"ELMIRA WATER WOES: THE TRIUMPH OF CORRUPTION, DECEIT, AND CITIZEN BETRAYAL"

It's been two and a half years of work. Most of it I have loved. The research and the writing were the most exciting and fun for me. The time I've spent editing was not so much fun; it was work. When I say "...I've spent editing..." isn't quite accurate. I have a friend who is a professional editor. She wishes to stay under the radar so be it. Her advice, editing, and general improvements have been wonderful. Unfortunately I see a long future of my working at editing as well as chasing formal publishing. No thanks. I will write another book before I spend another couple years of my life pushing this one.

I have been led to believe from a number of sources that the Canadian publishing industry is sadly lacking unless your name ends in Berton, Atwood, Mowat etc. Mine does not nor do thousands of other excellent Canadians with stories to tell. Self-publishing is the way to go. For a personal,financial price anyone can have their book printed and waved around as a "published" piece of work. Again I'm unimpressed. Kindle/Amazon seemed like a good route until I saw and read the twelve pages of legalese called Conditions etc. Even more unimpressed.

My book is the result of my personally spending thirty years watching, listening, and participating in public consultation regarding the 1989 Elmira, Ontario Water Crisis. For the past thirty years I have spoken at public meetings of UPAC, CPAC, RAC, and TAG, the various bodies allegedly charged with overseeing the remediation and cleanup of the Elmira aquifers and of the Canagagigue Creek. It has essentially been an exercise in going in circles, being intentionally misled as to the facts and of watching polluters' hired guns being given deference and respect they do not deserve. Even worse has been the deference and public support given to these professional spokespersons by our elected representatives. Our politicians at all levels have and continue to behave abominably. Some of my research over the decades has included spying, simple trespassing, photographing and observing etc. for the very obvious reason that all the guilty parties jealously guard their legal rights to physically exclude the public from the evidence of their misdeeds and assaults upon the health of citizens. The self-serving and likely privately lobbied for laws as well as the courts back them in effectively excluding affected and concerned citizens from being present on site during crucial investigations, sampling etc.

While I am not totally ruling out more traditional forms of publishing, I am also not much in the waiting mode. The thirtieth anniversary of the November 1989 shutting down of the south wellfield in Elmira is almost upon us. Therefore I am beginning to publish my book on-line. My intent is to roughly attempt to put one chapter on-line each day although I will be missing several days later this week. My book, titled as above, has the first two chapters already on-line. They are in my "Waterloo Region Advocate" blog which can be accessed at www.waterlooregionadvocate.blogspot.com or simply Googled. Chapter 1 was posted yesterday and Chapter 2 posted today. Obviously they will be in reverse order and readers would be wise of course to start at Chapter 1.

My book is detailed, footnoted extensively, and not for the faint of heart. I have done my best to make it easily understandable especially in regards to groundwater (hydrogeology) terms and principles. It is not for the faint of heart because besides my own opinions and writings I have included those of other citizens as well as of professional reporters from various media. Generally speaking they do not paint a picture of governments and politicians putting the people first. Corporate power, authority, and money win that prize by a country mile.