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November 30, 2000
Shape the future of water protection
The Walkerton Inquiry is about shaping the future as well as examining the
past.
Testimony at the Inquiry has referred to systemic problems at the MOE and
Walkerton PUC. They include staff cuts, lack of clarity in roles and
responsibilities of different government agencies, voluntary vs. mandatory
compliance and much more.
Commissioner O’Connor will address these issues in his final
recommendations. The government, with the Val Gibbons review of MOE practices,
is also examining different reforms.
For OPSEU to make a difference, we must look to the future as well. We must
bring forward ideas from front-line workers for improving the regulation,
enforcement and delivery of drinking water in Ontario.
At the same time, we won’t let the Harris government off the hook for its
destructive cuts which led to the tragedy in Walkerton.
Guiding Principles
OPSEU members, from the MOE and OCWA Ministry Employee Relations Committees (MERCs),
and staff have developed two guiding principles for our participation in the
Inquiry:
1. Safe drinking water in Ontario is, on the enforcement and regulatory
side of things, best delivered by a revitalized MOE.
2. The profit motive has to be removed from the management of this vital
public resource. Safe drinking water should be delivered by a new, not for
profit Ontario Clean Water Agency. Competitive bidding to operate water and
waste water treatment plants must be eliminated. It has led OCWA to cut
front-line staff, resulting in low morale and high stress levels and a concern
among front-line workers that maintaining current standards will be difficult
in the future.
Revitalizing the MOE Research Project
How can the MOE better fulfill its mandate to protect the environment? A
project team of MOE members from four professional areas will ask for ideas from
their colleagues.
For example, project team members from abatement will ask abatement staff for
suggestions about how to improve abatement policies and practices. The project
team members are:
Abatement - Rod Adams (York Durham District Office), Rhéal Delaquis
(Cornwall District Office)
IEB - Doug McDougall (Timmins District Office)
Tech Support - Mike Ladoceur (Kingston Regional Office), Greg Powers
(London Regional office)
Lab/Science - Dallas Takeuchi (Toronto lab), Bill Tobin (Toronto lab),
Dr. Tony Edmonds (Drinking Water, Wastewater and Watershed)
The project team will meet Dec. 4 to identify a list of topics and questions
they will consult the membership on. Possible topics are: staffing, training and
regulatory/policy/ procedure changes. To give suggestions, contact one of the
members listed above or e-mail mpark@opseu.org.
Our members’ vision for a revitalized MOE will be provided to Part 1B and
Part 2 of the Inquiry.
For Part 1B, we will explain where parts of that vision were dismantled by
government cuts and policy changes.
For Part 2, our members’ recommendations will contribute to the Inquiry’s
research on how Ontario’s drinking water system can be made safe for the
future.
Public water
OPSEU will co-author a research paper with the Canadian Environmental Law
Association (CELA) and CUPE on the need to keep Ontario’s water in public
hands. CELA represents the Concerned Walkerton Citizens group at the Inquiry.
Our paper will examine issues such as public accountability, health
protection, and infrastructure renewal. It will discuss examples of water
privatization in Ontario and other jurisdictions and suggest reforms for
improving the public management of drinking water.
This paper will be provided to the Inquiry for its research in Part 2 to
ensure Ontario’s drinking water is safe in the future.
OPSEU members have right to talk about
Walkerton Inquiry issues
The right of OPSEU members to talk to fellow members and their union about
issues concerning the Walkerton Inquiry has been re-affirmed.
Members in the Environmental Monitoring and Reporting Branch were concerned
that they were being prohibited to speak after they received a management e-mail
Nov. 9. It advised them "do not respond directly" to any requests of
information regarding the Walkerton Inquiry. This e-mail has likely been
circulated elsewhere in MOE.
OPSEU’s counsel wrote to the government Nov. 16 that such a directive could
constitute an interference with our right to represent our members generally,
and more specifically, as a party with standing at the Inquiry.
The Nov. 21 reply from the government’s counsel said: "My client did
not intend the e-mail...to be an interference with OPSEU’s right to represent
its members generally or represent its members as a party with standing at the
Inquiry."
As an OPSEU member, it is your right to speak about the Inquiry to your union
and your fellow union members.
Please post, distribute the
pipeline
Distribution is by e-mail only to members on our e-mail list, so please make
copies for OPSEU members in your workplace and/or post the pipeline on
your union bulletin board.
We have attempted to get one e-mail contact for each MOE and OCWA workplace.
To get on our e-mail list or talk to us about the Inquiry, contact Megan Park
at 1-800-268-7376 ext. 207 or mpark@opseu.org.
Check regularly www.opseu.org/walkerton/index.htm and the official Inquiry
website at
www.walkertoninquiry.com.
Original authorized by Leah Casselman, president
Return to Walkerton
Inquiry Index Page
