Saturday, March 09, 2013

Randy Hillier On Wind: Hypocritical In How Many Ways?

I count at least two:

KINGSTON - If Amherst Island residents opposed to a planned wind project resort to trying to slow down construction by obstruction, their provincial representative says he will be there to support them.

“(Non-violent) civil disobedience is an acceptable means in the right situations,” said Randy Hillier, MPP for Lanark-Frontenac-Lennox and Addington.

“Should those situations arise, absolutely I’ll be there.”

The first is that not three months ago Randy was lambasting the Ontario Liberals for not cracking down on the Idle No More protesters:

McGuinty states"In our democracy, we do not direct the police, that would be inappropriate" Either Dalton does not understand his responsibility or is purposely skirting it. The legislature directs police by passing laws and appointing judges and Police to enforce them. Here's my advice - any protest that unduly interferes with economic activity and harms or injures people or property, is no longer a protest but a criminal activity.

...and of course now here he is, condoning and encouraging what by his own definition amounts to criminal activity.

The second is that Randy is the guy who founded the Ontario Land Owners Associationfor chrissakes, their mission being to ensure that the property rights of Ontario land-owners are respected and protected. This presumably includes the right to host a wind turbine should you so choose.  Because nobody on Amherst Island is being forced to put one of these things on their lawn.  They're getting compensated for it, and I hear quite handsomely too.  But No.  For Randy, apparently, there are landowners and there are landowners.  Use your farm to sell illegal milk, and you're in; use it to generate green energy, and Randy will stand with the mob of NIMBYS that's trying to shut you down.

6 comments:

Unknown said...

Go to an Ontario Landowners meeting and they will tell you that you DO have the right to do what you want with your land as long as it does NOT interfere with your neighbours right to use and enjoy their land. There is no right to put a turbine on your property if it inteferes with your neighbours ability to sleep on their property. If actions on your property interfere with your neighbours ability to use and their propery they have the right to take you to court.

bigcitylib said...

We're not talking taking anyone to court here, are we? So far Mr. Gillespie and co have come up snake eyes in that venue.

Unknown said...

Yes landowners are being taken to court. Leaseholders have been named in lawsuits in Prince Edward County, Stayner, LaSalle and Dover

BlastFurnace said...

I'm not against windmills per se, although I recognize that they are only part of the overall solution. But this more than fails even a basic sniff test.

bigcitylib said...

I know that Dan. But in this case we're talking illegal acts; not working through the court system.

Anonymous said...

Strange comment by Dan.
Today in the Fort McMurray area landowners who are extracting bitumin from the tarsands are having a huge amount of knock on effects on their neighbours thanks to seepage. Yet the federal Tories are all for that. Why?
Because people can do exactly what he insists they can't do on their own property. Your neighbour's right to enjoy their property is not paramount in a legal sense, ever lived next door to a feedlot, a hog farm, a quarry etc? If you endanger them then that is different.