Today is an opportunity to share your thoughts on the federal environmental review process.
In 2016, an expert panel reviewed federal EA processes as set out in the Canadian Environmental Assessment Act, which was passed by the Harper government in 2012. The expert panel report – Building Common Ground: A New Vision for Impact Assessment in Canada – was then released in April of this year which summarizes the panel’s recommendations.
To say that this new process could cause some problems is an understatement. According to the Canadian Chamber of Commerce, the new approach will:
Greatly expand the list of projects subject to a federal assessment process in addition to provincial or territorial processes, leading to increased costs and duplicated efforts without improving environmental outcomes.
Overstep the constitutional division of responsibilities between the federal government and the provinces and territories, setting the stage for jurisdictional conflict and confusion.
Invite participation in the assessment process by parties with no interest in the project, allowing individuals and groups who oppose development generally, or competitors seeking economic advantage through regulatory obstruction, to delay the proceedings.
The deadline to respond is May 5, so you don’t have much time. Here are some key points the Chamber has provided which could help you with your own response:
The Canadian Chamber supports a rigorous environment assessment process that protects Canadians and our environment. A system that is clear, simple and timely is the best way to balance environmental protection with economic growth.
While the expert panel report does contain helpful suggestions, overall the report is a move in the wrong direction, pushing Canada further away from an efficient but rigorous assessment process that could balance environmental protection with economic growth.
The expert panel’s proposed approach would likely expand the types of projects and activities subject to federal assessment in addition to provincial/territorial processes, leading to increased costs and duplicated efforts without improving environmental outcomes.
The panel’s proposed approach to impact assessments would invite unilateral federal intrusion into provincial/territorial jurisdiction, creating the potential for conflict and confusion.
The panel recommends that every step of the assessment process be based on consensus, which is not a realistic approach. Instead, the focus should be on enhancing collaboration, inclusion, engagement and transparency within a fact-based quasi-judicial process.
The cost and complexity of Canada’s environmental regulatory processes is becoming yet another area of weighing down the competitiveness of the Canadian business. Canada’s economy cannot afford a regulatory process that is a barrier to investment.
Again, go to Let’s Talk EA now and have your say before this woman destroys us all.
UPDATE: A commentator says that the comments to this initiative have been closed since November. This is not true. That initial feedback period was for the expert panel, whereas this one is a comment period on the panel’s recommendation.
As for those who think this is a waste of time, know that the Left doesn’t think this way. One of the worst aspects of the environmental review process is that the public input is dominated by activists, so much so that the process gets bogged down into nothingness. The recommendations of this panel propose to return to this state, where project development becomes too burdensome that investors will look elsewhere to put their money.
Canadian resource companies are definitely taking this seriously. You should too.
“This woman”is a dummy, she will destroy us, not a thing we can do about it. Liberals with a majority never listen. McKenna has been touted as one of their biggest brains in the wh0le outfit, she will not budge.
You’re right. Any comments to Lieberals are as effective as shouting up the asswhole of a dead donkey. Their minds are made up and they have no intention of allowing their preconceived notions to be challenged by inconvenient facts.
Climate Barbie strikes again.
She wants to protect those Canadian Penguins.
Captcha ASSE Calle
5th of May is a misprint, the Liberals really care so much for taxpayers opinions that the comments closed Nov 2016.
Now sarcasm aside the Minister is such a dim bulb that she probably believes the public consultation process is completely ethical and provides ample time.
That the public will really be consulted rather than conned and insulted as usual.
The increased complexity of the regulatory process will be used to abate competition in favour of Liberal friendly companies.
Climate Barbie and her boss Captain Carbon the dimwit duo
The number of issues raised by First Nations & NGO’s… dwarf all others… This is a hit job by UN radical environmentalists…
Here’s an example for you NOT to follow – check the graph
“$176 billion a year lost to green tape – $7000 per Australian per year”
http://joannenova.com.au/2017/04/176b-a-year-lost-to-green-tape-7k-per-australian/
Direct quote from the Declaration of Independence.
“He has called together legislative bodies at places unusual, uncomfortable, and distant from the depository of their Public Records, for the sole purpose of fatiguing them into compliance with his measures.”
