MINISTER SMITH BLAMES ‘SEVERE’ 2023 FIRE SEASON, AFTER SCORCHING AG REPORT RAKES HIS MNR OVER COALS

Mark Clairmont | MuskokaTODAY.com

GRAVENHURST — MPP Graydon Smith respects Auditor General Shelley Spence, but says her complaints in a scorching report last week about his Ministry of Natural Resources office “were mostly administrative matters” — and happened “during a severe firefighting season.”

Yet his local political rival Matt Richter, a Green Party deputy leader, noted this week in a release that the MNR was singled out in four of the six violations of the Ontario Environmental Bill of Rights.

In the Greens release Richter said Smith’s office “was found to have misrepresented or downplayed the environmental impacts of proposed legislation for partisan political purposes (5.3.1); purposefully missed reporting deadlines for investigations (5.2.3, 5.2.4); deceived the public about the consultation process and deadlines and was unable to show how public comments were incorporated into legislation (5.1.1).

“It gives the perception that the government is either wilfully ignorant of the rules, or is intentionally trying to hide information from the people they represent,” wrote Richter.

See MuskokaTODAY.com’s story on Richter’s release here.

When we asked the MNR minister about that Friday morning, before an event in Gravenhurst, he first said: “I respect the Auditor General and the work that she does and her office does.

“If you look, they were mostly administrative matters. And if you look back to May of 2023 — so there were these things within it and we had someone write us a concern about an issue. We investigated that issue. There was nothing to take action on.

“We didn’t according to the Auditor General respond in a timely fashion.

“But listen, that was right in the middle of firefighting season. It was my priority and my office’s priority that we were making sure that one of the most severe fire seasons was being dealt with and people were being kept safe. And we were looking after people.

“And so, if it was a stamp on letter that she’s worried about — but we investigated the issue.”

He said he didn’t think it was a Muskoka complaint or about a Fowler’s Construction pit off Hwy. 117 north of it in east Bracebridge.

“I don’t know exactly, but I don’t believe so.”

We asked about another of Spence’s concerns regarding his MNR office acting in a partisan way.

Smith said: “We put postings up all the time and ask for comment and we’re a government that wants to get things done.

“I’m not going to apologize for that.”

Also on the topic of government advertising, which the auditor general noted jumped to $103.5 million for 2023-24 from $33.7 million in 2022-23, Smith said: “We want to make sure the people of Ontario know what is happening in Ontario. It’s important for them to understand the programs and services and things that are happening in this province.

“And it’s a challenge — and as you know being in media — there are fewer and fewer ways to do that.

“We just want to make sure that the people are understanding that the Government of Ontario — and not in a partisan way — the Government of Ontario is working for them.”

Which is just what MuskokaTODAY.com was doing yesterday at the Alexander Muskoka Residence where he announced an ALC hospital bed transition program. And that this newspaper does every day he was told.

But ailing small media doesn’t receive the kind of government advertising the province gives to the likes of Facebook and other large internationally-owned social media outlets he was reminded.

“But I don’t do the buying,” Smith left off with before making his announcement.

In his opening comments about the transition beds he joked it was the first time he saw a lap-top that wasn’t turned on used and was used as a stand to prop up pieces of paper for remarks by other speakers.

“As minister of natural resources, I’m always glad to see paper still being used,” he said as hospital officials and residents applauded.

After the Santa Claus parade in Bracebridge last night, which Smith said he was attending, Richter said “people should read the report” — which is 971 pages long.

The full Auditor General’s Report can be found at https://www.auditor.on.ca/en/content/annualreports/arbyyear/ar2024.html

Richter and his team were watching outside their new, freshly green-painted downtown office that they opened Wednesday across from Memorial Park.

“Ask him (Smith) why they’re spending millions on a spa at Ontario Place? And why they spent so much money on advertising?

“And why they’re calling an election this spring with a majority government?”

Richter said from what the Greens hear the next provincial election will be April 2 — more than a year ahead of the June 2026 date required by law.

The Environmental Bill of Rights (EBR) of 1993 establishes a “political accountability” model that holds the government accountable for environmental decisions through public disclosure and citizen participation. It’s a law that gives Ontario residents environmental rights and establishes a legal framework for environmental accountability. And allows all Ontarians the right to participate in decisions that impact the environment, including air, water, land, and wildlife.

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