Discussion · Government Orders
Dan Albas Conservative
“This bill lets ministers approve early construction work on projects even when local communities are against them. The government has already given the Alto train project the power to take people's land. I want the member to say if he thinks rural communities in Quebec and Ontario are being respected, and if the government should explain why it needs these powers.”
“Mr. Speaker, I want to thank the member for Essex for not only his speech but also his constant steadiness at the transport committee. His community is well served by him. I would like to ask him about something that is causing a lot of ruckus in Ontario: the Alto project. Bill C-39 would allow ministers to authorize early works. We saw in the Liberals’ last omnibus bill that they basically gave expropriation powers, incredible bulldozing ability, to the Alto project to expropriate lands. Now they are going to have it where a minister can direct early works so they can get a project started, despite opposition in the communities, particularly in the rural areas of both Quebec and Ontario. Could the member comment on whether he feels those people are being respected and whether the government could be more transparent about what it wants these powers for?”
Mr. Speaker, I want to thank the member for Essex for not only his speech but also his constant steadiness at the transport committee. His community is well served by him. I would like to ask him about something that is causing a lot of ruckus in Ontario: the Alto project. Bill C-39 would allow ministers to authorize early works. We saw in the Liberals’ last omnibus bill that they basically gave expropriation powers, incredible bulldozing ability, to the Alto project to expropriate lands. Now they are going to have it where a minister can direct early works so they can get a project started, despite opposition in the communities, particularly in the rural areas of both Quebec and Ontario. Could the member comment on whether he feels those people are being respected and whether the government could be more transparent about what it wants these powers for?