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AIM president blasts Saint John city leaders, province at public meeting

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https://twitter.com/DavidRayAmos/with_replies




Replying to  @FloryGoncalves and 49 others
Hey Mr Butts I have no doubt Premier Higgs and his mindless Minister Carr know why I want to have a long talk with AIM president Herb Black ASAP EH?


https://davidraymondamos3.blogspot.com/2019/10/aim-president-blasts-saint-john-city.html






https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/new-brunswick/aim-scrap-recycle-waterfront-blasts-explosions-dust-complaints-american-iron-metal-1.5323943




---------- Original message ----------
From: Newsroom <newsroom@globeandmail.com>
Date: Thu, 17 Oct 2019 13:58:33 +0000
Subject: Automatic reply: Hey Mr Butts I have no doubt Premier Higgs
and his mindless Minister Carr know why I want to have a long talk
with AIM president Herb Black ASAP EH?
To: David Amos <david.raymond.amos333@gmail.com>

Thank you for contacting The Globe and Mail.

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This is the correct email address for requests for news coverage and
press releases.


---------- Original message ----------
From: David Amos <david.raymond.amos333@gmail.com>
Date: Thu, 17 Oct 2019 10:58:27 -0300
Subject: Hey Mr Butts I have no doubt Premier Higgs and his mindless
Minister Carr know why I want to have a long talk with AIM president
Herb Black ASAP EH?
To: Gerald.Butts@pmo-cpm.gc.ca, marc.garneau@parl.gc.ca,
premier@gnb.ca, blaine.higgs@gnb.ca, Jeff.Carr@gnb.ca,
Kevin.Vickers@gnb.ca, don.darling@saintjohn.ca,
hon.ralph.goodale@canada.ca, Katie.Telford@pmo-cpm.gc.ca
Cc: motomaniac333@gmail.com, Connell.smith@cbc.ca,
news-tips@nytimes.com, Newsroom@globeandmail.com,
sturgeon.nathalie@brunswicknews.com

https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/new-brunswick/aim-scrap-recycle-waterfront-blasts-explosions-dust-complaints-american-iron-metal-1.5323943

AIM president blasts Saint John city leaders, province at public meeting

The company has been a catalyst for complaints about noise, dust,
pollution and series of explosions
Connell Smith · CBC News · Posted: Oct 17, 2019 9:49 AM AT

"Black said the shutdown cost the company more than $1 million.

"Close my place down … Minister Carr? I'd like to close your place
down," he said."


---------- Forwarded message ----------
From: David Amos <david.raymond.amos333@gmail.com>
Date: Wed, 9 Oct 2019 10:36:18 -0300
Subject: I just contacted the Governor General and Canada's latest
Lieutenant Governor through their offices in Ottawa and Fredericton
.byway of phone and obviously email as well N'esy Pas Mr Butts?
To: info@gg.ca, ltgov@gnb.ca, "blaine.higgs"<blaine.higgs@gnb.ca>,
"kris.austin"<kris.austin@gnb.ca>, "David.Coon"<David.Coon@gnb.ca>,
"Kevin.Vickers"<Kevin.Vickers@gnb.ca>, "brian.gallant"
<brian.gallant@gnb.ca>, "ian.hanamansing"<ian.hanamansing@cbc.ca>,
"Katie.Telford"<Katie.Telford@pmo-cpm.gc.ca>, "darrow.macintyre"
<darrow.macintyre@cbc.ca>, "carl.urquhart"<carl.urquhart@gnb.ca>,
"Catherine.Tait"<Catherine.Tait@cbc.ca>, "sylvie.gadoury"
<sylvie.gadoury@radio-canada.ca>, "Alex.Johnston"
<Alex.Johnston@cbc.ca>, "Arseneau, Kevin (LEG)"
<kevin.a.arseneau@gnb.ca>, "Mitton, Megan (LEG)"
<megan.mitton@gnb.ca>, "michelle.conroy"<michelle.conroy@gnb.ca>,
"rick.desaulniers"<rick.desaulniers@gnb.ca>, "robert.gauvin"
<robert.gauvin@gnb.ca>, robmoorefundy <robmoorefundy@gmail.com>,
alaina <alaina@alainalockhart.ca>, "robert.mckee"
<robert.mckee@gnb.ca>, "andrea.anderson-mason"
<andrea.anderson-mason@gnb.ca>, "Mike.Comeau"<Mike.Comeau@gnb.ca>,
andre <andre@jafaust.com>, jbosnitch <jbosnitch@gmail.com>,
"Roger.Brown"<Roger.Brown@fredericton.ca>, "dan. bussieres"
<dan.bussieres@gnb.ca>, "Gilles.Blinn"<Gilles.Blinn@rcmp-grc.gc.ca>,
"Gilles.Cote"<Gilles.Cote@gnb.ca>, "hon.ralph.goodale"
<hon.ralph.goodale@canada.ca>, mcu <mcu@justice.gc.ca>,
"Nathalie.Drouin"<Nathalie.Drouin@justice.gc.ca>,
kathleen.roussel@ppsc-sppc.gc.ca
Cc: "Gerald.Butts"<Gerald.Butts@pmo-cpm.gc.ca>,
Tim.RICHARDSON@gnb.ca, motomaniac333 <motomaniac333@gmail.com>,
Newsroom <Newsroom@globeandmail.com>, "Jacques.Poitras"
<Jacques.Poitras@cbc.ca>, "David.Lametti"<David.Lametti@parl.gc.ca>,
"Ian.Shugart"<Ian.Shugart@pco-bcp.gc.ca>

