M.O.E. and their fellow travellors on Woolwich Council. I have repeatedly over the last few months both verbally and in writing made it clear that I do not speak on behalf of CPAC. While I was a member of the sub-committee of CPAC called SWAT (soil, water, air & technical) from approximately 2012 through 2014 I determined that my aggressive defence of CPAC and SWAT here, at Council meetings as a Delegate and via e-mails would be used by dishonest persons as an opening to tarnish CPAC and SWAT. Therefore weeks and months ago I offerred my resignation in writing to Dr. Dan. This written resignation is signed and dated by yours truly. Both CPAC and SWAT members (less 1) know this which is exactly why they have not felt compelled to respond to stupid references that they are somehow responsible for my words. That said we are indeed friends and colleagues and that will not change.

As CPAC appointed persons to SWAT without any input from Council, they certainly don't need any input from or notice to them regarding changes in SWAT membership. There are actually several SWAT members that Council are unaware of. Council and Mark Bauman, should have read more carefully how I signed my Delegations to Council. They should have paid attention when I told them point blank that I did not represent CPAC. They should have noticed that I did not have my name on last week's Letter To The Editor signed by CPAC members and two SWAT members. Perhaps they've been too darn busy looking for minor openings with which to attack CPAC.