Well, it appears that another section of Bill C-45 is designed to further erode the rights of Canadian citizens in favour of commercial development and operations in our waterways. If you are involved in the fishery, tourism, recreation and related activities on or under our waters, you will do well to pay particular attention, visit Ecojustice’s website and become involved. The rights we all had may soon be gone!
Legal backgrounder Bill C-45 and the Navigable Waters Protection Act (RSC 1985, C N-22)
For 140 years, the protection of navigation rights and the waters that enable it have been core to the federal role in environmental governance across Canada. The Navigable Waters Protection Act (NWPA) is one of Canada’s oldest federal environmental laws, enacted by Parliament in 1882. The NWPA built upon pre-existing common law navigation rights and the federal government’s exclusive jurisdiction over navigation and shipping pursuant to section 91(10) of the Constitution. Since that time, the NWPA has protected the rights of Canadians to navigate Canada’s waterways without interference from logging operations, bridges, pipelines, dams, and other forms of industrial development. Read Eco-Justice’s legal backgrounder on how recent federal legislation to overturn this legislation will affect Canadians and Canada’s Environment. http://rcen.us4.list-manage1.com/track/click?u=4f30a33a38358c0aaaa4a4734&id=02bc938ffd&e=9e35240be9