Springwater News-Feb 7, 2008

MPP DUNLOP: SITE 41 PRIVATE MEMBERS BILL TO BE REINTRODUCED

The Ontario Legislature is supposed to resume sitting sometime between Monday, February 25 and Monday, March 17. In my opinion, the sooner the better, because we as politicians have only sat eight days since June 6, 2007.

You may recall, that Premier Dalton McGuinty abruptly ordered the Ontario Legislature to adjourn the very morning that his Minister of Citizenship, Mike Colle was to appear before the Estimates Committee. He was to answer questions on the illegal distribution of 35 million dollars to organizations that were friendly to the Liberal Party of Ontario. Nine months later and with several major issues facing every ministry, it is time that the Government of Ontario becomes accountable for its actions and begins to answer a multitude of questions facing it.

As soon as the legislature returns, I will be re-introducing a Private Member’s Bill regarding Site 41.The Bill is already drafted and is entitled “Waste Disposal Site 41 in the Township of Tiny Act, 2008.” The Bill in effect parallels the “Adams Mine Lake Act” passed by the government in 2004.The bill reverses all approvals of Site 41 while compensating the County of Simcoe for its costs associated with the approval process to date.

Although it is a Private Member’s Bill and the current Liberal Government would have to call the Bill for debate, it is important that we continue to pressure the government to take action and put an end to this ridiculous proposal once and for all.

The Ontario Clean Water Act, The Report of the Environmental Commissioner, Water Source Protection Committees, politicians, letters, e-mails and public opposition along with the Final Report of Justice Dennis O’Conner on the Walkerton Inquiry are just some of the reasons why the government should seriously consider passing my Private Member’s Bill.

Landfills in general have become archaic and technically outdated. Landfills above an aquifer are a mistake! A landfill above an aquifer that will require hundreds of millions of good clean water to be pumped into a stream just to dewater the site is a tragedy.