Speech (committee meeting)

{
    "time": "2024-12-11 16:40:00",
    "attribution": {
        "en": "Ms. Anna Johnston (Staff Lawyer, West Coast Environmental Law Association)",
        "fr": "Mme Anna Johnston (avocate-conseil \u00e0 l'interne, West Coast Environmental Law Association)"
    },
    "content": {
        "en": "<p data-HoCid=\"8816466\" data-originallang=\"en\"> Good afternoon. Many thanks to the chair and to the members of this committee for inviting me to come and speak about this important bill. </p>\n<p data-HoCid=\"8816467\" data-originallang=\"en\">I am a staff lawyer at West Coast Environmental Law, where my expertise focuses on constitutional law, biodiversity, climate and impact assessment law. I've been working closely on Bill<a data-HoCid=\"13188699\" href=\"/bills/44-1/C-73/\" title=\"An Act respecting transparency and accountability in relation to certain commitments Canada has made under the Convention on Biological Diversity\"> C-73</a> with my colleagues Josh Ginsberg and Stephen Hazell from Ecojustice and Greenpeace, who are also appearing before you today. </p>\n<p data-HoCid=\"8816468\" data-originallang=\"en\">We've submitted a joint brief recommending proposed amendments, and we've divided up our speaking notes so that we can be most efficient and effective for you this evening.</p>\n<p data-HoCid=\"8816469\" data-originallang=\"en\">I'm going to focus my remarks on why we and nature need a strong nature accountability law.</p>\n<p data-HoCid=\"8816470\" data-originallang=\"en\"> I was deeply involved in the development and implementation of the Canadian Net-Zero Emissions Accountability Act, which I like to call CNZEAA after its acronym, and have first-hand experience in how accountability legislation can help drive government ambition and transparency in setting and meeting nature targets and environmental targets. </p>\n<p data-HoCid=\"8816471\" data-originallang=\"en\">My remarks are based primarily on what we've learned from CNZEAA and that we can apply to Bill<a data-HoCid=\"13188699\" href=\"/bills/44-1/C-73/\" title=\"An Act respecting transparency and accountability in relation to certain commitments Canada has made under the Convention on Biological Diversity\"> C-73</a>.</p>\n<p data-HoCid=\"8816472\" data-originallang=\"en\"> Put simply, as it has with climate, Canada has a long history of talking a big talk on nature and then failing to walk the walk. </p>\n<p data-HoCid=\"8816473\" data-originallang=\"en\">We've been a party to the Convention on Biological Diversity, or the CBD, since 1993, and as required by the convention, in 1995 we published a national biodiversity strategy that set out a framework for protecting nature.</p>\n<p data-HoCid=\"8816474\" data-originallang=\"en\"> In 2010, we agreed to the Aichi targets, a set of five strategic goals and 20 targets aimed at addressing challenges in the implementation of the CBD. </p>\n<p data-HoCid=\"8816475\" data-originallang=\"en\">We also have a federal sustainable development strategy that includes goals like protecting and recovering species and conserving biodiversity, and myriad laws aimed at protecting nature, like the Species at Risk Act, the Fisheries Act and the Migratory Birds Convention Act. </p>\n<p data-HoCid=\"8816476\" data-originallang=\"en\">And yet, as our colleagues from the David Suzuki Foundation pointed out, our biodiversity is in a free fall. Species continue to decline at alarming rates, habitat continues to degrade and fragment and invasive species and pollution continue to accumulate, with climate change exacerbating these harms. </p>\n<p data-HoCid=\"8816477\" data-originallang=\"en\">I would argue that a lack of accountability for setting and meeting nature goals is why Canada's biodiversity has declined at this rate despite all of our international and domestic laws and instruments. </p>\n<p data-HoCid=\"8816478\" data-originallang=\"en\">While the CBD requires Canada to submit national biodiversity plans and progress reports, there's nothing actually preventing it from producing glossy brochures instead of detailed and credible documents. </p>\n<p data-HoCid=\"8816479\" data-originallang=\"en\">What the Net-Zero Emissions Accountability Act has taught us is that accountability