This bill was last introduced in the 42nd Parliament, 1st Session, which ended in September 2019.
Linda Duncan NDP
Introduced as a private member’s bill. (These don’t often become law.)
Second reading (House), as of June 6, 2019
(This bill did not become law.)
This is from the published bill.
This enactment enacts the Canadian Environmental Bill of Rights, which provides that every person residing in Canada has the following rights:
(a) the right to a healthy and ecologically balanced environment;
(b) the right to reasonable, timely and affordable access to information regarding the environment;
(c) the right to effective, informed and timely public participation in decision-making regarding the environment, including in relation to any Act of Parliament respecting the environment and any environmental policy of the Government of Canada;
(d) the right to bring a matter regarding the protection of the environment before courts or tribunals; and
(e) the right to request a review of any Act of Parliament respecting the environment, any instrument made under such an Act or any environmental policy of the Government of Canada.
The enactment imposes corresponding obligations on the Government of Canada to take all reasonable measures to give effect to the rights conferred.
The enactment also provides for an application by a person residing in Canada for an investigation by the responsible Minister of an offence under any Act of Parliament respecting the environment other than the Canadian Environmental Protection Act, 1999. In addition, it provides for an environmental protection action to be brought by a person in respect of such an investigation as well as an environmental protection action to be brought by a person against a person who has contravened or is likely to contravene an Act of Parliament respecting the environment if certain conditions are met.
The enactment amends the Auditor General Act to allow petitions for the review of any Act of Parliament to be made respecting the environment, any instrument made under such an Act or any environmental policy of the Government of Canada.
The enactment amends the Federal Courts Act to allow an application for judicial review to be made by a person not directly affected by the matter in respect of which relief is sought if certain conditions are met, including the condition that the matter relate to the protection of the environment.
Finally, this enactment also amends the Canadian Bill of Rights to provide that the right of the individual to life, liberty and security of the person includes the right to a healthy and ecologically balanced environment.
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.
Kevin Lamoureux Liberal Winnipeg North, MB
Madam Speaker, I would love to compare and contrast that point of order to one I raised the other day with respect to relevancy.
I can assure you and the member that my debate is absolutely relevant to having a bill of rights with respect to the environment.
I see you are anxious to stand, Madam Speaker. I suspect my time has already expired.
The Assistant Deputy Speaker Carol Hughes
At this point, the hon. member will have about seven minutes and 10 seconds the next time this matter is before the House.
The time provided for the consideration of Private Members' Business has now expired, and the order is dropped to the bottom of the order of precedence on the Order Paper.
Kevin Lamoureux Liberal Winnipeg North, MB
Madam Speaker, I suspect if you were to canvass the House, you would find unanimous consent at this time to call it 12 midnight.
Some hon. members
Agreed.