“I oppose this bill because it weakens environmental protections. It exempts pipelines from environmental assessments and only uses an energy regulator that always supports pipelines. It also lets companies start work before reviews are finished.”

“Mr. Speaker, the Prime Minister claims that Bill C‑39 does not lower environmental standards. Let us imagine a pipeline project in Quebec, like Marinvest. Under Bill C‑39, pipelines are exempt from environmental impact assessments. The only assessment will be the one completed by the energy regulator in Calgary, which has never seen a pipeline it did not like. Worse still, Ottawa wants to be able to allow proponents to start their work before the assessment is complete. How can anyone claim that this is not a step backwards?”

“I oppose this bill because it removes environmental standards. Under this law, the energy regulator in Calgary would decide on pipelines in Quebec. Most of its members come from oil companies, while scientists and people from Quebec get no say.”

“Mr. Speaker, the leader of the House is right. The goal of Bill C-39 is not to lower environmental standards. It is to eliminate them. If a pipeline were to go through Quebec, here is what Bill C-39 sets out for the environmental assessment. The energy regulator in Calgary will be the one to make the final decision. It is made up of seven commissioners, and five of the seven come from the oil industry. At the table are TC Energy, Shell, Pembina Pipeline, Canadian Oil Sands Limited and Cenovus Energy. Meanwhile, scientists and Quebeckers do not have a seat at the table. If we are not at the table, are we on the menu?”