FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:
Oct. 28, 2013
QUEEN’S PARK – This is the time for action, not words, when it comes to Asian carp, MPP Toby Barrett charged in the Ontario Legislature today.
Barrett’s questions came in advance of hearings into the Ontario government’s Ministry of Environment legislation, Great Lakes Protection Act.
Premier Kathleen Wynne passed his question off to Minister of Environment Jim Bradley, who answered the question by talking about the legislation, but dodging the Asian carp issue.
Barrett advocates this pending crisis requires that the Ministry of Natural Resources take the lead, not Environment. He brought the matter up again in his second question, talking of the two grass carp found at the mouth of the Grand River at Lake Erie and three bighead carp found in western Lake Erie and the potential disaster waiting at the door.
“You talk about your strategy, your goals, your intentions, setting up panels but no action where immediate action in conjunction with Great Lakes states and the federal government is crucial and long overdue,” Barrett said. “Premier, billions and billions of tourism fishery dollars are at stake. We need action, not more environmental laws, strategies, panels or dithering. This is an MNR issue, not Environment. Why will you not marshal the resources, take action, work with the Great Lakes states, work with both levels of federal government on both sides of the border.”
Barrett believes the issue important enough he plans on raising questions again tomorrow in the Legislature, hoping to get more detailed answers from the Ministry of Natural Resources.
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For more information, contact MPP Toby Barrett
at 519-428-0446