Office of the Secretary to the Governor General
    Rideau Hall
    1 Sussex Drive
    Ottawa ON K1A 0A1
    613-993-8200
    1-800-465-6890 (toll-free in Canada and the U.S.)
    TTY: 1-800-465-7735
    info@gg.ca

I spoke to a lady named "Hannah"

Lieutenant Governor .
Phone: (506) 453-2505
Fax: (506) 444-5280
E-mail: ltgov@gnb.ca
Or by regular mail (see below)

I got the recording so I left another voicemail

This is the lawsuit I was referring to

https://davidraymondamos3.blogspot.com/2015/09/v-behaviorurldefaultvmlo.html

Friday, 18 September 2015
David Raymond Amos Versus The Crown T-1557-15



                      Court File No. T-1557-15

FEDERAL COURT

BETWEEN:
DAVID RAYMOND AMOS

                           Plaintiff
and

HER MAJESTY THE QUEEN

                           Defendant

STATEMENT OF CLAIM

The Parties

1.      HER MAJESTY THE QUEEN (Crown) is Elizabeth II, the Queen of
England, the Protector of the Faith of the Church of England, the
longest reigning monarch of the United Kingdom and one of the
wealthiest persons in the world. Canada pays homage to the Queen
because she remained the Head of State and the Chief Executive Officer
of Canada after the Canada Act 1982 (U.K.) 1982, c. 11 came into force
on April 17, 1982. The standing of the Queen in Canada was explained
within the 2002 Annual Report FORM 18-K filed by Canada with the
United States Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). It states as
follows:

     “The executive power of the federal Government is vested in the
Queen, represented by the Governor General, whose powers are exercised
on the advice of the federal Cabinet, which is responsible to the
House of Commons. The legislative branch at the federal level,
Parliament, consists of the Crown, the Senate and the House of
Commons.”

     “The executive power in each province is vested in the Lieutenant
Governor, appointed by the Governor General on the advice of the
federal Cabinet. The Lieutenant Governor’s powers are exercised on the
advice of the provincial cabinet, which is responsible to the
legislative assembly. Each provincial legislature is composed of a
Lieutenant Governor and a legislative assembly made up of members
elected for a period of five years.”

2.      Her Majesty the Queen is the named defendant pursuant to
sections 23(1) and 36 of the Crown Liability and Proceedings Act. Some
of the state actors whose duties and actions are at issue in this
action are the Prime Minister, Premiers, Governor General, Lieutenant
Governors, members of the Canadian Forces (CF), and Royal Canadian
Mounted Police (RCMP), federal and provincial Ministers of Public
Safety, Ministers of Justice, Ministers of Finance, Speakers, Clerks,
Sergeants-at-Arms and any other person acting as Aide-de-Camp
providing security within and around the House of Commons, the
legislative assemblies or acting as security for other federal,
provincial and municipal properties.

