Evidence of meeting #12 for Natural Resources in the 41st Parliament, 2nd Session. (The original version is on Parliament’s site, as are the minutes.) The winning word was amendments.
A recording is available from Parliament.
9:05 a.m.
Anne-Marie Fortin Senior Counsel, Legal Services, Department of Natural Resources
Our understanding is that there were amendments that were made in the previous session. The current motion is to adjust these to reflect the correct state of the legislation at this stage.
9:05 a.m.
Conservative
9:05 a.m.
Conservative
The Chair Conservative Leon Benoit
Is it agreed that we pass government amendment 5 to clause 88?
(Amendment agreed to [See Minutes of Proceedings])
(Clause 88 as amended agreed to)
There are no amendments proposed to the next grouping, clauses 89 to 91.
(Clauses 89 to 91 agreed to on division)
(On clause 92—Canada-Nova Scotia Offshore Petroleum Resources Accord Implementation Act—transitional regulations)
On clause 92, Mr. Trost, do you want to talk to government amendment 6?
9:05 a.m.
Conservative
Bradley Trost Conservative Saskatoon—Humboldt, SK
Government amendment 6 is required so that the bill refers to the current session of Parliament, the session in which the bill was introduced. In clause 92 on page 246, we are moving to replace
1st session of the 41st Parliament
with
2nd session of the 41st Parliament
This amendment is also required to allow for the tabling of the transitional regulations pursuant to the Canada-Nova Scotia accord act.
This motion is also required to amend the titles of the transitional regulations to include the word “Canada” in the titles of regulations in clause 92 on pages 246, 247, and 248.
9:05 a.m.
Conservative
The Chair Conservative Leon Benoit
You've heard the proposed amendment presented by Mr. Trost. Is there any further discussion on that amendment?
(Amendment agreed to [See Minutes of Proceedings])
(Clause 92 as amended agreed to)
(On clause 93—Chief Safety Officer powers)
9:10 a.m.
Conservative
9:10 a.m.
Conservative
Bradley Trost Conservative Saskatoon—Humboldt, SK
This motion is required to amend the titles of the transitional regulations to include a reference to “Canada” in each of the titles being changed in clause 93 on page 248.
9:10 a.m.
Conservative
The Chair Conservative Leon Benoit
You've heard Mr. Trost's proposed amendment and the reasoning behind it.
Is there any further discussion on the amendment to clause 93?
(Amendment agreed to [See Minutes of Proceedings])
(Clause 93 as amended agreed to)
(On clause 94)
9:10 a.m.
Conservative
Bradley Trost Conservative Saskatoon—Humboldt, SK
Government amendment 8 is required to change the reference to the Department of Human Resources and Skills Development Act to its new title, the Department of Employment and Social Development Act.
The title of this act was amended in the Economic Action Plan 2013 Act No. 2. This amendment is required in clause 94 on page 250.
9:10 a.m.
Conservative
The Chair Conservative Leon Benoit
Thank you, Mr. Trost.
You've heard the proposal. Shall government amendment 8 pass?
(Amendment agreed to [See Minutes of Proceedings])
9:10 a.m.
NDP
9:10 a.m.
Conservative
The Chair Conservative Leon Benoit
Thank you.
(Clause 94 as amended agreed to)
All right, let's go to the next group.
The grouping is clauses 95 to 114, and there were no amendments proposed to those clauses. Is it agreed to pass that grouping?
9:10 a.m.
NDP
9:10 a.m.
Conservative
The Chair Conservative Leon Benoit
Next we have government amendment 9 on clause 115.
Mr. Trost, would you like to move that and explain the reasoning behind it?
9:10 a.m.
Conservative
Bradley Trost Conservative Saskatoon—Humboldt, SK
This motion deletes subclause 115(e) on page 258 of the bill, since those amendments already have royal assent as part of the Economic Action Plan 2013 Act, No. 1. The bill and the Economic Action Plan 2013 Act, No. 1 both contain the same amendments to the fiscal arrangements act.
Since the Economic Action Plan 2013 Act, No. 1 has already passed, the amendments contained in this bill are no longer necessary.
9:10 a.m.
Liberal
Geoff Regan Liberal Halifax West, NS
Since I don't see an amendment that would be consequential to this amendment, that would change the next paragraph to paragraph 115(e) instead of 115(f). Aren't we going to go from 115(d) to 115(f) now?
9:10 a.m.
Conservative
The Chair Conservative Leon Benoit
The numbering on these is normally just adjusted based on what we do at this committee. Those are technical things that are adjusted and don't require any action of the committee.
9:10 a.m.
Conservative
The Chair Conservative Leon Benoit
Thank you, Mr. Regan.
Mr. Julian, you also wanted to speak to 115.
9:10 a.m.
NDP
Peter Julian NDP Burnaby—New Westminster, BC
I have a question to our witnesses, just to have them provide some information as to what they think the impacts are of that amendment. Secondly through you, Mr. Chair, then following up on Mr. Regan's points, paragraph 115(e) would be the Hibernia Development Project Act, paragraph 115(f) would be the Income Tax Act, and paragraph 115(g) would be the Nova Scotia and Newfoundland and Labrador Additional Fiscal Equalization Offset Payments Act, if we're looking at the rejigging of that clause. Could you answer those two questions?
9:10 a.m.
Conservative
9:10 a.m.
Director General, Energy Safety and Security Branch, Department of Natural Resources
This is a reference again to the Canada Newfoundland and Labrador act and the reflection of the titling of the acts. The Nova Scotia and Newfoundland and Labrador Additional Fiscal Equalization Offset Payments Act was enacted to protect the equalization. The act required payments by the federal government to Newfoundland and Labrador, which have since expired, I believe in 2012.
There was a period of 10 years in which the federal government ensured that the equalization of the province would not be harmed from the revenues that were accrued from offshore oil and gas activity, such that it would be a period of stability. The payments that were made ended for Newfoundland and Labrador, I believe in March of 2012 or 2013. I can't give you a precise date.
The same applied for Canada and Nova Scotia. The Nova Scotia equalization payments offsets ended earlier, as production had occurred earlier in Nova Scotia. So there was an amendment to recognize that those payments are no longer made.