CPAC SOLDIERS ON WHILE CHEMTURA / M.O.E. HIDE BEHIND WOMEN'S SKIRTS

Has one of the reasons that women have done better in formerly male dominated professions such as politics due to gender sterotypes? In other words somewhat of a reverse sterotype that women are "nicer", less aggressive, less perverse ie. inherently more decent, honest and or less deceptive. An example would be a silly suggestion months ago before the election in one of our local papers that mayor Shantz was "tough enough" for the job . Allegedly she was viewed as being "too nice".

At last Thursday's CPAC meeting, CPAC members took several rounds out of the Ontario Ministry of the Environment. Ron Campbell advsed that it was ludicrous for Chemtura not having any Financial Assurance required for their cleanup if they shut down, went bankrupt or abandoned their site. I believe that he also felt it was ludicrous that the M.O.E. not only weren't pursuing Financial Assurance but that they would suggest that it wasn't even a fit topic for CPAC to be discussing. Here again is an example of the Ontario M.O.E.'s pro polluter, anti public attitudes and stance.

Sebastian also was unhappy with the lack of a response from the M.O.E.. This was at least in part in regards to Woolwich Council's Resolution of last October in support of the MTE Consultants Report. Possibly it was also due to the M.O.E.'s recent admission that a year after their 2014 sediment sampling downstream in the Canagagigue Creek they have the lab results but will not share them with CPAC. That is truly both scandalous and typical of the M.O.E.'s behaviour.

CPAC member Graham Chevreau pointed out the gross differences in the cleanup of Chemtura's Elmira site versus the cleanup of the Velsicol site in Pine River, Michigan. At Pine River there was serious source removal including excavation, capping, In Situ Chemical Oxidation, In Situ Thermal Oxidation and also containment via pump and treat. Contrast that with Chemtura's and their consultant's reliance on the cheapest, least effective method namely hydraulic containment or pump and treat. Much more needs to be done here in Elmira to protect the environment, human health and wildlife.

ELMIRA'S TWENTY-FOUR YEARS OF "PUBLIC CONSULTATION" HAS BEEN A CHARADE

This charade has included the Region of Waterloo, Grand River Conservation Authority, Woolwich Councils and of course Chemtura and the Ministry of the Environment. I expect that this knowledge has been the reason why the Woolwich Observer have ignored CPAC for so long precisely because they recognized the game being played by the authorities. If you find this manipulation of the public both by private industry and our own government unconscionable and anti democratic then unfortunately you are still in the minority.

CPAC over the last four and a half years have been the exception by demanding to be heard and to have real input and consultation. We have seen the result as a Councillor and Mayor, seriously in bed with the polluter and corrupt regulator, have counterattacked by scapegoating CPAC for the manufactured crisis of Chemtura and the M.O.E. boycotting public CPAC meetings. This manufactured crisis was in conjunction with a new Council made up of three old guard Councillors namely Martin, Bauman and S. Shantz. The latter pair led the charge and the blatant deception.

Reasons abound for this now much more publicly apparent longtime public consultation charade. Keep in mind it has taken a local citizen (and still non-Canadian), as the much decorated by the GRCA and Region, face of the public at CPAC meetings to help sell the charade. She and her former Councillor buddy will continue to play nice and pretend that all is well. They both will also continue to personally benefit by their sellout of the public via receiving employment opportunities, travel benefits and increased status and prestige. The mayor's new conflict of interest rules will be ignored now just as they have been in the past.

Back in 1987 the Great Lakes Water Quality Agreement (GLWQA) was signed between Canada and the United States. Areas of concern were recognized on both sides of the border for cleanup and remediation. Hamilton Harbour as well as Collingwood harbour were included. Elmira's Uniroyal Chemical and their mess of the Grand River valley were bypassed intentionally. It would appear that the same political bodies at the local, regional and provincial level are continuing that coverup as well.

Why above and beyond the millions of dollars in costs that Chemtura Canada would have to spend, has their been so much weeping and gnashing of teeth (and lying) by Chemtura and the M.O.E. over Chemtura's off-property east side? Are they counting on the long awaited for Elmira by-pass on the east side to bury their contamination problems for them? Indeed ten to fifteen feet of gravel topped by asphalt would do just that. Unfortunately their would need to be culverts and bridges to allow for the natural drainage of the contaminated areas to continue into the Canagagigue creek. These would continue the decades long solution to pollution via dilution.

It is a conspiracy of our politicians at all levels and if they live long enough will be exposed. Jail time already is decades overdue.

WOOLWICH MAYOR'S ELECTION EXPENSES, CPAC'S PUBLIC MEETING, COUNCIL'S CITIZEN SELLOUT

This Thursday at 11 am. will be a public hearing into mayor Shantz's election expense report in the Woolwich Council chambers. MECAC is the name of the committee and they have received a total of 40 pages of documentation from myself describing the expense issues. Now the "Application for a Compliance Audit" is only two pages with numerous contraventions so indicated. The next 38 pages as handed over to the Clerk's office last Monday for distribution to MECAC are the formal documents and evidence of the contraventions in the Mayor's expense report. As she has incorrectly calculated her Total Contributions and has thus improperly lowered them below the $10,000 threshold level; she thus avoided the requirement that she automatically include an Auditor's Report with her expense report.

Woolwich Council will wear this past Tuesday's decision to dissolve CPAC at the end of August for many years. Bad enough a former Council did this to one member in 2008 but to remove an entire committee of volunteers on trumped up rubbish, nonsense and lies from the company being overseen (Chemtura) combined with the petty, sour grapes obfuscations of two former CPAC members who weren't reappointed four and a half years ago is disgraceful and shameful. Woolwich Council are long on bias and stupidity and clearly incapable of shame.

On Thursday evening in Council Chambers CPAC discussed specifics of their sampling undertaken earlier in the day by a professional environmental consulting firm. One CPAC member and one member of the public accompanied them both as guides and as observers. As discussed in the CPAC meeting by Graham Chevreau all formal EPA and sampling protocols were observed including Chain of Custody requirements. There was also discussion regarding CPAC's legal requirements for releasing the results obtained, particularily if they are alarming and or in excess of certain standards. There was further discussion regrading CPAC's moral and ethical duty to advise the public if again there are serious concerns regarding the concentrations of various bioaccumulative chemicals for instance. There was also a Motion passed requesting Woolwich Council to pressure the Ontario Ministry of the Environment to release the results for DDT and Dioxins/Furans found downstream of Chemtura, in the Canagagigue Creek. The M.O.E. have confirmed they have these results from last summer (2014) but do not want to release them unitl September and not to the current CPAC. A skeptic could be forgiven for understanding that the M.O.E. have more confidence that the new more bureaucrat and politician dominated CPAC replacement (RAC) will be less critical than the 100% citizen dominated CPAC.

