The Rural Voice, 1981-12, Page 19GUEST COLUMN
In rebuttal
by Tony McQuail
Editor's Note: At the suggestion of Columnist Adrian Vos,
Rural Voice asked Tony McQuail to respond to his column)
I appreciate the opportunity to respond to Adrian Vos's
column. Much of it is inaccurate or unfounded. I don't intend to
take it apart inaccuracy by inaccuracy but there are several things
your readers should know. •
Adrian could have participated in the decisions he criticizes
except that he retired from The Huron Power Plant Committee .
More recently he told HCFA that he wouldn't serve nn
committees because he wanted to pursue his interest in
journalism. Some of us who retained our interest met in the fall
and winter 1980-81 to discuss the upcoming lines. Many farm
groups who had participated in the Porter Hearings were present
- all were invited. At the Listowel Hydro meeting, the farm
groups unanimously supported HCFA motion to postpone the
meetings.
Adrian's article implies that Hydro's second choice would
have avoided Huron County. This is not true. Hydro has
proposed Plan M1 which, if approved, will mean 1-500 KV
transmission corridor. Plan M5, which was Hydro's "close -
second -selection", would mean 2-500 KV transmission lines
through Huron county.
From the start, Hydro's program was public relations with the
added advantage that it might divide and _ conquer the farm
community. Hydro decided what alternatives would be
amsidered. Hydro and the government sat on this information
until summer. Hydro created five separate study groups. Hydro
kept the groups separate and made the final decision.
Under these circumstances the process was too easy to rig. We
saw no point in giving it credibility by participating. We are
presently engaged in meetings with Hydro to examine both their
study documents and their actual proposal. We believe there are
serious deficiencies with both.
Huron County farmers participating in this work include, Bill
Jongejan, Agricultural Power line working committee, Joe Miller
Huron Pork Producers, Lloyd Willem and Lorne Luther, National
Farmers Union, and Nick Whyte and Tony McQuail, Huron
Federation. Other farmers include Harold Giesel, Waterloo
Federation Brian Crawley, Wellington Federation, Pat Daunt,
Ontario Cattlemen, Lloyd Moore, Concerned Farmers of the
United Townships and Elbert VanDonkersgoed, Christian
Farmers Federation. We will be working hard in the next two
months to prepare a strong case for the Assessment Board.
I was disappointed more farmers didn't go to the Hydro
information centers and make their views known. Maybe they
were busy with hay and harvest, maybe bankruptcy seems more
urgent than power corridors. Maybe everybody hoped it would
go somewhere else. Hydro has wanted a line along Lake Huron
for years. It is now planning to do it. If farmers in Bruce, Huron.
and Middlesex are finally concerned, 1 would be delighted to
hear from them. If they can't find the time to write a letter or put
a stamp on it it will be hard for us to convince Hydro that putting
a line through this area will be difficult and costly.
I look forward to hearing from farmers in all affected counties
for we should be working together rather than separately.
Yours sincerely
Tony McQuail
R.R. #1, Lucknow, Ont.
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THE RURAL VOICE/DECEMBER 1981 PG. 17