Dear Editor,
I had a few problems with your editorial (June 5, 2025).
I see 75,000,000 reasons why discussing Meaford’s flawed Bylaw to specifically target TCE’s proposal is a bad idea…oh, I’m sorry.
Excuse me.
…Meaford’s proposed Bylaw to provide a framework for discussing all the future multi-billion-dollar proposals that come before Meaford Council. Because all those future multi-billion-dollar proposals require a framework to discuss them properly.
And the TCE one too.
Right.
“In early March, Meaford council approved a motion brought forward by Deputy Mayor Shirley Keaveney that directed staff to develop a bylaw aimed at establishing a framework for handling land use proposals that are not subject to provincial planning and approval processes.”
The Pumped Storage facility would be built on Federal property. Mark Carney’s land.
You support citizens engaging in a Bylaw process, which covers property where Meaford has no control, no authority, no say whatsoever, yet Meaford wants to assert “planning” authority?
You realize that means Meaford Council hopes to violate the Canadian Constitution? “Federal” means Federal. A bad start.
“The deck seems to be becoming more and more stacked against municipalities in recent years, thanks largely to ever-changing legislation at the provincial level.”
In plainer English? That means Doug Ford couldn’t care less what Meaford Council thinks. Never did, but for a while he pretended to. Council shouldn’t believe for one minute Ford still does. Ford wants clean energy storage – built now. The Pumped Storage Proposal is big time clean energy storage.
Election’s over gang. Doug Ford doesn’t give two hoots about Willing Hosts anymore. If Council thinks for one minute that Doug Ford won’t instantly change the rules to get what he wants, they are dreaming.
Extorting a development charge in exchange for Meaford’s agreement for something Carney and Ford will decide? Council is really hoping TCE wants the sleeves off of Meaford’s vest, aren’t they?
All of that aside? Let’s discuss ethics in business.
“Negotiating in bad faith means entering bargaining or discussions without a genuine intention to reach an agreement. It involves acting dishonestly, with hidden agendas, and undermining the process of fair negotiation.”
Meaford Council says they want to negotiate a Community Benefits Agreement with TC Energy.
But first, they just need to pass this Bylaw to allow them to demand reports on whatever they want, whenever they want it, at TCE’s expense, and grant themselves the “right” to stall or reject the project if they’re unsatisfied with any answers?
Then they’ll be ready to “negotiate” a Community Benefits Agreement?
Again, for a project located on Federal land Meaford has zero control over, attached to a Provincial electrical grid Meaford has zero say about?
Right.
It’s been a lot of years since I was my company’s top resource in a negotiation. But from my comfy retirement chair, I can still smell and recognize the stink of a bad faith negotiation. Meaford Council hopes to negotiate in bad faith.
No Canadian corporation, upon finding themselves hoping to negotiate with a party intent on negotiating in bad faith, proceeds to negotiate. Ever.
TC Energy doesn’t owe Meaford a dime. It wasn’t that long ago Meaford Council realized that too. Now? Forget about holding a winning hand. Meaford holds no cards.
I have no reason to believe TC Energy is stupid. I’ve read their letters to your paper. I used to work for some other smart corporations. I still recognize smart.
Looking at this situation (mess), the only responsible course of action for TC Energy to take that makes sense now is:
1) They’ll deal only with the parties with legal authority to intervene and approve. Mark Carney and Doug Ford. Who both want large scale green energy projects built ASAP. Ideally? Starting tomorrow.
2) They’ll refuse to deal with parties with zero legal authority to intervene. That will be the Town of Meaford.
Meaford will not get one cent from TC Energy unless Meaford’s Bylaw delusion dies. Maybe not after either. When Carney and Ford both agree TC Energy needs to ignore Meaford? Why give away money to people negotiating in bad faith?
What should Meaford voters do next?
The Meaford documents for the Bylaw Meeting June 16th reference a previous TC Energy willingness to negotiate a Community Benefit Agreement with Meaford in the area of $1,500,000 a year. For 50 years. (Usually, they’re indexed to inflation.)
That’s $75,000,000 in today’s dollars, if I’m doing the math right.
That’s a very nice Community Centre with a gym, pool, and arena. Indoor Pickleball for all. And an awful lot of re-paved roads… to walk away from.
Meaford Council almost held a winning lottery ticket for $75,000,000 in their hands. For us.
And right now? Meaford Council is holding a Public Meeting to ask us if we want them to tear it up.
I suppose if anything the opposition to the Pumped Storage Project ever said was true, you might argue for Meaford passing up $75,000,000. But nothing they say is true. And now they’re fighting Ontario too? Because the Province agreed to spend $285 million to prove FOR THEM the Project is both safe and economically a big win for Ontario. Why would anyone so sure they are right, fight confirming the truth?
If you attend the Bylaw Meeting on June 16th, be sure to ask Deputy Mayor Keaveney, Meaford Council, and the CAO, two questions.
1) Where’s my $75,000,000?
2) What’s your plan to replace $75,000,000 of lost opportunities for Meaford when, not if, your proposed Bylaw screws it up for all of us?
Am I correct? Or did I get it all wrong this time?
Did anyone inquire of TCE if they would still negotiate a Community Benefits Agreement if this Bylaw passes? Has anyone picked up their phone?
Why not?
Bruce Mason, Meaford
