Bill C-497 (Historical)

An Act to amend the Navigable Waters Protection Act (St. Croix River, Restigouche River and Saint John River)

This bill was last introduced in the 41st Parliament, 2nd Session, which ended in August 2015.

This bill was previously introduced in the 41st Parliament, 1st Session.

Sponsor

Yvon Godin  NDP

Introduced as a private member’s bill. (These don’t often become law.)

Status

Outside the Order of Precedence (a private member's bill that hasn't yet won the draw that determines which private member's bills can be debated), as of April 22, 2013
(This bill did not become law.)

Summary

This is from the published bill. The Library of Parliament often publishes better independent summaries.

This enactment amends the Navigable Waters Protection Act in order to add the St. Croix River and the Restigouche River to the navigable waters listed in the schedule to that Act and to replace the upstream point of the Saint John River listed in the schedule to that Act, as it will read immediately after the coming into force of section 331 of the Jobs and Growth Act, 2012.

Elsewhere

All sorts of information on this bill is available at LEGISinfo, an excellent resource from the Library of Parliament. You can also read the full text of the bill.

Navigable Waters Protection ActRoutine Proceedings

April 22nd, 2013 / 3:20 p.m.


See context

NDP

Yvon Godin NDP Acadie—Bathurst, NB

moved for leave to introduce Bill C-497, Act to amend the Navigable Waters Protection Act (St. Croix River, Restigouche River and Saint John River).

Mr. Speaker, first of all, I would like to wish everyone a happy Earth Day. For Earth Day, we would certainly like to make sure we pass clean rivers on to our children and grandchildren.

This is why I am pleased to add the St. Croix River and the Restigouche River to the navigable waters listed in the schedule to the act. I would also like to replace the upstream point of the Saint John River listed in the schedule to the act.

It was on the shore of the St. Croix River in 1604 that Samuel de Champlain established the first European colony in North America north of Florida. Over the years, the waters of the St. Croix River have carried aboriginal people, Acadian settlers, British loyalists, logs floating to sawmills and shipyards, canoeists and so on.

Originally, the Restigouche River was used as a waterway. It provided food for the Micmacs and the Maliseet. Today, Atlantic salmon still travel up the river through the clear waters of about 60 different salmon pools.

There is also the beautiful Saint John River. These rivers must be protected.

We cannot allow these rivers to be lost. The Conservatives are going the wrong way. These bills are important.

Thank you for giving me an opportunity to introduce this bill.

(Motions deemed adopted, bill read the first time and printed)