The Canadian Environmental Assessment Act, 2012 and Associated Policy: Implications for Aboriginal Peoples

Despite Canada’s positive reputation in international circles regarding environmental protection, there are recent signs that this is no longer warranted. Recent changes to the Canadian Environmental Assessment Act (CEAA) clearly present governmental intentions to focus efforts on stimulating econom...

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Bibliographic Details
Main Authors: Denis Kirchhoff, Holly L. Gardner, Leonard J. S. Tsuji
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: University of Western Ontario 2013-06-01
Series:International Indigenous Policy Journal
Subjects:
Online Access:http://ir.lib.uwo.ca/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1139&context=iipj
Description
Summary:Despite Canada’s positive reputation in international circles regarding environmental protection, there are recent signs that this is no longer warranted. Recent changes to the Canadian Environmental Assessment Act (CEAA) clearly present governmental intentions to focus efforts on stimulating economic growth through more rapid resource exploitation at the expense of the environment. Moreover, when assessing the impact of CEAA 2012 on Aboriginal people, one must look beyond the Act itself and take into account other pieces of policy to see the true effects because there are a number of other governmental initiatives that further weaken Aboriginal peoples’ capacity to participate in the resource development review process for undertakings that affect their traditional lands. The result is the silencing of the people who are most affected by resource development.
ISSN:1916-5781