THUNDER BAY – After attending several meeting in council chambers, I am dismayed at what I perceive as a lack of interest and knowledge, concerning some very contentious and divisive issues facing the citizens of our city.
The hot button issue in Neebing Ward is of course is the purposed wind turbine project. You as mayor and council did not do your homework and definitely dropped the ball on this one.
The project will devastate the Nor’wester escarpment, cause irreversible environmental damage, destroy 100 year old productive maple trees, threaten the very existence of Loch Lomond ski hill (along with 180 seasonal jobs) it will very likely lower property values in the area and in the end be of little benefit to the city of Thunder Bay.
The concerns of the vast majority of the residence of Neebing Ward have been largely ignored. You as the governing body of our city, should have examined all accepts of the project before signing off. If you had done your job of truly representing your constituents we would not be facing this very emotional issue at this time.
Most of you have not attended any meetings with Horizon along with the citizens of Neebing, nor have you visited the proposed site for said turbines to see the devastation that will take place.
Some of you gone from supporting to the project to opposing it, one of you claimed that administration did not disclose all information regarding this project. This is an extremely lame excuse, as the governing body of our city you absolutely have to make it your duty to know exactly what you are agreeing to.
I suspect that some of you have gone from supporting to opposing this project for purely political reasons, as well as those who support only for political reasons. When I heard the reasons some of you gave for supporting the project, many of these reasons were factually incorrect. It is obvious to that you did little or no research on this project and many cases actually twisted facts to suit your own personal agenda.
I am hoping the citizens of Thunder Bay and particular those in Neebing Ward will recognize this project for what it will mean to Thunder Bay. Higher electoral rates, higher provincial taxes to pay Horizon an inflated price for energy produced, massive environmental damage, and little to no jobs created for citizens of Thunder Bay.
Respectfully
Don Sinclair
Neebing Ward Candidate