'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
BREAKING Bob Cole, veteran CBC broadcaster and former voice of 'Hockey Night in Canada,' dead at 90
Bob Cole, legendary CBC broadcaster and former voice of Hockey Night in Canada, has died. He was 90.
Harvey Weinstein's 2020 rape conviction overturned by N.Y. appeals court
New York's highest court on Thursday overturned Harvey Weinstein's 2020 rape conviction, reversing a landmark ruling of the #MeToo era in determining the trial judge improperly allowed women to testify about allegations against the ex-movie mogul that weren't part of the case.
BREAKING Honda to get up to $5B in govt help for EV battery, assembly plants
Honda is set to build an electric vehicle battery plant next to its Alliston, Ont., assembly plant, which it is retooling to produce fully electric vehicles, all part of a $15-billion project that is expected to include up to $5 billion in public money.
MPP Sarah Jama asked to leave Ontario legislature for wearing keffiyeh
MPP Sarah Jama was asked to leave the Legislative Assembly of Ontario by House Speaker Ted Arnott on Thursday for wearing a keffiyeh, a garment that is banned at Queen’s Park.
CTE: Researchers believe widespread brain injury may contribute to veteran suicide rate
Researchers are working to better understand if some Canadian military veterans may be suffering from Chronic Traumatic Encephalopathy, also known as CTE -- a disorder previously found in the brains of professional football and hockey players after their death.
1 arrested in northern Alberta during public shelter order
Residents of John D'Or Prairie, a community on the Little Red River Cree Nation in northern Alberta, were told to take shelter Thursday morning during a police operation.
Secret $70M Lotto Max winners break their silence
During a special winner celebration near their hometown, Doug and Enid shared the story of how they discovered they were holding a Lotto Max ticket worth $70 million and how they kept this huge secret for so long.
Remains from a mother-daughter cold case were found nearly 24 years later, after a deathbed confession from the suspect
A West Virginia father is getting some sense of closure after authorities found the remains of his young daughter and her mother following a deathbed confession from the man believed to have fatally shot them nearly two decades ago.
New deep-water channel allows first ship to pass Key bridge wreckage in Baltimore
The first cargo ship passed through a newly opened deep-water channel in Baltimore on Thursday after being stuck in the harbor since the Francis Scott Key Bridge collapsed four weeks ago, halting most maritime traffic through the city's port.