There was also a brief discussion around CPAC's four Delegations (plus mine made five) the previous Tuesday evening in Woolwich Council. All of these Delegations were entered into the CPAC record via Lisa Schaefer, CPAC Secretary. The decision was made for CPAC to have a formal meeting in July this year among other things to discuss the results from last Thursday's sediment sampling. Unlike the Ontario M.O.E., CPAC does not take one to two years to get lab results back. Either the M.O.E. need a new lab or yet once again they are truth challenged.

LOCAL CONVICTED POLLUTERS ARE HOLDING A RALLY IN SUPPORT OF OUR MAYOR AND AGAINST PUBLIC CONSULTATION

O.K. my only excuse for the above title is that it is a prediction not a fact. In fact if I wanted to be a tad more inflammatory I would have referred to the rally as a fund raising rally for the next municipal election. Regardless today's Woolwich Observer is again fabulous. From their political cartoon and caption indicating that Mayor Shantz has cleansed Woolwich Township by removing CPAC and public oversight to the article which extensively criticizes Woolwich Council's decision; it is all on the money. Steve Kannon is nobody's fool. I am saddened to say that that is not the case with the other local newspaper and their editor. Gail Martin is but one more victim of the very same deceit and smooth talking that I also was for many years. Unfortunately a small minority of human beings spend their lives pretending and acting to be other than who they really are. Politicians in general fall into this category. It is why our governance at all levels is so bad.

Steve has quoted four CPAC members extensively namely Vivienne Delaney, Dr. Dan Holt, Dr. Sebastian Seibel-Achenbach and Graham Chevreau. CPAC member Ron Campbell was also present in support of CPAC (& SWAT) making for 100% attendance. While Rich Clausi and I were present, Dr. Henry Regier followed the proceedings on Rogers Cable 20. Council to their everlasting shame ignored CPAC's and my Delegation. Like good politicians they deflected and distracted and pretended to accept some mickey mouse amendments to their frankly asinine RAC & TAG committees. Their thick skin and ability to repel honest criticism was truly amazing. Their ability to virtually ignore and pretend that they were not accurately and honestly, publicly pilliored by informed Woolwich citizens and residents is actually kind of scary. It is why democracy is in the toilet when the arrogance and dogma of even local politicians allows them to ignore truth and facts, right and wrong, for their secret, personal agendas. Our Council are almost completely and unanimously beyond disgraceful and beyond redemption. Their handling of the CPAC file is as blatant as it gets and yet they even fooled one local media (newspaper) but as the saying goes "You can fool some of the people some of the time but you can't fool all the people all the time.".

IN WOOLWICH TOWNSHIP THE TAIL WAGS THE DOG

Amongst all the horse manure, puffery and obfuscations Mayor and Council spewed out Tuesday nite there were a couple of grains of truth and insight. Of course the four CPAC members and myself also gave good, honest advice which was ignored by a Council some of whom view themselves as the cavalry riding to Chemtura Canada's rescue. The one Councillor who seemed disturbed by at least some of RAC and TAG replacing CPAC and SWAT was Councillor Merlihan. He made two very noteworthy observations and comments in regards to RAC (Remediation Advisory Committee). First of all he referred to it's structure as "cringeworthy". That was an accurate and beautiful comment regarding it's non-makeup by local citizens. Secondly he referred to it unflatteringly as having been "professionalized". This refers to the GRCA and Region of Waterloo bureaucrats plus the Mayor, Councillor and paid Chair of the TAG (Technical Advisory Committee). This RAC group are reported to by TAG and then RAC reports to Woolwich Council. So in a nutshell the citizens who will be appointed by Council will sit on the "technical" group TAG which reports to RAC which reports to Council. No dirty, unwashed masses directly reporting to Council. Mind you with this particular Council it's all moot anyways however they will be able to totally control any outbursts of honesty by local citizens who depending on their loyalty to Council, might actually be outraged by Chemtura's and the M.O.E.'s ongoing obstruction and obfuscation.

This is a classic case of the tail wagging the dog. Non local citizens (Region & GRCA) plus two politicians all who know little or nothing about Chemtura's contamination will be in charge of the whole situation. They will filter whatever damaging information that they are unlikely to receive anyways from their personally handpicked citizens on TAG. Most of them will be toadies and or co-opted folks who have long received personal benefits from their association with CPAC and Chemtura. Yes Sandy this means Pat and Susan your friends and helpers for your election campaign (Pat anyways). Whether a token honest citizen or two will be thrown to the wolves remains to be seen but rest assurred it won't be me as I'm one of the key persons they are trying to isolate from this whole process.

WOOLWICH COUNCIL: SUCH A PACK OF SHAMELESS, HYPOCRITICAL, ECONOMICAL WITH THE TRUTH, PURVEYERS OF FANTASY

Perhaps Woolwich Council have explicitly made it clear that real public consultation, much less Woolwich Township's perverted version to date, is a dangerous thing for Chemtura and other polluters. Nothing we the citizens have ever had has been remotely close to the real deal although this last four years plus has been the maximized version of pretend public consultation. I believe that Vivienne is correct in that the Pine River version in Michigan is the real deal. There the citizens said "never again" to allowing private corporations and their state government's shoddy environmental oversight to be in either unilateral or bilateral charge.

Sebastian's Delegation last evening was excellent as was Vivienne's, Dr. Dan Holt's, Graham's and mine. Sebastian of CPAC finally said the words "red herring" in describing Council's, M.O.E.'s and Chemtura's portrayal of me as loud and obnoxious. When I talk to choirboys I speak as such; when talking to professional filth, not so much. My contempt for all liars tends to show through. There will never be real public consultation as long as the polluter and his fellow travellors (Council, M.O.E., CRA) feel they have carte blanche to obfuscate, cheat, deceive and misrepresent ad infinitum.

