The turbine at the CAW Centre is not simply an issue for a hundred and fifty of Saugeen Shores citizens but an issue for all Saugeen Shores residents. This is not only about turbines but also about democracy itself.

At the latest Town Hall meeting we learned that there is an application for thirty- one more turbines to be erected around Saugeen Shores.　 The fact is that these turbines are useless for power output when needed, unable to store power and will still need fossil fuel to operate. They have a negative affect on our environment, our health and property values in the area.

The CAW refuses to listen to reason or at least stop the project until further independent studies can be done to evaluate the cause and effects of these turbines. They are basically thumbing their collective noses at the citizens of Saugeen Shores and showing little compassion for the health and safety of the citizens. Good Neighbours, I think not!!!

The Liberal’s under the leadership of Dalton McGuinty are determined to go ahead with the turbines to illustrate that they are for “Green Energy”. There seems to be plenty of evidence that turbines interfere with the health and safety of people within 1000m of these turbines. Mr. McGuinty refuses to put a halt on construction of these turbines to have them investigated by an independent group of engineers. The turbines are costing taxpayers 1.5-2million dollars to erect each turbine and they will make no substantial contribution to the power grid. The basic fact is that Ontario will soon face a doubling of their hydro bills to support this project. Will businesses want to settle in Ontario when they have to pay extravagant hydro rates? My guess is that businesses will want to settle in other provinces where power will be cheaper. That will mean far less employment opportunities in Ontario and people unable to pay for their power bills.

Mr. McGuinty talks about bullying and how it has to stop in our schools and yet he is resorting to the highest form of bullying. The citizens of Saugeen Shores, the Town Council, the Chamber of Commerce has all voiced their objections to these turbines in our area and yet McGuinty and his Government are forcing us to accept them in our town. It has become quite apparent that the companies the Liberals are dealing with to erect the turbines are offering large amounts of cash to the landowners to get acceptance for the erection of these turbines. It has been said that within the agreements is a clause preventing the signing parties from discussing among other things health issues in other words a GAG order.

I as a citizen of Saugeen Shores and Ontario am fed up with back room deals, gag orders and money changing hands privately. This behavior erodes the confidence the average citizen is supposed to have in government as elected officials. We need leadership that is above board and will survive any kind of public scrutiny. We need elected officials who stand up for what they and the constituents who elected them to believe in and will morally do the right things. Is it any wonder that after every election there is a question as to why there was such a low voter turn out? People feel helpless with this type of behavior taking place on a daily basis.