Evidence of meeting #11 for Environment and Sustainable Development in the 43rd Parliament, 2nd Session. (The original version is on Parliament’s site, as are the minutes.) The winning word was enforcement.
A video is available from Parliament.
Conservative
Dan Albas Conservative Central Okanagan—Similkameen—Nicola, BC
The chair actually had set this at five o'clock. So you guys are playing out the clock.
Liberal
Peter Schiefke Liberal Vaudreuil—Soulanges, QC
I'm not playing out the clock, actually, Mr. Albas.
Mr. Chair, on a point of order, I think I have the floor.
Mr. Albas perhaps can tell the future. I was simply saying that if we could speed this up a little bit, it would be appreciated, because I have an interview to get to in eight minutes. That would be number one.
Number two, I don't feel like we're given enough time to discuss adequately what Ms. Collins is presenting. As much as I agree with certain aspects of it, perhaps I don't agree with other aspects of it. I think Mr. Albas needs to respect my point of view on this and understand that perhaps I have some questions for Ms. Collins.
I also heard what my colleague Mr. Longfield had proposed, which I found interesting. Perhaps I could have the opportunity to ask Mr. Longfield to elaborate on what he's proposing. This is the way committee works. Perhaps Mr. Albas didn't get the memo. But here we are.
I'd like to ask Mr. Longfield to perhaps elaborate on what he's proposing before I make a decision on this.
Liberal
The Chair Liberal Francis Scarpaleggia
I think we're just going to stop for one second.
Okay. So where were we? We were at Mr. Longfield, is that right?
Liberal
Lloyd Longfield Liberal Guelph, ON
Yes.
On the question of who was going to be in the fourth slot, my understanding was that we have a new commissioner coming in. We could talk to the new commissioner, who would need to have some committee time anyway. We would like to have some committee time to talk to the new commissioner. We could relate that to some of the questions we have from CEPA.
I think the overall role of the commissioner is a very different discussion. It would take a lot more than a two-minute discussion. I'm on public accounts, and we've also looked at the role of the commissioner there and talked to the commissioner and the Auditor General. They both said that because the commissioner is in the Auditor General's department there are good efficiencies there. If we had a two-hour slot to have the new commissioner come in, and had some time for him to prep to come in and talk to us, that's where I would rather have gone with the two-hour slot we have.
Liberal
The Chair Liberal Francis Scarpaleggia
Does anybody else want to address this issue? No? Okay.
Just to reiterate, Ms. Collins, you want to have one meeting on the role of the commissioner. It's not as part of the CEPA study. It's a separate meeting, and at the first opportunity, I imagine. That's where you stand on this. Am I correct?
Liberal
Peter Schiefke Liberal Vaudreuil—Soulanges, QC
Was there an amendment moved, Mr. Chair? I don't know where we are right now.
Liberal
Liberal
The Chair Liberal Francis Scarpaleggia
Okay.
So now we have a discussion on the amendment, I imagine?
Conservative
Dan Albas Conservative Central Okanagan—Similkameen—Nicola, BC
Mr. Chair, you did say you were calling the question. Both of these gentlemen had the opportunity—this is on a point of order, by the way—in debate to either put forward an amendment—
Conservative
Dan Albas Conservative Central Okanagan—Similkameen—Nicola, BC
I didn't hear you move it. I heard you say you'd talk about one.
Mr. Chair, you called the question.
Look, we'll be getting cut off here pretty quickly. Let's just let this go—
Conservative
Dan Albas Conservative Central Okanagan—Similkameen—Nicola, BC
Maybe you should talk to your colleague about interrupting people.
Liberal
The Chair Liberal Francis Scarpaleggia
Let's hold on a second. It's a little difficult when we're all remote, but I'll be right back.
Colleagues, I'm told that it wasn't a formal amendment. We're dealing with the main motion, so we're going to have to vote on the main motion.
Ms. Duford, could you do a roll call vote?
The Clerk of the Committee Ms. Isabelle Duford
The vote is on Ms. Collins' motion.
(Motion agreed to: yeas 6; nays 5 [See Minutes of Proceedings])
Liberal
The Chair Liberal Francis Scarpaleggia
As I understand it, according to what Ms. Collins said, this is one meeting on the issue. It doesn't exclude inviting the commissioner, and we're not making a recommendation. It's just a two-hour hearing.
Mr. Jeneroux, go ahead.
Conservative
Matt Jeneroux Conservative Edmonton Riverbend, AB
I'll be brief. I want to put forward my motion. As we're going over time, I'd hate for my friend, Mr. Schiefke, to miss his interview, so I will hold it until the next meeting. However, Mr. Chair, I do request that we have that meeting in public. I want to make sure that we have that conversation in public and not in camera.
Liberal
The Chair Liberal Francis Scarpaleggia
We'll see what happens on Wednesday. If we have to cancel the meeting, the Wednesday meeting will be on the 17th, and on the 22nd we'll start with some future business. Then we'll get into the consideration of the work plan for the plastics study, drafting instructions for the enforcement study, and consideration of the zero-emissions vehicles report. We'll see how long it takes us to get through those items.
Is that good?
Conservative
Liberal
The Chair Liberal Francis Scarpaleggia
Thank you for your patience, colleagues, and hopefully, Wednesday we'll be voting electronically, and we can start our meeting on time.
The meeting is adjourned.
