QUEEN'S PARK - In the wake of the scathing revelations from the Auditor General's special Greenbelt report, voices have erupted across the media landscape, joining Ontarians’ profound disappointment over the Conservative government's transgressions.
News outlets and social media platforms have ignited discussions beyond mere reporting, delving into the heart of public sentiment. Media has been buzzing with debates, analyses, and commentary as they draw a definitive line, underscoring their collective stance against what they view as a stark betrayal of trust and fiscal irresponsibility.
What they’re saying:
"The Ford government's Greenbelt plan has been a scandal since day one. Anyone paying the least bit of attention could have told you that. Anyone inclined to believe their eyes and their ears and the screams of their own minds could have told you that." "There's corruption. There's utter corruption. And then there's funnelling more than $8 billion to your developer buddies and party donors through land swaps in the bright light of day and expecting to get away with it."
--David Moscrop, TVO, Aug 9, 2023
“Nobody in the government gets to claim that this was an accident or an unintended consequence...”
--John McGrath, TVO, Aug 10, 2023
"Doug Ford's manoeuvring on the Greenbelt has always smelled bad. Now we know the source of the odour." "None of this followed standard procedure. None of it is defensible."
--Alex Bozikovic, The Globe and Mail, Aug 9, 2023
"I knew the policy was bad but I am surprised how bad the process was." "The Ontario government is on the wrong side of the views of almost all Ontarians, except for its developer friends. It needs to stop pushing forward senseless environmental destruction and focus on getting homes built where they are needed, and at prices people can afford."
-- Tim Gray, in a piece by Talia Ricci, CBC, Aug 10, 2023
“We do not need to touch the Greenbelt/farmland, because enough land has been set aside within/near existing towns/cities to build the housing we need: 83%. We need to allow new housing within the Greenbelt/farmland, because not enough land has been set aside to build the housing we need: 17%"
--Polling Canada, Aug 9, 2023
"Our worst suspicions are confirmed. Doug Ford has established himself as the most destructive premier in recent Ontario history. The damage he and his cabinet stooges have inflicted is permanent. The province is diminished because of him."
--Christopher Hume, Aug 10, 2023