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Residents fear power plant will increase air pollution 3 · OAKVILLE BEAVER Friday, June 26, 2009 Continued from page 1 power plant be allowed to settle in the area. "I want to show my support because I believe what they are doing is completely appalling and I want to make sure it doesn't go through," she said. "I think this is a really great turnout and I think the number of people here proves that everyone is for stopping this project from going through." The fact that the rally was in Mississauga and not Oakville did nothing to keep ChartwellMaple Grove Residents Association leader Doug MacKenzie away, noting a power plant built across the border in Mississauga would have the same impact on local air quality as one built in Oakville. "It's the Clarkson Airshed, it encompasses both Mississauga and part of Oakville. It's all the same air we breathe," he said. "We've been co-ordinating our efforts between Mississauga and here, and we have a couple hundred Oakville people at least here tonight." Speakers at the event included Mississauga Mayor Hazel McCallion, Mississauga South MP Paul Szabo, Mississauga South MPP Charles Sousa and Mississauga Ward 2 Councillor Pat Mullin. Oakville Mayor Rob Burton noted neither he nor any members of Oakville's council were invited to participate. "Ladies and gentlemen, we are here tonight to demonstrate a message," said McCallion, from a stage overlooking the vast crowd. "We did not say we are going to ban gas generation plants, we will look at them in the right areas and it is not the Clarkson area." This statement provoked a round of massive cheering and applause from the audience, which was clearly in agreement. To drive that message home a little harder, McCallion was presented with four large boxes stuffed with signed petitions calling for the plant to be established somewhere else due to the heavy levels of pollutants already present in the Clarkson Airshed Study Area. "This is not an emotional issue, this is not NIMBYism, this is a health issue," said McCallion. "I will deliver these messages to the premier, I can assure you." Besides speaking out against the power plant, McCallion also offered the province an alternative location for it in the form of the Nanticoke coal-fueled power plant in Haldimand County. Haldimand County Mayor Marie Trainer spoke at the rally and endorsed the idea. "We in Haldimand County, including Nanticoke, would love it if the province would Sign up on Line power generated in Nanticoke making its way to the Clarkson Airshed Study Area, but said the government should realize this area is not a willing host. The sentiment was deeply appreciated by Joshua Creek Residents Association leader Ron Fiorelli, who attended the rally. Some residents in his organization live only 400 metres away from the proposed site of the Oakville Generating Station. "It's hard not to be impressed, it's a great demonstration of community support and it's wonderful for the community to come out and rally this way," he said. Ward 3 Councillor Keith Bird was impressed by the rally and the display of how a community can come together regardless of what city or town the people are in. "I think it's great that the Town of Oakville and the City of Mississauga recognize that there are some issues that transcend borders and political alliances," said Bird. "These people aren't just from Mississauga and Oakville. They are the community and I hope Mr. McGuinty takes that into consideration when they make this decision. This is about the air pollution we all breathe and I am happy so many people came out." While not a federal issue, Oakville MP Terence Young attended the rally, calling what he saw democracy in action. "I haven't seen a public gathering this large in years. That shows how seriously people take this issue. It is an issue of public health," said Young. "This is a provincial jurisdiction, but I will be sending a petition in writing to every house in Oakville, and the petitions that come back, I will be sending to Premier McGuinty to make sure he understands how profoundly concerned the people of Oakville are about this issue." JON CURRIE / OAKVILLE BEAVER SIGN ME UP: Rufiya Trepyshko, of Oakville, signs a petition against a gas-fired power plant in the Oakville/Mississauga area. Trepyshko's husband, was adversely affected by the fallout from Chernobyl and she believes another major polluter in the area is too great a health risk. choose the cheaper solution of converting our 1,000-megawatts of coal-fired electricity to 1,000 megawatts of gas-fired electricity rather than building an 850-megawatt generator in Clarkson and closing our 1,000-megawatts of coal," she said. "As generators were switched over we would have cleaner power in our area, the employees there would be able to keep their jobs and we would end up with another 150-megawatts of electricity, especially at a time when the Province of Ontario is having to import massive amounts of power from some of the dirtiest and most polluting plants from North America. Let the people at Nanticoke keep their jobs." McCallion noted there is some difficulty with PRIME CUT Q & Ah's ­ June 18 to 21 Enter to win one of 3 fabulous prize packages just in time for Father's Day. 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