TWO ELMIRA RESIDENTS ON THE NATIONAL ADVISORY PANEL

For many years Uniroyal/Chemtura tried unsucessfully to obtain the *Responsible Care designation from the Canadian Chemical Producers Assocn. (CCPA). The new name for this group is now the Chemical Industry Assocn. of Canada (CIAC). Two CPAC members got themselves onto the Verification group which continued giving Uniroyal/Chemtura opportunities to obtain the Responsible Care verification. This they finally suceeded in doing but not until after they had allegedly improved their relationship with CPAC. One of these CPAC members, Ron Ormson, made no bones about his support of and affiliation with the C.C.P.A. (now C.I.A.C.). The other CPAC member was no less than the Chair Pat Mclean. To find this information on-line please Google "catalyst magazine 25th anniversary of responsible care" pg.8. What is astounding is that at no public meeting of CPAC did she or anyone else share this information with those in attendance, such as the public and the media. Why not? Was she ashamed? Was this somehow a conflict of interest as she was the CPAC Chair? Was she worried about the perception and optics of her and Ron's strong support for Chemtura's Responsible Care verification? Could this appointment and accompanying status and prestige to the National Advisory Panel be viewed by some as a bribe?

Keep something clearly in mind. There have been honest and legitimate environmentalists on this panel. There have also been the exact opposite. Also the members of the CCPA (CIAC) are a who's who of the chemical industry's polluters. In my opinion this body is and continues to be nothing more than a public relations arm whose purpose is to affect the public's perceptions and attitudes in a more positive way towards the chemical industry. Once again the old CPAC have demonstrated their inability and refusal to be transparent with the citizens of Woolwich Township. I personally spoke against Chemtura receiving their verification because they did not remotely deserve it. I was outvoted by Pat, Ron, Susan and gang.