Bill C-30 (39th Parliament, 1st Session) Committee on March 27th, 2007

[Brian Jean, Conservative, Fort McMurray—Athabasca, AB]

Something that was done by the Library of Parliament on the cost of implementing Kyoto targets.

[The Chair, Conservative, Laurie Hawn]

I don't know the practicality of that. For what purpose, Mr. Jean?

[Brian Jean, Conservative, Fort McMurray—Athabasca, AB]

It was heard from a number of witnesses--and Mr. Cullen is aware of this--about the cost of implementing Kyoto.

The Library of Parliament did a synopsis that indicated the cost of Kyoto could reach up to $90 billion over a five-year period.

[The Chair, Conservative, Laurie Hawn]

I suggest that all members of the committee were here. They were part of those hearings and they would have that information.

[Brian Jean, Conservative, Fort McMurray—Athabasca, AB]

Actually, they don't have that information. It was done subsequent to the evidence.

I'm looking for the procedural necessity of tabling a document in relation to this particular vote.

[The Chair, Conservative, Laurie Hawn]

The question has been put. We're going to have to call the question.

[Brian Jean, Conservative, Fort McMurray—Athabasca, AB]

Can I have a ruling on my point of order, please, Mr. Chairman?

[The Chair, Conservative, Laurie Hawn]

My ruling is that members of the committee were present for all that testimony.

[Brian Jean, Conservative, Fort McMurray—Athabasca, AB]

That's not the document I'm proposing. I'm proposing a document that was prepared subsequent to that meeting.

[The Chair, Conservative, Laurie Hawn]

I don't think it's going to make any difference in the way any committee member is going to vote, and the vote has been called.

[Brian Jean, Conservative, Fort McMurray—Athabasca, AB]

I understand.

Are you ruling that I can't do that, Mr. Chairman?

[The Chair, Conservative, Laurie Hawn]

Yes.

[Brian Jean, Conservative, Fort McMurray—Athabasca, AB]

Thank you.

[The Chair, Conservative, Laurie Hawn]

We're calling the vote on NDP-15.1. It's a recorded vote.

(Amendment negatived) [See Minutes of Proceedings]

[The Chair, Conservative, Laurie Hawn]

It is now 10:50. We do have the option of carrying on if we so wish. We do have priority over the environment committee. The environment committee is supposed to be sitting somewhere at 11 o'clock, although I don't think they're in this room.

I'll put that to the committee. Do we want to use our—?

[Mark Warawa, Conservative, Langley, BC]

Mr. Chair, your point is good. A number of us are on the environment committee. That meeting starts at 11 o'clock, in East Block. To allow us enough time to get there, I think now would be an opportune time to end this meeting.

[The Chair, Conservative, Laurie Hawn]

That's not what I actually meant. What I meant was that we have the authority to supercede the environment committee if we so wish, but that's up to the will of this committee.

[An hon. member]

Can we take five minutes to consult and come back?

[The Chair, Conservative, Laurie Hawn]

We can suspend for five minutes, and then whatever decision we make will take effect immediately.

[The Chair, Conservative, Laurie Hawn]

Could we take our seats, please?

We need to resolve this quickly. I'm going to need to see the members of the subcommittee very briefly when we're done, because we do need to probably consider extending our sitting tonight. That is relevant to whether we adjourn or not right now.

We do have a lot of time tonight. We're going to sit from 3:30 until 5:30, but there is no end time on how long we can sit tonight. We can accommodate what's going on at the environment committee and we can obviously have a lot of sitting time here tonight. I just throw that out for consideration.

[David McGuinty, Liberal, Ottawa South, ON]

Is there a decision, Mr. Chair?

[The Chair, Conservative, Laurie Hawn]

That's what we're getting to.

Mr. Bigras.

[Bernard Bigras, Bloc, Rosemont—La Petite-Patrie, QC]

I understand what you are saying, but in fact, someone has to propose a motion to adjourn before we can sit as the Standing Committee on Environment and Sustainable Development. But for now, there is no motion to adjourn.

[The Chair, Conservative, Laurie Hawn]

Mr. Warawa.

[Mark Warawa, Conservative, Langley, BC]

Chair, the schedule, the commitment made yesterday, on the recommendation of the steering committee, was that this meeting end at 11 o'clock and that we then start back up at 3:30 and go to 5:30. That would allow the environment committee to continue its dealings with the recommendations stemming from the CEPA review.

Both are very important, but I think shutting down the opportunity for the environment committee to continue with the CEPA review is a big mistake. We do have some momentum here. By stopping or adjourning now and reconvening at 3:30, we will continue with that momentum. But, please, members of the committee—through you, Chair—the CEPA review is very important. We are so close to finishing it that I think it would be a huge mistake for us not to allow that committee to continue its good work.

I don't want to make a motion to adjourn yet. I would be willing to hear from other members, but I'm in favour of having us adjourn. That would permit the environment committee to meet and continue working on CEPA.