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Federal revolt puts Species at Risk Act in danger

Liberals call off move to stop debate and force vote on Bill C-5

JANE GEORGE

A revolt by MPs of all parties in the House of Commons is keeping the debate on the Species at Risk Act alive.

The Liberals now fear the proposed legislation will die when or if it comes to a vote. As many as 40 Liberal MPs may be planning to vote against Bill C-5, which would create a federal Species at Risk Act unless changes are made.

On Monday, without the necessary strength in numbers to win a vote on Bill C-5, the Liberals apparently called off a move to stop further debate and force the bill to a vote.

Liberal MPs Ethel Blondin-Andrews of the Northwest Territories and Larry Bagnell of the Yukon, were among those who criticized Bill C-5 in the House of Commons.

Bagnell spoke out in favour of the National Aboriginal Council, a group whose role was watered down in the final version of the bill.

"We all share in the responsibility for protecting wildlife. Canada’s aboriginal peoples have shown us how and why. We are proposing to recognize that contribution through the National Aboriginal Committee on species at risk. The committee is consistent with the Government of Canada’s commitment to strengthen its relationship with aboriginal peoples," Bagnell said.

A Canadian Alliance MP said he couldn’t understand why the Liberal Government was trying to push through legislation that wouldn’t work.

"For reasons unfathomable to people on both sides of the House, the government has introduced a bill to protect endangered species that it knows full well is unworkable. It is a bill rife with problems. It is a bill that will be destroyed in the courts. Furthermore, it is a bill that will not protect endangered species," said Keith Martin of B.C.’s Esquimalt-Juan de Fuca riding.

Martin, like many other MPs, knocked the government’s decision to ignore the recommendations of the Standing Committee on the Environment that had reviewed and made suggestions for amendments to the original bill.

"What a sad thing for the House to see members from across party lines working hard to craft a bill that will work for the protection of the most vulnerable species in our country and find that the government, out of contempt for the committee and for the MPs, introduces motions that simply override and destroy the good work that committee members attempted to do."

Debate on the bill was to continue this week, and, as of press time, the outcome of any vote the Species at Risk Act was still uncertain.

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