Where is Ontario’s environment ministry?

Re Refineries’ pollution getting worse, May 2 Having been employed in the downstream petroleum sector in Eastern Canada for many years prior to the millennium (2000), I used to take pride in our industry’s environmental achievements when compared to neighbouring jurisdictions in the U.S.

So I was very disappointed to read this article highlighting how the Canadian refining business is now substantially lagging the U.S. in terms of the emission of several key pollutants.

It makes me wonder, what’s been going on for the past 15 years? What has the Ontario Ministry of the Environment been doing? Obviously not developing more rigorous regulations or engaging in more enforcement.

It would appear our esteemed Liberal governments under both Dalton McGuinty and Kathleen Wynne have dropped the ball on this file. And Ontarians are left to suffer the negative health consequences. This sounds like an election issue to me. R. Scott Marsh, Oakville

Invite Green Party to debate Re Green snub shows TV in the past, Cohn, May 3

Cambridge Analytica was vilified for trying to influence the Brexit vote and the U.S. election. So why is there not a similar condemnation of the Ontario TV networks’ refusal to add Green Party Leader Mike Schreiner to the leaders’ debates? What does the consortium have to lose by inviting him?

Some say he should not be included because the Green Party does not hold any seats. But, as Martin Regg Cohn states, “How is a political movement supposed to make headway without having a way to be heard?” To censor out a valid party leader is despicable. Dennis Choptiany, Markham