Environment Committee on Feb. 27th, 2020

[Monique Pauzé, Bloc, Repentigny, QC]

May I say one last thing? In response to one of my earlier questions, you said that you play a leading role in the Canadian Parks Council, which means you're involved in Conservation 2020.

I'd like to commend you on that front. My assistant and I had a look at your website, and it has some wonderful stuff on it—reports that could prove quite useful in this day and age, including the one focused on indigenous peoples.

[The Chair, Liberal, Yasmin Ratansi]

Thank you, Ms. Pauzé.

Madame Collins, you have two and a half minutes.

[Laurel Collins, NDP, Victoria, BC]

First, could we get the information for how much of the marine protected areas is projected to be protected by 2025, as well as the numbers for 2030 for both the terrestrial and the marine areas?

I also wanted to ask a couple of questions about co-management. You answered some of the questions, but I'm thinking about what one of the directors on a regional district board in a neighbouring riding brought to my attention. There's an indigenous group that's been working with the CRD, the Capital Region District, to try to protect Mary Hill.

If they wanted to approach Parks Canada or somehow partner with the federal government, what are the steps for an indigenous community that's already working with a regional district around protecting an area to kind of loop in Parks Canada?

[Darlene Upton]

There is the Indigenous Leadership Initiative, which is something that they may want to connect with. This initiative is supporting about 25 IPCAs, indigenous protected and conserved areas, that received funding recently to explore. That's one avenue they may want to look at.

We're also always open for a conversation. They are welcome to contact us directly to have a conversation and see if there's a fit there, or if not, where we could point them.

[Laurel Collins, NDP, Victoria, BC]

Potentially, I'll pass that along to their member of Parliament to connect.

I asked a question about the barriers that are faced in reaching those targets, and even it we're just looking at 3% by 2025, I'm curious what you see as some of the gaps or the areas that need work in order for us to achieve that target.

[Darlene Upton]

It just really varies by initiative. Obviously, many of the projects we looked at require indigenous support. We view these as opportunities.

There may be private sector interests or mineral interests that need to be looked at. These are things that are not necessarily roadblocks, but they can take time to figure out.

The way in which we want to establish parks is with broad support from provinces and territories and industry sectors that are around, and indigenous communities. That's really what the feasibility section of establishment is. Feasibilities are opportunities to look at all the interests in the area.

[The Chair, Liberal, Yasmin Ratansi]

Thank you very much. I'd like to thank the witnesses for being here. There are things that you promised to provide to the clerk, who is going to send them to members.

I'm going to suspend the meeting for a couple of minutes, and then we will go into committee business. It's going to be public.

[The Chair, Liberal, Yasmin Ratansi]

The clerk is distributing the report from the subcommittee, which met yesterday, Wednesday, February 26, to consider the business of the committee. Therefore, before I speak, I want to see if you all have a copy of the subcommittee report. Do you have it?

Ms. Pauzé, you may go ahead.

[Monique Pauzé, Bloc, Repentigny, QC]

My apologies, Madam Chair. I was busy with our witnesses.

I have a point of order.

[The Chair, Liberal, Yasmin Ratansi]

Okay.

[Monique Pauzé, Bloc, Repentigny, QC]

We certainly need to encourage government officials and others who appear before the committee to use both official languages.

However, it uses up a lot of my two and a half minutes or six minutes of speaking time. That's what happened earlier, although I do recognize that the witness made an effort.

I'm not sure whether I should put forward a motion.

Would it be possible for me to have an extra 30 seconds in some instances?

[The Chair, Liberal, Yasmin Ratansi]

Ms. Pauzé, I gave you 30 seconds, if not a minute, more.

I have been giving it to you.

I realized that the witness didn't speak French or, rather, that he didn't speak it very well.

[Monique Pauzé, Bloc, Repentigny, QC]

You're too kind.

[The Chair, Liberal, Yasmin Ratansi]

Thank you.

You have the subcommittee report before you. I would like to have your approval for each of the motions. I will let you know that Mr. Redekopp came before the steering committee to present his motion because it was time sensitive. The committee agreed to put his motion forward.

I'll read our motion, the committee's motion, and then take a vote on it. Then I will go to the second, third, fourth, etc.

The motion is as follows:

That pursuant to Standing Order 108(2), the committee invite witnesses from the University of Saskatchewan's Global lnstitute for Water Security to brief the committee on its work on Tuesday March 10, 2020; and that 45 minutes be allotted for statements and questions.

All in favour?

(Motion agreed to)

Next:

That pursuant to Standing Order 108(2), the committee invite the Commissioner of the Environment and Sustainable Development to brief it on his work, and that 45 minutes be allotted for statements and questions for March 10, 2020.

All in favour?

(Motion agreed to)

Perfect.

Next:

That pursuant to Standing 108(2), the committee receive a briefing from the officials from the Treasury Board Secretariat on the estimates process on March 10, 2020.

All in favour?

Madam Collins, you raised your hand.

[Laurel Collins, NDP, Victoria, BC]

Which number are you on right now?

[The Chair, Liberal, Yasmin Ratansi]

I'm on number 3.

[Laurel Collins, NDP, Victoria, BC]

Okay. It's just that on my sheet, there was no date.

[The Chair, Liberal, Yasmin Ratansi]

It's not on anybody's sheet. The date was supposed to be on all three. The subcommittee decided that the study was taking place—

[Laurel Collins, NDP, Victoria, BC]

On March 10?

[The Chair, Liberal, Yasmin Ratansi]

—on March 10, 2020.

[Laurel Collins, NDP, Victoria, BC]

Thank you for the clarification.

[Dan Mazier, Conservative, Dauphin—Swan River—Neepawa, MB]

Can we get that documented?

[The Chair, Liberal, Yasmin Ratansi]

We will.

[Raj Saini, Liberal, Kitchener Centre, ON]

Is that going to be enough time for all three?

[The Chair, Liberal, Yasmin Ratansi]

Yes. It's 45 minutes, 45 minutes and 45 minutes. It's fine.

Sorry. I shouldn't say it's fine. It might be fine. That's what the committee decided—