Evidence of meeting #5 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 going.
A recording is available from Parliament.
12:30 p.m.
Liberal
The Chair Liberal Deb Schulte
Excellent.
I think we're looking for the next motion. Who's bringing that forward?
Mr. Amos.
12:30 p.m.
Liberal
William Amos Liberal Pontiac, QC
I would like to table the motion as presented, and if we could, just bring it to a vote.
12:30 p.m.
Liberal
The Chair Liberal Deb Schulte
Sure. I just want to ask for clarification. There's no prioritization yet in that motion, right? It's just the motion as it stands.
12:30 p.m.
Liberal
The Chair Liberal Deb Schulte
Does everybody have that motion? Do we need to read it quickly?
Mr. Eglinski.
12:30 p.m.
Conservative
Jim Eglinski Conservative Yellowhead, AB
Mr. Amos, you are presenting your motion with all three aspects of it together, completed. You're not breaking it down into one, two, and three?
12:35 p.m.
Liberal
William Amos Liberal Pontiac, QC
No. My expectation was that the subcommittee would deal with prioritization issues, as per Mr. Cullen's comment.
12:35 p.m.
Liberal
The Chair Liberal Deb Schulte
They are all put on the table as a whole motion.
Is there any debate?
Mr. Fast.
12:35 p.m.
Conservative
Ed Fast Conservative Abbotsford, BC
I was just going to make a suggestion. In the interest of collegiality and being able to come out of here with a clear consensus that is unanimous, we'd be willing to support this motion if, in fact, the conservation study is the first priority. We understand full well that others may actually run parallel with them, but that would enable us to come out of here with consensus.
12:35 p.m.
Liberal
William Amos Liberal Pontiac, QC
I think the discussion around prioritization should happen at the subcommittee level. I appreciate Mr. Cullen's earlier suggestion.
The interest today is enabling clarity on what our committee's work agenda is. I fear that further discussion around prioritization will only serve to delay.
On the government committee side, we've indicated a real openness, not only to include themes that were demonstrably of interest to the members opposite but also to support a motion that was brought and supported by both opposition parties. In the interest of collegiality, if anything, we're being so open to everything that's being suggested.
12:35 p.m.
Liberal
The Chair Liberal Deb Schulte
Can I make a suggestion?
Mr. Fast, you're next.
The suggestion is that what we're doing here is putting your motion. We're voting on your motion. We are not voting on prioritization at the moment. Mr. Fast asked for prioritization to occur, but you're not supporting the prioritization at this point.
We still have time. We can do the prioritization right after we get all of these approved. With the motions passed, they're all on the table. We have some time while we're chowing down some food to just prioritize.
12:35 p.m.
An hon. member
Agreed.
12:35 p.m.
Liberal
Mark Gerretsen Liberal Kingston and the Islands, ON
Thank you, Madam Chair. I have no issue with what Mr. Fast has suggested. If this happens at the subcommittee, with which I am not involved, I encourage the members of the subcommittee who are on my side of the table to put that forward as the first one. If we decide to do it after this, I'm more than willing to have that as the first one. I always assumed it was the first one, given that Mr. Amos had put it as the first one on his list.
I'm supportive of that, whether it happens here or at subcommittee.
12:35 p.m.
Liberal
The Chair Liberal Deb Schulte
Can I just make a comment, before we call the vote, because I think we're almost at that point?
We have time to do the prioritization, and it is important that we try to do it because if we're going to get moving with this committee, we need to know what we're going to do when we come back. We can't punt that off. If we can get to prioritization, I would like to do that today.
Let's call the vote on the motion. It's been brought forward. Everyone's good with it.
(Motion agreed to [See Minutes of Proceedings])
That is unanimous. Thank you very much. I appreciate that.
Now, on to prioritization, does somebody have a suggestion—
12:35 p.m.
Liberal
The Chair Liberal Deb Schulte
I do. You're right. I have another one. You're right. I felt we'd come up with the four, but you're right.
Who's bringing forward the next motion?
Mr. Fast.
12:35 p.m.
Conservative
Ed Fast Conservative Abbotsford, BC
I'll bring forward my motion for the clean tech study, as written.
12:35 p.m.
Liberal
12:35 p.m.
Liberal
Mark Gerretsen Liberal Kingston and the Islands, ON
I'd ask Mr. Fast to comment on the question I asked earlier about why he thinks it is more important that this be here than in the innovation and technology committee. By default, I think it is better suited there. Although I realize that it has an environmental lens on it right now, I just don't see this as being something driven by the environment committee.
I wonder whether you would comment on that.
12:35 p.m.
Conservative
Ed Fast Conservative Abbotsford, BC
Yes. I think you're wrong in making the assumption that my comments intended that this be a study dealing with the incentives required, from government and elsewhere, to allow us to implement clean tech more robustly throughout our economy. The focus here is that we have been charged with the environment file and climate change file. One of the most significant opportunities to actually meet our goals and whatever targets will be established will be the use of clean tech. It would be very helpful for this committee to have a broad understanding of the state of technology today that would allow us to address the challenges that the minister has clearly been charged with addressing.
I don't think we're widening this. I know I referred to commercialization, but commercialization doesn't imply that we're going to have a full discussion of how the government should be supporting clean tech. The intention of this study is to inform this committee as to the state of clean and green technology that would help us achieve our environmental objectives.
12:40 p.m.
Liberal
12:40 p.m.
Liberal
The Chair Liberal Deb Schulte
Mr. Fast, I'm looking at the motion Mr. Cullen put forward, and it is in there as point (c).