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Volume 72, Number 24 GST Included $1.25 Wednesday June 17, 2009 Orono Town Hall Publications Mail Registration No. 09301 Agreement No. 40012366 Serving Kendal, Kirby, Leskard, Newcastle, Newtonville, Orono, Starkville and Tyrone since 1937 Board vows to keep hospital's ER Representatives of Lakeridge Health Corporation appeared before Clarington councillors Monday night, reaffirming their commitment to providing round the clock emergency services at Bowmanville hospital. Speaking as an ambassador of Lakeridge Health Corporation, Dr. Tony Stone told councillors that the Bowmanville doctors had a very frank, open and productive meeting that morning with senior official at Lakeridge Health. As a result of that meeting, the parties involved are moving forward in a renewed spirit of cooperation to make a plan for future care at Bowmanville hospital, Stone reported. "The Lakeridge Health Board of Management and the physicians agreed, unequivocally, that Lakeridge Health Bowmanville must continue as an acute care site," Stone stated. There will be no reduction in service at Bowmanville Hospital, according to Stone, as it will continue to provide the same quality service it currently provides. "We will also develop tele-medicine as an additional tool to provide access to specialists and subspecialists," he stated. Dr. Tony Stone first appeared before Clarington Council in January of this year, asking for council's support in a fight to save services at the Bowmanville Hospital, in particular emergency services. Due to a shortage of specialists, the hospital was in SERVICES see page 4 At not quite two-years-old, Lexie Summers was still old enough to enjoy the donuts at the Lemonade Sale in downtown Newcastle last Saturday morning. Peer review team declares EFW safe Clarington's peer review team concluded it is unlikely there will be any adverse human health or ecological effects from the Region's proposed incinerator, under normal operations, based on the information provided. Harriet Philips of SENES, the company hired by the municipality to peer review the Region's Site Specific Human Health and Ecological Risk Assessment for Energyfrom-Waste (EFW), presented her findings at Monday nights meeting of Clarington Council. Philips' conclusions were also based on the fact that the EFW, which the Region is proposing to build in Courtice, will be state of the art. "Are you and your company qualified to answer the question, is it safe?" Mayor Jim Abernethy asked Phillips. "Is it safe is different for different people," Phillips answered. Based on what was provided by the consultants, the calculations and methodology use, Phillips said she could safely say no adverse health effects will be created by the EFW. Abernethy then established that Phillips was hired by the municipality of Clarington to peer review the reports, that she had no interest in the project itself and was looking after the best interest of the residents of Clarington. Dr. Chris Ollson and Jim McKay of Jacques Whitford, the consulting firm hired by the Region to conduct the environmental assessment on the EFW, also attended Monday night's meeting and presented the findings of their risk assessment. They also concluded there would be no adverse health or ecological effects from the proposed EFW. Mayor Abernethy launched into a line of questioning with the two representatives to establish whether the EFW would be safe. Both stated they were qualified to answer the question, and then said the EFW would be safe. Ollson added, "Risk Assessment is not a science to prove that things are safe." Region of Durham councillors will vote next Wednesday on whether or not to approve the EFW. If they vote in favor of moving forward with the EFW, it will then be up to the Province to give its approval before the project can proceed. What's Inside See page 8