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HomeMy WebLinkAboutThe Lucknow Sentinel, 2015-07-08, Page 5Wednesday, July 8, 2015 • Lucknow Sentinel 5 www.lucknowsentinel.com letters to the editor Questions Dear Editor, Well, May 15 has come and gone without a response to my questions from either the government agencies or the wind com- pany. This whole project has generated lots of questions but not many answers. One of the questions that I have is why do the rules and standards of behaviour differ when wind companies are involved? For example, in ACW the wind companyvan- dalized one neighbouring non -participating farm by driving into the field and using it as a parking lot and driveway, creating extensive damage and compaction. So if K2 can use non -participat- ing farms, can residents use the K2 driveways to park their vehicles and store equip- ment? Do we need a parking pass? Another ongoing question about the K2 project is who is in charge and willing to take responsibility for problems? I had another encounter a few weeks ago with the project manager for K2 and some of the K2 contractors. The most recent issue is the appalling and dangerous state that my laneway and the adjacent ditches were left in by their construction activities with holes left on the side of the laneway that could easily over- turn farm equipment. I have had other issues with sand and dirt left in the ditches after K2 construction activity. This dirt ran into a nearby catch basin with each rain and then into my field tiles. There have also been problems with water diverted onto our fields. Despite repeated complaints made since last fall, only lim- ited action was taken to fill in the most dangerous hole on one laneway and problems with damaged fencing, dirt clogging tiles, water running onto the fields and other laneway damage have still not been corrected. The gist of the K2 position when confronted with a complaint about construc- tion activity seems to be that while they may admit that there is a problem, it is not their responsibility, it's the fault of the incompetent workers. Well, it is a poor captain who blames his crew for shoddy manage- ment of the ship. And as we saw in the Italian ship disas- ter, ultimately the captain is responsible. So responsibil- ity for these projects rests with the wind company and its representatives. Period. This blaming of hired work- ers for all the problems seems to be the mantra for K2 management but it's get- ting to be quite tiresome. Hired workers follow the directions they are given (or not given) and it is the responsibility of the man- agement team to put proper procedures in place and solve construction prob- lems. One has to wonder Canada Day reflection Dear Editor, Canada Day is always a spe- cial day to reflect on the good- ness that is bestowed upon those of us, who, either by birthright or by choice, are most fortunate to be able to say, "I am a Canadian: I have been a Canadian since 1975, and I regularly count my bless- ings on becoming a Cana- dian. Being a Canadian is not something that we should ever take for granted. As our national anthem states, "We stand on guard for thee." As I watched the Canada Day celebrations on CBC unfold, I savoured the words of Canada's Govemor General, David Johnston, when he said, "The countrywe dream of won't build itself' There are a myriad of ways, big and small, whereby each and every one of us can help to build the Canada of which we dream. The prime minister of Can- ada has one of the most pow- erful and most responsible building roles that any Cana- dian could ever apply for. As our governor general addressed the joyous gather- ing of thousands on parlia- ment hill, I pon- dered whether Mr. Harper was having any misgivings about the most radical ways in which he has changed Canada's values in the nine years of his iron -fisted rule. His silencing and firing of federal scientists, his abdica- tion of responsibility as the why the province approves these projects in the first place if the owners cannot competently oversee the construction and resolve issues as they arise. A few final thoughts keep occurring to me when I think about the situation in the Township. When did we end up in a dictatorship where we get to pay taxes and higher hydro rates while wind com- panies run amok over our land and rights? Where will this trampling of rights end and where will it go next? Where is the federal govem- ment when it comes to pro- tecting our constitutional rights? (Maybe they are too busy with the Senate these days to worry about what has happened to people's rights.) Our national anthem speaks about the true north strong and free but one has to won- der. When people in my com- munity - people I have known for years - are no longer free to enjoy their own homes without shadow flicker, noise, sleep deprivation and other issues, and are thinking about hanging up a For Sale sign, just how free are we? At the end of the day, what kind of a communitywill we have? Maybe we should all just bury our heads in the sand - it might be a bit quieter underground. Yours truly, George Alton Kenruth Farms Ltd. R.R. #7, Lucknow, ON chief custodian of the water we drink, the air that we breathe and the earth which grows our food, together with his disregard and disre- spect for democracy, are but three of the many deep scars that he has forced upon tra- ditional Canadian val- ues, scars which will take years or decades for future politicians to remove. Before we go to the polls in Octo- ber, it is important that Cana- dians reflect on the damage that Mr. Harper has inflicted upon our Canadian culture and values during his term as prime minister of one of the most amazing countries in the world. Yours sincerely, Jim Hollingworth, Goderich Noenic ban — the only science being used is Political Science On July 1 the new regula- tion banning the use of the neonicotinoid (neonic) pesti- cide on 80 per cent of corn and soybean acreage will come into effect across Ontario. The ban, introduced by the Liberal govemment back in the fall of 2014 has farmers from across the province nervous for their next growing season in 2016. Neonicotinoids are the most commonly used type insecticide in the United States and Australia and until this week Europe. They have been in used in Canada, and Ontario, since the early 1990s. The use of neonics, applied to the seed, has replaced earlier more toxic products that had to be sprayed on leaves at up to 20 times the neonic applica- tion rate. As a seed treatment, the product first addresses pests in the soil and then moves up through the seed- ling providing protection for up to 28 days before dissipat- ing. Virtually none of the prod- uct makes it to the flower. The new Liberal regulation dictates those who sell neonic- treated seeds must obtain a license, submit annual sales reports to the province and be responsible for ensuring that farmers meet the requirements to use treated seeds. The new regulation also includes that by 2017 farmers will no longer be able to use neonics at all unless they can prove they have a pest problem. Once they can prove they have aproblem, theywill need to sign a declaration and participate in a pest manage- ment course. In other words, this is essentially an outright ban unless a need for use can be proven. The government implemented this regulation citing there was aproblem with bee health. However, science would disagree. Since noticing more bee deaths in 2013, farm- ers have dealt with dust drift at planting by developing and using deflectors and seed fluid- ity agents. Farmers have applied these best practices successfully, in fact Health Canada's Pest Management RegulatoryAgency (PMRA) reports that "during planting period there was a 70% decrease in the number of reported bee yards affected in 2014 compared to 2013, and in 2015 the reduction was 80% compared to 2013': Itis clear that industry has been proac- tively solving the problem themselves and didn't need heavy regulation from govem- ment to fix the problem. The Ontario Pollinator Health Blueprint has been recently released by a task force of certified crop advisors, ag retailers, the seed trade, farmers and beekeepers. Rec- ommendations range from increased communication between farmers and bee- keepers, to work on bee nutri- tion and habitat, to managea- ble and reasonable limits on insecticide use. The Minister of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs asked the cash crop and beekeeper community to meet OMAFRA half way, and they have. Yet, despite this, govemment remains adamant on its 80 per cent neonicoti- noid ban by 2017. Instead, unfortunately the political and activist agenda coming from this Liberal gov- emment ovemment trumped science. In order to have good policy, we must use good science. We are not seeing this with the direc- tion of this Liberal govemment. Itis dear that Kathleen Wynne and the Liberals have their own agenda and they just aren't in it for Rural Ontario anymore. Office of MPP Lisa Thompson SUDOKU THIS WEEK'S PUZZLE SPONSORED BY Iiieknow' Senti Yom," r n rner ' riempap9r iiirce 619 Ce ,pbell Suit. 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