Jones’ Q&A reveals her true quarry colours

from NDACT

It didn’t take long for the review of the Aggregate Resources Act to rear its head in 2014. As you’ll recall, the Standing Committee on General Government studied the outdated legislation following the uproar over the Highland mega quarry. Sadly, the Committee ignored the strong recommendations made by agricultural stakeholders for farmland protection. Instead, in its final report, it sided entirely with the aggregate industry. Should the Committee’s recommendations be adopted, a quarry of any size would still be permitted on prime farmland and in source water regions.

Last week, Dufferin-Caledon MPP Sylvia Jones appeared before Melancthon Council to discuss the report and its recommendations. She sat on the Committee. Her comments and failure to answer direct questions were a disappointment. Rancher Carl Cosack was at the meeting and shared his thoughts in this letter to the Orangeville Banner.

Letter from Carl Cosak to the Orangeville Banner January 15 2014

These are my personal comments, not endorsed by NDACT.

Dear MPP Sylvia Jones,

My name is Carl Cosack and I heard your presentation and subsequent Q&A at Melancthon council Thursday, Jan. 9, regarding the ARA review report.

As proud as you are of the dismal Aggregate Resources Act Review report, I am as disappointed in your efforts to help your constituency deal with the mega quarry issue and its continuing efforts to protect water and agricultural lands in the riding you represent.

Tens of thousands of your constituents would have had to deal with the fallout of the approval of the mega quarry application, yet the ARA Review recommendations you so proudly support would still allow a mega quarry today.

David Tilson, our Conservative MP, even though it was not his jurisdiction, worked tirelessly on this file, along with Conservative MP Michael Chong, Green Party MP Elizabeth May, as did the federal NDP’s Matthew Kellway.

The Green Party’s Rob Strang and Mike Schreiner spoke loudly for the preservation of water sources and prime agricultural lands, as did the committed Liberal candidate Lori Holloway, providing effective help to the greater community in securing both the Environmental Assessment, as well as the review of this terribly outdated Aggregate Resources Act from the government at Queen’s Park.

You, as a member of the standing committee reviewing the act, and our voice, are supposed to support the concerns of your constituency.

Your mark is nowhere to be found addressing the serious concerns of over a hundred delegations made during the ARA review process.

At the Melancthon council you continuously deflected the good and pointed questions asked by the councillors by referencing “consensus”, “not in the mandate”, “does not apply”, “I couldn’t”, yet you were able to thank, in writing, the aggregate industry and its CEO, Moreen Miller, for their invaluable help in supporting the committee’s work.

When tens of thousands of people of all political stripes, from Melancthon, to Toronto to every corner of this beautiful province, show up on a volunteer basis defending the right of all Ontarians to good planning, precautionary principle, protection of source water regions and prime food producing land, where is our elected Progressive Conservative MPP Sylvia Jones?