Hill and Knowlton take over Mega Quarry bid "Communications"
http://www.guelphmercury.com/news/local/article/559793--valeriote-joins-...
"Reached Thursday, the company’s former spokesperson, Michael Daniher, said Toronto communications firm Hill & Knowlton took over media relations for Highland due to the “increasing volume and complexity” of the file."
Background on the Mega Quarry Issue:
http://rabble.ca/news/2011/06/monster-mine-plan-cuts-deep-ontario-farmland
And
http://rabble.ca/blogs/bloggers/krystalline-kraus/2011/07/activist-commu...
A little background on Hill and Knowlton:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hill_%26_Knowlton
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nayirah_%28testimony%29
And
http://www.crocodyl.org/wiki/hill_amp_knowlton
"The Torturers’ Lobby
In 1992, when The Center for Public Integrity published “The Torturers’ Lobby,” a report on lobbying and PR efforts by repressive regimes, Hill & Knowlton topped the list of earnings at $14m in one year. Its client list of human rights abusing states including Indonesia (responsible for genocide in East Timor and West Papua), China, Kuwait, Israel, Egypt, and Peru. It earned $1.2m from Turkey alone from 1991 to 1992. The contract with China was accepted shortly after the Tianenman Square massacre when China needed to clean up its tarnished image."
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So far, the people against the quarry have had enjoyed pretty decent media coverage in the main stream media, and good coverage in small local papers. I have not noticed any pro quarry articles or columns. I have a feeling this is about to change.
This affords us the opportunity to see how a company like Hill and Knowlton will conduct it's war against opponents, and it will also give us an opportunity to see just what publications, reporters and editors are in their grasp.
I would appreciate help in tracking this. If you see a column, or report, or something on broadcast media supporting the mega quarry bid, please post it here.
Beyond the issue at hand with the quarry, this is a great opportunity to map out how companies like this operate to change public opinion, and just what media publications and personalities are working for this particular company.
Hi Tommy,
Your first link did not work....so shortened it to see.
http://www.guelphmercury.com/news/local/article/559793
Media is of course a important aspect of developing "a perspective with the population" so that the company can do it's thing for sure.
Second link is not there.
http://rabble.ca/news/2011/06/monster-mine-plan-cuts-deep-ontario-farmla...
third link was unspecific as to "which one of blog postings,"
http://rabble.ca/blogs/bloggers/krystalline-kraus/2011/07/activist-commu...
Thanks, Spectrum. I usually check the links, but it's been such a long time since I had trouble, I guess I got lazy.
These sure are the fellers in the black hats, ain't they?
Hi Tommy,
I guess the PR failed to mention this below?:)
Council of Canadians report on the mega-quarry
http://www.canadians.org/index2.html
Limestone quarry threatens prime farm land (Toronto Star)
http://www.thestar.com/news/ontario/article/734969--limestone-quarry-threatens-prime-farm-land
Environment ministry blasts mega-quarry proposal (Toronto Star)
http://www.thestar.com/news/article/1017849--environment-ministry-blasts-mega-quarry-proposal
The call for open submissions to the Ministry of Natural Resources
http://www.ebr.gov.on.ca/ERS-WEB-External/displaynoticecontent.do?noticeId=MTEyNTY2&statusId=MTY4ODI5&language=en
Chong calls for federal review of quarry proposal (Guelph Mercury)
http://www.guelphmercury.com/news/local/article/549053--chong-calls-for-federal-review-of-quarry-proposal
Yes, and I would invite all who read this to sign the pettition (interesting site, you can see the signators in real time) and register their objection to the ministry, if you have not done so already.
I've been on this kick for about a year, maybe more. Whatever the issue, this is one of the powerfull things alligned against us-- Public Relations companies that have infiltrated the media and can get the media to ignore and or attack ordinary citizens who try to protect their rights, and their well being.
It's not new. And it's not the only such mechanism that thwarts democracy. But it's one that gets scant attention, I think, and therefore they have a pretty clear, unfettered field to opperate in. If nothing else, we can start shining some light under this rock. Who knows, maybe if media knows we are on the lookout for such things, they might be more reticent to be called out as shills for Navigator, or Hill and Knowlton, or any of the others.
More likely, by understanding the exact mechanism, the actual players in the media who shill for these guys, then maybe effective tactics to combat this might be devised.
I think this affords us an opportunity to do such mapping.
I signed the AVAAZ.org petition yesterday and they reached 70,000 in a matter of hours. It's now at 93,000+. Perhaps this is why Hill & Knowlton were called in.
