Thunder Bay public forum on Great Lakes a Success!

Dec 8th, 2006 3:23 AM

Thunder Bay public forum on Great Lakes a Success! Pollution Probe and Ontario's Environmental Commissioner hear from enthusiastic residents on how best to protect the Great Lakes (Thunder Bay, ON, December 7, 2006) Tonight, Thunder Bay residents met with Pollution Probe's Water Programme Director Rick Findlay and Ontario's Environmental Commissioner Gord Miller at Thunder Bay City Hall to offer their opinions on the future of the Great Lakes. Tonight's event concluded a four city tour that crossed the province designed to inform residents living in communities near the Great Lakes on the region's ecological sustainability and give them a chance to offer their opinions and ideas. Each forum is framed within a new Vision Statement on the Great Lakes* that Pollution Probe has helped to develop. Findlay said the discussion was constructive "because the environmental long term health of the Great Lakes extends into the social and economic side of our lives. If they are not properly understood and protected, unhealthy Great Lakes will have serious implications for the viability of the whole province." The event organizers were impressed by the output from the roundtable held earlier in the day and were pleased with the attendance of representatives of local industries, conservation groups and concerned citizens. Among the suggestions discussed, participants clearly demonstrated an interest in establishing a Lake Superior roundtable to develop a clear vision and set goals for the Lake Superior basin. Miller applauded the idea and saluted the participants for, "their broad vision and their attention to the entire Superior watershed." For those who missed tonight's discussion, further information can be obtained at www.pollutionprobe.org. -30- For more information, please contact: Rick Findlay, Director, Water Programme, Pollution Probe, (613) 237-8666, cell: (613) 863-8081, rfindlay@pollutionprobe.org Dennis Draper, Office of the Environmental Commissioner of Ontario, 416-325-0530, dennis.draper@eco.on.ca *Pollution Probe's Vision Statement can be found at http://www.pollutionprobe.org/Reports/greatlakesvision.pdf Pollution Probe is a Canadian environmental organization that defines environmental problems through research, promotes understanding through education and presses for practical solutions through advocacy. To accomplish this mission, they engage government agencies, private businesses and non-profit organizations to help find solutions. The Environmental Commissioner of Ontario (ECO) is an independent officer of the Legislative Assembly of Ontario and is appointed to a five-year term. The Commissioner issues annual reports to the Assembly reviewing the government's compliance with the Environmental Bill of Rights.