It has been an amazing two days in Perth-Wellington! Seeing so many supporters of the local Wind Concerns Ontario groups come out to send a message to John Wilkinson, followed by a canvas for his PC opponent Randy Pettapiece was a real treat. We had a great turn out in Stratford, turn out was much closer t0 300, not the 150 estimated by media. We’ve seen chronic under-reporting of crowd sizes, but based on the number of signs that we went through and signatures on petitions it is clear what it was.

CanWEA and OSEA sent their funded ‘Friends of Wind’ supporters – all four of them – hundreds of kilometres from Kincardine to try to stir it up, but once again it didn’t work. It’s a sad statement when the industry has to pay people to support their position, and even then can only find someone who also has a lease with a wind developer to do it.

We covered a lot of ground today in Stratford during the canvas, and it was a pleasure to meet and speak to so many people last night in the parking lot at Wilkinson’s office as we unveiled a ‘final eviction notice’ for him. The coward chose not to come, but did have his paid staff lurking from the otherside of the parking lot.

His bizarre and shameful press conference at the Stratford Hospital earlier in the day failed to turn the media message and further re-enforced how unqualified and unable Wilkinson is of the tasks assigned to him as Minister of the Environment.

I look forward to coming back again soon for future canvasses and rallys. Wind Concerns Ontario will be working very hard with our local supporters ot unseat Wilkinson especially.

I`d also like to thank the OPP for doing the responsible thing and sending a number of officers to ensure everyone`s safety by blocking intersections as demonstrators marched by. We had a great turn out and a procession that was about half the length of the main drag in Port Dover.

As always the folks the fighting to protect Haldimand-Norfolk did an amazing job, and I was proud to be there with folks from all over these two counties, some living with wind turbines, others facing the threat of industrial wind development.

We were well received by residents and visitors in Port Dover, with many people honking in support of chants like `Oust McGuinty now` `Health studies first` and others.

Norfolk county knows all too well the negative impacts industrial wind development has on communities as clearly seen in Clear Creek near Long Point where a number of families have been forced from their homes. Haldimand and Norfolk face very real threats going forward, but together through continued activism and pressure I am certain we will be able to protect this very special part of Ontario.

Toby Barrett brought a very clear message about the PCs intention to the crowd which the crowd responded quite enthusiastically too. His strength on this issue has been a very positive influence for members of his community and something that is very appreciated locally. I think as many of his signs as ours left with people at the end of the afternoon.

Tomorrow it is off to Brant to help the local candidate there with motivated volunteers who want to see the government change in just 39 days.

It is an honour to be on the road again, visiting our friends and allies around the province on the `Winds of Change`tour for Wind Concerns Ontario.

We pulled out of Toronto last night around midnight and didn’t roll into Owen Sound until 3am. I was pleased to visit the AM 560 CFOS studio again at 9am to talk with Manny Paiva about the problems with Dalton McGuinty’s industrial wind schemes. By 10:30am over fifty members of Wind Concerns Ontario groups from around Bruce-Grey Owen Sound had come to the pavilion at the very beautiful Harrison Park to formally launch Winds of Change, talk about the importance of the coming election and the need to elect good MPPs who will represent rural Ontario.

Although Bill Walker was unable to attend in person, he was kind enough to send a statement to be read on his behalf to the folks who were present and it was very well received. To make it clear that Wind Concerns Ontario means business about doing its part to ensure winds of change help blow the McGuinty Liberals from Queen’s Park, many of those who came for the morning went for a canvas after lunch.

I had a couple of other interviews about the Winds of Change tour, followed by a quiet afternoon to catch up on Wind Concerns Ontario stuff.

Tomorrow Bob Rae is going to be in Owen Sound, so we’ve decided to attend his event because as a former Federal Liberal Riding President, who did not vote Liberal for the first time federally in the last election, I’m curious how he can reconcile his desire to rebuild the Federal Liberals in rural Ontario, and support the re-election of Dalton McGuinty, whose government has ended local democracy, destroyed property values, harmed human health and the environment while selling out rural Ontario largely to Ontario Liberal Party donors and industrial wind welfare recipients.
If I get the chance to ask Rae, I will be sure to share how that goes.

John Laforet at the Empire Club of Canada

 John Spears of the Toronto Star covered the speech and wrote : Wind Foe Vows to Defeat Liberals

Below is last night’s entry.

Residents against the proposed Horizon Wind Inc. wind farm have a message for Ontario Premier Dalton McGuinty and the city’s two MPPs – no Liberals, no turbines.

