Dear Editor:
In an article in the Ottawa Valley Business by Jennifer Layman, it is noted that Victor Castro,a Senior Aquatic Scientist with the Eastern Region of the Ontario Ministry of Environment and Climate Change, has said that “The MOECC is responsible for ensuring that the surface waters of the province are of a quality which is satisfactory for aquatic life and recreation – and the MOECC has been participating and will continue to participate to find a local solution to improving the water quality in Muskrat Lake
There is a need for a comprehensive watershed phosphorus reduction strategy to improve water quality conditions over the long term. The prov ince believes that a locally-led watershed council supported by the local municipalities is best positioned to study the problems facing Muskrat Lake, develop remedial options, and seek fund ing opportunities.”
It is well known that Muskrat Lake has the highest phosphorous levels of any trout lake.
NOW HERE’S THE REAL STORY FOLKS
The above rhetoric by Mr. Castro of the MOECC is simply another one of the provincial stall tactics that have been going on since December 11th 2011 – which to date (six years later) have resulted in zero action by the Ontario government to clean up Muskrat lake, and this despite the Cobden Conservation Club providing the current council with a “How To Do It” example of the Heney Lake cleanup in Quebec, whose pollution problems were solved using a proven process that would produce the same results if used in Muskrat lake.
The Heney Lake cleanup however only came about after its residents brought a class action lawsuit against the government, which the government soon settled out of court, and we need to do the same also.
Indeed the foot dragging that’s been going on right across the board over the last six years replete with a whole litany of MNR lies – denials, diversionary propaganda, bureaucratic collusion, endless studies, wasted money and official coverups simply beggar description – because we already know whats wrong with the lake – we know who caused it – we know how it can be fixed – and we know who should be fixing it – And it’s not us! – it’s the Ontario government who should be fixing it – because as Mr. Castro agreed that “To Some Extent” the MOE / MNR are the ones who are responsible for ensuring the province’s surface water quality and they damn well are – and not just to “Some Extent” but to every extent, which means it’s up to these agencies to acquire the funding to clean up Muskrat Lake, not us, abd most especially since the MOE / MNR are the two agencies that approved drainage projects in Bromley Township, with knowledge aforethought they were going to further pollute our lake – a fact that was fully documented in a 1981 Bromley environmental study produced by a limnologist named Michael Michalski.
As for Mr. Castro calling Muskrat lake a Trout Lake, that’s another barefaced MNR lie, because until the MNR tried to turn it into a trout lake by artificially stocking it for decades it never was a trout lake and the evidence proving this to be a fact will be released to the public next week.
As for Victor Castro saying Watershed Council Committee involvement is the best approach to solving this issue, that’s because the MNR / MOE are promoting them as the best group to arrange the Muskrat Lake cleanup, however these Watershed Council Committees are simply MNR influenced front organizations being promoted and used by the Provincial MRN / MOE to further such agenda’s as conservation authorities etc – by having them think their involvement is giving a voice to the people in their area’s – who the MNR / MOE are screwing over with E.S.A rules and regulations – severance refusals – designations – setbacks – archeological studies – first nations involvement – prohibitions on privately owned property usage and its development – and all of the other various and sundry socialist government intrusions into the lives of Ontario land owners.
For example until recently we had an MNR representative named Doug Skeggs as well as a Pembroke JP2G consultant named Brian Whitehead, sitting on the Watershed Committee as “advisors” (A clear conflict of interest) until a number of the Watershed Committee executives finally woke up – realized what was going on – and tendered their resignations – after which the remaining members began soliciting the public for people to replace their former executive and requested new members to join.
However despite Victor Castro’s self serving endorsement of the Watershed Council Committee the watershed council committee themselves had no comment, and small wonder is that because they haven’t accomplished much over the years.
Meanwhile as Premier Kathleen Wynne continues to run Ontario into the ground while telling us the province is broke, she had no trouble whatsoever running up another massive taxpayer debt burden, by borrowing $9 billion to build wind powered generators and other green energy projects, that to date are collectively putting less than one percent of the total energy being produced back into the grid, yet not a cent has been forthcoming from the Wynne administration towards the Muskrat Lake cleanup.
So ask yourself “Just what in the hell is it going to take? Does someone have to die before the cleanup of our lake begins? Or dare we hope it’s finally going to dawn on a number of people the time has come to settle this issue in the courts – because if this is not done responsibility for an inevitable disaster that’s going to occur will rest solely on the heads of the ones who knew what was going on – but did nothing – in fact as Yogi Berra used to say “It’s deja vue all over again,” which is exactly what’s been taking place over the last six years – and it’s this same thumb twiddling lack of initiative that should have everyone very concerned not only about the travesty in Muskrat Lake – but also about the autonomy, governance and future success of our municipality, because the reality is, all of this and much more is in danger of being lost by default.
Therefore we need to express our concerns to council and with all due respect make our views known, because only a class action lawsuit against the province will end this debacle once and for all.
Donald E. Broome
Cobden
