Before Submitting a Petition

Before Submitting a Petition

Before Submitting a Petition
1. Learn about the Process

Who can submit a petition?

Any Canadian resident—acting as an individual or on behalf of an organization—can submit a petition to the Commissioner of the Environment and Sustainable Development, who manages the process on behalf of the Office of the Auditor General of Canada (OAG).

What criteria must a petition fulfill?

For a petition to be eligible, it must address an environmental matter related to sustainable development that falls under the mandate of one or more federal departments or agencies. Check which departments are responsible to respond.

Petitions in 5 Steps

  1. To submit a petition, a petitioner can complete the Online Submission Form or send it via email, mail or fax.
  2. Within 15 days of receiving the petition, the OAG sends the petition to the relevant ministers.
  3. Each minister sends a letter to the petitioner within 15 days acknowledging receipt of the petition.
  4. Within 120 days of receiving the petition, each minister  provide a response to the petitioner and to the OAG.
  5. On behalf of the OAG, the Commissioner of the Environment and Sustainable Development provides Parliament with an annual report on petitions.

The Auditor General Act requires ministers to answer a petitioner’s questions within 120 days. Ministers have discretion with respect to taking action on the issues raised.

The OAG cannot take direct action to address issues raised in petitions.

Privacy concerns and libel or defamation

All information submitted with and within an environmental petition is subject to the Access to Information Act. This means that the Office of the Auditor General of Canada may release this information in response to a request for access to information. Petitioners are solely responsible and liable for statements made.

2. Review Existing Petitions

Petitions Catalogue

The catalogue provides summaries of environmental petitions received in the last 5 years:

Request for Copies of Petitions

Titles of older petitions are available, and you can ask to receive the full petition or related responses. Petitions will be provided in the language in which they were originally written.

Disclaimer

The views, opinions, and facts alleged in the petitions and responses are those of petitioners and ministers. They do not represent the views or opinions of the Auditor General of Canada and the Commissioner of the Environment and Sustainable Development.

The information in a petition is not audited, and the Commissioner makes no representations as to the accuracy of the information. The Commissioner is not responsible for any damages or losses arising from the use of information in the catalogue, nor is the Commissioner liable for any decision made or action taken based on the information.

The Office of the Auditor General does not edit petitions and responses. Some information may be removed from petitions posted in the catalogue in order to protect the privacy of individuals, to avoid publishing inflammatory or potentially defamatory statements, or to respect copyright.

Copyright of petitions remains with the petitioners.

3. Check Federal Responsibilities

Federal Responsibilities

Your petition must raise a question or concern about environmental issues related to sustainable development that fall within the scope of the federal government’s responsibilities.

The following federal departments and agencies are required to respond to environmental petitions:

Federal departments and agencies not listed above have the option of responding to petitions.

A

Accessibility Standards Canada

Administrative Tribunals Support Service of Canada

Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada

Atlantic Canada Opportunities Agency

C

Canada Border Services Agency

Canada Economic Development for Quebec Regions

Canada Emission Reduction Incentives Agency

Canada Employment Insurance Commission

Canada Energy Regulator

Canada Revenue Agency

Canada School of Public Service

Canadian Centre for Occupational Health and Safety

Canadian Food Inspection Agency

Canadian Grain Commission

Canadian Heritage

Canadian Human Rights Commission

Canadian Institutes of Health Research

Canadian Intergovernmental Conference Secretariat

Canadian Northern Economic Development Agency

Canadian Nuclear Safety Commission

Canadian Radio-television and Telecommunications Commission

Canadian Security Intelligence Service

Canadian Space Agency

Canadian Transportation Agency

Civilian Review and Complaints Commission for the Royal Canadian Mounted PoliceRCMP

Communications Security Establishment Canada

Copyright Board Canada

Correctional Investigator Canada

Correctional Service Canada

Courts Administration Service

Crown-Indigenous Relations and Northern Affairs Canada

E

Employment and Social Development Canada

Environment and Climate Change Canada

F

Farm Products Council of Canada

Federal Economic Development Agency for Northern Ontario

Federal Economic Development Agency for Southern Ontario

Finance Canada, Department of

Financial Consumer Agency of Canada

Financial Transactions and Reports Analysis Centre of Canada

Fisheries and Oceans Canada

G

Global Affairs Canada

H

Health Canada

I

Immigration and Refugee Board of Canada

Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada

Impact Assessment Agency of Canada

Indigenous Services Canada

Infrastructure Canada

Innovation, Science and Economic Development Canada

Invest in Canada Hub

J

Jacques-Cartier and Champlain Bridges IncorporatedInc.

