Proposed fish habitat law changes will protect industrial projects, not fish: critics

Opponents of the Northern Gateway oil pipeline claim the Conservative government is preparing to rewrite environmental protection rules to smooth the way for the controversial project.

The Vancouver Sun reports documents obtained by retired fisheries biologist Otto Langer show Ottawa plans to gut legislation that protects fish habitat. That would make it easier to approve projects like Northern Gateway. According to the Sun's Ottawa correspondent, Peter O'Neil, the revised law would prohibit activity that would cause "adverse effect" on "fish of economic, cultural or ecological value." The current law bans activity that results in the "harmful alteration, disruption or destruction of fish habitat."

Langer, a federal fisheries biologist who later worked for the David Suzuki Foundation, said the revisions, if passed by Parliament, would completely rewrite the legislation and remove habitat protection provisions in place since 1976.

"This is a serious situation and will put Canada back to where we were in the pre-1976 period where Canada had no laws to protect fish habitat and no way to monitor the great industrial expansion that occurred in Canada, with the consequential loss of major fish habitat all across Canada," Langer said in a statement.

Fisheries Minister Keith Ashfield played down the allegation.

"There has been absolutely no decision made with regard to this issue," Ashfield told the Commons on Tuesday in response to a question from the NDP's Fin Donnelly.

"Canada is blessed with an abundant array of natural resources of which we should be proud and which we take seriously in our responsibility to conserve and protect," Ashfield said according to The Canadian Press.

Ashfield's office also released a statement reiterating the minister's response but added that changes to the law were needed.

"Federal fisheries policies designed to protect fish are outdated and unfocused in terms of balancing environmental and economic realities," the statement said.

Prime Minister Stephen Harper said it's a national priority to diversify Canada's markets through Enbridge Inc.'s project to pipe crude from Alberta's oil sands to the B.C. coast at Kitimatfor export to Asia.

The proposed route is under review by a National Energy Board panel, whose hearings have featured opposition from environmentalists and B.C. First Nations.

A delegation of B.C. Dene was in Ottawa on Tuesday to lobby against the project and warn that if it's approved, First Nations living along the route wold go to court to prevent its construction, the Globe and Mail reported.

"We will defend our rights, no matter what bully tactics the federal government throws at us," said Chief Jackie Thomas of the Saik'uz First Nation, part of the delegation. "Our decision has been made: Enbridge will never be allowed in our lands."

The NDP accused the government of engineering a major reversal in Canadian environmental policy, the Sun reported.

"The Conservative government is systematically dismantling environmental protection and regulation," said Donnelly. "By eliminating provisions to protect fish habitat, they can push through their agenda of pipelines, oil super tankers, mega-mines and other projects that harm the environment."