Proposed changes to endangered species law would 'stab it to death,' says scientist
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scientist → propose → death
Liberal government expected to table bill this fall to speed up major project approval
Five former chairs of a panel that advises the federal government on endangered wildlife have published an open letter highlighting concerns over proposed changes to the Species At Risk Act, which they say could lead to the "wilful extinction" of endangered species in Canada.
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they → expect → Canada
More than 600 species are listed under the legislation.
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species → list → legislation
Changes the government is considering would render the act — and the protection it provides — "meaningless," according to a press release written by the scientists last week.
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it → consider → scientists
The scientists, former chairs of the Committee on the Status of Endangered Wildlife in Canada (COSEWIC), sent the letter to the federal government last month.
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scientists → send → government
COSEWIC is an independent advisory panel that assesses species at risk of extinction and makes recommendations to list them under endangered species law.
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that → assess → law
The scientists opted to make the letter public so that Canadians could avoid being "complicit in the wilful extinction of Canadian Wildlife Species," according to the press release.
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Canadians → opt → release
The letter comes as the Carney government considers sweeping changes to environmental regulations, including the Species At Risk Act, it says would allow for quicker approval and construction of major projects.
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it → come → projects
In May, two federal discussion papers proposed the approval of major projects before review and exempting certain projects from the "jeopardy test" required under the law, if they're deemed to be in the national interest.
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they → propose → interest
It's not necessary," said David Green, a biologist and professor emeritus at McGill University who is one of the former COSEWIC chairs behind the letter.
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who → say → letter
Jeopardy tests prohibit Ottawa from authorizing projects that would harm species listed under the act and their critical habitats if they would jeopardize their survival.
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they → prohibit → survival
These jeopardy tests are essential to protecting endangered species, according to Green.
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tests → protect → Green
It's the last-ditch protection for things that really need to be protected.
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that → need → things
The proposed changes would also give Carney and his cabinet the ability to establish "federal economic zones" where they could then pre-approve industrial development.
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they → propose → development
Cabinet would also gain the power to pre-approve pipelines before a route is established and exempt them from federal impact assessments.
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route → gain → assessments
Bill C-5 currently allows projects deemed in the national interest to have their approval process, including environmental assessments, fast-tracked.
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process → allow → assessments
After 'feedback from thousands,' Carney government slows down sweeping environmental changes
75 of these whales remain.
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75 → slow → whales
A new West Coast pipeline would be 'devastating' for them, experts say
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experts → devastate → them
The letter mentions a new West Coast oil pipeline, which is currently being considered as a project of national interest, specifically.
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which → mention → interest
The proposed pipeline would carry approximately one million barrels of crude oil a day along roughly 1,250 kilometres using a corridor similar to the existing Trans Mountain pipeline, according to the Alberta government.
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pipeline → propose → government
This would be detrimental to multiple species listed under the act, including the southern resident killer whale — also known as Orcas — and the Chinook salmon, the whale's main food source, according to the scientists.
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This → list → scientists
Both species and their critical habitats exist in the Salish Sea, a network of coastal waterways in southern B.C., where the proposed West Coast pipeline would end.
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pipeline → exist → B.C.
"If deemed in the national interest, the currently conceived West Coast pipeline could decimate the entire population of the imperilled killer whales through time both directly via increased tanker traffic noise and indirectly via significant destruction of habitat needed for the whales' main prey," the scientists wrote.
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scientists → deem → prey
"Are Canadians willing to bet this unique population of killer whales against another oil pipeline?"
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Canadians → bet → pipeline
An 'extraordinary' precedent
Green said he's shocked the Liberal government is proposing these changes.
"
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government → say → changes
It surprises me because the Species At Risk Act was such an important thing to do for a Liberal government 25 years ago.…
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Act → surprise → government
And now we have a Liberal government that wants to, you know, stab it to death.
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you → have → death
"
Kathryn Harrison, a UBC professor who specializes in climate and energy politics, believes that through Bill C-5 and other changes under consideration, the government is setting an "extraordinary" precedent.
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government → specialize → precedent
"It's a pretty extraordinary thing to pass new legislation that not only allows the government to waive application of those laws, but gives the government a certain amount of authority to add new laws," she said.
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she → pass → laws
Trump expected to slash tariffs on Canadian goods, Carney asks premiers to put U.S. booze back on shelves
Trump pauses 50 per cent tariffs on Canadian goods for 3 days
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Trump → expect → days
Rather than going through Parliament and amending those laws, they're passing a new law saying, 'we're not worried about that anymore.'"
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we → go → that
The scientists hadn't received a government response to their letter at the time of this article's publication.
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scientists → receive → publication
The Privy Council Office said the government is "committed to the conservation and recovery of species at risk and to meeting obligations under the Species at Risk Act," in an emailed statement to CBC News.
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government → say → News
The federal government has justified the potential changes by arguing Canada needs to fast-track projects that strengthen the economy and diversify exports away from the U.S., amid the ongoing trade war between the two countries.
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that → justify → countries
The Privy Council Office didn't confirm whether they've received the open letter, but said there's been no decision regarding changes to the Species At Risk Act.
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they → confirm → Act
The email also said the government will release a report highlighting feedback from all Canadians before summer ends.
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summer → say → Canadians
Following criticism from First Nations and environmental groups, the government extended the public engagement period, which ended last month.
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which → follow → period
Formal legislation is expected after Parliament resumes in September.
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Parliament → expect → September
Green is cautioning the government to reconsider.
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Green → caution → government
"If you eliminate species from Canada, they're not coming back," he said.
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he → eliminate → Canada
