Evidence of meeting #51 for Environment and Sustainable Development in the 41st Parliament, 1st session. (The original version is on Parliament’s site, as are the minutes.) The winning word was monitoring.
A recording is available from Parliament.
Assistant Deputy Minister, Science and Technology Branch, Department of the Environment
There were some folks who received initial letters and they were rescinded, so not everybody who got a letter ended up being impacted. That was something that the department was at great efforts to make clear to people at the outset: that not everybody who got a letter would be impacted.
Liberal
Kirsty Duncan Liberal Etobicoke North, ON
I understand that. Thanks, Dr. Dodds. I'm asking a very specific question.
I really feel that monitoring the ozone layer is one of the most important jobs that Environment Canada does, and I would expect an answer for this. I would ask that you table it with this committee.
As my next question, can you confirm whether ARQX has actually been dissolved or not?
I would like both of those answers tabled with this committee, please.
It is well known in the ozone science community that the long-time manager of the World Ozone and Ultraviolet Radiation Data Centre is no longer in that position, yet at a meeting—and my colleague Ms. Leslie talked about this—on December 13, 2011, we heard from you.
Dr. Lin stated, and I quote, that “The manager is being transitioned to the MSC....”
Why has Environment Canada not followed through on a commitment made to this committee? I can quote from this report. It's now almost complete.
Assistant Deputy Minister, Science and Technology Branch, Department of the Environment
I know that the individual who was responsible for data had a choice as to whether or not he would move with the centre or stay with the science and technology branch. It was his choice to stay with the science and technology branch, not to move with the data centre.
I'm also aware that when Dr. Lin talked about moving the manager, he really meant the manager position, not the individual.
Liberal
Kirsty Duncan Liberal Etobicoke North, ON
Thank you for the clarification.
Last fall the environment minister said dozens of times that the World Ozone and Ultraviolet Radiation Data Centre will continue to provide world-class services. An important component of those world-class services is scientific oversight of the data centre.
Last December, Dr. Dodds, you told this committee: “We will maintain the scientific...oversight of the integrity of the data.”
At the same meeting, Dr. Lin agreed, saying, “...the S and T branch under Karen will provide scientific oversight.”
What we know now is that the ozone group scientists have all been reassigned to the air quality directorate, and so science and technology branch is not providing oversight to the data centre.
Assistant Deputy Minister, Science and Technology Branch, Department of the Environment
That's not correct. As Dr. Lin has said, we continue to have scientists who have ozone as their priority occupation.
I would not focus on whether there is an organizational unit, because, again, our focus has been on integrating and having a more efficient production of the information than had been previous.
We are continuing to specialize in ozone. We're continuing to do scientific research in ozone—
Assistant Deputy Minister, Science and Technology Branch, Department of the Environment
—having a research scientist whose only focus is ozone. He's in my branch, and he is in Dr. Lin's area.
Liberal
Kirsty Duncan Liberal Etobicoke North, ON
Have the ozone group scientists been reassigned to air quality directorate, yes or no?
Director General, Atmospheric Science and Technology, Department of the Environment
Perhaps I could jump in here.
Liberal
Kirsty Duncan Liberal Etobicoke North, ON
No, if I could get an answer, please: I'm looking for yes or no.
Assistant Deputy Minister, Science and Technology Branch, Department of the Environment
But yes or no is not an appropriate answer.
Where they're assigned, ozone is part of an air quality issue—
Liberal
Assistant Deputy Minister, Science and Technology Branch, Department of the Environment
Right.
So again, we have scientists who study ozone, and they remain within Environment Canada.
Liberal
Kirsty Duncan Liberal Etobicoke North, ON
I feel things are being worded very carefully. I'm asking a very specific question. Has the ozone group of scientists been reassigned to the air quality directorate, please, yes or no?
Director General, Atmospheric Science and Technology, Department of the Environment
The answer would be yes and no. I'll explain. ARQX was part of air quality, so it is not a question of taking a group that was outside of air quality and putting that into air quality.
Director General, Atmospheric Science and Technology, Department of the Environment
The people have moved into two divisions, into modelling and monitoring.
Director General, Atmospheric Science and Technology, Department of the Environment
The answer is no.
Director General, Atmospheric Science and Technology, Department of the Environment
So it's yes and no: yes and no.
Liberal
Kirsty Duncan Liberal Etobicoke North, ON
Okay. I'm going to move on. I've never heard yes and no at the same time.
Ozone-sondes are required to profile ozone pollution in the lower atmosphere. Ozone launches have ceased at Egbert and Bratt's Lake, leaving only five southern stations still operating—Churchill, Edmonton, Goose Bay, Kelowna, and Yarmouth. There are currently no ozone-sonde launches in Canada's two most populated provinces, Ontario and Quebec, and nothing in P.E.I. or New Brunswick, which are both downwind from pollution sources in Canada and the U.S.
What are Environment Canada's plans for the remaining five ozone-sonde stations, and will any of them be shut down, please?
Assistant Deputy Minister, Science and Technology Branch, Department of the Environment
As I said, our scientists are looking at what the future configuration will be. That's one of the reasons why we thought we would include graphics: to show that the kind of ozone we're talking about is not a local issue, it is a regional and global issue.