Mr. Speaker, since I was the official opposition environment critic in the last parliament, I will make a few comments.
In the last parliament, we studied Bill C-74 for almost a year and a half. The Bloc Quebecois had tabled a minority report during that study and our concerns remain the same. They are still related to the fact that, in the bill, the federal government is again interfering in provincial jurisdiction.
Here are my concerns: are there not some risks, in this bill, of never ending legal challenges between the federal and provincial governments, once again? If we look at the CEAA, the Canadian Environmental Assessment Act, that was passed during the last parliament, and if we look at what is happening at this time, we realize that legal challenges have already been launched, involving Quebec and the federal government, again because the federal government is interfering in provincial jurisdiction.
In Quebec, we have the BAPE, which does some extraordinary work with environmental assessments. If the federal government comes and interferes in assessments that have already been done, and says it is not satisfied with our assessments, this will delay some projects, business projects, big projects, major projects that will not be undertaken because for five, six or seven years, money will be spent going around in circles because of dry legal challenges.
That is my concern. Is the federal government not again interfering in a provincial jurisdiction? Having been involved for more than three years, I think the environment is better managed close to the people than at a higher level.
If we look at the cuts in the federal environment department, how are they going to properly enforce an act when, because of the huge cuts, they do not know who will enforce it? How will they succeed in doing this? Will there be an environmental police on the highways? That is impossible, because they do not have the means to do it.
Are the revision of the CEPA and the meddling in provincial jurisdiction and causing endless legal wrangling nothing more than window dressing?
I do not know whether my colleague has any comments in this regard. Clearly the environment is a priority because it involves our future. On the other hand, we must ensure, if legislation is to be properly applied, that we do not systematically block what is already happening provincially.
Let us look at the broader picture and cut in financial terms as well. If we try to come up with situations that are intolerable and unliveable we will be doing the environment no favours, in fact, quite the opposite, we will harm it. I would like to hear what my colleague in the Conservative Party has to say.