The Mayor of the Township of South Stormont recently indicated the township’s interest in having a 600-acre parcel of land re-designated for future economic development. The land lies next to Moulinette Road, between the CN Rail line and Hwy 401. As Cornwall’s industrial park reaches capacity in the future, an alternative site at Long Sault may enhance future economic development in this area. However, elected officials from the township need approval from unelected officials Ontario’s Ministry of Municipal Affairs to re-designate the land.
Elected officials from the township quite literally have to play the role of Oliver Twist in their dealings with the municipal officials who play the role of the dining room supervisor. The township mayor practically has to appeal, “Please Sir, May I have some more” (that is, land already in the township that may be designated for future economic development). And the non-elected officials are free to reply, “You want some more . . . . how dare you ask for some more!” This is the level to which the Ontario government has degraded and disempowered elected municipal officials as the province seeks to micro-manage a regime of soviet socialist central planning.
Ontario officials who administer that regime neither reside in this region nor do they possess any understanding as to the economic issues facing this region. Their regime of soviet socialist central planning totally disregards that the eastern-most area of Ontario lies on the borders of the Province of Quebec and northern New York State, both with competitive economic regimes. Restrictions imposed on Ontario municipalities quite literally hands both Quebec and Northern New York a competitive advantage over the United Counties of SD&G. . . and does so on a sliver platter. It is as if some Ontario officials view this region from the perspective of an ostrich with its head poked into the sand.
Several years ago, Cornwall competed with Coteau QUE for a distribution centre . . . and lost to Coteau as a direct result of rules and regulations imposed by departments of the Ontario Government. Massena NY and Ogdensburg NY are hungry for new economic development, as is Plattsburgh NY. Montreal’s west island industrial areas are reaching capacity and future economic development would move to the Vaudreuil-Soulanges regions located right next door to the eastern boundary of SD&G. Except that Ontario officials totally disregard that this region of Ontario faces a level of competition for new economic development that is absent from other regions of Ontario.
So officials from SD&G will have to go to Toronto and play Oliver Twist, “Please Sir, May I have some more” . . . . and may likely encounter the same response as did Oliver Twist, except from Ontario Government Officials. Given that the present government disregards the situation in Eastern Ontario, perhaps the question begs to be asked as to whether Tim Hudak would actually have the political courage to dismantle the micro-management of soviet socialist system of central planning that exists in Ontario. Or would the adage, ‘Do for thine political crony as thine crony will do for thee’, take priority.
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Don’t put too much hope into Tim Hudak (who dat). He is a cousin to our favorite punch and judy bag Dalton McGuinty – gee I had a hard time spitting that one out. YUCK! What people do not know is that all parties are owned and controlled by the very same people and everything is decided ahead of time who gets in before you even go to the polls. The polls just make things look like you have a word but you don’t. Like one of my favorite US comedians once said (George Carlin) “you are not in the big club, the kind that beats you over the head day in day out…” The other good ones was about the American Dream and Garbage in, garbage out and This country is finished… So much more that this man told as the truth.
We do have to fight for what we want no matter where we live since politicians are all crooked especially nowadays. There are a few good politicians who care about their communities and when I go to Morrisburg, Ingleside and Long Sault I sure see the difference compared to Cornwall. You see a community that is happy and a nice and clean community. It felt good to leave the big city on Monday and go out to the Upper Canada Bird Sanctuary for a nice walk. I saw some of the people who live in that community since we missed the sign and had to turn back by going into other businesses to turn around.
Other news sources report that (non-elected) officials from Ontario Ministry of Municipal Affairs are pressuring the United Counties of SD&G to exclude the 600-acres at Long Sault from future development . . . . and the question begs to be asked, WHY??? Why are un-elected MMA officials engaging in what amounts to dictatorial behaviour . . . essentially hijacking the democratic process by seeking to over-rule democratically elected official?
