Dear Editor,
Bruce Mason’s recent letter to the Meaford Independent, filled with sarcasm and mockery, does little to foster the kind of respectful, fact-based dialogue our community deserves. While satire can be effective, it loses its value when used to belittle sincere concerns rather than engage with them.
This isn’t the first time Mr. Mason has used flawed analogies to dismiss public opposition. In a 2022 letter to the editor, he compared the proposed pumped storage reservoir to Meaford’s municipal water tower. His conclusion? Since the water tower hasn’t caused an accident in 74 years, the reservoir should be considered equally safe.
This comparison is misleading. The water tower is a passive, small-scale structure designed to maintain water pressure. The proposed reservoir, by contrast, would store up to 93 billion liters of water, involve high-volume transfers, and sit atop karst terrain near an active military base. To equate the two is to ignore the vastly different engineering, geological, and environmental risks involved.
In his latest letter, Mr. Mason ridicules calls for transparency and environmental review, as if asking for due diligence is a sign of ignorance. On the contrary, it’s a sign of civic responsibility. Many of us have attended TC Energy’s consultation sessions and left with more questions than answers. Transparency is not just about showing up—it’s about sharing data, addressing concerns, and building trust.
Finally, Mr. Mason accuses opponents of lacking logic and honesty. I would argue that logic and honesty begin with acknowledging that complex infrastructure projects deserve complex conversations—not caricatures.
Respectfully,
Lino Zita, Meaford
