Residents, Ont. NDP leader rally against Dresden landfill
A community effort to keep a landfill out of Dresden was met with support on Thursday by the leader of the Ontario NDP.
Marit Stiles backed the cause at a rally against the landfill and the provincial government's passing of Bill 5.
'This is a prime example of a government and a premier making another promise and commitment and breaking it,' Stiles told those at the rally in Dresden.
Led by Stiles, a crowd of more than 100 people chanted 'kill Bill 5,' which paved the way for a long-dormant landfill to be revived without the need for an Environmental Assessment.
070325
Ontario NDP leader Marit Stiles met with Dresden residents and stakeholders against the revival of the dump site. (Robert Lothian/CTV News Windsor)
The Ford Government pushed through the 'Protect Ontario by Unleashing our Economy Act,' at the tail end of the spring sitting.
On Thursday, representatives from Walpole Island First Nation, the Kent Federation of Agriculture and PSAC spoke openly against the legislation.
'You are going about this in bad faith, and you are not proving to us that you are a trusted proponent,' said Leela Thomas, Chief of Walpole Island First Nation.
York1 Environmental Solutions is seeking to revive an old landfill site on Irish School Road on the northern tip of Dresden, supposedly for a construction and demolition materials recycling facility.
Rhonda Jubenville, the area representative for the Municipality of Chatham-Kent said they have had little correspondence with York1.
'They haven't applied for any zoning applications or anything, so we've heard zero, nil, nothing,' Jubenville said.
In recent weeks, construction equipment was dropped off at the landfill site. Chatham-Kent has instructed by-law officers to monitor the site for any potential infractions.
070325
Chatham-Kent residents Wendy Lewis, left, and Dawn Ostler attended a rally in Dresden against a proposed landfill. (Robert Lothian/CTV News Windsor)
'I do worry for the people of Dresden and the surrounding area, along with the impact of the land and farms, the tributaries like the Sydenham and Molly's Creek and the air and all of the wildlife who call these places their home,' Jubenville noted.
Absent from the crowd was Steve Pinsonneault, the Lambton-Kent-Middlesex MPP, who represents Dresden.
Pinsonneault has previously spoken out against the proposed landfill on social media but has faced backlash for his frequent silence since the Ford government's reversal .
He chose to abstain from voting on Bill 5 rather than casting a vote against it.
'Steve Pinsonneault, show up and do your job buddy, we're waiting,' yelled Stefan Premdas of Dresden C.A.R.E.D, standing beside Stiles.
A spokesperson for the MPP's office told CTV News in an emailed statement Pinsonneault had funding announcements and scheduled committee meetings in London.
'While he was not able to be there in person, MPP Pinsonneault remains engaged with the concerns raised by the community and continues to monitor the situation closely,' said Michelle Dwyer, his executive assistant.
While the legislation has passed, Stiles encouraged residents to continue their fight against the landfill until it is permanently stopped.