Why are Woolwich Council shameless? Five Delegations in a row spoke truth to them. That truth included Council's falsehoods and vicious campaign against CPAC & SWAT. Yes some of the Delegations were subtle and careful in their criticism whereas at least three including mine were blunt and straightforward. Council ran interference for Chemtura and the M.O.E. for the last eight months making excuses for their boycott while scapegoating CPAC. Council were so told. They were also told that their behaviour initiated by Mayor Sandy Shantz around the April 9/15 "stakeholders" meeting was reprehensible.

They were grossly truth challenged in that April 9 meeting. The meeting was stacked in favour of Chemtura and the M.O.E.. It was a setup and a sham and was incredibly blatant and shameless. The false allegations against CPAC including comments referring to non-existent physical aggression were the comments of cowards. And yet those filth on Council showed no shame because they have none. Churchgoers my ass! Christians do not behave like that Sandy Shantz and Mark Bauman. Sociopaths do however.

Their hypocrisy includes their church attendance and it includes their public, kind words to CPAC last evening. Perhaps as they claim they want a couple of CPAC members on the new toothless and impotent by design, TAG committee. This would allow Council to avoid being the second Council in a row to clean the CPAC house completely. Afterall they wouldn't want the general public to understand that the process is totally politicized. However just because they publicly say they want some current CPAC members to continue means absolutely nothing. You can't trust pathological truth deniers any more than drug addicts.

WOOLWICH ARE CONTRIBUTING TO THE DECLINE OF THE GREAT LAKES

Today's Waterloo Region Record are carrying the following story titled "Great Lakes need urgent action". The renewed Great Lakes Water Quality Agreement (GLWQA) was proclaimed three years ago between Canada and the United States. It's first enanctment occurred back in 1987. Dr. Henry Regier has been bringing it to the attention of CPAC, SWAT and Woolwich Township particularily during this past year. In my opinion it's almost as if he is putting this new Council in a position of not having plausible deniability regarding Woolwich's contributions of persistent organic pollutants entering Lake Erie from the Grand River and via the Canagagigue Creek.

The Great lakes Executive Committee "...has fallen into an administrative and bureaucratic malaise..." says a letter by two dozen environmental groups from both sides of the border. Further to the letter is a new report from the Canadian Environmental Law Association stating "The (subcommittee's) go slow approach is completely out of sync with the scale and the urgency of the problem". To date the subcommittee have listed a grand total of four chemicals of mutual concern to Canada and the U.S.. The environmental groups have more than 500 chemicals of concern. ""By adding four chemicals every three years...it will take us more than a century to list all of the chemicals of concern in the Great lakes" they state.". Actually by my math it will take more than three centuries to list 500 chemicals at 1 1/3 chemicals per year. This is precisely how bureaucrats under political orders are able to delay indefinitely the will of the people. It's all for show.

WOOLWICH COUNCIL TOMORROW NIGHT & CPAC MEETING THURSDAY NIGHT

Woolwich Council aka "The Family Compact" have given Councillor Bauman and Mayor Shantz the lead on the Chemtura/CPAC file ever since the October election. What seems very clear is that Mark & Sandy know that they have automatic votes from a majority of the Council. All they need to do is present a case that while not remotely watertight at least is good enough that the other Councillors can follow along without looking like complete idiots. If Sandy & Mark's case as written up by the Mayor's lackey aka Chief Administrative Officer (CAO) Brenneman passes the smell test then they are home free to give Chemtura and the Ministry of the Environment (M.O.E.) exactly what they want which is the APPEARANCE of public consultation. Speaking of lackey's Mr. Brenneman is at least consistent. Whether Bill Strauss, Todd Cowan or Sandy Shantz; he knows where his bread is butterred. Sunshine list jobs don't come along every day and the key for him is 100% loyalty to the Mayor of the day.

CPAC are holding their June public meeting this Thursday evening at 6 pm. It has been wonderful having evening meetings for the last four years plus. That system had been refused by Pat and Susan both for their convenience, in order to exclude teacher Rich Clausi and to generally exclude those who worked normal working hours. The turnout has been better although no one has ever suggested that it is standing room only, unfortunately. CPAC's SWAT sub-committee will be presenting the latest information on their sediment sampling in the creek and related areas. Based upon to date the pathetic work plan of Chemtura and their consultants regarding east side sampling as well as the M.O.E.'s refusal to date to release the 2014 sediment sampling and more in the Canagagigue Creek; CPAC and SWAT have decided to go it alone. How pathetic is that when you consider the hundreds of millions of dollars a year Ontario taxpayers spend for nothing more than a Ministry who pretend to protect the environment while substantially protecting corporate polluters.

MAYOR SHANTZ SELLS THE WOOLWICH FARM TO CHEMTURA CANADA

Be happy Jeff, Helder and Dwight. Your lackey Mayor has given it to you on a platter. You are all such a bunch of cowards. Yesterday's Woolwich Observer Editorial has exposed the elephant in the room. There is but one extremely well informed, honest broker in Elmira/Woolwich who has not sold out to yourselves, your consultants (CRA), the Region of Waterloo or the GRCA. That is me and the Editorial explains how for many years the polluting and dishonest parties have been undermining my credibility and influence at every opportunity. That said no man is an island and both Richard Clausi and Dr. Henry Regier have been rejuvenated and reinvigorated these last four years. The current CPAC for the last four and a half years have also stepped up and taken it to Chemtura and the Ontario Ministry of the Environment. But for their intelligence and resolve, Richard, Henry and my input would have been much less effective.

Thank you Mayor Shantz and Councillor Bauman. For years I have been trying to expose the sham and charade of public consultation here in Elmira. The process has always been dominated and controlled by the polluter and his friends, namely Woolwich Council. Finally at last we have a respected, local media source who are willing to call a spade a spade. Their Editorial yesterday draws upon Titanic metaphors such as "re-arranging the deck chairs" and "rolling the chaise lounge around as the ship of state takes on water.". Dr. Henry Regier has often referred to how poorly our Area of Concern and local grossly contaminated site has been addressed by our municipal, regional and provincial authorities.

