Madam Speaker, I am pleased to speak to Motion No. 4, the third amendment proposed by the member for The Battlefords-Meadow Lake. The proposed amendment relates to section 59 of the act which grants the governor in council authority to make regulations relating to environmental assessment and follow-up programs set up in the Canadian Environmental Assessment Act.
These regulations are an essential part of the act. They are the guiding principles which shape the environmental assessment process. Once again there is some merit to the proposed amendment but there are also many concerns which arise with this proposal.
Presently under the act, the regulations which guide the environmental assessment process are determined by governor in council which basically means the cabinet. Cabinet decides what the regulations will include. Members of Parliament
outside of the inner circle of government are excluded from the process.
The amendment to the bill proposes to address this concern so that the regulation proposed under section 59 would be laid before the House of Parliament. This would allow for a more democratic process in the development of these regulations and would allow members of the House to participate in the decision-making process as regulations are proposed.
The hon. member also proposes that regulations are presented to the House at least 20 sitting days before the proposed effective date. The time line of 20 days would ensure that members have adequate time to comment on regulations and proposed meaningful amendments where necessary.
My concern with this proposal is that it would slow down the process. I have concerns that if every regulation were brought forward, the process would be far too time consuming and would in fact be unworkable. Members need to participate in decision making but this suggested amendment would grind the House to a halt.
For these reasons I cannot support and therefore oppose the motion.