In a recent column, environmentalist David Suzuki is attacking what he calls the weakening of Ontario’s Endangered Species Act.
Suzuki decries a series of exemptions for certain industries from the Act’s provisions.
Other environmentalist organizations are also joining in this campaign.
However, what Suzuki and others are ignoring is how slanted endangered species laws across Canada are against individual property rights owners.
For example, in our inaugural Canadian Property Rights Index it was revealed how provinces and territories that actually provide compensation to land owners in case of species designation are in the definite minority.
Moreover, requirements to notify a landowner of the presence of an endangered species on their property are also quite rare across Canada.
Before environmentalists go on the offensive over these proposed changes, they should ensure that existing laws are balanced and protect existing land owners. Land owners are much more amenable to working with governments to protect species at risk if their interests are protected.