This Council and a pair of yellow dogs have smeared and libelled the reputations of Woolwich citizens for your own political benefit. Is Chemtura Canada really that powerful and important that you need to sell honest citizens down the river? Are your morals and ethics that perverted? Two members of Council have led the charge and this Tuesday will attempt to seal the deal. Woolwich Council you are on the cusp of permanently and irrevocably destroying your own reputations and legacys. CPAC are the solution not the problem. Sandy & Mark have done Chemtura & the M.O.E.'s bidding by scapegoating CPAC for Chemtura & the M.O.E.'s abandonment of public consultation.

WOOLWICH OBSERVER HAMMERS MAYOR & CHEMTURA / M.O.E.

Oh my oh my has Steve Kannon of the Woolwich Observer ever exposed the elephant in the room. Both his Editorial titled "CPAC review all for naught until MOE takes action" and his story "Woolwich to axe CPAC for new review format" tell the truth, unlike the stickhandling coming from the likes of Councillor Bauman and Mayor Shantz. Steve has seen right through their charade of improving CPAC in order to bring Chemtura and the M.O.E. back to the table. The fact is "improving" CPAC is the very last thing in the world either polluter friendly body wants.

As Steve Kannon states it's all about appeasement. Give Chemtura (& M.O.E.) whatever it takes to bring them back to the table where there will be "...more leisurely noshing and coffee-drinking among likeminded folks.". It's all about appearances as in pretending to resolve a problem when all Chemtura and the M.O.E. want are to be left alone and be able to mutually obfuscate and commit puffery regarding their professional, world class "cleanup" of the Elmira Aquifers. Steve also makes it clear that he and other informed people know perfectly well that that will not happen as promised by 2028.

Steve's comments regarding the proposed replacement committees RAC & TAG are to the point. In revamping CPAC, the citizens' watchdog group, "it essentially removes both the citizen and the watchdog component.". This plan by Councillor Bauman and Mayor Shantz is a perfect example of small town obeisance to large corporate interests. Come on Sandy you're in their pocket, surely you can do more than this for them. How about declaring the 1989 Elmira Water Crisis all just a big mistake. Uniroyal (Chemtura) and the Ontario Ministry of the Environment weren't negligent afterall back then. It really was grease in the waterpumps as was originally suggested.

REVIEW OF MAYOR SHANTZ'S ELECTION EXPENSES COMBINED WITH THE DESTRUCTION OF INDEPENDENT PUBLIC CONSULTATION IN ELMIRA

Today's Elmira Independent carrys two articles of grave importance namely "Audit committee to review mayor Shantz's expenses" and "Chemtura committee to undergo changes". Both the Elmira Independent and the Woolwich Observer have copies of my two page detailed listing of the errors and miscalculations in Mayor Shantz's election expense report. Quite frankly the Mayor should be embarassed at her inability to allegedly be unable to fill out the expense report accurately and correctly. Editor and reporter Gail Martin has incorrectly suggested that "...Shantz should have voluntarily completed an audit, since her election expenses were higher than $10,000." What I said in writing was that mayor Shantz should have voluntarily submitted her own Auditor's report as demanded by the legislation because her Contributions were clearly well above $10,000. Indeed it is quite possible that an Audit will determine that her expenses also are above $10,000 but to date we do not know that yet.

At Council meeting Tuesday night I went out of my way to commend two Woolwich Councillors whose expense reports were superior to the rest of their colleagues. Councillor Murray Martin and Councillor Patrick Merlihan voluntarily included a number of invoices and receipts with their expense reports which was above and beyond the minimum requirements of the Municipal Elections Act.

Gail Martin's article regarding the removal of CPAC and SWAT only to be replaced by RAC and TAG; overall is accurate. One issue I see is stating that CPAC did not attend the private, by invitation only pretend stakeholders' meeting on April 9/15 because it was not held publicly. That is true although it was also because CPAC were not invited. In writing the Mayor invited Chairman Dr. Dan Holt by himself. Verbally she hinted that a second CPAC member might be allowed although that inviattion never took place.

Gail correctly indicates that citizens will be solicited to sit on a "technical" committee (TAG) but that it will report to a overseeing committee called RAC (Remediation Advisory Committee) consisting of non independent citizens and in fact dominated by the mayor, one Councillor and representatives from the GRCA, Region of Waterloo and an appointed and paid for by Council professional allegedly independent Chairperson. What a joke! That is not remotely independent public consultation. What it is is a politician dominated, political force whose purpose is exactly what Chemtura Canada (Uniroyal) and the Ontario Ministry of Environment want namely a group of fellow travellors who will not rock the boat but will carefully through the use of puffery and bullshit give the appearance of solving our environmental problems. No such thing will remotely occur.

It was the exact failure of each and every one of these bodies twenty-six years ago that caused the poisonong of Elmira's water supply. Now all the guilty parties are solely back in control of the process. Citizens on CPAC this last four and a half years are the only ones who have pushed the Onatrio M.O.E. and Chemtura in the right direction. Shame on mayor Shantz and Councillor Mark Bauman for once again selling out Woolwich volunteers and residents.

50% OF WOOLWICH COUNCIL MEMBERS ARE SEVERELY CHALLENGED

The above title was one of the comments I made last night as a Delegate to Woolwich Council. I was of course referring to their inability to follow the rules regarding election expense reports. From very obvious "All candidates shall file election expense reports" (Mark Bauman) to "They told me the signs were for free" (Scott Hahn) to our Mayor Shantz making a $2,600 mathematical error to her benefit; the implications of their incompetence are vast. Please note calling them incompetent is the lesser of the possibilities involved.

Regarding incompetence versus excessive support for the interests of a multi national, multibillion dollar corporation (Chemtura Canada); Mark and Sandy are again lucky if I feel that they are simply not too bright. Their manufactured crisis in league with Chemtura, of boycotting CPAC was disgusting. Their "pretend stakeholders" meeting with a group of grossly uninformed GRCA personnel and others even less knowledgable with the exception of three Chemtura toadies (Mark, Susan & Dwight) was typical politician sleight of hand. The pretext by Mark and Sandy of inventing two new council Committees in order to dissolve the current CPAC, contrary to Council's own Terms of Reference (October 29/13), is a sham and charade that would make past Councillor and CPAC Chair, Pat Mclean proud.

