Ontario Hansard - 21-April2005

LABOUR DISPUTE

Ms. Laurie Scott (Haliburton-Victoria-Brock): I rise today to bring the attention of this House to an issue that may have a profound effect on the people of my riding who live in the city of Kawartha Lakes. Right now, the city is hours away from a possible municipal strike that could affect the local water supply. We all hope that everything will be resolved before it gets to the stage of a strike, but the city needs to prepare for the possibility that an agreement will not be reached.

A strike would affect about 7,300 customers and the 12 water systems the city operates. It would affect local residents, businesses and the Ross Memorial Hospital, as well as our jail and our schools. Can you imagine running a hospital without clean water?

This is not a labour relations issue; this is a health and safety issue.

A strike would affect the water systems of Birch Point, Highview, Kinmount, Norland, Sonya, Southview Estates, Sturgeon Point, Oakwood, Springdale Gardens, Western Trent and Palmina.
Today, I'm alerting the government and the minister to the possible crisis that is developing, and I call upon the government and the Minister of the Environment to put an emergency action plan into place to make sure that the people of the city of Kawartha Lakes will not see their water quality compromised.

The current rules allow you to mandate the Ontario Clean Water Agency to operate the water systems. I call upon the minister to make preparations to put this solution into effect in the event of a strike. This solution would allow local residents the peace of mind that comes from knowing they will have access to clean and safe water.

Hopefully, there will not be a strike, but if there is, the people of the city of Kawartha Lakes are depending on your government to make sure they can rely on a clean water supply.