SAME WOOLWICH COUNCIL - DIFFERENT RESULT

Now that's timing. Yesterday's Woolwich Observer advises us that Woolwich Council have agreed to a one time funding of $10,000 to the Chemtura Public Advisory Committee (CPAC). Furthermore it seems that Councillor Mark Bauman has been responsible for extracting these funds for CPAC. CPAC need to be able to hire independent experts or peer reviewers to counter the hopelessly client driven reports coming from Chemtura's long time consultants. Councillor Bauman also called upon Chemtura and especially the province of Ontario to match the municipality's contribution.

While I am in agreement that this funding is a very good thing, there has always been an unfortunate side to relying strictly on professional peer review and criticism. Citizens are more than capable of common sense and in understanding consistency in the pronouncements of Chemtura's "experts". The problem is one of credentialism. CPAC members have been right on the money with their understanding of the utter failures of Conestoga Rovers plans, decisions and frankly wishful thinking around the cleanup of the Elmira Aquifers. This problem of credentialism is basically the ignorance of politicians on any of these matters and thus rather than having to learn and think for themselves they'd rather rely on credentialed experts. Hence while the citizens who put in the time and effort become discriminating enough to sieve the wheat from the chaff; the politicians simply aren't, can't or won't.

This is not to criticize a good thing here. Councillor Bauman if I'm going to take you to task for your occasionally playing both sides of the fence and occasionally supporting Chemtura and the M.O.E. inappropriately, then I will also sincerely congratulate you when you get it right. Well done on this Mark Bauman.