HawthorneVillager.com

What will the tax stream provided to Bramilton as a result of this?

I think we should organize a protest in front of Lisa Raitt's office since she is apparently not getting involved. Honestly??!! Thanks for nothing!!

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Jeff and Priscilla

Excerpt from the Article below:

"Among the slew of paperwork necessary for a $250 million project is the Environmental Assessment (EA), a process used to predict the environmental consequences of the proposal. Sean Finn, CN executive vice-president of corporate services and chief legal officer, said this will be filed on Monday and it could take up to a year before a decision is made. Finn added, submitting an EA requires all information to be made available for public access and consultation. CN has set up an information centre at 61 James Snow Parkway in Milton for this purpose, set to open Saturday, Mar. 28 at 9 a.m., and is making the information accessible on the website, http://www.cnmilton.ca.

http://www.insidehalton.com/news-story/ ... in-milton/

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John Pollard
Town Councillor (Ward 6)
ward6@johnp.ca
(647)921-2583
http://johnp.ca

I like your idea..

and what exactly are you going to protest? The fact the she has no role as minister?

" "There’s no decision point for us at all. From my understanding of the Railway Act there’s no decision point for the minister of transport in this issue. The federal EA (environmental assessment) is run by the Canadian Environmental Assessment Agency. That’s under the environment minster,” Raitt said Thursday morning in Milton."

or maybe that she wants CN to work with Council?

“CN has a responsibility, in my opinion, that they should work with the town council on the project,” Raitt said. “Regardless of whatever jurisdiction they fall in, they’re going to adhere to the federal jurisdiction. They’re going to submit their (environmental assessment) to (the Canadian Environmental Assessment Agency) that’s what they indicated today—I look forward to that—but they still have to deal with the town council and the region. And what I’m hearing from them is ‘We like a project, but we don’t like it there.’”

I don't mean to be mean, but when you use quotes (such as "not getting involved"), the quotes should be something a person actually said.

[/quote]and what exactly are you going to protest? The fact the she has no role as minister?

" "There’s no decision point for us at all. From my understanding of the Railway Act there’s no decision point for the minister of transport in this issue. The federal EA (environmental assessment) is run by the Canadian Environmental Assessment Agency. That’s under the environment minster,” Raitt said Thursday morning in Milton."

or maybe that she wants CN to work with Council?

“CN has a responsibility, in my opinion, that they should work with the town council on the project,” Raitt said. “Regardless of whatever jurisdiction they fall in, they’re going to adhere to the federal jurisdiction. They’re going to submit their (environmental assessment) to (the Canadian Environmental Assessment Agency) that’s what they indicated today—I look forward to that—but they still have to deal with the town council and the region. And what I’m hearing from them is ‘We like a project, but we don’t like it there.’”

I don't mean to be mean, but when you use quotes (such as "not getting involved"), the quotes should be something a person actually said.[/quote]

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I removed the air quotes, not that is makes much difference since making a statement like she did is basically washing her hands and any involvement she might have in the situation. She represents our town and she is the transport minister so I would have expected a stronger statement from her not just deferring to the environmental minister.

I feel she might better understand how upset people are about this if we all actually went to see her and then maybe she could at least lobby for our interests or at least make stronger statements when representing us

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Jeff and Priscilla

Everyone concerned should definitely protest and put pressure on Lisa Raitt. Although she does not have a role regarding the approval process with the federal environmental assessment from the Canadian Environmental Assessment Agency, she still has the ability to introduce legislation, (such as Bill C-52 just released this year), which amends the Canada Transportation Act and Railway Safety Act, to prevent them from locating in inappropriate areas to the surrounding community, especially when there is a very suitable alternative location. If she was really set against this, she has the power to propose an amendment to both Canada Transportation Act and Railway act, that will force CN to relocate its intermodal hub.

Lisa Raitt: Choose your side: Are you with CN? or do you stand behind the Town of Milton. If you are with us, then DO SOMETHING ABOUT IT!!!

CN: GO TO OUR (industrial) BACKYARD... GET OUT OF OUR (residential) LIVING ROOM!!!

Apparently I am in the minority - I haven;t jumped to either side. Simply don't know enough. It could be very bad, it could be very good. Milton needs something to bring more jobs to/near town, since Derry Green isn't moving too quickly, if at all. I still say the town should have been working with CN to build a rail serviced industrial park righyt after CN said they wanted that on their 1000 acres 7 years ago. Instead, time goes by, nothing is done, and when CN asks for the rail bridge to be extended so 2 tracks can be used in the future, no one seemed to ask why, and yet they were "blindsided" by the news this week.

