OTTAWA — Finance Minister Jim Flaherty has proposed the elimination of federal climate change accountability and reporting mechanisms within a law tied to the 2012 budget.

The proposal was included in the new legislation of more than 400 pages, including about 150 pages that were focused mainly on "streamlining" the environmental oversight of industrial development.

The legislation, meant to implement measures announced in the budget, also proposes to weaken several federal environmental laws, including legislation protecting water and species at risk.

The federal government regularly introduces legislation to support and implement the budget.

By tying the specific measures to budget implementation legislation, the process would allow Prime Minister Stephen Harper's majority government to adopt the changes without comprehensive analysis, hearings or debate by members of Parliament.

"It is routine for such measures to be included in the budget legislation," said Carly Wolff, a spokeswoman for Natural Resources Minister Joe Oliver in a statement. "That being said, we will create a special subcommittee to study the Responsible Resource Development legislation."

Wolff said the legislation would help prevent long delays "that kill potential jobs and stall economic growth by putting valuable investment at risk." She also said it would create "skilled, well-paying jobs" across Canada, while maintaining the highest possible standards for protecting the environment.

Oliver was not available for an interview.

NDP deputy leader and environment critic Megan Leslie said the legislation was increasing the risk that Canada was headed toward an "environmental disaster," noting that it will also give cabinet minister "carte blanche" to make decisions about major development projects.

"With this legislation, the Conservatives are dismantling Canada's environmental protection system and are allowing it to become a process of rubber-stamping," Leslie said in a statement.

The legislation also kills an existing law, the Kyoto Protocol Implementation Act, that required the government to publish comprehensive reports on climate change policies, along with an evaluation of results achieved.

A spokesman for Kent said the government still plans to be accountable and report on efforts to combat climate change through other measures such as the Federal Sustainable Development Strategy.

The budget has also proposed to invest about $50 million over two years to improve marine and pipeline safety, including more inspections of oil and gas pipelines. It also proposes new penalties of up to $400,000 for any company that doesn't respect conditions established by regulators following an environmental assessment of a new project.

mdesouza@postmedia.com

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