3.      Her Majesty the Queen’s servants the RCMP whose mandate is to
serve and protect Canadian citizens and assist in the security of
parliamentary properties and the protection of public officials should
not deny a correspondence from a former Deputy Prime Minister who was
appointed to be Canada’s first Minister of Public Safety in order to
oversee the RCMP and their cohorts. The letter that helped to raise
the ire of a fellow Canadian citizen who had never voted in his life
to run for public office four times thus far is quoted as follows:

  “Mr. David R. Amos
            Jan 3rd, 2004
153Alvin Avenue
   Milton, MA U.S.A. 02186

                Dear Mr. Amos

      Thank you for your letter of November 19th, 2003, addressed to
                my predecessor, the Honourble Wayne Easter, regarding
your safety.
                I apologize for the delay in responding.

      If you have any concerns about your personal safety, I can only
               suggest that you contact the police of local
jurisdiction. In addition, any
               evidence of criminal activity should be brought to
their attention since the
               police are in the best position to evaluate the
information and take action
               as deemed appropriate.

       I trust that this information is satisfactory.

                                                              Yours sincerely

 A. Anne McLellan”

4.      DAVID RAYMOND AMOS (Plaintiff), a Canadian Citizen and the
first Chief of the Amos Clan, was born in Sackville, New Brunswick
(NB) on July 17th, 1952.

5.      The Plaintiff claims standing in this action as a citizen
whose human rights and democratic interests are to be protected by due
performance of the obligations of Canada’s public officials who are
either elected or appointed and all servants of the Crown whose
mandate is to secure the public safety, protect public interests and
to uphold and enforce the rule of law. The Crown affirms his right to
seek relief for offences to his rights under section 24(1) of the
Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms (Charter). Paragraphs 6 to 13
explain the delay in bringing this action before Federal Court and
paragraphs 25 to 88 explain this matter.

6.      The Plaintiff states that pursuant to the democratic rights
found in Section 3 of the Charter he was a candidate in the elections
of the membership of the 38th and 39th Parliaments in the House of
Commons and a candidate in the elections of the memberships of the
legislative assemblies in Nova Scotia (NS) and NB in 2006.

7.      The Plaintiff states that if he is successful in finding a
Chartered Accountant to audit his records as per the rules of
Elections Canada, he will attempt to become a candidate in the
election of the membership of the 42nd Parliament.

8.      The Plaintiff states that beginning in January of 2002, he
made many members of the RCMP and many members of the corporate media
including employees of a Crown Corporation, the Canadian Broadcasting
Corporation (CBC) well aware of the reason why he planned to return to
Canada and become a candidate in the next federal election. In May of
2004, all members seated in the 37th Parliament before the writ was
dropped for the election of the 38th Parliament and several members of
the legislative assemblies of NB and Newfoundland and Labrador (NL)
knew the reason is the ongoing rampant public corruption. Evidence of
the Plaintiff’s concerns can be found within his documents that the
Office of the Governor General acknowledged were in its possession ten
years ago before the Speech from the Throne in 2004. The Governor
General’s letter is as follows:


  “September 11th, 2004
          Dear Mr. Amos,

           On behalf of Her Excellency the Right Honourable Adrienne
Clarkson,
           I acknowledge receipt of two sets of documents and CD
regarding corruption,
           one received from you directly, and the other forwarded to
us by the Office of
           the Lieutenant Governor of New Brunswick.

                       I regret to inform you that the Governor
General cannot intervene in
           matters that are the responsibility of elected officials
and courts of Justice of
           Canada. You already contacted the various provincial
authorities regarding
           your concerns, and these were the appropriate steps to take.

