Ontario MPP Graydon Smith faces hearing on private endangered species charges
Ontario's new natural resources minister is facing a hearing to determine whether he harmed a threatened turtle species when he was the mayor of a small town.
The charges brought in a private prosecution allege that Graydon Smith and the Town of Bracebridge, where Smith served as mayor, harmed Blanding's turtles as well as posed danger to the habitat of the at-risk species in June and August 2021.
A justice of the peace has signed off on the charges of violating the Endangered Species Act and last week set a hearing date of Sept. 21 on the matter. The charges have not yet been tested in court.
Smith was elected as a Progressive Conservative in the provincial election earlier this month and was sworn in as natural resources and forestry minister in Premier Doug Ford's cabinet last week.
A government press secretary for Smith confirmed that he was accused by a private citizen of violating the Endangered Species Act.
But he said the municipality was in a better place to comment on the case, which concerns road work done around the endangered turtle habitat.
"Council heard the concerns raised and sought mitigation measures before moving forward with the project," Curtis Lindsay said in an email.
"Given this was a decision made by council, the municipality is in a better position to provide any further comment."
- Download our app to get local alerts to your device
- Get the latest local updates right to your inbox
A lawyer for the Town of Bracebridge said she is confident the charges will be thrown out.
Sarah Hahn also shared a letter sent from the town's chief administrative officer in September 2021 to a citizen who was concerned about road work disrupting the turtle habitat.
The letter explained how the town took the habitat into consideration by putting up turtle crossing signs and altering the operations to minimize damage.
"The fact is, and the evidence will show, that the Town acted diligently and appropriately in completing required road works within the vicinity of turtle habitat," Sarah Hahn said in an emailed statement. "It is unfortunate that Town resources must now be used to respond to these baseless accusations."
Smith won his seat in Parry Sound-Muskoka by a margin of just over 2,000 votes, squeezing out hopeful Green Party candidate Matt Richter.
Green Leader Mike Schreiner said the charges against Smith are telling when it comes to the government's priorities.
"It certainly shows a lack of concern that the premier and caucus have, that they would appoint a minister who isn't abiding by his own ministry," he said.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published June 28, 2022.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Quebec nurse had to clean up after husband's death in Montreal hospital
On a night she should have been mourning, a nurse from Quebec's Laurentians region says she was forced to clean up her husband after he died at a hospital in Montreal.
'Anything to win': Trudeau says as Poilievre defends meeting protesters
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau is accusing Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre of welcoming 'the support of conspiracy theorists and extremists,' after the Conservative leader was photographed meeting with protesters, which his office has defended.
'My stomach dropped': Winnipeg man speaks out after being criminally harassed following single online date
A Winnipeg man said a single date gone wrong led to years of criminal harassment, false arrests, stress and depression.
What is changing about Canada's capital gains tax and how does it impact me?
The federal government's proposed change to capital gains taxation is expected to increase taxes on investments and mainly affect wealthy Canadians and businesses. Here's what you need to know about the move.
Bank of Canada officials split on when to start cutting interest rates
Members of the Bank of Canada's governing council were split on how long the central bank should wait before it starts cutting interest rates when they met earlier this month.
Something in the water? Canadian family latest to spot elusive 'Loch Ness Monster'
For centuries, people have wondered what, if anything, might be lurking beneath the surface of Loch Ness in Scotland. When Canadian couple Parry Malm and Shannon Wiseman visited the Scottish highlands earlier this month with their two children, they didn’t expect to become part of the mystery.
Pilot reported fire onboard plane carrying fuel, attempted to return to Fairbanks just before crash
One of the two pilots aboard an airplane carrying fuel reported there was a fire on the airplane shortly before it crashed and burned outside Fairbanks, killing both people on board, a federal aviation official said Wednesday.
Police tangle with students in Texas and California as wave of campus protest against Gaza war grows
Police tangled with student demonstrators in Texas and California while new encampments sprouted Wednesday at Harvard and other colleges as school leaders sought ways to defuse a growing wave of pro-Palestinian protests.
'One of the single most terrifying things ever': Ontario couple among passengers on sinking tour boat in Dominican Republic
A Toronto couple are speaking out about their 'extremely dangerous' experience on board a sinking tour boat in the Dominican Republic last week.