Evidence of meeting #22 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 amendment.

A video is available from Parliament.

On the agenda

MPs speaking

Also speaking

Clerk of the Committee  Ms. Isabelle Duford
Jacques Maziade  Legislative Clerk
Émilie Thivierge  Legislative Clerk
Helen Ryan  Associate Assistant Deputy Minister, Environmental Protection Branch, Department of the Environment
Richard Tarasofsky  Deputy Director, Oceans and Environmental Law Division, Department of Foreign Affairs, Trade and Development
Nathalie Perron  Director, Waste Reduction and Management Division, Department of the Environment
Laura Farquharson  Director General, Legislative and Regulatory Affairs, Department of the Environment
Dany Drouin  Director General, Plastics and Waste Management Directorate, Department of the Environment

5:45 p.m.

Liberal

The Chair Liberal Francis Scarpaleggia

That's good.

We now have Madam Pauzé.

5:45 p.m.

Bloc

Monique Pauzé Bloc Repentigny, QC

I do not believe this amendment is dangerous or that it changes everything in the bill. It just reinforces what already exists in the Constitution, as we know.

That said, this amendment would help reassure some in the industry who are unaware of all the purposes of the Constitution. I have talked to people who said the bill is not clear in that regard. That's why I wanted to reassure them by putting forward this amendment.

5:45 p.m.

Liberal

The Chair Liberal Francis Scarpaleggia

Okay, thank you.

Mr. Redekopp, you have the floor.

March 29th, 2021 / 5:45 p.m.

Conservative

Brad Redekopp Conservative Saskatoon West, SK

Thank you, Mr. Chair.

I just want to let you know that Mr. Albas's computer died on him. He's in the process of coming back into the meeting.

I'm trying to catch up here a little bit. It seems to me that, possibly, it's redundant, I suppose, but there is no harm that can come by putting it in here. As Madam Pauzé just said, it provides clarity, and if somebody is not sure exactly how things fit together, it reinforces a principle that is common in law, as it should be.

From our perspective, we like this amendment and would like to see it in there.

5:45 p.m.

Liberal

The Chair Liberal Francis Scarpaleggia

I see no further speakers, so it's time for a vote. However, Mr. Albas is trying to get back into the meeting.

How do we handle that, Madam Clerk? How would we handle a situation where, through no fault of his own, a member—

5:45 p.m.

Liberal

Chris Bittle Liberal St. Catharines, ON

On a point of order, Mr. Chair, can I propose a five-minute suspension, to be fair?

5:45 p.m.

Liberal

The Chair Liberal Francis Scarpaleggia

Okay. Let's do that. It's five minutes, so we'll be back at 5:53.

Thank you.

5:50 p.m.

Liberal

The Chair Liberal Francis Scarpaleggia

There are no further speakers on Bloc amendment 1, so can Madam Clerk count the votes?

(Amendment agreed to: yeas 8; nays 3 [See Minutes of Proceedings])

Shall clause 1 as amended carry?

5:50 p.m.

Liberal

Yvan Baker Liberal Etobicoke Centre, ON

Mr. Chair, I had my hand up.

5:50 p.m.

Liberal

The Chair Liberal Francis Scarpaleggia

Oh, I'm sorry. That's my fault.

5:50 p.m.

Liberal

Yvan Baker Liberal Etobicoke Centre, ON

Are we still on clause 1?

5:50 p.m.

Liberal

The Chair Liberal Francis Scarpaleggia

Yes. We've amended clause 1, and we're about to vote on clause 1 as amended.

5:50 p.m.

Liberal

Yvan Baker Liberal Etobicoke Centre, ON

I have a question for the officials about the definition of “plastic waste”.

5:50 p.m.

Liberal

The Chair Liberal Francis Scarpaleggia

Sure. Go ahead.

5:50 p.m.

Liberal

Yvan Baker Liberal Etobicoke Centre, ON

I want to ask the officials to clarify whether references to plastic, any type of plastic, in the bill are too broad. Could these terms create any kind of uncertainty with respect to what could be captured by the bill?

5:50 p.m.

Liberal

The Chair Liberal Francis Scarpaleggia

Who would like to answer that?

5:50 p.m.

Associate Assistant Deputy Minister, Environmental Protection Branch, Department of the Environment

Helen Ryan

I'm going to turn it to Dany Drouin.

5:50 p.m.

Director General, Plastics and Waste Management Directorate, Department of the Environment

Dany Drouin

CEPA does not define plastic or plastic waste. The regulations that we have in place would consider waste as hazardous or non-hazardous, based on the fact that.... For example, if it's hazardous under Canadian regulations, or if the receiving country prohibits or just doesn't want to receive the waste, that would be captured under regulations like this.

5:55 p.m.

Liberal

The Chair Liberal Francis Scarpaleggia

Okay.

Shall clause 1 carry as amended?

5:55 p.m.

Liberal

Lloyd Longfield Liberal Guelph, ON

Let's have a recorded vote.

5:55 p.m.

Liberal

The Chair Liberal Francis Scarpaleggia

Okay.

Could you count the votes, please, Madam Clerk?

5:55 p.m.

Bloc

Monique Pauzé Bloc Repentigny, QC

Pardon me.

5:55 p.m.

Liberal

The Chair Liberal Francis Scarpaleggia

Yes, go ahead.

5:55 p.m.

Bloc

Monique Pauzé Bloc Repentigny, QC

I'm sorry, we're talking about clause 1 as amended. Ms. Collins also has amendments.

She had introduced a paragraph (1.2.1). Is it included in clause 1?

5:55 p.m.

Liberal

The Chair Liberal Francis Scarpaleggia

Correct me if I'm wrong, Madam Clerk, but I don't believe it is.

The amendment was defeated.