Simcoe North MPP Garfield Dunlop has some harsh criticism for the way Simcoe County council has dealt with Site 41 protesters.
Following an injunction sought by the county, police have been arresting protesters who have blocked access to the proposed landfill in Tiny Township. The protesters are concerned that the landfill will contaminate the aquifer which lis beneath it.
"I am perplexed by the way Simcoe County Council appears to be taking a back seat as this controversy escalates. You've got people out making decisions without the approval of county council. They don't have the approval to take out injunctions and legal action against our citizens. When I was on council, we would have a meeting -- we didn't let someone make these decisions for us," Dunlop said in a news release yesterday.
Dunlop also characterized the arrests as "intimidation tactics."
"Good rural people like 82-year-old Keith Wood and his 76-year-old wife Ina are being charged with public mischief because of intimidation tactics by Simcoe County," Dunlop said.
"No one faults the police for doing their job, but you have to wonder where is the logic in charging elderly residents; one in frail health and the other who has been sitting in a chair, knitting and offering baking to peaceful protestors," Dunlop said in the release.
Dunlop, a Conservative, has also laid blame at the feet of the provincial government. He criticized Dalton McGuinty's Liberals for failing to protect the environment.
"Politicians should listen to the people they represent," Dunlop added, "and the people we represent are saying to us that they don't want a landfill being put on top of the cleanest aquifer in the world."
Simcoe County Warden Tony Guergis said the county's only interest is to regain access to the site to continue construction.
"It is the county's hope that the protesters will honour the court order, move their protest across the road, and allow the county to enter its property so that access to the site can be secured promptly," he said in a news release.
Tiny Township Deputy Mayor George Lawrence says a motion calling for a one-year moratorium on Site 41 construction will be presented to Simcoe County council at its Aug. 25 meeting.
The Council of Canadians has said its application arguing for a declaration by the superior court that construction activity at Site 41 is unlawful has been adjourned.
A council release says the "application was brought with the support of the Council of Canadians because of Simcoe County's failure to make critical decisions concerning the development of Site 41 in a transparent and accountable manner.
"Furthermore, county council has yet to ensure public access to key scientific reports about the impacts of the dump site on local groundwater," the council says.
"For the moment, the debate has moved from a judicial to a political forum, where it has always belonged," said council chair Maude Barlow.
"The Council of Canadians is concentrating, at this time, on the upcoming debate at Simcoe County council."
"However, if it becomes necessary to do so, the court application may be resumed for hearing on 10 days' notice to the county," she added.
Barlow says the arrests are making the county look bad.
"I am deeply saddened that people are being put in jail when the debate really will be taking place on Aug. 25," she said. "Arresting seniors, farmers and First Nations members has been a disaster for the public's perception of Simcoe County."
Simcoe County, which is developing the landfill, released a statement to the media yesterday regarding the police enforcement of a court-imposed injunction against protesters.
"The county is aware that there have been several recent arrests by the OPP in connection with the Site 41 blockade," said Simcoe County Warden Tony Guergis. "This is solely an OPP enforcement decision in consultation with the Crown attorney. The county has not played any part in the OPP's enforcement strategy."
Const. Peter Leon reiterated the comments he made following Thursday's arrests, saying the OPP "recognizes the fundamental rights of all Canadians to freedom of thought, belief, opinion, expression and peaceful assembly. Persons exercising these rights should be aware that the deliberate blocking of roadways and access to property may result in criminal charges."
Leon said it is "the intention of the OPP to identify and charge all those who have gone against the court-imposed injunction. We've had a process in place and it is concluding with charges being laid."
Ontario Provincial Police moved to dump Site 41 in force, around dinner time last night, to provide support so county employees could enter the landfill site.
OPP cruisers blocked access to the second concession of Tiny Township.
There was also a heavy police presence on County Road 6 in the Weyvale area and surrounding roads.
County workers cleared chairs, tents and other items at or near the entrances to the landfill. The gates were opened and a number of trucks were able to enter the property.
Nine protesters have been charged with mischief so far, including one man who will remain in custody until Monday as he awaits a bail hearing.
Earlier in the day, 28-year-old Christian Island resident Vicki Monague attended the Southern Georgian Bay OPP detachment in Midland where she was charged with mischief and intimidation. She was released a short time later and is scheduled to appear at the Midland courthouse on Oct. 8, along with seven others who were arrested and charged Thursday.
Before surrendering, Monague told a crowd of about 60 supporters outside the detachment that she will not back down in her determination to stop Site 41 because of the risk it will contaminate the Alliston aquifer.
"They can put injunctions on us, they can charge us under the Criminal Code, but we won't back down," she said. "The water is an issue for everybody. We know it will contaminate the water.
"I won't back down no matter what they do to me and I will come back stronger to fight this atrocity," Monague added.
After being charged, she said she signed an undertaking to stay one kilometre away from the landfill, but plans to appeal the charges.
In the meantime, Monague said she will "focus on raising awareness throughout Canada to generate more support to stop Site 41."
"The (provincial) and federal governments have a duty to consult First Nations about this project and that hasn't occurred," she added.
Monague is one of the Anishinabe Women -Keepers of the Water, who set up camp at a farm opposite the dump site in May. In July, a blockade of the entrances began.
Meanwhile, Anne Ritchie Nahuis and Mohawk environmentalist Danny Beaton -- a 54- year-old Ottawa man who will spend the weekend in jail after refusing to sign a document prohibiting them from being near the landfill -- appeared in court in Barrie yesterday morning.
After spending Thursday night behind bars, Nahuis was released. Her next scheduled court appearance is Sept. 17. She was ordered not to be in front of the landfill gates. She was not restricted, though, in visiting the second concession.
Beaton -- who reportedly asked for legal counsel -- was remanded into custody until Monday when he will be back in bail court. It is believed he is being held at Penetanguishene's Central North Correctional Centre.
Also charged with mischief for allegedly blocking the landfill entrances are Keith Wood, Ina Wood, Gavin Jamieson, Barb Hunt, John Hawke and Bob Ritchie.