Gradon Smith, who was appointed Minister of Natural Resources and Forestry on Friday, was mayor of Brasbridge, OD, for nearly 12 years before winning the Paris Saint-Muscoca Party for the Progressive Conservatives in the June 2 provincial election. Smith is accused of harming or harassing Blanding turtles, which are classified by the Ontario as an endangered species, and of destroying or endangering turtle habitat. The city of Bracebridge itself and two senior city officials also face the same charges. The charges were brought by a resident of the area and have not yet been tried in court. Last Tuesday, three days before Smith was sworn in at the cabinet, a justice of the peace signed the indictments and ordered a court hearing on September 21. The city and its officials allegedly harassed the turtles and destroyed their habitat by doing sorting work between June and August 2021 on Peace Valley Road, about 15 miles northeast of Bracebridge city center. Michael Opara, a local resident who voiced the allegations, says he and his supporters emailed and called city officials to warn them of the turtle nesting point by the roadside near a creek and made a presentation to the elementary school. council. But the city went ahead with the project. The Blanding turtle is on the Ontario endangered species list and is classified as “endangered”, which means that it is likely to be endangered if no measures are taken to protect it. (Parks Canada / Heike Reuse) “We have been trying for over two years to make the city listen,” Opara said in an interview. “One of their solutions is to pave more than 60 meters of the road, including the turtle nesting area, and it got to a point where we had enough and the charges were filed.” CBC News asked Smith and the prime minister’s office on Monday to respond to the allegations. The only answer came from the Ministry of Natural Resources and Forests. “[Bracebridge] “The council listened to the concerns raised and sought mitigation measures before proceeding with the project,” a ministry official said in an email. “As this was a decision taken by the city council, the municipality is in a better position to provide any further comment.” A Bracebridge City attorney said Monday she is confident the charges will be dropped. Smith, the former mayor of Bracebridge, defeated Parry Sound-Muskoka for the Progressive Conservatives by 2,114 votes against the Green Party candidate in the June 2 election. (Graydon Smith) “The fact is, and the evidence will show, that the city acted diligently and appropriately to complete the required road works near the turtle habitat,” said Sarah Hahn, a Barriston Law associate. “It is unfortunate that the city’s resources must now be used to respond to these baseless allegations,” Hahn told CBC News in an email. David Donnelly, a Toronto-based environmental lawyer, says last week’s Justice of the Peace decision to set a court date for the case gives the case legitimacy. “In fact, there are enough reasons to go to trial,” said Donnelly, who has been privately prosecuted in the past but is not involved in the Brisbridge allegations. “It’s the same check-in process as anything the police can go to the prosecutor or the Department of the Environment or any other department,” Donnelly said in an interview. Michael Appleby, president of the South Bracebridge Environmental Protection Group, a non-profit organization founded three years ago, says residents across Muskoka are deeply concerned about endangered species. “If it turns out, the city’s actions are very worrying, as it was a situation that was so easily avoided,” Appleby said in an interview. “We support the responsibility of the city and we will monitor this case as it progresses.” Smith defeated Parry Sound-Muskoka by 2,114 votes in a race that was remarkable as the only ride in the province where a Green Party candidate came in second.
