I am opposing the…

I am opposing the destruction and replacement of Ontario's Endangered Species Act. I am against:
1. Ministerial discretion to remove species from the legal protected list. Politicians should not replace the committee of scientists who dictate legal listing and protection decisions.

2. Elimination of recovery documents, government response statements and progress reports. We need these safeguards to know whether the province is conserving species at risk or letting them die off.

3. The weakening of the "habitat" definition to protect only dens, nests and nearby areas. The existing habitat definition should stand and be made more explicit. Wildlife needs a variety of habitats for different reasons, all of these are critical to an imperilled population's survival. Without habitat, species cannot persist.

4. Useless registration system for those seeking to destroy species at risk or their habitat. We must maintain the permit system and require all people and companies to apply for specific permits in order to be allowed to conduct activities that imperil at-risk species.

5. Removal of the "harass" prohibition from protection language. Harassing is not the same as killing species at risk, but it still needs to be illegal.