2018-May-24
Ontario Election Readiness
Ontario Election June 7, 2018. Suggested Questions for MPP Candidates
We encourage all GBA members to question prospective MPP candidates for the upcoming Ontario elections on their commitment to protecting the Great Lakes. In particular their intentions with regard to a range of issues that affect the Georgian Bay. This is best done at all candidates meetings in your riding, but other meetings, or approaches by individual candidates also provide an opportunity to raise these matters.
Accordingly, we have put together a number of suggested questions which we would ask you to consider:
- The Great Lakes represent the largest natural heritage feature in Ontario and provide trillions of dollars in economic value to the Province, not to mention safe, reliable drinking water for the majority of the Province’s residents. Will you therefore support and uphold the provisions of the Great Lakes Protection Act? For example:
- Will you support funding for coastal Great Lakes municipalities to invest in sewage treatment infrastructure?
- Do you support protecting the Great Lakes against invasive species through continued vigilance, including continuing to work with the US to prevent Asian Carp from entering the Great Lakes?
- Will you address the open net cage aquaculture operations in Georgian Bay and the North Channel and their apparent non-compliance with this Act? and
- What are your views on the reduction of Greenhouse Gases and mitigation of other Climate Change impacts?
- Do you support the control and eventual eradication of the invasive plant species Phragmites (Australis) from Ontario, since Phragmites is now widely considered to be the most dangerous invasive species in the Province?
- The budgets for the Ministry of Natural Resources & Forestry (MNRF) and the Ministry of Environment and Climate Change (MOECC) have been decimated by previous governments and now account for less than 1% of the overall Provincial budget. All evidence shows that their capacity is stretched too thin on core responsibilities, and they are therefore unable to properly protect the Ontario environment and natural heritage. Will you support a call for no more MNRF & MOECC budget cuts, and a review of how to build back capacity so that these Ministries can effectively protect the Great Lakes?
- The current cap and trade program in Ontario produces revenues for the ON government of ~$2 billion a year, which then gets invested in green projects. Are you intending to support its continuance? If not, why not, and how would you replace this valuable funding?
- What are your plans to address the apparent sense of entitlement at Hydro One, from the executive offices to the field operations? What are your views on rationalizing long-term electricity supply, such as buying relatively green hydro power from Quebec, rather than the extensive refurbishing of nuclear power plants that produce toxic end products? Are you for or against the proposed elimination of the seasonal rate class, which would transfer a large burden of cost to rural property owners?
- How are you intending to engage with the First Nations? How would you uphold the aims of Reconciliation? How would you deal with First Nation land claims, and any resultant and prospective land transfers, specifically with regards to a full consultation process and engagement of all stakeholders early in the process?
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