Discussion · Government Orders
Jean-Denis Garon Bloc Québécois
“This bill lets the government choose projects that cause too much pollution and exempt them from environmental laws. The Prime Minister controls everything himself, and his cabinet will not stop him. He will just approve projects that help private interests.”
“Madam Speaker, my colleague’s speech made it clear what is happening. The government is going to select a project. Evidently, the project will create a lot of pollution, exceeding the levels set out in environmental laws. The government will then decide to designate a region around it to exempt that project from environmental laws. I think my colleague is being very kind to the government. I think he is being magnanimous toward the government. He is talking about a 28‑person cabinet. Since the arrival of the new Prime Minister, we have seen that this government is a one-man show. We are talking about 28 ministers whom the Prime Minister can fire at will. Does my colleague really think that 28 ministers will be consulted, or does he think that, at the end of the day, it will be the private interests that have a voice in the Prime Minister’s Office that will ultimately get projects approved?”
Madam Speaker, my colleague’s speech made it clear what is happening. The government is going to select a project. Evidently, the project will create a lot of pollution, exceeding the levels set out in environmental laws. The government will then decide to designate a region around it to exempt that project from environmental laws. I think my colleague is being very kind to the government. I think he is being magnanimous toward the government. He is talking about a 28‑person cabinet. Since the arrival of the new Prime Minister, we have seen that this government is a one-man show. We are talking about 28 ministers whom the Prime Minister can fire at will. Does my colleague really think that 28 ministers will be consulted, or does he think that, at the end of the day, it will be the private interests that have a voice in the Prime Minister’s Office that will ultimately get projects approved?