After reading the proposed…

After reading the proposed legislation, I do not agree with some critics that the proposed amendments to Ontario's environmental laws will “gut” the province's protection regime for endangered species.

However, in matters affecting endangered species of plants and animals, unfettered ministerial discretion and an alternative avenue for land developers to pay into an environmental trust instead of being subject to an independent environmental review and permission process are a clear invitation to corruption and abuse of Ontario's environmental protection process. As such they are bad public policy and will cost any government politically, especially when consequent resulting scandals are publicized. Further protections in these areas therefore need to be built into the amending legislation.

On the other hand, the proposal to improve public participation by including other persons than scientists on environmental assessment panels makes sense, provided that they are respected members of other professional groups serving society that require evidence-based judgments, are barred from political and economic affiliations which might prejudice their judgements, and do not form a majority of the panel which could decide to override competent and unanimous scientific advice.