Oxford MPP Ernie Hardeman sent four open letters since election
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Can an open letter push the envelope for change?
Oxford MPP Ernie Hardeman thinks so, for two reasons.
Since the provincial election in mid-June, the veteran politician has sent four open letters to ministries overseeing controversial issues. including wind turbine projects, proposed landfills and air quality in Beachville.
"During the election, one of the questions that came up during the (all candidates) meeting about the landfill was what was the first thing we are going to do if we became the member," Hardeman said.
Although Hardeman said he is constantly talking in the house, asking the questions, demanding answers and communicating to the ministries through formal channels, the public isn't always aware of his efforts.
"You can talk to ministers in the house, and it isn't so different but it's more visible," he said. "(When you write an open letter) you know the public is aware of what we are doing," he said.
Immediately following the election, Hardeman and his team drafted their first letter to then-Environment Minister Jim Bradley.
The gist of the short letter was to call on Bradley's office to put an immediate stop to the application process of the mega landfill at Carmeuse Lime just outside Beachville.
"When we sent the first one the ministry came over and talked to me in the house about the situation. It seemed to create an impact...so I suppose that is why we kept doing it," he said.
A followup to that letter also calling for a stop to the dump application process and a short synopsis of the fight against the landfill -and air quality monitoring problems -was sent to new Minister of Environment Glen Murray in late June.
Hardeman said he did receive some information requested about recent air quality testing in Beachville from the ministry just prior to a public meeting held last week. That information was released at the Oxford County held work plan meeting to inform the public about the details air quality testing to be completed over the next year.
"Because of the seriousness of air quality... we decided to do it with open letters, so the public knows what is happening and there's a little more pressure on the minister to answer," he said.
He followed the public meeting by sending another open letter to the minister of environment and climate change calling for an explanation about missing air quality monitoring data between 2003 and 2013.
"They either have that data or they don't and we're aware that there is gaps in it but we want to know when those gaps are and what happened after them," he said. "People who live and work in the area deserve to see that data."
Hardeman is hopeful he will receive a response with the missing data.
Although he feels he's made some headway with the minister of environment and climate change, the minister of energy is another story.
Earlier this month, Hardeman sent an open letter to Bob Chiarelli, minster of energy, regarding the proposed wind turbine project on Gunn's Hill.
Hardeman didn't mince words, saying it was "unacceptable that approvals such as this one do not require municipal approval and public consent."
He called on the ministry to make the proponents of the project Prowind Canada more accountable to provide accurate proposals and to provide missing information about the project.
He isn't holding his breath on an answer.
"That one is more about following the program (Green Energy Act) the way they designed it. The problem is it is flawed," he said. "Hopefully he will reply but I don't expect to get a lot of helpful information."