The Citizen, 2006-02-16, Page 20Donation
Kevin Armstrong, a Clinton businessperson, stands
alongside a children's snow scooter, valued at $1,099.
Armstrong is donating the 3.5-horsepowered vehicle, which
features four stroke disc brakes, to help out Easter Seals
with its upcoming fundraiser. (Clinton News Record photo)
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sales staff calling on
2000 homes a week
That's what you get when you advertise in The
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If you're not taking advantage of this opportunity to
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The Citizen
PAGE 20. THE CITIZEN, THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 16, 2006.
Wilkinson talks about local solutions
By Heather Crawford
Citizen staff
Acting locally is the best way to
make a dfference. That was the
lesson Perth-Middlesex MPP John
Wilkinson learned.
• Wilkinson talked about his
involvement in the Clean Water Act
at the Maitland Valley Conservation
Authority meeting Feb. 8 in
Wroxeter.
Not representing a completely
urban centre, Wilkinson said he
learned along with other MPPs of
rural areas to make a difference at
hoine first. He supports working
with local conservation authorities to
make that difference.
"There are four major water
systems in the area that I cover," he
said. "I think [the province] has to
recognize the conservation authority
as a partner."
By Heather Crawford
Citizen staff
Rick Steele made a presentation at
the Maitland Valley Conservation
Authority meeting on Wed. Feb. 8
called "my land, our water service."
Steele spoke of the ways the
MVCA are trying to get information
across to the public including a
kiosk set up at the administrative
office in Wroxeter, a website and
through workers and professionals
meeting with the public -to answer
their concerns personally.
The focus of the presentation was
on how, although land is privately
owned, the water is shared by
everyone. Steele spoke of the
responsibility of keeping the water
sources protected.
"More then 50 per cent of the
population in the area get their water
from private water wells," he said,
adding how important it is for
people to be aware of how to protect
their water.
One way of getting information on
protecting water sources is from the
my land, our water website.
There is a map of the area where a
visitor could find their own property.
A photo taken from the air is shown
along with the soil type and the
slope of the land.
"Everyone's land is looked at the
same way," he said.
Steele said although the kiosk set
up at the centre is convenient, he is
finding that it is not people's main
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Wilkinson said it is as equally
important for everyone to keep in
mind their responsibility to protect
water as it is to remember everyone's
right to have water.
"We need to be able to trust that
the water that comes out of our taps
is clean."
Walkerton, he said, was an
important lesson but it wasn't an
isolated case. He mentioned
Kitchener and his home town of
Stratford as having had problems
with their water source in the past as
well.
Wilkinson's work with the
Ministry of Environment led to a
contribution to the Clean Water Act
that was proposed on Dec. 5, 2005. -
The Clean Water Act, was created
to ensure that communities can
identify potential risks to their
supply of drinking water, and take
acton to reduce or eliminate these
reason for coming in. "People want
more than the interne," he said.
"The extension visits are very
popular."
These visits give staff the
opportunity to address sp&ific
risks.
The act requires the involvement
of municipalities, conservation
authorities, landowners, farmers,
industry, community groups and the
members of the public.
The proposed act directs
municipalities to prepare plans to
protect their drinking water supply.
"Each municipality has to take
action to develop their own plan,"
Wilkinson, said. "The Act requires
the local communities to act before
threats to the water arise."
He said each municipality would
have the opportunity to look over the
act and make comments on it before
it is passed. .
The provincial government gave
$76.5 million in grants and funds to
municipalities to protect water
supplies last year, he said.
According to the MPP more than
half of the water pipes in Ontario are
questions and give a personal
approach to problem solving.
The website, located at
myland.mvca.on.ca, is gaining in
popularity Steele said and is getting
more hits every day.
more than 50 years old and many are
over 100 years.
When it comes to protecting
natural water sources and ensuring
safe drinking water for Ontarians,
Wilkinson took the lessons he has
learned as an admitted backbencher
in Queen's Park to heart.
'The conservation water authority
drives the change to the local level,"
he said. "And local solutions are
what is needed."
Source water protection
topic at MVCA annual