Madam Speaker, Motions Nos. 1, 2 and 3 put forward today by our colleague from The Battlefords-Meadow Lake and Motion No. 3 put forward
by the hon. member for Comox-Alberni are amendments to Bill C-56.
First, I will remind you that the Bloc Quebecois will vote against Bill C-56 since this bill amends the Canadian Environmental Assessment Act which implements across the country an environmental assessment process that duplicates a process already existing in some provinces, including Quebec where there has been an environmental assessment process for more than 15 years now.
We have spoken against the enactment of this Act wich we consider to be unacceptable federal interference in provincial jurisdiction. We will have another opportunity to oppose federal interference in provincial jurisdiction on third reading of Bill C-56.
Let us look now at the motions from our colleagues. Motion No. 1 wants projects likely to cause significant adverse environmental effects to be publicly reviewed through a process of independent decision making. That amendment would be included in the purposes of the Act. It is hard to see what our colleague from the NDP is really getting at with this amendment. He should tell us more about this process of independent decision making. Should the body or agency making the decision be permanent or ad hoc? What would the administrative structure of such an agency be? Who would be on it? Who would pay? How would the recommendations or the reports of that body be handled?
Members of the NDP propose creating a new body which would only add to the list of existing agencies. In Quebec, we already have the BAPE, Bureau d'audiences publiques sur l'environnement. On the other hand, for those who support the imposition of the federal process-which we do not-the act provides for the establishment of the Canadian assessment agency, as well as opportunities to use a mediator or a review panel for major projects.
As you can see, there are already many authorities provided for in the act. It seems to us that the NDP motion wants to add more to that federal superstructure, but without saying specifically what that new independent authority will be.
You will understand that we, in the Bloc, cannot accept this motion from the NDP. We have a firm fundamental position on this bill and nothing can change it. We will also vote against Motion No. 2 that was moved by the same member.
I would like to deal a little more with parts (1.1) and (1.2)( b ) of the motion. Part (1.1) says: ``Where a report is submitted by a mediator or review panel-'' But what does the NDP do with the independent authority that it is proposing in its first motion? It is talking here about the report of a mediator or review panel. What about the independent authority report? Clearly defining structures does not seem to be a strength of the NDP.
I think that the NDP does even worse when it proposes, in clause (1.2)( b ), that:
-the Governor in Council may, for the purpose of dealing with any or all the findings or recommendations set out in the report b ) substitute its own findings and recommendations for those of the report where it concludes that the findings or recommendations of the report are not in the public interest.
I ask my colleague if the whole process that the federal government wants to implement and impose on the provinces is really to further public interest in environmental assessment issues. With this amendment, the NDP is telling us that the process as a whole is not important and that, in the end, Cabinet can impose its own decision in the public interest.
It is not reassuring at all, considering who influence our dear ministers. Lobbyists are certainly not the greatest champions of public interest and the environment.
Another major inconsistency in the motions of the NDP is that it is asking for an independent public review while giving the last word to the government. It is inconsistent and illogical to advocate these two things at the same time, that is, an independent agency whose recommendations will be submitted to a higher authority.
The NDP is not very clear and rigorous in its proposals. If what it wants is to give more power to the people, its two motions are not very convincing. They are pulling in opposite directions. The result is a draw, since it is impossible to answer yes and no at the same time.
Motion No. 3, presented by the member for Comox-Alberni, adds a reference to orders in council in clause 3 of Bill C-56. The bill only mentions the approval, or consent, of the Governor in Council, in a non-specific fashion. The Reform Party simply wants to specify how it will be done, by order in council. For us, this is merely specifying how they will go about it; it does not change Bill C-56 significantly.
Finally, we will not vote in favour of any of these motions. Bill C-56 and the Canadian Environmental Assessment Act are both unacceptable and the changes proposed by our NDP and Reform colleagues do not make them more acceptable to us.