Environment Committee on Dec. 12th, 2017

[Linda Duncan, NDP, Edmonton Strathcona, AB]

I will give unanimous consent. This is a matter that I raised when the Liberals asked for one provision only to be changed from “environment” to “sustainable development”. I had said that's a problem because the language I had used was consistent with the rest of the act. It would have been a good opportunity to change it all.

I will give unanimous consent on one condition, that the committee agrees to adopt just one part of one of my amendments. That is the amendment in clause 3—

[The Chair, Liberal, Deb Schulte]

Linda.

[Linda Duncan, NDP, Edmonton Strathcona, AB]

Let me put it on the record.

[The Chair, Liberal, Deb Schulte]

You can't do a conditional unanimous consent. We really appreciate unanimous consent for consistency.

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

That's not in order, right?

[The Chair, Liberal, Deb Schulte]

No, it's not in order.

[Linda Duncan, NDP, Edmonton Strathcona, AB]

Neither is this change. That's why you need unanimous consent.

[The Chair, Liberal, Deb Schulte]

No, it's—

[Mark Gerretsen, Liberal, Kingston and the Islands, ON]

Which is why he's asking for it. If you don't want to give it, just say no.

[The Chair, Liberal, Deb Schulte]

Listen, what we're trying to do here is have a properly drafted bill. We've been made aware that there are inconsistencies in it. It's not good legislation. We are all good legislators, I hope. We're all learning to be good legislators. Some are already good legislators. It was missed. I think it is important for consistency. I would really appreciate it if the committee gave unanimous consent.

[Linda Duncan, NDP, Edmonton Strathcona, AB]

I would like to speak to this request.

[The Chair, Liberal, Deb Schulte]

You were speaking to it, but you were asking for a conditional unanimous consent. We can't really allow that.

[Linda Duncan, NDP, Edmonton Strathcona, AB]

They can refuse it.

The Liberals are asking for unanimous consent to go back in the bill. I'm asking for their agreement, if I agree with that, that they will also agree to go back in the bill for something I'm requesting.

[Mark Gerretsen, Liberal, Kingston and the Islands, ON]

To talk about it?

[William Amos, Liberal, Pontiac, QC]

Why don't we have a vote on it? Then we'll see if we have unanimous consent on the latter point.

[The Chair, Liberal, Deb Schulte]

Linda is saying that, for her unanimous consent, she would like consent to consider something that she would like to raise as well. She's tying it, but I'm not going to do that. What I'm going to ask is.... what Linda is asking....

[Mark Gerretsen, Liberal, Kingston and the Islands, ON]

We'll entertain it.

[The Chair, Liberal, Deb Schulte]

I think we're going to entertain. That's what she's asking. If she entertains our unanimous consent, will we entertain hers? I think the answer is....

[Mark Gerretsen, Liberal, Kingston and the Islands, ON]

I will.

[Mike Bossio, Liberal, Hastings—Lennox and Addington, ON]

Let's entertain it. I want to hear what she has to say.

[The Chair, Liberal, Deb Schulte]

Okay, so we have unanimous consent to reconsider clauses 4 and 7.

[Mike Bossio, Liberal, Hastings—Lennox and Addington, ON]

Do you want to explain?

[Linda Duncan, NDP, Edmonton Strathcona, AB]

We'll vote on this, and then you agree to....

[The Chair, Liberal, Deb Schulte]

We have unanimous consent to reconsider.

[Mike Bossio, Liberal, Hastings—Lennox and Addington, ON]

I would like to put forward—