E-7444: Petition to the Prime Minister — Canadian Petition Tracker
Canonical URL: https://petitiontracker.ca/petition/e-7444
Track petition E-7444 — "Petition to the Prime Minister" sponsored by Terry Dowdall. 14 signatures and counting. See signature growth trends and provincial breakdown on PetitionTracker.ca.
Petition Text
Petition to the Prime Minister
Whereas:
• The Department of National Defence (DND) purchased approximately 288 hectares (711 acres) of prime agricultural land in Clearview Township for a proposed Arctic Over-the-Horizon Radar (A-OTHR) Preliminary Receive Site;
• The purchased lands overlap and are adjacent to the Minesing Wetlands, a wetland of international importance within the Nottawasaga River watershed that provides flood mitigation, groundwater recharge, water filtration, wildlife habitat, and other critical ecological functions;
• DND has issued solicitations to landowners regarding potential acquisition of additional lands for two Permanent Receive Sites that could remove thousands of acres of prime farmland from production;
• Prime agricultural land is a non-renewable national resource, and Ontario continues to lose farmland at an alarming rate;
• Food security is an important component of Canada's national security and agricultural lands should be protected wherever feasible alternatives exist;
• Changes to lands connected to sensitive wetlands may affect groundwater systems, agricultural drainage networks, species at risk, wildlife habitat, and downstream communities; and
• Canadians support a strong national defence while expecting responsible stewardship of agricultural and environmentally sensitive lands.
We, the undersigned, Citizens of Canada, call upon the Government of Canada to 1. Halt construction activities associated with the proposed A-OTHR Receive infrastructure in Clearview Township until environmental and alternatives analyses are completed; 2. Make public all documents relating to alternative locations, and conduct a transparent review of existing federal, Crown, and defence lands; and 3. Ensure that defence infrastructure is not sited on prime agricultural lands and ecologically connected lands, including those associated with the Minesing Wetlands.
1. Halt construction activities associated with the proposed A-OTHR Receive infrastructure in Clearview Township until environmental and alternatives analyses are completed;
2. Make public all documents relating to alternative locations, and conduct a transparent review of existing federal, Crown, and defence lands; and
3. Ensure that defence infrastructure is not sited on prime agricultural lands and ecologically connected lands, including those associated with the Minesing Wetlands.