Environment Committee on May 22nd, 2018

[The Chair, Liberal, Deb Schulte]

Yes, with what we've done before.

We're doing NDP-70 with the word “traditional” removed.

Mr. Arnold.

[Mel Arnold, Conservative, North Okanagan—Shuswap, BC]

Madam Chair, the terminology in here is somewhat subjective. The term “reasonable” could open it up for interpretation in many different ways. I don't believe it's relevant.

[The Chair, Liberal, Deb Schulte]

You would see that as a challenge.

[Mel Arnold, Conservative, North Okanagan—Shuswap, BC]

Yes.

[Linda Duncan, NDP, Edmonton Strathcona, AB]

If I may respond to that, it's very common language used in legislation, to simply say “reasonable exercise of your discretion in appointments”. It's meant to make them more comfortable.

[The Chair, Liberal, Deb Schulte]

Flexible.

[Linda Duncan, NDP, Edmonton Strathcona, AB]

No. It's not flexible. It means in a reasoned way. You look for diversity in a reasoned way, not in any extreme way.

[The Chair, Liberal, Deb Schulte]

But it's not hard and fast.

[Linda Duncan, NDP, Edmonton Strathcona, AB]

No.

[The Chair, Liberal, Deb Schulte]

I think clarity is there. We're voting on NDP-70—

[Ed Fast, Conservative, Abbotsford, BC]

I'd like a recorded vote.

[The Chair, Liberal, Deb Schulte]

—with a recorded vote with “traditional” taken out between “indigenous” and “knowledge”.

(Amendment negatived: nays 8; yeas 1 [See Minutes of Proceedings])

We're now on PV-96.

[Mel Arnold, Conservative, North Okanagan—Shuswap, BC]

Madam Chair, on a point of order, that previous motion was amended. Was there a vote on the amendment to remove the word?

[The Chair, Liberal, Deb Schulte]

She moved it as amended. I moved it as amended with the change.

[Mel Arnold, Conservative, North Okanagan—Shuswap, BC]

You moved it or she moved it?

[The Chair, Liberal, Deb Schulte]

She moved it by taking out “traditional”. I accepted that and brought that forward for a vote.

[Ed Fast, Conservative, Abbotsford, BC]

That's fine.

[The Chair, Liberal, Deb Schulte]

We're on PV-96.

[Elizabeth May, Green, Saanich—Gulf Islands, BC]

Madam Chair, I won't belabour this again. It's to follow the distinctions-based approach to ensure that one commissioner must be appointed from each of the groups—first nations, Inuit, and Métis.

[The Chair, Liberal, Deb Schulte]

If amendment PV-96 is adopted, PV-97 can't be moved because there will be a line conflict.

We'll vote on PV-96.

[Ed Fast, Conservative, Abbotsford, BC]

I'd like a recorded vote.

(Amendment negatived: nays 8; yeas 1 [See Minutes of Proceedings])

[The Chair, Liberal, Deb Schulte]

We're now at PV-97.

Ms. May.

[Elizabeth May, Green, Saanich—Gulf Islands, BC]

Madam Chair, it's an attempt to do the same thing, replacing the line by “a member of a First Nation, or Métis or Inuit.”

While it's not the same, it distinguishes the groups. There's a distinctions-based approach, but it's in the alternative as opposed to being cumulative.

[The Chair, Liberal, Deb Schulte]

Yes. It's another way of doing it.

We're voting on PV-97.

[Ed Fast, Conservative, Abbotsford, BC]

I'd like a recorded vote.

(Amendment negatived: nays 8; yeas 1 [See Minutes of Proceedings])