Justice Canada, Department of

L

Law Commission of Canada

Leaders’ Debates Commission

Library and Archives Canada

M

Military Grievances External Review Committee

Military Police Complaints Commission of Canada

N

National Capital Commission

National Defence

National Film Board

National Research Council Canada

National Security and Intelligence Review Agency Secretariat

Natural Resources Canada

Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada

Northern Pipeline Agency of Canada

O

Office of the Auditor General of Canada

Office of the Chief Electoral Officer

Office of the Commissioner for Federal Judicial Affairs Canada

Office of the Commissioner of Lobbying of Canada

Office of the Commissioner of Official Languages

Office of the Intelligence Commissioner

Office of the Public Sector Integrity Commissioner of Canada

Office of the Secretary to the Governor General

Office of the Superintendent of Financial Institutions Canada

Offices of the Information and Privacy Commissioners of Canada

P

Pacific Economic Development Canada

Parks Canada

Parole Board of Canada

Patented Medicine Prices Review Board Canada

Polar Knowledge Canada

Prairies Economic Development Canada

Privy Council Office

Public Health Agency of Canada

Public Prosecution Service of Canada

Public Safety Canada

Public Service Commission of Canada

Public Services and Procurement Canada

R

Royal Canadian Mounted PoliceRCMP External Review Committee

Registrar of the Supreme Court of Canada

Royal Canadian Mounted Police

S

Secretariat of the National Security and Intelligence Committee of Parliamentarians

Shared Services Canada

Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council of Canada

Statistics Canada

T

The National Battlefields Commission

Transport Canada

Transportation Safety Board of Canada

Treasury Board of Canada Secretariat

V

Veterans Affairs Canada

Veterans Review and Appeal Board

W

Women and Gender Equality Canada

4. Writing Tips

1. General Tips

  • Include a title that identifies the main theme of the petition.
  • Include a background section in your petition, followed by a list of numbered questions.
  • Limit yourself to fewer than 2,000 words and fewer than 10 questions.
  • Frame your concerns as questions, which will result in a more direct response.
  • Include references or citations to show where the information is from.
  • Spell out any abbreviations when they first appear in the petition.

Helpful search words or links for finding information on departmental mandates and responsibilities:

  • “ministerial mandate letters”
  • “departmental mandates”
  • “departmental responsibilities”
  • “organizational initiatives”
  • The Department of Justice website to explore federal acts and regulations, and what departments are responsible for them

2. Background

  • What are the main concerns of your petition?
  • What areas of Canada does your petition concern?
    • Would a map clarify the areas?
  • What is the scope of the issue?
    • Does the issue affect all Canadians?
    • Is it a regional issue?
  • Why is this issue important? For example:
    • Are there consequences on human health?
    • Does it affect biodiversity in surrounding areas?
  • Are there any supporting documents to include?
    • This may include analyses, pictures, past reports, correspondence, studies, or other information.
  • Which federal organizations are responsible for responding to this petition?

3. Questions

Provide background information on the main areas of concern in your petition.

The following questions can help guide you. Note: These are suggestions, and not all of the items may apply to all petitions.

The following checklist can help you write effective questions.

   Number the questions.

   Identify the designated organizations responsible for each question.

   Ask specific questions to elicit more detail from federal organizations.

Here are some examples:

Try to avoid broad questions such as:

  • Why doesn’t the government care about air pollution?
  • Could you please review and amend all federal policies related to toxic substances?

And instead try to formulate more specific questions such as:

  • What are the current Canada-wide standards related to smog? Are all smog precursors covered by these standards? What actions is Environment and Climate Change Canada taking to help meet the standards?
  • Does the federal government intend to add toxic substance “X” to the virtual elimination list of the Canadian Environmental Protection Act? If not, why not?

4. Examples of past petitions

These examples of past petitions demonstrate many of the above tips and various levels of complexity: