The Friends of Misery Bay is…

The Friends of Misery Bay is a volunteer group dedicated to the preservation of the Misery Bay Provincial Park, and by extension to the conservation of natural habitats that support species at risk. We wish to register our strong opposition to the changes to the Endangered Species Act that are being considered. They will not improve outcomes for species at risk. On the contrary, they would make it easier for industry and developers to destroy the habitats of our most vulnerable plants and animals.

Some of the proposed changes appear to be designed to take the protection of species at risk away from science-based decision-making, into the political realm. We do not support changes which would introduce broad ministerial discretion to interfere with the science-based listing process, to suspend and limit protections, and to ignore legislated timelines for policies and reporting. Nor do we support the scheme that would allow developers and other proponents of harmful activities to pay into a fund in lieu of fulfilling requirements for on-the-ground reparation for the damage they do to species and their habitats. Payments into fund will increase government coffers but will not save the species they destroy.

Misery Bay Provincial Park is on Manitoulin Island, which is the home of many species at risk, including The Manitoulin Gold (aka Lakeside Daisy), the Dwarf Lake Iris, Barn Owl, Evening Grosbeak, Sharp Tailed Grouse, Hills Thistle, Pitcher’s Thistle and Blanding's Turtle, to name just a few. Removing any species from the list will jeopardize their survival.

Improving outcomes for species at risk requires enforcement, not weakening, of the law. It also requires investment in stewardship, not writing off species at risk and their habitats as red tape.

Sincerely
Ted Kilpatrick - chair of Friends of Misery Bay