Environment Committee on May 22nd, 2018

[The Chair, Liberal, Deb Schulte]

Before I move to CPC-11, I've been asked that we have a nature break.

There are some last-minute amendments that people have brought forward. I would like to hand them out to everybody. I would like you to take a look at them. We're going to lose our technical support at nine o'clock. I want to make sure that you take a look at these new ones, and if there are any questions, that you have a chance to ask them.

We'll take a 10-minute break, now. You'll have those in front of you. At eight o'clock, if you need to have a few minutes with the officials to clarify anything, then that's what I want you to do, before they go. They're going to leave at nine.

[Ed Fast, Conservative, Abbotsford, BC]

Is there no technical support?

[The Chair, Liberal, Deb Schulte]

There won't be any after nine, because we're not having any discussion. We're just voting.

[Ed Fast, Conservative, Abbotsford, BC]

It's a travesty.

[The Chair, Liberal, Deb Schulte]

I'm trying to be fair. I want you to have a look. We've had all of the other ones in front of us for a little while.

[Linda Duncan, NDP, Edmonton Strathcona, AB]

Are they all Liberal amendments?

[The Chair, Liberal, Deb Schulte]

There are some from the Liberals. There's one from Elizabeth. There are a few amendments that came in over the weekend. We just want to make sure you have them.

We'll suspend for 10 minutes.

[The Chair, Liberal, Deb Schulte]

We're going to resume.

We ended up on CPC-11.

I wasn't clear when I suspended. We have distributed the new amendments that have been submitted in the last short while so that everybody has a chance to digest those before nine o'clock. Our experts will be leaving at nine. I thought I might give us a little break closer to nine to give you a chance to have a discussion with the experts if you have any questions about what they mean or anything else. At nine o'clock we'll move into voting without discussion.

I want everybody to have a chance to.... I am trying very hard to make sure that it's going to be fair and that you have a chance to get the knowledge you need.

[Ed Fast, Conservative, Abbotsford, BC]

There is nothing fair about the process.

[The Chair, Liberal, Deb Schulte]

Your point is made. Thank you.

Ed, would you like to do CPC-11?

[Ed Fast, Conservative, Abbotsford, BC]

I would be glad to. Thank you, Madam Chair.

By the way, notwithstanding the fact that we disagree with you on timelines and we disagree with the government in its efforts to ram this legislation through, you're doing a good job. You're doing your best in very difficult circumstances.

[The Chair, Liberal, Deb Schulte]

Thank you. I would say that for everybody. You're all doing a good job with difficult circumstances. Thank you, we're a good team.

[Ed Fast, Conservative, Abbotsford, BC]

CPC-11 is an amendment brought forward by my colleague, Ms. Stubbs from Lakeland. She's proposing that the bill be amended in clause 10 by replacing line 30 on page 108 with the following:

must give instructions to the commissioners authorized to

My rationale is that it is intended to clarify that the lead commissioner must give instructions to the commission to ensure that an application before the commission is dealt with in a timely manner.

As Bill C-69 is currently written, the lead commissioner “may” give instructions to the commission to ensure that an application before the commission is dealt with in a timely manner. You may recall that when this legislation was first tabled, the minister praised it as being a much more efficient way of moving forward. She praised the transparency—or what she felt was transparency—in this legislation.

If we want to make sure that there's timeliness, which is another thing she committed to, the lead commissioner must be compelled to give instructions to the commission to ensure that applications are dealt with in a timely manner.

In the interest of giving proponents certainty regarding timelines, the commission should always be operating with timeliness and efficiency in mind, as promised by the government. It should not be overlooked, as this plays a part in how investors view Canada.

I would dispense with a quote from the minister that actually reflects exactly what I just said she articulated when the legislation was tabled.

[The Chair, Liberal, Deb Schulte]

I want to make sure that you all have as much time as you need, even though we're now over the five minutes. I'm still being very accommodating.

What would you like to say, Linda?

[Linda Duncan, NDP, Edmonton Strathcona, AB]

Looking back in the bill, it specifically designates a lead commissioner and the role of the lead commissioner. It seems like that's the job of the lead commissioner. Otherwise, why do you have a lead commissioner? It seems like their mandate is to keep things going.

[Ed Fast, Conservative, Abbotsford, BC]

The legislation, as presently drafted, is permissive and non-mandatory.

[The Chair, Liberal, Deb Schulte]

He says it's going from “may” to “must”.

[Ed Fast, Conservative, Abbotsford, BC]

That is correct.

[The Chair, Liberal, Deb Schulte]

That's made clear.

[Linda Duncan, NDP, Edmonton Strathcona, AB]

It's the way it is throughout the bill.

[The Chair, Liberal, Deb Schulte]

Shall the amendment carry?

[Ed Fast, Conservative, Abbotsford, BC]

I would like a recorded vote.

(Amendment negatived: nays 5; yeas 4)

[The Chair, Liberal, Deb Schulte]

We are now on CPC-12.

You're up, Mr. Fast.

[Ed Fast, Conservative, Abbotsford, BC]

This is another amendment proposed by my colleague, Ms. Stubbs from Lakeland. It is that Bill C-69 and clause 10 be amended by replacing line 8 on page 112 with the following words:

appropriate to do so and shall make public its reasons for holding the hearing.

The purpose of the amendment is that it requires the commission to make public any reasons for holding a hearing in respect of any other matter that the commission considers appropriate to hold a hearing for. As Bill C-69 is currently written, the commission may hold public hearing in respect of any other matter that the commission considers appropriate.

The section, as currently worded, is vague and gives the commission the power to hold a public hearing on virtually anything. There should be a requirement for the commission to make public their reasons for holding a hearing in respect of any other matter, as is defined in this act.

[The Chair, Liberal, Deb Schulte]

Yes, Linda.