Repeal the Unconstitutional Liberal Plastics Ban
Anyone else hate using paper straws that melt faster than your milkshake?
You can thank Justin Trudeau for that, and his ridiculous and unconstitutional ban on single use plastics.
The Trudeau Government’s ban on single use plastics came into effect in 2022 as a part of their efforts to achieve zero plastic waste by 2030. The ban targets items such as plastic grocery bags, straws, stir sticks, cutlery etc.
Of course, we all want to reduce waste and care for our beautiful planet. However, as is usually the case, the Trudeau Government’s proposed solution is all about style over substance. Virtue signaling rather than common sense.
The reality is, Canada didn’t (and doesn’t) really have a big problem with plastic waste.
According to a study by the Fraser Institute, 99% of our plastic waste is already disposed of safely via recycling, incineration, or environmentally friendly landfills—a fact the Liberal Government admits.
Likewise, Canada’s contribution to global aquatic plastic pollution amounts to roughly 0.02%. Even if we eliminated out contribution it would have an undetectable impact on our oceans and marine life.
According to the government’s own analysis, the ban will actually increase the amount of waste generated. The regulations may reduce plastics by 1.5 million tonnes of waste; however, it will double the overall amount of waste in paper, wood, and aluminum substitutes. The ban will increase the net amount of garbage in Canada.
The government’s own Strategic Environment Assessment shows the negative environmental impacts of the ban go beyond waste. Plastic substitutes “typically have higher climate change impacts” including higher greenhouse gas emissions and poorer air quality. For example, studies have shown that substitutes like paper are heavier and thus require more water and energy to manufacture and transport resulting in a net negative for the environment.
Financially, the $616 million in savings the Liberal Government has touted pales in comparison to the $2 billion the ban will cost the Government (i.e. Canadians) to implement and enforce.
Not only are these alternatives to plastic harmful to the environment, they are also potentially harmful to your health. Recent studies have shown paper (and other types of non-plastic) straws include group of hazardous synthetic chemicals known as poly and perfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS), perfluorooctanoic acids (PFOA)—banned globally since 2020—and trifluoromethanesulfonic acid (TFMS). These toxic chemicals are found in the majority of paper and other non-plastic straws. The Government says they are studying the issue and will provide new regulations some time next year. Rather than more new regulations, Conservatives say they should just get rid of the ban.
Rather than target specific environmentally problematic products, the government introduced the ban as a blanket, arbitrarily classifying all such plastic items as “toxic”. It is ironic the Trudeau Government sought to designate plastics as “toxic” when their replacement turned out to be worse. The ban also infringes on jurisdictional issues with the provinces in what the judge called a “threat to federalism”.
It is small wonder a federal court struck down the ban as unconstitutional.
As the presiding judge wrote in her ruling, “there is no reasonable apprehension that all listed [plastic manufactured items] are harmful.”
This week, parliament has an opportunity to reverse this ban by voting for common sense Conservative Bill C-380.
Our bill will repeal this unscientific, unconstitutional ban. Common Sense Conservatives will promote recycling, biodegradability, and metrics based environmental policies that actually help protect the environment, rather than unscientific bans and taxes.