Evidence of meeting #6 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 money.

A video is available from Parliament.

On the agenda

MPs speaking

Also speaking

Carol Najm  Assistant Deputy Minister, Corporate Services and Finance Branch, Department of the Environment
Christine Hogan  Deputy Minister, Department of the Environment
Matt Jones  Assistant Deputy Minister, Pan-Canadian Framework Implementation Office, Department of the Environment
Niall O'Dea  Associate Assistant Deputy Minister, Canadian Wildlife Service, Department of the Environment
John Moffet  Assistant Deputy Minister, Environmental Protection Branch, Department of the Environment
Annie Boyer  Deputy Chief Financial Officer, Corporate Resources Management Branch, Parks Canada Agency
Darlene Upton  Vice-President, Protected Areas Establishment and Conservation, Parks Canada Agency
Terence Hubbard  Vice-President, Operations Sector, Impact Assessment Agency of Canada
Nancy Hamzawi  Assistant Deputy Minister, Science and Technology Branch, Department of the Environment
Diane Campbell  Assistant Deputy Minister, Meteorological Service of Canada, Department of the Environment
Michael Nadler  Vice-President, External Relations and Visitor Experience, Parks Canada Agency

10:40 a.m.

NDP

Laurel Collins NDP Victoria, BC

Could you follow up with a report on the cost breakdown?

10:40 a.m.

Assistant Deputy Minister, Corporate Services and Finance Branch, Department of the Environment

Carol Najm

I will see what is possible because those costs come from public prosecutions. Yes, we can look into it.

10:40 a.m.

NDP

Laurel Collins NDP Victoria, BC

And forward it to the committee?

10:40 a.m.

Assistant Deputy Minister, Corporate Services and Finance Branch, Department of the Environment

10:40 a.m.

NDP

Laurel Collins NDP Victoria, BC

That would be great.

It's my understanding that there has been no public accounting for the length of the investigation. Do you folks know, especially given the U.S. statement of facts, why it took so long and why we would need to be doing this transfer because of budgetary pressures?

10:40 a.m.

Assistant Deputy Minister, Environmental Protection Branch, Department of the Environment

John Moffet

I don't think we have any information on that. That's an issue that the department doesn't.... As with any department that is involved in prosecution, we provide information and evidence. However, with regard to prosecution decisions and the management of prosecutions, those decisions are all made by the public prosecutor, so those kinds of issues would have to be taken up with them.

10:40 a.m.

NDP

Laurel Collins NDP Victoria, BC

My understanding is that it is the enforcement officers who will report to the minister. Is that correct?

10:40 a.m.

Assistant Deputy Minister, Environmental Protection Branch, Department of the Environment

John Moffet

That's correct.

10:40 a.m.

NDP

Laurel Collins NDP Victoria, BC

So, they actually would have been undertaking that investigation in the length.

10:40 a.m.

Assistant Deputy Minister, Environmental Protection Branch, Department of the Environment

John Moffet

That's correct.

10:40 a.m.

NDP

Laurel Collins NDP Victoria, BC

Is there any way that we could get a follow-up on some kind of public accounting for the length of that investigation and now the impact on our budgetary constraints?

10:40 a.m.

Assistant Deputy Minister, Environmental Protection Branch, Department of the Environment

John Moffet

The money that we were transferring was transferred to the Department of Justice, the public prosecution service—

10:45 a.m.

Assistant Deputy Minister, Corporate Services and Finance Branch, Department of the Environment

10:45 a.m.

Assistant Deputy Minister, Environmental Protection Branch, Department of the Environment

John Moffet

—so that wasn't associated with the length of the investigation.

10:45 a.m.

NDP

Laurel Collins NDP Victoria, BC

But it was with the cost of the investigation.

March 12th, 2020 / 10:45 a.m.

Assistant Deputy Minister, Environmental Protection Branch, Department of the Environment

10:45 a.m.

Liberal

The Chair Liberal Yasmin Ratansi

I would like to thank the witnesses for being here. There are a few items that you have promised to send, so the clerk will follow up with you.

With that, the meeting is adjourned.