It says: “including, but not limited to...the principle of sustainable development”. I want to focus on that.
What we heard from the commissioner is that all legislation is looked at through the lens of the Federal Sustainable Development Act. We also learned that if Bill C-469 should become law, it would set aside the principle of sustainable development, which has its four pillars of social, economic, and environmental impacts. It would primarily focus on the environment, setting aside the social and the economic.... This government is committed to protecting the environment, but also protecting jobs in a balanced way. This bill, this clause, does not permit that.
We've also heard from the witnesses, Chair, and we've heard from a number of the witnesses who have suggested that this bill be set aside. Ms. Murray, before she moved her motion to move us away from discussing whether or not this bill should be set aside.... She has moved the dilatory motion to take away that discussion, to take away that opportunity for a decision, and we find ourselves moving to clause-by-clause, against what the witnesses had recommended.
Ms. Murray referred to Mr. Miller, the commissioner for Ontario. When I questioned the commissioners, both Mr. Vaughan and Mr. Miller, I began my comments by reminding the federal commissioner...I confirmed with him that his responsibility as the commissioner of the environment is to provide parliamentarians with objective independent analysis--not critiquing bills and legislation, but to critique existing legislation, existing law in Canada--and to provide an analysis as to whether or not we are living up to the responsibilities and focusing on the environment. So it is to provide parliamentarians with objective independent analysis and recommendations on the federal government's efforts--not recommendations on bills but on the government's efforts to protect the environment and foster sustainable development.
There it is again: sustainable development. This is the lens through which we now look at Canadian law--the lens of sustainable development.
The commissioner did confirm that it would be very inappropriate for the commissioner of the environment to be commenting on a bill, so he did not. He made that very clear.
Now, when that issue came up, it was actually Mr. Scarpaleggia who talked to Mr. Miller, and he said, “Going back, I guess, to Mr. Warawa's point--”. Mr. Miller responded, “You didn't quite put it the way it's done”. Again, I'm again referring to legislation and comments by a commissioner on the legislation. This is my understanding of what he was talking about. This is what he said: For instance, let's say we're talking about a piece of legislation. If there's an issue going on, I may...on my own initiative bring forward an issue on such things. But once it has progressed to the posting of a proposal on the environmental registry, and especially a proposal pursuant to a law, I cease comment until after it has gone through the entire consultation process and the legislature and is passed. It's only afterwards that I review it.
That is consistent with what we have with Mr. Vaughan, Canada's commissioner of the environment: that a commissioner of the environment does not critique legislation. The commissioner assesses whether or not the government is performing its responsibilities.
So what was left is--and hopefully that answers Ms. Murray's comments--