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August
1999 Newsletter
Expressway
Supporters Have a Rough Summer
It's
been an eventful summer, but positive. The screaming from
the pro-expressway side suggests that the future of the
valley is looking good. They are spending lots of money
and making lots of noise, because they know that the prospects
for the expressway have never been bleaker.
What
can be said about a Regional government that would rather
spend years in court than explain why their project is a
good idea? If something you were responsible for was about
to be judged, would your first step be to launch a lawsuit
and question the integrity of the judges? These are the
actions of people who know that their project cannot be
justified and are desperately trying to avoid an independent
review.
The
strategy of the Region, as well as the construction and
development lobby, is perhaps best summarized by Nicolo
Machievelli who advised: "Claim everything; concede nothing;
and if defeated, allege fraud."
As
you are likely aware, the Terms of Reference of the Federal
Environmental Assessment Panel Review have been finalized
and include an examination of both the need for the expressway
and alternatives to it including other locations. In response,
the Region has launched a court challenge that will likely
take 18 months to complete. Along with the federal government,
we believe that the Region has no grounds for its challenge
and will fail.
The
Region inserted a half page ad in the Spectator (paid
for by the taxpayers) in mid-July signed by two of the three
senior staff responsible for the Region's "Red Hill file".
The third staffer (the Communications Manager) was fired
two weeks later (3 months after being hired) and the media
reported it was because he refused to kowtow to demands
to be more partisan in support of the expressway. The McMaster
professor who holds the Victor K. Copps Chair in Urban Studies
publicly criticized the two other staffers for unprofessional
conduct in signing a politically partisan ad.
Immediately
after the Region launched its court action, the Chamber
of Commerce followed suit with a court challenge against
one of the Panel members (because she knows Don McLean!).
The provincial government did NOT join the Region's constitutional
challenge, but has offered only lukewarm support by promising
to be an intervenor in the court. They are not providing
any money to the Region's court case, which is expected
to cost local taxpayers over $100,000. Additional tax monies
have apparently been allocated to hire a lobbying firm.
The
Region also withdrew its application for a federal permit
in an attempt to stop the Panel Review from proceeding.
This has clearly failed. On August 11, the Panel released
the Draft EIS Guidelines for the assessment (see above article)
and the following day it announced its operational procedures.
Participant funding has also been announced, including $4500
for Friends of Red Hill Valley. Pro-expressway groups got
$3600 of the more than $21,000 given out.
Public
meetings are being held on September 9, 10 and 11 in Hamilton
and the public has been asked to comment on the draft guidelines
and tell the Panel what issues are important and of concern.
Once the public comment period ends on September 25, the
Panel will finalize the guidelines and issue them to the
Region. The region will then be required to tell the Panel
exactly how long it will take for them to hand in their
report to the Panel.
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