From the Parks Bench
Are we PROTECTING TOMORROW TODAY?????
city I continued in a career where stewardship of our land was part of my job description. My Indigenous friends and colleagues have also taught me how important our connection is to the land and how mother earth must be treated with respect and appreciation for its many gifts. So it is in that context that I go form proud celebration of my own traditions and values and those of the province I live into a genuine concern of where this recent Bill 23 legislation has taken us. I am sure by now you have heard of this Bill and may have even attended one of the many rallies which are echoing great concern over the speed at which this legislation has been forced through the system and the significant loss of the very land that we had worked so hard to protect. The fact that I have grandchildren now has made my feelings on this even more pronounced and I want them and everyone else’s children to be able to have the same growing up. I completely understand the access to greenspace that I have had need for AFFORDABLE HOUSING; however, I do not believe this addresses the affordability part and to make matters worse it is taking away some of the very land that new developments will need to service the growing population in these areas. I am hoping that as many of you as possible can take the time to learn about what this Bill actually says and how it is going to impact our existing and newly constructed communities. I feel there are many alternate sites that are not part of the protected greenbelt that would be better choices however this may not be in the best interest of the developer’s ability to make their expected profits. I
Well as a write this I am torn between the excitement of one of my favorite times of the year as Christmas is upon us and the disturbing impacts of the recent Bill 23 legislation. Christmas is a real family time for me. My six siblings, two daughters and four grandchildren, all coming together to celebrate this wonderful event. Going to church, midnight mass, singing Christmas Carols, Christmas visits, dinner, desserts, skiing, snowmobiling, snowshoeing, ice fishing, hiking, road hockey, arena hockey and of course hot chocolate by the indoor and outdoor fires are all part of our Canadian family traditions. What we learned through Covid was just how important our outdoor spaces are to our physical and Mental health and wellbeing, and I am so thankful and proud to be part of an organization that has as its mandate, PROTECTING TOMORROW TODAY. For many years now, forty to be exact, I have been involved on the Parks sector and I have seen many wonderful sections of land either turned into Parkland or preserved in its natural state in order to continue providing its contribution to our environment. I have learned just how important our land is since growing up on a farm it was the land that supported the raising of my 6 brothers and sisters as well as the wheat, barley oats, corn, red clover, alfalfa, timothy / brome grass hay and wheat and oat straw products that fed our animals and were sold to the community. That same land saw cattle, sheep, horses, pigs, and chickens thrive in a healthy natural open-air environment. As child I grew up with this, as an adult and having relocated to the
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Ontario Parks Association
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