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Westâ€"side lands should be left alone During a recent trip to Waterloo. as always. [ took the time to read the Waterloo Chronicle. In this Sept. 28, 2005 edition I learned that controversy has again been raised about how to manage the lands on the west side, and how Bob Vrbanac was dissecting the issue and had aptly christened it the water wars. The role of water in the history of Waterloo has been prominent. An abundance of excellent water led distillers and breweries to set up shop here, â€" This resource also motiâ€" vates the Region of Waterloo to emplox more hydrologists ifolks w ho work with water as a fullâ€"time job; than the Province ot Ontario. The efforts of these hydrologists have led to the signs distributed across the region that identify the groundwater recharge zones requirâ€" ing protection from disturbance. Hence. the continued dispute defined by the water wars is fasciâ€" nating from my view, as a former resident, and participant in the Grand River Watershed Study at the University of Waterioo. This federally funded study, completed in 1996, was motivated There are angels among us I'm not a particularly religious person. Is there a higher power? | don‘t know. At some point, perâ€" haps. I will find out, and T‘ll get back to you on it. That feeling of mine goes back a long way. My parents both died when | was in my late teens. and | remember many people telling me. "God needed them in heaven." I never really bought that. 1 figured I needed them too. Jt seemed rather unfair that someone else had veto power over my needs. That being said, 1 admire people who have that faith. [t‘s important to believe in something. I believe in peopie. generally, that for the most part. they are good, and will do great things when given the chance. This will sound a little bit like horn oormg, but guess whatr 1 don‘t care! One of those people is my friend and | morning radio en host Angie Hill Ange and 1 have worked together for some 10 years, and I have never seen any one in broadcasting more committed to a [ cause. In this case, it‘s the annual Tree of B Angels. She‘s heen the honorary chait of the toy drive for years, and she‘s out in the community almost every day, encouraging new danations or helping out those groups who have been involved for yeirs Ordinary people, doing extraordinary thmngs. In a lot of ways, her job as the Tree of Angels chair is more difficult than my yearly sgjourn as the Poster Bov. While we both are fortunate to have a group of committed volunteers behind us, 1 have the advanâ€" tage some very large organizations, including the Grand River Hospital foundation, and also the bonus of a 100,000â€"watt megaphone called a radio station. Angie does a lot of the legwork on her own. If you‘re fortunate enough to bump into her dur ing this campaign, you‘ll be amazed . as I often am at how this energetic woman, who likes to pass her self off as a "tough broad"_ really has a heart of gold. by the importance of water to all creatures in the Grand River Waterâ€" shed. The Grand River Watershed Study comprehensively resolved the role played by water, and how it can become contaminated by natural and manâ€"made disturbances, and it substantiated the findings from past analyses. It was also timely, as it was in progress during 1994â€"95 when the Elmira groundwater contamination was identified, and when the public discussions on the development of the lands on the west side began. Back then, in public forums, 1 heard how the farmers had purâ€" posely left the land west of Waterloo as wetlands or forests because they were linked directiy 10 groundwater. I then heard the supporters of west side development publicly state to the city counciltors they would avoid any Elmiraâ€"like groundwater problems by limiting construction to agricultural fields and protect atl wetlands and forests; these stateâ€" ments also included reference to leaving additional grass buffers to separate these wetlands and forests from their developments. Interestingly, 1 have heard from different sources that the homes and sidewalks of the first westâ€"side development, Columbia Forest, COMMENT You can help out by dropping off a new toy in front of the Zellers at Conestoga Mall. I‘d like to tell you about a second angel as well. For the last three or four months, this woman, who has a career of her own, and a family to look after, has been walking step by step with two of her friends who are battling cancer. Word came on the first friend back in the sumâ€" mertime. Since that time, this woman has been to almost every appointment. every chemeatherapy treatment. as well as taking her friend to a variety of differâ€" ent breast cancer events, including { 1e the annual Run for the Cure. e â€"== There have been some fong days IAN and some difficult moments. She‘s JRKE asked herself why these things hapâ€" pen, and she has cried. _ But there‘s never been a time when she hasn‘t been there for her friends, for the people she cares about. At this time of year, it‘s important to remember you don‘t have to have a whole lot of money or influence to make a difference. _ All it takes is a heart, and the willingness to spend some time. There are thousands of people across this region who are doing exactly what this woman is doing: being a friend, caring, and going the extra mile purely because they love someone. This woman is special though. I know that because I married her. Every now and then I do something really smart. * Hear more of Brian‘s thoughts on life with the KOOL Morning Crew every weekday morning from 6 to 9 a. m. on Waterloo radto station 105.3 KOOL FM Never once has she lost her upbeat attitude. A couple of months ago, she shepâ€" herded another