Libs gonna lib, 250 years later.
The increase in CO2 is not due to humans, therefore alarmism and all the money spent on it has no basis.
by: Anthony Cox
This is a key issue: whether humans are responsible for all or most of the increase in atmospheric CO2. If they are not then it does not matter if alarmists believe that CO2 is the dominant greenhouse gas, which it is not because the increase is natural. Human CO2 is a very small % of the total CO2 going into the atmosphere.
more:
http://theclimatescepticsparty.blogspot.ca/2017/04/the-increase-in-co2-is-not-due-to-humans.html
Climate Barbie is a politician rapidly approaching the end of her term. She is a climate change zealot, and cannot be influenced by facts that conflict with her preconceived notions. Ignore her and her minions and focus on educating the people you know so they will vote to remove these watermelons in the next election.
It really is identical to the Notley NDP in Alberta seeking public input to their carbon tax initiative – they had it all written-up before they asked, and didn’t change so much as a single comma as a result of it. Bottom line is the same, too; they’re broke, and have to come-up with innovative new taxes if they’re going to keep spending.
“See? – We asked the public what they thought, ‘n everything!” Politicians – what did we really expect they’d do?
now that would be a real waste of time.
There was an interesting article a few days ago on how Canada needs to cut its carbon emissions by 2030 to meet the provisions of the Paris Climate Agreement JT signed in 2016. The amount of carbon we need to cut is equivalent to twice the number of cars on our roads. If we eliminate all coal use we will cut emissions by less than 25%. This shows how far away from reality our government is. The carbon tax will not reduce emissions significantly but it will raise a significant amount of money for the government.
no more immigrants. they produce too much carbon and deplete the wealth of the country.
I think you are right that she will not budge, but I’ll bet the brains behind this is someone at the UN, and that it aligns nicely with their Agenda 21 (2030). The Liberals are the globalist’s party in Canada, so Agenda 21 is where we are headed. Requests for input are just for show.
The CPC got rid of the Lawlist triggers for CEAA which was a good thing, I prefer thresholds, I think they went to far where they placed those, but I would not want to see a return to list of triggers based on regulatory duty.
The Environmentalists- Climate Alarmists – Anti Capitalists Plan is simple.
Drown the country in regulation so that NO Projects are built…EVER.
(Witness BC and the LNG plants that were never built – Pipelines that are desperately needed – shuttered due to this BS). And as such we will slowly dribble our way into the Toilet of Social Justice and Environmental Purity……like what you see in Venezuela or Ontario..?? coming sooner than you think with Liberals in Power and the Donald in the US.
F’n MADNESS…Were I a young person, thinking of starting a business that required shovels in the ground as part and parcel of my normal operations…I would Leave this disgusting Cesspool of Climate (_i_)holes and head south
If someone ever needed “taking out”…it’s Gerald Butts, Deborah whatserface and a few others of this Marxist inspired Climate Cabal.
http://ofaycat.blogspot.ca/2017/05/climate-blonde.html
Its all about hiring phony baloney people to do phony baloney jobs while industry wastes millions trying to get through the red tape.
Like business, if your weak you will be bought out, Canada will be bought out by the likes of the Soros of the world and eventually our democracy will be gone and so will the environment that people think they are protecting.
She appears to be a person with political ambitions. She’s diving into this climate crap with such great zeal, making a big splash to get attention. It’s all about the Liberal idea for ways to grab more taxes.
My comment on every section:
Canada: 1.6% of world total CO2 emissions – (a statistical error)
You live like it’s 1662 for 1 year first – then I will consider these inhuman proposals.
The Feds injecting their bureaucrats’ wooden nickel of sense over Provincial affairs is kinda like needing a permit to apply for a permit. Creeping Communism suffocating private capital investment.
Liberals with a majority government asking for input from the public is merely an exercise to make them look less dictatorial.
They have every intention of doing whatever they have planned to do, in some cases it’s all about holding on to power. Case in point, Wynne of Ontariowe , Ms Wynne was and is tanking in the polls had the gall to say she didn’t realize so many people were having trouble paying their hydro bills. This after many months of news coverage on the subject. This is all about her, she’s spending like crazy with a growing debt. When there’s something for everyone in her basket of goodies,it’s all about the next election, buying us off with our money and money we don’t have.