More than 200 residents attended the Wind Concerns Ontario rally at the Nor’Wester Hotel Monday night. The rally was a chance to give residents more information on the Horizon Wind development of a wind farm on top of the Nor’ Wester mountains.” From May 16th 2011 – Thunder Bay Newswatch - ‘Ready to Fight’ (A description of last night’s meeting in Thunder Bay)

What a great night in Thunder Bay! We couldn’t have had a better launch to Wind Concerns Ontario’s ‘Truth about Turbines’ than we had last night in Thunder Bay. I was amazed and the number of people who turned out on such a beautiful night to hear our message and organize in advance of Horizon Wind Inc.’s most recent attempt at ‘public consultations’ on May 17 and 18th in the Thunder Bay area.

We did a lot to raise awareness about the inappropriate proposal for the Nor’Wester Escarpment. I was fortunate to have some time on AM 740 to speak to Dale Goldhawk about the Wind Concerns Ontario ‘Truth about Turbines Tour’ and my visit to Thunder Bay, and had a couple of interviews with local Thunder Bay TV News, and other local media here. It is critical that we tell our stories and I was happy to tell Thunder Bay’s tonight and to stand with them to fight.

Resident’s of Thunder Bay made it clear they are ready to stand up to fight the developer and local MPPs to protect the Nor’Wester Escarpment from Industrial Wind development.

There was a defiant, upbeat crowd that understands more than anyone the importance of protecting the Nor’Wester Escarpment and the Loch Lomand watershed protection land from clear cutting and blasting – something local residents, the provincial government and the local municipalities have pushed for, for almost a hundred years.

We had school age children, teens, young adults, parents, grandparents and great-grandparents at our rally standing in common purpose. It was an amazing sight!

I was asked to judge the Nor’Wester Escarpment Mountain Protection Committee’s drawing contest for young kids that saw about a dozen entries. Children were asked to draw the Nor’Wester escarpment in it’s current beauty as a reminder of what their parents, and grandparents are fighting to protect for their future. The winner received a new bike that was generously donated by members of the NEMPC committee.

The wind industry and it’s political supporters (and donation recipients) at the Ontario Liberal Party have turned the word ‘coal’ into a political weapon. If you disagree with their bizarre industrial wind energy scheme you must support burning coal (even if more wind power generation won’t result in less coal power generation). It also becomes your fault people are dying – apparently in droves if you believe non doctors from Canadian Association of ‘Physicians’ (used sparingly) for the Environment like Gideon Foreman. McGuinty will tell you coal related illnesses cost Ontarians $3 billion dollars a year in health care costs – just don’t expect him to prove it or produce the savings when coal generation is permanently phased out. Because it isn’t true and he knows it.

Dalton McGuinty has had two responses to Tim Hudak’s opposition to signing untendered, seven billion dollar secret deals with a corrupt company like Samsung and ending the Feed-in-Tariff program. First McGuinty tried to suggest Tim Hudak was a racist. Then he tried to suggest Tim Hudak wants to burn more coal.

Neither argument is true, but it’s Dalton McGuintyso the truth isn’t a necessary ingredient of any statement.

From Tuesday May 10th’s Toronto Sun:

Hudak “can’t mention Samsung without calling them foreigners,” McGuinty said. “It’s not the 1950s, it’s the 20th century.”

First, it actually isn’t the 20th century. It’s the 21st century and has been for a whole eleven years. Second, the Premier suggesting that racism in the 1950′s was OK and perhaps even a legitimate argument in determining business relationships is enlightening, but at the end of the day irrelevant because Samsung could be from Markham, or Ottawa, or Windsor, or Hamilton and it still would be a bad idea. Sole sourced, untendered contracts negotiated by George Smitherman, the man who brought us the e-Health scandal kickbacks of your money to Ontario Liberal friends, with a company known for buying politicians off is clearly a recipe for disaster.

From Tuesday May 10th’s Globe and Mail:

Mr. McGuinty said Mr. Hudak is against foreign investment and clean air. He said the Opposition Leader would kill jobs and take Ontario back to the dark days of relying on pollution-spewing, coal-fired plants for electricity.

First – the Progressive Conservatives have stated publicly they would phase out all coal plants in Ontario by 2015. Dalton McGuinty promised to by 2007 (broken promise) 2011 (broken promise)  2014.

Second – Wind turbines can never replace coal because they are an unreliable form of energy project that requires a fossil fuel back up. That’s what all these new Natural Gas plants are about (replacing coal fired generation and backing up wind turbines).

Third – On Tuesday May 10th 2011 when Tim Hudak pledged to scrap McGuinty’s deal with the corrupt Samsung and end the Feed-in-Tariff program to industrial wind developers coal output was at 4MW an hour all day.

So enough to keep a pilot light from going out.

 How much coal was burned on May 11th, the day after per hour? 3 to 4MW all day.

 And May 12th? 3 to 4MW all day.

OK, but how about May 13th? 4MW all day.