legislation can help drive ambition in setting domestic targets, make plans for meeting those targets credible and ensure honest reporting on progress. </p>\n<p data-HoCid=\"8816480\" data-originallang=\"en\">Before CNZEAA was enacted, Canada's 2030 climate target was 30%, which was far below what experts said was Canada's obligation under the Paris Agreement, and its climate plan lacked any kind of details that would be necessary to know if we were going to meet even that weak target. </p>\n<p data-HoCid=\"8816481\" data-originallang=\"en\">After CNZEAA came into force, the government set a more ambitious target of 40% to 45% and established a new and more detailed plan for how it would achieve those reductions. Last December, its first progress report showed that since the act has been enacted, we have increased our ambition and are more closely on track to meeting our climate goals. </p>\n<p data-HoCid=\"8816482\" data-originallang=\"en\">Bill<a data-HoCid=\"13188699\" href=\"/bills/44-1/C-73/\" title=\"An Act respecting transparency and accountability in relation to certain commitments Canada has made under the Convention on Biological Diversity\"> C-73</a> could help do the same for nature, but not, unfortunately, as it's currently drafted. It is so light on detail that it more closely resembles one of those glossy brochures that we're trying to avoid than true accountability legislation. </p>\n<p data-HoCid=\"8816483\" data-originallang=\"en\">To live up to its promise, we think that Bill<a data-HoCid=\"13188699\" href=\"/bills/44-1/C-73/\" title=\"An Act respecting transparency and accountability in relation to certain commitments Canada has made under the Convention on Biological Diversity\"> C-73</a> needs to do six things. </p>\n<p data-HoCid=\"8816484\" data-originallang=\"en\">First, it needs to require the minister to set national nature targets so that we know what direction we're trying to go. </p>\n<p data-HoCid=\"8816485\" data-originallang=\"en\">Second, it also needs to be more prescriptive about the contents of plans and reports so that we have a road map for meeting those targets and honesty about whether we're on course.</p>\n<p data-HoCid=\"8816486\" data-originallang=\"en\">Third, it needs to ensure that the nature advisory committee has the mandate, expertise and resources it needs to provide independent advice.</p>\n<p data-HoCid=\"8816487\" data-originallang=\"en\">Fourth, it should enshrine a biodiversity shield so that federal decisions don't undermine our ability to meet our nature targets.</p>\n<p data-HoCid=\"8816488\" data-originallang=\"en\"> Fifth, it should require periodic reviews by the sustainability commissioner.</p>\n<p data-HoCid=\"8816489\" data-originallang=\"en\">Finally, sixth, it should ensure respect for indigenous rights, knowledge and law in all steps and decisions taken under it.</p>\n<p data-HoCid=\"8816490\" data-originallang=\"en\"> I'll conclude my remarks there. I would be happy to answer any questions, and, as I mentioned, my colleagues Josh Ginsberg and Stephen Hazell will go into more details on these recommendations.</p>",
        "fr": "<p data-HoCid=\"8816466\" data-originallang=\"en\">Bonjour. Je remercie le pr\u00e9sident et les membres du Comit\u00e9 de m'avoir invit\u00e9e \u00e0 prendre la parole sur cet important projet de loi.</p>\n<p data-HoCid=\"8816467\" data-originallang=\"en\">Je suis avocate-conseil \u00e0 l'interne \u00e0 la West Coast Environmental Law, o\u00f9 mon expertise se concentre sur le droit constitutionnel, la biodiversit\u00e9, le climat et le droit relatif aux \u00e9valuations d'impact. Je travaille sur le projet de loi <a data-HoCid=\"13188699\" href=\"/bills/44-1/C-73/\" title=\"An Act respecting transparency and accountability in relation to certain commitments Canada has made under the Convention on Biological Diversity\">C\u201173</a> en \u00e9troite collaboration avec mes coll\u00e8gues Josh Ginsberg et Stephen Hazell d'Ecojustice et de Greenpeace, qui comparaissent \u00e9galement devant vous aujourd'hui.</p>\n<p data-HoCid=\"8816468\" data-originallang=\"en\">Nous avons soumis un m\u00e9moire conjoint dans lequel nous proposons des amendements. Nous avons \u00e9galement divis\u00e9 nos notes d'allocution afin d'\u00eatre le plus efficaces possible ce soir.