For most of my adult life I…

For most of my adult life I have visited our provincial parks annually on extended back country trips to enjoy Ontario's natural beauty. The environmental diversity of our province is one of our most valuable resources, and their value goes hand in hand with environmental protections. While the current amendments may be related to a specific development project, I have serious concerns about the way they could be used by this administration and others in the future. This is not an amendment that should be up for debate.

First and foremost, the establishment of "special economic zones" where our government would be allowed to bypass applicable environmental laws in an absolute non-starter. The conflict of interest here should be apparent to everyone, particularly given the current administrations questionable history of favouring land developers at the expense of our provinces environmentally sensitive areas. Ford's government tried this once, got called out, reversed course, and is now trying to give themselves a lawful avenue to do it again.

In addition “the government would also have discretion to remove protected species from the list” in reference to the COSSARO is downright absurd and undermines due processes in place that ensure the safety of endangered and at risk species.

This proposal is a blatant slap in the face to Ontario and its people, who care deeply about the biodiversity that defines our province. Stripping away the requirement for the government to develop recovery plans for endangered species, axing the need for permits to protect migratory birds and aquatic species, and handing the government unchecked power to decide which species belong on the SARO list - hese are not just bad decisions, they’re an outright attack on the very ecosystems that make Ontario special. It’s clear this provincial government couldn't care less about preserving the beauty and diversity of our land. It’s all about pushing through their agenda at the expense of our environment.