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.

On the agenda

MPs speaking

Also speaking

Olivier Champagne  Legislative Clerk, House of Commons
Paula Brand  Director General, Sustainability Directorate, Strategic Policy Branch, Department of the Environment
Clerk of the Committee  Mr. Thomas Bigelow

9:30 a.m.

Liberal

The Chair Liberal Deb Schulte

It has to be on division, then.

9:30 a.m.

NDP

Linda Duncan NDP Edmonton Strathcona, AB

It's on division, because I'm abstaining on that one.

9:30 a.m.

Liberal

The Chair Liberal Deb Schulte

Okay. I need to do that again.

(Clause 5 as amended agreed to on division)

(On clause 6)

Next up, we have amendment LIB-2. We're on clause 6 now.

Amendments LIB-2 and NDP-5 are similar. They're distinct, but they replace the same part of the act, so we're just going to work on making sure as you move forward that if you do adopt LIB-2, then NDP-5 cannot be moved. Let's just make sure we understand how that goes.

9:30 a.m.

NDP

Linda Duncan NDP Edmonton Strathcona, AB

Can I just make a point of order here?

9:30 a.m.

Liberal

The Chair Liberal Deb Schulte

Okay.

9:30 a.m.

NDP

Linda Duncan NDP Edmonton Strathcona, AB

It's my understanding that whatever amendment is tabled first is considered first.

9:30 a.m.

Liberal

The Chair Liberal Deb Schulte

Yes—

9:30 a.m.

NDP

Linda Duncan NDP Edmonton Strathcona, AB

Okay.

9:30 a.m.

Liberal

The Chair Liberal Deb Schulte

—but it goes line by line. We just went through this on the earlier one, right?

9:30 a.m.

NDP

Linda Duncan NDP Edmonton Strathcona, AB

No. We're doing the whole provision, right?

9:30 a.m.

Liberal

The Chair Liberal Deb Schulte

It's a line, right? We're looking at the line. It's the way it's coming forward, right? One is amending a certain line. You're amending a different line.

9:30 a.m.

Liberal

Mark Gerretsen Liberal Kingston and the Islands, ON

The line you're amending is later on.

9:30 a.m.

Liberal

The Chair Liberal Deb Schulte

But it replaces the same paragraph.

9:30 a.m.

Liberal

Darren Fisher Liberal Dartmouth—Cole Harbour, NS

I think that's the only way we can follow along anyway. If we start jumping around—

9:30 a.m.

Liberal

The Chair Liberal Deb Schulte

It's going to be difficult.

Do you want to clarify, Olivier, if you think I don't have it clear?

9:30 a.m.

Legislative Clerk, House of Commons

Olivier Champagne

It's pretty clear, I think.

9:30 a.m.

Liberal

The Chair Liberal Deb Schulte

Are we all clear?

9:30 a.m.

A voice

Yes.

9:30 a.m.

Liberal

The Chair Liberal Deb Schulte

No. Linda is shaking her head.

9:30 a.m.

NDP

Linda Duncan NDP Edmonton Strathcona, AB

Go ahead.

9:30 a.m.

Liberal

The Chair Liberal Deb Schulte

Okay.

We're going to go with LIB-2. Who would like to speak to that?

9:30 a.m.

Conservative

Ed Fast Conservative Abbotsford, BC

I'd like to hear Mr. Amos's justification for it.

9:30 a.m.

Liberal

The Chair Liberal Deb Schulte

Go ahead, Will.

9:30 a.m.

Liberal

William Amos Liberal Pontiac, QC

Quite simply, this is about aligning the commissioner's role with the requirement in Bill C-57 that each target be measurable and that there be a time frame. It was made clear to us yesterday that the commissioner already has the intention of being able to review principles, but we wanted to make it abundantly clear that what was required was a demonstration of a measurable target and a time frame.

This allows us.... I'll reference the later motion, the NDP's fifth amendment. It stays squarely within the frame of the audit function, which is to have measurable targets, to be able to report on those, and to have a time frame which can be reported upon, but in engaging in a sort of future-oriented, policy-oriented analysis. It brings the commissioner further outside that audit sphere. My thinking is that it is squarely within the commissioner's function to be looking at time-bound and measurable measures.

9:30 a.m.

Liberal

The Chair Liberal Deb Schulte

Go ahead, Mr. Fast.