LONG PAST TIME FOR A PUBLIC INQUIRY/ROYAL COMMISSION INTO ELMIRA

First off the older I get the more corruption of public processes that I have seen. Typically it is our politicians hiding behind "process" in order to avoid accountability or being held responsible for public policy snafus. In other words the most accountable and transparent process possible on paper guarantees nothing. It is the individuals involved in the "process" whether that process be court, hearings, Inquiries, Commissions , elections, debates, public consultation etc. that determine it's honesty and outcome. In other words any manmade "process" can and has been perverted by individuals so inclined and in position to do so.

On that note why bother? Well sometimes an honest and open public process is in the interests of enough people, the media and even some in positions of authority that everyone will pay close attention. When under the public microscope, while not impossible, it is much less likely that vested interests, including guilty vested interests, will fiddle and meddle in the process in order to preserve their own interests.

Here in Elmira the obvious focus of any Inquiry or Commission should be the Ontario Ministry of the Environment. They have long been in a conflict of interest position as their private deal making with polluting industries has caused irreparable harm to the environment and to citizens' health. The failure of the Ministry of Health provincially or even regionally to conduct a serious health study in and around Elmira is to both their shame. Perhaps this actually might end up being a proxy Inquiry into political corruption at the provincial level. Why are all three major parties soft on corporate polluters while hell on wheels with little polluters? To say it is a double standard is an understatement. The more money and authority a polluter has the better, more respectfully and more gently they are treated by our M.O.E..

Political deals including sweetheart deals, free passes for past sins (indemnities), impossible standards of proof required to open investigations or remedy failings; these are all part and parcel of the corrupted political process. Whether we are discussing Varnicolor Chemical, Phillips Environmental, Uniroyal Chemical, Breslube/Safety-Kleen, ProCast Foundries, Rothsay Concentrates, Scavenger Recycling or even things like ridiculously located landfills in and around Elmira; we've got them all. Our air, our creeks and rivers and our groundwater have all been seriously impacted over the decades despite a litany of anti-pollution legislation. The common thread has been the undue influence of money and power as to who receives the full extent of enforcement of public interest pollution legislation.

Currently primarily in private, concerned Elmira citizens are receiving confirmation as to the failures of our authorities at all levels in regards to environmental protection and remediation. We are learning that the 2028 cleanup of the Elmira Aquifers is no longer unlikely it is impossible. It is not solely due to one or two minor unforseen complications but due to a litany of incompetence, overconfidence and unaccountability. It is due to the gamesmanship of our authorities removing one way or the other the best, brightest and most committed citizens from the public consultation process. It is also due to the wonderful addition of Dr. Richard Jackson back in September 2015. That he became part of the process by the pair on Council most responsible for the previously mentioned gamesmanship in removing honest and committed citizens, is beyond bizarre. Whether his early departure was also due to the same pair in addition to "public policy" failures as he put it, I do not know. Only suspect. Was their appointing of Dr. Jackson a huge mistake that truly turned the tide on Chemtura/CRA/M.O.E. bullshit and puffery; hence indicating their incompetence in supporting the partners in pollution or did they sincerely appoint Dr. Jackson truly knowing what a dedicated, powerful and sincere individual he was? If the latter then that would speak to their stupidity, naivety and incompetence in formerly supporting the three mouseketeers and their self-serving agendas.

Some form of Public Inquiry is needed. Of course those who could initiate it are as usual implicated themselves. I await the future
removal of both the Liberals and Conservatives as the governing party here in Ontario. While not quite having a monopoly on the environmental blame here, they are very close. Perhaps an NDP or NDP/Green coalition might see some political advantage in such an Inquiry. Sad but that's the most likely way it will ever happen.