This folks is what this and most other Woolwich Councils are all about. It's an anti democratic abuse of authority combined with a constant usurping of authority they do not legally have. Just like our local school board it's all about getting your way while hiding behind rules, regulations, procedures and if needed lawyers and the courts. Very few good people get into politics and even fewer stay after even one term of being exposed to pathological lying and deception. It's about power, status and prestige for professional politicians at all levels. Hence they only support those groups or individuals who can help them realize their personal goals. The public interest only occurs when absolutely necessary or when it fortuitously coincides with these politicians ambitions.

WOOLWICH COUNCIL TONITE AT 6 PM.

Prior to the Woolwich Committee of the Whole meeting this evening, we have another meeting of MECAC (Municipal Election Compliance Audit Committee) at 1 pm.. Their purpose today is to pick one of the three Auditors available to them in order to audit Councillor Scott Hahn's election expense report. Originally Councilor Hahn had claimed $258 worth of expenses above and beyond his $100 nomination fee. It is my understanding that he now confirms expenses of $3,200. These expenses do not include the value of steel posts he used to hold up his election signs. Scott's claim is that they were used posts (180 of them) lying around his backyard. Regardless he is required to put a value on them and include them in his election expenses report.

It is my opinion prior to hearing the Auditor's Report that two things will be made very clear by it. Firstly that Scott Hahn is in gross contravention of the Municipal Election Act. Secondly it is my belief that the Auditor will make it clear to Council that Scott's intentions could very easily be interpreted as an intentional attempt to misrepresent his election expenses by completely ignoring donations from his father's company TriMach Inc.. Personally I know that Council will not want to recommend that Scott's case be sent to the courts or a prosecuter. That said if the Auditor's report is as clear as it should be then I believe that Council will be between a rock and a hard place.

Tonite's Council meeting includes a Report prepared by CAO David Brenneman recommending dissolving CPAC's Terms of Reference and replacing them with his Recommendation for a totally new and different set. As indicated in my Saturday posting this new proposed Terms of Reference will please Chemtura and their partner in pollution, the Ontario Ministry of Environment, immensely. CPAC were not consulted nor given any warning prior to an e-mail late Friday afternoon regarding these dramatic and contrary to the public interest, changes.

GREAT LAKES AND RADIATION

What a plan. Bury radioactive wastes (at whatever strength) within a kilometre of one of the largest sources of fresh water in the world. Afterall it's not as if anybody has ever prophesied water shortages or water wars down the road. Saturday's Waterloo Region Record carrys this story titled "Court urged to stop Lake Huron nuclear dump". Holy mackeral whenever I think there is a limit to the stupidity of human beings something like this crops up. As far as a limit to the stupidity of politicians I guess I'm being naive on that one.

The group Save Our Saugeen Shores has sent an application to the Federal Court requesting that the review panel's approval of the proposed nuclear waste dump be rescinded. Ontario Power Generation are the bad guys in this whole scenario. What a surprise. This group have been in the news for all the wrong reasons for a very long time including massive remuneration for the big shots at the top. There is no evidence that they are working in the public interest.

The claims that the Bedrock is stable and would provide a "hermetic seal" are just that: claims. At best they've drilled down to a certain depth and taken borehole samples up to the surface for study. These borehole samples will indeed give geologists a good idea of the characteristics of the Bedrock exactly at that spot. Fractures, fissues and even different material literally could be inches away and totally unknown.

Our U.S. neighbours who share the five Great Lakes with us are also not amused by Ontario's plans for nuclear storage beside Lake Huron. As Ontario's long and no longer secret weapon against pollution has always been "dilution is the solution to pollution" you can understand their concerns. What leakage will occur will of course be shared with them as well as with the rest of eastern Canada as it makes it's way to the east coast of Canada. Is sharing really what good neighbours do? Will this be the excuse down the road for the U.S. to decide to "annex" the Great Lakes for their own use in order to satisfy their south-west water shortages?

WOOLWICH COUNCIL COMPLETELY SELLS OUT TO CHEMTURA CANADA (UNIROYAL)

It is municipal corruption, plain and simple. Municipal hypocrisy by Mayor Shantz is also on full display. The proposed new CPAC (if you will) Terms of Reference, written by chief municipal lackey David Brenneman, have been written with exactly zero consultation with the best Chemtura Public Advisory Committee (CPAC) there has ever been. The Mayor's hypocrisy is entwined throughout these Terms of Reference. She whines about "respectful" dialogue while she and Councillor Bauman behave like dogs and smear the character of Woolwich volunteers currently on CPAC. She whines about my Blog (Elmira Advocate) and states that new members of her pro Chemtura RAC & TAG pretend environmental committees can not use social media to criticize Chemtura, the Ministry of Excuses and Corporate Collusion (M.O.E.C.C.) and their politician sympathizers. Well I wouldn't have to call you out here for your obfuscation, manipulation and pro polluter manoeuvering if you would do it publicly and transparently. Like most professional deceivers you thrive on private meetings and "backroom", by invitation only deal making.

These Terms of Reference are all about increasing the already solid grip of Council upon what euphemistically could be called public consultation. As you are so keen on acronyms let me suggest one new committee called CPC short for Chemtura Propaganda Committee. These proposed Terms of Reference were e-mailed to CPAC late Friday afternoon and will be discussed at Council this Tuesday at 6 pm. Meanwhile CPAC have a Working Session Monday at 4 pm. and CPAC's Chair Dr. Dan Holt will be attending the Municipal Audit Committee Tuesday at 1 pm. Nicely played David and Council in avoiding any time for CPAC to get up to speed on your latest undemocratic, unethical and probably technically inappropriate, unilateral changing of the Terms of Reference of a committee of Council. And you asshats wonder why you are held in such contempt by citizens who have volunteered so much time and energy for the betterment of Woolwich Township.

M.O.E. SMELLS WORSE THAN THE TOXIC BARRELS REMOVED IN CONESTOGO

Today's Waterloo Region Record carrys this story titled "Toxic barrels removed from farm". Safety-Kleen of Breslau as well as Aevitas of Ayr have stepped up and performed both a private and a community service. Both companies deserve credit for filling the immense breech left by the Ontario Ministry of Excuses and Corporate Collusuion (M.O.E.C.C.). In this case the corporations involved actually did perform a public service whereas the M.O.E. ran for cover.

To the best of my knowledge P.C.B.s unlike say Dioxins cannot be produced naturally. While Dioxins are similar chemically they are usually the unwanted by-product of manufacturing involving chlorophenols which are benzene type ringed structures with chlorine added. That said lightning as well as incineration of plastics or other chlorinated products can inadvertently produce Dioxins. P.C.B.s were initially manufactured as coolants inside electrical equipment such as ballasts and transformers.

