An open letter from Climate Action Muskoka to the District of Muskoka council:
Good morning, Chair Lehmann, Mayors and members of Muskoka District Council,
Pursuant to the discussion that took place at the December 7, 2023 Committee of the Whole on the 2024 District Budget with respect to climate change, we would like to highlight the results of the District’s own recent GHG Public Survey (2023) on climate action and climate spending (see stats below). During the discussion, councillors made multiple comments suggesting that it is the community that needs to lead with respect to climate action. We disagree.
Results of the survey clearly indicate that the public wants and expects you, our elected leaders, to act on climate to increase our local ambition in “transitioning away from fossil fuels in energy systems, in a just, orderly and equitable manner” as agreed to today by nearly 200 countries at COP28 in Dubai.
The results of last summer’s survey indicate that a significant majority of the Muskoka citizenry is not only ready to spend their own money on climate initiatives, but also wants to see local governments spend more on climate initiatives in line with holding global heating to no more than 1.5C. We need to see Muskoka District Council “Tackling the Change”. Once again Climate Action Muskoka requests that you:
- set up a specific Climate Change Reserve Fund in the 2024 Budget as called for in A New Leaf: Muskoka’s Climate Strategy initiative from 2020
- fund the hiring of one, better two, full-time staff who have climate experience and training to support the Climate Initiatives Coordinator in rolling out the upcoming District community GHG reduction plan promised for early 2024
Results of Muskoka’s Public Greenhouse Gas survey Summer, 2023:
368 surveys completed
68% of participants are extremely concerned about climate change in Muskoka in the future.
85% of participants think it is important for the Muskoka community to act on climate change
85% of participants are willing to spend their money on a climate change related initiative
***65% of participants think that local governments should be spending more taxpayer money on initiatives related to climate change***
peggy tupper says
it goes without saying that if you send out surveys to your members, the responses will agree with your agenda. Electric heating is the kiss of death when it comes to selling your house. Natural gas or propane is the way to go. I am strongly opposed to any tax dollars going to an organization that is essentially a “climate religion”. In other words, do not confuse them with facts, their minds are made up.
John Whitty says
You are wasting your time attempting to teach District councillors about facts in order to have them do the right thing.
District councillors are very poor students.
They are not interested in facts from the competent, only bunk from the unqualified and incompetent.
“The sheer stupidity of the District’s decision to permanently close runway 09/27 despite consistent, overwhelming opposition from many qualified and credible sources is shocking ”
Search “Muskoka Airport decision mind-boggling, says reader.”
It is documented that Transport Canada, the Transportation Safety Board, Environment Canada, Cessna (aircraft manufacturer), airline and local pilots have all thoroughly debunked the misinformation presented to council leading to their obvious mistake.
Even the latest and earlier consultants stated maintaining 09/27 was the best plan for the airport going forward.
Doesn’t matter.
All those with any competence were ignored.
A number of ruses and a plethora of misinformation was used to dupe councillors into making a disastrous decision for the airport’s present and future.
Why would the incompetent resort to bunk to push an initiative past council?
1. Because it works. At least in Muskoka.
2. Because the facts do not support the initiative at all.
To be fair, not all councillors were fooled, just the majority.
Don’t be surprised the District closes a road in front of your place because a single business wants to build right on top of it instead of beside it like everyone else where there is plenty of room.
The above is all documented here including video links to those presenting absolute bunk to council.
https://johnwhitty3.wordpress.com/2023/07/11/snake-oil-salesmen-selling-to-the-gullible/
Are all District decisions based on bunk?
John Whitty says
You are wasting your time.
If a coal company went in front of this District council and said burning coal produces zero GHG and that opening a coal mine right beside one of the lakes would have zero effect on the environment or the neighbours this council would blindly approve.
Unlike a previous enlightened council that listened to the competent instead and did the right thing.
https://johnwhitty3.wordpress.com/2023/07/11/snake-oil-salesmen-selling-to-the-gullible/
Garth Elliot says
After years of watching, I believe many Councillors do not care about their responsibilities. Many do not know what they are talking about and obviously have not done their homework. They are there just for themselves…. for, prestige, money, and the friendship of important people such as the wealthy and developers.
Some of our mayors are pathetic but -being full of themselves-delight in hearing themselves speak. Little do they realize how ill-informed they are. They make a parody of good governance.
There is much anger seething under the surface in Muskoka. Many citizens have given up after years of junk logic demonstrated by many of those “glorious” people elected into authority over us.
Little wonder that “consultants” thrive by signing on to support illogical decisions in places like Muskoka. “Developers” (Better labelled as destroyers rather than developers?) find easy prey in such places where the end result determines how guile is to be used.
In Muskoka one can lie to Council and never get called out for doing so.
I have yet to meet or listen to a truly impressive “District Chair”. But they are not elected by the public. They are elected by Councillors. Do we really expect such an assemblage to serve the electorate?
A truly prize-worthy brain-dead circular thinking comment (I have it on video) by one councillor essentially says “We pay them (consultants) to tell us what to do and therefore we should do what they say we should do”.
May the lords of wisdom forever protect us from such stupidity.