Environment Committee on May 7th, 2009

Evidence of meeting #19 for Environment and Sustainable Development in the 40th Parliament, 2nd Session. (The original version is on Parliament’s site, as are the minutes.) The winning word was clause.

A recording is available from Parliament.

On the agenda

Bill C-16, An Act to amend certain Acts that relate to the environment and to enact provisions respecting the enforcement of certain Acts that relate to the environment

MPs speaking

Also speaking

Mike Mercredi Member, Athabasca Chipewyan First Nation

Renée Caron Executive Director, Legislative Governance, Department of the Environment

Sarah Cosgrove Manager, Legislative Advice Section, Department of the Environment

Darlene Pearson Legislation and Policy, Parks Canada Agency

Lucie Bourbonnière Senior Counsel, Parks Canada, Legal Services, Department of Justice

Wayne Cole Procedural Clerk

Gillian Grant Legal Counsel, Transport Canada, Department of Justice

Clerk of the Committee Mr. Normand Radford

9:05 a.m.

Liberal

The Vice-Chair Liberal Francis Scarpaleggia

We can start the meeting; it's a little after nine o'clock.

Welcome to the officials, again. We will get started, because we're trying to finish this bill as quickly as possible. In that regard, I believe there are some rumours circulating that the government members might be presenting some kind of motion to deal with the possibility that we won't be through clause-by-clause by 11 o'clock.

Would you like to speak to that, Mr. Warawa?

9:05 a.m.

Conservative

Mark Warawa Conservative Langley, BC

Yes, Chair.

I've talked to you and every member of the committee, reminding them of the schedule to complete clause-by-clause today.

Chair, if necessary, I'll be proposing that we continue the meeting after 11 o'clock to make sure that we do complete clause-by-clause on C-16 today.

9:05 a.m.

Liberal

The Vice-Chair Liberal Francis Scarpaleggia

Mr. McGuinty, please.

9:05 a.m.

Liberal

David McGuinty Liberal Ottawa South, ON

Mr. Chair, I just want to get on the record.

What clause are we at now?

9:05 a.m.

Liberal

The Vice-Chair Liberal Francis Scarpaleggia

We're at clause 18, I believe.

9:05 a.m.

Liberal

David McGuinty Liberal Ottawa South, ON

We're at clause 18 and we have a 128-clause bill. Is that right?

9:05 a.m.

Liberal

The Vice-Chair Liberal Francis Scarpaleggia

Apparently. Anyway, we have a big bill.

9:05 a.m.

Liberal

David McGuinty Liberal Ottawa South, ON

We have 128 clauses. We're at clause 18, so that means we have 110 clauses to go through in one hour and 55 minutes. We'll do our best to do that.

Through you, Mr. Chair, to Mr. Warawa, I've heard from my colleague Mr. Bigras that apparently the government whip is saying that if this is not finished today, then the oil sands and water study to be conducted by this committee will be cancelled next week. Is that the case?

9:05 a.m.

Conservative

Mark Warawa Conservative Langley, BC

Chair, I think time's a-wasting. What I had shared with the committee is the importance of finishing this, and if necessary, that this meeting should go longer than the 11 o'clock schedule. We need to finish this today so that we can go to oil sands.

Thank you.

9:05 a.m.

Liberal

David McGuinty Liberal Ottawa South, ON

Sorry, Mr. Chair, I need some clarification.

Through you to Mr. Warawa, I've heard nothing of this. I heard it from my colleague three minutes ago. My whip has not informed me of any such thing. I'm just trying to get a sense of whether the government is now telling the committee that it cannot go to the oil sands and do its trip on Sunday, Monday, and Tuesday of next week if this bill isn't finished by 11 a.m. this morning.

9:05 a.m.

Conservative

Mark Warawa Conservative Langley, BC

Chair, I would like us to get back to the schedule

9:05 a.m.

Liberal

The Vice-Chair Liberal Francis Scarpaleggia

We'll proceed and deal with this issue perhaps at the end of the meeting, Mr. McGuinty, since Mr. Warawa doesn't appear to intend to....

Yes, Mr. Bigras?

9:05 a.m.

Bloc

Bernard Bigras Bloc Rosemont—La Petite-Patrie, QC

Have we just agreed to continue our study of Bill C-16 and to continue holding hearings until we have completed our work?

9:05 a.m.

Liberal

The Vice-Chair Liberal Francis Scarpaleggia

As I see it, Mr. Bigras, we have made no such undertaking. No motion was tabled or voted on.

9:05 a.m.

Bloc

Bernard Bigras Bloc Rosemont—La Petite-Patrie, QC

In theory, the meeting ends at 11 a.m.

9:05 a.m.

Liberal

Francis Scarpaleggia Liberal Lac-Saint-Louis, QC

In theory, yes.

9:05 a.m.

Bloc

Bernard Bigras Bloc Rosemont—La Petite-Patrie, QC

Fine then.

9:05 a.m.

Liberal

The Vice-Chair Liberal Francis Scarpaleggia

Next, we have clause 18.

Mr. Bigras.

9:05 a.m.

Bloc

Bernard Bigras Bloc Rosemont—La Petite-Patrie, QC

Had we not deferred clause 17?

9:05 a.m.

Liberal

The Vice-Chair Liberal Francis Scarpaleggia

Yes. We will come back to it at the end.

9:05 a.m.

Bloc

Bernard Bigras Bloc Rosemont—La Petite-Patrie, QC

Fine.

(Clause 18 agreed to)

9:05 a.m.

Liberal

The Vice-Chair Liberal Francis Scarpaleggia

Just as an aside, if I'm not mistaken, I believe we have a couple of guests in the room today observing the meeting. I'm told there is Mike Mercredi from the Fort Chipweyan first nation and George Poitras from the Mikisew Cree First Nation here with us today.

Welcome to our deliberations. Thank you for coming.

May 7th, 2009 / 9:05 a.m.

Mike Mercredi Member, Athabasca Chipewyan First Nation

I should clarify that I am actually a member of the ACFN.

9:05 a.m.

Liberal

The Vice-Chair Liberal Francis Scarpaleggia

I apologize for that error on my part. Welcome.

Ms. Duncan, are you ready to present NDP-1 in regard to clause 19?

(On clause 19)

9:10 a.m.

Liberal

The Vice-Chair Liberal Francis Scarpaleggia

The legislative clerk has asked me to ask you to clarify that you're moving NDP-2.1 and not NDP-2.