WOOLWICH TOO ARROGANT, ISOLATED, UNACCOUNTABLE TO SEE IT COMING

I've as usual given them enough rope to hang themselves on. I gently advised them of the facts, the issues and the concerns and instead of actually reading the source material (10 Conestoga Rovers reports) they immediately went into cover up and denial mode. Without thinking, without researching and without asking hard questions. And here we are today with both Sandy Shantz and now a senior Woolwich staffer lying on the front page of the Waterloo Region Record. The title of today's story by Jeff Outhit is "Methane gas sparks fears in Woolwich".

Why do politicians and senior bureaucrats lie? The senior bureaucrats I can both understand and sympathize with. They have large incomes, benefits, job security, status and prestige far in excess of the average Canadian. They have families, mortgages and likely children attending university. I do not believe that they are unionized hence their job security refers to never being laid off. Firing however if they don't follow the explicit direction of the corporation's CAO is something different. Either you're a team player, right or wrong, or you may as well start packing. What they don't fire you for today (ie. telling the truth) they will find an excuse down the road. If you sue for wrongful dismissal you may win but the money won't come out of either the CAO's pocket or the Council personally. The corporation, in this case the Township taxpayers, will foot the bill and the settlement will be kept as quiet as possible.

Why do politicians lie? It's all about serving their interests not the public's interests. Past mistakes, stupidity and downright negligence needs to be covered up at all costs. Afterall there's always an election down the road and incompetence doesn't get you elected. Smiling pretty faces with feel good messages do get you elected. Many politicians, especially at the local, municipal level, are downright lazy. Actually doing their own research and reading isn't what they are about. Leave that for the underlings and if necessary get them to massage the facts more to your self-serving liking.

Lastly there is always the possibility here in Elmira that our Woolwich Council are afraid of opening a massive can of worms. We all have learned that our Ontario Ministry of Environment are a paper tiger. Uniroyal/Lanxess in conjunction with their consultants (Conestoga Rovers now GHD) have run them in circles for decades. The M.O.E. would rather make self-serving deals in an attempt to save what little credibility they have left, rather than fight and firmly enforce our environmental laws. There are more hazardous waste landfills here within the town of Elmira. They also all likely have methane gas releasing uncontrolled into our air and water. It's no accident that all are on the east side of Elmira, just like the Bolender Landfill. The prevailing winds blow that crap out of town. Our local creek, the Canagagigue still carries industrial wastes as well downstream to be enjoyed further afield by Kitchener, Waterloo and Cambridge residents. These wastes include those from landfills beside the creek such as the First St. Landfill and the M2 area on Chemtura/Lanxess's south-west corner. It's a mess and it's a mess to date sanctioned by the Ontario M.O.E.. Only public concern and anger will ever get anything done locally to clean up this legacy of industrial pollution in Elmira.