Any idea why there is no official federal-provincial environmental assessment review of this project?
Quarries are exempt from automatic environmental assesments in Ontario.
The Aggregate Resources Act governs quarries, and quarry owners are largely self-policing since the Ministry of Natural Resources doesn't have the staff to enforce what little regulation the ARA provides.
I was up in Melancthon on Thursday. They have the best tasting water of any place I've been. My friend, who owns a farm there, said, "drink it while you can - we don't know how long it'll be here."
I have a very bad feeling about Hill & Knowlton's sudden involvement. They have lied for some of the worst abusers of human rights and the environment on the planet, and demonstrably act without anything like conscience or morality.
Okay Tommy, looking at the process here, it was a deception used in terms of buying up of farm lands? If this can be proven and presented to the government then there was prior motive by making use of a subverted plot to obtain and use this method to gain the final result(open pit mining). This then is a clear and concise method determining the outcome by demonstration of "this map as methodology to that completion."
Would you agree?
I have also signed the www.AVAAZ.org petition. We need to stop this quarry and save the farmland.
Actually, it has been proven and presented to the government - the Minister of Natural Resources - and she basically said it's a done deal. So we know the government's position, and that's not in question. What is interesting is how the PR landscape will change now in terms of the media. This remains to be seen.
But wait, there's more: Highlands has also bought up old rail beds. So the hundreds of trucking jobs which may be there at the outset, will dissapear when the aggregate starts getting shipped by rail. Which Highlands says they are not going to do, but why would they buy up the rail beds otherwise? And there are other mealy mouthed, "prove me a liar" type deceptions going on that you just can't prove empirically.
Obviously the strategy is to just get the big hole started, and whatever happens later no one can do anything about anyway.
But what I am talking about is using this to see just who are the reporters and editors willing to sell out to a P.R. company. This kind of intelligence can prove to be adventatgeous not only in this issue, but with issues down the road.
Hi Tommy,
You first learn the method of deception? You then learn the methodology of the deceptors?
This then becomes the "mode of operand i" and "signatures of methods use to acquire," to shift accountability of methods, methods of big business governments which are using this method to transfer public utilities and resources to management practices of Big business and placing financial control over to the market.
You create what is then called a "Mind Map" of the deception. I am not perfectly clear on such a design, but thought it might present options from which to consider? It has to do with diversions, so with clearing away the noise, in order to see the schematics of the plan?
If government is complicit with this by decision, then they are guilty as well? If you have the info for legal action, then a class action suit not only against the company but also against the Government?
Were property values inflated in agreements to encourage selling? Did government change rural designation of land properties out of agricultural zone to aid company? Who are the people involved?
Research will pay off as you write the story.
That's kinda it in a coconut shell. My intent might not have been so complicated, although I suppose if you wanted to map it out globally, you'd need more than a spread sheet.
"If government is complicit with this by decision, then they are guilty as well? If you have the info for legal action, then a class action suit not only against the company but also against the Government?"
Well, if memory serves you gave me a link a while back to a site that tells you who is the registred lobbyist at Queen's Park for a given corporation. The lobbyist for Highlands, when you take that name and search it at elections Ontario, is a notable financial contributor to the Liberal Party of Ontario.
Unfortunatley, while many people might see that as "bribery" the criminal code does not. As far as class actions suits, I doubt it would have traction but you never know. That would be interesting.
But, that information made available in a timely way might engender outrage that is difficult to manage.
Here we go:
http://www.theglobeandmail.com/globe-investor/wall-street-legend-aims-to...
An nice supportive piece by Martin Mittelstaedt, extolling the virtues of hedge fund operators.
Globe and Mail writes thoughtful panegyric to "Wall Street Legend" Seth Klarman
Martin Mittelstaedt used to be the Globe's Queen's Park correspondent, and was fairly left-wing about 15 years ago. I wonder what happened.
I particularly like the reference to "a backwater", as if people didn't live near the proposed quarry or, if far away, weren't affected by it. 70 trucks per hour along school routes, not to mention the seismic activity generated by blasting, and the heavy truck traffic. Not to mention the atmospheric dust generated by open pit blasting.
Between 2009 and 2011 Baupost hedge fund went from approx. 15 billion to 23 billion. How does an Ontario farming community fight this financial might?
Fuck.
Well, if you were a big evil Public Relations Company, who better to shill for you than someone with environmental and some lefty cred?
"How does an Ontario farming community fight this financial might?"
Interestingly, the 78 comments under the article were almost entirely impuning Mittlestraedts integrity, and people seem quite astute as to the operations of Hill and Knowlton, and see their hand behing the article.
