Evidence of meeting #12 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 study.
A video is available from Parliament.
Conservative
Dan Albas Conservative Central Okanagan—Similkameen—Nicola, BC
—quite honestly, it's up to Mr. Baker and his party to submit a certain priority list of who those are. If someone cannot make it, then it would go to the next person. That's the principle of fairness.
To be fair, we should not be having these discussions as to who is a high priority or a low priority. I just think that it's better done behind closed doors.
Liberal
The Chair Liberal Francis Scarpaleggia
No, no, of course. That's not what I'm trying to do. What I'm trying to say is that some juggling needs to happen.
Mr. Baker, I believe, has submitted his name, and many other names have been submitted. I'll juggle to the best of my abilities based on input that we've received at steering committee and other requests.
Do you have something else, Mr. Albas, other than this?
Conservative
Dan Albas Conservative Central Okanagan—Similkameen—Nicola, BC
No. I moved that we receive the report, so we can debate it, or if Mr. Baker wants to make an amendment, he can do that.
Liberal
Lloyd Longfield Liberal Guelph, ON
I was just in agreement with Mr. Albas that we could vote on receiving it.
Liberal
The Chair Liberal Francis Scarpaleggia
Is there consensus? Do we need a roll call vote or is there consensus to adopt the steering committee report?
Madam Pauzé?
Do you have anything to add?
No?
Okay.
There seems to be consensus, so we'll adopt the report.
(Motion agreed to [See Minutes of Proceedings])
I would like to draw your attention to three deadlines for submitting witness names for future work, future studies.
We need to get suggested witnesses for the meeting on Bill C-204 by February 24. That was agreed to, and that's in the report.
By February 22, we would need witnesses from all the parties for the meeting we're having on the commissioner of the environment and sustainable development.
By March 31, we're asking for suggested witnesses from each party for the M-34 study on “freshwater”.
I just wanted to highlight those, but as I understand it, the report is adopted.
Mr. Longfield.
Liberal
Lloyd Longfield Liberal Guelph, ON
For the next part of the business, I'd like to move that we.... I put a motion in, a notice of motion. The supplementary (C)s were tabled this morning—
February 17th, 2021 / 5:55 p.m.
Conservative
Liberal
Lloyd Longfield Liberal Guelph, ON
—so I'd like to table the motion that I submitted before the meeting.
Liberal
Conservative
Dan Albas Conservative Central Okanagan—Similkameen—Nicola, BC
It's perfectly fair for someone to table something at any point, but right now the business of the committee is.... We did not necessarily have a vote or unanimous consent, so I'd like at least to take care of that business before we decide to go to other business.
Liberal
Liberal
Lloyd Longfield Liberal Guelph, ON
I heard the chair say that we had unanimous consent on the previous—
Conservative
Dan Albas Conservative Central Okanagan—Similkameen—Nicola, BC
Well, he didn't ask for unanimous consent. He just asked a question.
Liberal
Conservative
Dan Albas Conservative Central Okanagan—Similkameen—Nicola, BC
In that case, then, it would be helpful to say that's clear. Then we could go to the next item.
Liberal
Liberal
Lloyd Longfield Liberal Guelph, ON
It's been circulated in both official languages and reads as follows:
That pursuant to Standing Order 81(5) and the Order of Reference of Tuesday, February 16, 2021, the committee consider the Supplementary Estimates (C) before the end of the current supply period and that the committee invite the Minister of Environment and Climate Change to appear in view of this study; that Deputy Heads in the Minister’s Portfolio implicated in the Supplementary Estimates (C) appear alongside the Minister; and that the Minister appear for the first hour with Deputy Heads remaining at the table for the entirety of the scheduled time.
Liberal
The Chair Liberal Francis Scarpaleggia
Would anyone else like to speak to this motion?
Mr. Albas, go ahead.
Conservative
Dan Albas Conservative Central Okanagan—Similkameen—Nicola, BC
Mr. Chair, I have a question for Mr. Longfield on his motion. I've remarked in previous meetings the desire to hold the deputy minister to her statutory responsibility to answer questions to Parliament in her capacity as an accounting officer. It seems that the language used here is “deputy heads”.
Can the member please indicate whether that includes the deputy minister, yes or no?
Liberal
Lloyd Longfield Liberal Guelph, ON
Yes. I'm using that interchangeably. The deputy minister is.... Those are the financial officers who would be reporting to us. We missed them last time, and I wanted to make sure we had them this time for the second hour.
Conservative