YESTERDAY'S GRAVEL PIT HEARING IN KITCHENER

It's all about money, power and influence. Will the provincial Liberal government get more votes short term and long term by reviewing AND IMPROVING the Aggregates Resource Act or will it cost them industry support and money? With this review visiting Kitchener-Waterloo prior to the provincial by-election they are certainly hoping to have it both ways. Ideally for a politician they can waffle and pretend to be committed to fairness and comprimise while not alienating the support of parties with hugely different interests. The gravel industry cares about obtaining the closest, cheapest access to sand and gravel possible. Citizens not surprisingly believe that their home is their castle and their enjoyment of it is not to be reduced by a new neighbour making noise, dust, heavy traffic and visually polluting the view. Oh and add to this citizens don't feel that anyone has a right to come in and reduce the value of their homes in order to enhance their own pocketbooks.

Enter a political system which ostensibly is for the benefit of the largest number of people while having sold out long ago to monied interests. This should be a no brainer. Gravel is everywhere in southern Ontario. It doesn't have to be mined beside estate homes in Conestogo anymore than it needs to be extracted beside the Grand River and the West Montrose Covered Bridge. Suck it up Liberals and tell the aggregate industry to stop being such greedy crybabies. Move away from families homes. Leave men, women and children at peace, at the very least in homes they've owned for years. Lord knows this world grows more complicated all the time and individual rights are going down the tubes. But to attack citizens quality of life, health and environment where they live is just plain disgusting. The Aggregate Resources Act has long been nothing but a cudgel beating other competing rights and laws into submission. Enough already.

Kudos to Woolwich Township CAO David Brenneman. It is encouraging to see our Township Staff and Council publicly putting local residents interests first. Today's Waterloo Region Record article is titled "MPPs get earful in review of gravel pit law".