Huron Expositor, 2014-12-10, Page 44 Huron Expositor • Wednesday, December 10, 2014
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editorial
Rural -urban divide
blowing in the wind
MAI Agency
Several factors contributed to Ontario's rural -urban
divide, but perhaps the greatest has been the
Ontario Green Energy Act of 2009, which continues
to exclusively target rural properties for wind turbines
and, to a lesser extent, solar farms.
Since the legislation was rolled out five years ago, parts
of rural Ontario have had its landscape altered and
changed, probably for decades to come.
Yet what has contributed mostly to the ongoing
rural -urban divide is people who live with wind tur-
bines have had little to say about their development.
They are almost all rural residents; those who live
within urban centres have yet to be asked to be a
neighbour to the towers.
That wouldn't be a bad thing, except most rural resi-
dents didn't have a choice. Unless they are the host land-
owners, they have never invited wind turbine develop-
ment into their community.
Indeed, to ensure the legislation's objectives were met,
planning and approval for these developments have been
given to a centralized bureaucracy. Local municipalities
have little influence, although some have become hosts
to hundreds of such wind turbines.
Desperate to establish some formal objection, munici-
palities have declared themselves unwilling hosts,
although such a label gives little credit or clout within the
Green Energy Act's centralized authority. The act is per-
haps one Ontario's most undemocratic pieces of legisla-
tion ever.
There has been formal opposition to the legisla-
tion. Rural MPPs, mostly Tories, have been the
loudest.
Most recently it has been MPP Lisa MacLeod, who
Tuesday called on the Liberal government to restore to
local municipalities planning authority they enjoy over
most developments.
MacLeod notes the Green Energy Act overrides 21 bills,
including the Heritage Act and Planning Act.
And, she correctly states, those individuals and corpo-
rations wanting to develop a wind farm should follow the
same process other developers follow.
MacLeod is incorrect on one point. She calls the Green
Energy Act a disaster. It's not; it's been the single most
successful program issued by the former government of
Dalton McGuinty.
If municipalities had been allowed to exercise their
local authority, far fewer wind turbines would have been
allowed.
I ain't afraid of no elves
It's that time
of year again.
A special
time for the trim-
ming of trees and
the singing of
carols.
And a time to
show kindness
and generosity to
your fellow man.
From the time we're first
taught the true meaning of
Christmas as children, we're
told the season isn't supposed
to be about getting, but giving.
In fact, this week's featured
Christmas writing from the
students at St. James
describes just that.
A season to remember the
real story behind the holiday.
But can we honestly say
that's what we're really teach-
ing the kids?
Over the past couple
weeks, I've begun to notice a
lot of interesting behaviour
coming from those who are
supposed to be setting an
example - the adults.
Just a few days ago I was
strolling down the aisles of
Target perusing the holiday
decor, when I heard a frightful
noise coming from just a few
shelves over.
A screaming child you ask?
Oh no, it was a meltdown,
but it was coming from a mom.
Seems the store was out of
the specific dress she wanted
for her daughter's Elf on the
Shelf doll.
The look on the staff mem-
ber's face could only be
described as absolutely shock.
"It's OK mommy," the tod-
dler said, soothing her ill-
behaved parent. "We can get
her a different dress."
"NO!" yelled her mother, mid
tantrum. "Mommy is very spe-
cific about what she wanted!"
Needless to say, I cut my
browsing short and headed to
the car, pretty disappointed in
the woman's behaviour. I was
Column
Whitne
Huron E
y South
xpositor
also pretty con-
fused why an elf
would need a
dress in the first
place.
With those irra-
tional shrieks still
ringing in my ears,
I made my way
home, all the while
pondering the spirit of the sea-
son versus the corporate spend-
ing machine we find ourselves in
each and every December.
I also started to resent the
Elf himself. He was, after all, a
tool of that machine.
A flimsy figure with a plastic
head, retailing for around
$35.95, meant to strike fear
into the hearts of children
with the prospect of being
perceived as naughty.
A little spy with a pointy hat.
A rosy-cheeked Judas,
threatening a Christmas with
no presents.
OK, so I may have gotten a
little carried away.
Regardless, I began to think
about my column and how I
could bring down the Elf and
all he stood for; corporate
greed, a childhood full of lies
and manipulation.
But that's when it hit me.
It wasn't the Elf that was the
problem; it was how we per-
ceived him.
Maybe, in today's day and
age, we all need someone to
keep an eye on us - to help
steer us in the right direction.
We don't really need a doll,
what we need is a conscience.
An angel on our shoulder,
not for just a month, but for
the whole year.
As adults, we need to look at
ourselves and see what the
children see. Be a role model to
aspire to and set an example,
regardless oftreats or rewards.
So next time life's stresses get
you down and you start to lose
your cool just remember,
there's always someone watch-
ing and it's not just the elves.
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