I have several concerns with…

I have several concerns with the proposed changes.

Regarding 1)D), I trust the consideration and expertise of the COSEWIC and do not see a need for additional powers to be granted to the minister regarding their decisions. Instead, this appears to be a proposal designed to allow the minister to simply ignore the recommendations given by COSEWIC, and I do not wish such a change to be implemented.

Regarding 2)A), I feel that three years is an unreasonable length of time to delay the implementation of species protections when COSEWIC has determined them to be necessary. The protections on a species should not be delayed by any more than a year at most, even when important industrial considerations are at stake.

Regarding major proposed change #4, I don't see any reason why the creation of a new organizing body to handle funds for environmental improvements would be better or more efficient for anyone involved. Considering that the cost to the project will remain the same (as it should, or perhaps it should even increase), it would be much more efficient to keep the current system where the project is expected to spend that money on environmental initiatives exactly where they are needed (I.e. in the place being developed), rather than creating a new middle man to do the same work somewhere else.