Evidence of meeting #31 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 parks.
A video is available from Parliament.
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Conservative
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Conservative
Brad Redekopp Conservative Saskatoon West, SK
Back on the HFCs, we asked for the list of those who were approved.
I also want to make sure we get a list of those who applied but were not approved.
Thank you.
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Assistant Deputy Minister, Environmental Protection Branch, Department of the Environment
I will have to get back to you as to whether that is publicly available information. That may be protected by business confidentiality.
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Conservative
Brad Redekopp Conservative Saskatoon West, SK
Thank you.
As a committee, that's something we're asking for.
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Liberal
The Chair Liberal Francis Scarpaleggia
Okay, it's understood.
Last, but by no means least, we have Mr. Bittle.
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Liberal
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Liberal
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Liberal
Lloyd Longfield Liberal Guelph, ON
Thank you.
In the estimates, you mentioned Eureka. I'm looking at the contributions for the World Meteorological Organization and also the support for predicting weather and environmental conditions.
I was fortunate to visit your Environment and Climate Change site up in Eureka and saw the work they were doing in collaboration with international partners. Canada has an arctic footprint. Most of the world knows that, but I think we take that for granted.
In the climate change research that's going on in the Arctic and with all the countries that are using Canada as a spot to also do research, there is a lot of horizontal work between your department and other departments. You mentioned the runway work. We also have defences up there. The Department of National Defence has a small presence up there, with some communications networks.
Can you comment on the importance of continuing the investments in the Arctic, please?
6:35 p.m.
Deputy Minister, Department of the Environment
Well, thank you very much for that. Thank you for noting that the main estimates include our assessed contributions to the World Meteorological Organization. Canada is a very valued international collaborator and partner in meteorological matters and, of course, as you well know, on climate science and also other atmospheric science areas. Eureka is a very important resource, as is our centre in Alert, Nunavut, which is the most northern research facility of its kind.
Of course, we do a lot of work around long-term measurement of greenhouse gases, short-lived climate pollutants, persistent organic pollutants and ozone. The assets we have in the north are important, and it's critically important that we continue to invest in those, as is featured in the estimates before you.
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Liberal
Lloyd Longfield Liberal Guelph, ON
Thank you.
In sharing the infrastructure with universities and with researchers, there's quite the collaboration that goes on there. I mean, congratulations. I was blown away when I went up there, but I also saw it can be ignored because it's in the high Arctic—out of sight, out of mind. It's absolutely critical for the global fight on climate change.
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Deputy Minister, Department of the Environment
I appreciate your bringing that forward.
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Liberal
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Liberal
Chris Bittle Liberal St. Catharines, ON
I do.
Sorry for the back-and-forth, Mr. Chair. I thought it was Mr. Longfield's turn.
I guess Mr. Hallman got cut off from my analogy about Centre Block and West Block. I guess to close that loop was my analogy with respect to the heritage buildings that we're familiar with. Maybe that's not a fair question, but was that an accurate analogy for the Parks Canada issues that you described?
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President and Chief Executive Officer, Parks Canada Agency
Well, Mr. Chair, I would be reluctant to comment about the parliamentary precinct in general, because I'm not involved with that. However, as an analogy of not knowing what you're dealing with until you get in behind a wall or into the plumbing or underground, particularly with a heritage building that is an iconic and treasured asset for the nation, I think it's a very good point and very relevant to a lot of the assets that we are dealing with on behalf of Canadians.
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Liberal
Chris Bittle Liberal St. Catharines, ON
Thank you so much.
One of my colleagues mentioned that COVID-19 has really made us understand the importance of nature. I'm wondering if someone can speak, with respect to Parks Canada, about what the agency is doing to support the government's commitment to increasing urban parks across the country?
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President and Chief Executive Officer, Parks Canada Agency
I would like to pass the floor to Darlene Upton.
She is our relevant VP who is leading the charge on our work on urban parks.
May 12th, 2021 / 6:40 p.m.
Darlene Upton Vice-President, Protected Areas Establishment and Conservation, Parks Canada Agency
As is noted, the Government of Canada committed to expanding Canadians' access to nature by creating a system of national urban parks. Those will have positive benefits for biodiversity, climate, connecting people to nature, reconciliation, and equitability as well. There are a number of possible sites that are going to be of interest. We've had several interested proponents approach Parks Canada already to discuss that with us. A formal process for selecting the sites has not been set up yet, but we're using the results of the minister's round table consultation, which dealt with urban parks, to inform our process, as well as the meetings we're having with various proponents.
Thank you, Mr. Chair.
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Liberal
The Chair Liberal Francis Scarpaleggia
Thank you.
I'd be remiss if I didn't mention that another spot I can see from my window—a green space around Trudeau airport—is an item of interest for a local group here. I just thought I'd mention that because they've been working with me a bit.
Yes, Mr. Hallman.
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President and Chief Executive Officer, Parks Canada Agency
Thank you, Mr. Chair.
If I could reveal a bit of an agenda in calling upon Ms. Upton to answer that question, I wonder if I might acknowledge that Darlene has, as of yesterday, completed 25 consecutive years of service to the Parks Canada agency.
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President and Chief Executive Officer, Parks Canada Agency
She's a remarkable leader who has made a remarkable contribution to Canada, and we thank her for everything she has done.
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Liberal
The Chair Liberal Francis Scarpaleggia
Yes, we do. Thank you for bringing that up.
Well, that brings our meeting to a close. I thank the witnesses who have been kind enough to come before us today and answer questions.