The proposal to gut the…

The proposal to gut the Endangered Species Act and replace it with a toothless replacement is an appalling waste of taxpayer money and an enormous risk to our province.

The only reason the processes outlined in the ESA are time-consuming is because the public servants who manage the work are critically underfunded and understaffed - the perpetual starvation of the workforce of the public service limits the ability to undertake these assessments in the preferred timely manner, but that doesn't mean the government can decide to throw species at risk under the bus in favour of fast-tracking a subdivision of mansions no one can afford to live in.

This smacks so highly of Donald Trump denigrating the smelt. It also hearkens back to Doug Ford's attempt to clear cut the Greenbelt. Ontarians are supposed to be proud of our province, especially during present times, and I am so proud of how we've taken up the cause of protecting endangered animals, the same way we protect green space. Doug Ford's government is attempting to speedrun the anthropocene and this bill the gas pedal.