Greetings MP Lauzon:Further to my email to you last week, take notice that I am still waiting to hear from you, when will the chemical tank farm be removed from our waterfront?
Construction at the site continued all weekend despite city issued “Stop Work Orders” and continued widespread public calls for work to stop. All of our civic leaders have delivered the same message — NO TANKS.
Our kids are taught in school that bullying is wrong and yet our entire community is being bullied by the federal government and their heavy-handed tactics.
In the spirit of co-operation, I offered to move the #occupycornwall HQ however as of this time I have not received a reply in regards to my request. When will this tank farm be removed?
I require a written response to this email by no later than 4:00 pm tomorrow. Failure to reply in writing will result in an escalation of our peaceful protest until we find out when this chemical storage tank farm will be removed from our waterfront. Our community needs to know what we are dealing with.
I want to be very clear, if I am ordered in writing by our city police to move the #occupycornwall HQ, I will comply, however if Transport Canada tells me to move, I will not comply until we have an answer in writing from them.
I remain, yours in public service,
Mark A. MacDonald
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Interesting. I agree that the tanks should not have been built. But what Mark Macdonald fails to realize is that the tanks are on federal gov’t land. They are not on city land, provincial land or private land. Thus the federal government has the final decision what should happen to the tanks. As they have a valid contract with Trillium I don’t see the tanks going anywhere soon.
“escalation of our peaceful protest”? That threat will have Lauzon and Harper shaking in their boots!
Mark, Mark, Mark,
You are going at this all wrong ! Now, I realize this may not sound politically correct, and I’m not trying to be rude, insensitive to anyone, anybody, phew, can I continue ? lol Please try to enlist a few friends from Akewasasne, that share your thoughts regarding our waterfront ! With them on side, the Federal Government, the Provincial Government, the City Police, will not come within 5 miles of your shack. Have ya noticed Mark, that our illustrious Council has been rather “mum” on the issue of late ? Not even a peep from our high paid City Execs that commute into their 6 figure salaries in the City every morning ? They probably drive a City vehicle ??? Or, does City Transit provide a pick-up for them ? Enough of them live in Glengarry, they should at least car-pool ? lol
Hi Hugger1 . . . you are correct that the tanks are on federal land . . . . and the Fed Gov’t recently revised the Navigable Waterways Act so as to increase maritime transportation. There are changes happening in maritime transportation that could result in barges carrying containers right to Cornwall’s ‘doorstep’ within the next few years . . . possibly even to the Port of Cornwall. Trucks would carry the containers to the industrial park.
While there is the option of re-activating the private dock near the warehouse near Gray’s Creek and moving the tanks to that location, it would require much negotiation. Transport Canada would have to re-assert their authority along a section of the waterfront around the old dock, so that it may be re-activated. That dock could serve the chem tanks and also transfer containers destined for the industrial park.
If the tanks were moved there they would still be on the waterfront. The danger of St. Lawrence River contamination would still exist. The tanks need to be moved to the industrial park.
Hi-Harry! Interesting comment re private dock at Grey’
creek your comment would fall in line to Trillium being relocated to the Industrial Park and a pipe line to fill those tanks ( Rumor has it to be so ) This would not go
well with the owners of the high end houses nearby and
who could blame them ?
Mark! Your comment ” Our community needs to know
what we are dealing with ” It seems obvious to me Mark
that our Mayor with the backing of City Council are bent
on giving away 50% of our waterfront land to Akwesasne
in a partnership arrangement that I feel they will live
to regret. All Councillors should declare on partnership
position they hold.
Hi William,
If the chemicals need to be brought in by maritime transport, then storage tanks near the waterfront makes sense. This would then mean that trucks to go to and from the tanks. Another possible location would be to build a dock at the mouth of Sutherland Creek and Lake St Francis in South Glengarry, near the old truck stop, another possible location for the storage tanks. A dock at that location could serve the chemical tanks and transfer shipping containers at some future time.
Problem is that the conservation authority would likely oppose the option for a dock and storage tanks at the mouth of Sutherland Creek.
Hi William
I’d be interested in your viewpoint about a barge unloading shipping containers at the warehouse near Gray’s Creek, about once or twice per week. The containers would proceed up Boundary Road into the industrial park. Would the residents who live just east of the warehouse accept a container transfer operation near their neighbourhood?
Now Mark MacDonald brings out the “we’re being bullied” tactic. It seems that that word is overused nowadays. It’s used whenever a person / group doesn’t get what it wants and wants to grab media attention. He wants to appear before city council and has been told no, as the agenda has already been drawn up and no delegations, etc. are on the agenda for Monday. He complains that the city is imposing rules on him now. Well, Mark as a former city councillor you should know how city hall works. These “rules” should not be a surprise to you.
I wonder how Mark feels now that her has been accused of using bullying tactics by a member of council.