IS OUR JUDICIAL SYSTEM INTENTIONALLY ENCOURAGING POLICE MISCONDUCT IN ORDER TO MAINTAIN OR INCREASE THEIR MARKET?

In the title above "Market" refers to the business of dealing with criminal behaviour and or minor infractions including speeding, jaywalking, trespassing etc. In other words does the judicial system from police, prosecutors, lawyers, judges  etc. actively take steps to maintain a steady flow of business i.e. alleged lawbreakers, criminals, mental health challenged individuals? I'm asking these questions based upon decades of observation as well as the article in today's Waterloo Region Record titled "RIGHTS wronged".                                                                                                                                                          ...........................................................................                                                                                                First of all I am not a naive person. I have posted many articles here (and in the Waterloo Region Advocate) describing police misbehaviour, misconduct and more. I'm sure that I have also criticized the courts on occasion for egregious behaviour and or decisions.  That said I am truly shocked by today's article which describes a Toronto Star investigation into major police breaches of the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms. The article also describes and comments in detail about the failure of the courts and judicial system to follow up on decisions and scathing comments made by judges condemning the behaviour of police forces across Canada including St. Johns Nfld., Montreal, London, Toronto, Brantford, Ottawa, Calgary, Edmonton and Vancouver. This failure to "follow up" simply refers to the obvious and clear need to ensure that notice of these serious Charter breaches are sent to the specific police forces involved. These notices (and lack thereof) are needed for educational and training purposes such that as has been identified, police officers involved do not repeat the same behaviours simply out of ignorance of the law.                                                                                                                                                              ....................................................................                                                                                                        Let me be clear. This article in today's Record does not come to the tentative conclusion in my title above. I have long wondered if the war on drugs etc. has been at least partially motivated by a desire by the entire judicial process to maintain a high rate of business. Imagine if our courts were grossly underbooked. Imagine if our police forces were even more bored than they already are. Imagine if retiring judges were not immediately replaced with new judicial appointments by our idiot politicians. Another example of over policing and poor laws would be the criminalization of homosexuality prior to about 1965 in this country. Could one even ask if  the current federal assault on legitimate gun ownership in Canada is an attempt to criminalize law abiding citizens with firearms licenses who have had the temerity to have legally purchased handguns, rifles or shotguns in some instances many decades ago? Laws that retroactively criminalize perfectly normal and accepted behaviour such as hunting and target shooting, plinking etc. are an invitation to non-compliance hence giving police and courts more to do. Perhaps to make up for lost "business" by the decriminalization of drug use including marijuana.                                  .............................................................................................                                                                              Again let me be clear. The Record's article actually overall is in my opinion, complimentary of the many judges across Canada who are openly and publicly in court condemning illegal police breaches of the Charter of Rights and Freedoms. Those judges deserve praise for their stands. Similarly in the cases of judicial decisions throwing out or reducing criminal charges in cases of Charter breaches by police; it is absolutely imperative that both the police forces involved as well as the individual officers involved be made aware of those decisions. Otherwise how can they not help repeating them if they are never advised or retrained?     

