Wind turbine debate needs to be aired 

Rural Ontarians are fully aware of the negative impacts wind turbines and substations are having on families, animals, birds and the environment. This was demonstrated loud and clear in the fall election by voting out many prominent Liberal MPPs including the Minister of Agriculture and the Minister of the Environment who governs wind projects.

·There are 81 Ontario municipalities with motions calling to halt further wind power projects until adverse environmental and human health effects have been properly studied by an independent 3rd party.

·Earlier this month, Dalton McGuinty claimed Ontario farmers were his biggest supporters for wind development. In fact The Ontario Federation of Agriculture (OFA) representing over 38,000 farm members have called for a suspension of wind projects.

·At the last ROMA meeting at the Royal York in Toronto approximately 60 to 80 municipal members took unprecedented action by standing up and walking out on Dalton McGuinty as he took the microphone to address the municipalities.

·The Canadian Federation of University Women is calling for a moratorium.

·The Christian Farmers Federation of Ontario is calling for a re-evaluation of the program.

·Perth Dairy Producers support the OFA

·Victoria Haliburton Federation of Agriculture supports the OFA

·There are First Nations groups protesting the governments overtake of their land for industrial turbines.

·In the legislature on March 8th when Liberal and NDP members teamed up to vote down a motion for a moratorium tabled by a PC candidate, the entire gallery of spectators silently stood and turned their backs to the government. It was a potent message to our leaders and a first in our legislature.

This government needs to pause and take a breath.

They continue to approve new projects relying on one outdated review of literature and a Feb. 2010 provincially funded 5 year initiative hiring a research chair to look into renewable energy that hasn’t even been started. This generous 5 year window will allow thousands of new turbines to be erected further tearing up the environment and harming even more innocent families.

A 2011 Environmental Review Tribunal concluded, based on evidence submitted by 26 expert witnesses that wind turbines placed too close to families can cause adverse health problems. The question we need answered now is how far back do the turbines need to be placed to be safe? We know without question that 550 metres is not safe.

This is very serious. This is a government knowingly forcing harmful policy onto people and the environment.

As their unrelenting push for more turbines continues the McGuinty government using our money has paid outside jurisdictions including the United States, millions of dollars to take excess power being generated that we can’t even use.

Please attend the April 3rd protest in Toronto (Simcoe Park on Front Street, beside CBC building) and join this important province wide effort to reclaim our fundamental right to live in a healthy environment and peace in our own home.

This is a fight to protect your property values and a fight to stop to rapidly climbing hydro bills and wasteful use of our money. Your voice matters!

Buses from many points in Ontario are travelling to this protest. For information visit this link: http://ontario-wind-resistance.org or call 519-922-3072

Barbara Ashbee,

Orangeville Ontario