EA: THE RULES STATE THE PROPONENT IS IN CHARGE

What I understood yesterday at the NDACT meeting in Honeywood is in all EA's the proponents are in charge of the "process".

Meaning Highland/aka Baupost will direct the "process"

Which does NOT provide any comfort.

We are to believe these people?

TRUTHINESS
Truthiness: The quality of stating concepts one wishes or believes to be true, rather than the facts.
Origin: Stephen Colbert, "The Colbert Report," 2005

TRUTH OR TRUTHINESS-YOU DECIDE
June 2009:
At an NDACT meeting Michael Daniher, then the spokesperson for Highlands, stated the demolished houses had been condemned. The only person who issues demolition orders is the Chief Building Official for the County of Dufferin who stated in a June 22, 2009 email: “None of these properties you are asking about have been as you say "condemned" by the County of Dufferin Building Department. “

January 14, 2012:
When asked why Highlands demolished the farmsteads, Public Relations guru Hill and Knowlton employee Lindsay Broadhead said it was because many of the properties were of “low quality” and that the company  converted the space to farmland. (http://www.huffingtonpost.ca/2012/01/14/mega-quarry-melancthon-ontario-highland_n_1197770.html  )

So between June 2009 and January 14, 2012 what changed?  The houses were condemned or of low quality or you needed the land to farm?  And notice she said MANY of the houses were of low quality, not ALL, just MANY.  So why take downt the rest?  If Highlands was going to farm the land then why are there no crops growing where homesteads and barns once stood?  And what happened to all septic systems attached to these houses/barns?  Were they just bulldozed into the land you intend to farm?

June 2009:
Michael Daniher, spokesperson for Highlands, made a public statement at an NDACT meeting that Highlands would be taking down structures in LESS than double digits.

January 14, 2012:
They have demolished over 30 now

So from 2009 to 2012 what changed?  Besides the loss of 30 homesteads.

January 27, 2011:
Daniher said: The proposed quarry will not and cannot have the impact alleged by NDACT. Quarries are highly regulated, and a water management plan must be contained in the application." (http://www.citizen.on.ca/news/2011-01-27/Front_Page/NDACT_speaker_Pope_opposes_solar_wind_farms.html  )

December 12, 2011:
TeamHighland Highland Companies @ @TeamHeadwaters @nomegaquarry: We're committed in all of our operations - farming and quarrying - to having no adverse effect on water

So which is it?  Can't have the alleged impact (which means there WILL be an impact) or to having no adverse impact on water?  And frankly saying "we're committed in all of our operation ...to having no adverse impact on water" is exactly like saying I am committed to losing 50 pounds this year.  Doesn't mean it is going to happen, just that I committed to trying.

January 2009:
At meeting held in Honeywood, at which NDACT was organized, an individual named Michael Daniher stood up and identified himself as a spokesperson for the Highland Companies (would not confirm when asked if he was a lawyer-which he is) and stated in front of about 300 witnesses that Highlands intention was to farm the land NOT to develop aggregate.  A ratepayer stood up and stated the MOE, MNR and MMAH had confirmed with her that Highlands had in fact been in discussions with these ministries about a quarry.

Less than 3 days later:
In a phone interview Tuesday, Michael Daniher of the Toronto consulting firm of Special Situations Inc. — representing The Highlands Companies Inc. — said the group has never attempted to hide the fact that it will continue farming while looking beyond for other opportunities such as wind and bedrock resources. Mr. Daniher would not confirm that the group has already discussed aggregate extraction with the Province, but he did say it had discussed a number of issues with a number of ministries.”” (Orangeville Citizen, January 22, 2009 author Wes Keller)

So unless you catch them lying....they will not own up.  And when they do own up, as you see it is NOT their fault, everyone else just misunderstood.

January 14, 2012:
“At the time of purchase they [company representatives] were keeping all options open and they were always very clear to people when questions were asked,” says Lindsay Broadhead, of the public relations firm Hill and Knowlton Canada, which speaks for Highlands. (http://www.huffingtonpost.ca/2012/01/14/mega-quarry-melancthon-ontario-highland_n_1197770.html?)

December 30, 2011
“To the extent they asked us, we said we were going to do farming; and we said there are other alternatives; and the question is, how much more did they ask?” says Izhakoff . At the time the land was purchased, the company could not even be assured a quarry was feasible, he adds. ( http://www.thestar.com/news/article/1108875--anatomy-of-a-quarry-fight )

Catch the wording-"to the extent they asked".  Not true.  Daniher was asked at the January 2009 meeting about gravel extracation and denied it. 

Spring/Summer 2011
Mr. Daniher asserted in an interview on Dale Goldhawk's show that Highlands stone is 90% for use in the Greater Golden Horseshoe and 10% in the Barrie area and that Owen Sound and export are scare tactics of opponents.

