Mr. Ford talks about…

Mr. Ford talks about fighting back against Trump, but this repealing of environmental protections takes the wholeheartedly un-Canadian step of taking a page directly from his playbook. We cannot set back the clock on the environment for economic gain like our neighbours to the south are currently in the process of doing.

Of particular concern to me is the decision to change the definition of habitat to simply mean the dwelling place of an animal, rather than the whole environment that animal lives in. This, quite frankly, spits in the face of common sense and all scientific consensus. Yet another example of Mr. Ford taking a page from Trump's playbook. The best analogy I can think of when it comes to people, is like having an elevated super highway built on all sides of your home. Sure, the road builders kept your home intact so you have a place to shelter. But what about access to food? Places to play? Places to meet people? Places to help grow your family? Suddenly, the community that allows you to actually survive and thrive has been paved over, your quality of life has been completely eroded, and now you'll likely have to move on to a new place to live anyways. In the case of animals, however, they aren't so fortunate as to be able to just pack up and move. Some have very specific environmental requirements that may be difficult to replicate, there may be to much competition at any new land they do find, or any additional suitable land may simply be too far away. In short, the definition of habitat as just a dwelling space simply does not cut it. The current definition of habitat is complex for a reason. Just as the interactions humans have living our lives in society are complex and far reaching, so too is it for animals.

Of additional concern is Mr. Ford's claim that enforcement of environmental protections will be bolstered. While I appreciate the sentiment, I don't think I need a long paragraph to parse out the flaws with this claim. If you roll back environmental protections, there is nothing to enforce. This claim is just lipservice, plain and simple.

In closing, it's unconscionable to believe that this the only path forward the Conservative government can think of to drive economic prosperity, when it most certainly is not the only path available. Companies and investors come and go, but any damage we do to our environment today will have impacts for generations to come.