Public consultation necessary for Bill C-69

Ottawa fails to understand potential impact on West, Pamela Wallin says.

The Senate Energy committee has now begun its study of Bill C-69, the government’s controversial bill to change the rules for deciding how and when or if energy projects — such as pipelines — will be approved.

Bill C-69 is controversial because it proposes changes to the impact assessment process that would, for example, give the environment minister the option to repeatedly intervene and repeatedly extend the oversight process itself, and perhaps even expand the list of those who could veto a project.

There is also troubling language in this bill suggesting that construction and pipeline crews pose a risk to our families and communities. It is offensive and insulting, and ignores the obvious fact that those who work in the oilpatch are our sons, brothers, fathers and daughters!

The impact assessment language itself implies that the impacts on the environment are negative, but the bill does not contemplate the economic impact of saying no to a pipeline or an energy project.

The government promises many of the details will be worked out later, through regulations — after the bill is passed. That is a pig in a poke and certainly no way to make good laws.

Bill C-69 and other key pieces of legislation have created uncertainty in the investment and energy sectors, and that has sparked a growing sense of angst amongst many westerners.

Western Canadians quite rightly wonder whether the federal government understands the profound differences across the country when it comes to energy and the environment.

In Saskatchewan, the oil and gas sector contributes to an estimated 15 per cent of the total GDP, the largest of any sector.

And it seems politicians have failed to understand the impact of lost jobs on incomes, families and communities, and the impact of what the uncertainty of an extra year or two added to the approval process would have on an already uncertain future.

This is the basic problem with Bill C-69. It’s no wonder that we’ve seen public demonstrations, local rallies and a convoy of truckers arrive in Ottawa this week to have their voices heard.

Public consultation is necessary to ensure parliamentarians understand the true impact of Bill C-69, particularly in Saskatchewan and Alberta.

Determining the fine balance between our economy and our environment is not easy, but this bill is not the solution.