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November 27, 2006
Minister defends Conservation Officers
By Jim Birchard
From Bayshore Broadcasting Corporation
Ontario's Minister of Natural Resources taking
exception to allegations that cutbacks have
undermined the effectiveness of Conservation
Officers.
Speaking with Bayshore Broadcasting, David
Ramsay the charges by OPSEU are blown out of
proportion and the MNR's budget this year is
about the same as last year for compliance and
enforcement.
Ramsay says while there may be a few less
Conservation Officers out there, they have
reconfigered the operation so there are fewer
managers and they too are out in the field
protecting wildlife.
The Minister says he takes protecting Ontario's
bio-diversity very seriously and can assure
people here in Grey Bruce and elswhere the
Ministry is protecting wildlife.
He
says the MNR is being very strategic about how
their officers are deployed and along with a
strong intelligence arm the CO's are out in the
field acting against organized groups and
poachers.
As
for the closure of MNR offices to the public,
Ranmsay says that move will in fact bring better
service to the public.
He
says by provding information through the Service
Ontario counters the MNR is being more efficient
and customer friendly.
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