The two drums with P.C.B.s in them will be sent to Alberta to a special hazardous waste facility for incineration. To date both the Waterloo Regional Police and the M.O.E. are investigating the source of the toxic dumping.

P.C.B. DRUMS & MORE IN CONESTOGO ARE EVERYONE'S PROBLEM

Luisa D'Amato's Opinion column yesterday carried this article titled "Toxic waste: everyone's problem". Luisa hits the nail on the head with her condemnation of various levels of government who all passed the buck, demanding that the victim of the toxic dumping pay for the cleanup and removal. That was estimated at $12,000 before they determined that P.C.B.s were involved. The homeowner finally was assisted by Safety-Kleen in Breslau but not before she stated that the situation "has revealed some rather large, gaping holes in how something like this is handled.".

Of course the Ontario Ministry of the Environment should have taken the lead on this but really who are we kidding? As the homeowner said in an earlier interview "I feel so let down by the Ministry of the Environment". The M.O.E. have become a nest of lawyers and vipers simply tolerating polluters and harassing citizens who have legitimate expectations that they will do their mandated duty. No such luck unless the citizens are prepared to take them to court on a regular basis. What a way to run a Ministry of the provincial government.

INADVERTENCE VERSUS INDIFFERENCE

Well it's taken this long to obtain (for a price) copies of Mark Bauman's allegedly public court appearance. What a political/judicial system when you can schedule a court appearance privately and have a trial without even advising the citizen complainant (me) about it.

Having read the Decision and having only skimmed the Factum and the Application Record it becomes obvious as to what a legal farce this has been. Yours truly's name is mentioned in the Factum as the complainant yet the Judge had no qualms about making his Decision without me being present and or without his inquiring if I had been informed of the proceeding. I will assume that this is an intentional loophole in the legislation (Municipal Elections Act 1996) versus some sort of judicial error.

Having read other similar court cases as well as Mark's it appears to boil down to the following: Inadvertence versus Indifference. In other words regarding the Election Act, indeed ignorance of the law is an excuse. Of course it was helpful to Mark's cause that there was nobody present prior to the judgement, such as myself, to testify otherwise. While there was no Affidavit from the Woolwich Clerk in which she could possibly perjure herself; Mark in both his Factum and Application Record absolutely stated that the Clerk did NOT know that Mark like every other candidate was supposed to file an election expense report and thus allegedly she did not send him the same Notice she sent all the other candidates in Woolwich Township. Very damned convenient there Mark.

In fact this citizen and Woolwich resident specifically asked in front of a witness to see Councillor Mark Bauman's election expense report. I believe the Clerk baldfaced lied to me when she said that his expense report was on line. I politely advised her otherwise. Then she departed for ten minutes allegedly looking for his expense report to show me. I believe she was in fact obtaining advice as to what to do with this pesky (but polite) citizen. There would have been no need for the ten minute discussion if she truly believed that Mark was not required to file that expense report. All she had to do was so advise me and my witness. She did not. In fact her response after the ten minute wait was that it was
"Woolwich tradition" not to require Mark to submit his election report when he was acclaimed. None of that evidence ever got to the Judge.

Be proud Woolwich Township and five time Councillor Mark Bauman. You deceived the judge into believing it was Inadvertence (ignorance) rather than Indifference to the law. This is exactly what I'm talking about regarding Woolwich Township stickhandling around rules, by-laws and provincial legislation. Further and deeper shame on the lot of you.

LETTERS TO THE EDITOR REGARDING WOOLWICH POLITICIANS ARE ILLUMINATING

Ken Jensen another environmental professional involved with CPAC as a SWAT (Soil, Water, Air & Technical) member has offerred his opinion that CPAC getting facts and data is important but even more so is getting the public on board. In other words CPAC must win the Public Relations battle. This is not easy despite the common sense reality that Chemtura are a multi national, multi billion dollar corporation whose major interest is shareholders' profits not environmental sustainability or cleanup.

Hence I have been watching with interest as our three local newspapers have all been publishing atories regarding the election trials and tribulations (and soon maybe more) of our local Councillors. To date that has been Scott Hahn and Mark Bauman. I expect there will soon be mention of Mayor Shantz's unusual and creative election expense accounting and other election expense errors. Whether a fouth Councillor will soon be under scrutiny is a possibility.

Last Friday the Elmira Independent published a Letter To The Editor from Joan Coutu of Elmira. The next day the Woolwich Observer published a Letter To The Editor from Sebastian Seibel-Achenbach, CPAC's vice Chair. While these Letters are both quite supportive of the necessity for investigation into improper, inaccurate and incomplete or totally missing expense reports make no mistake there were several Letters taking the opposite position. I would characterize some of them as rude and ignorant. That is unfortunate as a couple of others while contrary to the opinions of Ms. Coutu and Mr. Seibel-Achenbach were thought provoking and I can say in my case certainly made me stop and carefully rethink my position.

While all of these criticisms and public scrutiny of Woolwich Councillors are appropriate, certainly CPAC, SWAT and public stakeholders can not help but be watching very carefully as to how this all plays out. If Council as a whole and most certainly specific members of Council lose credibility and have their teflon images tarnished, whether due to incompetence or worse, it can only assist CPAC in their life and death battle against the likes of Mark and Sandy along with the benign neglect of most other Councillors.

A NEWS RELEASE & VISIT TO THE LOCAL MEDIA TODAY

I will be releasing a news release today advising that " Woolwich Mayor Sandy Shantz is in contravention of the Municipal Election Act". Along with the news release will be backup documentation showing three separate probable contraventions. I would rank two of them as 99% probable and number two as perhaps 70% probable. These contraventions include Sections 72 and 78 of the Elections Act. They are significant including one probable overdonation by a corporate contributer. Also included is the Mayor's unique accounting/mathematical calculations. I have compared her calculations on one particular item with both explanatory examples on the internet as well as with her fellow Mayoral and Councillor candidates. Her method appears to be both unique and incorrect. To say that of all the Council we would expect the Mayor to set an example is an understatement. That said as of the information currently available I am witholding judgement as to whether she has intentionally misrepresented or whether she simply isn't up to the job of filling out these forms correctly.

