"THE LONG CLEANUP IN ELMIRA" IS TO BE PUBLISHED TOMORROW IN THE WATERLOO REGION RECORD

 

BAD news first: It is filled with lies, deceptions, horse manure and just plain ignorance.

GOOD news second:  Despite that it also has some extremely important and accurate data and information in it.

Record reporter Terry Pender has clearly dug deep and worked hard on this story. The main problem is that he has interviewed a host of people some with good knowledge and others like the Bobbsey twins Nathan Cadeau (Woolwich councillor) and Hadley Stamm (Lanxess) with about five minutes first hand knowledge of the situation. One never knows especially with Nathan if his drivel is intentionally inaccurate and dishonest or if he simply talks way too much for someone with so little first hand knowledge of the past thirty-six years. Hadley I have less sympathy for as she is simply a polluter's mouthpiece, bought and paid for. 

Then there are all the other biased and self-serving mouthpieces such as Lou Almeida, Sandy Shantz, Susan Bryant etc. Really the only important and accurate information is that presented by Terry Pender's own research. He clears the bull and horse manure from the air when he advises readers of the government payouts to Canadian citizens and others who have been exposed to and harmed by the dioxin s in the herbicide Agent Orange. There are also suggestions from the Region of Waterloo to the souls (Old Order Mennonites) living downstream along the Canagagigue Creek. These suggestions are to assist in preventing further exposure to the dioxins and DDT still in and along the Creek and they are worthwhile albeit they certainly are a case of slamming the gate long after the horses have bolted.

The Record first announced this story/expose yesterday and allegedly it has been on-line since. Yes after incredible effort I have a copy but others have also told me how difficult the on-line route has been. Today's Record advises that the whole story will be in tomorrow's newspaper and that the on-line version includes photos and a video or two. I do know that it has a wonderful photograph of my and my wife's car back in 2000 parked in front of the former Community Centre (Arena) on  Snyder Ave. On the roof is a very large sign that says "Can Uniroyal Mask Chemical Odours with Horse Manure?" Yes that was a pun/joke although the dirty polluter were in full public relations mode trying to obfuscate and minimize their way out of responsibility for the stench.