I oppose very strongly Bill…

I oppose very strongly Bill 5, the Protect Ontario by Unleashing Our Economy Act. The proposal to repeal the Endangered Species Act is not acceptable. We need this tool to help protect our at-risk wildlife and the ecosystems upon which they depend. Improving our economy and protecting our ecosystems are not either/or actions. We have to do both. We cannot sacrifice our wildlife and environment for short term economic gains. We can try to make approval processes more efficient but we should not remove them nor degrade them. We should not let developers start work that potentially is destructive without first analyzing the impacts.

I also oppose the ability of cabinet to approve the creation of "special economic zones" without proper environmental assessment and without public or indigenous input. This short cut could be disastrous for our environment and the health of Ontarians.

I urge the Ontario government to withdraw Bill 5 in its entirety and instead work with environmental experts, Indigenous leaders and the public to strengthen — not dismantle — our systems of environmental protection.

Protecting nature is not a barrier to economic growth. It’s the foundation of a healthy, resilient and just society.