I am very concerned by the…

I am very concerned by the view expressed in this discussion paper -- that current laws and regulations protecting endangered species should be softened to promote business in Ontario. There is far more language in here which emphasizes the desire to make things easier for business operations and expansion than the actual protection of the environment and the 243 species on the endangered list. Statements such as "The requirements that applicants must fulfill to obtain an authorization can be extensive, creating barriers to economic development (e.g., in some cases achieving an overall benefit to a species as required under a s. 17(2)(c) permit can be long, onerous, and unpredictable)" clearly demonstrate this business focus. Likewise, the statement that "In some cases, automatic species and habitat protections can contribute to high uncertainty and costly impacts to businesses and the public" is an unacceptable position. The Endangered Species Act should aim to protect the environment and wildlife in the province. We've already seen the impact of business and expansion -- animals have been driven further into city limits as their habitat has been destroyed -- and there is no coming back from extinction. We have to be responsible now; what I've seen in this discussion paper is definitely not promising.