LETTER: WAKE UP MINISTER SMITH, WORRY ABOUT BEARS AND FOREST FIRES THIS SPRING, SAY GREENS

LETTER TO THE EDITOR:

Last week the government warned Ontarians to be on the lookout for bears waking up from hibernation earlier than usual as a result of an extremely warm winter.

Ontario’s Natural Resources Minister (and habitual climate change downplayer), Graydon Smith, said: “I’m not worried about it, but I think people should take note that it’s happening.”

Well consider it noted, Minister Smith.

And while we’re taking notes, let’s check our notes from last year when Minister Smith was heard to say, as record-breaking forest fires raged across Ontario: “We’ve got forest fires every year.”

Let’s also take note that this government’s first order of business after taking office was to spend $230 million to cancel hundreds of renewable energy contracts so that Ontario could stay hooked on expensive, polluting fossil gas generation.

Also worth jotting down: that this government keeps chipping away at the crucial work of the conservation authorities that protect us from climate impacts.

Latest move is to centralize power in the hands of Minister Smith – yes that Minister Smith, the one who “isn’t worried about it.”

Large infrastructure projects can now plough straight through environmentally sensitive habitats without an environmental assessment.

The Ford government will do anything to avoid taking action on the climate crisis. Instead of musing about climate change, “expressing itself in kind of new and unique ways,” why not actually take action on climate change by investing in renewables so that we can phase out expensive fossil gas generation that contributes to carbon pollution.

Lois, we’re calling on Premier Ford to come up with a real plan to respond to the climate emergency – starting with phasing out gas plants and investing in the cheap, clean, safe renewables Ontario needs.

Stephanie Leblanc
Ontario Greens