MEDIA RELEASE
For Immediate Release
August 20, 2009

Council Of Canadians And CUPE Ontario Take Site 41 Moratorium Message To Airwaves Across Simcoe County

OTTAWA/TORONTO — The Council of Canadians and CUPE Ontario have teamed up to blanket the airwaves across Simcoe County to save water and stop the dump at Site 41.

Beginning today, two 30-second radio spots will begin airing in heavy rotation on virtually every radio station in Simcoe County, calling on residents to contact their local representatives in advance of Simcoe County Council’s August 25 meeting to debate whether to place a one-year moratorium on the proposed Site 41 dump.

“This is far too important an issue for anyone to sit quietly on the sidelines,” said CUPE Ontario President Sid Ryan.

"Right now, Simcoe County needs to do the right thing and agree to the one-year moratorium. At the same time, the Province also needs to get off the fence, do the right thing and start taking a pro-active role in protecting our watersheds across Ontario.

Maude Barlow, National Chairperson of the Council of Canadians, believes the radio ads present residents troubled by the proposed landfill with an opportunity to connect with their local councillors to share their concerns, while providing councillors with an opportunity to reflect on the will of their constituents.

“We hope these radio advertisements will give councillors a chance to hear residents’ concerns and do the right thing on Aug. 25 and support a one-year moratorium,” said Barlow.

Following weeks of peaceful civil disobedience by local First Nations, concerned farmers and residents, a groundswell of opposition to Simcoe County’s plan to place a dump on the Alliston Aquifer—considered to be one of the purest sources of water on the planet—has prompted much reconsideration on the part of elected officials across the region.

Municipal councils in Barrie and Springwater have voted nearly-unanimously in favour of placing the Site 41 Project on a one-year moratorium. In Springwater, only County Warden Tony Guergis—Site 41’s chief proponent—voted against a moratorium.

In advance of the Aug. 25 vote, people can learn more about this project by visiting the Council of Canadians and CUPE Ontario’s websites. The addresses are www.canadians.org/Site41 and www.cupe.on.ca.

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For More Information:

Dylan Penner, Council of Canadians Media Officer, 613-795-8685
Kevin Wilson, CUPE Communications 416-821-6641