Which speaks to "managing the outrage", quoted above by Spector. I am not sure P.R. companies can do that, or have such a clear playing field as they once did.
I think a lot of people underestimate what impact this shift could have on politics. I know Rupert Murdoch has.
Looks like H&K have bought a government.
Liberal Ken Chan who ran for Toronto city council and lost (thank god) to Kristyn Wong-Tam is now the chief staf to Minister of Natural Resources Linda Jeffery.
Take a look where his campaign chair Jason Grier is now.
http://www.hillandknowlton.ca/our-experts/jason-grier
and check out page 6 of this pdf to see who are still keeping in touch as of July this year. At a Liberal event none the less
http://members.peo.on.ca/index.cfm/document/1/ci_id/59716/la_id/1
Ontario where the environment can be raped depending on who you know and how much you pay.
Thank you.
Not hard to find if you know where to look
Save Ontario and our drinking water by supporting local groups like NDACT (North Dufferin Agricultural And Community Taskforce) and their fight against American corporate interests.
http://www.ndact.com
Honour Jack and fight for our children's right to clean drinking water and local food. Stand up to those who would steal our bithright! Make this an election issue!!!
The project will irrevocably destroy this very fragile aquifer at the headwaters of three major river systems and pollute the drinking water of more than a million people downstream.
Almost every PR statement made by Hill & Knowlton/Highland Group is misleading and/or an outright lie - and can be proven as such. Still floating the "mostly potato farming myth", they own 8,000 acres of prime farmland, but are farming only 600 or so acres. Local seed potato vendors and potato farmers who have refused to sell out or have been vocal opponents of the mega quarry are being forced out of business because of the control Highland exerts over the local market. Property values near the proposed quarry have plummeted, beautiful historic farmhouses are not only pulled down, but are set on fire (a scorched earth method of intimidation).
The local activists are intelligent and well-informed, and are truly a force to be reckoned with. I spent nearly four days last week in Melancthon, talking to residents and activists, and am so very impressed by these hard-working people who refuse to give in to corporate interests and have generations of food production and love for the land invested. They share a strength and optimism that are powerful weapons against the greed, arrogance and stupidity that are demonstrably what characterize the whole mega quarry venture.
One of the big problems is that neocons have gutted the public service and its ability to enforce the law. Apparently law and order only applies to kicking the crap out of the poor.
http://www.opseu.org/campaign/savemnr/index.htm
The company keeps crowing about the 400 plus jobs they will create but they will be all low paying and dangerous non-union jobs
I am so depressed at the lack of support from cities like Toronto. This location was specifically chosen because of how few people live up here. Out of sight out of mind. Where are the progressive councillors in Toronto on this issue?
We desperately need them to get in the game. Toronto is the media centre of the country and the media don't pay attention to anything north of the airport. This HAS to become a city issue. Remember how Jack, Olivia and Miller led the fight against the reprehensible Adams mine garbage dump. WE NEED YOU TORONTO!
Dufferin-Caledon is Tory country and progressive voices are outnumbered and out gunned. The only time a non-Tory was elected was in 1997. Liberal MPP Mavis Wilson who now works for the quarry!!!
AGAIN HELP US TORONTO!
Toronto is Liberal country but it can be won over by the orange crush. Please help make this an election issue. Call radio talk shows, call your MPP and MP and tell your neighbours. If anybody knows anybody in the NDP please tell them about this quarry. I'm at my wits end and can't bare to watch my grandparents loose their home.
Local media. Spread the word
http://www.citizen.on.ca/news/2011-08-25/Local_News/Tractor_convoy_Sunda...
and looks like local Liberal candidate is in coflict with her party
http://www.caledoncitizen.com/news/2011-08-25/News/Holloway_asserts_her_...
boomerbrg, I just went looking for it but could not find it, a link to a Toronto city councelor's page. Anyway, he is pushing a resolution condemning the mega quarry at city hall. Sorry, I can't remember his name, or find the link.
My daughter lives in the Roncessvales area, and she says the street she lives on has a lot of "Stop the Mega Quarry" signs.
I know!! I just got back to Toronto before school and have been walking about and seeing them everywhere!
Josh Matlow?
Yes, thank you Pogge.
I trust my memory too much. I should be organizing all this information. If only there was some magical information storage device at hand. Blast, all I've got is this damned computer.
Toronto councillor steamed over plan to dig up potato farm
If there's a different thread for updates on the actual development, please let me know and I'll move this:
Daily Commercial News: Opposition to Melancthon, Ontario aggregate quarry
More at the link but that lays out the timing.