In other words coal fired generation in Ontario is already basically phased out and it has nothing to do with wind, why? Because when turbines were operating at 1000MW tilt two weeks ago we were generating 200MW of coal fired power, and today, May 13th when wind turbine generation fell to 33MW – coal was still at 4MW.

That said, don’t expect the Liberals to formally announce it just yet, because those turbines aren’t in the ground to credit for taking these plants offline.

Dalton McGuinty loves a good lie, and his cabinet seems obsessed with this ‘coal being replaced by wind’ lie. But it just isn’t credible and should have Ontarians wondering why we’re spending billions and billions of dollars on a plan with a stated purpose it can’t meet, and has already been met.

Tim Hudak is doing the right thing withthis policy announcement. I like that he is honest and willing to say and do the right thing, even if it results in McGuinty going ballistic. It will prove politically popular in the right places and firmly draws the line between special interests and citizens. McGuinty’s attacks are so bizarre they won’t stick. Who knows, maybe the Premier is running for leader of the third party like his federal cousin?

That said, the number of folks who were tweeting for their jobs over the last two days, hammering Tim Hudak for standing up for those of us who don’t support giving these guys and their special interest partners the farm - has been a small but spirited bunch. Their utter lies and misrepresentations are frustrating to read. But it’s a good thing no one is listening to them anymore. Folks using the hashtag #comeclean are the equivelent of a handful of people standing in a circle screaming obsenities at the top of their lungs about someone who isn’t present and won’t hear them in front of  an audience made up entirely of other participants standing in the same circle who hold the same view and are saying ‘I know, right?’.

Claiming that Samsung is investing $7 billion in Ontario for a mere $500 million in incentives is just plain untrue. No business would ever do that and considering wind energy is 100% subsidized by the taxpayer it will surely be costing us far more than $7 billion (this is a whole article itself). Suggesting their are thousands of jobs on the line isn’t true either. The jobs just don’t actually exist. Industry and government both admitted that today. Announcing employment does not a job make. Claiming we aren’t paying more for wind, but more for new energy is cute, but misleading. Wind is new energy and we are paying more for wind then we are for other new energy.

It was interesting to see however is how the media has handled this.

These same folks who are spinning away on Twitter all day and their organizations aren’t being quoted in any of the papers around Ontario. Why? Because Environmental Defense, the Ontario Sustainable Energy Association, Canadian Wind Energy Association and the other ‘Wind Welfare’ recipients who formed the ‘save wind welfare’ orgy of special interests – comeclean.ca are no longer relevant to the conversation. They have no credibility left, because their claims aren’t believable. They are now a parody of themselves. Fodder for laughter. Walking, talking lampoons.

(If you’d like to force these folks to find honest employment please visit http://endwindwelfare.ca and tell party leaders to stop funding their lies and hysterics.)

The special interests that brought you the Green Energy Act and have used it as a weapon to attack and tear apart the fabric of local communities have lost their place in the public debate. For the most part so have the industrial wind developers who benefit from the very programs Hudak is promising to end. This is a battle we’ve been waiting for, and fighting for the right to fight and are both ready and motivated to win. By coming out with a citizen focused, easy to understand pledge, Hudak has signaled to tens of thousands of concerned Ontarians that campaigning for the blue guy will mean change the Liberals won’t offer.

That’s good news for us, and Hudak, but not Dalton McGuinty or his whiney wind welfare brigade.

Ontario is still a democracy, and there is nothing Dalton McGuinty, dirty money or wind pimps can do about that.

The same folks whose voices no longer matter are the folks who were behind a $300,000 public relations fiasco put on by Sussex Strategy to ‘confuse’ the public, media and politicians to stop talking about the cost of electricity and renewables.

Remember how that went?

Well first – we all got to read the document (smooth move folks).

And since that $300,000 campaign of misinformation was leaked, Wind Concerns Ontario has won an offshore moratorium that has effectively ended any chance of offshore wind development in Ontario’s Great Lakes, and now has a clear commitment from Tim Hudak that should he become Premier there won’t be any more financial incentives for industrial wind developers.

There are 145 days until Ontario’s election, and these folks ought to be scared because we’re just getting started and as many have noticed – this current announcement that has seen these groups sidelined doesn’t even involve their sacred cow – the Green Energy Act. We are still advocating for and waiting to hear specifics on that file as well.

I was proud to see that this debate is largely being waged between the Progressive Conservatives and the Liberals with Wind Concerns Ontario and our local groups playing a key role in providing citizen response to the announcement. Especially our groups in Liberal held ridings. Seeing that an end to Samsung’s deal and FIT get implemented into law is something we will fight tooth and nail for and can do in ways buying another botched strategy from Sussex Strategy simply can’t even begin to compete with.

