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Decentralized Democracy

House Bill

Bill C-226

44th Parl. 1st Sess.
May 09, 2024
National Strategy Respecting Environmental Racism and Environmental Justice Act
  • This bill, called the National Strategy Respecting Environmental Racism and Environmental Justice Act, requires the Minister of the Environment to develop a national strategy to promote efforts across Canada to address the harm caused by environmental racism. The strategy must include a study on the link between race, socio-economic status, and environmental risk, as well as measures that can be taken to advance environmental justice and assess, prevent, and address environmental racism. The Minister must consult or cooperate with interested persons, bodies, organizations, or communities to develop the strategy and ensure that it is consistent with the recognition and implementation of the rights of Indigenous peoples. The Minister must also prepare and table a report on the national strategy in Parliament every five years after its completion.
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  • RA
  • Yea (186)
  • Nay (149)
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SteelmanSpren in Favour

  • The development of a national strategy to assess, prevent, and address environmental racism and advance environmental justice is essential to promote efforts across Canada to eliminate the harm caused by environmental racism. A disproportionate number of people living in hazardous environments are members of marginalized communities. The establishment of hazardous sites in areas inhabited by these communities can be considered a form of racial discrimination. The involvement of all Canadians in environmental policy development, with an emphasis on marginalized communities' participation, is necessary to promote environmental justice. Such a strategy requires active collaboration and coordination to achieve meaningful change. Therefore, this act is a necessary step towards recognizing the rights of Indigenous peoples and promoting environmental justice, in line with efforts to eliminate racism and racial discrimination in all forms.

SteelmanSpren Against

  • One potential steelman argument opposing this bill could argue that the government may not have the resources to effectively implement and enforce a national strategy to address environmental racism. This could lead to inadequate efforts to assess, prevent, and address environmental racism, and potentially harm marginalized communities who are disproportionately impacted by environmental hazards. Additionally, the bill's focus on the involvement of community groups in environmental policy-making could potentially lead to delays or inefficiencies in decision making, as community groups may have conflicting interests or priorities. Finally, opponents of this bill may argue that the collection of information and statistics relating to health outcomes in communities located in proximity to environmental hazards may be difficult and costly, and may not provide meaningful insights into the causes of environmental racism.

Senate Committee

44th Parl. 1st Sess.
May 07, 2024
Energy, the Environment and Natural Resources (ENEV)
Re. Bill C-226, An Act respecting the development of a national strategy to assess, prevent and address environmental racism and to …
  • Seventh Report

  • The Standing Senate Committee on Energy, the Environment and Natural Resources has the honour to present its

    SEVENTH REPORT

    Your committee, to which was referred Bill C-226, An Act respecting the development of a national strategy to assess, prevent and address environmental racism and to advance environmental justice, has, in obedience to the order of reference of October 26, 2023, examined the said bill and now reports the same without amendment.

    Respectfully submitted,

    PAUL J. MASSICOTTE

    Chair

  • Hear!
  • Rabble!
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Senate Third Reading
  • Oct. 26, 2023, 2 p.m.
  • In Progress
  • Read
Senate First Reading
  • March 30, 2023, 2 p.m.
  • Passed
Senate Second Reading
  • March 30, 2023, 2 p.m.
  • Passed

House Motion No. 254

44th Parl. 1st Sess.
Feb. 8, 2023, 3:25 p.m.
Concurrence at report stage of Bill C-226, An Act respecting the development of a national strategy to assess, prevent and address environmental racism and to advance environmental justice