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WM l R1 AX) CHMKJU'L - Wednaday, September 50. £009 ° 3 HOME DECOR CUSTOM 1. MORE FRAMING 519-570” It WHE- . Victoria St. N. Kitchener ., W “m '"’" °’°" ‘ ' ' F l ' idation fl O 0 Q 0 O O D O C O Everythmgfi'om publlc mformatzon sesszon to legitimacy of plebzsczte questioned 0 . r . > z » .' . . , City council passes 06 » -. x - Public said information . debate to regional officials , needed for informed debate BY Gum MIND f BY GREG MACDONALD . Chmnrcrew Chronicle Stag x X e fluoride debate erupted in council chambers embers of the public came Monday out to urge I Monday as the city distanced itself from the issue ; Mmuncil tostanholdinginfonnation sessions regard- and the upcoming vote. ‘ - ingwaterfluoridatiort After hearing delegations from people on both sides of Many supported Coun. Angela Vieth's motion to Stan the issue. councillors voted to work with the region to ‘ W preparing for the sessions right away so the electorate facilitate debate over the fluoride question, which will be P .. would be educated in time for the November 2010 elec- posed to voters in November 2010. "’ / tion. What the city won't do is provide its own information "i want to see the science,” said Peter Manse“, who on the matter or devote staff resources to the debate right I t . . hasn’t made up his mind away. as proposed by Coun. Angela Vieth. -., i 1." about fluoridation but has instead. the city will look to the Region of Waterloo for - L3 ‘ some concerns. “You ll be guidance and take their lead on the matter. id “1 want proof. i don't C.“ 81 “i don't think it is the place of the City of Waterloo to a â€"' want to just hear endorse- bath Sides, but provide information," said Conn MarkWhaley. if" merits." you'll have to Aside from a few holdouts, councillors backed away ' "g, But much of the infor- . from the debate. _ Z, mation surrounding the Stand béhlnd bath “This will be up to the people of Waterloo to decide," rifle i use of hydrofluorosiliclc ofthem. You’ll be said Coun. lan McLean. “The city does not want do any- acid is garnered from . thing but facilitate. We do not want to judge the informa- lQ;esitions raised Mffiler unreliable sources. said WSPO'ISlblefOT tion on this" v0 “71“ be din Harry Hoediono, a Water w t’S out there." Whaley wants to see the debate move to broader pub- p 8 [SC te te in g loo-based dentist and vice ha lic. “When will it be appropriate for this debate to move BmaMAcDomm president of the Ontario â€"lerYH°°ql°fl° out of council chambers?” he asked. Chronicle Stag Dental mafia“ Midsumr The city’s responsibility is only to provide a venue for Hoediono told council- debate. not guide the discussion, he added. n January 2008. council agreed to hold a plebiscite on the lors his organization was ready to defend fluoridation and Plus it's the region who decides whether or not fluoride matter of fluoridated water. Complicating matters, however, the science behind it. is in the city's water supply. The city jmt delivers it is that the province's fluoridation legislation oriy allows for He was also in favour of having a fulsome debate on The fluoride issue has been a thorny and complicated referendums on the matter in singleder munidpalities. said Bill the issue, but asked councillors to consider requiring only one ever since it surfaced last year. when local opponents White, the dty’s solicitor. licensed or accredited professionals to be allowed to pub- began to question the use of fluoride inWaterioo’s water. Under that law, neither the region not the city has the Holy debate the issue. They particularly opposed the source of the fluoride, authority to hold a vote on the issue. 5 “Someone once told me everything you read on the hydrofluorosilicic acid, which they say has significant The region, which has agreed to hold th vote, will lntemet is true," he said. referring to the research meth- health dangers instead have to opt to hold a referendum under e Munici- ods of his opponents. Some councillors agree with those concerns. Vieth pal Elections Act â€" but that‘s only binding if50 per cent of "You can give both sides, but you'll have to stand chastised her colleagues for abdicating responsibility. the voters turn up. which is unheard of in a municipal elec- behind both of them. You'll be responsible for what's out < “We're responsible for the health of our community," she tion. 4 there.” said. What does that all add up to? Whatever the outcome of But fluoride opponents said they were still waiting to Coun. Diane Freeman proposed turning off the fluo- the vote. it will likely not be binding, White said. see the science to prove the chemical is safe and effective. ride until a vote was held. She has been in contact with Adding to the headache is that while the current regional Without that information, Waterloo residents should- other municipalities and says the move across the board is councillors have agreed to be bound by the vote, the timing n’t be forced to drink fluoride, said resident lim Gilhuly. to stop the fluoride. “l haven't spoken to another munici- of the election will mean that they could all be out of a job. “It's giving people a drug they didn't ask for,“ he said. pality that has either allowed fluoride or not removed it." The fluoride question will be going on at the same time At the end of the day. fluoride opponents were disapâ€" Council will now wait to hear from the region for some as the municipal elections. pointed by council's decision. direction. it is unlikely that infon'nation sessions will begin “There will be nothing binding new regional councillors Robert Fleming of Waterloo Watch, who has spear- by January, but that planning will be underway at that to adhere to the vote,"White said. headed the campaign against fluoridation, said he still time. said Coun. Karen Scum That‘s where elected officials come in. said Coun. Ian had a lot of questions left after the meeting -â€" ones that Ultimately. council's decision could mean nothing if Mclean council didn't seem willing to debate. the region ignores their plea for help. "it's a very compli- “There will be public pressure for whoever sits on coun- "it seems like the City ofWaterioo was quick to sweep cated issue." said Mayor Brenda Halloran. cil to take the result and make it the solution.” he said. the debate out of council chambers.‘ he said. ‘ r\l tilN‘wl‘il ix.:\3U\.\ \.\'llf\l NUI‘X‘V‘A! .'\;\!l‘iHl’\'\.-\\l l’l\l‘ll\ \ Vi mud in . ,:>.-;t,'~»w t z‘ 1. ‘f l ‘ Kl ‘.‘. 13’-’.f‘~' ‘ ‘il‘it', . . -.‘,'m:i, i': g ”Mn; p l. ;_. “pi ---‘i ‘ “ 1: . .. “ ‘. ‘. ' E N SPAM“. STUDIO-Vim SP1 : SREGlNA SiREEiN,WAi£RL00 l “98861090 I GINASPA.COM