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OpeningStatement
EstherWrightmanERTCase#13-102to13-104
NextEraAdelaideWindProjectOct152013
Thisisntahearing.
Literally,thewordhearing.Itmeanslistening.IfIwastoldthatmytestimonywasnottobeheard,2monthsago,Iwouldntbestandinghere.
Diligently,Ibroughttogether11witnessesfortheEnvironmentalReviewTribunal
tohear.Thiswasmydutytodemonstratetothepanelhowthewindturbines
wouldaffectthehealthandsafetyofmycommunity.
Overhalfofthewitnesseswereexperts...Doctors,engineers,acousticians,appraisers...fromOntario,Michigan,NewYork,Chicago,Australia....
Essentiallyallbut2ofthe11havebeen,orwillbe,eliminatedorseverelyrestrictedinwhattheyspeakto,bythislegalsystem.
Andsoitisnolongerahearing,fortheobviousreasonthatthereisnownothingtohear.Icantwrapmymindaroundhowthiscanbeagoodthingfordemocracy.
After2andhalfmonthsoforganizingthisappeal,witnesses,schedules,statements,
motionsetc.,Iamhavingtheseexpertschoppedofffrommyappeal,likealeghere
andarmthereremoved,forreasonsnotgiven.OftheremainingmotionsthattheMOEandNextErahaveonme,Idontexpecttobeabletowinthemeither,forthe
sameERTundisclosedreasons.
Fromhereon,Iwontparticipateinthemotionpartofthishearinganymore.Im
donewithit;itsafarce.Iwontforcemyremainingwitnessestobedegradedandhumiliatedinthismanner.Actually,ImhandingoverthisboxofmotionstotheERT.
Idontwanttheminmyhome;Iamshockedbywhattheyrepresent.
Almosttoopersonally,IrealizethatlikeaSLAPPsuit,thisishowtheproponentand
thegovernmentchoosetowinanappeal:withintimidationandoverwhelming
actionsagainsttheappellants.Thatiswhatmostwouldcallbelowthebelt.
Whynotfaceme,itsonlyme,andthecaseIvebroughtforward?Whynotjustsitdownandlisten,ifthereasonistomakesureallinformationisheardsoan
informeddecisioncanbemade?
Ihaventthetime,resourcesorwilltodothesameagainsttheMOEandNextEra.I
couldripaparttheirwitnessesjustthesame,butwhatsolutionwouldthatbetothis
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problemhowwouldthatprotectmycommunityandwildlifeinmyhabitat?My
goalwasnttolimittestimony;itstohavetestimonyHEARD.
WhatthishasshownmeisthatthereisnowayanaverageOntarioresidentcanfileanappealsuccessfully.Eveniftheyjumpthroughthemonthsofobstaclesplaced
beforethem,theywillstillbebroughtdownatthelasthurdle,whichwasformelastFriday.InordertoputallmyenergiesintothisappealIhadtostopworkingforthemonths
needed.Ithoughtthiswouldbedo-able,worthwhile.Imean,thisismyhomeand
myfamily,it'swortheverything.Ithought,Esther,youknowthisprojectinsideoutafterover4years.Youcandothis.Youhavetodothis.
Theburdenofproofwaslaidonme,toshow95%certaintythatthisprojectwill
seriouslyharmsomeoneinthetownshipofAdelaideMetcalfeproofbeforeit
happens.
SoItried,withwhatIbelievewasaverygoodshotatit.Wonderfulprofessionalsrecognizedmylackoffundsandofferedtohelphelpnotjustme,buthelpthecommunityandhelptheERTpanelgraspthesituation.
Butthenmotionswerethrownatme,equallybytheMOEandNextEra.(Amazingly,
nonewerethesame!Howdidyouguysdothat,withoutoverlapping,without
duplicating--withoutcollusion?SurelyyoubothhadthesameissueaboutMr.LansinkandMr.McCann.OraboutDr.Pierpont?OrWilliamPalmerandRick
James!)
TothinkthatthewinddeveloperandtheMinistryofEnvironmentaresoclosely
linked,beddedtogether,soastostrategicallydesignmotionstogether,againstcitizensfilingappeals,begsthequestion:Howlegalisthisforourgovernmenttodo?
Asaresidentbringingforwardthisappeal,itappearedtosomethatmyapproachwaslikesandinthewheelsofjustice.