                                                  Yours sincerely.
                                                              Renee
Blanchet
                                                              Office
of the Secretary
                                                              to the
Governor General”

9.      The Plaintiff states that the documents contain proof that the
Crown by way of the RCMP and the Minister of Public Safety/Deputy
Prime Minister knew that he was the whistleblower offering his
assistance to Maher Arar and his lawyers in the USA. The Governor
General acknowledged his concerns about the subject of this complaint
and affirmed that the proper provincial authorities were contacted but
ignored the Plaintiff’s faxes and email to the RCMP and the Solicitor
General in November of 2003 and his tracked US Mail to the Solicitor
General and the Commissioner of the RCMP by way of the Department of
Foreign Affairs and International Trade (DFAIT) in December of 2003
and the response he received from the Minister of Public Safety/Deputy
Prime Minister in early 2004. One document was irrefutable proof that
there was no need whatsoever to create a Commission of Inquiry into
Maher Arar concerns at about the same point in time. That document is
a letter from the US Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Office
Inspector General (OIG complaint no. C04-01448) admitting contact with
his office on November 21, 2003 within days of the Plaintiff talking
to the office of Canada’s Solicitor General while he met with the US
Attorney General and one day after the former Attorney General of New
York (NY) and the former General Counsel of the SEC testified at a
public hearing before the US Senate Banking Committee about
investigations of the mutual fund industry.

Here is a comment I made in CBC before I called their offices


https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/new-brunswick/brenda-murphy-lieutenant-governor-new-brunswick-installed-1.5313102

6 Comments

David Raymond Amos
Methinks whereas Murphy spoke about her passion for social justice,
the lady and I should have a long talk very soon about the lawsuit I
filed in Federal Court in 2015 while I was running in the last federal
election N'esy Pas?




Brenda Murphy installed as New Brunswick's 32nd lieutenant-governor


Formal ceremony held in Fredericton on Tuesday follows swearing-in last month
CBC News · Posted: Oct 08, 2019 5:40 PM AT | Last Updated: October 8
Lt.-Gov. Brenda Murphy's installation ceremony included an honour
guard. (Ed Hunter/CBC)


Brenda Murphy was installed as New Brunswick's 32nd
lieutenant-governor during a formal ceremony Tuesday at the
legislative assembly in Fredericton.

In her first speech as lieutenant-governor, Murphy spoke about her
passion for social justice.

"Effective change can happen when we work together to build an
inclusive, equitable society, address systemic barriers and support
one another," she said.

"Having experienced New Brunswick through several different lenses, I
am looking forward to bringing that diverse perspective to this role
and to continuing to serve the people of our province."

Murphy, 60, of Grand Bay-Westfield, succeeds Jocelyne Roy Vienneau,
63, who died Aug. 2 following a battle with cancer.

Murphy was sworn in during an informal ceremony on Sept. 8 to allow
for the immediate commencement of her duties.

    Brenda Murphy 'humbled' to be appointed New Brunswick's new
lieutenant-governor

Premier Blaine Higgs, who hosted Tuesday's official ceremony, thanked
Murphy for her leadership in social justice and making "a profound
difference in the lives of many New Brunswickers."

"I know she will continue to inspire others and contribute to the
betterment of our province as lieutenant-governor, and I look forward
to working with her."

Murphy spent more than two decades as the head of the Saint John
Women's Empowerment Network before retiring in April and has served on
advisory councils on poverty and the status of women at the federal
and provincial levels.

She served three terms as a town councillor in Grand Bay-Westfield and
has volunteered with a variety of organizations over the years,
supporting housing, justice and equality for women.

Lieutenant-governors are appointed by Julie Payette, the Governor
General of Canada, on the recommendation of the prime minister. They
serve terms of at least five years.

CBC's Journalistic Standards and Practices





https://www.aim-global.com/en/contact-us

AIM Head-Office
9100, boul. Henri-Bourassa E
Montreal, QCH1E 2S4
Tel.: 514 494-2000

AIM president blasts Saint John city leaders, province at public meeting

The company has been a catalyst for complaints about noise, dust, pollution and series of explosions


Connell Smith· CBC News· Posted: Oct 17, 2019 9:49 AM AT



Herb Black, owner of American Iron and Metal, says he has cancelled plans to add jobs at his embattled scrap metal recycling operation on the west side. (Connell Smith, CBC)

The president of American Iron and Metal put on a combative performance at a public meeting in Saint John on Wednesday.

