Ontario Greens Deputy Leader and candidate in Parry Sound – Muskoka Matt Richter released a statement in response to the Auditor General’s 2024 annual report regarding the Minister of Natural Resources, Graydon Smith’s failure to comply with the Environmental Bill of Rights.
“It’s deeply troubling that our local representative, Minister Graydon Smith was singled out in 4 of the 6 violations of the Ontario Environmental Bill of Rights,” said Richter.
Smith’s Ministry of Natural Resources led all ministries with the highest number of outdated consultation notices with nearly two thirds of all outdated consultations.
In the Audit of the Environmental Bill of Rights, the Minister’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 willfully ignorant of the rules, or is intentionally trying to hide information from the people they represent.’ says Richter.
The Auditor General also noted that the Ford government spent over $103 million taxpayer dollars on ads, more than any other government in history and more than 60% of that being deemed partisan spending.
“This shows that the government is more interested in looking out for themselves than they are in looking out for you,” said Richter.
The full Auditor General’s Report can be found at: https://www.auditor.on.ca/en/content/annualreports/arbyyear/ar2024.html
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If you have ever had any dealings with the MOECC and to a slightly lesser extent the MNR, one would realize that common sense, timeliness, economic sense and respect for citizens are not phrases in their play book.
These folks exist primarily to prolong their jobs until retirement pension do they part. The environment, such as it is is a mere afterthought.
To qualify this slightly better I will say that not all members of these departments are this way, most individuals are indeed working hard to do something but the overall outcome from their department is pitiful.
There simply must be a better way.
Personally, I am anxiously awaiting my taxpayer-funded bribe from the provincial Conservatives so that I can donate it to a political party that will, if.elected, mitigate some of the damage done by our current Minister of Natural Resources.
It has been disillusioning and disappointing. Into the dark void of Queen’s Park, Muskoka has sent a proven community leader and seemingly well-intentioned person. In spite of the support from Muskoka voters, we are unheard on many concerns, especially for the protection of nature. After all, Nature is the real Muskoka Brand. Maybe our MPP is too much a nice guy from Port Sydney, who even though a cabinet minister, may only have been steamrollered by the questionable Doug Ford machinery. Very sad.
Is the report really all that surprising? Once we elect them it becomes a dictatorship.
I am disappointed with Graydon, but then again, he was “only following orders”.
The party looks out for itself and you and I are only pawns. Liberals are no different!
Now the USA has Trump. He will make Putin look like a choir boy.
It’s ironic really as MPP is Minister of Natural Resources!