The McGuinty government's move to fast-track new forestry legislation and hold the final public consultation hearings only in Toronto continues to spark outrage across the North.
Hearings on Bill 151 – Ontario's Forest Tenure Modernization Act -- will be held in Toronto, April 11 and 13. These are the final hearings before the legislation goes to third reading. The government said delegations can appear in person or through video conferencing.
It doesn't sit well with Thunder Bay Chamber of Commerce president Harold Wilson who called the government's plan to hold hearings in southern Ontario “unacceptable.”
“The government's soaring rhetoric on economic zones, public policy institutes and the Northern Growth Plan does not measure up to their actions,” said Wilson in an April 5 release.
“What could be more important to Northern Ontario's growth, to our 'economic zones' or as a public policy review, than one about the future of the forest industry in Northern Ontario? Despite the expressed concerns of Northern Ontario communities and businesses, the government is going ahead with legislation that could have dire consequences to our economy without coming to Northern Ontario to discuss it.”
Wilson said they've yet to hear from their own Thunder Bay-area MPP's – Northern Development, Mines and Forestry Minister Michael Gravelle and Bill Mauro – regarding the chamber's request for hearings to be held in Thunder Bay.
The Ontario Forest Industries Association (OFIA) has been tapping into discontent across the region over the government's “unilateral decision.”
OFIA president and CEO Jamie Lim urged the government to reconsider holding another round of meetings in Thunder Bay, Sault Ste. Marie, Timmins and Pembroke.
In a statement, Lim said to deny Northerners an opportunity to comment such impactful legislation such as forest tenure is “disrespectful and unacceptable.”
OFIA maintains the current legislation is “flawed” and doesn't adhere to the government's promise to implement a “measured approach to tenure reform.”
