Evidence of meeting #36 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 target.
A video is available from Parliament.
4:20 p.m.
Liberal
The Chair Liberal Francis Scarpaleggia
Unless otherwise advised by committee members, we will proceed with amendment G-8.
Ms. Saks will propose the amendment.
4:20 p.m.
Conservative
Dan Albas Conservative Central Okanagan—Similkameen—Nicola, BC
Before we move on, Mr. Chair, I have a quick question on process. Will we be going back to BQ-10, or for all intents and purposes is Madam Michaud done?
4:20 p.m.
Liberal
4:20 p.m.
Conservative
Dan Albas Conservative Central Okanagan—Similkameen—Nicola, BC
I thought there was some talk about going ahead and then perhaps coming back.
I see that Madam Michaud is saying, no, there's no intent. Okay.
4:20 p.m.
Green
Elizabeth May Green Saanich—Gulf Islands, BC
Perhaps I could have some clarity too, Mr. Chair.
How would my subsequent amendments to clause 10 be affected by adopting G-8?
4:20 p.m.
Liberal
The Chair Liberal Francis Scarpaleggia
Are you talking about PV-15, for example?
I see. You have quite a few subsequent amendments. I have no note here saying that if G-8 carries, this happens, and I'm going by what the legislative clerks are telling me. I don't see any impact at this stage.
If anyone disagrees among the clerks, please let me know.
We'll go to Ms. Saks to propose G-8.
4:20 p.m.
Liberal
Ya'ara Saks Liberal York Centre, ON
Thank you, Mr. Chair.
Thank you, colleagues.
Mr. Chair, I'm pleased to introduce a motion to amend subclause 10(1) of the Canadian net-zero emissions accountability act.
This motion requires the emissions reduction plan to contain, among other things, a summary of Canada's most recent official GHG emissions inventory, known as the NIR, and a description of how Canada's international commitments with respect to climate change were taken into account in the plan.
4:20 p.m.
Liberal
The Chair Liberal Francis Scarpaleggia
Thank you.
Is there any discussion?
Seeing none, we will go to the vote.
4:20 p.m.
Conservative
Dan Albas Conservative Central Okanagan—Similkameen—Nicola, BC
Wait. Just before you do, Mr. Chair, I want to ask Mr. Moffet what effect adopting amendment G-8 will have on the bill.
4:20 p.m.
Assistant Deputy Minister, Environmental Protection Branch, Department of the Environment
The amendment would require that the plan contain certain elements. These elements could have been included in each plan. This simply provides more prescription to ensure that each plan includes each of these elements.
4:20 p.m.
Conservative
Dan Albas Conservative Central Okanagan—Similkameen—Nicola, BC
Okay.
With regard to the actual changes to the bill, though, are these all things that the government could already do? This just gives it a little bit more meat on the bone, so to speak. It's a more prescriptive approach rather than an expansive approach. Is that correct?
4:20 p.m.
Assistant Deputy Minister, Environmental Protection Branch, Department of the Environment
Yes. It's more prescriptive to ensure that the government of the day preparing the plan includes each of these elements so Canadians can be confident that each plan will at a minimum contain each of these elements.
4:25 p.m.
Liberal
Ya'ara Saks Liberal York Centre, ON
Thank you, Mr. Chair.
Just to clarify for Mr. Albas and for my colleagues and for the benefit of those who are interested in this amendment, it includes projected timetables for the implementation. As well, for each of the measures and the strategies, it includes projections of annual GHG emissions reductions resulting from the plans, combined with measures and strategies, as well as a summary of the co-operative measures or agreements with the provinces and other agreements the Government of Canada is involved in to recognize the role and the accountability of all governments in Canada.
That's just so we're clear on why I have put this forward.
4:25 p.m.
Conservative
Dan Albas Conservative Central Okanagan—Similkameen—Nicola, BC
I appreciate member Saks explaining her amendment again, but I'm just going to ask a couple of questions to Mr. Moffet.
First of all, let me say it's nice to see the government say that it actually wants to have a summary of provincial actions, although it seems that it's rather contained in proposed paragraph 10(1)(g) as “cooperative measures or agreements with provinces”.
For a future government of Canada, or this one, under this bill if it's enacted and passes through both Houses and becomes law, would proposed paragraph 10(1)(g) mean that the minister could only put information in on a summary of co-operative measures if both a province or territory and the Government of Canada agreed to them, and it would be limited to just that? Can you elaborate on what “agreements with provinces and other governments in Canada” means?
4:25 p.m.
Assistant Deputy Minister, Environmental Protection Branch, Department of the Environment
The short answer is no. The longer answer is that this is what has to be in it. It must contain a summary of key co-operative measures or agreements. It may contain—sorry, I have a dog interfering with the action here—descriptions of measures, initiatives and policies being undertaken by other governments in Canada.
The act is careful not to prescribe that any government other than the Government of Canada take action. That's different from what the Government of Canada can describe in its plan. It can describe what other governments have done or are planning to do.
Again, what proposed paragraph 10(1)(g) does is to require that every plan contain this.
4:25 p.m.
Conservative
Dan Albas Conservative Central Okanagan—Similkameen—Nicola, BC
Okay.
In regard to the bill itself and the amendment, though, this just adds, again, a prescriptive quality as to what must be in the bill. Nothing in here goes further than what Bill C-12 originally proposed. The minister could submit all of this information previously. Now it's just that the minister must.
Again, it's not beyond what the scope of Bill C-12 allowed a minister to do. Is that correct?
4:25 p.m.
Assistant Deputy Minister, Environmental Protection Branch, Department of the Environment
That's correct.
4:25 p.m.
Conservative
Dan Albas Conservative Central Okanagan—Similkameen—Nicola, BC
Okay. I just wanted to get that point across.
I'm also glad to hear that the dog you're referring to is your own and not that of someone on a parliamentary committee. I appreciate that.
Thank you.
4:25 p.m.
Conservative
Brad Redekopp Conservative Saskatoon West, SK
Thank you.
Mr. Moffet, I apologize. I probably should know this. It's relevant, I think, to possibly some future amendments.
It says here, in new proposed paragraph 10(1)(f), “including projections for each economic sector that is included in Canada's reports under the Convention”. Is there an easy way to tell me what those economic sectors are? If it's too complicated, I'm okay, but I don't know what they are and that would be helpful to me.
4:25 p.m.
Assistant Deputy Minister, Environmental Protection Branch, Department of the Environment
I'm sure there is, but I'd like to be precise. I'll need a few seconds to gather that information.
We do provide, in the NIR reporting, based on the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change guidelines that provide guidance on how countries should disaggregate their reports across different sources of emissions.... We have a fairly standardized way that we provide that. It includes things like agriculture, buildings and heavy industry.
I can get you the complete list in a few seconds. I apologize. I have some people working on that for me right now.