DELEGATION TO WOOLWICH COUNCIL (March 6, 2012)

For many years it has been obvious to CPAC members and citizens of Wolwich Township that the so called "bible" for the cleanup, namely the November 4,1991 Control Order was a paper tiger. It was ignored at will by both Chemtura and by the Ontario Ministry of the Environment. I have for a number of years been advising CPAC, the public and the media that a sweetheart deal existed between Chemtura (Uniroyal) and the M.O.E. Indeed current CPAC member Ron Campbell has found and shared this document with the rest of CPAC. Amazingly this document was written right in the midst of the Elmira water crisis, while the story was national news. This document is dated October 7, 1991 and is a bilateral agreement between Uniroyal Chemical and the Ministry of the Environment. At the top of the first page this document is referred to as Schedule H of the agreement between Uniroyal, the M.O.E. and the Region of Waterloo which was dated March 1993. These two documents explain many things including the Region sending their designated denier, Eric Hodgins, to a private Woolwich Council meeting a few years back to refute my claim of "other sources" here in Elmira.

I am assuming that the Interim Chair of CPAC (Todd Cowan) has shared this incredible news with Woolwich Council (Editor's note-he hadn't) . I am also disappointed that to date Woolwich Council have not shared this information with the general public. The sweetheart deal was signed one month prior to the signing of the Amended Control Order of Nov. 4, 1991. It has been kept a secret from CPAC members and the public for over twenty years. That is not to say that one or two co-opted CPAC members might not have known about it. The rest of us present at CPAC meetings either as formal members or not had no knowledge of this secret sweetheart deal. What this document does on page 15 is to release Uniroyal Chemical from all liability, legal and financial, on its' Elmira property due to contamination. For twenty-one years Chemtura and the Ontario Ministry of the Environment have been playing a game with the citizens of Elmira. They have deceived, manipulated and lied constantly. They have lied through omission and through commission. They have shamelessly led this committee of Council around in circles all the while knowing that Uniroyal/Chemtura didn't have to lift a finger. As this document was in the possession of Woolwich Council most likely for the entire last twenty-one years, one could jump to a conclusion that Woolwich Council are also guilty of deception. On futher thought while it is entirely likely that past Councils had full knowledge of this contemptible sweetheart deal, I have no reason to believe that the current, barely over a year old Council knew of it. Regardless the public have been lied to, deceived and manipulated and treated with the utmost contempt and disrespect by the Ministry of the Environment and by Chemtura. My expectation of this Council is twofold. I expect you to immediately advise the public of the existence of this document and the significance. Secondly I expect some action from this Council directed towards both Chemtura and the M.O.E. You (Council) at the moment have the moral high ground as I believe that you do not share blame for this betrayal of the public. Some appropriate and significant action including expressing your condemnation of the reprehensible behaviour of these other two parties is required . After twenty-two years of having to deal with these persons/wor.. I do not think I, nor the public, should be expected to be patient any longer. Woolwich Council what are you prepared to do?

Alan Marshall Elmira Environmental Hazards Team