Dear Editor:
Dec. 8, 2020 is going to go down in the history books as an extremely bleak day in the history of Ontario, with the passage of Bill 229, an omnibus bill titled Protect, Support and Recover from COVID-19 Act (budget Measures) 2020.
This bill includes Schedule 6, Conservation Authorities Act and Schedule 8, Crown Forest Sustainability Act. So the irony of that title is laughable.
There is nothing that is supported nor is there any mention of recovery from this pandemic, other than to see that the Conservatives are not fixing anything like private for-profit care of the elderly and transferring of that model to the care of wetlands and environment to benefit wealthy friends of the government in power.
I was taken by a headline in your paper last week: New nationwide survey finds Ontarians’ mental health eroding. Considering this reality and the huge issues facing Ontario and indeed the world, such as climate change, biodiversity loss in plant and animal life we have a government totally ignoring all of these issues with the passing of a huge bill that addresses none of these issues post pandemic.
The attack on conservation authorities is ridiculous. The immediate paving of a wetland will probably result in flooding, poor water quality and flooded basements. However, money will fix these issues.
Mental health issues, loss of habitat for endangered species and loss of green spaces for people to renew and connect with the natural world are not possible to repair with the almighty buck.
I will close with the words of Antoine de Saint Exupery: “It is not for us to foresee the future; It is only necessary that we make it possible.”
May the Doug Fords and cohorts who are holding the power start to listen.
Burna Wilton,
Elora