Does it have some to do with joint cabinet meetings that once involved the Charest and McGuinty liberal party governments? Was some kind of promise made by Ontario officials to Quebec, to restrict competition in the area of economic development from the region of Ontario that lies closest to Montreal? While SD&G has one economic development officer, the Vaudreuil-Soulanges region to the east of SD&G has an economic development team, see their webpage at http://www.cldvs.com/en/ and the region’s future plan at http://www.mrcdevaudreuil-soulanges.com/en/revised-territorial-development-plan
If the 600-acres at Long Sault has no potential for future (economic) development, why should Ontario MMA officials want SD&G to exclude it from future development? Either we’re dealing with the worst form of dictatorial Soviet Socialist Central Planning that is tantamount to abuse of governmental power, or somebody is doing somebody else a favour . . . and South Stormont is the fall guy. Ontario’s central planning politburo will employ people who are skilled in strategic analysis . . . and they would realise the future economic value of a tract of land located between a main highway and main railway line, with a power line from a major hydroelectric dam passing right by it.
The politburo officials need to come clean and publically declare their reasons for opposing the re-designation of the 600-acres at Long Sault for future development. If they’re doing somebody a favour, they need to identify the beneficiary of that favour . . . the standards of a democratic society demands nothing less from these non-elected officials.
Harry Valentine
An examination of the 600-acres at Long Sault reveals that is located near the southern midpoint of SD&G along Hwy 401. Most commercial traffic moves by truck, less by rail . . . and the 600-acres is accessible to both. With Long Sault as the centre, a radius includes the towns of Iroquois, Winchester, Chesterville, Alexandria and Lancaster . . . all located within convenient commuting distance to the 600-acres.
A natural gas pipeline and an oil pipeline pass near the 600-acres, as does a high capacity power line from the power dam. There are fibre-optic telecommunications lines next to the CN Rail line and also next to Hwy 401 . . . the land is also within close proximity to the St Lawrence River, to allow for the installation of a private water line.
Elected officials from the Township of South Stormont and the United Counties of SD&G are fully supportive that the 60-acres be designated for future development . . . . except that non-elected officials at Toronto say “No Way!!” Their behaviour in this regard is tantamount to a hijack of democracy . . . non-elected official seeking to over-rule and subordinate democratically elected councils.
The “No Way!!” requires further explanation. Are these bureaucrats observing some socio-political theory? Or are they using mathematical economics (econometrics) . . . the problem with mathematical economics is that the equations have a limited life expectancy . . . they are only valid for very short periods of time and only in very select sectors of the economy. Given that there is continual change in a market economy . . . new product ideas replacing old ones . . . the mathematical equations in some sectors may change several times per day. So if the bureaucrats are using mathematical economics to oppose future development of the 600-acres at Long Sault . . . they’re basing their decision on an extremely flawed and invalid foundation.
The non-elected officials at the Ministry of Municipal Affairs have no insider knowledge as to looming changes in the industrial world . . . they don’t know what will appear on the market and what will disappear. Increased oil prices may improve the viability of local greenhouses producing vegetables as compared to greenhouses in the USA . . . or Mexico. There is available land at Long Sault, west of Moulinette Road that could become home to giant greenhouses . . with a large food distribution centre nearby . . . on the 600-acres.
It may be possible to develop giant greenhouses that use geothermal heating during winter . . . . there may not be anywhere enough space available at or near Cornwall’s industrial to accommodate giant greenhouses.
By seeking to over-rule the democratically elected councils of South Stormont Township and of the United Counties, the Ministry of Municipal Affairs may be hijacking democracy. Their actions essential tell the people of the township and the counties that it is the politically-favoured non-elected officials at a Central Politburo who have the power . . and not the democratically elected councils that are literally required to dance to the tune of the non-elected gang.
Someone should look real close at the designation of the land. It is already a industrial land and there is no need to do anything but find business willing to relocate or open
Hi Hailey,
The Ministry were initially willing to allow South Stormont to designate the land for future development . . . then at the last minute, reversed their decision. That action practically sabotages future economic development in both South Stormont and SD&G . . . Ministry officials need to identify as to whom they are protecting from possible competition.
If a big industry does move into the lands at Long Sault, it is in close commuting distance for Cornwall residents . . . many Cornwall residents work at the Kraft factory at Ingleside . . . and worked for the old Dominion Textiles factory that once occupied space at old Hwy 2 at Avonmore Road. Cornwall residents still stand to benefit if anything big should ever open at Long Sault, between the CN Rail line and Hwy 401.
Hailey where are you getting your info from?
Good idea and reasoning HARRY but why would an unelected official come “clean” and publicly declare their reasons for opposition when there is no legal requirement to do so?
I believe that the truth lies perhaps a short distance from some of your theories, however whether it ever comes into view is quite another story !