November 14, 2011
TeamHighland Highland Companies tweeted:
Ontario needs aggregate. 100% of the aggregate extracted from the Melancthon Quarry will be used in Ontario / Greater Golden Horseshoe.

So which is it-100% or 90% to the GTA

So, with Highlands in charge of the EA Process, god help us all and thanks to NDACT for standing on guard for us.

From the NDACT site:
http://www.ndact.com/index.php/the-mega-quarry-application-process/the-evironmental-assessment-process/350-environmental-assessments-in-ontario

THE ORIGINAL GREAT ESCAPE

On February 3 the blog posted a great synopsis of Lowndes attendance with his pp, I mean powerpoint, at Melancthon Council.  It was written and submitted by an anon contributor.

It was titled the Great Escape and the video was there for all to see. 

That smile plastered on his face while he hid behind PR people, grabbed his coat and scuttled to his vehicle.

But it reminded me of something and then I remembered.

That wasn't his first instance of hiding behind the coattails of someone. 

Here is a series of pictures from Highlands "public meeting" last April after they filed their ridiculous plan under the Aggregate Resources Act with the MNR.

 

STEP AWAY FROM JOHN LOWNDES, he knows nothing!!!!

DO NOT PHOTOGRAPH HIM AT A PUBLIC MEETING IN A PUBLIC BUILDING!!!!

And the lurch guy in the background?   I noticed him at the NDACT meeting yesterday.

OUR GOOD FRIEND DALE

BREAKING UPDATE: THE PERSON BEING INTERVIEWED IS KIM PALACIOS who wrote those GREAT stories about Baupost and what a crappy investment they have made in the Highland Companies Mega-Quarry.  Kim was on Goldhawk before, here it is:

http://zoomerradio.ca/dale-goldhawk/2012/01/16/kim-palacios/

Donna W and Dale Goldhawk at the rally following the

Walk from Queen's Park

(Easter weekend 2011)

On Monday Goldhawk is interviewing an american investment writer about the Baupost and its troubles in Melancthon.   740 AM from 11 am -1 pm

Tune in

call in

spread the word

support the movement to Stop the Quarry

and support Goldhawk

who has been a good friend of the movement!!

COMPREHENSIVE SITE

Detailed, fact based site on Highlands.

http://users.xplornet.com/~dbaylis/mega-quarry/Overview.htm

EXCERPT

CONCLUSION

Do not take this 2,316 acre quarry lightly. The environmental impacts of this proposed quarry are complex and far-reaching due to its scale. Opponents are estimating that the drinking water of one million people in southern Ontario could be affected. While the Aggregate Resources Act does not require an Environmental Assessment for this quarry, enough concern has been shown by the people of Ontario to prompt the Government of Ontario into taking this unprecedented step.

Broad concerns are: loss of water quality, loss of prime farmland, community impact, loss of long-term jobs, blasting impact, additional heavy traffic, dust, loss of air quality, noise pollution, Niagara Escarpment impact, potential to take water, potential to export.

Currently, the ball is in Highland’s court. The Province of Ontario mandated an unprecedented provincial environmental assessment (EA) in Sept-2011. The first step of the EA is for Highland to file the terms of reference. In the mean time, opponents are (i) generating awareness, (ii) demanding a Joint Review Panel (includes a Federal environmental assessment), and (iii) raising funds for the upcoming fight. Yes, this will be a long (10 years?) and expensive ($2 million?) fight.

The principal of the Highland Companies, Mr. John Lowndes, is the brother of Mr. David Lowndes of Lowndes Holdings who initiated zoning for a quarry in Flamborough. Lowndes Holdings ultimately sold its Flamborough interest to St. Mary’s Cement. St. Mary’s continues to pursue the Flamborough quarry despite heavy opposition and is now suing the Government of Canada under NAFTA. See FORCE for further information. [Also General FAQs and glossary courtesy of FORCE.]

Finally, to quote an article by Our Innisfill, Melancthon Quarry and Lessons from Site 41, “In other words, the foreign-funded commercial mining enterprise reaps the benefit of maximum extraction and profit during a finite lifespan while Ontario residents are expected to assume all the risk of unknown, possibly unforeseen, consequences without limit.”

OH RATS

If it wasn't for facebook I would have no material at all.

