SO MANY UNFULFILLED PROMISES. SO MANY LIES. SO LITTLE HONESTY.

 

This applies to all the guilty parties who signed agreements with each other. This applies to the Region, the Township, the Ministry of Environment (MECP) and of course the polluter (Uniroyal, Crompton, Chemtura, Lanxess). In hindsight I am very skeptical that any of them actually believed that they could ever restore Elmira's drinking water to drinking water standards hence they conspired to go through the motions, initiate a controlled public consultation and lie whenever their sincerity or enthusiasm for the job was questioned.

Especially when one puts out a thirty year time span for the cleanup it is difficult to hold them to account throughout the process. That combined with cheerful and optimistic "suits"  originally on a monthly basis producing report after report bragging about their progress, criticism is difficult. However when claims of success were too blatantly optimistic and the difficulties and setbacks always minimized and downplayed, citizens stepped up. Again just more lies and more hydrogeological bullcrap would ensue from the polluter and their friends. . Various truisms and "laws" backing the polluters position were regularly produced and while some hydrogeology is black and white, much is open to interpretation. It is therefore again difficult to argue technically when the polluter and his friends have multiple "experts" on call who all agree with the polluter's position and arguments.

Of course a vibrant, strong, nuetral and honest broker could have overcome these roadblocks. None stepped forward. Our politicians especially sold out before the very first meeting of UPAC (Uniroyal Public Advisory Committee) in January 1992. They all played the game whereas honest citizens thought they were dealing with contrite, proven negligent polluters. No such thing and over time Uniroyal and successor companies have displayed their arrogance and self-entitlement . They now routinely behave as if they are doing we the citizens a favour simply by rarely attending and answering a few softball questions. Again there has been but one Woolwich council and CPAC that took any steps to hold Chemtura and the MECP accountable. Sandy Shantz and cronies ended that in 2015.