Evidence of meeting #89 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 right.
A recording is available from Parliament.
Liberal
Liberal
The Chair Liberal Deb Schulte
What I heard was that she wants them to be coming in at the same time.
NDP
Linda Duncan NDP Edmonton Strathcona, AB
Exactly. That's exactly what my provision does. I said to set it at six months after the FSDS, or set it at eight months after. I'm open.
NDP
Linda Duncan NDP Edmonton Strathcona, AB
It sets a specified date on which all entities must file their strategy.
Director General, Sustainability Directorate, Strategic Policy Branch, Department of the Environment
Maybe I could give the committee some context for how the process has run, and that may help you in your discussion and debate.
Typically the strategy is tabled, and then departments have had that year. We have only once, in any of those cycles, taken that full year to do that. We've always done it, and we've embedded the planning and reporting into the expenditure management system.
By way of example, if the strategy was tabled in November, departments typically in their RPP/DPR process would have tabled their departmental strategies with their RPP at the same time. We have about a 90-plus per cent compliance of departments in doing that. That usually takes place in March, following the tabling of the strategies.
This is the first year that we took the full year to do it. We had 100% compliance of departments, all doing it in the same week of October 2, 2017. It took a year because in large part the strategy was significantly different from what it had been in the past, so we gave departments a little more time to do that.
At the same time, working with Treasury Board, we provide guidance on the forms and structure. We have a common set of elements that departments are given advice on to complete those elements. In the past, they have been actual supplemental tables in the RPP.
For context, the reality and the practicality of what's been happening is that the departments do in fact do it en masse. Over 90% do it all at the same time, either within a three-month period following, or within the one year, but they're all doing it at the same time against a common set of guidelines. Obviously any minister has the ability to write any strategy and take any form he or she wants it to take, but we have those pieces.
NDP
Linda Duncan NDP Edmonton Strathcona, AB
I went on the basis of what the commissioner said. She had advised that they come in all over the place. That's simply what she testified.
Conservative
Joël Godin Conservative Portneuf—Jacques-Cartier, QC
Madam Chair, if I remember correctly what the commissioner said, there had to be a specific time. However, Ms. Duncan's amendment proposes a six-month period. So we are not achieving the commissioner's target. If memory serves, the commissioner talked about a specific time, not a six-month period.
The proposed amendment therefore does not help us achieve the objective of a specific time.
Liberal
The Chair Liberal Deb Schulte
I think we know what we're doing. I think we understand there's a difference of opinion between the commissioner and the department. There's also a difference of opinion in what we thought we heard the commissioner wanted.
We're going to vote on NDP-9.
(Amendment negatived [See Minutes of Proceedings])
Next is NDP-10. Go ahead, Ms. Duncan.
Linda Duncan NDP Edmonton Strathcona, AB
This is simply consistent with the other amendment I made that was struck down, so we could just vote. It's simply referencing both the Treasury Board and the Queen's Privy Council.
NDP
Linda Duncan NDP Edmonton Strathcona, AB
Please let me finish.
In terms of the Queen's Privy Council, presumably, I don't know to whom we assign the cabinet directive. This is simply saying that they have to also adhere to the cabinet directive. It's being specific.
The commissioner has testified that her preference would be that this statute be brought together with the provisions of the cabinet directive, which gives much more detail to entities about the type of information they need to consider and provide. That's why that is in there. It simply provides the link that the commissioner requested.
Liberal
The Chair Liberal Deb Schulte
Thank you.
(Amendment negatived [See Minutes of Proceedings])
We'll go on to amendment NDP-11. Go ahead, Linda.
NDP
Linda Duncan NDP Edmonton Strathcona, AB
I have simply added in that when designated entities are preparing their independent sustainable development strategies, they must take into account the results of public consultations.
I believe there is nowhere else in this statute that requires public consultation of the individual entity. There is a provision for the minister to consult on the FSDS after she has drafted it, but there is no requirement whatsoever that the entities must talk to the public. When I say “public”, that includes cities, business, communities, first nations, whatever. It's pretty important that there be a requirement for some degree of public consultation in developing the sustainable development strategies for government entitles.
Liberal
Mike Bossio Liberal Hastings—Lennox and Addington, ON
Given what we'd already discussed under amendment NDP-4, under subsections 9(3) and 9(4) of the act the minister consults with the public. We've already discussed consultation under the act. Subsection 9(3), “Consultation: first draft”, says:
The Minister shall submit a draft of the Federal Sustainable Development Strategy to the Sustainable Development Advisory Council, the appropriate committee of each House of Parliament and the public for review and comment, for which the Minister shall allow a period of not less than 120 days.
Then subsection of 9(4) of the act says:
The Minister shall at the same time submit the draft of the Federal Sustainable Development Strategy to the Commissioner for review and comment as to whether the targets and implementation strategies can be assessed, for which the Minister shall allow a period of not less than 120 days.
Under this proviso, we'd like to do a subamendment to Ms. Duncan's amendment. Instead of saying in a proposed subparagraph 11(1)(a)(v), “takes into account results of public consultations”, we'd like to say, “considers results of public consultations under this act”.
The consultation is already happening, so let's—
Liberal
Mike Bossio Liberal Hastings—Lennox and Addington, ON
I know you want the consultations to happen beforehand—
Liberal
Mike Bossio Liberal Hastings—Lennox and Addington, ON
—and we're saying that the consultations are actually happening.
