BIG BUSINESS MEANS BIG TROUBLE FOR SOME STAFF AND POLITICIANS

I swear to god that all aggregate proponents have a manual. The manual to the average citizen is as elusive and hard to find as John Lowndes at a Council meeting to explain his "economic development" for Melancthon, but I digress....

But just because us average Joe's can't access the manual, doesn't mean we are not smart enough to figure it out. All you have to do is watch what happened in Flamborough (Lowndes and then St. Marys) , Melancthon (Highland Companies aka Lowndes and Baupost Group) and Simcoe (Walker Aggregates)

Step one, insinuate your company into the community

Step two, align yourself with the current politicians and senior staff of day

Step three, pay a wormtail lawyer to attend all meetings and community events, clipboard in hand, grimacing, I mean smiling politely

Step four, make donations to causes that local politicians support, depending on the politicans willingness to appear in pictures with representatives of the corporation and not speak up publically against the corporations plans for a 2,400 acre 200 foot open pit limestone mine to be developed over "decades".

Step five, hold a "public meeting" to let the public know what great people they are, but not provide any real information.

Actually we all know the drill. We are living it.

With respect to the donations, Highlands after all has done what?

A few minor repairs to the Hornings Mills hall;

Made a donation to the Orangeville legion;

Bought a new clock and zamboni for the Honeywood arena;

Do a "study" on ways to reduce blowing snow in Cty Road 124, but not provide it to the public;

And oh, yeah I forgot, they are championing a $15 million YMCA for Ed Crewson, I mean Shelburne, I mean municipalities in Dufferin and Southgate

How do I know they have a manual?

Well Walker Aggregates in Duntroon, who want to leave the first 300 acre hole they dug on the north side of the soon to be closed county road to fill with water (and oh yeah they are going to throw some fish in there too and a couple of trees) and move everything lock stock and barrel across the soon to be closed county road, and dig yet ANOTHER 300 acre hole, have been following the above noted steps religiously.

Walker Aggregate's YMCA is the Collingwood Hospital and they have been donating copiously and generously to the cause.

And the hospital IS a good cause.

BUT look what happened to the Collingwood Hospital Foundation Executive Director Jory Pritchard-Kerr:

"Collingwood's Hospital Foundation is apologizing for any appearance of political bias in the battle over a huge gravel pit above Duntroon.

In some of the newspaper ads placed by Walker Aggregates, Hospital Foundation Executive Director Jory Pritchard-Kerr is quoted, praising the company's history of donations.

The Creemore Echo reports today that at Sunday's Annual Dinner to raise money for the Foundation, Pritchard-Kerr apologized to supporters, and to the group that is battling the expansion of the quarry.

In the apology, Pritchard-Kerr said she had made a professional error being part of the campaign.

She said that it was foolish of her to believe that she could be a part of the ad campaign without appearing to be political.

The Echo received a copy of the comments from the Jan Trude, a member of the Foundation, who says the Foundation stands solidly behind Pritchard-Kerr. (Source: Bayshore Broadcasting newscentre, June 4, 2010)

And do not think for a moment that Walker cares about this persons career. Just as St. Mary's and Highlands do not care for a moment about any politican. If they don't get re-elected, Highlands will just start cozing up to the next one and never give another thought to those left in the dust.

Now that St. Marys has been shut down by the Province due to the corporations hocus pocus bogus water claims, do you think they are still fully committed to being the good community partners and are still donating generoulsy to community betterment?

Jeez, I am just asking....