Evidence of meeting #57 for Environment and Sustainable Development in the 44th Parliament, 1st Session. (The original version is on Parliament’s site, as are the minutes.) The winning word was alberta.
A video is available from Parliament.
Manager, Government and Industry Relations, Fort McMurray Métis Local 1935
I'll defer to Tim on this.
Principal, Willow Springs Strategic Solutions, Fort McMurray Métis Local 1935
I wasn't involved in that specific environmental impact assessment process. However, I can say, as Dan has suggested here, that the environmental impact assessment process in Alberta is extraordinarily weak. The first thing we did when the new federal legislation was passed was scan the list of designated projects to figure out how we could get things designated for federal review, because the provincial review is so deeply inadequate.
I think a lot of these issues go to the deeper issue of the progressive privatization of the duty to consult, which, as a responsibility, has been downgraded from the federal Crown to the provinces, then to industry and then increasingly to third parties contracted by industry. If you want to talk about the psychological effects of feeling like you don't matter and your voice isn't heard, that's a pretty clear indication to me of where the priority on indigenous rights and indigenous people rests in this process.
Daniel Blaikie NDP Elmwood—Transcona, MB
Thank you very much.
We've talked today a fair bit about the role that trust plays in good regulatory processes and that, unfortunately, politics seems to play in regulatory processes. I'm thinking about this place and noting the Canadian Environmental Protection Act. Recently, after the bill passed second reading in the House, we saw Liberals and Conservatives vote to take tailings ponds out of the Canadian Environmental Protection Act and to leave provinces to their own devices on that.
When we talk about the role of trust and politics in establishing good regulatory processes, was that a step in the right direction, or was it a step in the wrong direction? What does that say to your communities with respect to where this place, Parliament, is in trying to address the concerns you've raised today?
Director, Fort McKay Métis Nation
I think that comes down to leadership, not politics, and the lack of leadership at times. It's not until a sensational issue like this gets out of hand and gets media attention that people may re-evaluate those decisions. It is, first and foremost, a leadership decision. The jurisdictional issue and the tiered consultation processes that we're left with are not helpful, particularly at a time like this. Moreover, there's the eroded trust that occurs when things like this happen. You need to know that the security is there to do the right thing.
It's great to have all the legislation in the world if you're never going to use it or you're going to absolve yourself of the responsibility in fear of votes. That's a different issue as well. It leaves folks like us on the front line trying to hold people to account who don't want to be held accountable.
Principal, Willow Springs Strategic Solutions, Fort McMurray Métis Local 1935
Clearly that's not what we would have liked to see.
It's now a situation where the federal government is coming to the region through its Crown-indigenous working group and talking about changing legislation and developing regulation to allow for the release of this process water, as they call it. They came up with a timeline that was totally unrealistic and with a budget that was totally unrealistic, and thought they could ram this through quickly.
That's why one of our messages here—a consistent message—is that work needs to be done properly. It needs to be backed by a regional assessment under the Impact Assessment Act of this region. That we have 60 years of open-pit oil sands mining and we know almost nothing about the cumulative effects is appalling. It's absolutely appalling. That alone is reason for the minister to authorize a regional assessment in this region, because how can we assess our rights moving forward when we're talking about cities' worth of tailings ponds that are going to be released if we have no baseline for where we are starting from?
Liberal
The Chair Liberal Francis Scarpaleggia
Thank you.
Our meeting is coming to a close. It was extremely interesting and substantive.
We will be back on Thursday at 3:30 p.m. when we will hear representatives from Imperial Oil. All of the information given today during our meeting is going to help us interview representatives from that company.
I thank you for your participation and wish you a good day.
As for my colleagues, we will see each other again on Thursday afternoon.
Thank you.