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The Environment

During question period under the environment topic, members debated the government’s Building Canada Strong Act (Bill C-39), a bill that changes several environmental and assessment laws to speed up approvals for major projects, including letting certain designated projects bypass regular impact assessment processes. Bloc Québécois members argued the bill gives the Prime Minister power to let favoured projects avoid environmental laws, reviews, and consultation with provinces, experts, and Indigenous peoples, and said it would let pipelines proceed without impact assessments. Liberal ministers responded that faster decisions do not mean lower standards, said Parliament is debating the bill democratically and members should vote on it, and argued it would support major projects while protecting the environment and consulting Indigenous peoples. A Liberal member also pointed to the bill’s potential to advance clean electricity projects needed for net-zero emissions.Written by AI from the debate. Updated .

Official text

6 statements

Christine Normandin

Bloc Québécois
“This bill does not get rid of environmental laws, but it lets the Prime Minister pick projects that can ignore them. These projects will not have to follow environmental rules or consult experts, provinces, and Indigenous peoples. This creates an unfair system.”
Official Hansard

Mr. Speaker, yesterday, the Prime Minister defended Bill C‑39 on the grounds that it does not repeal any laws. This is true. The problem is that it allows developers to circumvent laws when they have the Prime Minister’s backing, as in the case of Pacific link. The laws still exist. They simply do not apply to projects selected by the Prime Minister, whose proponents can bypass impact assessments, disregard environmental laws, and proceed without first consulting experts, the provinces and indigenous peoples. Yesterday, the Prime Minister called it “efficiency”, but is it actually a Liberal two-tiered system?

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Steven MacKinnon

Liberal
“Making decisions faster does not mean lowering our standards. We are here debating this bill fairly. The member should share her views in the debate, and then we should vote.”
Official Hansard

Mr. Speaker, making decisions faster does not mean we are lowering our standards. I am a little perplexed by the Bloc Québécois’s line of questioning. We are here in this democratic chamber debating a government bill designed to build and strengthen our country. Why is the member calling that undemocratic? She should participate in the debate, express her views and take a position. Then we can vote.

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Christine Normandin

Bloc Québécois
“I oppose this bill. It gives the Prime Minister too much power to ignore laws and approve projects without talking to experts, provinces, or Indigenous peoples. He is ignoring the rules so he can make decisions all on his own.”
Official Hansard

Mr. Speaker, Bill C-39 is part of a pattern of serious abuse of authority by the Prime Minister. He is giving himself the power to suspend whatever laws he wants. He is giving himself the power to approve projects without consulting any experts, provinces or indigenous peoples. In addition to Bill C‑39, the Prime Minister is creating more and more new agencies to do his bidding in order to circumvent the public service. He is flouting the parliamentary process and snubbing journalists, except for the American media. In short, he is disregarding all checks and balances so that he can govern unilaterally, by decree. Is he telling us that he is the law?

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Dominic LeBlanc

Liberal
“The member is exaggerating for the news. We are working on a bill that is important for the economy of Quebec and all of Canada. It will help build major projects while protecting the environment and consulting Indigenous peoples.”

  • Government answer in Question Period

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Official Hansard

Mr. Speaker, with all due respect to our colleague, just because she repeats overblown remarks or says things that might make a good clip for tonight’s TVA news does not mean they are true. As she is well aware, and as my colleague the House leader just said, this democratically elected Parliament is currently seized with a bill that is important to Canada’s economy, including Quebec’s economy. Its purpose is to build new major projects in the right way, with respect for environmental standards and in consultation with indigenous peoples. That is exactly what we are doing.

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Mario Simard

Bloc Québécois

Linked statement

“I oppose this bill. It is not about efficiency. It lets oil companies build pipelines without environmental reviews, break environmental laws, and harm endangered animals. Liberal MPs should not support this.”
Official Hansard

Mr. Speaker, the Prime Minister says that Bill C‑39 is simply about efficiency. Allowing dirty oil pipelines to avoid impact assessments is not efficiency. Allowing oil companies to lay pipe without waiting for the results of studies is not efficiency. Allowing proponents to circumvent environmental laws is not efficiency. Allowing pipelines to jeopardize endangered species and their habitat is not efficiency. It is irresponsibility. How can the Liberals support their leader’s abuse of authority?

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Julie Dabrusin

Liberal
“I want this bill to pass. It helps us build more clean energy projects, like wind and hydro power, so Canada can produce enough electricity to reach net-zero emissions.”

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Official Hansard

Mr. Speaker, we need to double the capacity of our electricity grid. We need to do this to advance the electrification of our economy. That is how Canada will get to net zero. Thanks to this bill, we can move forward on electricity and clean energy projects, such as the Churchill Falls project and wind energy projects. We need these projects in order to become a net-zero economy.

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