"CHARITY BEGINS AT HOME" - O.K. MAYBE NOT THE BEST METAPHOR

May 1 and 3 of this past week have posts here in the Advocate describing recent publicized "freebees" by Lanxess Canada. They include articles in both the Woolwich Observer and the Waterloo Region Record describing voluntary, charitable "environmental" work by the German based company. They include arts and culture funding to Woolwich Community Services as well as the 67 acre "nature reserve" at the south end of Elmira, off of Union St. I also mentioned other community events that the company (Uniroyal/Crompton/Chemtura) have contributed to over the decades. ......................................................................................................................... It is one thing for a corporate body to both morally and legally discharge their duties and responsibilities to the community and then to decide if they wish to be exemplary corporate citizens by voluntarily donating to good causes within or outside the community. It is entirely different for a company and their corporate predecessors to lie, dissemble, deceive or manipulate their way out of discharging BOTH their moral and legal responsibilities to the community. This exactly what Uniroyal Chemical, Crompton, Chemtura and lanxess Canada have done here in Elmira. And now they have the brass balls to suggest that as good corporate citizens they are going to make donations to local events as well as to assisting with water filters in Uganda as mentioned in today's Woolwich Observer. Shame on both our local papers (Record & Observer) for failing to mention the Elmira Water Crisis and the fact that our local drinking water will NOT NOT NOT be restored by 2028, if ever. And that result is exactly what is to be expected by a series of corporate scumbags, in total control of the "cleanup" from day one who have nickel and dimed that "cleanup" over the last thirty-two years and CONTINUE TO DO SO. .................................................................................................................................. Much of their manipulation and deception has been private, behind the scenes meetings with both Woolwich Township and the province of Ontario via the Ministry of Environment (MOE/MECP). It's been a sham and a scam from the very beginning with the polluter, regulator (Ha!) and politicians all involved in deceiving the public. The public have been lied to regarding the extent of environmental damage as well as the extent of "cleanup" with the political bodies running interference for them from outraged citizens.