To the editor,
Local participatory democracy took a big hit this month when South Bruce council declared, by resolution, that no referendum will be held under their watch in 2022. Instead, they opted to punt the decision on to the next council.
However, it should be noted, as the council was well aware of, their resolution is not binding on the next council to hold any referendum at all!
Who knows? Perhaps after the election South Bruce may go the way of Ignace, where the council deemed themselves the authority to be host to the NWMO’s proposed nuclear dump.
Council’s action basically flips the bird to local ratepayers who signed petition cards asking for a vote. In addition, it essentially denies hearing from a delegation scheduled for January to present the petition and arguments as to why a referendum should be held congruent with the Oct. 22, 2022 municipal election. It would appear that the message from council, to all those who took time to canvass door-to-door for this petition, and to the over1,000 who sent in petition cards is simply this: “We really don’t need to need from you and your wasting your time to even speak to us on the issue.”
How sadly ironic that this council had quickly made room on their agenda to hear arguments from Tony Zettel and his group, “Willing to Listen,” and then proceed later in the meeting to passing a resolution which essentially denied hearing from those who petitioned for an October referendum. And was it just a coincidence that the wording of the letter Zettel read to council vaguely echoed what was put in the resolution passed?
Hypocrites, one and all this council is… to bring closure to this debate hearing from only one side while claiming that they are willing to listen!
It would be of interest to now hear what our local Community Liaison Committee has to say on this issue. A committee that was initially struck eight years ago to represent all citizens of South Bruce.
And from that perspective, to provide some insight and critique on what the DGR project is all about.
And to ensure that the process is fair and balanced for this community to decide whether or not we are a willing host.
But I wouldn’t hold my breath on hearing diddley from the CLC. Quite likely, they will be mute on the issue and continue to take their marching orders from the NWMO as they continue to feign that they represent the concerns of all citizens of South Bruce.
David Wood
Mildmay
