OPTIMISM-CUP HALF EMPTY OR HALF FULL

Here is optimism for you....headline in todays issue of the Orangeville Citizen reads: Highland remains confident in bid for new quarry. 

Excerpt from the article:
In spite of the Ministry of Environment’s (MoE) criticism of The Highland Companies quarry application, the company remains confident that the application will succeed....

Entire article at this link:
http://www.citizen.on.ca/news/2011-07-07/Front_Page/Highland_remains_confident_in_bid_for_new_quarry.html
 
THEN there is REAL cause for optimism. 
 
Avaaz has taken up the Stop the Quarry cause.
 
Who is Avaaz?
 
Avaaz.org is an international civic organization established in January 2007[1] that promotes activism on issues such as climate change, human rights, and religious conflicts.[2] Its stated mission is to "ensure that the views and values of the world's people inform global decision-making." The organization operates in thirteen languages, and has over nine million members in 193 countries (Wikipedia)
 
Here is the link-go to first time user and sign in and you will have registered your objection via the on-line petition.
http://www.avaaz.org/en/stop_the_quarry/?vc

In less than 24 hours support has grown from 7000 signatures to over 60,000 signatures and counting. Word of the Avaaz petition is circulating via emails by Union groups and environmental websites throughout the world and folks are posting links via twitter and facebook. Amazing thing to see.

As a result, the Ontario MNR minister would appear to be under pressure as she released this statement on Twitter earlier today:

LindaJeffrey Linda Jeffrey by MNRcentral
.@Avaaz Want 2 clarify ur #megaquarry petition. No decision is imminent. See http://ow.ly/5z3Cq & pls correct ur statement

Well, we all know no decision is imminent-that is the problem. Make a decision NOW Minister before we have to spend millions showing this is an asinine idea, even though we all know NOW this is not feasible in any way shape or form.

The link she gave leads here to an MNR letter now posted online at:
http://www.mnr.gov.on.ca/en/About/2ColumnSubPage/STDPROD_085704.html

Sign the Avaaz petition and spread the word. Here is the link one more time:
http://www.avaaz.org/en/stop_the_quarry/?vc

Avaaz plans to present this to Minister Jeffreys on Monday July 11 so sign ASAP.