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Last night (September 22nd) County Council voted overwhelmingly in favour of a motion to cease work on the Site 41 for good. For full details please click here:
Today at the Simcoe County Council meeting a motion was made to cease work on Site 41 for good. The intent was to ensure that a landfill is never built on the site that would endanger the Alliston Aquifer. The motion passed 83% in favour. In addition, Tiny Township’s mayor wanted an amendment to request that the Ministry of the Environment revoke the Certificate of Approval which permits use for garbage, transfer station, waste, etc., but he did not have the support of the majority of councillors present. Nevertheless, today’s vote was hailed by activists as a major victory in the struggle to preserve the Alliston Aquifer.
Debby Mink, President of CUPE local 3157, North Simcoe Hospital Alliance reported, This time after the vote was taken there was no thunderous applause and you could have heard a pin drop. I looked in front of me at Mrs. Leonard who has been unwavering in this fight for almost 25 years. I looked to my left at Keith and Ina Wood, the elderly couple, who were the first to be arrested, I looked just to my right at Anne Ritchie-Nahuis who was arrested with 3 guns drawn on her and who spent the night in jail for this cause, I looked at Vicki Monague and remembered the stand and sacrifice that she and the Anishnabe Kweag women and men have made in vowing not to leave the protest camp, I looked at the countless others who spent hours on the gate, working at the camp, handing out flyers at Farmers markets and events, hours on the phone, writing letters… It was one of those moments when you are so filled with emotion that you can hardly breath! It was not until everyone was outside that there were cheers, hugs and tears!
I am so thankful to not only have been able to be a part of this but to be able to do it while representing CUPE was an honour, added Debby. I have such pride in our union. We are amazing!
CUPE Ontario President Sid Ryan welcomed the news by saying Today’s vote is a victory and a proud moment for all of us community activists, First Nations protestors, and the members and staff of CUPE Ontario and the Council of Canadians. This victory would not have been possible without our work on the Unbottle It water tour, and our collective determination to keep our water pure and public. We are going to keep the pressure on and keep moving this issue forward until the day we can truthfully say that every Canadian has access to pure public water.
