HomeMy WebLinkAboutThe Citizen, 2013-02-28, Page 6PAGE 6. THE CITIZEN, THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 28, 2013.
THE EDITOR,
One of the biggest
violations against Ontario
agriculture and its rural
communities has prompted
our farm business to ask for a
refund of our membership
fees from Ontario Federation
of Agriculture (OFA).
Industrial wind turbines are
wreaking havoc on
rural Ontario and the OFA
fiddles as the countryside
burns. The social,
financial and agronomical
impacts of these 500 ft.
monstrosities demand great
analysis.
In January 2012, I, along
with a group of three farmers
including a 19-year-old
female farming enthusiast,
presented our detailed
concerns and impacts of
industrial wind turbines to the
OFA Board of Directors in
Guelph. When the OFA heard
of the 6,000 wind turbines
intended for rural Ontario, the
dysfunction of the
communities in which they
are placed, and the sacrifice of
20,000 acres of prime
agricultural land, one would
think that the OFA would
seriously investigate these
negative repercussions against
agriculture. To not research
the topic is irresponsible.
However, the board issued
some whimsical doublespeak
statement and forgot about the
issue, the issue that will
have the greatest negative
impact on agriculture,
ever!
I recently attended the
presentation of a health study
on wind turbines carried out
by Dr. Hazel Lynn, the
Medical Officer for Grey and
Bruce Counties, during which
she disclosed her finding to
those counties’ public health
board. In the study, the
researcher found that in all 18
of the observed studies of
people living around
industrial wind
turbines, health issues
of varying levels
occurred in every
situation. In three of
the studies, they noted
a dose response i.e. the
closer to a turbine
the greater the negative
health occurrence.
After talking with
several people that
day whose health
remains seriously
affected and knowing that
some 20,000 acres of good
farmland is going to waste, as
well as experiencing the
sacrifice of our immediate
farming community to 15
wind turbines, our farm
business withdraws its
financial funding to the OFA.
Other like-minded farmers
may do the same by sending a
written request for refund
along with their Registration
Number by May 31 to:
Ontario Federation of
Agriculture, Ontario Agri-
centre, 100 Stone Road West,
Suite 206, Guelph, ON, N1G
5L3.
I believe our health, our
farm communities and our
farm land deserve greater
consideration. For the largest
farm organization in Ontario,
to not be more concerned, is
irresponsible.
Sincerely, Tom Melady.
THE EDITOR,
My thoughts are on moving forward
again.
Before anything can move forward we
need to meet with Morris-Turnberry
Council and present the planned budget for
the next 10 plus years to come. This should
be presented in full detail so that everyone
is aware of where the budget is used
and when. If agreeable with Morris-
Turnberry then we can move forward on
ownership or contract, if not, it simply ends
there.
We need to stop talking about the years
gone past with all the grievances of
yesterday and put together a working
relationship to move forward. We need to
stop getting into conversations about any
other aspect or details of a deal until the
budget is accepted, then move forward.
North Huron Council has instructed our
CAO to contact Morris-Turnberry’s CAO
and relay our desire to have a public
presentation and conversation of the budget
so that everyone is on the same page –
leaving behind all misunderstood rumours.
From here we move forward in one
direction or another but move forward we
must.
I personally am tired of beating around
the issue, so let’s face it and be done.
Thanks,
Bernie Bailey
North Huron Councillor
Bailey feels councils
need to move forward
Turbine opponent slams OFA over wind
A well spoken bunch
Students from North Woods Elementary School and Maitland River Elementary
School faced off in the annual public speaking competition at the Brussels Legion
on Feb. 20. The competition had previously included Grey Central and Brussels
Public Schools before Brussels closed. This year’s Primary Division winners are,
left picture, from left: Legion President Deb Cann, second place Mary Sabourin,
third place Paul Sabourin, third place Joel Nesbit, first place Benjamin Speer, third
place Adam Martin and Youth Chairman Nanci Ducharme. Junior Division winners
are, right picture, from left: Cann, first place Ally Martin, third place Breelle Shaw, third
place Tyler Cullen, third place Femke Backx, second place Preston Currie, third place
Erin Lindsay and Ducharme. (Vicky Bremner photos)
CCCN_SPEAKUP_8
Letters to the Editor
See histories and historic
photographs on the
Huron History section
of our website
www.northhuron.on.ca
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