Mr. Speaker, Bill C-32, which is now at report stage, proposes to renew the Canadian Environmental Protection Act.
The bill addresses the following aspects: pollution prevention, toxic substances, air and water purity, pollution control and waste, environmental emergencies, biotechnology, federal government operations on federal and aboriginal land, administration and application of penalties, information gathering, guidelines and codes of practice, and finally, public participation.
This act may be full of good intentions, but it is equally full of imprecision.
It must be kept in mind that the study of Bill C-32 started back in the fall of 1998, and ran until April 1999. After 60 sittings, a total of 580 amendments had been submitted during the clause by clause examination of the bill. The committee adopted 160 of them. As a result, the bill is inconsistent in many regards.
The most critical point in this bill is, in my opinion, the lack of harmonization with the provinces. While the original version called for the federal government to act within the spirit of intergovernmental agreements, the government majority softened that requirement by adding the words “endeavour to” before the word “act”.
The Bloc Quebecois maintains that the federal government must always work within a framework of harmonization with the provinces, with a view to avoiding duplication and overlap of legislation and regulations.
Since Quebec has its own specific nature, we insist on being allowed to speak for ourselves when our interests are at stake. Despite the fact that, in theory, Bill C-32 acknowledges that the environment is a shared responsibility between the federal and provincial governments, in practice it delegates no powers to the provinces.
The purpose of Bill C-32 is to enhance still further the federal government's preponderance as far as environmental protection is concerned. That is the major point on which amendments are required. Otherwise the situation will get worse instead of better.
On the subject of products of biotechnology, the bill establishes a federal safety net and the authority to make regulations for the safe and effective use of biotechnology for environmental purposes. Clauses 104 to 115 apply here.
What does it mean? Where are we in the vital matter of biotechnologies? Who is prepared to educate the public? In what area does the bill require products of biotechnology that meet international standards and are subject to recognized scientific rules? When will we deal with labelling? Who, in the government, will finally take the lead in this matter and not look at biotechnology only in terms of toxicity?
The weakness of clauses 104 to 115 and their approach to the subject of biotechnology is a bit confusing.
There is another aspect of the harmonization of this bill with the provincial governments I consider very important. It is a field of jurisdiction in which the Province of Quebec is at the forefront and needs no help the federal government. I am referring to the control of water, land and air pollution in agriculture.
Quebec pork producers complete the agri-environmental picture of their farms. Each farm is studied to determine its physical characteristics, level of pollution, production capacity and quantity of input so that the impact of the pork producers on their community is known quasi scientifically. It is easy therefore to correct discrepancies.
This picture will be extended to other farming activities. It is a procedure that is unique in North America and a real agri-environmental realization.
Farmers in Quebec are also required to produce an agri-environmental plan, which is a management tool or an integrated fertilization plan for farms. These plans are done by professionals or farmers who have taken courses and proper training. This is an example of making this community responsible, which has already proven effective.
For all these reasons, we have faith in our provincial government, which is a leader in environmental matters and must be given full latitude in areas under its jurisdiction.
In light of the amendments adopted in committee, the Bloc Quebecois opposes this bill at report stage and third reading.