I am against the termination…

I am against the termination of the Environmental Assessment Act for Eagle’s Nest mine outlined in the proposed Bill 5. The Ontario government’s clear intentions are to prioritize reckless development absent of evidence and at potentially great cost to the public.
The proposal to terminate the checks and balances in the EA Act will rob scientific information that would be available to make sound decisions on these potentially harmful projects.
Bill 5 intends to amend the Mining Act by removing the public’s ability to track mining claims. Expanded powers given to the minister means they can suspend some or all functioning of the Mining Lands Administration System (MLAS).
Amendments to the Mining Act will also provide the minister with the discretionary power to establish a team of public servants to fast-track mining permits without information on basic, minimum standards to ensure transparency and procedural fairness. This will lead to inefficient resource allocation and preferential treatment of some firms and possibly corruption.
A responsible and ethical government understands that arriving at the best approach requires collaboration, understanding, and a commitment to negotiate in good faith. Instead of overriding powers, or removing information, just simply work within the laws in place and arrive at solutions that protects the community and Ontario natural resources.