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Horton residents Charlotte Cleroux and Earl Newberry are staunchly opposed to the potential Canadian heritage designation for the Ottawa River.
But they’re not alone, said Newberry while waving a petition of nearly 100 signatures in front of Horton council May 3.
Both he and Cleroux addressed council, as Ottawa River watershed residents, to express their concerns. They were also part of a visiting group of five residents.
“I’m very concerned,” said Cleroux, who was under the impression Horton council had already voted to support the designation. But she was told council has delayed any vote until after a July 5 public meeting.
She also wanted to know why Mayor Don Eady changed his mind, since she voted for him in the municipal election because of his opposition to the designation.
“I don’t remember saying I was in favour or not in favour of it,” replied Eady.
“I certainly had concerns about it before the election. My mind is still open on it,” added Eady, explaining that several months ago he only had part of a larger Ontario Landowners Association report on the heritage issue that did raise some concerns.
“I would say, if I had to vote tomorrow morning, I would vote in favour of it,” said Eady. “(That’s) based on the information I have today.”
Eady said more information may come forward to allow council to make a more informed decision.
He noted July’s public meeting will feature various speakers, including Renfrew Country property and development director Paul Moreau, and likely members of the local Ottawa River heritage committee and Parks Canada.
McNab-Braeside may also host a public meeting on the issue.
GALLANT’S OPPOSITION
Newberry said MP Cheryl Gallant’s opposition to the heritage designation is one strong reason to oppose it.
“What I can’t understand is she’s our MP of this area. She’s against it, 100 per cent against it,” said Newberry, while hastening to point out that it “was disgraceful the way she was treated” in the recent campaign.
But she’s not the only opponent, said Newberry, in reference to the petition that had collected 100 signatures by day’s end.
“You know what the bottom line is,” added Newberry. “They (opponents to the designation) don’t want any more government in their face … People think there are better things to do in this township than this hassle with heritage.”The petition states the Canadian heritage river designation “empowers the Ontario Ministry of Natural Resources (MNR) to include terms and conditions of land use and work permits … without clearly stating exactly what that means, and how it will impact landowners on the Ontario side.”
According to Moreau, the county’s property and development director and former district manager of MNR, that is not the case.
“In no way is there any connection between the river heritage designation and provincial legislation,” Moreau told The Mercury.
“It does not provide the province with additional regulations to regulate. That is very clearly stated in the Canadian Heritage River Systems charter.”
The charter can be viewed at www.chrs.ca/publications.
Meanwhile, Newberry says he’ll continue to oppose the designation.
“The issue was brought to the table, so we’re trying our best to deal with it,” said Eady. “We’re trying to obtain as much information as we can, so if we make a decision, we can make a decision on facts and on facts only. Nothing to do with personalities. Nothing to do with politics.”
Moments later, Cleroux said, “In my opinion this should be a people vote. It shouldn’t be a council vote, and it shouldn’t be a county vote. It should be the people’s voice.
“The people should be voting on this, people who live along the river, people who live on the farm land that are going to be charged fines coming out of their ying-yang because their pesticides went out into the creek and down into the river.”
Cleroux and Newberry also noted that Quebec is not participating in the designation process for the Ottawa River, as if to suggest Ontario shouldn’t be if Quebec isn’t.
But that’s not an isolated case. For example, Clearwater River, which runs through the provinces of Saskatchewan and Alberta, was given heritage status in 1987 by the Saskatchewan, but not until 2004 by Alberta.
steve.newman@metroland.com