I believe that Ontario and…

I believe that Ontario and all its citizens used to care about the environment. I believe that the old Ministry of Natural Resources worked hard to protect, preserve and conserve green spaces in Ontario. And I believe that our province used to value democracy above all.

Doug Ford and this proposal has proved to me that those beliefs are no longer valid. The Ontario government no longer cares about the environment. The green spaces that were valued and protected are no longer valued. And democracy has been thrown out the window. The Premier was voted in to run our province, with help from other elected officials. That Premier made a promise to protect the Greenbelt. That same Premier now says something different. So, he has lied to his constituents.

This is not democracy. We, as voters, can no longer trust who we elect. It has become an autocracy.

I won't wax poetic about the value of the environment. I am sure others have. I will simply say that I am appalled at the behaviour of the Premier. If we are to remain a democratic province, he must stick to his promise.

We need the Greenbelt. We need green space. Yes, we need housing, but the houses the developers will build will not be affordable housing for those who need it. So stop now. Rethink the plan. Do now decimate the Greenbelt. Find alternative ways to provide affordable housing.

Democracy is at stake. Let's uphold it.