WOOLWICH COUNCIL MEETING THIS EVENING

Council meets this evening at 6 pm. in the usual location. Item 12.4.2.1 is titled "Memo: Update to Council on RAC and TAG". It appears as if this update will be a joint effort by Councillor Mark Bauman and mayor Sandy Shantz. While Council won't admit it, the cause for this update is twofold. First of all the Terms of Reference for these committeess indicate that they are to report to Council and to date they have not despite three RAC meetings and five TAG meetings. The second reason is that I have publicly at council repeatedly advised that RAC and TAG not only have stilted and unacceptable Delegation policies but that they are not even following their Terms of Reference by keeping Council and the public in the loop. Hell hath no fury like a politician hoisted on their own petard.

The writeup in the Council package is mostly as to be expected. It is long on supposed accomplishments and short on its' public consultation failures. The Ministry of the Environment comes off looking badly with Terri Buhlman's denials of human health threats in the Canagagigue both before full and proper testing has been done and prior to the risk assessment that they are promoting. In other words the M.O.E. are giving away the end of the story by telling us the Risk Assessment's conclusions.

Dr. Dick Jackson has a Background Report that was sent to our local M.P. Harold Albrecht. Dr. Jackson's report is excellent and makes a revealing comparison between Canada's efforts at remediation of Dioxin contamination in Vietnam versus here in Elmira.

To date or at least as of Saturday afternoon the fish consumption signs were not erected at the three bridges crossing the Canagagigue Creek between here and the Grand River. Saturday was the opening of the fishing season and we the public were promised that the signs would be up by the opening of fishing season. This is disappointing to say the least although it pales in comparison to the promises that have been made and broken by our authorities at all levels.

The biggest and best accomplishment of RAC and TAG is nowhere to be found in this update. RAC are useless as expected whereas TAG under Dr. Jackson have produced some memorable moments. Dick Jackson does not suffer fools gladly and while he is diplomatic nevertheless his comments regarding the competence, professionalism and credibility of Conestoga Rovers (now GHD), Chemtura and the Ontario Ministry of the Environment have been classics.