Evidence of meeting #3 for Environment and Sustainable Development in the 43rd Parliament, 1st Session. (The original version is on Parliament’s site, as are the minutes.) The winning word was process.

A recording is available from Parliament.

On the agenda

MPs speaking

Also speaking

Terence Hubbard  Vice-President, Operations Sector, Impact Assessment Agency of Canada
Brent Parker  Acting Vice-President, Strategic Policy, Impact Assessment Agency of Canada
Ian Ketcheson  Director General, Crown Consultations Division, Impact Assessment Agency of Canada
Jennifer Saxe  Director General, Regional Operations, Impact Assessment Agency of Canada
Alison Clegg  Committee Researcher
Clerk of the Committee  Mr. Alexandre Roger

10:40 a.m.

Liberal

The Chair Liberal Yasmin Ratansi

Perhaps I can make a suggestion.

How many of you know how the estimates work? At the government operations committee we had the guys from Finance or somewhere come to teach us how the estimates process works so that we could ask intelligent questions of the minister and the department. If that's agreeable, we could do that on Tuesday when we come back.

10:40 a.m.

Liberal

Francis Scarpaleggia Liberal Lac-Saint-Louis, QC

Yes.

10:40 a.m.

Liberal

The Chair Liberal Yasmin Ratansi

Yes, Mr. Redekopp.

10:40 a.m.

Conservative

Brad Redekopp Conservative Saskatoon West, SK

I'm not disagreeing with that. However, the motion I proposed is actually related to that Tuesday, because a bunch of people from across the country will be here on that particular day. That would be the day when they would want to propose [Inaudible—Editor]

10:40 a.m.

Liberal

The Chair Liberal Yasmin Ratansi

Therefore, I then have to take Mr. Scarpaleggia's suggestion.

You have three minutes left to present your motion. That's why I wanted you to present your motion today, to say why we should study it. I cannot willy-nilly get everybody's motions and say that we'll study everything. It's the subcommittee that has to do that.

Presumably, this is what we could do. Thursday we have Parks Canada coming in. Then we can set aside time to present motions and why they should be studied. Tuesday we could ask the Department of Finance to come and talk to us about how they prepare estimates so that we are ready for the minister and the department.

10:40 a.m.

Conservative

Brad Redekopp Conservative Saskatoon West, SK

We're not here next week.

10:40 a.m.

Liberal

The Chair Liberal Yasmin Ratansi

No, this is the Tuesday when we come back.

Then, since the minister might be available the week we come back, around Thursday, we'll be ready to ask the right questions.

Madam Findlay.

10:40 a.m.

Conservative

Kerry-Lynne Findlay Conservative South Surrey—White Rock, BC

If it's possible to know if the minister will be available on the Thursday, then that would seem reasonable, but I have the same concerns that my colleague across the table does; namely, if we don't meet in steering committee this week, will we be able to give sufficient notice to the minister that we would like him here on the Thursday? I think there's another break week in there, and then we may be out of time.

10:40 a.m.

Liberal

The Chair Liberal Yasmin Ratansi

The clerk has already approached him, and he's waiting for an answer.

It's important. I don't mind having a steering committee meeting tomorrow.

10:40 a.m.

Liberal

The Chair Liberal Yasmin Ratansi

If everyone is in agreement, we could have a steering committee meeting.

Even though PROC has not made a decision, you're still part of the steering committee because you're a representative of the....

The clerk tells me that he'll send you a notice of the time and place.

We could get the ball rolling. Agreed?

10:40 a.m.

Liberal

Lloyd Longfield Liberal Guelph, ON

I think we should.

10:45 a.m.

Liberal

Lloyd Longfield Liberal Guelph, ON

Good.

10:45 a.m.

Liberal

The Chair Liberal Yasmin Ratansi

Thank you very much, everyone.

We ended on time.

The meeting is adjourned.