Green Party warns Bill C-39 would gut environmental protections and labour rights
The party says the omnibus bill gives government sweeping powers to fast-track major projects with reduced oversight.
The Green Party of Canada is warning that a massive federal bill would dismantle environmental protections, undermine Indigenous rights and threaten workers’ right to strike.
“Bill C-39 is the omnibus of omnibuses, a heavy-handed attempt to maximize untrammelled executive power at the expense of our environment and democratic process,” said Green Party of Canada Leader Elizabeth May.
The Building Canada Strong Act proposes changes to 20 federal laws, including legislation governing environmental assessments, major projects approvals and labour relations.
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“Among its provisions, Bill C-39 would repeal the five-year sunset clause established under Bill C-5, allowing extraordinary Cabinet powers to remain in place,” said May. “The legislation would also introduce ‘regions of national interest’ and further weaken the Environment Minister’s authority over environmental conditions attached to major projects.”
May said the changes raise serious concerns about Indigenous consultation, particularly when projects are designated as being in the national interest.
“You can’t have free and prior consent because once they’ve made the decision that a project is in the national interest, every further decision is deemed to be made in furtherance of the project,” said May. “Where is there a consultation that’s meaningful at all?”
Environmental groups including Environmental Defence, the David Suzuki Foundation and West Coast Environmental Law have also warned the bill would weaken protections for wildlife, biodiversity and the climate.
“They’re calling it the bulldoze nature bill,” said Green Party leadership candidate Mike Morrice. “And they are working together to amplify the concerns of Canadians who are seeing what is being bulldozed, which is wildlife protections, which is nature, which is climate protections that benefit us all and our biodiversity in this country, all of which being pushed to the side in Bill C-39.”
The legislation has also drawn criticism from the labour movement over proposed changes to the Canada Labour Code.
“It’s not only Elizabeth May and others who are raising the alarm on Bill C-39. It’s the labour movement in this country,” said Morrice. “The Canadian Labour Congress has been very clear that while there are some elements in an omnibus bill that have been fought for by unions for years and years, like protections around wage theft and successor rights on contract flipping, this bill, as the Canadian Labour Congress has already said, is an attack on the right to strike.”
May also criticized the parliamentary review process after a request to serve on the special legislative committee studying Bill C-39 was denied.
“I should have been on the special committee because there is no rule that precludes members of Parliament from non-recognized parties serving on special committees,” said May. “I did ask all party leaders and PROC and the Speaker to be added to the Special Legislative Committee studying Bill C-39. They said no.”
Bill C-39 passed second reading in the House of Commons on Oct. 8 and has been referred to that special legislative committee for further study.
Despite being excluded from the committee, May still intends to present amendments to the legislation.
The Green Party said it will continue to urge all parliamentarians to hold the government accountable and ensure the bill receives thorough scrutiny and public input.
With files from Green Party Of Canada