Evidence of meeting #114 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 see.
A recording is available from Parliament.
Conservative
Ed Fast Conservative Abbotsford, BC
I'd like a recorded vote, Madam Chair.
(Amendment negatived: nays 8; yeas 1)
Linda Duncan NDP Edmonton Strathcona, AB
This is a very important one. This goes to the crux of why there is now a CER and there will no longer be an NEB. It's on page 100, replacing lines 26 and 27, taking out the phrase that reads “while exercising the powers or performing the duties and functions of a director”.
The intent is to broaden the scope of when a director is in a conflict of interest, by not limiting it to when they are exercising the powers or performing the duties as a director. This is to require a much higher level of ethics, and that a director should absolutely have no occasion where they may be in a conflict of interest.
Conservative
Ed Fast Conservative Abbotsford, BC
I'd like a recorded vote.
(Amendment negatived: nays 8; yeas 1 [See Minutes of Proceedings])
Green
Elizabeth May Green Saanich—Gulf Islands, BC
Madam Chair, I would remind members of the committee of the advice from the National Energy Board expert panel commissioned by the government on the critical importance of maintaining the independence of the organization. To quote from the expert panel report:
a Board of Directors, independent of the management or regulatory functions of an organization, increases strategic oversight and accountability. Moreover, a Board of Directors is freer to work with stakeholders to shape the future of the organization....
When we're looking at the role of the board of directors, mindful of what the expert panel advised the government, I'm proposing this amendment, tacking on to the end of what's now proposed subsection 17(1) on page 101. That section sets out what the board of directors should do.
Instead of ending it after the word “commissioner”, this would say:
Commission or a commissioner, or interfere with the Commission or attempt to compromise the independence of the Commission in any way.
Conservative
Green
Elizabeth May Green Saanich—Gulf Islands, BC
Madam Chair, this goes to another one of the strong recommendations from the NEB expert panel report. It removes the requirement for the directors to live in Calgary, but unlike the recommendation from the NEB expert panel, which was that the agency office's headquarters should be moved to Ottawa, I'm attempting to respect some of the spirit of that in the current framework by suggesting that while the office and the administration and so on would stay in Calgary, the meetings of the board of directors would be held in the national capital region.
That is my Green Party amendment, submitted as PV-95.
Conservative
Ed Fast Conservative Abbotsford, BC
I'd like a recorded vote.
(Amendment negatived: nays 8; yeas 1 [See Minutes of Proceedings])
NDP
Linda Duncan NDP Edmonton Strathcona, AB
With NDP-69, again we're dealing with conflict of interest, but now we're dealing with conflict of interest for the CEO. This would remove the qualifier, which is only “while exercising the powers or performing the duties and functions” of the CEO. This expands it to all decisions made by the CEO.
Again, those were deep concerns on behalf of the public. That's what happened to Energy East. There are strong recommendations that we can prevent that kind of a problem with the disbanding of the CER by ensuring that we have the strongest and strictest rules for conflicts of interest.
NDP
Linda Duncan NDP Edmonton Strathcona, AB
(Amendment negatived: nays 8; yeas 1 [See Minutes of Proceedings])
Liberal
The Chair Liberal Deb Schulte
We're at NDP-70. Just so you know, if it's adopted, PV-98 can't be moved because of redundancy.
NDP
Linda Duncan NDP Edmonton Strathcona, AB
This has to do with the qualifications for the appointment of members to the commission. It is recommending:
The commissioners appointed must reflect, to a reasonable extent
—which I think is good to add—
the diversity of Canadian society and must ensure that, collectively, they maintain a range of competencies, including with respect to Indigenous traditional knowledge
We could change that; I would be willing to take out “traditional”:
and worldview, community development and public engagement, renewable and non-renewable energy, and environmental and climate science.
It would help to avoid claims for bias, or not treating some of the intervenors with respect, or the proponent even, if you have a wide diversity.
NDP
Linda Duncan NDP Edmonton Strathcona, AB
I will remove the word “traditional” because that seems consistent with what has gone on.