Dear Editor:
An open letter to all Progressive Conservative MPPs.
This season’s wild fires underline the need to protect what we have. The loss of 319 acres of farmland daily underlines the need to protect what we have and not pave it over.
I do hope you make it to your local ploughing match to learn how precious prime farmland is to food security in Ontario. We also need wetlands to hold water for flood prevention, habitat and safe drinking water. This all adds up to restoring the Greenbelt and growing it to include south Simcoe and the Grand River watershed.
Given the fiasco of the pay-to-play land developers choosing parts of the Greenbelt to develop also means that these lands must be returned to the Greenbelt. A flawed process at best, and more likely a criminal land deal, dictates that number 15 on Auditor General Bonnie Lysyk’s list of recommendations – to return lands to the Greenbelt – must be followed.
Doubling down with a questionable review and a threat to open the Greenbelt even more continues the dangerous attack against nature, the environment, the law and the people of Ontario now and into the future. What you do now or not do now determines your fate as well. I appeal to your better natures and common sense!
The right thing in the face of this scandal would be to reverse decisions that are corrupt and improper. Calling on developers to move quickly on building on these ill gotten lands runs counter to what ought to be done and displays the political gall to push this outrageous agenda.
Experts have made clear that the Greenbelt land is not needed to build housing!
The question becomes why is this government supporting billionaires and ignoring good governance, public opinion, the attorney general’s last recommendation, the investigation of the Integrity Commissioner that is ongoing and the potential RCMP investigation. Why double down in such fraught political territory?
Think about the results of a police investigation, a public inquiry, the tainted reputation of the Progressive Conservative Party, the falling numbers in the polls, the attention of the media on reports of stories like questionable trips to Vegas and lies told, and the negative opinions of your constituents.
You only have so much time to do the right thing and you know what that is!
Huge mistakes have been made and people must be held accountable with apologies made to Ontarians.
Donna McCaw,
Elora