Evidence of meeting #38 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 chair.
A recording is available from Parliament.
5:20 p.m.
Conservative
5:20 p.m.
An hon. member
Not to attend?
5:20 p.m.
Conservative
The Chair Conservative James Bezan
Well, they definitely didn't have time to put together a proper brief, is what they proposed.
5:20 p.m.
An hon. member
[Inaudible--Editor]
5:20 p.m.
Conservative
Mark Warawa Conservative Langley, BC
Chair, I think it's important that we hear from first nations--
5:25 p.m.
Conservative
Mark Warawa Conservative Langley, BC
--and here we have Ms. Duncan, Mr. Bigras, Mr. Scarpaleggia saying, no, no, let's move, let's go.
It's important that we hear from these witnesses because of how it will affect existing agreements and permits. We have Haida Gwaii; there is a permit, an agreement we have, where we protect the trees. We protect the environment, the ecosystem, from the top of the trees to the bottom of the ocean.
Chair, is there any other place like this in the world? No, not in Canada, not anywhere in the world. This is the first. With this wonderful agreement, we've been able to protect a very valuable jewel in this world.
Now, this could be all under attack by how many people? It would have to be a group of people. If Ms. Duncan's bill went ahead, if this was rushed through, as these coalition members want to have this, with no more witnesses, could this be attacked by the action of one resident in Canada? Absolutely. We've heard this.
So should those groups be encouraged to provide a briefing submission? Absolutely. And where is that, where is that briefing? We don't have it before us.
So I want to thank Mr. Calkins for his motion. I think it's important. I'd like to hear from other business. Of course, the members across the way, shockingly, don't want to hear from other witnesses. Why is it? Well, you know, maybe they don't want to hear the facts on how this bad bill would affect Canadian business.
One of my colleagues a moment ago reminded us that the economic recovery in Canada, globally, is fragile, and for us to be playing with one of the strongest economies in the world.... It's definitely the strongest of the G-7. We've heard that. To play around with that, it appears, for political....
Well, I don't want to impugn any of the motives of any members across the way—I respect them individually—but their parties are willing to sacrifice the environment, they're willing to sacrifice the economy, they're willing to sacrifice everything for political motives.
I encourage those parties, Chair, to work for Canada, work for what's in the best interest for the Canadian economy, for the environment.
They do not want Canada to achieve jobs in a strong economy. They don't seem to appear to want us to protect the environment. We have some of the toughest environmental legislation in the world, and that's not good enough. They want to pit province against province. The Bloc wants to have us secede their legislation and have a federal environmental bill of rights that would trump what they have. It's not good enough for the Bloc; they want now the federal government....
Well, I don't agree with that. I think we should be calling representatives of the provinces. We have Mr. Blaney, but maybe we need to have the environment minister from Quebec come here. Maybe we need to have other industry.
We have the Canadian hydroelectric association. What about—
5:25 p.m.
Conservative
5:25 p.m.
Some hon. members
Oh, oh!
5:25 p.m.
Conservative
Mark Warawa Conservative Langley, BC
There's the agenda, Chair. This government is committed to cleaning up the environmental mess left by a previous government. After 13 dark years, we have a government that's committed to making sure things are better.
5:25 p.m.
Liberal
Mark Eyking Liberal Sydney—Victoria, NS
The parliamentary secretary was in Cape Breton. He knows how great a job we are doing on cleaning up the environment in Cape Breton in the Sydney tar ponds. He should not have gone and taken credit for that cleanup when he came down, but he should recognize the great work our party did on all environmental cleanups and our environmental stance.
5:25 p.m.
Some hon. members
Oh, oh!
