Evidence of meeting #16 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 policy.
A video is available from Parliament.
Liberal
Raj Saini Liberal Kitchener Centre, ON
We know that the commissioner will have an audit function and a policy advocacy role.
Should that be mixed? How should that work its way through?
Counsel, Canadian Environmental Law Association
As long as it's set out in the legislation, I would leave it to the commissioner and his or her staff to determine the priorities.
Liberal
Counsel, Canadian Environmental Law Association
I'm talking about the new legislation that would be required. You just can't tack this on as an afterthought to the current Auditor General Act. This is going to require new, specialized legislation.
Attorney and Accredited Mediator and Arbitrator, As an Individual
I fully agree with Mr. Lindgren.
I would just point out that technically, article 15.1 of the Auditor General Act should be abrogated and replaced by this new, stand-alone legislation creating this new position—an independent officer of Parliament called the “commissioner for the environment and”—with hope—“climate change”.
Liberal
Raj Saini Liberal Kitchener Centre, ON
Should the policy and advocacy roles remain with the same person, or should they be divided?
Attorney and Accredited Mediator and Arbitrator, As an Individual
There's a policy recommendation or policy advisory function. Let's be quite clear. This is not policy decision-making. It's policy advice.
Yes, I believe that policy advice could be provided and a policy implementation assessment function also carried out. As Mr. Lindgren indicated earlier, this would require both a mix of skills in the person of the commissioner and different, specialized skills on the policy advice side and on the policy implementation assessment side among his or her staff.
Liberal
Raj Saini Liberal Kitchener Centre, ON
Would the environmental auditing be done by the commissioner or by the Auditor General?
Attorney and Accredited Mediator and Arbitrator, As an Individual
It would be done by the commissioner if it had to do with the environment and climate change.
Counsel, Canadian Environmental Law Association
I agree.
That's precisely how it played out in Ontario. The environment commissioner played both the auditing and policy roles.
Professor, Climate Change Science, University of East Anglia, As an Individual
This is exactly how it works in the U.K. and France, with much success.
Liberal
Raj Saini Liberal Kitchener Centre, ON
You've mentioned France and the U.K., but are there any other countries that have thought this through, that we may be able to look at and study?
Attorney and Accredited Mediator and Arbitrator, As an Individual
I mentioned New Zealand. They have thought this through and I recommend that their experience be studied. They do integrate that combination of policy advisory and policy implementation assessment roles.
Liberal
Liberal
Professor, Climate Change Science, University of East Anglia, As an Individual
There are Denmark, Sweden and Finland.
Liberal
The Chair Liberal Francis Scarpaleggia
Three countries, yes. We're just on time.
I just want to thank the witnesses for an excellent discussion. A lot of insight was gained.
I've been informed that there's another meeting after ours, so we can't really go much beyond 5:45. That will give us one round, with some opening comments from Ms. Hogan and Mr. DeMarco.
Thank you again to the witnesses for your time. It's greatly appreciated and we've benefited a great deal from it.
Ms. Hogan, you wanted to take some time to present, and Mr. DeMarco, I'm told you want a little less time.
Conservative
Conservative
Cathy McLeod Conservative Kamloops—Thompson—Cariboo, BC
I just want to confirm, if there's no unanimous consent to continue, what your plan is. I also want to confirm, if there is a decision by this committee to continue after the time this meeting was to end, that there will be no ability to entertain motions or anything of that sort.
Liberal
The Chair Liberal Francis Scarpaleggia
Yes, that's my understanding. We can continue as long as we have four members representing two opposition parties.
There is no intention, as far as I know, for anyone to present any motions.
Conservative
Cathy McLeod Conservative Kamloops—Thompson—Cariboo, BC
Chair, I understand that you do need unanimous consent to continue. I just want to clarify that.