Reality check: David Tilson’s mega quarry

MP David Tilson (Dufferin–Caledon) has been up 27 times so in the House of Commons in the last year in opposition to a controversial megaquarry to be built in his riding. He has submitted twenty-six petitions from his constituents.

The area is the headwaters for four major river systems and Constituents are concerned about digging below the water table in an environmentally sensitive region.

What is this backbench Conservative MP asking for? He is demanding the Conservatives conduct an environmental assessment before the company gets the go-ahead to start digging.

MP Tilson wrote to Environment Minister Peter Kent (May 20 and June 29, 2011) asking for an environmental assessment. On June 24, 2011 the megaquarry company wrote to MP Tilson and Minister Kent discouraging a federal assessment.

And what did the Minister decide?

Side with a Conservative MP representing his constituents? Or listen to a company wanting to fasttrack this project in this environmentally sensitive area?

“The Agency has determined that no federal environmental assessment is required.”
– Environment Minister Peter Kent, July 29, 2011. (Source: http://scr.bi/Ot9ZHe)

With the Conservatives’ Trojan Horse Budget Bill gutting our system of environmental assessments and reviews even further, we hope MP Tilson will stand up for his constituents and vote against bill C-38.