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The Environment

During question period on the environment, the Bloc Québécois raised concerns about Bill C-39, saying it replaces environmental impact assessments of pipelines by the Impact Assessment Agency with reviews by the Canadian Energy Regulator, and asked the government to acknowledge that the bill makes science optional in pipeline reviews. The government replied that science remains required in every environmental assessment, that the legislation applies to federal projects and makes review timelines more predictable, and said the Bloc Québécois is overstating the bill’s impact on Quebec.Written by AI from the debate. Updated .

Official text

1 statement

Gabriel Ste-Marie

Bloc Québécois
“This bill replaces real science with the opinions of former oil bosses to review pipelines. The minister told me these regulators can ask scientists for help only if they feel like it. I want the minister to admit that this bill makes science optional.”
Official Hansard

Mr. Speaker, we sat on the same committee, but we did not share the same vision. In Bill C-39, Ottawa is replacing the environmental impact assessment for pipelines with a study by the Canada Energy Regulator. Here are the commissioners’ former bosses: TC Energy, Shell, Pembina, Imperial Oil, Canadian Oil Sands and Cenovus. In short, Ottawa is replacing a scientific assessment with the views of former oil industry executives. Yesterday in committee, the Minister of Internal Trade told me that this is not a problem because nothing prevents the regulator from seeking scientific advice if it feels like it. Does the minister realize that he is making science optional?

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