I strong oppose this bill. …

I strong oppose this bill. I think that it’s short-sighted and in denial of the severity of the climate crisis and fragility of our ecosystems.

This government should not be enabling short-cuts that favour industry over our communities, green space, and inhabiting species of fauna. The long-term health of our environment has economic benefits that this Ford government clearly doesn’t understand, which is why it is focused on hastily green-lighting projects by circumventing diligent assessments. We need stronger protections for our environment and its endangered species, and this motion is in contradiction of that necessity.

The analogy of, “you’ve got to break a few eggs to make an omelette,” doesn’t fit when it comes to our environment. This motion is akin to killing the chicken to provide a single meal.

The projects in which Ontario’s population will take the most pride will be those that age well, and the preservation of the natural beauty, ecological diversity, and a balanced ecosystem will be a long-term source of pride and inspiration for what’s possible with thoughtful planning.

Ontarians lament the poor planning of our predecessors for many past infrastructure decisions that lacked a thoughtful vision of the future (and population growth). Let’s avoid making the same mistakes and reject these proposed changes to the endangered species act.