Reading between the lines of the 'Responsible Resource Development' rhetoric: the use of omnibus bills to 'streamline' Canadian environmental legislation

• Published in: Impact assessment and project appraisal Vol. 32; no. 2; pp. 108 - 120
• Main Authors: Kirchhoff, Denis, Tsuji, Leonard J.S.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Abingdon Taylor & Francis 01.01.2014; Taylor & Francis Ltd
• Subjects: Aboriginal peoples; Accountability; Authority; Bill C-38; Bill C-45; Bills; Canada; CEAA 2012; Credibility; Criticism; environmental assessment; Environmental law; Environmental Policy; Environmental Protection; Inuit; Legislation; Legislative Bodies; Metis; Negotiation; omnibus bill; Parliament; Policy Making; Pollution control; public participation; resource development; Rhetoric; streamlined EA; Studies; Transparency; Canada
• ISSN: 1461-5517; 1471-5465
• DOI: 10.1080/14615517.2014.894673

In Canada, the use of omnibus budget bills in recent years has grown substantially. In 2012, it was used twice by the Government of Canada. As a result, a number of substantial changes to environmental legislation were introduced with virtually no debate nor compromise. This situation has been criticized for seriously reducing the credibility of the budget process and the authority of Parliament in Canada, as well as undermining the transparency and accountability of the policy-making process. This paper describes how changes to major policies through the use of omnibus bills (all, arguably, in the name of faster project review decisions) affect not only established environmental protection efforts, but also the public and Aboriginal (First Nations, Inuit and Metis) peoples, particularly in terms of their capacity to effectively participate in resource development.