CORRUPTION, CONSPIRACY AND CITIZEN BETRAYAL IN WOOLWICH TOWNSHIP

My 27 Chapter book first published in the Waterloo Region Advocate in September/October 2019 gives the details. For approximately four months  it was available on-line at Amazon/Kindle books. I removed it from there due to slow sales combined with my not receiving the promised commission. In fact I'm still  waiting for those royalties. I have put my book back on the Waterloo Region Advocate with a somewhat easier format to access and read it.                                                                                                                  ..........................................................................                                                                                                Above and beyond all the evidence presented in my Book (Elmira Water Woes: The Triumph of Corruption, Deceit and Citizen Betrayal) there was my attempted presentation of a professional lab report to all the parties and alleged stakeholders last fall and early winter. What a disgrace!  The lab report showed relatively low concentrations of dioxins in two soil samples taken on the Stroh farm. Yes that's right, half a century after the flow of toxic liquid wastes from Uniroyal Chemical's east side ponds had ceased, the toxins are still in the ground. They got there by both groundwater and overland (surface) flow. Woolwich Council, Waterloo Region Council, GRCA, TAG, RAC, and the Ministry of Environment (MECP) all refused my offer to send them the report. Lanxess however said yes they would like a copy which I sent them. I also ended up sending all the pretend stakeholders and public officials the same lab report except for TAG. Plausible deniability is an important aspect of a coverup and conspiracy hence that is why the guilty parties/fellow travellors did not want to touch an independent lab report showing dioxin contamination with a ten foot pole.  I skipped sending TAG a copy because 1) they refused it  2) there are TAG members on RAC & Woolwich Council who received it through them (Tiffany & Sandy S.)  3) A strong request from an individual not to.                                                                                                          ................................................................................                                                                                            Lanxess of course did not want the lab report for any honest purposes. In their Draft Risk Assessment they actually misrepresented it by referring to it as Soil and Sediment  dioxin results. It was solely soil results. Can you believe that NONE (including Lanxess) of the phony stakeholders and guardians of the public interest have so much as asked me a single question or clarification of the lab report. NOBODY has asked exactly where the two analyzed soil samples were taken much less the other approximately fifteen soil samples that are still in proper storage awaiting analysis. Nobody asked me when they were taken. Nobody has asked me if there were any witnesses to the sampling event. These remaining soil samples may yet expose the corruption and conspiracy or not. After all there is overwhelming multiple lines of evidence to the flow of Uniroyal Chemical's toxins on to the Stroh and Martin farms which I have enumerated here in this Blog. They include dioxin and DDT contaminated soil samples on the north-west side of the Stroh farm, NDMA in deep groundwater 240 metres further east from Uniroyal's east side pits (overland gravity flow), two very high sediment results for dioxins and one DDT compound in the bottom of the Stroh Drain (SDDB) and finally my two analyzed soil samples to date.                                              .......................................................................................................                                                        Money, shamelessness, brass and political support and clout is all it takes in Woolwich Township. Facts and truth are both overcome by them. 

AND ANOTHER ARTICLE/OPINION PIECE AGAINST THE PROPOSED DEVELOPMENT OF THE BOLENDER PARK LANDFILL

 This Opinion piece is by Susan Koswan in today's Waterloo Region Record. The title of the photograph and article is "Speak up for Bolender Park forest". Indeed the former landfill as is is a buffer for noise and sightlines. Elmira Pet products is on the far side (north) of the landfill as well as further north of the actual Bolender Park. Too bad the trees on the site could not also buffer out odours from the pet food plant. Instead local residents will be allowed to mix diesel fumes in with their already noxious pet food odours. Along with leachate from the landfill and various spills from the pet food plant they can also enjoy a greater variety of contaminants in the creek from the diesel tractors including oil, grease, transmission fluid, power steering fluid and of course diesel fuel. The good news for our pro development, shaft the environment brothers and sisters is that the soils will very slowly absorb and later discharge via groundwater these additional contaminants to the Canagagigue Creek.  With any luck the slowly declining concentrations of manmade chemicals already in the creek will somewhat mask the more recently released chemicals into a relatively large body of surface water.                                                      .................................................................................                                                                                          Ms Koswan speaks about "...inherent problems associated with monitoring and maintenance of control systems on a continuous basis." That is very true especially as the pathetic failure of methane control and venting over many decades has been partially blamed on traffic hitting various gas probes as well as the collection system closer to the garage and former car wrecking yard. Do you think that tractor trailers will do a better job of avoiding gas probes poking out of the surface ?                                                                  ......................................................................................                                                                                    There is also the issue of the contents of the former landfill. Much effort has long gone into minimizing the industrial contents of all the landfills in the town of Elmira. Unfortunately Uniroyal Chemical, Varnicolor Chemical, furniture factories, foundries, textile mills and much more all contributed their industrial wastes to these various landfills including toxic wastes. Ms. Koswan diplomatically suggests that there is "...so little known about the contents of the landfill below...". She is referring to the Bolender Landfill and in fact the general  public may know little about the contents but older employees of the companies and industries listed above know lots. As do those of us who have gone looking and researching the sordid history of toxic industrial waste disposal in and around Elmira, Ontario    