'[Doug Ford] introduces a bill, he lies, he lies again, and then we build the public pressure, and he repeals the bill, so this is what we've got to do again,' Stiles said.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
CBC
an hour ago
- CBC
Independent MLAs say work has already begun to rebuild Progressive Conservative Party
Two independent Alberta MLAs revealed more details on Saturday about their work to resurrect the Progressive Conservative brand that held government in Alberta for 44 years. After announcing their plan to re-register the Progressive Conservative Association of Alberta earlier this week, Peter Guthrie and Scott Sinclair held what they billed as an official relaunch of the party in Calgary on Saturday. They explained their aim is to offer an alternative conservative voice that falls closer to the political centre than the governing United Conservative Party or the opposition NDP. Work has already begun, the MLAs explained, to secure signatures to register the party. But Alberta's PC revival isn't official just yet. The party will need to secure 8,819 signatures, representing 0.3 per cent of the province's voting population, by late November. Guthrie argued their push for a new party is to represent what he sees as the mainstream political beliefs of most people in the province, after hearing from a growing number of frustrated voters who felt they didn't have a political home in Alberta. "We have an NDP that seems to be focused on 20 to 30 per cent of the population on the left, and we have the UCP that seems to be focused on the same-sized group on the right," said Guthrie, a former infrastructure minister who's served as MLA for Airdrie-Cochrane since 2019. "Alberta is and always has been a progressive conservative province. One where people value responsible government." The governing UCP are no longer a real conservative party, Guthrie argued, and the PC party he's pitching will offer a more practical and principled voice, he said. Conservative credibility in opposition Guthrie and Sinclair have taken up the PC mantle after both were ousted from the UCP earlier this year. After serving as an MLA in the party for nearly six years, Guthrie resigned from Premier Danielle Smith's cabinet in February citing concerns with the government amid the controversy over procurement practices at Alberta Health Services (AHS). He was then expelled from caucus in April, after pushing for a public inquiry into the AHS issue. Sinclair, on the other hand, was a first-term MLA representing Lesser Slave Lake for the UCP, who was kicked out of caucus in March after publicly criticizing the provincial budget for forecasting significant deficits while spending too heavily on Alberta's major cities rather than its rural communities. Could the re-emergence of the PC Party divide Alberta's right? | The Political Panel 2 days ago Duration 8:19 Two former UCP MLAs are trying to start a new political party under the old Progressive Conservative brand. Scott Sinclair and Peter Guthrie say the United Conservative Party is 'way off base' with Albertans. The Political Panel weighs in on whether a revived PC Party could split the right-of-centre vote. Rob Brown is joined by Conservative strategist Erika Barootes, and Liberal strategist Sabrina Grover. Photo credit: X/PeterGuthrie99 Lori Williams, an associate professor of policy studies at Mount Royal University, said Guthrie and Sinclair are currently the most vocal, and possibly the most effective, opposition members in the legislature. Their status as former party members adds credibility to their criticism, Williams said, adding that regardless of how many seats their party wins, their critiques could be the largest challenge they present to the current government. "When a conservative is saying a conservative government is entitled and corrupt, that's going to resonate in a way that wouldn't for people who either don't have that inside information or that reputation for being committed, principled conservatives," Williams said. The viability of the PC label The Progressive Conservative brand is well-known for holding power in Alberta's legislature from 1971 to 2015, and being led by longtime premiers like Peter Lougheed, Don Getty and Ralph Klein. But its popularity dipped in its final years, and the party faced criticism for its perceived entitlement, leading to the party winning just nine seats in the 2015 Alberta election. Two years later, new party leader Jason Kenney struck a deal with the Wildrose Party to merge and form the UCP. Sinclair argued he and Guthrie have made principled stands resulting in their departure from the UCP, and he drew parallels between criticisms both the current provincial government and the PCs of old faced around excessive spending and investigations into the government. "We were asking questions about accountability, financial oversight, value for money, bloated contracts, and it got us exactly where we are today. I would say there are a lot of parallels between the late PC days … and talking about this existing premier," Sinclair said. But earlier this week, Smith threw cold water on whether the PC brand could legally be revived in Alberta. Smith argued elections law states new parties can't use the name of the former legacy parties that merged to form the UCP, to avoid confusing voters. "We expect the law to be followed, and we're going to be following up with Elections Alberta accordingly," Smith said. On Saturday, Guthrie said Elections Alberta made the party name available after the most recent provincial election. Earlier this week, an Elections Alberta spokesperson said the chief electoral officer would make a final determination on a party's proposed name during the registration process. While the new PC party could also take votes from the NDP if their supporters look for a different alternative to the current government, Alberta NDP Leader Naheed Nenshi said his party remains "the only choice for positive change" in Alberta. "The decision by these two former UCP MLAs to revive the PC party is another clear sign that Albertans are unhappy with this current UCP government and are demanding better for our province," said Nenshi in a statement on Wednesday. Guthrie and Sinclair expect to remain the party's only members until the party is officially registered, and aren't pushing for other MLAs to join. But they said they've had interesting conversations since their plans for their party were announced. There's no evidence more MLAs will follow Guthrie and Sinclair, Williams said, and the UCP is likely to work hard to keep its MLAs in the fold. But she noted the new party creates the possibility Smith may have to respond to a split in her party's centre. Williams points out that while no party outside the UCP and NDP have picked up significant support in polling or electoral results since the 2019 election, what could make the PC party different is if more credible people throw their support behind it, especially if any MLAs cross the floor, or join the party after being removed from the UCP like Guthrie and Sinclair were. "United Conservatives are not terribly united. They disagree on a lot of things. Some of them belong to parties previously that fought against one another in the legislature," Williams said.
