Subcommittee of the Standing Committee on Finance on Bill C-38 Committee on May 29th, 2012
Evidence of meeting #3 for Subcommittee of the Standing Committee on Finance on Bill C-38 in the 41st Parliament, 1st Session. (The original version is on Parliament’s site, as are the minutes.) The winning word was environmental.
A recording is available from Parliament.
On the agenda
MPs speaking
Also speaking
- Chief Shawn A-in-chut Atleo National Chief, Assembly of First Nations
- Fred Denning President, The British Columbia Coast Pilots Ltd.
- David Schindler Professor of Ecology, Department of Biological Sciences, University of Alberta, As an Individual
- Terry Quinney Provincial Manager, Fish and Wildlife Services, Ontario Federation of Anglers and Hunters
- William Amos Director, University of Ottawa - Ecojustice Environmental Law Clinic, Ecojustice Canada
- Ron Bonnett President, Canadian Federation of Agriculture
- Kevin Obermeyer President and CEO, Pacific Pilotage Authority
- Scott Vaughan Commissioner of the Environment and Sustainable Development, Office of the Auditor General of Canada
- Clarence T. Jules Chief Commissioner and Chief Executive Officer, First Nations Tax Commission
9:55 p.m.
Conservative
Michelle Rempel Calgary Centre-North, AB
Thank you.
We also heard last night about the capital intensity of some of the major resource projects and how when proponents are going to decide whether or not they're going to move forward with it, they have to consider the window to market.
The challenge becomes this. How do we ensure that the integrity of the environmental assessment process is maintained, but also ensure that there's timeliness and predictability for business review? Given what you've just said, do you think the changes that are in this section of the budget implementation act could lead to increased jobs for aboriginal Canadians?
9:55 p.m.
Chief Commissioner and Chief Executive Officer, First Nations Tax Commission
The short answer, of course, is yes. I think people will benefit from any opportunity where you have the streamlining of reviews and what not.
I say that because of the experience I've undertaken dealing with tax issues right across the country. We provide model by-laws, where there is a single point of entry for first nations when it comes to property tax. And if you apply that to how the legislation is looking for further development, of course, the answer would have to be yes.
9:55 p.m.
Conservative
The Chair Blaine Calkins
Thank you, Ms. Rempel. Seven minutes have elapsed.
Ms. Leslie, for seven minutes.
May 29th, 2012 / 9:55 p.m.
NDP
Megan Leslie Halifax, NS
Thanks very much, Mr. Chair.
And thank you to all the witnesses for being here tonight, again, as my colleague pointed out, so late.
My first question is for Mr. Vaughan. I've only been in this role of environment critic for a year, so I'm still learning a little bit about what your office does. I know you're mandated to review certain things because it's a legislated review, for example, but my understanding is that you also take on projects of your own to review or to do an assessment of.
Am I correct in that? Do you have that kind of autonomy?
9:55 p.m.
Commissioner of the Environment and Sustainable Development, Office of the Auditor General of Canada
That's absolutely correct, yes.
9:55 p.m.
NDP
Megan Leslie Halifax, NS
Have you, or has your office, done a review of the budget bill, of Bill C-38?
9:55 p.m.
Commissioner of the Environment and Sustainable Development, Office of the Auditor General of Canada
No. Our office would not be mandated to look at a bill. Our office would only be mandated to look at when an act is finalized, because a bill is policy and we stay out of policy. So that would be outside the scope of our office.
9:55 p.m.
NDP
Megan Leslie Halifax, NS
So you wouldn't have looked at the environmental proposals in this bill and done an analysis?
9:55 p.m.
Commissioner of the Environment and Sustainable Development, Office of the Auditor General of Canada
We're starting. Obviously, we're looking at this with great interest, and we've had various interviews with departmental officials because it's going to affect some work we have under way right now. One example would be the offshore petroleum boards for both Newfoundland and Labrador and Nova Scotia. So the changes in CEAA are going to affect them as responsible authorities. Because of that and some other work we're doing, we've had various interviews.
So we've done some analysis, yes.
10 p.m.
NDP
Megan Leslie Halifax, NS
Okay.
When I see this list of things that you suggest the subcommittee should review, obviously they've piqued your interest in some way. I want to ask you about paragraph 15, where you propose that we think about the changes to fish habitat and assessing aquatic biodiversities and ecosystems more broadly. What are your concerns? What are the red flags that appear for you?
10 p.m.
Commissioner of the Environment and Sustainable Development, Office of the Auditor General of Canada
Again, and I wouldn't say “red flags”, but I would say—
10 p.m.
Conservative
10 p.m.
Conservative
10 p.m.
Conservative
Brian Storseth Westlock—St. Paul, AB
Thank you, Mr. Chair.
It's my understanding that Mr. Vaughan is a public servant. I would like to make sure to remind the committee of page 1068 of O'Brien and Bosc, which says:
Particular attention is paid to the questioning of public servants. The obligation of a witness to answer all questions put by the committee must be balanced against the role that public servants play in providing confidential advice to their Ministers. The role of the public servant has traditionally been viewed in relation to the implementation and administration of government policy, rather than the determination of what that policy should be. Consequently, public servants have been excused from commenting on the policy decisions made by the government.
Including what those policies should be.
10 p.m.
Conservative