In general, the use of…

In general, the use of Minister's orders is done far too often by the Ford government and, in particular. in the case of black ash, there is no good reason to refrain from enacting protection now. The Committee on the Status of Endangered Wildlife in Canada and the Committee on the Status of Species at Risk in Ontario have thoroughly examined threats to the species and released their findings. The threats to black ash are already well documented and understood. This government maintains that it makes decisions on science-based evidence, but these actions would undermine this claim completely. The black ash is threatened globally and is culturally significant for many Indigenous Peoples, with historic, cultural and economic importance. Again if this government is committed to truth and reconciliation efforts as it has stated in the past, then this delay undermines your credibility on this front as well. Please reconsider, endangered species need our protection now not after giving additional years that would allow for further damage to existing black ash populations.