Environment Committee on Dec. 13th, 2010

[The Chair, Conservative, James Bezan]

We are bound by the motion that debate is limited. We have a time allocation, and I have to abide by it. If members of the committee wish to have discussions outside of committee meetings, there is no way I can stop it, nor would I try to. I encourage a robust discussion outside of the committee, and I believe we should use all available resources to come to decisions.

So I will call the question, and just for clarity, we are going to stand amendment L-1.1, and we will be standing clause 9.

Is there a point of order? We've been through this before.

[Mark Warawa, Conservative, Langley, BC]

Chair, could you explain to committee what you mean by that? You're standing the amendment and standing clause 9.

Procedurally, I don't know if you can do that. I think you can stand the amendment, because that's what's on the table at this time. But for you to sweep both of these in the same motion may not be proper. Is there a motion on the table right now?

[The Chair, Conservative, James Bezan]

The motion on the table right now is clause 9, amendment L-1.1. We have to stand clause 9 to consider the amendment. Once we pass the motion, we can't amend the motion if a question has been asked. Procedurally, we have to stand both.

So I'm calling for the standing of amendment L-1.1 and clause 9.

(Clause 9 allowed to stand)

[The Chair, Conservative, James Bezan]

A point of order, Mr. Blaney.

[Steven Blaney, Conservative, Lévis—Bellechasse, QC]

A point of order, Mr. Chair.

We have just come to a decision on putting the subamendment on ice, so to speak. But I would like to know what would happen if there were another subamendment to the same motion. I wanted to bring that to your attention. If there are others, we will have to include them when the main motion is presented like that.

[The Chair, Conservative, James Bezan]

Are you referring to amendments or subamendments? We didn't have any subamendments that we're discussing. We're discussing--

[Steven Blaney, Conservative, Lévis—Bellechasse, QC]

We were discussing Mr. Kennedy's amendment. But if there were other amendments to the main motion, we also should have…

[The Chair, Conservative, James Bezan]

We had two. We defeated one and we went on to the second one. Now we're standing the clause--

[Steven Blaney, Conservative, Lévis—Bellechasse, QC]

So the debate on amendment LIB-1.2 has been suspended as well.

[The Chair, Conservative, James Bezan]

The debate is suspended on clause 9, essentially--

[Steven Blaney, Conservative, Lévis—Bellechasse, QC]

Oh, all the amendments to this motion, then.

Thank you.

[The Chair, Conservative, James Bezan]

We'll come back to it. I'll have to confer about this, but we'll have to look at the time allocation when we bring it back to the table, if there's new information.

I'll have to consider that. I'm not ruling on that one right now.

We are moving to clause 10, Liberal amendment 1.2.

(On clause 10--Right to access environmental information)

A point of order, Mr. Warawa.

[Mark Warawa, Conservative, Langley, BC]

Chair, just so we know where we stand procedurally, when we deal with the Liberal amendment 1.2 on clause 10, to this point we have not asked for the member to move this amendment.

[The Chair, Conservative, James Bezan]

This happened on Bloc amendment 1.

Mr. Kennedy did move it. But any Liberal member can move one of their amendments onto the floor. I can even move it off the floor.

[Mark Warawa, Conservative, Langley, BC]

If we could do that from now on...just so we know what motion it is. Thank you.

[The Chair, Conservative, James Bezan]

Yes, we did it the last time.

[Frank Valeriote, Liberal, Guelph, ON]

I so move.

[The Chair, Conservative, James Bezan]

Okay.

Liberal amendment 1.2 to clause 10 is that Bill C-469 in clause 10 be amended by adding after line 12 on page 8 the following:

(2) For greater certainty, the environmental information referred to in subsection (1) shall be made available to the public in addition to any information disclosed under the Access to Information Act.

It has been moved.

Mr. Valeriote, do you wish to speak to it?

[Frank Valeriote, Liberal, Guelph, ON]

I'll speak to it after Mr. Scarpaleggia.

[Francis Scarpaleggia, Liberal, Lac-Saint-Louis, QC]

This amendment is to strengthen clause 10 to ensure that the broadest amount of environmental information is made available to the public and that any information that would be made available under the Access to Information Act would be a supplement to all the other environmental information that should be made available. That's how I understand that amendment.

[The Chair, Conservative, James Bezan]

Mr. Valeriote.

[Frank Valeriote, Liberal, Guelph, ON]

Valeriote as in chariot, Mr. Chair, if that's okay.

[The Chair, Conservative, James Bezan]

I apologize.

[Frank Valeriote, Liberal, Guelph, ON]

That's okay.

The Access to Information Commissioner, Mr. Chair, indicated, when she reported to Parliament on access to information, that the government has obliterated access to information to the point of irrelevancy, to use her words.

I'm certain Mr. Kennedy has brought this particular motion so that Canadians and Parliament would have greater access to information than that currently afforded under the Access to Information Act if they're going to make reasonable, informed decisions respecting those matters raised in clause 10. It makes sense that this amendment be adopted.

[The Chair, Conservative, James Bezan]

Okay. Thank you.

Mr. Armstrong.