Evidence of meeting #111 for Environment and Sustainable Development in the 42nd Parliament, 1st session. (The original version is on Parliament’s site, as are the minutes.) The winning word was definition.

A recording is available from Parliament.

traditional knowledgeminutes of proceedingsamendment negatived nays8 yeas 1impact assessment

On the agenda

MPs speaking

Also speaking

Jean-Sébastien Rochon  Counsel, Department of Justice
Olivier Champagne  Procedural Clerk
Christine Loth-Bown  Vice-President, Policy Development Sector, Canadian Environmental Assessment Agency
Brent Parker  Director, Legislative and Regulatory Affairs Division, Canadian Environmental Assessment Agency

The Chair Liberal Deb Schulte

Okay, if you look at the bill, there's a preamble that's for the bill, and then there's a different preamble.

As spoken

Linda Duncan NDP Edmonton Strathcona, AB

Yes, I know.

As spoken

The Chair Liberal Deb Schulte

The preamble that I was talking about is the one at the very front of the bill, not the one in part 1 of the impact assessment act.

As spoken

Linda Duncan NDP Edmonton Strathcona, AB

Correct, and I've always been told at committee that the preamble gets discussed at the end to see if you need to make any changes after having made changes within the bill. I'm happy to discuss it if we've changed how we're doing this, but just for clarification....

As spoken

The Chair Liberal Deb Schulte

For clarification, it is part of clause 1, and we're going to go line by line as long as.... Let's make it clear, we're going to do pretty much all of the impact assessment act, starting with clause 1, so I am quite prepared to go back, as long as—

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Linda Duncan NDP Edmonton Strathcona, AB

That's fine.

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The Chair Liberal Deb Schulte

Now you understand. Okay, so here's the issue. The only time we're not going to be able to go back is if we make a change to a line. That then is adopted, and we would need unanimous consent to open that line up again. Otherwise, I'm open.

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Linda Duncan NDP Edmonton Strathcona, AB

Okay, great.

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The Chair Liberal Deb Schulte

Thank you.

All right, so you're up with your amendment.

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Linda Duncan NDP Edmonton Strathcona, AB

Our first amendment is a simple one, and it is to clause 1, which is the preamble to part 1 of the bill. I want to change it to “ensuring”.

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The Chair Liberal Deb Schulte

If you've got (a), if you look, you've got, “(a) by replacing line 11 on page 2 with the following: ensuring sustainability;”

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Linda Duncan NDP Edmonton Strathcona, AB

“Ensuring” is the new word. I think it says “promoting”.

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11:10 a.m.

Conservative

Ed Fast Conservative Abbotsford, BC

“Fostering”.

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Linda Duncan NDP Edmonton Strathcona, AB

“Fostering sustainability”. Thank you very much.

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The Chair Liberal Deb Schulte

Okay.

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Linda Duncan NDP Edmonton Strathcona, AB

There were a number of people who recommended that. The reason they thought it was important is that Canada has signed on to the 2030 sustainable development goals. Canada is committed to ensuring sustainability, so it was recommended that should say that it will “ensure sustainability”. In the way this act is put together, when we do the impact assessment, it will ensure sustainability.

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The Chair Liberal Deb Schulte

Thank you very much for that.

Are there any questions?

(Amendment negatived)

Next we have NDP-1b.

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Linda Duncan NDP Edmonton Strathcona, AB

This would add not just impact assessments but also “regional and strategic assessments”. A number of witnesses and briefs felt that it was important to be clear right at the start and to reference in the preamble all of the aspects of impact assessment within the bill. It's not just the impact assessment process; it's also for regional and strategic assessments.

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The Chair Liberal Deb Schulte

Are there any questions?

Shall the amendment carry?

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Joël Godin Conservative Portneuf—Jacques-Cartier, QC

Excuse me, Madam Chair.

Translated

The Chair Liberal Deb Schulte

Go ahead.

As spoken

11:15 a.m.

Conservative

Joël Godin Conservative Portneuf—Jacques-Cartier, QC

I am trying to go by the electronic version as much as I can. In the document I received, I have amendment NDP-1, but not amendment NDP-1b.

Translated

The Chair Liberal Deb Schulte

It's NDP-1, and you will see that within it, there are paragraphs (a), (b), (c), and (d) within the amendment. They wanted to split it up and go at these it separately.

As spoken

11:15 a.m.

Conservative

Joël Godin Conservative Portneuf—Jacques-Cartier, QC

Thank you.

Translated

The Chair Liberal Deb Schulte

Got it?

As spoken