October 28, 2010
Ontario

Report from the Fergus Protest

by Lorrie Gillis, Wind Concerns Ontario, windconcernsontario.wordpress.com 27 October 2010

In spite of steady rain and gusts of wind for the entire time, hundreds of people (1,000+?) came to say NO to industrial wind turbines!

The horse trailers kept rolling in. There were nearly 20 horses of all shapes and sizes, dressed and parading on the front lawn of the sportsplex. Some riders were carrying signs as well. A pickup in the parking lot had a stack of signs ready for people to use. Many brought their own.
There were people of all ages, from many areas in Ontario, picketing at the entrance with all kinds of signs. They were picketing in the parking lot, at the road and near the building. They came in cars and on foot with umbrellas, rain gear, wagons, kids, dogs, signs and a determination that was palpable.

There was a massive load of manure in a spreader titled Dalton’s limo. There were signs lining the entrance highlighting the destruction of democracy for our municipalities/us. There was a stage set up with signs all around it.

Lady Godiva arrived on her black steed, another incredibly beautiful horse who could rear and bow on command. From the stage, James and Janet spoke of health concerns, destruction of habitat and wildlife, plummeting property value, skyrocketing electricity bills and the political loss of our right to say NO to this invasion.

Lady Godiva led the people into the wind company open house/meeting being held in the sportsplex. Security people stopped allowing people to enter at 440, then allowed another 40 or so people in. Even at that, there was still a throng of people waiting to get in that went all the way back to the entrance.

Inside, the room was packed. Boards of, what I would consider, inaccurate and misleading information lined the room with Stantec representatives unable to answer questions who sent people to the wind company representatives who were unable to answer questions. Reports and literature that has been long discredited by Wind Vigilance was there for the taking. The undercover a.k.a. plainclothes cops were interspersed in the crowd. We, the general public, were treated as though we would rampage at any moment. It was the same as all the other ‘open house/public meetings’ by wind companies. Only the name changes.

One of the organizers got a hold of the microphone in the room and asked that the president of the wind company to come up and answer questions so all in the room could hear. He refused. The project manager took the mic and told the crowd that they could talk to the representatives. I believe she was referring to the representatives who can’t/don’t answer a question who line the boards of inaccurate information that line the room. She was booed! Security unplugged the mic. A room of 400 plus chanted “GO AWAY, GO AWAY” over and over.

As far as I can see, it takes an inordinate amount of delusion to give this process the title of community consultation.