The Xeneca Project on the Petawawa River Disturbs our Sensibilities

Cheryl Gallant, Member of Parliament, Renfrew/Nipissing/Pembroke, 84 Isabella St, Pembroke, ON, K8A 5S5 Tel :613-732-4404, Fax : 613-732-4697 Email : gallac@parl.gc.ca

Mayor Bob Sweet, Town of Petawawa, 1111 Victoria St, Petawawa, ON, K8H 3B1
Tel : 613-687-5536, Fax : 613-687-5973 Email : mayor@petawawa.ca

John Yakabuski, MPP Renfrew/Nipissing/Pembroke, 84 Isabella St, Pembroke, ON K8A 5S5 Tel: 613-735-6627, Fax: 613-735-6692 E-mail: john.yakabuski@pc.ola.org
Dear Ms. Gallant, Mr. Sweet, and Mr. Yakabuski,

Regarding the proposed power project on the Petawawa River.

As president of Les Amis de la rivière Kipawa, and on behalf of our membership, I wish to register strong concerns about the proposed Xeneca project. As a river preservationist and paddler who has enjoyed the use of spring flows on the Petawawa river I am naturally concerned about how this project is developing.

I am reminded of the effort put forward by those involved with our Kipawa River Judicial review of the refurbishment of the Laniel Dam.

In that case long term users of the dam as a recreational resource at first were told that running the sluice of the dam was illegal. When that assertion was proven false, they were told that running the sluice was unsafe. When that assertion was proven false they were told that running the sluice was INSIGNIFICANT. In the end the case was lost by the appellant but not before the case was presented to and refused by the Supreme Court of Canada.

Little did we know that the entire legislation upon which the review was based, the Navigable Waters Protection Act, was about to be gutted. The case was lost but not before every avenue had been taken to preserve the right to use the Laniel Dam sluice as a recreational resource, and continue to keep the water in the river, safe from diversion.

In the case of the Petawawa river what one doesn't know, may hurt you and the river. Yes, North America is Energy Hungry. There are plans afoot for every drop of water running downhill. We all understand that energy is the source of economic activity and Canada has just run a $52 billion dollar deficit, the largest in its history.
As we have just hit peak oil, and the world is awash in credit/debt, governments that operate on short term goals, such as the present case, will see no further than the financial gains to be made by implementing this project.

However, we must start with gratitude for the resource we are given - not taking it for granted and exploiting its single value - power/money production. Can a project be designed that is esthetic, that permits recreation and promotes other values? Still, only after every tree is cut, every fish eaten, every river dammed, will we understand the significance of our actions to exploit monetary values.

Paddlers and citizens will likely be ignored despite the commonly held understanding that places such as the Petawawa river are the kind that attract us for renewal and a sense of connection to the environment. Loss of the traditional use of the Petawawa in favour of progress towards "green" energy will foster reactions among the population that may be surprising and unfamilar.

The people of Petawawa may very well rise up in political protest. Numbers on the order of hundreds will likely be deemed insignficant - I would say that thousands are needed for that but if our leadership is unmoved by the public outcry the Xeneca project will proceed with unforeseeable results on the spirit and fabric of the community.

Some will say that this is just the price of progress. But I ask that you look into your hearts and envision what you will have to say to your grandchildren when they ask you what you did when they took away our free flowing whitewater resources.

Yours truly,
Peter

Peter Karwacki
kayaky@hotmail.com
http://www.allaboutwhitewater.blogspot.com