As is usually the case with…

As is usually the case with the Progressive Conservative Party of Ontario, Bill 5 has euphemistic language to make it sound like a good thing for the environment, endangered species, and Ontarians when it is completely at odds with protecting anything. As someone who has an MPP who is a member of the Ontario PCs—Sam Oosterhoff—I wrote to him recently about this bill, and he touted the party line, claiming that they would increase spending that is favourable to the environment and endangered species from $4.5 million to $20 million, but I’ve seen the Ontario PCs promises before, and I know when something is not the whole truth. I’m sure they will be spending more money, but that’s likely because they are supporting private businesses that charge more for the same service.

Even if that wasn’t true, we know that the proposed bill would do away with the Endangered Species Act (2007), and it’s place, the new act will allow the Ontario PCs and their partners to remove species that are endangered from the list of endangered species at their own discretion.

Bill 5 is changing the name of a habitat to decrease the size of what might be called a habitat.

Bill 5 will reduce the “red tape” when it comes to building in Ontario, but like the Greenbelt Scandal, we know that the Ontario PCs are just in it for themselves, their friends, and the kickbacks that the Ford government gets for doing what supports industry and business over the rights of Ontarians to a safe environment and the rights of animals to live safely and securely, to be able to roam freely away from their homes without risky their lives or homes in the process.

As Environmental Defence says, “This Bill represents a direct attack on species at risk, clean and healthy communities, clean energy and the rights of Indigenous peoples.” And if we allow it to pass, we will ruin the environment for our future selves and that of future generations. We will also significantly work against the necessary culture of reconciliation that settlers in this land should be working towards.