Mr. Speaker, last October, the Supreme Court of Canada issued an opinion regarding the constitutionality of the Impact Assessment Act, stating that we needed to clearly focus on the areas of federal jurisdiction and underscoring that we work with provinces “in the spirit of cooperative federalism.” More specifically, the Supreme Court of Canada stated that decisions under the act must be tied exclusively to “adverse effects within federal jurisdiction” and that the definition of “effects within federal jurisdiction” must be clearly defined.
I am happy to say that last June, the Government of Canada delivered on its promise to quickly and meaningfully amend the Impact Assessment Act to respond to the Supreme Court of Canada and provide regulatory certainty for major project proponents, indigenous partners and Canada's investment climate.
The amended act clearly focuses on preventing or mitigating effects in areas of federal responsibility. It also provides increased flexibility and new tools to harmonize the federal process with those of other jurisdictions and facilitate greater co-operation. As a result, it reduces duplication and increases efficiency and certainty with the goal of achieving “one project, one assessment”.
The government is committed to ensuring that indigenous consultation is included in the work it does. The United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples remains integral to the Impact Assessment Act. As such, the act will continue to provide opportunities for meaningful engagement and the participation of indigenous peoples in the assessment process with the aim of securing their free, prior and informed consent, and ensuring their rights and interests are respected throughout the process.
The government is committed to ensuring that future generations are able to live in a healthy environment, and that is exactly what it will continue to do.