Re: The limits of municipal jurisdiction

Paul Isaacs | Aug 10, 2016

As you yourself state (Editorial, The Limitsl of Municipal Jurisdiction, Aug 4/16)), it is highly unlikely that a requirement for municipal mandatory support for wind turbine projects is going to be granted by the province to municipalities.

So what is your point?

You say that "lining up against the Green Energy Act is consistent with the economic development of the current council". It would appear that you have some problem with Mayor Higgins and the council of North

Frontenac being consistent. Mayor Higgins and his council were elected to represent the people of North Frontenac. Until now, I was not aware that their ability to make such representation was limited.

You titled the editorial, "the limits of municipal jurisdiction". However, the content of the editorial is about your perceived limits of representation not jurisdiction. Implying that the members of the North

Frontenac council should cease representing their constituents if their representations are deemed to be beyond the limits of their jurisdiction, is chilling.

They are making representations about provincial statutes. Talk, words, politics. They are being the duly elected democratic voice of their constituents.

I have seen no reports in the Frontenac News about delegations to the North Frontenac council requesting that Mayor Higgins and council cease and desist. You may find fault with Mayor Higgins and council. His constituents apparently do not.

Mayor Higgins and members of council, there are unarguably limits to your legal jurisdiction as members of a municipal council. However, there are no limits to your ability to provide a democratic voice on behalf of your constituents. What you are doing is the heart and soul of representative democracy.

Don't let anyone tell you otherwise.