Evidence of meeting #5 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 warawa.
A recording is available from Parliament.
Liberal
The Vice-Chair Liberal Francis Scarpaleggia
I haven't submitted mine, actually. It's a work in progress, but I can get it in this afternoon, easily, yes.
NDP
Bloc
Bernard Bigras Bloc Rosemont—La Petite-Patrie, QC
I have already submitted my list.
I'd like to ask a question. The committee has not indicated any timelines. How much time do we want to spend on that issue?
Members may put forward hundreds of names of witnesses, but the steering committee has to have some guidance with regard to the amount of time we would like to spend on the matter. To my knowledge, the motion did not say when a report should be produced. This means that we could study the matter indefinitely. I think that we should set a deadline for the report. Otherwise, the steering committee will decide.
Liberal
The Vice-Chair Liberal Francis Scarpaleggia
You are absolutely right, Mr. Bigras. In fact, as far as I'm concerned, that is the point of today's meeting: to go over the list of subjects we want to study and determine the deadlines for each issue. As you say, this will give us an idea with regard to how much time is necessary to study water and oil sands.
So you are absolutely right. That is more or less the point of today's meeting.
Unless there are other questions or comments, that brings us to potential future business, item number three, which is main estimates and the supplementary estimates C. I open the floor for that discussion.
Go ahead, Mr. Warawa.
Conservative
Mark Warawa Conservative Langley, BC
Mr. Chair, the minister was here a couple of weeks ago to address the committee and answer questions on supplementary estimates B. At that time, I mentioned that it's not common to see all ministers make themselves available to the committees, but that happened. I would expect an invitation from the committee for the main estimates. Again, for supplementary estimates C, I wouldn't expect an invitation. If the committee wants to send an invitation, it would be fine, and that would be passed on to the minister, but I would expect an invitation on the mains.
Bloc
Bernard Bigras Bloc Rosemont—La Petite-Patrie, QC
First, I am pleased that the minister will make himself available for the review of the main estimates. However, we mustn't forget that what often happens when the main estimates are reviewed, is that a two-hour meeting is set aside, and a minister might stay for two hours, although that is usually not the case. The last time we studied the estimates, the minister only stayed for an hour. Only the representatives from the department, whom I highly respect, were available for the second half of the meeting.
Given the fact that the minister only stayed for one hour instead of two, I think that this time he should stay longer. As far as I know, the minister is open to appearing before the committee for the review of the main estimates.
Liberal
The Vice-Chair Liberal Francis Scarpaleggia
If I understand you correctly, you would like the minister to stay for two hours for the main estimates.
Bloc
Bernard Bigras Bloc Rosemont—La Petite-Patrie, QC
No, not necessarily. If the minister is willing, he could stay for the whole two hours when we review the main estimates, but he should at least stay an hour. I think that would be the absolute minimum.
Liberal
The Vice-Chair Liberal Francis Scarpaleggia
So should we forget about reviewing the Supplementary Estimates (C) to focus on the main estimates?
Bloc
Bernard Bigras Bloc Rosemont—La Petite-Patrie, QC
That is not what I'm saying. I am saying that the minister should appear before the committee for the main estimates, but is it possible for him to stay an extra hour?
Conservative
Mark Warawa Conservative Langley, BC
Chair, I would expect an invitation from the committee for that. Again, it would be according to his availability, but I look forward to an invitation for him.
Liberal
The Vice-Chair Liberal Francis Scarpaleggia
So we will invite the minister to appear for two hours and we will see what he says.
I have a question for the clerk. When the minister appears for the main estimates, could we also discuss the Supplementary Estimates (C), or does it have to be one or the other?
The Clerk
It depends on whether the main estimates have already been adopted. If the minister appears after March 26, the estimates—
Liberal
The Vice-Chair Liberal Francis Scarpaleggia
Yes, I understand. If it's after March 26, we don't have a choice.
The Clerk
We don't have a choice because they will already have been adopted by the House.
Liberal
The Vice-Chair Liberal Francis Scarpaleggia
And if he appears before March 26, we can discuss basically anything, as we have done in the past.
Liberal
The Vice-Chair Liberal Francis Scarpaleggia
Perfect. So we will invite the minister to come for two hours.
Mr. McGuinty.
Liberal
David McGuinty Liberal Ottawa South, ON
I think Mr. Warawa was clear that he could not, of course, speak for the minister, and there's no guarantee the minister could come for two hours. It would help just to get a sense, in the context of this decision...and I know that it speaks to point 6, “Other Matters”.
This question speaks to the appearance of a minister, generally speaking, and it's a question for Mr. Warawa and the government members.
Does the government have any intention of tabling any environmental legislation in the sitting of this Parliament? There's absolutely no legislation, there's nothing, to my knowledge, on the order paper. I'm not sure if there's anything forthcoming.
If there's something forthcoming, it might compel the appearance of the minister to speak to us about new legislation, but so far, in the meeting I've had with the minister, there's been absolutely no discussion of any legislation of any kind. I'm just trying to get a sense of whether we are going to see legislation. And if we do, will the minister be coming forward to speak to it?
Conservative
Mark Warawa Conservative Langley, BC
I want to thank Mr. McGuinty for that question. That was one of the items I was going to be bringing up under other business.
During the last election we promised as a priority legislation for environmental enforcement. I can't provide details, but I'm hoping the committee will agree to have a discussion on environmental enforcement as part of the plan for future business.
The other thing is that we have a legislative requirement to deal with species at risk, which is item four. But specifically to your question on legislation from the government, I would expect environmental enforcement to be presented in the near future, so I'd like to see that as part of our agenda.