friend from the initial diagnosis, through her surgery. and even now through her recovery, is liv ing away from her own home to give support and help as her friend gets back on herdeet. actually float on the active recharge zones they cover, and I have viewed the before and after pictures of the wetlands and forests that were removed during this construction. So, although the public heard the Columbia Forest development would be carefully planned to miniâ€" mize alteration to important lands, all actions to date have occurred with little regard for the groundwaâ€" ter. The stateâ€"ofâ€"affairs of Columbia Forest confirms the councillors and hydrologists sided with private interests for these westâ€"side lands, and were both ambivalent and apaâ€" thetic with their use of available knowledge and legal standing to actively protect the source of ygroundwater used by the public. All sensitive lands on the west side of Waterloo should remain in their natural state, and the proposed developments be removed from existing maps of Warerloo because they have not been approved. Open discussions should also be initiated to identify how to deal with Columbia Forest, and include an option for its removal, as this repreâ€" sents a longâ€"term liability to Waterâ€" too. CHRONICLE |§ Dr. Dean G. Fitzgerald ° Toronto Whvn it comes to setting public policy, politicians often feel like they have struck the right balance when neither side of an issue is happy. In the House of Commons or provincial parliaments, governâ€" ments usually feel pretty good if both rightâ€"wing parties and leftâ€"wing parties disagree with legislation. They interpret this to mean they have found the "middle ground" and, unlike other countries where views are defined quite distinctly between polarities, the "middle ground" in Canadian politics is most often where public opinion is. The popular wisdom is that a government, at least in Ottawa and Ontario, that finds the middle ground will have a long life. The pesticide bylaw that was adopted last week at Waterloo regional council essentially bans the use of pesticides â€" except in cases of infestation â€" during the months of fuly and August. Antiâ€"pesticide groups and individuals decried this bylaw as toothless and without merit since most spraying occurs in the spring and fall anyways. Proâ€"pesticide and lawnâ€"care industry representatives don‘t like it because they are now required to post warning signs prior io pesticides being applied in the spring and summer. IGis a peculiar trait of political decision making that when both sides of an issue are unhappy you can bet that the only people who teet good are the politicians. Spray bylaw is inevitable I‘m sure that most regional councilâ€" lors went to sleep quite satisfied that they achieved a fair and balanced compromise. Personally, and 1 have been on record saying this before, I support a complete ban of the nonâ€"essential use of cosmetic pesticides. The rationale used by many counâ€" cillors that it didrst make sense to ban pesticides because you could still purâ€" chase them at stores. garden centres etc., doesn‘t quite stack up. Regional council had no problem banning smoking from public places; the last time [ checked people could still buy a pack of smokes at hundreds of retail businesses across the region. The other argument that points to the "unclear" scientific data on the harmfulness of pesticides reminds me of how the tobacco industry vigorously defended itself with "scientific‘ studies, saving that tobacco smoking was harmless and had no direct link to cancer. Eventually the public caught on to the tobaceco industry. and the exposure of their irresponsible busiâ€" ness practices and disregard for public health in the name of profit was exposed in a manner that changed society‘s view of smoking forever. [ can‘t say tor certain that the pesticide industry will face the same consequences as big tobaceo. but | won‘t be surprised if within the next five to 10 years we will have a bylaw totally restricting the cosmetic use af pesticides. Carolers only please By the time this goes to print it will be most likely, and barâ€" ring some form of divine political intervention, (the ghost of Christmas elections past, perhaps?} Canadians will be in the midst of their first Christmas election in 26 vears. In spite of the fact that in a recent poll 70 per cent of Canadians said no to an election right now. In spite of the fact that virtually all the editor ial pages of the country, pundits, luminaries etc. have been telling the opposition to hold off on an etection until after the final Gomery report. When the bylaw finally passes we will be asking ourselves why on earth we didn‘t do this sooner like, for example, in November 2005. In fact, the feeling is so stromg that we shouldn‘t have an clet tion right now, [ sense an increasing resentment in the elec torate towards politicians. This is saying something, since politi cians are generally held in tow regard by the general public any ways. Politicians of all stripes complain about the growing eyniâ€" cism of the electorate and talk about ways to improye the demoâ€" cratic process and encourage democratic renewal etc. etc. But vyou have to wonder the sincerity of these discussions when the recent display and language in the House of Commons would indicate that individual and party power trumps the will of the electorate. This. in turn, increases cynicism and voter apathy. ] predict this election will have the lowest voter turnout in fedetal election history. The Liberals will be returned with a minority and for the nexi four years we will hear more pro nouncements about democratic reform, voter apathy etc. etc E.â€"mail your questions/comments to sean@seanstrickland.com .