I don't claim to know all of the details of those two bills, but in general I think they add significant further challenges to what already has been a pretty lacklustre implementation of past commitments. They would make it even harder to achieve what we are after, which is greater certainty.
I'm not saying it's impossible. I think many of the initiatives at the local, regional level, including aboriginal land claim agreement settlement areas, are great examples of people working together with long-term sustainability and conservation in mind, and with significant say, through the co-management process, concerning planning and deciding on long-term things. Just because there's one economic project there right now.... Of course, our industrialized urban society is in a big rush.
Even if you were not to have environmental assessment, I think local people—and certainly my organization and I personally—will continue to push the point that the long-term considerations are absolutely paramount, ideally framed by a vision and a plan at the ecosystem level.
Some things are possible despite such bills as Bill C-38 or Bill C-45, I think. I'm an optimist.