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.
Linda Duncan NDP Edmonton Strathcona, AB
The federal government has devolved powers in the past. When I was assistant deputy in the Yukon, we were devolving forestry. They've devolved oil and gas. This would preclude any future devolving of any powers to do with energy to a first nation government, and that would include for a renewable energy project or for all kinds of things. I think, then, for that reason, this would tie the hands of the government forever into the future to never devolve any of its powers under a first nation final agreement.
Conservative
Ed Fast Conservative Abbotsford, BC
With respect, that is simply not the case. The powers that are exercised under this act, once it is proclaimed to be in force, are the minister's powers. They are subject to any agreements that are negotiated between the Government of Canada and our first nations. That doesn't change. This simply clarifies that in exercising her powers under this act, as they presently are—
Conservative
Ed Fast Conservative Abbotsford, BC
—there is no right to devolve those powers under this act as the minister is exercising his or her powers.
Liberal
Conservative
NDP
Linda Duncan NDP Edmonton Strathcona, AB
This adds the subject areas the regulator must study to include “the impacts of the production, distribution and use of energy on climate and”—the reverse—“the impacts of a changing climate on the production, distribution and use of energy”. It also adds consideration to “Canada's transition to a low carbon economy”, which the current government has committed to.
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
Thank you, Madam Chair.
I think that, given the critical importance of climate questions to all governments around the world, having an energy regulator that doesn't have a specific responsibility to maintain ongoing awareness, review, research, etc., of how their areas of energy regulation relate to climate is a big gap. Where the section is called “Study and review”, the government directs that the regulator must study and keep under review matters relating to exploration and supply, essentially, and the safety and security of regulated facilities, but nothing as to the impact of the regulated industries on the threat of the climate crisis.
Again, I do think we should aspire to Canada's energy regulator having the kind of robust analysis and comprehensive review that now happens under the International Energy Agency. The International Energy Agency isn't a replacement for UNEP, the United Nations Environment Programme. It doesn't replace the secretariat of the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change. However, it recognizes that critical research and analysis done by the International Energy Agency informs public policy all around the world, and I think our Canadian energy regulator should reflect domestically what international energy agencies conduct internationally.
This is a minor amendment to address a very large gap.
Thank you.
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
Again, this is relating to what the regulator will submit to the minister, reports of what the regulator considers to be necessary or in the public interest, looking at traditional—I have to say—20th-century views of what it regulates. I am suggesting that we insert proposed paragraph (c) so that the the regulator also considers what is required for:
the Government of Canada to meet its environmental obligations and its commitments in respect of climate change.
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
Thank you.
This is another way of dealing with the same problem by deleting lines 14 to 16 on page 122. The effect is that the regulator is not prevented from publishing reports. So, it's not the same thing. I mean, it's public information as opposed to just climate information.
The goal here—perhaps the Conservatives will support me on this—is to ensure that the regulator has not just a possibility, but the duty, to publish without the minister's consent. We want a body that's open and transparent. Why should a body like the Canadian energy regulator need the minister's consent to publish its reports?
