ONTARIO CONSERVATIVE PARTY CONTINUE THEIR ASSAULT ON THE ENVIRONMENT IN ORDER TO LINE MORE POCKETS

Well is it just me or am I seeing considerably more articles about the environment in the Waterloo Region Record over the last numerous months? Yesterday's Record carried one Opinion and one Editorial from the Record themselves. It was titled "Don't give free rein to Ontario's developers" and the Opinion piece was titled "Rush to be "open for business" puts environment on back burner". It was written by Susan Koswan. ........................................................................................................... Both of these articles are regarding Doug Ford (P.C.) and his ongoing underhanded attack on the environment. This time he has used an omnibus budget bill to slide in his reductions of authority and responsibility of our Conservation Authorities. It is simply a way to concentrate power both at the Cabinet level where he is in charge and with the very reliable Ministry of Natural Resources and Forestry. You remember them as the gravel pit proponent's best friend in Ontario. ................................................................................................................ Now don't get me wrong. Despite the Record Editorial suggesting that "they've (Conservation Authorities) done a suberb job, too.", I beg to differ. In fact Susan Koswan mentions in her Opinion piece that as of 2011 "...southern Ontario had lost "more than 70 percent of its wetland habitats, 98 percent of its grasslands, and 89 percent of its forests." If that statistic is accurate then shame on each and every municipal, regional and provincial authority for their share of that failure. I do agree however that these latest proposed changes will only make things worse.