Environment Committee on Oct. 27th, 2016

[Linda Duncan, NDP, Edmonton Strathcona, AB]

Madam Chair, if we're going to have a subcommittee meeting, can we have it first? I ask because I have an obligation at 6 o'clock. If you're going to go till 7:30 p.m. and then have a subcommittee meeting, I prefer that we have the subcommittee meeting at 4:30 p.m.

[The Chair, Liberal, Deb Schulte]

Okay, we'll move the subcommittee over to Thursday. If that's going to be a problem, I need to know about it now; otherwise, we'll move the subcommittee to Thursday.

[William Amos, Liberal, Pontiac, QC]

I should have added that I don't mind if the meeting carries on without me. I will just go to that other meeting and come back. I'm sure our team can carry the ball.

[The Chair, Liberal, Deb Schulte]

Okay.

Does anybody have a problem with moving the subcommittee, because of this, to Thursday? We normally don't, because the Thursday people are trying to get home—

[Linda Duncan, NDP, Edmonton Strathcona, AB]

I'm actually here.

[The Chair, Liberal, Deb Schulte]

—and so I just want people to be aware of that.

You're here, so you're okay.

What about our side? On Thursday night, what's the issue?

[Darren Fisher, Liberal, Dartmouth—Cole Harbour, NS]

For a subcommittee?

[The Chair, Liberal, Deb Schulte]

For a subcommittee....

[Darren Fisher, Liberal, Dartmouth—Cole Harbour, NS]

I'm not on it.

[The Chair, Liberal, Deb Schulte]

That's Will and John.

[John Aldag, Liberal, Cloverdale—Langley City, BC]

I just have to see what my flights are. Yes, I'm going out the next day, so I'm good for Thursday night.

[The Chair, Liberal, Deb Schulte]

Then you're okay.

Okay, we'll move it to Thursday, and that solves that problem. Obviously we have some issues with moving the schedule, but I think we're going to move it and we're going to make accommodation for that. I'll check with Mr. Stetski to see what his issues are, just to make sure he knows what we're doing.

The other issue we had was Darren's bill. We had all decided that we were going to do that the week we come back from the riding week. Ms. Duncan asked me if we can have additional witnesses. I know we had voted here that we were not going to. She felt that there wasn't an opportunity for her to have any comment on it because she wasn't aware that we had a subcommittee meeting where we decided that.

Do you want to put your position forward, and then we'll vote on it?

[Linda Duncan, NDP, Edmonton Strathcona, AB]

Yes.

Two weeks ago I submitted names of witnesses. They are the same witnesses that I presented here to the committee when I was here, so it's no surprise that I had requested additional witnesses. All that I needed to do was to provide the names and the contact information. Absolutely, people seemed interested in the witnesses I was suggesting for enforcement and cumulative impact assessment.

[The Chair, Liberal, Deb Schulte]

Are you talking about CEPA or are you talking about Darren's bill?

[Linda Duncan, NDP, Edmonton Strathcona, AB]

I'm talking about CEPA.

[The Chair, Liberal, Deb Schulte]

I'm talking about Darren's bill. CEPA is totally different. I thought you wanted to have something on Darren's private member's bill.

[Linda Duncan, NDP, Edmonton Strathcona, AB]

I did also, on that one.

[The Chair, Liberal, Deb Schulte]

Okay, so let's talk about Darren's bill.

[Linda Duncan, NDP, Edmonton Strathcona, AB]

The issue on the light bulb bill was that I wanted to simply be here, and that's a week when I may not be in town. I'm finding out if it still makes sense for me to go with the minister to Morocco, given the changes that she's made. If I'm here, great, but if that's the week she's suggesting that I go with her, then I'm just not here.

I wanted to be here to discuss this bill. Somebody from CELA wanted to come to testify and be supportive. I would definitely like to be here, and be here for the review.

[The Chair, Liberal, Deb Schulte]

There are only two things going on in the committee at that point, because we'll already have finished our drafting instructions. We're either doing CEPA or Darren's bill.

Both are important to you. We're doing one or the other. We have to have the meeting, so what do you want to do?

[Linda Duncan, NDP, Edmonton Strathcona, AB]

The regrettable thing is that there are discussions about agenda. Unless I come to every meeting, which is kind of duplicitous—

[The Chair, Liberal, Deb Schulte]

No, no—

[Linda Duncan, NDP, Edmonton Strathcona, AB]

I know, but that's the problem. Decisions were made on our schedule without consulting me. I'm not here that week. My witnesses on CEPA can't be here. They could be here, but I can't even ask them. Then the light bulbs would be dealt with.

It's just unfortunate that it's the only week when I'm not here. I would have been available any other day. I've requested those witnesses on CEPA and I would like to be part of Darren's review, but it's just a week I can't be here.

[The Chair, Liberal, Deb Schulte]

Hold on. I think we're getting mixed up.

The week you're not here, we're doing Darren's bill. Your witnesses are being invited for CEPA, which is going to come when you're here, so if those are the witnesses you want to see, that's not a problem.

[Linda Duncan, NDP, Edmonton Strathcona, AB]

What's the date for the CEPA?