When Barack Obama came to Ottawa in February, Canadians lowered their defences and surrendered, seduced by the new President’s promises that the United States would stand by its international trade obligations and resist protectionism.
It was an object lesson in why politicians should be judged on results, not their intentions.
Thanks to Susan at Municipal World for the head’s up on this …
You may be hearing from an uninvited guest when you sit down to dinner during the next civic election.
A ruling by the Canadian Radio-television and Telecommunications Commission means municipal election candidates don’t have to obey the national “do not call” list, giving them access to phone numbers people had sought to seal off from nuisance callers.
Culture Minister Aileen Carroll
Bob Foster
Brampton,Ontario
“If you protect woodlots… why aren’t you protecting people?” asked Coun. Tamara Stomp who was opposed to the renewable energy and wind farm resolutions.
Kingsville (Essex, Ontario’s southernmost county) council voted Monday to allow renewable energy projects in the former Gosfield North and allow a wind turbine project in the northwest corner of Kingsville.
As a point of interest, the former Gosfield South wasn’t included in Kingsville’s policies. It was described as a more sensitive area that includes the Jack Miner Bird Sanctuary. Council would consider a proposal for renewable energy there if it came up.
Erie Shores Wind Farm
Magna International Inc. said Monday it will lay off 725 workers at its Formet Industries plant in St. Thomas, Ont.
Canada’s largest auto supplier blamed the layoffs, which it said are temporary, on a customer temporarily shutting down a full sized truck plant.
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Restoration of the Elgin County courthouse would prove cheaper than construction of a new consolidated court facility in St. Thomas.
That was the guarantee from London developer Shmuel Farhi to a capacity gathering Thursday at the St. Thomas Public Library on hand to hear his proposal to fully retrofit and add on to the Wellington Street facility that pre-dates Canada.
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Ontario Premier Dalton McGuinty says he’s willing to consider setting standards to address health concerns around wind turbines.
McGuinty notes there is no definitive research into the possible health risks of living near a wind farm, but says the province must take all concerns into account as it looks to set up more turbines.
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The fight to keep wind farms out of southern Lambton County gathered ammunition this week with the release of a survey that found some people who live near the big turbines suffer serious health problems.
Fifty-three of 76 residents surveyed, primarily in the Kincardine area, said they suffer from headaches, sleep disturbance and depression. They said the wind turbines are having a significant negative impact on their lives.
The survey should grab the attention of government lawmakers, says Ann Towell, a resident in Dawn-Euphemia opposing a 35-turbine wind farm proposed for her township.
She’s also a member of Wind Concerns Ontario, the organization that conducted the survey.
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