Wind Concerns Ontario has been clear on that as well, and will continue to be during the ‘Truth about Turbines Tour’ that will be travelling six thousand kilometres to over thirty five communities in sixteen Liberal held ridings, eight PC ridings and one NDP riding. We are more committed than ever to winning this ‘winner take all’ fight that was forced upon us by the Wind Industry and it’s ‘wind welfare warriors”

If these wind welfare warriors continue to conduct themselves in such a blatantly partisan and dishonest fashion – our campaign to cut all public funds to these organizations will take on a new seriousness because I  and others I am sure will be damned if we are to be beaten with our own money but a bunch of  dishonest swines at the trough.

Folks like http://energyonthestreet.ca (Pearl Street Communications) can talk about ‘changing the channel’ and engaging communities better – but it’s beyond spending more time talking – it’s about being credible and telling the truth, something the wind industry just doesn’t fundamentally believe in doing.

That’s right. If you’re an industrial wind developer and want to ‘kill, harm or harass’ endangered species – all you have to do is ask the government nicely and give them some money.

In exchange for $230,000 bucks, the Government of Ontario is prepared to lease Ministry of Natural Resources Crown Land (owned by you) and even facilitate their ‘killing, harming and harassing’ of endangered species to ensure this cash flows to the Government and that Gilead can take even more (again from you through inflated hydro bills).

The Ministry of Natural Resources posted a notice to the Ontario government Environmental Registry May 10, 2011 to invite public comment on a “Permit under section 17 of the Endangered Species Act, 2007 (ESA) to allow Gilead Power Corporation to kill, harm and harass Blanding’s Turtle and Whip-poor-will as well as damage and destroy the habitat of Whip-poor-will for the purpose of the development and operation of Ostrander Point Wind Energy Park in the Township of South Marysburgh, Prince Edward County.”

I wonder what the government would let Gilead Power do at Ostrander Point to endangered species for an extra couple of thousand?

If you agree this is insane, no matter where in Ontario you live, please go to the Environmental Bill of Rights website and share your comments. Tell the government this is wrong and that you don’t accept the government enabling the killing, harming or harassment of endangered species to earn a few bucks.

The link is http://www.ebr.gov.on.ca/ERS-WEB-External/displaynoticecontent.do?noticeId=MTEyODc0&statusId=MTY5Mjg1&language=en

I will be in Prince Edward County with the ‘truth about wind turbines tour’ on May 20th to express Wind Concerns Ontario’s opposition to the killing, harming and harassment of endangered species and the irresponsible development of industrial wind energy in Ontario.

The environmental devastation required to build this project is something not seen in southern Ontario and is something that I can only describe as shocking. Having seen the results of clear cutting and blasting for industrial wind development underway in Dorion Ontario near the Ouimet Canyon, and being able to visit the proposed site for Horizon’s project, I see no responsible way anyone can argue any environmental benefit with this kind of development. Each turbine site requires the clearing of a full hectare of land. In Dorion, the developer used something like four hundred dynamite blast caps per turbine location. Under Horizon’s plan they will clear cut and blast 150 acres of pristine, untouched, until now protected escarpment under a deal that will see the City and ratepayers financially hosed for the privilege of enabling all of this (as the land owner) to happen.

The Green Energy Act has gutted the environmental planning process, and fails to recognize the genuine environmental uniqueness and significance in the North that is threatned by irresponsible developers who intend on bullying their way through the process and blasting their way through the environment.

I’m really happy to be heading back to Thunder Bay to lend my voice and the support of Wind Concerns Ontario to resident’s fight up there. It will be my third trip up since December 2010 and the start of Wind Concerns Ontario spring tour titled the ‘Truth about Turbines Tour’. It’s an ambitious project that will see events, meetings, marches and rallies throughout Ontario to raise awareness and organize opposition to this government’s industrial wind energy proposals. Wind Concerns Ontario can only do these kinds of things because of the thousands of volunteers on the ground in communities all over our province. It’s their strength and support that makes this all happen and it’s something not even the best industry strategy can defeat.

As the election approachs, its becoming clearer and clearer that should the Liberals choose not to back down, they will lose a number of seats on this issue as concerned citizens take political action in defense of their homes. I continue to be amazed by the lengths folks will go to stand up for what they know is right and am thrilled to have the opportunity to learn from, meet and work with such an amazing range and diversity of people from all over our province.

Spending forty-four days on the road, travelling six-thousand kilometres, visiting thirty six communities, in sixteen Liberal, eight PC and one NDP riding is not how I intended to spend part of May and most of June, but is something I think is important, because of the hard work so many are doing to stand up for their communities. I look forward to doing my part to help, and to lay the ground work to defeat this government in the fall, should they decide to force a de facto referendum on this issue through their candidates.