To the editor,
In a recent letter to your paper (“Come out and vote in South Bruce” – Sept. 15), Tony Zettel claims that I have made posts to my Facebook page urging voters to support members of Protect Our Waterways (POW) running for council. And that somehow by gaining a majority on council they would undermine the Nuclear Waste Management Organization’s (NWMO) agenda to bring a nuclear waste dump to South Bruce.
Or as Mr. Zettel writes, “This would effectively euthanize the process to host Canada’s deep geological repository (DGR), a process they’ve been dead against for the past couple of years.”
Well I can tell you Mr. Zettel is dead wrong in a number of his assertions.
First of all, I made no such posts on my Facebook. In fact, the most recent was one bestolling the joys of collecting old vintage records. I am quite surprised to read such disinformation from Mr. Zettel.
And regarding his point about being against this DGR for “a couple of years”. Again, he is wrong. I have been against this DGR for well over 10 years. Both because it brings a high risk to the waters of the Great Lakes. As well as witnessing years of the indirect bribery of the NWMO to buy favour with our council through their so called “Community Well-Being Fund.”
As for POW members running for council? Yes, I fully support bringing a fresh change to a council that more or less has never posed one critical question to the NWMO’s narrative.
However, I would have to add that I do not believe that should members of POW acquire a majority on council that this would fully “euthanize the DGR process.” The reason being I do not believe that any elected council would have a mandate to make such a decision, either for or against the DGR. That decision rests solely with the full electorate of South Bruce by way of a formal referendum. As in the one promised in a resolution from the previous council. As such, whether you’re an elected councillor or mayor, you only get one vote. A fair and democratic process, essential in deciding such an important issue as this. However, it should be noted that the promise made by the previous council to hold a referendum is not binding on this incoming council. So voters need to ask questions of candidates coming to their doors knocking for their support.
And a word to the wise. Those writing letters opposing this referendum need to be sure to always get their facts straight.
David Wood
Mildmay