IlaughedwhenIheardthis.Maybe,Ithought.Myun-lawyerlyconductcouldseem
likethegritofsandinsuchasmoothlyfunctioningsystem.
WakinguponSundaymorningitoccurredtomethat,no,thisisntsoatall.Justiceis
definedasthequalityofbeingfairandreasonable.
ThisisntjusticethatIdisturbed!Notatall!Actually,itstheopposite!Iwasasking
forjusticewishingthattheERTwouldhonorandrespectthequalityofbeingfairandreasonable.
Myobjectionswhatwasperceivedtobemygritweredirectedatthemotionsandordersthatwereunjust.
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Ifalawisunjust,wroteThomasJefferson,amanisnotonlyrighttodisobey;heis
obligatedtodoso.
Itwasntonlymewhofeltthestingfromthesemotions.Theexpertwitnesseswereappalled;theyhadneverknowngovernmentandlegislatorstoactinthisway.
IquotefromChicagoAppraiserMr.MikeMcCann:Thisisafirstforme.Ihavetestifiedatwellover100hearings,trials,depositions,committees,etc.,andhave
neverbeenbarred(orfailedtoqualify)...noteven1time.Denialoftherightto
presentexperttestimonyisimproperanddisturbingonmanylevels,notleastofwhichisthedeviationfromfundamentalprinciplesofdemocracy.
Mikewastospeaktohumanhabitatdestructionsomethinghecouldquantifyby
thestudiesheandBenLansinkhaveundertakeninWindprojectareas.
ButtheERTcontinuedtorefertothistestimonyaslossofpropertyvalue.Idont
evenOWNproperty!SohowcouldIbeappealingonpropertyvalueloss?IwasspeakingtohumanhabitatlossIdontbelievethisisacomplicatedconceptthathumanbeings,Homosapiens,haveahabitat.Thatpeoplearebeingforcedfrom
theirhomestheirhabitat.HowisthisanydifferentfromTURTLEhabitatloss?TheERTacceptsthatasareasontohaltaproject,buttheywontevenlistentoitfor
humans?
Mr.McGuintyseemedtounderstandthiswhenitcametogasplants,admitting,"In
OakvilleandMississauga,wewerefacedwithacircumstancewheregasplantsweresitedrightnexttoschools,condominiumtowers,familyhomesandahospital.That
wasn'tright."
Wow!LetmerewordthisandseeifKathleenWynnecouldsayitthisway:"In
Adelaide-Metcalfe,wearefacedwithacircumstancewherewindturbinesaretobe
sitedrightnexttoschools,farms,familyhomesandworkplaces.Thatisntright."
Itsthesamehabitatdestruction.Infacttherewillbe11windturbineswithin2kmofmykidsschool.Doesanyonewanttohearaboutthat?Icantbelievethenumber
ofbacksIhaveseenwhenaskingforhelpinprotectingthissensitiveenvironment
whereourchildrenspendahugeportionoftheirdevelopingyears.
IllreadanexcerptfromaletterfromBillTucker,waybackin2009.Inmyposition
asDirectorofEducationfortheThamesValleyDistrictSchoolBoardmymainresponsibilityisthesafetyofourstudents.TheproximityofAdelaideW.G.
MacDonaldSchooltothisproposedprojectmakesitverymuchmyconcern.AndsoitshouldbetheMOEs,NextErasandtheERTsconcernaswell.
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AlsostruckwerethetestimoniesofBenLansink,aqualifiedappraiser.Entirely.WilliamPalmer,anengineerwhoisboundbyhisprofessiontoalertpublic
authoritiesifheknowsorsuspectsthatthepublicmaybeatriskofharm.Not
allowedtospeaktothat,either.
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LarrySwart,aresidentaffectedbytheturbinesnearForestinLambtonCounty.He
didntwishtoreleasehispersonalhealthrecords:includingeverydoctorsnote,everyprescriptiontakenetc.Andheisbarredfromspeakingbecauseofthis.
Seriously?Cantevenbeheardwithoutdisclosingthisextremelyconfidentialinformationtoahordeoflawyerstopickthroughandcrossexaminehim?Itisnot
evenfilteredthroughadoctorfirstjuststraighttothelawyers?Butthistacticisgoodforthegovernment;itdecimatesthenumberofpeoplewillingtospeakabouthowtheywereaffectedbythewindturbines.Limitstestimony.
