An Act to amend the Yukon Environmental and Socio-economic Assessment Act and to make a consequential amendment to another Act

This bill was last introduced in the 42nd Parliament, 1st Session, which ended in September 2019.

Sponsor

Carolyn Bennett  Liberal

Status

This bill has received Royal Assent and is now law.

Summary

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

This enactment amends the Yukon Environmental and Socio-economic Assessment Act, in particular by repealing the provisions
(a) that authorize the federal minister to delegate any of his or her powers, duties and functions under that Act to the territorial minister;
(b) that exempt projects and existing projects from the requirement of a new assessment when an authorization is renewed or amended and there are no significant changes to the original project as previously assessed;
(c) that establish time limits for assessments; and
(d) that authorize the federal minister to issue binding policy directions to the Yukon Environmental and Socio-economic Assessment Board.
The enactment also amends the Yukon and Nunavut Regulatory Improvement Act by repealing the transitional provision relating to the application of time limit provisions enacted by that Act to projects in respect of which the evaluation, screening or review had begun before that Act came into force but for which no decision had yet been made.

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.

Votes

June 20, 2017 Passed 2nd reading of Bill C-17, An Act to amend the Yukon Environmental and Socio-economic Assessment Act and to make a consequential amendment to another Act

Yukon Environmental and Socio-economic Assessment ActGovernment Orders

April 10th, 2017 / 5:45 p.m.
See context

Conservative

John Nater Conservative Perth—Wellington, ON

Madam Speaker, I am very pleased to rise today on Bill C-17.

Listening to the debate thus far today, I am reminded of former Prime Minister John Diefenbaker, who certainly had a love of the north. He also had a love of this place, a love of Parliament. I am reminded of one of his more famous quotations, in which he said, “Parliament is more than procedure - it is the custodian of the nation's freedom.”

I am reminded of this now more than ever. Last Friday, I raised an important point of privilege about two members who were denied their right to vote, and then the Liberal government shutting down the vote on a question of privilege, never allowing that question of privilege to come to a vote in this House.

As well, I think of the Standing Orders standoff that the Liberals have orchestrated in the procedure and House affairs committee. It is, unfortunately with a heavy heart, that we have to stand in here and debate, not the important rights of our members, as we ought to.

Therefore, I move:

That the House do now adjourn.

Yukon Environmental and Socio-economic Assessment ActGovernment Orders

April 10th, 2017 / 5:45 p.m.
See context

NDP

The Assistant Deputy Speaker NDP Carol Hughes

The question is on the motion. Is it the pleasure of the House to adopt the motion?

Yukon Environmental and Socio-economic Assessment ActGovernment Orders

April 10th, 2017 / 5:45 p.m.
See context

Some hon. members

Agreed.

No.

Yukon Environmental and Socio-economic Assessment ActGovernment Orders

April 10th, 2017 / 5:45 p.m.
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NDP

The Assistant Deputy Speaker NDP Carol Hughes

All those in favour of the motion will please say yea.

Yukon Environmental and Socio-economic Assessment ActGovernment Orders

April 10th, 2017 / 5:45 p.m.
See context

Some hon. members

Yea.

Yukon Environmental and Socio-economic Assessment ActGovernment Orders

April 10th, 2017 / 5:45 p.m.
See context

NDP

The Assistant Deputy Speaker NDP Carol Hughes

All those opposed will please say nay.

Yukon Environmental and Socio-economic Assessment ActGovernment Orders

April 10th, 2017 / 5:45 p.m.
See context

Some hon. members

Nay.

Yukon Environmental and Socio-economic Assessment ActGovernment Orders

April 10th, 2017 / 5:45 p.m.
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NDP

The Assistant Deputy Speaker NDP Carol Hughes

In my opinion the nays have it.

And five or more members having risen:

Call in the members.

(The House divided on the motion, which was negatived on the following division:)

Vote #254

Yukon Environmental and Socio-economic Assessment ActGovernment Orders

April 10th, 2017 / 6:25 p.m.
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Liberal

The Speaker Liberal Geoff Regan

I declare the motion lost.

Bill C-17--Notice of time allocationYukon Environmental and Socio-economic Assessment ActGovernment Orders

April 10th, 2017 / 6:25 p.m.
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Waterloo Ontario

Liberal

Bardish Chagger LiberalLeader of the Government in the House of Commons and Minister of Small Business and Tourism

Mr. Speaker, an agreement could not be reached under the provisions of Standing Order 78(1) or 78(2) with respect to the second reading stage of Bill C-17, an act to amend the Yukon Environmental and Socio-economic Assessment Act and to make a consequential amendment to another act.

Under the provisions of Standing Order 78(3), I give notice that a minister of the crown will propose at the next sitting a motion to allot a specific number of days or hours for the consideration and disposal of proceedings at the said stage.

The House resumed consideration of the motion that Bill C-17, an act to amend the Yukon Environmental and Socio-economic Assessment Act and to make a consequential amendment to another Act, be read the second time and referred to a committee, and of the amendment, and of the amendment to the amendment.

Yukon Environmental and Socio-economic Assessment ActGovernment Orders

April 10th, 2017 / 6:25 p.m.
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Liberal

The Speaker Liberal Geoff Regan

Order, please. There are 10 minutes remaining in the questions and comments from the speech of the hon. member for Perth—Wellington, although we are about three minutes from the end of government orders.

Questions and comments, the hon. member for Yukon.

Yukon Environmental and Socio-economic Assessment ActGovernment Orders

April 10th, 2017 / 6:25 p.m.
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Liberal

Larry Bagnell Liberal Yukon, YT

Mr. Speaker, I would just like to comment on three things that the member mentioned.

First, the delegation of authority is in the treaty and the treaty is constitutionally protected, the UFA, the umbrella final agreement, and of course we, as legislators, cannot change something that is constitutionally protected.

Second, as I have outlined a number of times, the reassessments do not necessarily have to hurry. The policy has been changed so that the initial assessment can go longer in the life of the project so reassessments may not be necessary and only done when necessary.

Finally, once again, the timelines are just as certain. They are done by regulations and gazetted. Therefore, the question of uncertainty is not valid.

Yukon Environmental and Socio-economic Assessment ActGovernment Orders

April 10th, 2017 / 6:25 p.m.
See context

Conservative

John Nater Conservative Perth—Wellington, ON

Mr. Speaker, I know the member for Yukon is very proud of Yukon and proud of his riding and I thank him for his comments.

However, I want to comment on what we just saw from the government House leader. After only one day of debate on this bill, she has given notice of time allocation. She has given notice of time allocation at the same time on Bill C-25 after very little debate.

She said that an agreement could not be reached through the usual channels. Well, it is tough to reach agreement when the government is ramming changes to the Standing Orders down the throats of the opposition.

She said that she wants us to have a conversation on the Standing Orders, yet there is a motion before the procedure and House affairs committee to have the guillotine at the end. It is a forced change.

Our party believes that to have a real discussion we need consensus from all parties in this House, as has been the tradition in this House. I think it is unfortunate that she has given notice of time allocation on two bills which have had one day of debate.