Evidence of meeting #35 for Environment and Sustainable Development in the 40th Parliament, 3rd Session. (The original version is on Parliament’s site, as are the minutes.) The winning word was rights.
A recording is available from Parliament.
Conservative
Mark Warawa Conservative Langley, BC
Do you think that this would provide lack of clarity? That's what we heard from the witnesses: that Bill C-469 would provide lack of clarity, because the existing legislation and existing permits could be challenged.
Senior Officer, Health, Safety and Environment, Canadian Union of Public Employees
Sorry, what's the question? Do I think it would create lack of clarity?
Conservative
Senior Officer, Health, Safety and Environment, Canadian Union of Public Employees
No, I don't agree with that.
Senior Officer, Health, Safety and Environment, Canadian Union of Public Employees
I don't find it to be ambiguous, if that's what you're asking me.
Conservative
Mark Warawa Conservative Langley, BC
Would you agree that Bill C-469 would impose a private agenda on all Canadians?
Senior Officer, Health, Safety and Environment, Canadian Union of Public Employees
Would I agree with that? No. I'm not sure what you mean by “a private agenda”.
Conservative
Mark Warawa Conservative Langley, BC
Basically anybody, any resident in Canada.... Were you aware that the bill reads “any resident”, which doesn't necessarily refer to a Canadian? Were you aware of that?
Senior Officer, Health, Safety and Environment, Canadian Union of Public Employees
I was using the word “citizen”; you're saying “resident”. Okay.
Conservative
Senior Officer, Health, Safety and Environment, Canadian Union of Public Employees
Yes.
Conservative
Mark Warawa Conservative Langley, BC
So there could be an action taken by any resident on any legislation, any permit. Do you think that should happen?
Senior Officer, Health, Safety and Environment, Canadian Union of Public Employees
Do I think any action by any resident should take place? Is that the question?
Conservative
Senior Officer, Health, Safety and Environment, Canadian Union of Public Employees
You're asking if they should have the right....
Conservative
Mark Warawa Conservative Langley, BC
After years of consultation, we come up with a permit or with legislation. Do you think that legislation arrived at after years of consultation with first nations, environmentalists, labour unions, and legislators should be overturned or stalled or challenged by anyone--
Conservative
The Chair Conservative James Bezan
Mr. Warawa, your time has expired.
Mr. Firth, you can respond to that.
November 17th, 2010 / 4:15 p.m.
Senior Officer, Health, Safety and Environment, Canadian Union of Public Employees
That's a daunting question. I am not trying to be evasive, but perhaps this is something for the CUPE lawyer to handle rather than myself, because, as has been pointed out a couple of times, I am not a lawyer. I'm not in a position to answer that question. But as I said, evidence seems to suggest that this stampede to the courts because of this bill would not take place. That was the point I was trying to make with the example from France.
Conservative
The Chair Conservative James Bezan
The time has expired. We're going to move on to the next round of questions.
Mr. Firth, you referred to the CUPE order. If you want to submit a written response to that question, I'd encourage you to do that in an expedient fashion, since we will be moving to clause-by-clause by next Wednesday.
With that, we'll go to our five-minute round.
Do you have a point of order, Mr. Blaney?
Conservative
Conservative
The Chair Conservative James Bezan
No, a point of information I won't take. You'll have your chance.
Mr. Scarpaleggia, you have five minutes.
Liberal
Francis Scarpaleggia Liberal Lac-Saint-Louis, QC
Thank you, Chair.
Mr. Firth, your title is senior officer, health, safety and environment. What proportion of your work or what proportion of the threat to a worker's well-being is related to occupational hazards at work versus what is going on in the general environment? Obviously there is no precise figure on this. I'm just trying to get a feel for it.
Do you understand my question?
Senior Officer, Health, Safety and Environment, Canadian Union of Public Employees
Yes, I do. I do about 25% occupational health and safety, and 75% environment work.
Liberal
Francis Scarpaleggia Liberal Lac-Saint-Louis, QC
When you say environment work, what are you looking at?
