The phrase “Special Economic…

The phrase “Special Economic Zones” inevitably evokes the practice in notably non-democratic countries of designating certain regions for no-holds barred exploitation of people and resources for fast profits, without regard for the (often) deleterious impact on nearby communities and the environment they depend on for health and well being.
The proposed act is very open and offers no reassurance that it would be applied without favour to specific business or industry interests connected with the Minister or the provincial leadership. Does the provincial leadership want to expose itself to yet more accusations of being beholden to the interests of business and developers? This proposed act seems like a good next step if so.
I don’t deny Canada would benefit from a lighter regulatory burden on its economic activity, but I would prefer we go about it with a little more intelligence and thoughtfulness, not to mention integrity.