Lisa Raitt said she first heard about it 6 months ago, yet no one at the town did? So, does town council not talk to the MP at all, or was she withholding the information - either way, example of very poor communication between town council and upper levels of government. Is it like this with the Provincial government as well?

I am not up in arms (at least not yet) about the potential Intermodal - it is a sympton of the issues we have as a town. Raitt will have to deal with her choices, but I am glad she isn't jumping to conclusions (if that is what she truly is doing - she could be simply playing politics and hiding a position.)

Could not agree more!!! It is also concerning that in one of the articles I read it stated "The minister said she first learned of CN’s plan for Milton about six months ago" (http://www.thestar.com/news/gta/2015/03 ... -plan.html). That is a long time to not come up with an action plan or solid position statement. Does not sound like she was too concerned about our interests at all.....

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Jeff and Priscilla

I honestly don't see how this could be any good for us given the current proposed location. There is currently an industrial area located near the 401 which would be a much more suitable location for this.... current location is close to residential areas, it makes no sense at all and will create a lot of traffic on residential streets. This facility is 400 acres and will likely only bring a few jobs....maybe hundreds (not the 1000 they are proposing) so given the size of this operation and the impact of its location on our town and residents, it is not very impressive. If this was located in a more suitable location, this would be a different situation. I also have a hard time believing they will not end up using the other 600 acres they own (as they currently own 1000 acres of land there). I can only imagine what plans they have in regards to that. I agree that there seems to be some major communication issues between the town council and the MP and that we probably don't have all the information but I still expected more from Lisa Raitt given that she is our local MP. As was previously highlighted, there are initiatives/options she could be pursuing if she was truly interested in supporting the residents she represents.....

Either way, I don't think the wait and see approach will do us any good

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Jeff and Priscilla

By doing nothing and not telling anyone in her riding that this was coming, is just insulting/disrespectful to the people she is supposed to represent. To make it worse, she is deferring the approval outcome to the Environmental agency, instead of taking it upon herself to pass legislation (Canada Transportation Act/ Railway act) to stop this disaster. Lisa Raitt should be held accountable for supporting the CN by being quiet for 6 months, and not doing anything about it now. There's an election coming up. I hope she remembers that and changes her attitude to start supporting Milton's interests.

Am I reading that correctly? You want her to create legislation based upon an unknown amount of people objecting to a planned building in one town (I don;t care it's where we live, the Federal government should NEVER pass legislation that only impacts a very small area, and you want her to also go around the existing laws and rules around Environmental Studies? Of course, I can bet if she had done that (or anyone for that matter), people would be up in arms about government corruption!

Some people talk about mandatory voting - let's go the other way and people have to pass a test on how government works before getting the right to vote.

Something everyone knows but fails to think and apply....we all have a boss, the higher up the ladder you are the more intense & WTF it gets.

Lisa may have been told to lay low and STFU.

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She should have brought this up 6 months ago so that she can at the very least propose legislation for consultation to the public on giving some power back to the region. You are right. I shouldnt have said 'pass legislation'... Without public input or information. I agree that it should not pass legislation that affects small areas or not consulting with the public. However, giving some power back to all the region/municipalities in canada can be a good thing for canada, especially when the rest of canada agrees.
But the first step is to gather information and propose this legislation. Most people dont even know that cn can bypass their city's laws/plans, when these regions/cities have their own environmental regulations and studies that may be more stringent/specific than the federal environmental study. I'm not saying to ignore the federal environmental study. I'm saying that its not enough. CN should pass both federal and municipal environmental regulations

CN held this land for 20 plus yrs? The town knew all along that it would be just amatter of time.....this topic was blogged about yrs and yrs ago.....get off your ass town council and plan for it......it will happen......speaking of BUFFERS.....why not apply the same to MATTAMY HOMES who seem to build at will , where ever 10 , 20 feet from major roads....

so much for BUFFERS.....stop your crying people its pathetic....its about jobs

2007 this topic was blogged to death........there is light at the end of the tunnel...its an oncoming train whoo whoo


this is what will happen......Mattamy will buy adjacent lands im sure , build a 50 foot wall for sound and build a million town homes along the tracks with no buffer....because the
town will allow it....and the people will BUY IT.....