What do you get when 338 people from five different political parties sit around a table to deal with a concrete problem, such as abandoned and derelict vessels, hundreds of which litter Canada’s shores?
You get some progress, incomplete solutions and a clear picture of our flawed democracy.
On Wednesday, October 26, the House of Commons unanimously passed Motion M-40, to deal with abandoned and derelict vessels, tabled by Liberal MP Bernadette Jordan. M-40 calls for more education, improved ownership identification and government help to remove abandoned vessels.
Transport Canada has identified more than 240 abandoned or derelict vessels in Canadian waters, undoubtedly an underreported number. Each is at least an eyesore and, at worst, a source of environmental contamination and a navigational hazard.
The cost to remove an abandoned vessel ranges from small change to several hundred thousand dollars, depending on complexity.
As many old boats near their life end, owners are tempted to dump unwanted vessels in public waters. As litterbugs on land found at the dawn of anti-litter laws, penalties for abandoning vessels are needed to discourage the practice.
But many government agencies are involved: Transport Canada, Canadian Coast Guard, federal and provincial environmental agencies and local governments. Overlapping agencies dilute responsibility, cause inefficiency and foster inaction.
At least M-40 carries some political and moral weight in calling on the government to do something. The bad news is that motions have no binding legal effect.
Furthermore, wording of the motion is vague, without specific, measurable objectives. While M-40 calls upon the government to “take meaningful steps within six months,” the provision is not clear enough to be a serious deadline.
There is no guarantee the government will do anything. In June 2015, as a Member of Parliament for West Vancouver-Sunshine Coast-Sea to Sky Country, I tabled C-695, the prohibition of abandoned vessels, which would have imposed jail time and fines up to $100,000 for abandoning a vessel. The initiative was a bill, not just a motion, so it would have become enforceable law.
I had worked for four years on the bill, received input from a wide range of stakeholders, consulted with opposition MPs and had then transport minister Lisa Raitt’s support.
The bill made sense, was not ideological and was popular. I’m confident it would have passed, but parliament rose soon after I tabled the bill and it died on the order paper.
In all my work in parliament, including two successful private-member’s bills, I was amazed how hard it was to accomplish real progress and how important it was to seize common ground along the way.
At their best, MPs seriously strive for common ground; they all voted for M-40. At their worst, our processes squander opportunities for progress. Instead of remedies to problems, we get measures to placate voters.
With so many lawmakers and stakeholders involved, any step forward, like M-40, is bound to be flawed and we ought to see the glass half full. But it’s frustrating that our processes require so much time and effort, even to pass a non-binding, unambitious motion. As Winston Churchill said, “Democracy is the worst form of government, except for all the others.”
Let’s hope for real action on abandoned vessels and a more shipshape democracy.
John Weston is a lawyer, author, speaker and former MP for West Vancouver-Sunshine Coast-Sea to Sky Country.
