Parry Sound-Muskoka representative and first-time MPP Graydon Smith has been named to Premier Doug Ford’s Ontario cabinet as the Minister of Natural Resources and Forestry.
Smith was named to the position this morning as part of a swearing-in ceremony at Queen’s Park in Toronto.
The Ministry is headquartered in Peterborough and is responsible for fish and wildlife management – sustainably managing Ontario’s fish and wildlife resources. Land and waters management – leading the management of Ontario’s Crown lands, water, oil, gas, salt and aggregates resources, including making Crown land available for renewable energy projects.
Smith takes over from the previous Minister Greg Rickford, who has now been appointed Minister of Northern Development and Minister of Indigenous Affairs.
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Greg Reuvekamp says
Congratulations to my good friend. He will do a great job here. It’s fantastic news for Parry Sound Muskoka to have our MPP be part of this cabinet.
Fran Coleman says
Congratulations to you Graydon????. You will serve Parry Sound- Muskoka well.
Bob Braan says
Resources and Forestry? Seriously?
Just like Doug Ford, Graydon Smith is all about development at any cost.
Pave the greenbelt and turn Muskoka forests into Mississauga barrens as fast as possible.
Toronto protects their trees better than Muskoka.
There are beautiful homes surrounded by large trees near downtown Toronto.
Muskoka? Neighbours and residents and conservation can GTH.
Forget zoning and planning rules.
That’s all just red tape.
Developers know rules will be changed to suit whatever they want.
Not the other way around.
Build anything, anywhere.
Starting with wiping out trees needlessly in many areas of Bracebridge, for example.
Leaving it completely barren for many years.
Across from Home Depot, near the new high school and most recently at Travelodge along the road where you can’t build anyway.
Disaster.
Bill Beatty says
Congrats Graydon on a big win and one that will ensure Muskoka-Parry Sound will get the attention it deserves from Provincial Gov’t . Great choice Doug and one which will
. benefit All including the naysayers !
Kathy Kay says
Bob Braan,
Agree with you. At least we can focus our pressure on a local MPP. We know developers deep pockets aren’t worried about any one else’s future or environmental well being. Their short term gain, our long term pain.
Allen Markle says
Indeed Graydon Smith. A fine reward from our Premier. Congratulations. And might a firm handshake or heartfelt hug be delivered to Matt Richter and the Green Party. For scaring Doug enough to add another carrot to what is being proffered to Muskoka. Two hospitals and a cabinet post. Are we set for the next 4 to 8 years, or what! Now let the good times roll!!
But here in the land of ‘stumps and holes’, we get a minister in charge or ‘rocks and trees’. Somewhat incongruous? Time will tell. And maybe as Hugh Mackenzie is convinced, parties look after their own. Well, one of them anyway. Maybe more to follow?
One commenter above seems to want to brand the unconvinced as ‘naysayers’. I don’t feel I am that, just someone who has been ‘around the horn’ (as Hugh Mackenzie once stated) and maybe akin to someone from Missouri. ‘Show Me”. Take your time, but show me.
So I say to Bill Beatty, I find your assertion to be a bit of a premature emanation.
And to Graydon Smith, all the best sir; but show me.
Paul Johnston says
I agree with Bob and believe this was a patronage appointment. While I am a PC supported believe the best candidate would have been Matt of the Green Party. Muskoka needs to be protected and Matt would have been best for protecting Muskoka environment.
John Garlick says
We should consider ourselves very lucky to have had two such capable candidates competing to represent us .
I have a very positive opinion of Graydon Smith having had the benefit of seeing him in action and in receiving his support in regard to the future of the Fairvern Long Term Care Home, and its successful outcome .
If he applies himself to his future job as he has done in his previous positions we should consider ourselves very fortunate to have him looking after our interests in the future .
Congratulations Graydon
John Garlick
Mike stevens says
Well said John Garlic,couldn’t agree more.Graydon will give us strong representation for MuskokaParrysound!
Mike Stevens
Francis Jones says
Graydon Smith was way over his head running Bracebridge. While incompetent might be too strong a word to some I can’t think of another one that best describes him. Maybe it was all really planned to please special interests. He never listened to constituents. Why? He agreed to grant the rezoning of provincially significant 440 acres wetlands for the Muskoka Royale. Why? Who benefits from this environmental degradation? Bracebridge citizens?
Minister of Extinction might be a better title for Graydon Smith. Watch out Ontario. Sad day for all of us.
At least turtle soup is off the menu for now.
Allen Markle says
In some of the publications citing reasons to not build a highway and highway extension across wetland and farmland, I notice that our native bobolink is one of those threatened species. I watch the fields and acreage near where I live, and though I’m rooting for the birds, I realize their nesting in long grass dooms many nests to failure. Once cattle graze the field, or it is cut for hay, the eggs and young are exposed to the gulls, ravens and starlings.
Along with a variety of other critters and creatures, our premier holds the bobolink to be of no value. They don’t show up on a print out of dollar and cents accounts, and cannot be folded neatly to fit in a billfold. Worthless? To him, it seems so. He should know shouldn’t he, that all these things are not the land, to be bought and sold, but they are certainly the essence of it. It’s just dirt otherwise.
So what is the impediment? He talks of being a ‘cottage country lovin’, truck drivin’, homesy sort of dude’, but shows the land no respect.
Most of us have been lectured since childhood against the needless destruction of birds and animals. And have suffered the consequence of disregarding the teaching. It seem incredible that an elected representative of the populace, was either never taught this, or chooses to disregard the lesson.
It must be the return on investment that dictates their viewpoint, and unless you value wild things, simply for their being, you might also judge them worthless.
And now, locally, we have ‘turtlegate’.
I’ve been working on my own value system for politicians. I’m finding a lot of them rank well below the worth of bobolinks and turtles.
Cheryl Rock says
The ministry cannot protect wildlife and forestry. I have cut down 4 trees this year to try and rid my yard of the destructive squirrels, and I plan to cut down my shady locust tree after learning squirrels eat the berries. I have tried every squirrel deterent imaginable and not one of the methods worked; now I will be giving up on growing vegetables. The laws to protect squirrels are ridiculous! Neighbors are feeding the squirrels, although it’s illegal, and the neighborhood is now running rampant with all the rodents. One of the only natural predators to the squirrels in the cities are cats and yet the domesticated cats are not allowed to roam free. I’ve spent a fortune on gravel to surround my property and structures to try and stop the rats and mice from tunneling beside my house. Many neighbors feel the same way as I feel: we will not plant trees to give the rodents places to live and food to eat. We will not plant trees to make it easy for the rodents to jump to our roofs and gain access to our attics. I never had any of the above problems when my cat roamed the yard; cats are less destructive than rodents! The people I’ve talked to are happy when the trees on the boulevards die; fewer rodent problems. As stated, you should not be the ministry for wildlife and forestry; especially with the stupid laws Canada has in place that prevent predators (cats) from keeping the rodents in check!