</p>\n<p data-HoCid=\"8816469\" data-originallang=\"en\">Je vais me concentrer sur les raisons pour lesquelles la nature et nous-m\u00eames avons besoin d'une loi rigoureuse sur la responsabilit\u00e9 \u00e0 l'\u00e9gard de la nature.</p>\n<p data-HoCid=\"8816470\" data-originallang=\"en\">J'ai particip\u00e9 activement \u00e0 l'\u00e9laboration et \u00e0 la mise en \u0153uvre de la Loi canadienne sur la responsabilit\u00e9 en mati\u00e8re de carboneutralit\u00e9. J'aime employer son acronyme: LCRMC. J'ai \u00e9t\u00e9 t\u00e9moin de la fa\u00e7on dont une loi sur la responsabilit\u00e9 peut pousser un gouvernement \u00e0 faire preuve de transparence en \u00e9tablissant des cibles pour prot\u00e9ger la nature et l'environnement et le motiver \u00e0 les atteindre.</p>\n<p data-HoCid=\"8816471\" data-originallang=\"en\">Mes commentaires se fondent principalement sur les le\u00e7ons que nous avons tir\u00e9es de la LCRMC et que nous pouvons mettre \u00e0 profit dans le cadre du projet de loi <a data-HoCid=\"13188699\" href=\"/bills/44-1/C-73/\" title=\"An Act respecting transparency and accountability in relation to certain commitments Canada has made under the Convention on Biological Diversity\">C\u201173</a>.</p>\n<p data-HoCid=\"8816472\" data-originallang=\"en\">En deux mots, le Canada a toujours prononc\u00e9 de grands discours sur la nature, sans toutefois parvenir \u00e0 joindre le geste \u00e0 la parole. Il en est de m\u00eame pour le climat.</p>\n<p data-HoCid=\"8816473\" data-originallang=\"en\">Depuis 1993, nous sommes partie \u00e0 la Convention sur la diversit\u00e9 biologique, ou CDB, et, comme l'exige la convention, nous avons publi\u00e9, en 1995, une strat\u00e9gie nationale en mati\u00e8re de biodiversit\u00e9 qui \u00e9tablit un cadre pour la protection de la nature.</p>\n<p data-HoCid=\"8816474\" data-originallang=\"en\">En 2010, nous avons approuv\u00e9 les cibles d'Aichi. Il s'agit d'un ensemble de cinq objectifs strat\u00e9giques et de 20 cibles con\u00e7us pour relever les d\u00e9fis relatifs \u00e0 la mise en \u0153uvre de la CDB.</p>\n<p data-HoCid=\"8816475\" data-originallang=\"en\">Nous disposons \u00e9galement d'une strat\u00e9gie f\u00e9d\u00e9rale de d\u00e9veloppement durable qui comprend des objectifs relatifs \u00e0 la protection et au r\u00e9tablissement des esp\u00e8ces et \u00e0 la conservation de la biodiversit\u00e9, ainsi qu'une foule de lois ax\u00e9es sur la protection de la nature, comme la Loi sur les esp\u00e8ces en p\u00e9ril, la Loi sur les p\u00eaches et la Loi sur la Convention concernant les oiseaux migrateurs.</p>\n<p data-HoCid=\"8816476\" data-originallang=\"en\">Pourtant, comme l'ont soulign\u00e9 nos coll\u00e8gues de la Fondation David Suzuki, notre biodiversit\u00e9 est en chute libre. Le d\u00e9clin des esp\u00e8ces se poursuit \u00e0 un rythme alarmant, l'habitat continue de se d\u00e9grader et de se fragmenter et les esp\u00e8ces envahissantes et la pollution ne cessent de s'accumuler. Qui plus est, les changements climatiques exacerbent ces dommages.</p>\n<p data-HoCid=\"8816477\" data-originallang=\"en\">Je dirais que si la biodiversit\u00e9 du Canada s'est d\u00e9t\u00e9rior\u00e9e \u00e0 ce rythme \u2014 malgr\u00e9 toutes nos lois et tous nos instruments internationaux et nationaux \u2014, c'est parce que le Canada a manqu\u00e9 \u00e0 sa responsabilit\u00e9 de d\u00e9finir et d'atteindre des objectifs pour prot\u00e9ger la nature.</p>\n<p data-HoCid=\"8816478\" data-originallang=\"en\">M\u00eame si la CDB oblige le Canada \u00e0 soumettre des plans nationaux en mati\u00e8re de biodiversit\u00e9 et des rapports d'\u00e9tape, rien ne l'emp\u00eache de pr\u00e9senter des brochures sur papier glac\u00e9 plut\u00f4t que des documents d\u00e9taill\u00e9s et s\u00e9rieux.</p>\n<p data-HoCid=\"8816479\" data-originallang=\"en\">La Loi canadienne sur la responsabilit\u00e9 en mati\u00e8re de carboneutralit\u00e9 a d\u00e9montr\u00e9 qu'une loi sur la responsabilit\u00e9 peut contribuer \u00e0 fixer des cibles nationales ambitieuses, \u00e0 rendre cr\u00e9dibles les plans suivis pour atteindre ces cibles et \u00e0 garantir que des rapports honn\u00eates sur les progr\u00e8s accomplis soient pr\u00e9sent\u00e9s.