'Bad news': Sask. Environmental Society voices their disapproval with Saskatchewan First Act
The Saskatchewan Environmental Society (SES) is drawing their line in the sand on the controversial Saskatchewan First Act, calling it “bad news” for the environment, economy, and the province’s energy future.
“The government is ignoring warnings from the scientific community about the urgency of climate change,” said board member Peter Prebble. “It’s ignoring previous rulings of the Supreme Court of Canada which give the Government of Canada the right to regulate greenhouse gas emissions.”
The SES said Saskatchewan has disproportionately high greenhouse gas emissions compared to other jurisdictions in Canada.
“Our emissions are already very large,” said Prebble. “For us to be opposing measures put forward by the Government of Canada is really disappointing.”
He went on to say the bill would allow the provincial government to block federal initiatives aimed at environmental preservation.
“It’s really setting a terrible example for the global community,” said Prebble.
At a presentation to the Saskatchewan Chamber of Commerce on Wednesday, Minister of Justice and Attorney General of Saskatchewan Bronwyn Eyre said the province is already doing its part to reduce emissions.
“We have a proud record, 50 per cent methane reduction,” she said. “We’re very sustainable in what we do and very innovative in terms of the sectors.”
Eyre believes the act will give the province the ability to provide its own regulatory measures in timeframes it feels are more reasonable.
“There is an increasing stealth tendency by the federal government to get into prescriptive regulations,” she said. “It is simply outside of its constitutional lane.”
The Saskatchewan First Act was introduced in the Legislative Assembly in November 2022 and passed a second reading during the fall session.
The bill will undergo further debate before it’s expected to pass in the spring sitting.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Man who set himself on fire outside Trump trial dies of injuries, police say
A man who doused himself in an accelerant and set himself on fire outside the courthouse where former U.S. President Donald Trump is on trial has died, police said.
Verdun Airbnb listing taken down amid complaints, fines and frustration from neighbours
An Airbnb in Montreal's Verdun borough was the source of much frustration from neighbours who say there were constant parties at the location. It has been taken down from the app, but housing advocates remain upset about short-term rentals.
They were from different countries and barely spoke each other's languages. More than 20 years later, they're still happily in love
He decided to spend Christmas somewhere that wouldn't involve snowstorm disasters. She was spending the holidays with family, travelling for the first time outside of her native country of Venezuela. 23 years later, they're still in love.
Young people 'tortured' if stolen vehicle operations fail, Montreal police tell MPs
One day after a Montreal police officer fired gunshots at a suspect in a stolen vehicle, senior officers were telling parliamentarians that organized crime groups are recruiting people as young as 15 in the city to steal cars so that they can be shipped overseas.
Fire in Labrador town under control, officials tells residents to stay away
RCMP say the fire that prompted a state of emergency in a Labrador town is now under control.
12 students and teacher killed in Columbine school shooting remembered at 25th anniversary vigil
Thirteen victims of the Columbine High School shooting were remembered during a vigil Friday on the eve of the 25th anniversary of the shooting that was the worst the nation had seen at the time.
Israeli airstrike in southern Gaza city of Rafah kills at least 9 Palestinians, including 6 children
An Israeli airstrike on a house in Gaza's southernmost city killed at least nine people, six of them children, hospital authorities said Saturday, as Israel pursued its nearly seven-month offensive in the besieged Palestinian territory.
Mandisa, Grammy award-winning 'American Idol' alum, dead at 47
Soulful gospel artist Mandisa, a Grammy-winning singer who got her start as a contestant on 'American Idol' in 2006, has died, according to a statement on her verified social media. She was 47.
Iraq investigates a blast at a base of Iran-allied militias that killed 1. U.S. denies involvement
Iraqi authorities said Saturday that they were investigating an explosion that struck a base belonging to the Popular Mobilization Forces, a coalition of Iran-allied militias, killing one person and injuring eight.