HomeMy WebLinkAboutLakeshore Advance, 2011-09-28, Page 5community
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28, 111 • Lakeshore Advance 5
letters to the editor
Reality of wind
turbines, says reader
'( Let's be honest. If all of Ontario's
industrial wind turbines and solar
panels were interconnected they
could not reliably power one
lightbulb.
This reality has long been
understood and is why Ontario has
always maintained an adequate
supply of reliable, (Amiable,
elecrical power generation that
sleets our province's daily needs.
Simply put, taxpayer -subsidized
hyper -expensive and unreliable
electrical energy from wind
turbines and solar panels is purely
an excess and a total waste of our
hard-earned dollars.
Is it worth: destroying our
community's social harmony and
natural beauty; risking our families'
health, property values and
affordable electricity costs; risking
the funding of our most -important
priorities of healthcare, education,
disaster relief and debt reduction,
all for the sake of a misguided
'green energy' fantasy?
On October 6th please be honest
with yourself and your community.
Use your ballot to help end this
destruction, waste and dangerous
risk.
Len Lobb,
Clinton Ontario
Coffee break for
Alzheimer Society
First of all, we would like to thank
all of our 2011 Coffee Break hosts
for their support during our Coffee
Break Campaign. Some Coffee
Breaks have already happened and
there are still a number of Coffee
Breaks that have yet to take place.
We would also like to thank United
Communities Credit Union for
being our sponsor. 'Ihe support of
"WAlp
communities in Huron County
is greatly appreciated.
Due to the recent events in
Goderich, we have made the
decision to scale back our Coffee
Break Campaign. We are aware of
what Goderich is dealing with and
we continue to keep the town and
its citizens in our thoughts. As a
Society, we have offered our time to
volunteer, continue to support
clients and offer education in
Goderich.
We know that Goderich is a
resilient town and we look forward
to it being back on it's feet for our
Walk for Memories in January.
PhNlp McMNIan,
President
Alzheimer Society of Huron County
Writer explains
about pickerel
contamination
After my letter to the editor of
Wed. Sept. 7/2011,1 have been
questioned by some as to why 1
would think pickerel would be
heavily contaminated in past years,
and after government testing,
would be sold to the public.
'Ihe purpose of that letter was to
let people know that in past
decades the government was
telling commercial fishermen that
contaminates were low in pickerel
and safe for public sale, when
indeed they were not.
I was a comtnercial fisherman in
Grand Bend. After the planting of
exotic species of fish in the lake
(Salmon and Kamloops Trout), by
Michigan and later by Ontario
sports clubs, the south end of Lake
I luron became, what is called an
angler clot spot by the Ministry of
Lands and Forest. 'Ihe Ministry
became pressured by anglers to
end all commercial gill net fishing
in the Great Lakes, or a least
diminish our numbers. It could be
done by restrictions slaking it
impossible to make a living, or by
harassment.
In 1973 our game warden
(George Clemens) brought us the
good news that Lake limn is now
open again for the fishing of
pickerel, but Lake Erie is still
dosed. In 1973 the Ministry made a
mistake that made us wonder
about the amount of mercury in
pickerel after they told us the fish
were safe. On October 16/1973
Andy Pucovsky (another fisherman
from Grand Bend), and myself
were shipping pickerel to a
wholesaler in Windsor. After the
third shipment the Ontario
Ministry pulled a surprise raid on
the truck in Windsor. (Bob Wells
front the Ontario Ministry and
Doug Chapman from the Federal
Goverment). They said they were
told the shipments were coming
from Lake Erie. Invoices with
addresses are always carried with
shipments, and there is no Joe
Green or Andy Pucovsky from Lake
Erie. The fish are tested and found
to be contaminated, and destroyed.
The wholesaler, now, with nowhere
to buy fish went broke and Andy
and I lost our money for three
shipments. Atlantic Fish Market
(the wholesaler in question),
received a letter from °ooHealth
Protection Branch°t making the
three of us look pike gangsters.
In quote: No person shall sell an
article of food that
(a) has in or upon it any
poisonous or harmful substances.
(b) is unfit for human
consumption.
Failure to comply may result in
legal action provided under the
Food and Drug Act.
End quote.
'there were carton copies sent
to, Ottawa,'lbronto, Dept. of
Fisheries Wheatley, Dept. of
Fisheries Windsor.
No other commercial fishermen
in Lake 1 luron were ever stopped
from fishing or selling pickerel in
that year or any year after. 'the
public was never warned about
eating pickerel. 'this raid, after
telling us to fish pickerel, was one
of two things i.e.: is this the start of a
harassment program, to diminish
our numbers or are the fish really
contaminated. The answer of
course is both.
After the raid we received a letter
dated Oct. 31/1973 to fish pickerel
and sell them through a registered
fish plant, this lasted only till the
end of the year. In 1974 there seems
to be no problem again and we
could sell pickerel wherever we had
sales.
