Bonnie James – Local Journalism Initiative

LITCHFIELD – The MRC Pontiac’s Council of Mayors held a special meeting, April 29 at the MRC headquarters in Litchfield, with one item on the agenda: a newsletter concerning the Energy-from- Waste Initial Business Plan (IBP) and to set aside $3,000 from the warden’s travel budget to cover its printing and distribution.

It was standing room only, with two police cruisers parked across the street.

Tension filled the room from the start as Otter Lake Mayor Terry Lafleur opposed the motion to open the meeting stating they shouldn’t be having it. Waltham Mayor Odette Godin agreed.

The motion to open passed and MRC Warden Jane Toller explained the reason she called the meeting. “I felt we had unfinished business. We haven’t been able to communicate the results of the IBP to the entire MRC population. Only 2.5% of the population attended the town hall meetings,” she said, suggesting a newsletter was the most effective way of communicating the results to the entire population.

Lafleur cut Toller off asking: “Why don’t we just release the business plan? Or put our efforts toward getting permission to release it?” Toller responded that they haven’t been able to legally release the full IBP, and noted the many pages it contains.

The meeting then moved on to public question period with Toller saying questions and comments were to be on the newsletter and budget only and six people could speak for five minutes each.

Shawville activist Linda Davis questioned the limiting of what could be asked. Toller responded it’s the rule for special meetings. Toller and Davis continued to banter and when Toller tried to move on to the next speaker, Thorne resident Emma Hancock interjected: “No! Keep going, Linda!” so she continued. She asked if the proposal for the creation of the IBP had been checked by the MRC’s legal counsel prior to approval. MRC Director General Kim Lesage said it was reviewed internally.

Otter Lake Councillor Jennifer Quaile was next to speak. As soon as she began, Toller interrupted asking: “Is this a question? This doesn’t need to be personal. Please stick to the subject at hand.” Again, Hancock vocally objected to Toller’s interruption, at which point Toller got out of her chair, confronted Hancock and told her to leave. Hancock refused and was loudly supported by the crowd. Toller finally turned her attention back to Quaile, who asked Toller if she was looking for support to pursue a second business plan with the newsletter.

Toller said the priorities right now are improving recycling, starting major composting and working towards zero waste. She said there are no plans for another business plan as they have to find funding outside of the MRC’s budget. She mentioned the Outaouais and City of Gatineau are working together on waste management solutions through the Conférence des Préfets de l’Outaouais (CPO).

Several citizens spoke, predominantly asking the MRC to consider future generations in their decisions. Resident Pat Shank asked if an incinerator of any size is still on the table and Toller responded it is, along with many other options.

The Equity’s publisher, Charles Dickson, asked why Council wouldn’t invest the proposed $3,000 communications budget in the local media rather than a mailer. Toller said she already spoke to the Journal and advertising is being looked at in addition to the newsletter, with cost and reach being considered.

Mayor Lafleur asked if all information sources would be cited in the newsletter. Toller said the newsletter references the Ramboll and Deloitte companies, the main sources, and people can contact the MRC with questions. Lafleur expressed concern that by not listing the sources, the MRC was positioning itself as the information authority.

Lafleur went on to question the use of funds from the warden’s travel budget to finance the newsletter: “Use the media you have and save the money you weren’t supposed to spend in the first place.”

Several mayors proceeded to comment in a roundtable discussion. Fort-Coulonge Mayor Christine Francoeur said she wasn’t against informing the public, but the newsletter needed to be revised to include the sources and details about the newsletter budget prior to sending it out.

Litchfield Mayor, Colleen Larivière, said she had heard from residents across the Pontiac saying they don’t want an incinerator. She said many residents didn’t attend the town hall meetings because they were confident mayors would “do the right thing”.

Mansfield Mayor, Sandra Armstrong, agreed the communications budget should be spent with the local media and more information needed to be added to the newsletter. “People seem to not want this. They’re afraid. We need to take our time voting on things like this. We need to regroup and talk about it,” she added.

Bristol Mayor, Brent Orr, said “One page won’t even scratch the surface. We should put the whole thing [IBP] on the website.”

L’Isle-aux-Alumettes Pro-Mayor, Ivan Schryer, said the proposed newsletter is “totally biased to sell a product. If we put out a newsletter, let’s make it unbiased.”

Godin commented: “I hate coming to these meetings now. The mayors and communities are against each other; it’s just wrong. When will we be able to say it was an idea, we pursued it, and it’s done?”

Chichester Mayor Donnie Gagnon finally called the vote. The resolution was rejected 16 to 1, with only Portage-du-Fort Mayor Lynne Cameron voting in favour. Thorne had no representative at the meeting.