Environment Committee on May 7th, 2008

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

I do. I want to work collaboratively and I know that's what this committee is all about. We've got quite a few from the Bloc, and I know that because they're usually substantive amendments. We have some from Mr. Godfrey, and obviously the Conservatives are going to have some additional, and very likely Mr. Cullen's going to have something major and very substantive.

Is the legislative clerk going to be working 24/7 to get these done in time? It just seems as if some will be out of order; at least in the transport committee it happens quite a bit. And, indeed, how is this all going to happen that quickly? Would he be able to do that in a two-hour period?

[The Chair, Conservative, Bob Mills]

We did discuss that. I asked that same question as to how long it will take, and it depends on the number, of course, and the complexity of them. It will be difficult if there are a lot. We do need that legal opinion on those. As the chair, I have to have that to conduct the meeting.

I think it might be a crunch to be ready by 3:30 on Wednesday, but that's just depending on the number, which we do not know at this point.

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

Do the witnesses on Monday have nothing of substance to add to this issue? They must, or else they—

[Geoff Regan, Liberal, Halifax West, NS]

That's why we're waiting until after this.

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

Exactly. What I'm thinking is—

[Geoff Regan, Liberal, Halifax West, NS]

But if we have most of the stuff done, most amendments ready or committed in advance, and then if things arise from that—

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

Then you're going to have amendments to the amendments. I'm just thinking of the logistics of this.

[Geoff Regan, Liberal, Halifax West, NS]

You can always withdraw an amendment, right?

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

For certain, but the legislative officers—

[The Chair, Conservative, Bob Mills]

We have the ministers of environment from Sweden and from New Brunswick, and we now have a possibility of the British minister. We have the environment department answering questions for us. So we have a pretty important group of witnesses.

I would think that because Sweden has a solid policy on this we're going to learn something, and I can see amendments coming from that. So I am concerned about a deadline of Monday. I don't see how that's very fair.

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

I'm sorry to be ignorant on this, but is there any tremendous rush on this legislation?

[The Chair, Conservative, Bob Mills]

June 11 is when it has to be reported back. That's our deadline.

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

So what's wrong with having the amendments by Wednesday?

[John Godfrey, Liberal, Don Valley West, ON]

The problem, of course, is that it has to go through all the House process as well. It would be nice to have it done by the time we rise, clean that up and send it on its way.

I'm assuming good faith in all of this. It has been very positive to date—I want to report that. All I'm suggesting is that folks who have stuff ready to go should submit it now, understanding that there will be a deadline, which we can say is Tuesday morning or some point that allows for last-minute ones that will be altered by the evidence. So I'm not disregarding what we might be hearing, but I doubt that it's going to change....

I'm not going to, for example, re-introduce the concept of an independent commissioner. I've already taken that off the table because you folks have quite rightly criticized it.

I'm just trying to reduce the number of issues.

[The Chair, Conservative, Bob Mills]

Mr. Warawa is patiently waiting here.

[Mark Warawa, Conservative, Langley, BC]

Thank you, Mr. Chair.

The motion we have is, what's that date? The reason I raised it—well, you brought it up, Chair—is that the deadline is today, yet we haven't heard from all the witnesses. So it has to be changed.

Is there a motion that we could deal with to officially change the date such that at this point it's to be determined, so that we can get on to Mr. Bigras' motion? We have to change it; otherwise the deadline remains today.

[John Godfrey, Liberal, Don Valley West, ON]

No.

[The Chair, Conservative, Bob Mills]

I do need a date after Monday at 5:30.

[Mark Warawa, Conservative, Langley, BC]

Just to finish, then, that's why I was suggesting the 14th. It's a logical date. We have a break, and what I was envisioning was that clause-by-clause would start on the 26th.

So the 14th, we could have a report back from the steering committee and have a good chance to discuss that. That's the day that the amendments have to be introduced. It then gives us and the department, the clerk, everybody, a good chance to look at these, and we come back ready to go, on the 26th, clause by clause, and we can work aggressively.

But to rush it—and it appears right now we're trying to rush it—we're going to make errors and it's not going to be as complete as possible.

[The Chair, Conservative, Bob Mills]

Mr. Bigras, I feel bad taking your time from your motion, because certainly you want that dealt with today. I know that. Have you a suggestion to break this impasse that we seem to be at?

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

I understand that we still have some witnesses to hear from, but I would hope we could show some flexibility and decide that we have until Monday evening to submit our amendments. I think that would be reasonable. That wouldn't prevent committee members from submitting amendments afterwards; there would still be time to do so, but at least, we will have allowed the analyst to begin considering all the ins and outs. Let's give ourselves some time, say until Monday evening. We will be able to go over the amendments, and then... That's what I propose.

[The Chair, Conservative, Bob Mills]

Mr. Jean.

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

I really don't get it. I looked at the witness list on Monday. These are substantive witnesses. This is the most important part of the legislative process, the meat and potatoes of the very legislation, and we're suggesting that this is the part we'll rush through. What's wrong with Wednesday?

[The Chair, Conservative, Bob Mills]

Mr. Scarpaleggia.

[Francis Scarpaleggia, Liberal, Lac-Saint-Louis, QC]

To that point, as Mr. Bigras said, it doesn't mean we can't submit more amendments after we hear the witnesses. Also, even if we submitted the amendments before we hear the witnesses, that would still be a logical proposition, because the witnesses would inform the future debate on the amendments that were submitted before they appeared.

So I don't see the contradiction, unless I'm missing something.