May 2, 2016 the Waterloo Region Record published a story titled "Town pushes feds on creek water". Way back in 2004 Dr. Henry Regier also tried to get the federal government involved. They were not interested . This time both TAG Chair Dr. Richard Jackson as well as mayor Sandy Shantz were trying to get some action (i.e. help) from our federal government but they are again playing hard to get. Keep in mind the feds were involved both in studying the grossly contaminated Uniroyal site around 1988 as well as in decisions around supplying war material to the U.S. military for use in Vietnam. I'm speaking of course about the use of defoliant Agent Orange which was produced here and elsewhere during the late 1960s. The unwanted by-product was dioxin which has done serious damage around the world.
For Dr. Jackson and others the shocking aspect is Canada's help in assisting the Vietnamese people who have suffered greatly from exposure to products produced by Uniroyal Chemical (& others) that were sold to the U.S. military. While that help is appropriate the Canadian government's see no evil, hear no evil attitude to Elmira's related problems are reprehensible.
It is very clear that our governments cherry pick the issues that they will address. Apparently a group of pacifist Mennonites in Elmira, Ontario are not worthy of protection much less even basic assistance from our federal government. Also to their shame our local councils have joined hands with our provincial government in coddling Uniroyal Chemical and their corporate successors. Neither laws nor morality have been able to budge the dirty, corporate polluters in our midst.
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