McGuinty Liberal MPPs Vote to Override Local Families Concerned About
Industrial Wind Farms

TORONTO, April 28 /CNW/ -

    
    News:
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The Ontario PC Caucus today brought forward a motion that would protect families worried about Dalton McGuinty's plan to build industrial wind farms in their community without any local input, consultation or control. Tim Hudak and the Ontario PC Caucus have also raised these concerns in Question Period this week.

Through his sweeping so-called 'Green Energy Act,' Dalton McGuinty is overriding local concerns by placing wind farms in communities without their consent. Families in communities across Ontario are concerned about the health and environmental impacts.

When the Ontario PC Caucus introduced a motion that would once again give local municipalities the final say over whether or not they want to host giant industrial wind farms, the McGuinty Liberal MPPs in attendance unanimously voted the motion down, with many MPPs dodging the vote altogether.

    
    Quotes:
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"While Dalton McGuinty thinks he knows what's best for communities we believe local families deserve the final say."

-- Ontario PC Leader Tim Hudak

"Dalton McGuinty thinks he knows better than democratically elected local governments about what they should build in their own communities. Dalton McGuinty must stop trampling on the rights of municipalities and give them the final say over whether or not they host his industrial wind farms."

-- John Yakabuski, Ontario PC MPP for Renfrew - Nipissing - Pembroke and critic for Energy.

    
    Quick Facts:
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    -   Schedule A of the Green Energy Act empowers the McGuinty Government
        to overrule municipal by-laws and local concerns when locating
        industrial wind farms.

    -   Municipalities across Ontario have passed resolutions expressing
        significant concerns regarding the economic and environmental impact
        of industrial wind turbine technology being forced on them through
        the 'Green Energy Act'.

    -   A crowd of 500 concerned Ontario citizens participated in a Queen's
        Park rally against Dalton McGuinty's industrial wind farms.

    -   See the attached appendix for the list of Liberal MPPs who voted
        against giving local communities a say on Dalton McGuinty's
        industrial wind farms.

                                   Appendix
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On Wednesday April 28, 2010 the following motion was put forward in the Ontario Legislature by John Yakabuski, Ontario PC MPP, Renfrew-Nipissing-Pembroke, and Energy Critic:

That the Legislative Assembly of Ontario calls for a moratorium on all wind farm projects until an independent, comprehensive study of the health and environmental impacts of wind farms is completed and Premier McGuinty restores the planning authority governing them to municipalities and local boards. Addressed to the Premier.

The following Liberal MPPs either voted against giving local communities a say on Dalton McGuinty's industrial wind farms or skipped the vote entirely:

    
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    Voted Against the Motion             Skipped the Vote
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    Albanese, Laura                      Aggelonitis, Hon Sophia
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    Arthurs, Wayne                       Balkissoon, Bas
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    Berardinetti, Lorenzo                Bartolucci, Hon Rick
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    Bradley, Hon James J.                Bentley, Hon Christopher
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    Brown, Michael A.                    Best, Hon Margarett R.
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    Brownell, Jim                        Broten, Hon Laurel C.
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    Chan, Hon Michael                    Cansfield, Donna H.
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    Craitor, Kim                         Caplan, David
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    Dickson, Joe                         Carroll, M. Aileen
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    Duguid, Hon Brad                     Chiarelli, Bob
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    Hoy, Pat                             Colle, Mike
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    Jaczek, Helena                       Crozier, Bruce
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    Jeffrey, Hon Linda                   Delaney, Bob
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    Johnson, Rick                        Dhillon, Vic
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    Lalonde, Jean-Marc                   Dombrowsky, Hon Leona
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    Leal, Jeff                           Duncan, Hon Dwight
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    Mangat, Amrit                        Flynn, Kevin Daniel
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    Matthews, Hon Deborah                Fonseca, Hon Peter
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    McNeely, Phil                        Gerretsen, Hon John
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    Meilleur, Hon Madeleine              Gravelle, Hon Michael
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    Mitchell, Hon Carol                  Hoskins, Hon Eric
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    Moridi, Reza                         Kular, Kuldip
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    Murray, Glen R                       Kwinter, Monte
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    Naqvi, Yasir                         Levac, Dave
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    Orazietti, David                     Mauro, Bill
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    Pendergast, Leeanna                  McGuinty, Hon Dalton
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    Phillips, Hon Gerry                  McMeekin, Ted
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    Ramal, Khalil                        Milloy, Hon John
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    Ramsay, David                        Peters, Hon Steve
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    Rinaldi, Lou                         Pupatello, Hon Sandra
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    Ruprecht, Tony                       Qaadri, Shafiq
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    Sandals, Liz                         Sorbara, Greg
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    Sergio, Mario                        Sousa, Charles
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    Smith, Hon Monique M.                Takhar, Hon Harinder S.
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    Van Bommel, Maria
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    Wilkinson, Hon John
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    Wynne, Hon Kathleen O.
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    Zimmer, David
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For further information: Christine Bujold, [phone], [email protected]