Environment Committee on Feb. 1st, 2011

[The Chair, Conservative, James Bezan]

We'll call this meeting to order. We're at meeting No. 44, and of course everybody knows we're continuing our study of Bill C-469, an act to establish a Canadian environmental bill of rights.

I welcome all of you back from your winter break. I hope you're all recharged and ready to rock and roll.

Now, as you recall, we were considering clause 12. At the last meeting we had just passed an amendment to clause 12, moved by Mr. Scarpaleggia, which read, “and registered, Canadian-controlled entities, the Government of Canada shall”. So that is inserted on line 22 in the English version on page 8 and line 24 in the French version on page 8.

We left on clause 12, and this is how much time is left: the Conservatives have used up all their time on clause 12; the NDP has five minutes left; the Liberals have six minutes left; and the Bloc have the full eight minutes available to them.

There is no time left on the full motion for the Conservatives. The time had completely ticked away.

So is there any further debate on clause 12?

I'm going to call the question.

[Stephen Woodworth, Conservative, Kitchener Centre, ON]

On a point of order, my memory of that day is not as good as yours is, apparently, but I want to be clear. I would, if I had the opportunity, make a few points this morning, but you're telling me that I do not have the opportunity to further debate this. Is that correct?

[The Chair, Conservative, James Bezan]

That is true. Based upon the time allocations that were left, according to the blues, there is no time left for Conservative comments.

Point of order, Mr. Woodworth.

[Stephen Woodworth, Conservative, Kitchener Centre, ON]

I'd like to call the question.

[The Chair, Conservative, James Bezan]

We can call the question, because there's some....

Do you have a comment, Mr. Scarpaleggia?

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

I'm just trying to situate myself. I'm sorry, Chair.

So we're on clause 12, which is “In order to contribute to the protection of the environmental rights of residents of Canada...”. Is that the clause?

[The Chair, Conservative, James Bezan]

Yes.

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

Could you just--

[The Chair, Conservative, James Bezan]

Read the full amended clause?

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

Yes.

[The Chair, Conservative, James Bezan]

Okay, I'm pleased to do that.

So this is on line 22, and we're replacing line 22--

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

Oh, we're talking about residents.

[The Chair, Conservative, James Bezan]

Yes. So the way it reads is “In order to contribute to the protection of the environmental rights of residents of Canada”. Then we take out the next line completely and it says “and registered, Canadian-controlled entities, the Government of Canada shall...”. So ”entities” comes out and is replaced with “and registered, Canadian-controlled entities”. Then it continues on: “ensure opportunities for effective, informed and timely public participation of decision-making related to policies or Acts of Parliament or to regulations made under an Act of Parliament or other statutory instruments.”

So that is the question.

(Clause 12 negatived)

(On clause 13--Right to request review of Acts, regulations, statutory instruments and policies)

[The Chair, Conservative, James Bezan]

On clause 13, we shall go in your dockets to amendment NDP-5, which is on page 11.

I don't see the NDP here to move their motion. So if there's no mover, we move on.

Then we go to amendment Lib-1.3 on the next page.

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

What are we doing with NDP-5? Is it lost now as an amendment?

[The Chair, Conservative, James Bezan]

Yes. If the NDP aren't here to move it onto the floor it's lost.

Monsieur Bigras.

[Bernard Bigras, Bloc, Rosemont—La Petite-Patrie, QC]

Unless I am mistaken, we can always discuss other amendments and get back to this one later, as long as we do so before all amendments pertaining to clause 13 have been voted on.

[Stephen Woodworth, Conservative, Kitchener Centre, ON]

Point of order.

[The Chair, Conservative, James Bezan]

Point of order, Mr. Woodworth.

[Stephen Woodworth, Conservative, Kitchener Centre, ON]

I'm not getting any translation at all.

[The Chair, Conservative, James Bezan]

Are you on channel one?

[Stephen Woodworth, Conservative, Kitchener Centre, ON]

I've tried all channels.

[The Chair, Conservative, James Bezan]

Try moving down one, please, Mr. Woodworth.

[Stephen Woodworth, Conservative, Kitchener Centre, ON]

Sure, I'll try changing chairs.

[The Chair, Conservative, James Bezan]

Ms. Duncan, since you were walking in the door just as we were dealing with NDP-5 on clause 13, I will give you the opportunity to move that onto the floor.