I cited various tables, and I don't think this bill is going to rocket us to the number one spot in them. I presented those indices more as context for where we are. Obviously there's room for improvement. Is this bill going to be a silver bullet? Perhaps not, but it's certainly not going to hurt.
One of the best benefits of the bill would be that it would engage more citizens in the environmental debate. In a sense, I see it as a parallel to existing occupational health and safety legislation, under which workers in all jurisdictions, including the federal jurisdiction, have the right to know, the right to participate, and the right to refuse unsafe work.
I see parallels between that legislation and what this bill could be leading toward. It addresses the right to know about environmental issues and the right to participate, which is exactly parallel to existing occupational health and safety legislation.
If we're going to grant these rights to workers in the workplace, then why not extend that privilege to citizens? I think this would engage citizens more fully.