National Post
2 hours ago
- National Post
Carney struggles to flip pancake at Stampede prompting an onlooker to say,' You're even worse ... than Trudeau'
Article content Prime Minister Mark Carney may be a deft hand when it comes to handling finances, but he proved Saturday that his flapjack flipping could use some work. Article content Carney attended a pancake breakfast Saturday hosted by the United Brotherhood of Carpenters, which attracted a crowd of about 200 people. Article content Article content Article content Think Carney has ever flipped a pancake before? — Bruce (@bruce_barrett) July 5, 2025 Article content Sizzling on a black, flat-top griddle, Carney slid his spatula under the first hotcake and flipped it, landing with a splat. Article content In an attempt to redeem himself, he tossed a second into the air, but it, too, landed lopsided and sent batter splatters into the crowd. Article content 'I was better in Ottawa,' Carney joked. 'I got a little cocky there. I'll take responsibility.' Article content Sliding the two pancake mishaps to the side, Carney said: 'These are mine. I'm not making anyone eat these.' Article content Article content 'He'd be like, 'Here's one I made earlier,'' said Carney, taking a perfectly-made pancake and placing it on the griddle. Article content One onlooker told the prime minister, 'You're even worse at (flipping pancakes) than Trudeau.' Article content 'There are certain things at my job I'm better at,' Carney quipped. 'I'm better at eating pancakes … I'm better at Eggo waffles.' Article content Article content 'The premier's here. I love your blue hat. It looks like you've got a whole collection,' Carney said. Article content 'I do and I can't wear the same colour all the time,' Smith said. 'But I hear you have a little work to do on your flipping skills.' Article content 'I do,' Carney replied. 'There's video evidence. I'm not going to deny it.' Article content Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre was also attending the breakfast, but waited in his vehicle until Carney left. Article content Smith told Carney that she and Ontario Premier Doug Ford were going to sign a memorandum of understanding on energy, priorities and trade. Article content 'It would be so great if we didn't have net-zero (carbon) rules,' Smith said. Article content Article content Fresh off door knocking in rural Alberta, Poilievre hosted his own barbecue at Heritage Park in southeast Calgary Saturday evening and addressed a tent full of several hundred party supporters.
National Post
2 hours ago
- National Post
Chris Varcoe: Carney says it's 'highly likely' an oil pipeline will make Ottawa's major project list
Article content Officials with Pathways Alliance declined to comment on Saturday. Article content Alberta's premier also showed up at Saturday's pancake breakfast, outside a United Brotherhood of Carpenters' hall, and briefly bumped into the prime minister. Article content In a later interview, Smith welcomed Carney's comments that an oil pipeline will likely make the federal list, and his remarks on the merits of the carbon capture initiative in the oilsands. Article content 'That's what I've been hoping to see,' Smith said. Article content 'I can see why our customers want a lower carbon product. It seems to me like those two projects together make perfect sense, and I'm hoping we can come to a deal on that.' Article content However, Smith believes several hurdles still need to be removed by the federal Liberal government before any new pipeline can gain the necessary investor and producer confidence. Article content This would include changing the federal emissions cap on the oil and gas industry, the Impact Assessment Act, and the tanker ban off the northern B.C. coast. Article content Carney said the federal government wants to see more oil and gas produced, and decarbonized, in Canada. He suggested there would be ways to build projects and deal with the tanker ban. Article content 'We're not going to have a project that gets oil to tidewater and it stays there.' Article content
