POLITICIANS & OTHER PROFESSIONAL LIARS CHANGE THE STATION

People as a group are easily misled. Hence what self-respecting politician with favours owing and political debts to be repaid isn't going to say and do things in his creditors interests versus the public interest from time to time? The trick of course is that all politicians need as many of these easily misled people as possible to vote for them. Hence it's lying time. Again what self-respecting politician isn't going to get professional help to assist him in selling his lies to the unwashed masses? Well for one I don't think former Mayor Todd Cowan had professional help to assist in his lying.

There most likely is an actual playbook somewhere with or without the formal title of "The Art of Deception, Lying, Misrepresentation, and overall Fooling of the Public at will - Fifty Shades of the Truth." One chapter is likely titled "Undermining, Criticizing and Eliminating Citizen Activists." Certainly locally here in Woolwich Township that chapter has been taken to heart by the local polluter as well as our local council. While I personally have been the target of such dishonest and cowardly tactics, those miscreants actually had the nerve and lack of ethics to attack an entire committee of council (CPAC) appointed by the preceding council. They intimated, inferred and implied over and over again that the 2011-2015 CPAC and SWAT members including myself were rude, nasty, intimidating and out of control. Each and every person who made those allegations are liars, plain and simple.

The truth is as follows. CPAC members between 2011 to 2015 were dedicated, hard working and informed. Many were professionals in their fields including Health, Environment, Biology, Mathematics and Chemistry. Several had Dr. before their names. Several, myself included, were and are senior citizens. What these citizens had was a formal committee process with an experienced chairman. Normal and appropriate behaviour was both expected and enforced. On occasion I believe that I was warned by the chair that my language or comments needed to be softened. I always immediately complied and was able to continue my comments or questions to Chemtura personnel and or MOE staff.The other members all spoke honestly and professionally at all times. They did however speak critically and bluntly as the occasion required. This was not appreciated by the polluter and his alleged regulator, the MOE.

The Waterloo Region Record published an Editorial on April 5, 2016 titled "Council shouldn't gag the public". This issue concerned Woolwich Council attempting to stop both myself and Dr. Dan Holt from addressing council as Delegates on matters pertaining to Chemtura Canada. You may notice some points of similarity with this issue and the one I've been talking about in the previous three paragraphs here. The Record Editorial states "While the politicians who already voted for the new curbs on public speakers didn't say so, it looks like they're trying to stifle a handful of the most outspoken environmental activists."

The Editorial also addresses Woolwich Council's, Chemtura's and the MOE's favourite red herring namely citizen's "behaviour." How dare all those professional, truth challenged pieces of unethical behaviour point fingers at honest, informed volunteers giving their time for the public good. The Record Editorial addresses that thusly: "If politicians don't want to listen to citizens who get worked up about a public issue, who get excited, maybe even lose their tempers-tough. Being willing to listen to the people is part of the municipal politician's job description." Yes it is but it's also part of public consultation and if multiple times convicted polluters and their fellow travellors can't take disagreement or criticism then don't pollute the public's air, water and soil in the first place. And don't cry to your political mommies afterwards that volunteer citizens aren't being nice to you. Stop your lying and other nasty behaviour and maybe you'll be surprised by the results.