Environment Committee on Feb. 1st, 2021

[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.

[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.

[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?

[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.

[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?

[Laurel Collins, NDP, Victoria, BC]

Yes. Could we call the question?

[The Chair, Liberal, Francis Scarpaleggia]

Yes. Okay.

So let's have a vote.

[Peter Schiefke, Liberal, Vaudreuil—Soulanges, QC]

Was there an amendment moved, Mr. Chair? I don't know where we are right now.

[Lloyd Longfield, Liberal, Guelph, ON]

I had an amendment that we have the new commissioner come in.

[The Chair, Liberal, Francis Scarpaleggia]

Okay.

So now we have a discussion on the amendment, I imagine?

[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—

[Lloyd Longfield, Liberal, Guelph, ON]

I did put forward an amendment.

[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—

[Lloyd Longfield, Liberal, Guelph, ON]

I think we're over time.

[Dan Albas, Conservative, Central Okanagan—Similkameen—Nicola, BC]

Maybe you should talk to your colleague about interrupting people.

[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])

[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.

[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.

[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?

[Dan Albas, Conservative, Central Okanagan—Similkameen—Nicola, BC]

Thank you, Mr. Chair.

[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.