That members of Woolwich Council take legal requirements far too casually is another understatement. To date we have Scott Hahn and Mark Bauman with proven errors in their ability to follow the provincially legislated election rules. I believe based upon serious examination of the facts that Mayor Shantz will make three. I will also add that I have seen too many examples of this Council and senior Woolwich staff who believe that they either make up the rules themselves or that they can stickhandle around them. This is one reason for my diligence on these matters.

I would far rather be spending my time reading environmental reports rather than election rules and legislation. This Mayor and her sidekick Mark Bauman have pulled the plug on meaningful environmental public consultation. They have dishonestly attacked the character, competence and integrity of the Chemtura Public Advisory Committee. So tell me Sandy and Mark; how do you like having your competence and possibly character attacked albeit with honesty and transparency? This behaviour by both Mark and Sandy make my decision to hold them accountable for their multiple Election Act errors much easier.

WOOLWICH COUNCIL ADDS "INDIAN GIVING" TO THEIR SINS

Hunh it just hit me that that expression we used since we were kids (and probably long before) is actually racist. My apologies to First Nations and aboriginal people. As if they haven't been subjected to enough denigration over the decades and centuries by Canadian authorities. Yes when it comes to bullying, harassment and just plain contemptible behaviour you need only look to the powerful in any country. Powerful whether by money, influence or political office.

For the past twenty-four years Uniroyal then Chemtura have provided funding to Woolwich Council in order to hire a secretary to take Minutes, coorespond with parties etc.. In recent years it has been $10,000 per annum. On two occasions this current CPAC appointed by the 2010 Woolwich Council have used some of the funds to hire consultants. In 2012 it was Dr. Gail Krantzberg (McMaster Univ.) and in 2014 it was Peter Gray (MTE). Recently CPAC via Graham Chevreau obtained a grant from the Region of Waterloo in order to take samples and analyse them from the Canagagigue Creek and area.

Woolwich Council a week and a half ago stole CPAC's money. They dipped into CPAC's annual budget without so much as a by your leave. They took the money in order to pay for a consultant ostensibly representing the citizens of Woolwich to attend another private, by invitation only Chemtura meeting. This meeting is not in the public interest. This meeting is Mayor Shantz's favourite kind of meeting namely out of the public sight and pretending to be what it isn't. After the fact, CPAC were informed.

MAYOR SANDY SHANTZ IS IN CONTRAVENTION OF THE MUNICIPAL ELECTIONS ACT.

This Council are corrupt. Corrupt as a whole not necessarily each and every member. I leave it to you to figure out the white hats from the black hats. Corruption is defined as so much more than the quintessential brown paper bag of the Mulroney style, filled with cash. One definition among many is "riddled with errors".

Dr. Dan Holt took Councillor Scott Hahn to task for his pathetic and ridiculous attempt to comply with the Elections Act regarding his expense report. I have zero grounds to believe that it was anything more than Dr. Dan's superior knowledge of the legislation plus his sense of right and wrong and fair play. From originally claiming $258 Mr. Hahn's admitted expenses are now $3,200 and rising as he still hasn't included the value of 180 steel posts.

I took Councillor Mark Bauman to task for his complete failure to file any expense report whatsoever. I was shocked by the Clerk's comment after I requested to see Councillor Bauman's expense report. Firstly she stated that it was on-line. I informed her that no it was not. Secondly she informed me after a ten minute wait that as per "Woolwich tradition" she had not required Mark Bauman to submit an expense report because he was acclaimed. I nearly responded that I wasn't aware that "Woolwich tradition" trumped provincial legislation. I have read Mark Bauman's Court Decision written by Justice Campbell. It is all of three pages long and explains nothing other than Mark's Application to the Court for reinstatement was unopposed by the Respondent, Woolwich Township. Basically impossible to lose under those divine circumstances isn't it Mark?

Questions arise. Did the Judge know that Mark had not filed all four times he was acclaimed? Did he know that the Clerk had immediately issued a Default Notice to Todd Cowan for failing to file? Did he know that the Clerk sent out a "Notice To Candidate Of Filing Requirements" well prior to the March 27/15 deadline? Did he know that the Clerk and others feel that "Woolwich traditions" trump the law? Did he know that Mark had seven months from his nomination date until the nomination deadline (& hence his acclamation) in which if he so much as distributed a single brochure from his 2010 contested election; then he had election expenses? Are you sure it's over Mark?

ELMIRA INDEPENDENT REPORTS ON LAST WEEK'S CPAC MEETING

The title of yesterday's Elmira Independent article (not on-line yet) is "Chemtura advisory committee term to end in September". Editor Gail Martin focuses on three issues namely the extension of the term until September 1, CPAC's declaration that Peter Gray (MTE) does not represent their interests at Chemtura's private, by invitation only "technical" meeting (CPAC members all excluded) and finally the Ministry of Environment's ridiculous, butt covering claim that they need $1,628 to cover costs of providing a two page Summary of taxpayers' costs (via the M.O.E.) of cleaning up the Elmira Aquifers.

CPAC spoke bluntly of their disappointment and concerns regarding Woolwich Council's abject failure to reappoint the current CPAC in a timely manner. They also spoke bluntly of certain Council members contemptible behaviour towards CPAC, both verbal and in writing, and then Council's arrogance at assuming they could extend CPAC's term contrary to both their Procedural By-Laws and contrary to decency, courtesy and respect. Two members of this Council have been meeting behind CPAC's back with Chemtura and the M.O.E. and have been totally undermining them for over six months now. They have also been excusing Chemtura and the M.O.E.'s absence from public consultation by holding their private, not in the public interest meetings with them. This is how Woolwich Township and Council treat citizen volunteers who take their public interest mandate seriously when it conflicts with the interest of senior staff and or Council. Shame on them.

Peter Gray's representation of Woolwich at private Chemtura meetings is also disgusting. Council in approving this are violating every known principle of public consultation there is. Chemtura/M.O.E/CRA desperately need to minimize Peter Gray's (MTE) two reports from October 2014 and March 2015. Those two Reports expose Chemtura/M.O.E. gross negligence in allowing off-site flow of DDT, Dioxins and much more. Peter will be co-opted either in reality or in fantasy but Chemtura/CRA will control all reports and documentation concerning the properties east and south of their site.

