John Mann presented a deputation to Saugeen Shores Town Council at its Monday, January 23rd meeting and, asked the question, "Are you truly aware of the potential for a Wind Syndrome Health PANDEMIC?" The following is a letter to the editor received on the same subject.To the Editor:
A high profile CANADIAN doctor, Dr. Robert Mc Murtry. who has been awarded the prestigious Order of Canada, unequivocally states that 25% of families living too close to a wind turbine, will get sick . Children and the elderly are most prone.
The giant C.A.W. Wind Turbine being constructed is now blotting the skyline along our most precious shoreline. It would appear that this community has thrown in the towel and is willing to accept the inevitable, but S.T.O.P. (Saugeen Shores Turbine Operation Policy) is focused with more vigour than ever. One member stated earlier in the campaign that, "We will take this to the Supreme Court of Canada and we will NOT stop until this blight on our landscape is gone." S.T.O.P. has now moved to Step Two, an all-out effort to see the wind turbine dismantled. Continued support on everyone's part is welcome.
S.T.O.P.'s mandate includes educating the community so that everyone understands turbines and their negative effects. It recommends learning more by going to the u-tube called "NO SAFE PLACE": Mc Murtry on Industrial Wind.
McMurtry, of the University of Western Ontario School of Medicine, is an expert on turbine sickness referred to as 'wind-syndrome'. He states that one in four people will become ill if living too close to a wind turbine. The second u-tube to google is a very short animated video called "Wind Turbines equal Fossil Fuels." The closeness proximity of the CAW wind turbine is unprecedented.
A team of dedicated lawyers continue to develop a class-action suit against the C.A.W. Wind Turbine. Considerable time has been spent contacting and conferring with the almost 60 other Ontario organizations fighting the same crime against humanity that exists here. As in Saugeen Shores, these community groups are in varying stages of developing their own legal position. In July, 2011 at the Prince Edward Tribunal, that community group finally broke a legal barrier by having the medical condition 'wind-syndrome' declared legitimate.
S.T.O.P. is undertaking an effort to amalgamate other north/south groups along Lake Huron as well as offering assistance to council in designing a new by-law.
Our educational mission has also included contacting as many C.A.W. locals as possible. As expected, many angry return comments clearly reveal that their National President, Ken Lewenza, who has invested their money heavily in a corporate venture that will kill their own members' jobs, will soon be treading water.Renewable Energy in Ontario is highly subsidized by our government. These ridiculous ever-increasing hydro costs will drive industry out of the province and certainly not attract new industry. In London the Caterpillar strike is not just about wages. Why would that U.S. owned conglomerate stay in Ontario when they have a new plant in Indiana where the energy cost is the 15th lowest in the nation? One can only surmise that a new C.A.W. president will soon be riding herd.
Wind Turbine challenges are cropping up all around us. This month, a couple in the Staynor area have apparently taken legal action against a Wind Turbine company on property value. Their farm was a hot commodity until a Wind Turbine development was announced beside them. All interest disappeared. S.T.O.P. encourages homeowners to get their properties evaluated. That message includes all of Saugeen Shores because of the impending proliferation of 30 more Wind Turbines. The Ontario Real Estate Association (OREA) has already announced that properties for sale in proximity must disclose nearby wind turbines. The growing calamity with Ontario real estate will only grow. Local home builders have reported lost sales because of this turbine placement. Higher home insurance rates are also surfacing in troubled Wind Turbine locations.
In a stunning announcement by the O.F.A. (Ontario Federation of Agriculture), it has demanded that the government put an immediate moratorium on any future Wind Turbine development. They list the usual reasons why, but their primary concern is the disintegrating tight agricultural community relationships. Many landowners have been lured in with ambitious financial incentives to lease their lands to wind turbine companies and that has caused, in some cases, irreparable conflict within families. It is reported that some of these people who have signed leases never totally understood the ramifications but cannot escape.
S.T.O.P. supports O.F.A. and has met with them to discuss a mutual strategy. With our petition and letter writing campaign, yard signs and town hall meeting, support has increased significantly. We will continue fighting and helping people to understand what is at issue here.
Soon to be available from S.T.O.P. - CAW's Industrial Wind Turbine: The Port Elgin Story - how the turbine came to be and what it means for Port Elgin.
Bluewater Board of Education trustees have invited S.T.O.P. to speak at an upcomming Board meeting. Trustees were requested to watch Dr. Mc Murtry's video. Parents need to realize that because of the closeness of the Y.M.C.A. pre-school (300 m) and Port Elgin Saugeen Central School and St. Joseph's Separate School, education on the negative health effects of Wind Turbines becomes exceedingly important. Every school is different but on average, one third of any student population has some level of special needs. For example, a child with epilepsy can have an attack triggered by shadow flicker as these blades repeatedly cross the sun's path. A family in England convinced a wind turbine company to move a wind turbine further away because of the real threat to their autistic child. If men and women are being devastated by wind-syndrome, it stands to reason that developing bodies and minds must be protected within our school system. Because of the normal prevailing winds, this Turbine will often be aimed at these schools.
The Federal Government has just announced its plans to develop a national policy on wind turbines and Premiers have stated that perhaps Ontario already has the model that they should emulate. That has sent shivers down the backs of every concerned wind turbine citizen in the province. You are invited to write your MPP and MP citing your concern over adopting a policy that is ruining people's lives, devaluing real estate, causing growing trepidation over insurance, denying our democratic vote and. worst of all. setting family members at each other's throat. S.T.O.P. has flooded local MPPs and MPs and the Prime Minister's Office with e-mails. This is another opportunity for ordinary Ontario citizens to voice their displeasure.
MPP Lisa Thompson and MP Ben Lobb both spoke against the C.A.W. Wind Turbine at the S.T.O.P. sponsored march and town hall meeting. They are acutely aware of this situation and would welcome correspondence condemning the Ontario Model.
Another initiative proposed by S.T.O.P. is to correspond with the medical community of Saugeen Shores and demonstrate to them what new symptoms may be attributed to 'wind-syndrome'. It is embarrassing to note that medical professionals in the Shelburne Wind Farm area scoffed at early victim's complaints and were reluctant to realize that Wind Turbines were making normally healthy people sick when exposed to nearby Wind Turbines.
Coming soon will be fundraising events to aid in paying the bills. To achieve our goals of stopping this wind turbine and educating the public, money matters must be addressed. Join S.T.O.P. by sending your email address to stop.the.turbine@gmail.com and get involved. We are aware that many citizens privately abhor this Wind Turbine but prefer others to voice their displeasure. This is one avenue where the silent majority can speak as loudly as their wallets will allow.
S.T.O.P. has continued to support/assist Saugeen Shores Council. Recently, Council was advised to appoint councilors to a special committee dealing exclusively with health and safety. With representation from S.T.O.P., this group would enter into establishing a health and safety contract with the C.A.W. to set operating standards - for example, shutting down the turbine at night if people report changes in sleep patterns. That is why citizens living near the turbine have been advised to get medical examinations and keep a daily calendar record of how they are feeling. Hopefully, nobody becomes ill but the reality is that adults and children will suffer because this wind turbine is so dangerously located.
Although very good relationships have been established with our community and the C.A.W. over many years, remember it is them, not us, who have imposed such a dastardly blight on our community. Consequences in raising a child are a mandatory part of that precious journey to adulthood. When you receive notice that some community groups intend to keep doing business with the C.A.W., you can't help but wonder how their children turned out! Boycott the C.A.W. until the wind turbine is gone!
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