Iseeapatternemerging.
Imembarrassed.ThisisOntario,notsomeThirdWorldcountry.Wethinkwehave
democracy.Thishearingdemonstrateswedont.
ItshowstheERTcannotaccommodatetheneedsofordinarycitizensinrural
Ontario,whoaretrickedintobelievingtheyactuallyhaveanopportunitytoappealawindturbineapprovalbyourprovincialgovernment.
Asfortheideaoftransparencyofthesehearings,andtheabsolutefuryIraisedwhenIaskedthatthehearingbevideotapedtoaccommodateapersonwitha
learningdisability.Notonlywasthisrequestthrownoutintothepublicforum,itwasactuallygoingtobeforcedtobeDEBATEDwiththeopposingparties.
Sincewhendoesarequestforaccommodationforadisabilitygoupfordebate?AndwhenIrefusedtofollowthedisrespectfulprocessoftheERT,ofbeggingthe
MOEandNexteratoallowforvideotapingforthosewithdisabilities,theretaliationbyNextEraslawyerswasastonishing.
Mr.Mahoneysaidthatifthehearingweretoberecorded,wemayhavetomakeacourtapplicationagainsttheERT.Anotherthreat.Morebullying.Icanactuallyfeel
fortheERThere;thisiseerilysimilartotheSLAPPsuitandthepileofbogus
motions.
Iamfedupwithallthelegalthreatsfromthesewindcompanies.ImatthepointthatIlljusttellthemtogetinline,andyoucanquarreloverthepenniesIhave.
Therealissueisthefactthatthishearingisgoingahead,voidofaccommodatingthe
public.
LateronFridayIreceivedaletterfromNextEraslawyersaddressedtotheERTs
AccessibilityCoordinator,tryingtoinfluenceherdecisiononwhethertoallowvideotaping.
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Partoftheirargument:
Aretheyserious?Iaskforvideotapingforaccommodationofapersonsdisability,andpartoftheobjectionisthatitwillcreateathreateningenvironmentfor
NextEraandtheMOE?ThethreatofTRUTH?
Thiswholeprocesshasbeenbarrierafterbarrierformetotryandgetover.Endless,callousbarrierstojustice.
AlongthewayyouhaveallwitnessedsomethingsIjustcantdo:Icantafford
courierstobringdocumentstoyourdoorstepinonedaystime.NorcanIaffordto
printthousandsofdollarsworthofwitnessstatementsforeachoftheparties.Orevenfathomthepriceofrealvideoconferencing.Really,ifitwasntforthe
generosityofthewitnesses,Iwouldnthavehadtheopportunitytobringthem
forwardeither.
Accesstojusticeshouldbeabasicright.Justlikehealthcareandeducation.
SincethisisthegovernmentsdecisionImappealing,Iironicallycantevenapply
forlegalaide.
Wespedalongthisappealprocess,barelyabletokeepupwiththearbitrarydeadlines.deadlinesforwho?Theaffectedresidents?Nope.Deadlinestosatisfy
thewinddevelopersneedtoquicklyconstructtheirturbines.Onceagainthesystem
issetuptorunfortheneedsofcorporations,andtheirlawyers,nobodyelse.
Sowhenaresidentcantaffordthetensofthousandsofdollarsneededtoappealaproject,or2or3,shouldtheyjustquit?Walkawayfromtheirrights?
IfIcantorganizeanappeal,andfightaheapofmotionSLAPPsatthesametime,inseveraldays,shouldIbedisqualified?
Orshouldtherebeaseriouslookhadatthisprocessthatisfailingtheresidentsitssupposedtogivetheopportunitytoappealto?
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Isupposewhatupsetsmethemostisthatitisourlivesyouareplayingwith.
Notjustmine,itsmykidslives.Itsmyhusbands,andparentslives.
Itsmynextdoorneighbours,andthekidsthatgotoAdelaideW.GMacDonaldschool.Itsourland,itsourwildlife.Itstheeaglesnestandthebats.ItclearlyisnotNextEra,orKathleenWynneslifehanginginthisappeal.
Withthestrokeofapen,somanyliveswerealtered.Ivetriedinvaintoinformthegovernmentabouttheriskthatthisprojectwillposeonusandourenvironment,
butIamunabletobreakthroughyetonemorebarrier.theEnvironmentalReviewTribunalitself.