SPECIFIC COMMENTS & RESPONSES FROM TAG AND STANTEC

 As suggested yesterday I will include some of the statements made by TAG and Stantec regarding the Draft Risk Assessment (Ecological & Human Health) for the Canagagigue Creek. These comments are not all encompassing as there are other issues affecting the credibility of this Risk Assessment including very high Method Detection Limits, locational biases, improper sediment sampling procedures (shovel vs. core samplers) etc.                                                                                                                                     .........................................................................                                                                                             "For example, at Station 21 in Reach 3, near the first bridge at New Jerusalem Rd. and near 3 farmhouses, one sediment sample (21BS1) had concentrations of total TEQ for dioxins as 868 and 1090 pg/g. The ISQG standard is.85 pg/g.  The sediment exceedance of the larger number is over 1000 times the standard. As there are only a few additional locations like this one, TAG requests that the hotspots be included in the targeted remediation for reasons outlined in more detail below. "                                   ..............................................................................................                                                                         Stantec's response on behalf of Lanxess is "While targeted remediation could remove these "hotspots" from the Creek, possible detrimental consequences to the aquatic floral and faunal communities within the area could also occur as a result". I view this response as weak and simply cost saving.                       ...................................................................................................                                                                   TAG states "...the assumption that land use will not change in the next 25 to 50 years is doubtful. Waterloo Region is one of the fastest growing and changing places in Canada. It is reasonable to assume that land uses will change from agricultural along portions of the creek. The pressure for increased recreational human activity along the creeks such as parks, trails. fishing etc. has the potential to increase human contact to these persistent toxins before the persistent toxins including DDT and dioxins have broken down."                                                                                                                           ................................................................                                                                                                       Stantec's response "Even if surrounding land use changed from agricultural to, for example, residential, the human receptors used in the HHRA and ecological receptors used in the ERA and exposure parameters would remain the same. Additional text will be added to the revised HHERA accordingly to address this comment." Well I fail to see how additional text in a Risk Assessment document either changes or fixes anything. I view this response as barely even lip service.                                                   ....................................................................................                                                                                    TAG writes "Furthermore, flooding is identified as one of the biggest climate challenge impacts in the Region going forward." "Any washout of the hotspots will end up in the Grand River, a source of drinking water for many."                                                                                                                               ..................................................................                                                                                                     Clearly TAG are again suggesting that more remediation (removal) of hotspots are required. Instead Stantec suggests "We agree that flooding could remove surface layers of soil and sediment, thereby bringing chemicals to the surface that were previously found at depth. That is why in the HHERA, all of the data, regardless of depth, were used in the characterization of risk. Therefore, should flooding events cause movement of soil and sediment, it is unlikely that the results of the HHERA would change since deeper samples were already included in the overall evaluation of risk. "   Good Lord are Stantec so hung up on the goodness and quality of their document (Risk Assessment) that they are intentionally deflecting the argument of deeper toxins being mobilized and spread further downriver? TAG's comments were for greater cleanup not to fix some stupid, riddled with assumptions, document allegedly providing insight when in reality it is simply greenwashing and reducing Lanxess's cleanup costs on the back of local residents and others.                                                                                 .............................................................................                                                                                         This is but a sample of this June 6/22 document sent to TAG Chair Tiffany Svensson by Stantec on behalf of their client, Lanxess Canada. This is how Qualified Persons (QP), intellectual prostitutes and others sell their services to well heeled clients. Truth is the first casualty of war and they are at war with both human health and the environment.  

