October 13, 2011
Ontario, Press releases

Wind Concerns Ontario gets new leader

Wind Concerns Ontario, windconcernsontario.wordpress.com 12 October 2011

TORONTO, Oct. 12, 2011 /CNW/ – After more than two years as President of Wind Concerns Ontario, John Laforet is stepping down. Wind Concerns Ontario Chair Ian Hanna will be taking over immediately.

Ian Hanna stated, “John Laforet leaves a legacy of remarkable success, likely never to be matched; but in doing so he also leaves a respected organization with widespread support and great potential, fully equipped to continue as the voice of rural Ontario on all matters related to utility scale wind turbines.”

Today there are nearly sixty grassroots community organizations that span Ontario fighting back against Dalton McGuinty’s ill-conceived Green Energy Act wind turbine policy. Together Wind Concerns Ontario has stopped all but one approval from being issued since the Green Energy Act became law just over two years ago.

“Being President of Wind Concerns Ontario has been a life changing experience,” said John Laforet. “I am honoured to have had the opportunity to work with so many dedicated people from around Ontario to protect our communities and province together and am proud of the work we’ve done together”.

“I am proud that two and a half million Ontarians live in one of the seventy-eight municipalities that have passed motions of moratorium calling for independent health studies and for local democratic control to be restored. After years of being ignored, together Wind Concerns Ontario defeated eleven Liberal incumbents in last week’s election, including the Minister of Environment who was in charge of wind turbine permits, John Wilkinson,” Laforet added.

Last week’s election resulted in a province deeply divided along an urban-rural lines. Rural Ontario deeply rejected the Green Energy Act wind policy. Wind Concerns Ontario will now focus on educating urban Ontarians by helping them to fully comprehend the very serious impact that this anti-science, anti-democratic piece of legislation is having on the health and well-being of their fellow Ontarians.

Mr. Hanna added, “My goals, as John’s replacement, will include building support for Wind Concerns in Ontario’s urban centres while continuing to strengthen our rural and small town foundations.”

URL to article:  https://www.wind-watch.org/news/2011/10/13/wind-concerns-ontario-gets-new-leader/