The next Ontario General Election will be held on June 7, 2018. A total of 124 Members of our Provincial Parliament (MPPs) will be elected. The parties have all put forward their respective platforms, which you can consult online. At Ottawa Riverkeeper, we believe that our elected representatives have a duty to address issues of concern to citizens, such as environmental sustainability, the impacts of climate change, access to clean water, and the different measures needed to make sure our rivers and lakes are safe to swim, drink, and fish.
If you attend debates or public events with local candidates, here are some important questions to ask the people who are asking you for a mandate to govern our beautiful province of more than 250,000 lakes and 100,000 kilometres of rivers.
PLASTIC IN OUR WATERWAYS: Do you know that only 11% of Canada’s plastic waste is recycled? A large volume of this plastic is reaching our waterways, including the Ottawa River, every single day. What steps would your government take to improve how much plastic is recycled? Will you support systems that will help Ontario reach zero plastic waste by 2025?
SEWAGE OVERFLOWS: Do you know that most municipalities in our watershed have no system to let the public know when sewage is being released in our waterways? Would your government require municipalities to report overflows in real-time to ensure our waters are safe for swimming and other recreational activities?
ENDANGERED SPECIES: Do you know that eels are an endangered species in Ontario? The dramatic 99% drop in numbers in the last few decade of this ecologically and culturally significant species is affecting the balance of our aquatic eco-system. Would your government commit to publishing a strategy (a final Government Response Statement for the American Eel) within its first 90 days in office?
NUCLEAR WASTE DISPOSAL: Do you know that Canada has no federal policy on the disposal on non-fuel nuclear waste? This regulatory blind spot threatens the health and sustainability of the Ottawa River watershed. What would be your government’s position on the current projects at Chalk River and Rolphton? Would your government support the creation of a federal policy on the disposal of non-fuel nuclear waste?< Previous post Next post >