| Mark Mattson, President and Waterkeeper of Lake Ontario Waterkeeper, sent the following letter to the Editors of Inside Halton today, in response to a letter from Norm Elmhirst of Nelson Aggregate Co. that was published on May 12, 2010.
Jill Davis, Editor-in-Chief
Burlington Post, 5040 Mainway, Unit #1, Burlington ON L7L 7G5
Milton Canadian Champion, 555 Industrial Drive, Milton ON L9T 5E1
Oakville Beaver, 467 Speers Road, Oakville ON L6K 3S4 John McGhie, Managing Editor
Georgetown Independent & Acton Free Press, 280 Guelph Street, Unit 29
Georgetown, ON L7G 4B1 Editor, Oakville Today, 467 Speers Road, 2nd Floor, Oakville, ON L6L 6L7 May 26, 2010 Dear Editors: Re: Quarry President’s Name-calling is Inappropriate and Unfounded
[Response to Letter to the Editor from Norm Elmhirst, May 12, 2010] In a letter to Inside Halton on May 12, 2010, the President of Nelson Aggregate Company inappropriately lashed out at Sarah Harmer and PERL. Norm Elmhirst accused Ms Harmer of “unsubstantiated” claims about Nelson’s proposed quarry expansion and suggested that her concerns are based solely in “not in my backyard” or “NIMBY-ism”. Mr. Elmhirst’s knows that both Nelson and PERL are currently engaged in a quasi-judicial legal process before a Joint Board of the Ontario Municipal Board and the Environmental Review Tribunal. This process has been underway for years, largely due to the hard work of Sarah, PERL and the Joint Agency Review Team, including the City of Burlington and the Region of Halton. All of the parties have come to the table in good faith, seeking only a fair, transparent review by an independent decision-maker based on reliable scientific evidence. At this point, Sarah and many of the other parties are exercising their process rights to force Nelson to back up it’s promises and predictions before approval to dig a new quarry is granted. In reaction to Sarah’s demands for evidence and a fair process, Mr. Elmhirst turned to the press and personally questioned the intentions and quality of evidence of Sarah and PERL. This desperate strategy is disrespectful of the parties, the community, the Joint Board, and the law. It also makes no sense, as it undermines the respect he seeks from your readers and the Joint Board.
Further, the accusation that Sarah and PERL are motivated by NIMBY-ism is ridiculous. Sarah and PERL have worked tirelessly to gather independent scientific evidence and to work with the available legal tools to get the best result for the environment. Far from the cries of “NIMBY” raised by Mr. Elmhirst, PERL and Sarah have stated clearly that the destruction of sensitive habitat and headwaters is not appropriate in anyone’s backyard. I have known Sarah for many years through our work protecting Canada’s water. I have watched her show incredible consideration for the small non-profit organizations working to build a country where every person can safely swim, drink the water, or catch a fish. She studies the issues. She is generous with her time. She opens her home to us and makes us feel like family. In all the years I have known Sarah, she has never claimed the recognition she deserves. I wish I could convey how many lives she has changed, and how many communities now and tomorrow have brighter futures because of her work. Time and time again, Sarah has rolled up her sleeves to do the behind-the-scenes tasks that make charitable work possible. And as Mr. Elmhirst is about to discover for himself, Sarah is not going to quit because of name calling and personal slights. Sincerely, Mark Mattson
President and Waterkeeper
Lake Ontario Waterkeeper |
