Environmental Issues In Canada

Federalism, the legislative power hierarchy between country and its provinces. Environment policies are passed through the federal government in their majorities. Forestry policies or Endangered Species Act policies face many politically challenging problems from the federal government. Some of these problems revolve around the Aboriginal policies that conflict with the current policies needed to pass or confusion surrounding the multiple layers of legislation under different hierarchies that slow down the law-making process. The multiple layers of federalism that control various and certain environmental factors make it confusing when laws are trying to be passed.

Many of the forests that exist in Canada today, exist solely

(Andrea, Olive 726) Most forests in Canada are owned by the provincial government or federal government. (Andrea, Olive 726) The forestry sector of the government is in place to protect Canada’s forests from further damage. (Andrea, Olive 745) According to Canadian Biodiversity: Ecosystem Status and Trends 2010, The federal government has complete control over federal policies. “…the 1867 Constitution Act grants the federal government general authority to make laws for ‘peace, order and good environment of Canada’ (POGG)” (Andrea, Olive 1246) The federal government has since then, passed the responsibility down to the provincial government. Unfortunately, there is a vague line between who is responsible between the federal and provincial government surrounding environmental concerns. Certain attributes such as forestry are under provincial law but other environmental concerns such as water falls under a vague in-between. Federalism conflicts with provincial standards that cause confusion amongst the legislation hierarchy

As briefly stated above, the Constitution says “Indians and the Land reserved for Indians” is not a concern. Andrea Olive states this because most of the land the habits the endangered species live on the indigenous reserves. The forests also lay across their land which creates conflict and tension between both sides. The Indigenous are not regarded as people and the land is not considered sacred to the government. Federalism in Canada treats the indigenous unfairly. The water on their land is not owned by them but is owned by the government even if the water flows through their reserves. This is an important matter regarding federalism in Canada because if there was not any tension between the government and the indigenous the land in Canada could be healthier than it is now. The indigenous consider the land sacred and believe that everything around them is a living and breathing being connected to all that exists around it. This belief, if carried by the government, would strengthen the communication between both the government and the indigenous people. It is well-known that the government builds upon reserves, the biggest issue today regarding indigenous property is the “Keystone Pipeline.” The indigenous actively oppose this pipeline as it is on their land and it also destroys the forests and ruins the water surrounding the reserve itself.