‘consensus’.
uhuh. in an age when millions are completely irretrievably convinced Apollo 11 was faked and space aliens are in our midst.
‘consensus’ is overrated.
As many comments allude to; Venezuela is really much closer than the Political Class is willing to accept because making any significant Change in Governing which does not enhance the Bureaucracy and their Captured Polticos will always be too much trouble.
It really is time for the Reckoning of the “Two Solitudes” which forms essentially the Northern Half of the North American Continent.
The U.S.A is in the final stage of diminishing Or abandoning the East Coast preference for European culture and direction of how to think. Fly-over Americas “couthness” is just not up-to-standards. It is not really practical to call the Mid-West; the South; the Inner City; the Mexican/Hispanic; the Texas; the Desert Areas; Uncouth.
“Not really practical” doesn’t mean Politically Correct, now Pass’e, it means Y’all are not part of the non-regional groupies of the East in accent and thought process. Heaven’s to Betsy; in New York City speak WTF; or part thereof. This attitude of superiority will not or cannot change anymore than the cattle flesh on ones table is called Beef ala Norman English instead of Saxon Cow.
Quebec for all of its faux dislike of Continental French and France’s Aritoscracy ‘bugging out” of New France when times got tough; is really much closer to the New York pretentiousness than Mid-America et al.
Except for the overwhelming affect of the Toronto Immigrant population, Ontarioario joins with North Ontario and the Remaining Western Canada Provinces-except Southern British Columbia- joins with Middle America; in the Mid-West; the South; the Mexican/Hispanic; the Texas; the Desert Areas FAR More than the effete urban Quebecois and metro-sexual New York-Oregon-Washington State/D.C.
California is itself-We know more; Californication is what everybody needs and wants because We californians know about your “California Dreaming”. It should stand on its own and slip into Venezuela Governance before bringing the rest of North America to It’s knees-whatever that means?-.
If this babble means anything except “Old White Guy” good for you; Because I truly believe Ontario/Alberta/Southern British Columbia will never escape the Clutches of the Liberal 5-C’s-Corrupt-Craven- Cargo Culture Crowd.
Manitoba & Saskatchewan will take their Resources and Hopefully Alberta with an alternative solution to Edmonton’s desire for couthness will join in the Mental Move to the United States Market Place.
Southern British Columbia is lost. The North West States of the U.S.A. & Southern B.C. fit together. They are peopled by the “Look at Us” we made it all the Way to Asia’s Pacific Ocean”; therfore you need us. Northern British Columbia and the Yukon are already under the table Alaskan’s. The blending will be easy.
Ontario is the Biggest by far; as a Problem and as a Population.
If Ontario, with Toronto joined Western New York-it really is different than East Coast New York City (Atlantic Ocean Singapore?)-joining Ontario with Western New York State will make the New Yortario State one of the largest in Geographic and Population States of the U.S.A. OR Ontario joining with Michigan-almost encircling the Fresh Water Seas of the Great Lakes. (western New york & Ohio will complete the U.S.A. Encirclement.
Tornto is still the Problem. Not for the U.S.A.-already the Corrupt Liberal Cronyism hangs on every dirty trick the Democrat Party can produce. The problem with Toronto remains. The population of Toronto is as ignorant and Greedy as New York City; It is on the Cusp of collapse into the Dirty Rat Infested Urban Mess New York City was until Rudy Guilliani and what New York City is returning to under Bill de Blasio.
Flooding the City of Toronto by damming the Lake Ontario water flowing into the St. Lawrence, probably won’t work. Soooo?
Because the ‘Expert Panel’ likes the term “Social License” as a preferred test to determine a given project’s go/no-go, I’m automatically at odds with the whole report. Governments get all the ‘License’ they need to act/not act every four years at election time. Social License is just a dodge so they never have to make a command decision.
I think this is fair point to make. How can we be expected to cut our CO2 emissions and accommodate large numbers of immigrants at the same time.
We were betrayed by the Harper government in 2012