Herb Black hosted the event to defend his embattled scrap recycling operation, which has long been in the spotlight over the past few years.

The facility has been a catalyst for noise, dust and pollution complaints from neighbours on the city's lower west side and central peninsula.


But the 75-year-old billionaire had little time for apologies when he addressed the public.

"Seriously folks. Wake up and see, and tell me what you really want," he said. "You don't want a scrap yard here. You don't want action. You don't want jobs."

Facility as loud as a lawn mower


AIM has 70 scrap metal facilities operating on five continents.

Black likened the impact of his Saint John facility to a visit from a cruise ship with attendant taxis and crowds on the streets of the uptown.


American Iron and Metal's west Saint John scrap metal recycling operation has been the source of numerous noise, dust and pollution complaints. (Julia Wright, CBC)

At one point he claimed the facility's centrepiece metal shredder was no more noisy to neighbours than a lawn mower or motorcycle.

With his Department of Environment operating permit up for renewal in December, Black went further, by repeatedly criticizing New Brunswick Environment Minister Jeff Carr, who was seated a few feet away in the front row.


In December 2017 Carr briefly ordered the shutdown of the AIM facility. The decision came after a series of explosions on site.
Black said the shutdown cost the company more than $1 million.

"Close my place down … Minister Carr? I'd like to close your place down," he said.

Vern Lanteigne watched the performance from his seat just behind Carr.

The west side resident estimates his home, located about 150 meters from the AIM facility, is worth far less since the company set up shop in the city in the mid 2000s.

"I've put thousands of dollars into it, to get it to where it is now. And I can't get half the value of it," he told Black.


West Saint John resident Vern Lanteigne claims his home has lost more than half its value since American Iron and Metal set up shop nearby. (Connell Smith, CBC)

Black immediately offered to have the home appraised, suggesting the company could buy the property.

An AIM representative then took Lanteigne's contact information.

Limiting dust, explosions


Black said the company had done a lot to limit dust and explosions from things like propane tanks hidden among the scrap, but adds: noise is part of any business.

During his presentation, he referred several times to recent expansion plans for the facility, including a factory and retail operation, that would have brought "hundreds" more jobs to the city.
Speaking afterward to reporters Black said those plans were now cancelled.

He claimed however, the meeting was a success.

"I feel good about it, for me I feel good. You know why? I was able to share with the people the truth."


New Brunswick's Minister of Environment Jeff Carr faced repeated criticism from Black during the Wednesday night meeting. (Connell Smith, CBC)

Carr, who appeared unruffled by a series of exchanges with Black, shrugged off the criticism. He said there hasn't been an explosion at the AIM site since July and that both noise and dust levels were improved and within limits.

He said the department will "wait and see" how the company performs before making a decision on renewal of the company's approval to operate in December.



About the Author

Connell Smith is a reporter with CBC in Saint John. He can be reached at 632-7726 Connell.smith@cbc.ca


 



https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/new-brunswick/scrap-metal-explosions-plant-shut-down-1.4917059



Saint John scrap-metal plant ordered to shut down immediately

Order came Thursday from the Department of Environment and Local Government




Julia Wright· CBC News· Posted: Nov 22, 2018 6:08 PM AT



When American Iron and Metal filed for approval to expand its west Saint John scrap recycling operation the company's consultants said it would have little impact on its neighbours. (CBC)

The provincial government has ordered a scrap metal recycler to shut down all of its Saint John operations immediately, after dozens of loud explosions on the west side.

The American Iron and Metal scrap yard, located on Port Saint John property, has been the site of more than 40 explosions in the past 16 months, including several this week.
The company has said about 50 people work at the site.

"The order requiring the immediate shutdown of all operations at the facility was delivered today,'' said Environment and Local Government Minister Jeff Carr.

"We have been deeply concerned about the ongoing environmental issues at the site."


The latest explosions at the AIM scrap yard on the west side occurred at about 8 a.m. Monday. The plant did not cease operations after the blast, as the port stipulated it must in a Sept. 20 letter. (Julia Wright/CBC)


Must eliminate explosions


In addition to stopping work immediately, the order requires the company to submit a plan to eliminate explosions and the impact of excessive noise and vibration within 60 working days.

