What’s There Not To Like?

“What’s there not to like?” was farmer John Thompson’s comment when he spoke to Council on October 8th in support of approving the County’s Minutes of Settlment with Picton Terminals.  

Mr. Thompson said that he understood that Picton Terminals could ship grain without the settlement agreement and its requirement that the County apply for an MZO, but nonetheless, the settlement would make things much easier for Ben Doornekamp to, for example, build a road across his newly acquired property directly to Highway 49, rather than continue to use White Chapel for heavy truck traffic.  

What’s there not to like?

Maybe giving an operator with several environmental infractions carte blanche to do whatever he wants on the property with an MZO?

Maybe giving an operator more power to run his unlicensed quarry, extract aggregate, and not pay a nickel to the County for it by re-zoning everything MX- Extractive?

Maybe placing a significant number of sea containers on Picton Terminals’ property in direct violation of a County bylaw, forcing the County to take legal action?

Maybe refusing bylaw enforcement officers on his property?

Maybe Council manufacturing a secret back-room deal without any public consultation?

Maybe using an MZO to unilaterally rezone agricultural lands without any public consultation, environmental studies, or path to appeal?

Picton Terminals claims to be “federally regulated,” meaning it does not have to abide by municipal laws, yet a letter from Transport Canada states that “Picton Terminals is a non-federal port.” 

The County’s inability to control this operator has led to this entirely one-sided deal. Mr. Doornekamp is using farmers as a pawn against people that just want to do the right thing.

What’s there not to like? Plenty!!  

Leslie Stewart, The County Conservancy

Many Struggling Ontario Towns Could Use a Base31

For those who spend any time on social media, it’s not news that the Royal Canadian Legion is leading a very public campaign to attract new members, affiliates who are not necessarily connected to the military. We all know the Canadian Legion as a storied organisation that in 2024 is showing its age. Membership is dwindling.

As a touring musician in Canada, I’ve played at hundreds of Legions. In some communities, they’re the hub of social activity, providing a place for everyone to meet, dance, get married, play bingo and more.  The facilities are affordable and they’re not at risk of being shut down by a foreign company looking to downsize. Last I heard, they’re not for sale.

That came to mind when I was speaking with the entertainment director at a new project being built in Prince Edward County called Base 31. Originally, this 70-acre plot of land was an old, abandoned army base. When it was built in 1940, it became the lifeblood of the local economy, housing soldiers being trained in the fight against the Nazis.

I called their office one afternoon looking to book my Stompin’ Tom show at the new theatre on the site, aptly named The Sergeants Mess Hall.  Our conversation got more and more animated as the Director told me the story of how this new development got started. His excitement was contagious as he described their long-term plans and the sizable investment that was being made. After I had secured a date for my show, we hung up and I began to think about the magnitude of this project.

A couple of days after this call, I was scheduled to play a show in a small community in south western Ontario.  I knew this town well, having played there many times. 

I arrived at the theatre and was greeted by Luke, the manager. Like many theatres in small towns, this manager was essentially a one-man operation, relying on a few volunteers to keep the place going. When it was first built in the 1930’s, it was the most beautiful building for miles around. Today, it’s all they can do to keep the plumbing working.

After soundcheck, Luke and I were in the green room enjoying a sandwich and I told him of the gig I had just booked at Base 31.  When I began to describe what it was, his eyes lit up.   He then turned to me and said, “man, this town could use an investment like that.  We’re dying a slow death here.”

As in so many other small Ontario communities, the residents there are looking for ways to keep their young people from leaving for the city. The primary employers are small businesses and they too yearn for revenue from tourists and others to keep them afloat.  In this case, they can only dream about luring something like the development at Base 31 to their towns.

Duncan Fremlin, Whiskey Jack 

Ed Note: Mr. Fremlin’s band, Whiskey Jack, presents stories and songs inspired by Stompin’ Tom Connors at Base31’s Sergeants Mess Hall Friday 18 October.