Dump support unearthed

Political smell to landfill vote

The Ottawa Citizen

Friday, March 17, 2006

A document shows that council, when no one was looking, thought expanding the Carp Road landfill was the answer to the city's waste problems -- which suggests that council's current opposition is political pandering.

In fact, the settlement agreement between the municipality and three waste companies sounds mildly enthusiastic.

"(The city) will expedite the consideration of any necessary municipal zoning, official plan amendment, site plan or building permit applications as applicable ... provided an environmentally sound proposal is made ...," the document said. The agreement goes on to say that the city will support landfill diversion activities and "any applications for provincial approval, including Certificate(s) of Approval or amendments thereto ..."

Goulbourn Councillor Janet Stavinga, Mayor Bob Chiarelli and mayoral candidate and former councillor Alex Munter were in attendance at a council meeting when elected representatives got behind a plan to expand the Carp Road facility.

...Five years later as municipal elections approach, Ms. Stavinga is on the barricades, defending her constituents' quality of life against the tripling of the Carp Road landfill's capacity.

...Where was she in 2001 in a secret meeting when her constituents would have demanded representation?

That decision was just about as buried as one can be. It was made at a closed meeting, just a few months after the new city's first council was elected. Voters (if they had found out about the deal at all, which was unlikely) would have had three years to forget the decision before the next election -- one of the oldest political tricks in the book. All very hush-hush, on the QT.

Five years later as municipal elections approach, Ms. Stavinga is on the barricades, defending her constituents' quality of life against the tripling of the Carp Road landfill's capacity.

Obviously, the secret deal has been revealed at an inopportune time for Ms. Stavinga. Could she have not read the paragraph on the deal or misunderstood its significance? That's possible, but it does not absolve her of responsibility for it. Where was she in 2001 in a secret meeting when her constituents would have demanded representation?

Both Mr. Munter and Mr. Chiarelli signed on to the deal in 2001. Thus it will be difficult for them to champion the landfill interests of west Ottawa residents. Blame, if any is to be apportioned, falls equally on their shoulders.

And we can only hope that the next time these three politicians agree to such a plan, the deliberations are conducted publicly.

Fortunately, given the actions of council on this issue, final approval authority for the landfill resides with the Ontario Ministry of the Environment. However, the city, as a stakeholder to the decision, will have influence on that final decision so its opinion is significant.

Ms. Stavinga, seconded by West Carleton Councillor Eli El-Chantiry, has produced a monstrous five-page motion on the issue, to be discussed on Thursday. It is so complicated that council refused to discuss it at its last meeting.

The document calling for an exploration of other landfill sites and new technologies is so onerous that any resolution will likely occur after the November election. That should suit the politicians associated with the 2001 deal just fine.

Papers show majority of councillors OK'd expansion behind closed doors

Trash deal sickens Carp Rd. opponents

Political smell to landfill vote

The Ottawa Citizen

Digging into the real deal

Jorge Barrera examines how money binds city to controversial dump

Ottawa Sun - March 18/05 - Letter to the Editor ...How nice to read about one councillor who chose to dissent on the expansion request in 2001. Read More