IS THE MEDIA LIMITING LOCAL ENVIRONMENTAL STORIES FROM WIDER DISTRIBUTION?

O.K. I've read this story on-line in the Waterloo Region Record first thing this morning. Then my paper is delivered to my door and I go looking for the Northstar Aerospace story which I had previously read on-line. No sign of it. What the bloody hell. I go back on-line and there it is. Upon closer examination I see that the story was written by Ray Martin of the Cambridge Times . Presumably as this story is in the Record on-line either the Times are a subsidiary of the Record or more likely both are owned by one of the big media conglomerates. This all begs the question: A public meeting regarding one of the biggest Trichloroethylene (TCE) sites in Ontario and certainly the biggest TCE site in Waterloo Region with the greatest number of illnesses and fatalities as a result and the Record don't publish this story in the morning edition of their paper delivered in Elmira. Did they include it in the morning edition delivered to Kitchener and Waterloo? As it is in their on-line edition albeit under the Cambridge Times banner does this indicate it is in the Record editions delivered to Cambridge? Or not?

Does the Waterloo Region Record feel that we in Elmira have suffered enough environmentally and either have no need or interest in our neighbours problems south of us? I think not. Or is this a serious attempt at further political damage control by the media? Have they been asked by certain self-inflated egos at the Regional level to back off widely distributing news about cleanups and contaminated sites in Waterloo Region? Has the cone of silence been put over their and our heads by Ken and the old boys and girls club that runs the Region of Waterloo? Would they prefer our media to report on all the good things about LRT for instance and avoid distribution of nasty or disturbing items that could indicate exactly how far out of control we are environmentally?

The Cambridge Times article explains two new cleanup methods being considered by the Ontario Ministry of Environment. Without saying so it appears that ISCO (In Situ Chemical Oxidation) hasn't been as successful as was hoped when it was used many years ago. The M.O.E. are also looking at removing the backyard sheds and equipment and replacing them with a Sub-Slab Depressurization system (SSD). This would be installed presumably below the basement floors of 84 homes individually instead of currently 19 lucky homeowners hosting Soil Vapour Extraction (SVE) systems in their backyards removing TCE vapours from the basements of the 84 homes.

Folks without wanting to minimize the horrible working environment that women have apparently suffered and are thus currently suing the Waterloo Regional Police for damages; I have to ask whether you have given serious thought to a class action suit against both the Ontario Ministry of Environment and possibly against the Region or City (Cambridge). The injuries caused by our police service are less than those suffered by multiple generations of citizens in the Bishop St. community and are a direct result of government inaction and negligence. My only hope is that if you do this you avoid any confidential settlements that would muzzle you. That is exactly how Regional Police and governments avoid public accountability for their inaction and misbehaviour. You have a possible opportunity to receive compensation for your pain and suffering and financial losses on your homes although no compensation will ever make up for the loss of loved ones or damages to your health. You can also help your fellow citizens by making the Ministry of Emvironment publicly accountable for both their past and current failures.