A media release notes that, “New Democrat Environment Critic Linda Duncan (Edmonton-Strathcona) was pleased to see her ground-breaking Environmental Rights Bill clear another hurdle (on February 17), as it was reported back to the House of Commons following study and amendment by the Standing Committee on Environment and Sustainable Development” This means that C-469 is headed for third reading and a final vote in the House of Commons.
Bill C-469, An Act to establish a Canadian Environmental Bill of Rights, was introduced by Duncan in October 2009, it had its second reading and debate in the House of Commons in May 2010, and the Standing Committee on Environment and Sustainable Development began studying the bill in October.
Duncan’s website highlights: “The bill requires the federal government to take action to protect Canadians’ right to a healthy environment; It ensures access to environmental information and the right to participate in decisions related to the environment; It expands the right to request investigations of environmental offences and bring environmental issues to the courts; It provides whistleblower protection for employees; and It ensures accountability by giving Canadians the right to bring the federal government to court when it fails to enforce environmental laws.”
It has also been argued that C-469 would advance the right to water in Canada.
To read the bill, please go to http://www2.parl.gc.ca/HousePublications/Publication.aspx?Docid=4330148&file=4.
To collect signatures in support of it, please download the petition at http://www.lindaduncan.ndp.ca/sites/default/files/Single%20Page%20Petition%20-Enviro%20Bill%20of%20Rights.pdf.
We have highlighted our support for C-469 in this campaign blog from November http://canadians.org/campaignblog/?p=5384 and we flagged it in our list of legislation we were watching this session this past September at http://canadians.org/campaignblog/?p=4625.
