No positive results here

Well, that didn’t work.

I received an e-mail yesterday from Jon Bowen, who is the Director of Environmental Protection for the Department of the Environment, writing in response for the Premier. It was interesting in itself in that Mr. Bowen’s somewhat beaurocratic response to the issuing of a hazardous waste storage permit in the middle of a residential neighbourhood was part of the reason why I was complaining to the Premier.

Mr. Bowen offered to set up a meeting with himself and several department officials, as well as inviting the Bylaw Department of the city, since the approach of YTG is that the city should take action even though they were the ones who issued the permit. I responded that, since it was vacation time, I probably could not get all the neighbours notified of the meeting but would try to get as many as we could. I also stated that we would probably have legal counsel and may be inviting the press.

Mr. Bowen’s response was, sadly, that the offer of a meeting was extended to me personally and that, since the department was looking at this, they would not extend this to a public meeting. I’m presuming that the “me personally” thing probably meant he really didn’t want my lawyer present, either.

So, I’ve notified the local press and am preparing a press briefing kit with copies of all the correspondence. I’m also getting ready to get in touch with a few people at the Toronto Star who have an interest in some of our interesting governmental machinations. And, remember the lawyer thing…