April 17, 2013
Letters, Ontario

Enniskillen mayor skeptical of openness on Green Energy Act

The Manitoulin Expositor | April 17, 2013 | www.manitoulin.caThe Manitoulin Expositor | April 17, 2013 | www.manitoulin.ca

During the Ontario Liberal leadership campaign, Kathleen Wynne promised to give municipalities across Ontario more say when it comes to wind farms, after the Green Energy Act of 2009 took that power completely away. To date my correspondence with the new premier leads me to believe that she is not planning to live up to that promise. It would seem that the common trend of making promises during campaigns and then reneging on those promises once in power is happening yet again.

On March 26 Lisa Thompson MPP (Huron-Bruce) introduced a private member’s bill called “Ensuring Affordable Energy Act” which would give municipalities like ours, and many others, democracy back where it belongs. The residents of many communities have been torn apart by whether or not to build wind turbines in their neighbourhoods. Whether or not you believe that wind turbines are the right answer to Ontario’s future energy needs, there are communities that are willing hosts and there are communities who are not.

There is much anticipation that on April 18, 2013, both Liberal and NDP members will support a return to democracy in Ontario’s rural areas by supporting this bill. With the political climate at Queen’s Park if these two parties do not support this bill, then a spring election would be more than welcome. This is not a bill that concerns whether or not Ontario should support green energy; it’s about having something very important and fundamental to Canadians restored and maintained, namely democracy.

I strongly suggest everyone to contact their MPP and ask them to support this very important piece of legislation.

Kevin Marriott
Mayor Township of Enniskillen

URL to article:  https://www.wind-watch.org/news/2013/04/17/enniskillen-mayor-skeptical-of-openness-on-green-energy-act/