Wilmot land grab strikes at our sense of security

I see two very disturbing aspects to the forced sale underway in Wilmot of 770 acres of prime farmland for industrial use.

There is loss of environment/food production, and also dictatorial actions by our elected representatives.

A farm is modified land but is still part of the natural environment, with plants and animals. Farms also have trees that clean carbon, retain moisture and soil, provide shade and enrich the environment.

Farms produce fresh food that is not shipped thousands of miles. They allow snowmelt and rain to enter the aquifers where drinking water comes from. Buildings and paved parking lots do none of that.

At the rate we are covering over this environment, it will be all gone in 50 years. Then we can say, “I have no food or water, but it’s OK because I have a good job in a battery plant.”

There is also the issue with democracy. Citizens elect governments to represent us and provide us with the things we need such as schools, and hospitals. They make laws and provide policing and courts so there are repercussions for those who want to injure us or take our property.

Who will protect us when it is our elected representatives we need protection from?

A home is a huge part of our lives, and I challenge regional politicians to honestly consider what they would feel if, one day, a stranger knocked on their door and told them the government had determined they can make more money off your property without you on it: Accept this offer for your beloved house, or we will take it anyway. Doug Kennedy, Kitchener