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For Immediate Release Coalition launches Facebook Campaign to Stop Dump Site 41; Toronto – A coalition of environmentalists and social justice activists launched a Facebook Campaign to Stop Dump Site 41 at Queen’s Park this morning aimed at reversing the McGuinty government’s decision in December to allow the dewatering of a pristine site in Simcoe County to make way for a dump. “This garbage dump is a form of eco-genocide,” says environmentalist Danny Beaton. “Wolves, rabbits, deer, fox, raccoon, eagles, ducks and all life are drinking the sacred waters of Georgian Bay aquifers. The aquifers and the waters of Georgian Bay do not belong to us – they belong to our children’s future. And it is our responsibility as adults to protect our children’s future.” In November, Beaton joined residents from Tiny Township on a Walk For Water to Queen’s Park to put pressure on the McGuinty government and Simcoe County council to put a stop to Site 41 – a proposed dump that will sit on top of a pristine artisan aquifer containing some of the purest water in the world, according to Canadian scientist William Shotyk. But in December, the Ministry of Environment approved a water taking permit that could see the aquifer drained by the time the earth thaws this spring. “There is a myth of abundance in Canada when it comes to our water sources,” says Maude Barlow, senior advisor on water to the UN General Assembly and chair of the Council of Canadians. “And yet 20 per cent of Ontario municipalities suffered water shortages last year. This is no way to treat our water. The McGuinty government needs to revoke the water taking permit immediately if it is serious about protecting Ontario’s water and reducing waste in this province.” Stephen Ogden, a resident of Tiny Township who has been fighting the dump for years and who joined Beaton on the Walk for Water, says Simcoe County has enough dumps. “Clearly there’s more we can do to clean up and reduce the waste in our existing dumpsites instead of building a new one. This isn’t a NIMBY issue – it’s about how serious this provincial government wants to be when it comes to waste reduction. The Ministry of Environment says it wants to move towards a zero-waste society. They can prove it by killing this dump site now.” “Our supply of clean water is finite. Our supply of garbage does not have to be infinite,” says Elizabeth May, leader of the Green Party of Canada. “There are better solutions to our waste problems than digging holes in the ground. Eliminating and recycling waste may be a challenge for Canadians, but it is a challenge we can solve. The Green Party supports ‘Stop Dump Site 41’ supporters in their pursuit of a sustainable solution.” Groups supporting the new Facebook campaign include the Sierra Club of Canada, the Green Party of Canada, the Council of Canadians, Concerned Citizens for Safe Water, and the New Democratic Party of Ontario. The Facebook page ‘Stop Site #41’ can be found here: http://www.facebook.com/home.php?#/group.php?gid=2343037814. The petition, which is linked to the Facebook page, can be found here: http://www.thepetitionsite.com/1/stop-dump-site-41. -30- For more information:
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