Once again, stolen openly and shamelessly from facebook:

THE GREAT ESCAPE

submitted via email by a guest contributor

Hi everyone -- Earlier today, the Highland Companies appeared before Melancthon township council to make a PowerPoint presentation about the proposed mega quarry. A reporter from CTV News in Barrie attended the meeting and tried to get Highland reps John Lowndes and Joseph Izhakoff to speak to him immediately after the presentation. Scroll to the 4:52 minute mark in this newscast. You will be treated to a remarkable scene. Lowndes appears to hide behind the much larger Izhakoff and neither man will mumble a word to the reporter. They must be pouring stiff drinks at Hill and Knowlton tonight.

http://ctvnewsbarrie.ca/videos/694/thursday-february-02,-2012-ctvnews-at-6-webcast

ROGER KLEIN REPORT

I am not sure how much Baupost is paying Hill of beans and Knowlton for their "expertise" but they are being ripped off.

Did you catch Lowndes on Roger Klein's report 10 minutes ago, scuttling across the parking lot to evade the camera, kinda like a dung beetle on its way back to its hole in the ground?

And Highland refused to be interviewed on camera.  They did commit on twitter to post their PowerPoint but I am sure it will be as santized as their "official" questions and answers they posted a couple weeks ago. 

Ha!

Seriously, Hill of beans and Knowlton is digging a PR hole bigger and deeper than the proposed HIGHLAND (not Melancthon) Quarry.

REALLY BIG SHOW

Bigger than the Beatles

Today at 11 am - Melancthon Council

Highland Companies POWER POINT presentation.

Wow, I can hear the teenage girls screaming in the background and everyone else laughing.

Hope this POWERPOINT is better than their "professionally" done DVD. 

I hear the "Highlands DVD game" is now bigger than Six Degrees of Kevin Bacon with the college kids.

The kids have turned the DVD into a drinking game-everytime Highlands utters something completely untrue and/or unbelievable on the DVD you take a drink.

Except the game doesn't last long, there are so many untruths that people are too loaded to continue after the first five minutes!

KEEP UP THE GOOD FIGHT AGAINST HIGHLANDS OR WE MAY BE FACED WITH THIS

(STOLEN OPENLY AND SHAMELESSLY FROM THE STOP THE QUARRY FACEBOOK SITE)

THANKS

A shout out to Hill (of beans) and Knowlton for checking this site several times a day.

Helps puts my stats over 200 a day. 

Thanks-nice to know someone is interested ;)

MY NEW BESTEST FRIEND

Not sure what Baupost did to piss off Kim Palacios, but all I can say is this person is my newest bestest friend.

Third installment written by Kim about Baupost and little old Melancthon.

Thanks from the bottom of my cold black heart Kim, I think it thawed a little when I read this.  And honestly, thanks. 

EXCERPT
The economics of The Baupost Group’s Ontario mega-quarry investment continue to unfold strangely, with new statements made in a January 12th Town Hall Meeting between Highland Companies executives and local parties adding clarification. 

Back-of-the-envelope math once told a story that estimated $43B profits for the mega-quarry project. This was based on the assumption that most or all acreage named in the proposal (2,316 of Highland’s 9,000+ acre holdings) would be used for the extraction of aggregate, and would yield an estimated $18M revenue per acre. Yet, pointed questions around the specific use of the land told a different financial story.

Most notable are extraction volume projections that fall far below early estimates, a useful life operating period that doubles the benchmarked average, a reinforced commitment to limit the market to Ontario Province, and cost concessions that will further erode profits. Messrs. John Lowndes (a co-owner), John Scherer and Joseph Izhakoff, all principals of the Highland Companies supplied the referenced clarifications at the meeting.

Full article here:
http://www.valuewalk.com/2012/01/baupost-might-lose-money-on-mega-quarry-investment/#.Tyct6MX2a8A

CONNECTING THE DOTS

Recent article in Canadian Business magazine written by Mike Coates, title Putting Canada's Economy First-No Apologies.....

Pretty hard hitting article that takes the position jobs at all costs and go fuck yourself anyone who is a radical environmentalist (and I am paraphrasing here).......well you read it here for yourself...
http://www.canadianbusiness.com/article/66246--putting-canada-s-economy-first-no-apologies

But who is Mike Coates?

At the bottom of the article it states: Mike Coates is the president and CEO of Hill & Knowlton Canada.

You know, that PR firm that was hired by Highlands aka Baupost Group aka Seth Klarman to part the waters on their 2,300 acre 200 foot below the water table open pit limestone mine fiasco.

WHO IS THE PUPPET AND WHO IS THE PUPPET MASTER

For those of you who may not be following twitter (and tweets) here is my analysis in a nutshell.

Teamhighland (bad guys) will post a spin.

Teamheadwaters will blow them out of the water.

Teamhighland will revise their tweet and/or Highlands website to respond to Teamheadwaters (good guys) tweets.

Wow.

GOOSE STEP

What a feel good story.

A wild goose who was raised by a woman was snatched by the bureaucrats at the Federal Ministry of Environment for violating the wildlife act (or something).

The woman feared her goose would be cooked (sorry, couldn't resist)

Launched a facebook campaign.

