It took less than a month for freshman MPP, Randy Hillier, to find more evidence that democracy and the democratic process is under a continuing attack by the McGuinty Government. News that two democratically elected candidates to the Mississippi-Rideau Source Protection Committee have been snubbed by the Rideau Valley Conservation Authority (RVCA) has shocked the MPP.
"The actions of the RVCA completely disregard this province's and this country's democratic process," Hillier charged. "Their decision to replace two democratically elected representatives with two un-elected members directly contravenes the agreed upon process and has outraged members of these rural communities," he added.
In August the Ontario Federation of Agriculture (OFA) held elections in Perth for the Mississippi-Rideau Source Protection Committee. Under the guidance of the RVCA and with the approval of then Minister of Environment Laurel Broten, successful candidates from this election were to be appointed to their respective committees. A November 5, 2007 RCVA News Release states otherwise as 2 individuals elected to the Mississippi-Rideau Source Protection Committee are conspicuously absent, replaced with hand picked representatives.
"No justification has been provided by the RVCA to the democratically elected candidates, the OFA, or the community to indicate why these gentlemen were deemed unsuitable as committee members," asserted Hillier.
"I have taken the liberty of alerting current Minister of Environment, Minister Gerretsen, of this contempt for democracy displayed by the RVCA, and demanded a reversal of the RVCA's decision to exclude two democratically elected representatives to the committee" Hillier continued.
"I anxiously await the Minister's response to what is an obvious breech of democracy and due process which cannot be tolerated in a free and just society," Hillier concluded.
RANDY HILLIER, MPP
Lanark, Frontenac, Lennox & Addington
Charles MacDonald
Queens Park assistant
Office of Randy Hillier, MPP, LFLA
(613) 219-6149