"It is important that companies work with us, while respecting their neighbours and the environment," Carr said.

The order — which will remain in effect until further notice — comes after weeks of escalating tension between the company and port and city officials.


In a statement Monday, Port Saint John described the actions and response of AIM with respect to explosions as "unacceptable" and said it is investigating the cause of the blasts.


The Saint John recycling operation is located on leased port property (Julia Wright, CBC)

Port Saint John stipulated in a Sept. 20 letter to AIM that when an explosion happens, operations must "cease immediately" and the company must immediately notify the port authority, Department of Environment, emergency and fire officials, the public and adjacent port stakeholders.

The port then determines whether the operations can resume.

AIM continued to operate on Monday after an explosion.

"My understanding was that they were asked [to shut down] and my understanding is that they refused," said Saint John Mayor Don Darling.

On Thursday night, a group of citizens voiced their concerns about the yard and the explosions during a well-attended meeting at the Harbourfront Residences in uptown Saint John.

60 days to address issues


Because the AIM operation is on Port Saint John land, it falls within the jurisdiction of the port and the province, Darling said.

The order from the province, he said, may be a step in the right direction.

"[We have] 60 days here to address some of these issues," Darling said.

"We will continue to bring forward on behalf of citizens their concerns, and the city's concerns. … If what it means is in the short term, we're going to stop some explosions and give people a bit of a reprieve while we have some important dialogue, I think it's a good thing today."

AIM signed a 40-year-lease for its Saint John scrap yard with the Port of Saint John in 2002.

The yard underwent a $30 million expansion in 2011, increasing its capacity to 250,000 metric tonnes of scrap annually.
If what it means is in the short term, we're going to stop some explosions and give people a bit of a reprieve while we have some important dialogue, I think it's a good thing today. 

- Don Darling, Saint John mayor
AIM president and CEO Herb Black is scheduled to meet with city and port officials in Saint John on Friday at 2:30 p.m.

"The plan was to present the city's and the citizens' concerns, and a range of themes, if you will, and that's still the plan." Darling said.

The company, founded in 1936 in Montreal, has 2,500 employees at 80 locations around the world and revenues exceeding $2 billion.

About the Author



Julia Wright
Information Morning Saint John host
Julia Wright is a lifelong Saint Johner and the host of Information Morning Saint John. She has been with the CBC since 2016. 







https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/new-brunswick/herb-black-american-iron-metal-explisions-1.4919034



Meet the 'Scrap King': controversial scrap yard CEO visits Saint John

City, port seeking resolution after dozens of explosions





Julia Wright· CBC News· Posted: Nov 23, 2018 8:20 PM AT




 'I'm not sure they're impacted the way they're claiming they're impacted,' said American Iron and Metal CEO Herb Black of the recent spate of explosions in Saint John. (Graham Thompson / CBC)

After months of explosions in Saint John, Herbert Black — 74-year-old billionaire, art collector and CEO of American Iron and Metal — arrived with an entourage at City Hall on Friday afternoon.

Black, who some have called the "Scrap King of Montreal," met with Saint John Mayor Don Darling and Port Saint John officials to discuss a way forward after the Department of Environment issued a stop-work order to the company.
I think people don't understand the difference between an explosion and a vibration. 
- Herbert Black, American Iron and Metal CEO
The order gave AIM 60 days to submit a plan to eliminate explosions and the impact of excessive noise.


Black said misinformation has been circulating about the operation.

"When you read some of the things that have been printed in the newspaper — I am not a second Donald Trump and I'm not going to say it's fake news, but I'm going to say it's incorrect news … people are giving you false information and you are taking it at their word and you are printing it."


American Iron and Metal is capable of processing thousands of tonnes of scrap daily. Junked cars make up the majority of the material, and they can contain hazardous materials that have caused explosions. (Julia Wright / CBC)

"I think people don't understand the difference between an explosion and a vibration."

