Mr. Speaker, I rise this afternoon to make a very specific point and I appreciate the opportunity to ask this question of the member.
I have been listening to the points that the government has been making across the way. Hon. members are always using the word “consultation”. It is a word that we hear all the time in the House. “Just pass this legislation and we will consult with all of the provinces and the stakeholders” in whatever issue they are putting forward in parliament.
One of the things that this bill will do will be to enlarge the minister's jurisdiction. That should be of concern to all Canadians. Power is being taken away from the people of Canada, through their elected representatives, and it is being given it to a bureaucracy which will tell the minister what needs to be done.
To make my point I refer hon. members to something that I said previously. I asked some lawyers in the House of Commons to do some research for me with regard to a number of bills that were coming before the House. I asked them this simple question: “Which one of the current bills before the House of Commons takes power away from parliament and gives it to the bureaucracy?” I received a very shocking answer. They did research on six separate bills and every one of those bills took power away from parliament and gave it to the bureaucracy. In other words, the people of Canada are losing control of the agenda. That control is being concentrated in the hands of a very few.
As we look at this bill we see the same thing happening. We are losing control through this bill which seems to be so nice and so wonderful and so compassionate in expressing concern for the environment. It actually does not do anything like that.
When government members go about using the word “consultation”, we have found by experience that they do not really and truly consult. They may have a dog and pony show and go around the country making it appear as if they are, but they do not really listen. What they call consultation is putting on a show, but not really putting into place what the people of Canada genuinely want.
This bill gives the people behind the scenes more control over the agenda. I am wondering if the member does not have a concern about this. I realize she is not supporting Reform's amendment, but we are very concerned about what is going on. Giving bureaucracy more power and taking it away from the people of Canada is what is going on. Once this bill is passed, no matter what the government says about its consultations and its process, it is gone forever. The next thing government members say will be “Parliament passed this bill. We have the power to do this. What are you complaining about?”
I would like the member to comment on what I have just said.