On August 15, the Department of Environment and Climate Change issued new rules for forestry operations.

These changes:

• Erode landowner rights.
• Make it easier for people to trespass on private property and disrupt business operations.
• They added red tape to our sector when our contractors were struggling.
• They fly in the face of recommendations in the Lahey Report.
• They are not based on science.

Late in the summer, Forest Nova Scotia was made aware of changes to the terms and conditions for spraying approvals. The department decided to add more forestry red tape before ever consulting with the sector.

We asked department officials why these changes were made. We were told they received calls. This wasn’t entirely true.

Environment and Climate Change was influenced by Nova Scotia Liberal MLA Carmen Kerr, the caucus’s forestry critic. He has a track record of meeting with people in the Extinction Rebellion movement. In this case, he helped environmentalists pressure the provincial government to adopt new rules.

Environment officials spoke with three spray operators and only met with Forest Nova Scotia after we issued a complaint to the department. They did not consult with any landowners.

Departmental bureaucrats made these changes. Minister Halman can reverse the changes.

Tell Minister Halman to stop listening to Liberals.