Ford government backs Alberta in challenge to feds Bill C-69 – by Brian Lilley (Toronto Sun – July 6, 2022)

https://torontosun.com/

The Ontario government is joining Alberta in its court battle over the federal government’s Impact Assessment Act, part of Bill C-69. It’s a bill that if left in place could derail much of what Premier Doug Ford campaigned on in the June provincial election.

A provincial court in Alberta recently described the environmental legislation as taking a “wrecking ball” to the Constitution, but the feds have appealed that decision to the Supreme Court and so Ontario will intervene.

“The Attorney General of Ontario intends to intervene, to file a factum and requests to participate in oral argument,” states the notice filed with the court after approval by cabinet on Wednesday.

The Impact Assessment Act was passed by the Trudeau government in 2019 and hailed by supporters as a sweeping and much needed update to environmental protection laws. It was less welcomed by provincial governments which saw it as infringing on their jurisdiction and by companies involved in resource extraction which saw it as a threat to their industries.

For the rest of this column: https://torontosun.com/opinion/columnists/lilley-ford-government-backs-alberta-in-challenge-to-feds-bill-c-69