Having key legislation like…

Having key legislation like the Endangered Species Act in place in Ontario is one of the most important things we can do for the environment as Ontarians, and should not be up for debate. The proposed changes do not supply adequate protection for the species at risk in Ontario, and removing protections can only lead to a loss of biodiversity in our forests. As a Silviculture Forester, one of the most important aspects of my job is managing the health of the forests I'm responsible for so that they can continue to be productive in the future, and protecting the species in that forest, all different types of habitat, plants, and animals, endangered or not, is absolutely essential to that job. This decision is not only openly backed by greed and entitlement towards the land we should be proud to be stewards for, it's a step backwards in our collective responsibility to protect the biodiversity of species in Ontario. Removing protections for endangered species will not only cost many species the vital protections that keep them in existence in our area, but, since the only focus here seems to be on how humans might benefit, it will also cost countless people their jobs, undermine the lifes work of half of the scientists at the MNR, and most importantly, do the exact opposite of actually benefitting housing and building. We need to maintain habitat and protect all species to protect our forests, where the wood for all those houses actually comes from. Degrading the environment to "better" the lives of Ontarians is not only backwards thinking and a shift back towards ideals we haven't held in the forest industry since the pre-1950s era of mass deforestation, its also unnecessary, and highlights the very dangerous view that we as humans have more right to the land than any other living thing, which is categorically untrue.