The proposed changes to the…

The proposed changes to the Endangered Species legislation in Ontario is, in my opinion, a death sentences for many species at risk/endangered Species in Ontario. The committee that defines which species is added to or removed from that list should only include experts in that field and should be free of any potential conflict of interests. To permit lay people and others from the community will only introduce bias that will result in endangered species in Ontario to be placed at further risk or made extinct.
In addition, allowing businesses, city representatives or others to simply pay a fee to 'compensate' for activities that would otherwise not be permitted under the current legislation shows a complete disregard for the biodiversity that we must preserve in our province and in Canada. Please, do not procced with these changes. It is a slippery slope that will only provide precedent for further such changes. Please do not make Ontario the province that doesn't care about the biodiversity. Leaving it to other provinces to handle the problem is irresponsible and unconscionable. Please do not make the proposed changes that would allow a fee for activities otherwise not permitted, allow non-experts on the committee that influences the endangered species list and that would forever sully Ontario's good reputation when it comes to a focus on its biodiversity.