The Ministry's (M.O.E.) $1,628 FOI bill to CPAC is unacceptable. When will their be a public inquiry into this corrupt Ministry? They are beyond belief.

The next regularily scheduled full public CPAC meeting is scheduled for June 25 at 6 pm. in Council Chambers unless Council of course throw a snit in the meantime.

MARK BAUMAN DID NOT REPRESENT COUNCIL NOR CPAC AT APRIL 9 MEETING

Quoting from last Saturday's Woolwich Observer "According to the provincial Ministry of Municipal Affairs, Bauman immediately forfeited his seat when he failed to file a report by the March 27 deadline. Despite being acclaimed to the seat he's held since 2000, he was still required to submit an election expense report under changes to the Municipal Election Act approved prior to the 2010 vote." Furthermore ministry spokesperson Yanni Dagonas stated "It's automatic. The act is clear. There is no mechanism by which council needs to act".

This raises some questions. Did Woolwich Township commit an offence by not formally removing Mark Bauman from office? Secondly are they knowingly committing an offence by not formally reinstating him via some oath of office or other mechanism after Judge Campbell gave his O.K.? Thirdly and this interests me greatly: Are all of Mark Bauman's votes, actions and decisions from March 27 until Thursday May 28 out the window? The answer seems pretty clear to me. He wasn't a Woolwich Councillor during that time frame. Hence the notorious April 9/15 "meeting minutes" of Mayor Shantz's pretend stakeholders' meeting were attended by an imposter, namely one Mark Bauman. He was there as either Council's CPAC representative or as a Council member or both when in fact he was neither. He was simply one more member of the unwashed masses ie. the public.

As it was this meeting attended by seventeen individuals representing various levels of government and various agencies had only Dwighte Este of Chemtura and Mark Bauman with current CPAC knowledge. All the rest were at best pretend stakeholders and some of those with personal axes to grind. The meeting was nothing more than a "bitch" session to allow Mayor Shantz written ammunition to wield against CPAC in her restructuring of CPAC to Chemtura's specifications.

MIDNIGHT DUMPING & UPCOMING SCOTT HAHN AUDIT

Well first of all the two subjects in the above headline are essentially unrelated except that they are both occurring here in Woolwich Township. The midnight dumping of toxic wastes was described in the Waterllo Region Record a couple of days ago in a story titled "Gallons of toxic waste dumped at sugar bush". My educated guess based upon the contents being diesel fuel and oily water and paint is that they may be from either a commercial auto body shop or even someone's backyard do it yourself car painting operation.

Regarding the Scott Hahn Audit, today's Waterloo Region Record carrys this story titled "Scott Hahn audit to get underway this month". We are advised that the Municipal Election Compliance Audit Committee (MECAC) will be meeting in the next couple of weeks in order to choose an Auditor. To date three proposals for audit services have been received by Woolwich Township. It is beyond impossible for the Auditor not to find errors and discrepancies in Mr. Hahn's original filing simply based upon the already agreed unreported expenses of brochures and signs. Other issues may also possibly come to light.

IT'S ALL ABOUT ME AND THE ADVOCATE

O.K. I'm not comfortable with the above title and I've been resisting it for the last few months. I've been resisting it despite mounting evidence and a few close colleagues assurring me that it is so. Irony abounds. Firstly no individual, singlehandedly can take on Chemtura, their consultants, the Ontario Ministry of the Environment, the Mayor, Councillor Bauman, a couple of other fence sitting Councillors, and finally two co-opted citizens one a former CPAC Chair and even think they have a ghost of a chance at succeeding.

Past CPACs have had good individuals on them including Dr. Henry Regier, Fred Hager, Ken Driedger, Gerry Heideburt, myself and others. The current CPAC have five excellent members namely Dr. Dan Holt, Sebastian Seibel-Achenbach, Vivienne Delaney, Ron Campbell and Graham Chevreau. Combined with them are a dream SWAT team namely Henry Regier, Richard Clausi, David Marks, Ken Jensen and Paul Menkveld.

My colleagues have been advising me that the primary reason for bringing back the antiquated, disproven, authoritarian and anti populous idea of private, by invitation only technical meetings is to exclude myself from having any public input whatsoever. Besides my understanding of the technical issues there is my outspokeness at CPAC meetings combined with this Blog. The other five honest CPAC members have learned over the last 4 1/2 years that I am a straightshooter who not only tells the truth but backs it up with facts and logic.

Similarily the plan of removing the CPAC Chair Dr. Dan Holt and relegating CPAC to only three or four cheerleading meetings a year is to appease Chemtura and the M.O.E.. Public consultation for them is al about appearances not reality.

Perhaps a more accurate discription of my input and influence would be that I am a catalyst. Without the influence of Pat & Susan at CPAC meetings I have been able via truth, logic and facts to win the hearts and minds of a group of dedicated Woolwich citizens. It is to the shame of Woolwich Council that this extraordinary group are being shamefully attacked and relegated to the sidelines by Mayor Shantz and Councilor Bauman at the behest of Chemtura and the Ministry of the Environment.

FINAL (?) ANALYSIS OF THE MARK BAUMAN CASE

While there has been lots of comment both pro and con regarding Mark Bauman's illegal "suspension" or non-removal from office for eight days by Woolwich Township; last Friday's Woolwich Observer Editorial and cartoon have to be my favourite. The title of the Editorial is "Be thankful for those who bring errors to light". Of course as per the headline an alternate title could be "Don't shoot the messenger".

The cartoon is a belly laugher. It shows Todd Cowan, Scott Hahn, Mark Bauman and Clerk Val Hummel in the Woolwich Saloon nursing their injuries. Those wounds are all self inflicted bullet holes in one of their feet. While normally personal injuries caused by gunfire are no laughing matter; the expression "shooting oneself in the foot" is a well known, long established and publicly accepted saying.

The Editorial itself points out that the messengers namely myself and Dr. Dan Holt have both assisted the democratic process. Also "As a member of the Municipal Elections Act Compliance Audit Committee noted at Hahn's hearing, it's important that the public see politicians are not above the law, that they have to follow the rules."

The Observer's Editorial and cartoon both make critical comments regarding Township Clerk Val Hummel. While there is some basis for that I would remind both readers and the Observer that as per the Elections Act, primary and fundamental responsibilty for compliance is solely upon the candidate not the Clerk.