If we want to "protect…

If we want to "protect Ontario" we should start by NOT changing all our own laws and backtracking on environmental protection. This is an all encompassing bill that effects many acts and I think will only hurt our beautiful province if its passed.

1. The land acknowledgement should not just be empty words, "we" as a settler province must consult with the Indigenous Nations who we have signed treaties if we want to develop more land.

2. Upholding the endangered species act is the least we can do for our local fauna and flora that "we" have disrupted, killed, and endangered many animals and plants and introduced new diseases and dangers to them. Reducing the protections on these species rather than focusing on their recovery is just signing their death sentence. Extinction of several of species isn't worth more urban sprawl or a highway that nobody wants. In my own region there is an abundance of wetlands, mixed forests, and fresh water and it is home to many threatened species. I'm afraid that even a little loss of this protected space will have devastating effects on animals like the Blandings Turtle that take at least a decade to mature, or the Eastern Whip-poor-will who hunts in open fields but nests in forests.

3. The "Special Economic Zones" really just sounds like they want to give governemt land up to corporate developers on a silver platter. How can it be democratic and ethical to create zones that are exempt from our own provincial and municipal laws? If those laws aren't working they should be amended individually not included in a broad sweeping bill.

Overall Bill 5 does nothing to "protect Ontario". It seems like it will allow all provincial and municipal laws to be violated as long as the cabinet decides its a worth the cost. I hope this bill is defeated and nothing else like it is brought to the table again.