Finance Committee on Nov. 26th, 2014

[Stephen Van Dine]

Thank you.

I'm going to consult with my colleagues just for a moment. But I believe if we look at under section 6 under “Powers and Functions”, again clause 5 and clause 6 work together, and that's the intention, to make sure that one's a more deeper and expansive elaboration of the general purpose above.

Under item 6(f), “complement of national and international networks of expertise and of facilities”, it's expressed that in each of these areas we're going into a greater amount of detail to describe the international partnerships and Canada playing a leadership role in the international community, and the Canadian Polar Commission is recognized as being a legitimate partner in establishing those. That does legally carry forward in this expression of it, and it has been intended to make sure that what we add to that is the applied research and the science and technology component. So in addition to this knowledge dissemination, it will actually be generating knowledge.

[Murray Rankin, NDP, Victoria, BC]

All right.

[The Chair, Conservative, James Rajotte]

Okay, thank you. Thank you for that information.

We will then move to a vote on NDP-2. All in favour of NDP-2?

(Amendment negatived [See Minutes of Proceedings])

We then have NDP-3.

Do you want further discussion, Mr. Murray?

[Murray Rankin, NDP, Victoria, BC]

On NDP-3, I haven't spoken to it specifically, but it's in line with just the points I was making about better oversight. It talks about the chairperson of CHARS submitting to the minister this report on the activities so that Parliament has a better way of understanding, the minister causing that to be laid before the House. It's a standard provision that we think is lacking, and frankly, we thought by oversight, in the legislation before us, because it seems like we have no ability as parliamentarians even to see a report of the activities, if I'm understanding it properly, and that's an unusual position to be in for a government-funded agency of this sort.

[The Chair, Conservative, James Rajotte]

Okay. Any further comment on that?

Mr. Saxton, please.

[Andrew Saxton, Conservative, North Vancouver, BC]

Thanks, Mr. Chair.

So we're referring now to NDP-3.

[The Chair, Conservative, James Rajotte]

NDP-3, that's correct.

[Andrew Saxton, Conservative, North Vancouver, BC]

Right.

I just want to point out that according to Treasury Board guidelines, CHARS will be required to report annually in a public manner like every other federal organization through vehicles including reports on plans and priorities and departmental performance reports. CHARS would have the power to publish its studies and reports, further increasing public access to information about the organization and its work, and the designated minister would also have the permissive power to request additional reports from CHARS and could make those public as well.

[The Chair, Conservative, James Rajotte]

Thank you, Mr. Saxton.

I'll go back to Mr. Rankin, please.

[Murray Rankin, NDP, Victoria, BC]

With great respect, Chair, we understand what the Treasury Board guidelines say and the minister's ability may be to provide this information should he or she wish, but that's frankly not good enough. The Treasury Board guidelines could be changed tomorrow. This is legislation. We think Canadians deserve to know how the money is being spent on such an important initiative and not rely on guidelines.

[The Chair, Conservative, James Rajotte]

Thank you.

We'll then go to the vote.

On NDP-3, all those in favour?

(Amendment negatived [See Minutes of Proceedings])

[Chair]

We'll go to Green Party-5, please.

We'll go to Ms. May.

[Elizabeth May, Green, Saanich—Gulf Islands, BC]

Thank you, Mr. Chair.

It's a little late now, but I would like to say how much I appreciated Mr. Rankin's efforts there to amend the legislation.

What I'm trying to do in the next amendment, similarly, is to try to ensure consultation with the appropriate authorities. I was in previous consultation with Mr. Rankin. We may not have come up with all the appropriate ones, but at page 321 what we're attempting to do is to add that steps can be taken only after consultation with the federal Minister of the Environment, the Minister of Indian Affairs and Northern Development, the Executive Council of Nunavut, and the Nunavut Impact Review Board.

There may be additional authorities that others might wish to add, but it's an attempt to make sure that in the rollover of the Canadian Polar Commission we don't lose track of other important authorities.

Thank you.

[The Chair, Conservative, James Rajotte]

Thank you, Ms. May.

We'll go to Mr. Rankin on this, please.

[Murray Rankin, NDP, Victoria, BC]

Normally I would very much want to be in support of this, and we did have some discussion just at the break. Perhaps the Green Party amendment could be amended to add the minister responsible for science—namely, the Minister of Industry—as well as those other territorial government agencies with Arctic interests; I'm thinking NWT and the Yukon.

As I'm sure my friend Ms. May would agree, this agency isn't just to deal with Nunavut issues but of course with Arctic issues more generally. We think the spirit is entirely appropriate; we just think it doesn't go far enough to do what I think Ms. May is attempting.

So if that would be acceptable, we would suggest that other agencies of the territorial governments and the Minister of Industry be added to that list.

[The Chair, Conservative, James Rajotte]

Do you want to make a subamendment?

[Murray Rankin, NDP, Victoria, BC]

Formally, the subamendment would add the Minister of Industry and the other territorial agencies, so that the amendment would read as follows, “time basis, only after consultation with the Federal Minister of the Environment, the Minister of Indian Affairs and Northern Development, the Minister of Industry, the Executive Councils of Nunavut, Yukon, and NWT, and the Nunavut Impact Review Board.”

[The Chair, Conservative, James Rajotte]

We'll have a vote on Mr. Rankin's subamendment.

(Subamendment negatived [See Minutes of Proceedings])

(Amendment negatived [See Minutes of Proceedings])

Shall clause 145 carry?

[Murray Rankin, NDP, Victoria, BC]

I'd like a recorded vote.

(Clause 145 agreed to: yeas 6; nays 3)

[The Chair, Conservative, James Rajotte]

Colleagues, we have a motion from Mr. Cullen. We do need to deal with that by 5:30. We also have votes coming up at about 6 p.m., so we'll have half-hour bells.

I'll go to Mr. Cullen....

Yes, Mr. Rankin.

[Murray Rankin, NDP, Victoria, BC]

I was just going to say that from our perspective, we could accept on division all the way up to clause 170, if that would assist you, Chair.

[The Chair, Conservative, James Rajotte]

That would. I'll deal with Mr. Cullen's motion first, but I do appreciate that.

Mr. Cullen, on your motion.

[Nathan Cullen, NDP, Skeena—Bulkley Valley, BC]

I'll withdraw the motion.

[A voice]

Chair, can I talk to you for minute?

[The Chair, Conservative, James Rajotte]

Okay. I'm going to suspend the meeting.