</p>\n<p data-HoCid=\"8816480\" data-originallang=\"en\">Avant l'adoption de la LCRMC, la cible climatique du Canada \u00e9tait de r\u00e9duire les \u00e9missions de 30 % d'ici 2030, ce qui \u00e9tait bien en de\u00e7\u00e0 de ce que les experts consid\u00e9raient comme l'obligation du Canada en vertu de l'Accord de Paris. De plus, son plan climatique ne contenait aucun des d\u00e9tails qui auraient \u00e9t\u00e9 n\u00e9cessaires pour savoir si nous allions \u00eatre en mesure d'atteindre cette faible cible.</p>\n<p data-HoCid=\"8816481\" data-originallang=\"en\">Apr\u00e8s l'entr\u00e9e en vigueur de la LCRMC, le gouvernement a \u00e9tabli une cible plus ambitieuse afin de r\u00e9duire les \u00e9missions de 40 \u00e0 45 % et a adopt\u00e9 un nouveau plan plus \u00e9toff\u00e9 sur la fa\u00e7on d'atteindre ces cibles. En d\u00e9cembre dernier, le premier rapport d'\u00e9tape a montr\u00e9 que depuis l'entr\u00e9e en vigueur de la loi, nous avons revu nos ambitions \u00e0 la hausse et sommes davantage sur la bonne voie pour atteindre nos objectifs climatiques.</p>\n<p data-HoCid=\"8816482\" data-originallang=\"en\">Le projet de loi <a data-HoCid=\"13188699\" href=\"/bills/44-1/C-73/\" title=\"An Act respecting transparency and accountability in relation to certain commitments Canada has made under the Convention on Biological Diversity\">C\u201173</a> pourrait faire de m\u00eame pour la nature, mais malheureusement pas dans sa version actuelle. Il contient si peu de d\u00e9tails qu'il ressemble davantage \u00e0 l'une de ces brochures sur papier glac\u00e9 dont nous ne voulons pas qu'\u00e0 une v\u00e9ritable loi sur la responsabilit\u00e9.</p>\n<p data-HoCid=\"8816483\" data-originallang=\"en\">Pour \u00eatre \u00e0 la hauteur des promesses qu'il contient, le projet de loi <a data-HoCid=\"13188699\" href=\"/bills/44-1/C-73/\" title=\"An Act respecting transparency and accountability in relation to certain commitments Canada has made under the Convention on Biological Diversity\">C\u201173</a> doit faire six choses.</p>\n<p data-HoCid=\"8816484\" data-originallang=\"en\">Tout d'abord, il doit exiger que le ministre \u00e9tablisse des cibles nationales pour prot\u00e9ger la nature afin que nous sachions dans quelle direction nous voulons aller.</p>\n<p data-HoCid=\"8816485\" data-originallang=\"en\">Deuxi\u00e8mement, il doit \u00eatre plus prescriptif quant au contenu des plans et des rapports afin que nous disposions d'une feuille de route pour atteindre ces cibles et que nous sachions si nous sommes sur la bonne voie.</p>\n<p data-HoCid=\"8816486\" data-originallang=\"en\">Troisi\u00e8mement, il doit veiller \u00e0 ce que le comit\u00e9 consultatif sur la nature dispose du mandat, de l'expertise et des ressources n\u00e9cessaires pour fournir des conseils ind\u00e9pendants.</p>\n<p data-HoCid=\"8816487\" data-originallang=\"en\">Quatri\u00e8mement, il doit inclure une disposition sur la protection de la biodiversit\u00e9 afin que les d\u00e9cisions du gouvernement f\u00e9d\u00e9ral ne compromettent pas notre capacit\u00e9 \u00e0 atteindre nos cibles pour prot\u00e9ger la nature.</p>\n<p data-HoCid=\"8816488\" data-originallang=\"en\">Cinqui\u00e8mement, il doit exiger que le commissaire \u00e0 l'environnement et au d\u00e9veloppement durable effectue des examens p\u00e9riodiques.</p>\n<p data-HoCid=\"8816489\" data-originallang=\"en\">Enfin, et sixi\u00e8mement, il doit garantir le respect des droits, des connaissances et du droit des peuples autochtones dans toutes les mesures et d\u00e9cisions prises dans le cadre de son application.</p>\n<p data-HoCid=\"8816490\" data-originallang=\"en\">Je vais m'arr\u00eater ici. Je me ferai un plaisir de r\u00e9pondre \u00e0 vos questions et, comme je l'ai mentionn\u00e9, mes coll\u00e8gues Josh Ginsberg et Stephen Hazell vous donneront plus de d\u00e9tails sur ces recommandations.</p>"
    },
    "url": "/committees/environment/44-1/139/anna-johnston-1/",
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    "procedural": false,
    "source_id": "13062250",
    "document_url": "/committees/environment/44-1/139/",
    "related": {
        "document_speeches_url": "/speeches/?document=%2Fcommittees%2Fenvironment%2F44-1%2F139%2F"
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}