They say that change is inevitable. While that may very well be true, whether or not specific changes are for the better or worse, usually depends pretty much on your perspective.
If you happen to be a fiscally conservative federal politician who genuinely believes that balancing the budget is critical to the survival of our nation, and, that our natural resources should be developed and exploited in order to accomplish financial stability for all Canadians, then something like the Enbridge Northern Gateway Pipeline Project would be a good thing.
On the other hand, it you are the kind of individual who is inclined to stand on the edge of a mountain ridge somewhere, looking out at a pristine wilderness valley as it spreads before you, and feel like you are standing at the alter of the Creator’s church, you might be of the mindset that having a pipeline running smack-dab through such a setting could, quite possibly, be a bad thing. My point is that each person sees things in a different light.
The fact that we live in a democratic country where important decisions can be openly discussed before being acted upon by Parliament is good thing. I’m pretty sure that most, if not all, of us could agree on that point.
I’m pretty sure, also, that most of us would like to think that out government is acting our best interests. After all, we do elect our political representatives to represent our wishes in Parliament. So my question then, is why does our current federal government seem to be making changes to acts of federal legislation without first giving Canadian citizens an opportunity to express their ideas, opinions and concerns?
In my two previous columns, I referred specifically to changes to the Fisheries Act, the National Energy Board Act and the Species at Risk Act that were made to Canada’s environmental laws with the passing of Bill C-38. Bill C-38 repealed the Canadian Environmental Assessment Act and effectively introduced a new version of the act that contains a number of subtle changes – changes that should worry most Canadian citizens to some degree. Changes that worry me, at least.
Most issues can be viewed from various angles and, like I said, in different lights. I am not trying to say that one perspective is better or more important than another on any given issue. My problem is with our federal government sneaking important legislative changes through in an omnibus bill. These are changes that will have far-reaching effects on the environment, the wildlife that lives within and the lifestyles of many people – without our knowledge or having a say.
One has to wonder at the intent, if not design of these changes, which effectively weaken many of the laws and much of the legislation that was previously in place to protect our freshwater, the fish that live there and the wildlife living nearby.
These changes introduce less comprehensive environmental assessment laws which give broad decision making powers to both the federal cabinet and ministers - all with much less accountability and less opportunity for public input and/or participation.
What worries me the most, I guess, is that the fact things like the closure of the Experimental Lakes Area research facility in Ontario, which was in the news for a while and then more or less disappeared from the radar (so to speak), seem to be but the tip of the iceberg when it comes to the kinds of changes that are being initiated by the federal government. What other changes are planned or already in the process that we don’t know about? What’s this old country of ours coming to … what’s it going to look like down the road … what’s our government going to sneak through with its next omnibus bill?