Alberta Reform MP Leon Benoit figures the Liberals have a political tiger by the tail as they try to push endangered species legislation through Parliament in an election year.
“We will fight this bill as it is,” Benoit said last week. “This is building in the countryside. Cattlemen and landowners just don’t think it’s fair.”
The House of Commons environment committee has completed its study of government proposals and has sent them back to the Commons for final debate and approval.
It calls for protection and recovery plans for endangered species’ habitat on federal land. The plans would be worked out by a committee, including the person using the land.
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Legal action could be launched by government or by third parties against anyone thought to be destroying or undermining habitat used by a species considered endangered or threatened.
Environmental critics have complained the legislation is too limited because it does not govern habitat on provincial or private land.
Cattle producers and others who include leased federal land in their operations have complained it is too heavy-handed and could be a severe restriction on their businesses.
MPs on the environment committee heard those arguments when they held meetings in Ottawa and Edmonton.
The Liberal majority did not act on the complaints, insisting the legislation balances the interests of landowners and environmentalists.
Liberal representatives, including Toronto MP and committee chair Charles Caccia, have said the critics are exaggerating the potential costs and the severity of the proposed restrictions.
The committee report is expected to be debated within the next several weeks and the bill approved and sent to the Senate.
In the House, Reform MPs will make one last effort to include what they consider necessary protections for landowner or lessee rights.
Amendments wanted
They have proposed a number of amendments to delay implementation of the legislation, to suspend mandatory restrictions if voluntary recovery and protection actions are being taken, to limit potential costs, to weaken search and seizure provisions in the bill and to try to build some additional protection for the affected land users.
One amendment proposed by Benoit would require that “actions taken under this act must take into account the social and economic consequences of those actions on the parties affected.”
He said in an interview the Liberals have not considered the potential costs of lawsuits or recovery plans.