He initially disputed that Saint Johners have heard explosions and suggested they were exaggerating the impact.
"There might be some people that really have a problem, and I would be more than happy to meet with them and to discuss it with them and find a solution."



Unique explosion problem


 
The American Iron and Metal building opened on port property on the west side in 2008 and processes as many as 250,000 tonnes of scrap annually following an expansion of the shredder in 2011. (Julia Wright / CBC)

After a heated conversation between Black and city officials over whether the news media would be allowed to attend, the meeting was held in private.

Afterward, Darling said the parties will try to work together.

Black said American Iron and Metal is a "victim" of the explosions, "not the creator of them."


AIM signed a 40-year-lease for its Saint John scrapyard with the Port of Saint John in 2002. It's the first major lease the Port had landed since the 1980s. (Julia Wright / CBC)

The Saint John yard shreds and recycles old vehicles and other metal scraps into marketable metals.AIM's main suppliers are auto parts recycling centres from New Brunswick and some from P.E.I., Nova Scotia, and Maine.

Black said hazardous materials are sometimes "camouflaged" in the thousands of cars that can be processed daily.

"We're working to find out exactly who is shipping what, and we've tried hard but there are a lot of pieces of the puzzle," he said.

Black said Saint John's issue with explosions appears to be unique among his operations. Of AIM's 10 shredders, "I don't have the problem I have here with any of them," he said.

"I do have explosions from time to time. I have never had a shredder operate for a year without an explosion or two or three. It just doesn't happen."

'Nothing is perfect in life'


AIM upgraded its Saint John shredder in 2011 at a cost of $30 million — increasing its output by roughly 500 per cent.

"I feel very confident that there won't be any problems in terms of dust or noise or other situations," Black told CBC Information Morning Saint John at the time.


Saint John Mayor Don Darling and Black 'are committed to working together in an open fashion,' Darling said. (Graham Thompson / CBC)

"And if there are, even if it's within the law and it makes people uncomfortable, I'll be the first one to correct it."

AIM's approval to operate certificate says it is the company's responsibility to inspect the material that gets shredded.

With 1,000 tonnes coming through the yard daily, Black said, things can fall through the cracks
There's such a thing as human error. They go for a coffee break, or they have to go to the bathroom, or something happens in between. Nothing is perfect in life.
- Herbert Black
 "There's such a thing as human error. They go for a coffee break, or they have to go to the bathroom, or something happens in between. Nothing is perfect in life."

Darling said that during the meeting, the port, city and AIM reached an agreement to "get going right away to get us to a better place."

"I'm a believer that we can have a coexistence between industry … and citizens quality of life."

$5 million lawsuit in Quebec


This isn't the first time Black has dealt with complaints about his operations.

When Black started a metal recycling plant at the former dump in Levis, Que., in 2005, the $25 million project was met with opposition by local environmental groups.

They alleged the company lacked the proper permits and was polluting the nearby Etchemin River. The opponents managed to halt work on the plant by getting an injunction.  

 
Black sued a group of Quebec environmentalists who objected to the installation of a metal shredder in a dump in Levis, Que., in 2005. (Graham Thompson / CBC)

Black then filed a $5 million lawsuit for what he called "malicious, reckless and abusive efforts" to stop the project.

The defendants alleged this response was a SLAPP suit — or strategic lawsuit against public participation — a tactic sometimes used by companies with deep financial reserves. Black denied the allegation.

SLAPP actions are designed to intimidate and silence opponents by dragging them through lengthy and expensive court proceedings until they abandon their cause.

The matter was settled out of court in 2007.


American Iron and Metal has no plans to relocate its Saint John facility, Black said. (Julia Wright / CBC)

'No flame and no fire'


On Friday, Black said all shredding activity has stopped for now at the west side operation — and AIM is working on a "program" to penalize suppliers who ship explosive material.

"If people don't ship the proper material and it would explode, that we could go back on them, we could find them, we could penalize them, we could shut them down, or we could do something," he said.

He also reiterated that the blasts have "no flame and no fire to it."


About the Author




Julia Wright
Information Morning Saint John host
Julia Wright is a lifelong Saint Johner and the host of Information Morning Saint John. She has been with the CBC since 2016. 








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