Environment Committee on Dec. 7th, 2017

[Ed Fast, Conservative, Abbotsford, BC]

Can I get Ms. May to clarify what she means by “performance contracts” so that we're all on the same page on this?

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

I mean that when the Government of Canada is contracting with those outside of the Government of Canada to meet certain goals, that within those performance-based contracts with external parties, the department's sustainable development goals and the federal sustainable development strategy be included in the contract as goals for the contractor performing that performance-based contract.

[Ed Fast, Conservative, Abbotsford, BC]

Ms. Brand, this is referencing procurement. Is that correct?

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

Yes.

[Paula Brand]

Yes.

[Ed Fast, Conservative, Abbotsford, BC]

Then we're on the same page.

[Linda Duncan, NDP, Edmonton Strathcona, AB]

Can I ask a question?

What is the difference between section 12 in the act right now and what you are proposing to add?

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

What I'm adding is that we include performance-based contracts around procurement into this act, because with what we have now, the Governor in Council may make regulations for the strategy, and the department heads for targets, but unless you amended it while I was in the meeting for Bill C-55—

[Linda Duncan, NDP, Edmonton Strathcona, AB]

It's exactly the same as it already says in the act, isn't it? I'm looking at your amendment.

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

The question is whether it's narrowly applied to only greening-of-government targets rather than having it apply to all targets within the federal sustainable development strategy. That's what I'm aiming for.

[The Chair, Liberal, Deb Schulte]

Paula, do you want to make a comment?

[Linda Duncan, NDP, Edmonton Strathcona, AB]

Oh, you're saying that instead of “applicable”, it's “all of”.

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

All.

[Linda Duncan, NDP, Edmonton Strathcona, AB]

You're just changing a few words. That's what's confusing.

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

That's right, but I'm trying to make it all of them.

[The Chair, Liberal, Deb Schulte]

Go ahead, Paula.

[Paula Brand]

I don't want to speak for my colleagues at Public Services and Procurement Canada with respect to how the current policy in place now, which is the policy on green procurement, would incorporate this dimension and any other policy procurement review that's going on right now within the government around meeting other associated social economic objectives using procurement as the tool. That process is already in place within the Public Services and Procurement domain.

[The Chair, Liberal, Deb Schulte]

You're saying all targets versus applicable targets.

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

Exactly.

[The Chair, Liberal, Deb Schulte]

Is there any other discussion around the table?

Go ahead, Mr. Sopuck.

[Robert Sopuck, Conservative, Dauphin—Swan River—Neepawa, MB]

Seeing as this refers to procurement, wouldn't this put very onerous requirements on small suppliers that supply stationery and that kind of stuff to the government?

[The Chair, Liberal, Deb Schulte]

It's already in the act.

[Robert Sopuck, Conservative, Dauphin—Swan River—Neepawa, MB]

Okay.

[The Chair, Liberal, Deb Schulte]

The act has performance-based contracts, and the only difference here is that we have in the act “applicable” targets referred to in federal sustainable development strategy, so it may not apply to all targets. It's applicable targets. What has just been put forward is that we should say “all” of the targets.

[Jonathan Wilkinson, Liberal, North Vancouver, BC]

Madam Chair, I would like some clarification. I was under the understanding—and maybe I am incorrect—that we had repealed section 12. How do you make an amendment to something you've already repealed?