And lo and behold, Peter Kent, our own Federal Minister of Environment stepped in and saved the day.

Wonderful, wonderful.

Entire story here:
http://news.nationalpost.com/2012/01/24/after-intervention-by-environment-minister-peter-kent-lucy-the-goose-goes-home/

So now, Minister Kent that you have this issue contained, and have gotten all the good P.R. out of it, do you think you could turn your attention to Melancthon?

We have turtles, bobolinks, cardinals, geese, all sorts of wildlife that need your help. 

2,300 acres, 200 feet below the water table gone, gone, gone.

Please order a panel review....now.

SOUTHGATE SHITUATION MEETING

Lystek (aka LIES-TEK), the proponent who wants to truck human untreated sewage and awful, I mean offal from the GTA to Dundalk is having their "open house" meeting tomorrow.

Main Street Dundalk from 4-9.

Drop by to hear the corporate message which is how can they make this palatable....

.

UPDATE FROM HIGHLANDS APPEARANCE AT COUNCIL

Here is THEIR version of events.  http://www.melancthonquarry.ca/index.php/site/latest/questions_and_answers_highland_companies_representatives_january_12_2012

That isn't what I heard from where I was sitting.

We would know if their version is right...if only someone had thought to tape record the meeting.....

SOUTHGATE SHITUATION UPDATE

Public Information Meetings to inform citizens of where citizens of the actions of Southgate Council and information on the Eco Park.

This is a combined effort of both the "Concerned Citizens of Southgate" (CCOS), and the "Southgate Public Interest and Research Group" (SPIRG)

Don't read the words Southgate and think it doesn't concern you. 

Better find out where the haul route is because this proposal involves transporting offal and human sewage in trucks that require no more coverage than tarping.



Feb.1st - Highpoint School at 7:30pm


Feb.2nd - Holstein Optimist Centre at 7:30pm

SO LONG

Just wanted to acknowledge the retirement of Helen McKelvie and her column Town and Country.

Happy retirement Helen and thanks for all the news over the years.

You were Shelburne's original "blogger"!!

UPCOMING MEETING

From the facebook site:

Main Topic: Environmental Assessment

When: Saturday, February 4, 2012
Time: 9:30 AM - 11:00 AM
Location: North Dufferin Recreation Centre (Honeywood Arena), Upstairs in the Norduff Room, Honeywood, ON
As always, there will be time for questions.

Speakers:
Laura Bowman (from Iler Campbell LLP Barristers & Solicitors) - will speak about the Environmental Assessment

Mackenzie Rutledge (grade 7 student) - will give her speech on the proposed Mega Quarry

Melancthon Mayor Bill Hill - will briefly speak about which stage the township is, in this issue

Bruce Davidson - will speak about the Walkerton water disaster

And this thanks is issued in all sincerity to Mayor of Melancthon for taking the time to speak at the meeting.  It is truly appreciated by all.

HERE IS HOPING

At the Melancthon Council meeting at which Lowndes finally appeared in the flesh, albeit surrounded by hired suits and a couple of locals who Highlands thinks will generate some community buy-in based on their family names (one will, the other definitely NOT), the following article appeared in the Orangeville Banner:
http://www.orangeville.com/news/local/article/1280599--highland-sitting-on-the-fence-regarding-potential-omb-bill

It was written by reporter Bill Tremblay.

In a column written in the same issue by Bill, he noted:
Melancthon’s council has decided to ban all audio and video recording as well as still image cameras from their public or open meetings. According to Mayor Bill Hill, the decision to ban recording stems from a dishonest video editor, who twisted council words into false statements. (minebuster note: really, lets have some disclosure, exactly when and where did that happen?)

The policy is a disservice to Melancthon residents. Council’s are elected to represent their constituents, not broadly punish everyone as a failsafe to their own reputation.  The Highland quarry is a contentious issue and I’m certain others would have liked the opportunity to record their answers for further analysis or to share with others.  (minebusters note: you are SO right)  Hill said Highland’s answer would be posted to the municipal website, but nearly a week later, I can’t seem to find them. http://www.orangeville.com/opinion/columns/article/1281603--don-t-punish-everyone-for-mistakes-of-a-few

Funny thing is, Highlands reps have been taping NDACT public meetings for years now and NDACT doesn't seem to have a problem with video editor's twisting their words into false statements.

And the Mayor sits at County Council where tape recording goes on all the time and I have yet to hear that the County's words are twisted.

I am glad someone other than the ratepayers have raised this issue, particularly that Melancthon residents deserve better, because Council has not been listening to their ratepayers. 

Hopefully with a third party Council might start to see that this is a new century where open data is just that, data for each to disseminate on their own. 

That way, people wouldn't have to rely on this stupid freaking blog for information.  And in my opinion that would be the biggest benefit to all.