MARK-ALAN WHITTLE
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BLAME KOBEL, NOT HARRIS

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Hamilton Spectator
Having lived the Walkerton tragedy through the eyes of the media, I am left with a profound sense of disbelief at the misfortunes that have befallen the government of Ontario and its premier, Michael Deane Harris.
Only one person should be held accountable directly, and that's the waterworks manager at the time, Stan Koebel. He is the one who allowed so many residents to be poisoned and die, knowing that the water was bad for a very long time; the private testing lab informed him of it immediately. The Ontario government had mistakenly trusted the municipality of Walkerton to employ responsible managers.
Harris has taken a leadership role and made sure that the financial instruments were in place to compensate the residents of Walkerton harmed by Koebel's actions. The Harris government knew that Walkerton would be forced into bankruptcy by the courts if not for this financial stability provided by the province.
In addition, reporting regulations were immediately enhanced to prevent other misguided and inept municipal employees from harming those they are obligated to protect.
More revealing is the fact that not one local politician has publicly apologized to his/her constituents for Koebel's disregard for their health and well-being.
More telling of responsibility and resolve is the testimony of the premier. Only a leader with fortitude would have the wherewithal to face the media and public over matters as important as preventing future tragedies and healing the community of Walkerton.
As much as Harris takes responsibility for the actions of his government, so should the government and people of Walkerton with respect to Koebel's actions. Only then can healing begin.
'Walkerton: Blame Koebel, not Harris' (July 4).
My hat's off to letter writer, Mark Alan Whittle, for blaming the real offender in the Walkerton mess -- the waterworks manager, Stan Koebel.
The Tory cuts had nothing to do with the deaths in Walkerton; it was Koebel's incompetence and that of the people who hired him. It is those people who should be held fully responsible for this tragedy. Koebel was responsible for the town's water treatment plant years before Mike Harris was running the province.
If our Liberal MPs are so concerned about this tragedy, and the exodus of nurses across the country, etc., they better get after our prime minister to loosen the purse strings to all of the provinces before we have another disaster like this, or worse.
The provincial governments have no choice but to make cuts -- and it's not just Ontario.

Darlene McIntee, Hamilton.

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