Our rutin wholesalers for
whitefish are in New York City, and
they also pay a premium price for
number one pickerel. On Nov
7/1974 I shipped #1 pickerel (15" to
22") to New York.'Ihese fish were
detained and tested for mercury
and buried. 'they were over the
safety guidelines to enter United
States. We as fishermen do 1101
know what the safety guidelines
are, in United States or Canada, we
only know what our govenunent
tells us. They regulate our fisheries.
Because it is okay to sell in
Canada, we think ignited States
guidelines are very high.
We continue to sell in Ontario,
with all other fishermen in
Southend Lake L luron, to
wholesalers, fish stores,
restaurants, to the public, with the
governments blessings.
After being harassed from the
industry by 1987, research has
proven that the pickerel our
govendment was telling us to sell
were very heavily contaminated
and by our own govenunent
inspection figures were not fit for
human consumption.
The magnitude of contaminate
from the govenunent inspection
figures would possibly lead to the
health problems 1 have stated in
the first letter to the editor.
Hope this clarifies my first letter
to the editor, if not 1 can find some
numbers for any disbelievers.
Joe Green
Grand Bend Hort
celebrate 20 years
It is 20 years since Bill Uniac and
a small group of friends founded
the Gntn d Bend & Area
I Lorticultural Society in 1991. They
saw a need to beautify and clean up
the public spaces in Grand Bend
and the surrounding area.' Ihey
received certification from the
Ontario I horticultural Society and
the Department of Agriculture, and
d
set to work.
All these years our members
have been volunteering, spending
endless hours in the ongoing tasks
of planting and maintaining the
gardens of our area, and
participating in various events
raising funds to support this work.
We have held regular meetings, free
and open to the public, with invited
speakers on horticultural subjects
in order to assist local people to
plan and grow plants appropriate
to this area. We have promoted the
general beautification of our area,
encouraging businesses and
private owners alike. We have
partnered with other organizations
in the area, provided free advice
and plantings on private and public
properties of many kinds, and our
involvement with Communities in
Bloom ((IB) is well known.
'Ihe results have been amazing.
And last year we were delighted
when our area received a provincial
designation of 5 Blooms, the top
award for CM. 'Ibis summer
Lambton Shores was invited to be
involved in the CIB national
competition. How proud Bill l Iniac
and his friends would be!
'Ihe 20th Anniversary Dinner
and Gala will be held at the Royal
Canadian Legion, Grand Bend.
We hope that ninny of our
members ers and former members
will be able to Join us for a turkey
dinner with all the trimmings on
October 24th at the Legion, Grand
Bend beginning with a meet and
greet with cash bar at 5:00 pm. A
short program will follow the meal
then entertainment by Michael
Vanhevel. Tickets are available by
calling 519-238-5634 and cost
$13.00 for members and $15.00 for
nonmembers. As well, we would
like those people who may not be
able to attend to send in a message
of congratulation and/or
reminiscence to our email address:
gbhort@hotmail.cond We will read
these on the evening.
Anne Wilson and Cecily Boyle
Grand Bend & Area
Horticultural Society
Free admission
weekend for
Lambton County
Lambton Heritage Museum
'the Lambton heritage Museum
is celebrating Culture Days on
September 30, October 1 and 2
with one last Free Admission
Weekend for all Lambton County
residents, upon showing proof of
residency.
'L'his Free Admission Weekend
will provide Lambton County's
residents with one last opportunity
to visit "interesting Lambton - The
People & 'the Stories." From prime
ministers to the average person,
the stories of Sarnia-Lambton are
as diverse as the county itself; from
the dancehalls along l.ake Macon
to the oil fields of Enniskillen, from
the cottages of Stag Island to the
farms of Warwick 'Township.
Discover Flax & 1lenip Farming in
Forest, the Great Storm of 1913, the
Wanstead Wreck and the burning
of the Ilarnlonic. Learn about the
Lakeview Casino and Eric & Ella
htclroy, Uncle Joe Little and the
'I'alfourd brothers-Froome & Field.
This special 2011 exhibition will
close on Monday October 3, 2011.
While at the museum, residents
can also explore the 1067 Cameron
Church, a blacksmith shop, the
1890 Rokehy school house, a
slaughterhouse, the Tudhop horse
and buildings housing a fascinating
assortment of agricultural and
pioneer implements. 'the museum
includes activities for children, a
gift shop with intriguing books 00
the local area, and at tourist
information centre. Mature oaks
shade the grounds and a picnic
shelter provides a lovely setting for
a rest stop.
Since opening in 1978, the
Lambton heritage Museum has
been collecting, preserving and
interpreting the proud agricultural
and industrial heritage of Sarnia-
Lambton, providing a home for a
remarkable collection of interesting
and distinctive one -of -at kind items
of local significance, each of which
helps the museum to tell the
captivating human and natural
history of Sarnia-Lambton. To
date, over (165,000 visitors have
stopped to explore the remarkable
collections and unique stories that
exemplify the proud history of the
Sarnia-Lambton community.
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