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I . WATEMI90 (SWIM . Mm; May 'dt, 2008 e great fluoride debate is set I for 2010 municipal elections after regional councillors sup- ported City of Waterloo's call for a plebiscite on water fluoridation last It didn't happen without some disagreement over how that vote will be handled. There was some question whether it should be held under provisions of the Fluoride Act or under the Municipal Act And Waterloo regional Coun. Jane Mitchell said it is was the best way to save the taxpayers some money by attaching it to the In the end regional councillors decided to attach it to the munici- pal election ballot in 2010, and that it will be a non-binding vote. That raised some concerns about whether the will of the people would be respected by an incoming council, but regional councillors said moral persuasion will make sure that the results are respected. Critics concerned over non-binding fluoridation vote LUTHER VILLAGE g ON THE PARK (iii) BY Bon VRBANAC _t?erric_t_e statr But Robert Fleming of Watertoo Watch said he thinks the region is just trying to Shirk some of its responsibility on the issue, includ- ing providing fluoridated water to neighbouring communities who never held a plebiscite in support of it like Waterloo. And in the cese of Kitchener, they actually held a vote against fluoridation. municipal vote instead of holding a separate refereryiyn. _ _ _ we "The cost of the plebiscite will be no more than the cost of the piece of paper to put the question on," said Mitchell. "That's one rea- son we're having it at election time." "I think this makes a mockery of the process to have a plebiscite that is not legally binding and doesn't follow the Fluoridation Act or the Municipal Election Act, “Council can still accept this or reject this at their will, and the morning after an election can change their mind on it because they're not bound by the previous council.". ss PLUS , PREMIUM LIVING Most of the work in support of the plebiscite will be handled by 'T think this makes a mockery of the process to have a plebiscite that is not legally binding." Waterloo Watch The Cirst public debate on the newly struck fluoride question occurred later that night at a meet- ing of the Waterloo Community Council, representing Waterloo's neighbourhood associations. Doug Quibell. the region's manager of environmental health, confirmed the health department will not be hosting any opposing views on its site leaving the public to tind infor- mation against fluoridation from other sites. the local municipality, although the Region of Waterloo Health Depart- ment will run some of the pro- fluoridation argument on its web- sne. That drew the ire of some that asked whether the health depart- ment would put the opposing side on its website. He said the health department still supports water fluoridation based on recommendations made by Health Canada and the Centres for Disease Control in the U.S. And despite saying that the health department will be neutral in the RETURNS ran lEUKEMIA RESEARCH debate, that stand had people at the meeting questioning the regional department's impartiality. The debate boiled down to a dif- ference of opinion on the science of fluoridation and its effectiveness in preventing cavities. It left members of the WCC like Peter Manse" wondering if the debate wont be taken over by com- peting passions instead of being a debate on the facts. But the fundamental facts in this case are in question. Quibell said there is a significant difference in the amount of cavities children have in fluoridated communities like Waterloo versus non-fiuoridat- ed ones like Kitchener. Carole Clinch, with People for Safe Drink- ing Water, argued socio-economic factors play an even bigger role with proper access to a dentist and the health insurance to pay for it accounting for most of the differ- ences in the amount of dental car- Former city councillor lim Bol- Contlnued on W 5