THE MEDIA CONTINUE TO DISAPPOINT REGARDING CHEMTURA/M.O.E.

Basically with the exception of the Elmira Independent until their closing last year the media have been Absent Without Leave (AWOL) regarding Chemtura Canada in Elmira and the Ontario Ministry of Environment. The last three years have seen incredible news in relation to the public attempting to hold them accountable. Without either the K-W Record or Woolwich Observer attending public RAC or TAG meetings it has been very difficult to get the message out. While CPAC got the ball rolling in a huge way, Dr. Dick Jackson has really hammered the credibility of Chemtura and the M.O.E.. He has presented tutorials at TAG meetings essentially indicting Uniroyal/Chemtura and their consultants for their technical failures over the last decades. Failures to have a Conceptual Site Model, ignorance of the basal gravel unit, lack of sediment transport testing, failure to properly implement ISCO and the lack of understanding of the back diffusion issues have all clearly indicated that Conestoga Rovers sole reliance on pump and treat was misplaced. If only the media had picked up on this in a big way.

Then we get to the Canagagigue Creek. Dr. Jackson has been appalled with Chemtura and the M.O.E.'s failures to remediate the sediments and flood plain soils. They are filled with Dioxins/Furans and DDT. Just recently are we discovering that indeed as long suspected P.C.B.s in the creek are also from Chemtura. While CPAC were hammering Chemtura about this during 2012-14 Dr. Jackson has also lended his decades of professional experience to the cause. And where have the media been? AWOL. For the last year has any media attended so much as a single TAG or RAC meeting? Sure as hell the Woolwich Observer haven't. They will mention Chemtura/RAC/TAG/M.O.E. if they come up at Council meetings. Otherwise Nada.

The Record have a feeble excuse in that they are covering all of Waterloo Region. The Observer have no legitimate excuse whatsoever. I can think of two possibilities regarding their lack of coverage. Neither is particularily flattering to the Observer. There may well be other possibilities for the Observer's failure to publish citizens and professionals facts and criticisms regarding Chemtura and the Ontario Ministry of Environment. I simply can't imagine what they would be.

This lack of coverage around CPAC's successes in holding Chemtura's feet to the fire was pathetic and a gross disservice to the public. The lack of coverage by both the Record and Observer regarding Dr. Jackson's public, face to face confrontations with the Ontario M.O.E. has been grotesque. Dr. Jackson has publicly exposed the lies and misrepresentations of the M.O.E. and only the CPAC attendees, RAC and TAG especially have witnessed it. This is but one of the reasons I have been reticent to deny some connection between the Woolwich Council Election Financing Scandal and their behaviour regarding CPAC, Chemtura and the M.O.E.. The media have been covering the Shantz, Bauman, Hahn tribulations and some have attempted to link them with Council's contemptible behaviour towards CPAC all the while Council have been kissing Chemtura and the M.O.E.s butts. This purported linkage at least keeps Chemtura/M.O.E.'s corrupt behaviour a little bit in the news. Why would I deny it?