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.
NDP
Assistant Deputy Minister, Corporate Services and Finance Branch, Department of the Environment
I will see what is possible because those costs come from public prosecutions. Yes, we can look into it.
Assistant Deputy Minister, Corporate Services and Finance Branch, Department of the Environment
Yes.
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?
Assistant Deputy Minister, Environmental Protection Branch, Department of the Environment
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.
NDP
Laurel Collins NDP Victoria, BC
My understanding is that it is the enforcement officers who will report to the minister. Is that correct?
Assistant Deputy Minister, Environmental Protection Branch, Department of the Environment
That's correct.
Laurel Collins NDP Victoria, BC
So, they actually would have been undertaking that investigation in the length.
Assistant Deputy Minister, Environmental Protection Branch, Department of the Environment
That's correct.
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?
Assistant Deputy Minister, Environmental Protection Branch, Department of the Environment
The money that we were transferring was transferred to the Department of Justice, the public prosecution service—
Assistant Deputy Minister, Corporate Services and Finance Branch, Department of the Environment
Yes.
Assistant Deputy Minister, Environmental Protection Branch, Department of the Environment
—so that wasn't associated with the length of the investigation.
Assistant Deputy Minister, Environmental Protection Branch, Department of the Environment
No.
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.