TAG STRONGLY CRITICIZE STANTEC/LANXESS DRAFT RISK ASSESSMENT

 Stantec have included many of TAG's (Technical Advisory Group) comments in their June 6/22 responses to TAG's written comments sent to the Remediation Advisory Committee (RAC). Now do keep in mind that RAC are a fundamentally flawed body in a position of gross conflict of interest. First of all most of them don't have a clue technically. Secondly this group of bureaucrats, agencies and politicians are fundamentally just a bunch of appointees from regional council and Woolwich Council. They are not remotely independent either individually or as a group. If they were they would never have been appointed to  the GRCA or any other environmental or watchdog group by our elected politicians who jealously guard their turf. The last thing an elected official will ever do is appoint honest and independent persons to positions giving their appointees a platform unless the politicians are fully confident that their appointees will toe the line.                                                                                                                                                 ................................................................                                                                                                           I am pleased that much of the critical (of the Draft Risk Assessment) discussion at TAG appears to have actually made it into written comments and been presented to RAC. That is worthy of praise for Tiffany Svensson (TAG Chair)  who has appropriately not received much of that from me in the last two or three years. That said for me the proof is in the pudding. Will most TAG members rest on their laurels and be satisfied with simply verbal and written objections to what I view as an inherently flawed process (Risk Assessment) that is totally under the control of the polluter and his bought and paid for help (consultants and other fellow travellors maybe including some politicians )?                                                                    .......................................................................................                                                                                    I may elaborate on specific TAG and Stantec comments & responses tomorrow.   

ARE WOOLWICH TWN. PLANNING YET ANOTHER FAST ONE?

 Tonite's Woolwich Council meeting discusses various and assorted land use changes in and around Breslau, St. Jacobs and Elmira. There is some confusion for me regarding a couple of Figures namely pgs. 39 (Land Options: Elmira) and pg. 45 (Proposed Community and Employment Lands: Elmira). These figures and text can be found on the Township's website under Council Meetings/Agenda.                          .................................................................................................                                                                          Page 35 also is a Table showing various numbers on the left corresponding to locations on page 39.  Number 16 is in the south-east corner of Elmira and number 17 is the Stroh and Martin farms. Is the map on page 39 however showing an additional expansion of the countryside line to include ALL of the Stroh farm or not? Is this some surreptitious expansion or not?                                                                                ...............................................................                                                                                                            This is relevant as both the Stroh and Martin farm are proven to be contaminated (DDT, dioxins) and likely more by sediment samples provided by GHD and two soil samples provided by me DESPITE Lanxess and GHD nonsense, silliness and outright bull manure. The truth has never been anything more than a suggestion from which they can manipulate their own conclusions and "facts".  

CONGRATULATIONS TO ANGIE RIVERS & A FEW OF HER FEMALE COLLEAGUES

 News Flash:  1) Waterloo Regional Police Force male members:  the powers to be most likely did not decades ago introduce female police officers for either your sexual gratification or for your sexual fantasies                                                                                                                                                              .................................................                                                                                                                          2)  There are both publicly accepted rules and norms of behaviour AS WELL AS laws clearly defining various forms of harassment including sexual harassment.                                                                              ...........................................................................................................                                                                3) Neither Police Forces nor other employers are exempt from those laws and rules even when the majority of employees are male and some of them are fundamentally stupid.                                                  ................................................................................................................                                                            Officer Angie Rivers is being congratulated for her persistence, insistence and determination to insist upon her right and others to work in an already difficult and sometimes unsafe environment without fear of discrimination, harassment and or assault by her own colleagues and co-workers. Today's Waterloo Region Record carries a story written by Terry Pender titled "Sergeant docked 39 hours' pay for harassment".  The now seven year process of getting justice and fair treatment by the Waterloo Region Police Force continues on with an arbitration hearing currently underway. The entire lengthy, disjointed and cumbersome process has included Police Service investigations, Notices of Discipline, court proceedings for an attempted class action lawsuit as well as the current ongoing grievance procedure arbitration hearing.                                                                                                                                                              ..........................................                                                                                                                                  Based upon my own life experiences it is clear to me that the description of the entire police internal investigation and discipline process indicates it has been long perverted by privilege, bias, discrimination and ignorance. No honest investigation of  behaviours and facts within an organization needs to take seven years and counting. The entire purpose of dragging something like this out is to both discourage and defeat the complainant as well as to discourage other complainants from coming forward. It is essentially step one in the playbook for self-serving, dishonest and untruthful employers. Whether Angie Rivers wins or loses her arbitration case she has exposed Chief Larkin, senior police administrators, the Police Services Board and quite frankly Waterloo Regional Council (barely at arms length away) as being complicit cowards unwilling and unable to do the obvious right thing for fear of offending those in the wrong. Shame on the pack of them. Will every citizen in Waterloo Region commend her? No only those who are honest, thoughtful and pay close attention to both current events and to life around them.