Milton Oxygen: Interview with Milton MP
Not, a question for Adam; I am posting this for everyone watching this video interview:
I am incredibly disappointed to hear that on January 21, 2021, the Federal Government ignored the significant harm to the health and safety of Halton residents by approving CN's proposed truck-rail hub in Milton.
Our Canadian Government makes history as this is the first time a Federal Review Panel has determined that a project will have significant adverse effects on human health. It is an unenviable distinction for this Federal Government that it is the first Cabinet that has ever approved a project that would harm human health in ways that cannot be mitigated.
You will leave a devastating legacy for future generations. It's unimaginable.
Since CN proposed this project, the messaging regarding the concerns for the community have been clear. The Region, Town, and community have been sharing concerns form twenty years, and our concerns are not unfounded.
The project's location is within one kilometre of approximately 34,000 current and future residents, one hospital, twelve schools, and two long-term care homes.
The facility will operate 24 hours a day, seven days a week—resulting in at least 1,600 new trips to and from the facility each day by heavy-duty container trucks.
The significant health effects that will be caused by this project are unavoidable.
The release of particulate matter (PM2.5) is unsafe at any level of exposure and will significantly increase adverse effects on human health in the community.
The Federal Review Panel also concluded that more than 200 mitigation conditions were required to avoid other significant adverse effects from this project. Shockingly, only a handful of them enforceable by the Federal Government.
There are also many unanswered questions about CN plans with the remaining 800 acres after building its new 400-acre facility.
Citizens must not be the sacrifice for CN's project.
Minister Wilkinson, you are quoted on Twitter saying, "Help us build a healthier, fairer, and more resilient future that we can be proud to pass on to our children and grandchildren." Prime Minister Trudeau stated, "Canadians don't have to choose between clean air and good jobs. This strengthened climate plan will help us build a healthier, fairer, and more resilient future that we can be proud to pass on to our children and grandchildren." We, as Canadian citizens and residents of Halton, want to believe those statements to be truthful. However, approving the CN logistic hub makes us see those statements are only relevant in chosen situations and do not include us. We ask, where is the fairness in that? We consider all Canadians' health and lives matter, and we believe you do too! Please make that a truthful statement for all Canadians inclusively.
As Halton residents, we feel unheard and undervalued. We have great concern for ourselves and more importantly for our children and the generations to come. We see that they, more than us, will suffer the cumulative impacts of this development. The responsibility is yours, Hon. Minister Wilkinson and ours, to prevent that impact and protect lives, all lives.
It's essential to know communities are becoming informed and knowledgeable of the prevailing concerns and issues. We have significant concern over this development; please know we are watching. We are watching CN, and we are watching elected officials. We ask all politicians and elected representatives to hold the best interest in our lives and future generations. We must be heard loud and clear.
We hold our Government accountable for the decisions made, and we expect the decisions to be made in the best interest of our health and future—each of us inclusively! We are currently living in a time of a World Wide pandemic, where the health issue of Covid-19, has put many peoples’ lives on hold. How can we show that a health issue is critical, yet the CN yard's lifetime impact is not given more significant consideration towards a community?
We believe your words to be truthful, and we now ask you, to help us build a healthier, fairer, and more resilient future that we can be proud to pass on to our children and grandchildren.
Please for the sake of our children and grandchildren reverse your decision on the CN hub.
Your family and my family all deserve better.
Sincerely,
Rita Vogel Post
Milton RAIL, Residents Affected by Intermodal Lines
Please send an email to our elected officials to express your views on the decision. If you have questions, please send those as well.
List of email addresses and sample letters are on our website, however you are encouraged to write a letter in your own words. Everyone in your household may submit a letter. We have received copies of emails from youth in our community as well!
Interview Question 1:
Minister Wilkinson had been quoted saying, "Help us build a healthier, fairer, and more resilient future that we can be proud to pass on to our children and grandchildren.” When he said, “our” we question if he included all Canadians or only a select group. Please expand and help us understand this double standard.
Question 2:
On January 21, 2021 our Canadian Government made history, as this is the first time a Federal Review Panel has determined that a project will have significant adverse effects on human health yet approved the project. Our Federal Government, our Cabinet has for the first time ever, approved a project that would harm human health in ways that cannot be mitigated. How can our Government consciously leave such a devastating legacy for future generations in Halton Region?
Interview Question 3:
Who will be monitoring and enforcing the “Conditions: on the yard? Will our Government be setting assigning the role to a member in government? Will this be added to the regulations in the Canadian Transportation Act? Where is our guarantee that this will not be taken away from us in the future? We understand that currently there are not enough officers at the CTA to monitor rail lines, we are justified in asking who will be looking our for our community? CN cannot monitor themselves, you can’t leave the fox to watch the hen house.
Interview Question 4:
Will our government be setting up a fully funded program to 100% compensate people who are impacted by the intermodal activity?
Significant adverse impacts on human health due to hub activity have been determined.
The approval conditions placed by Minister Wilkinson are not enough, your current announcement may shoehorn CN into the community, allowing some to believe we did our best.
Hon. Minister Wilkinson please do your best and reverse your approval. #SayNO2CNhub
Just do it—future generations will forever appreciate the legacy you leave.
