I fundamentally disagree…

I fundamentally disagree with the proposed amendments to enable the Species Conservation Act. This Act is clearly not designed to protect species at risk and there habitat but makes it easier for the government and industry to exploit natural resources without the proper mitigation and consultation.

In no way should weakening current species protections be viewed as a suitable conservation and management strategy. Having a species listed as at-risk in both federal and provincial legislation is not redundant, but necessary to ensure sufficient protection for our most vulnerable species.

Additionally, the proposed registration and exemption regulations would effectively allow a free-for-all for development in critical habitat. If development is allowed without prior approval and they don't follow the requirements/ regulations, the damage has already been done. This proposal shows that the government truly does not care about species and habitat protection.

These amendments also ignore the aboriginal and treaty rights of Indigenous peoples, including the duty to consult. The province cannot be allowed to ignore these rights and trust others will respect them through the registration process.

Finally, amending the Environmental Bill of Rights to bar the public from participating in permit and order decisions contradicts the idea of a democratic government. As constituents, we have a right to participate in decisions that will affect us and our communities. The government is meant to represent the interests of the people, but legislation like this absolutely does not represent our best interests.