Evidence of meeting #39 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 chair.

A video is available from Parliament.

On the agenda

MPs speaking

Also speaking

Émilie Thivierge  Legislative Clerk
Vincent Ngan  Director General, Horizontal Policy, Engagement and Coordination, Department of the Environment
John Moffet  Assistant Deputy Minister, Environmental Protection Branch, Department of the Environment
Clerk of the Committee  Ms. Angela Crandall
Samuel Millar  Director General, Corporate Finance, Natural Resources and Environment, Economic Development and Corporate Finance, Department of Finance

5:40 p.m.

Liberal

The Chair Liberal Francis Scarpaleggia

Okay, I see that no—

Ms. Pauzé, do you have your hand up?

5:40 p.m.

Bloc

Monique Pauzé Bloc Repentigny, QC

Yes, I do, Mr. Chair.

I cannot let what happened before the meeting was suspended stand without saying something.

I want to make three things clear.

First, during the last vote, Ms. Saks was not able to vote. She even raised her hand when we were in the process of voting.

Was her vote recorded properly?

5:40 p.m.

Liberal

The Chair Liberal Francis Scarpaleggia

Are you referring to the vote on your amendment?

5:40 p.m.

Bloc

Monique Pauzé Bloc Repentigny, QC

I'm referring to the vote on your ruling.

5:40 p.m.

Liberal

The Chair Liberal Francis Scarpaleggia

You mean the ruling regarding the admissibility of [Technical difficulty—Editor].

Are you saying that her vote was not counted or that it should have been counted?

5:40 p.m.

Bloc

Monique Pauzé Bloc Repentigny, QC

She raised her hand while we were voting. Did she vote? Was her hand up? Was her vote recorded?

5:40 p.m.

Liberal

The Chair Liberal Francis Scarpaleggia

It was a recorded vote, was it not?

5:40 p.m.

Bloc

Monique Pauzé Bloc Repentigny, QC

Precisely.

5:40 p.m.

Liberal

The Chair Liberal Francis Scarpaleggia

Madam Clerk, was Ms. Saks's vote recorded?

5:40 p.m.

Legislative Clerk

Émilie Thivierge

Yes, I recorded it.

5:40 p.m.

Liberal

The Chair Liberal Francis Scarpaleggia

All right, then.

5:40 p.m.

Bloc

Monique Pauzé Bloc Repentigny, QC

Okay.

Second, I do not understand why the Bloc Québécois's amendment was ruled inadmissible. The law clerks looked at it before it was included in the package.

5:40 p.m.

Liberal

The Chair Liberal Francis Scarpaleggia

I can't speak to that, because my opinion is based on the advice of the legislative clerks.

Regardless, a decision has been made. I ruled the amendment inadmissible.

You appealed the ruling, it was put to a vote, and my ruling was sustained.

What is the third point you wanted to raise, Ms. Pauzé?

5:40 p.m.

Bloc

Monique Pauzé Bloc Repentigny, QC

My third point has to do with what you said about the amendment relating to money.

Subclause 21(1) of Bill C-12 reads as follows:The Governor in Council appoints the members of the advisory body on the recommendation of the Minister and fixes their remuneration.

All the Bloc Québécois's amendment would change is the wording “on the recommendation of the Minister”, replacing it with the wording “on the recommendation of the Standing Committee on Environment and Sustainable Development”. Then, it goes back—

5:40 p.m.

Liberal

The Chair Liberal Francis Scarpaleggia

That is the crux of the problem. The fact that you are changing—

5:40 p.m.

Bloc

Monique Pauzé Bloc Repentigny, QC

Yes, but it does not require any more money.

5:40 p.m.

Liberal

The Chair Liberal Francis Scarpaleggia

The money is not at issue; the principle is. It relates to the government's prerogative to legislate on remuneration. As a committee, we cannot take it upon ourselves to exercise that prerogative; nor can the House of Commons. Therein lies the rub.

5:40 p.m.

Bloc

Monique Pauzé Bloc Repentigny, QC

My understanding was that the Governor in Council was more or less the same as the government. In our view, the Governor in Council is not the one who should make recommendations.

5:40 p.m.

Liberal

The Chair Liberal Francis Scarpaleggia

Your amendment takes away from the Governor in Council—

June 9th, 2021 / 5:40 p.m.

Liberal

Lloyd Longfield Liberal Guelph, ON

I have a point of order, Mr. Chair. Haven't we already voted on this ruling? Can we proceed with the meeting?

5:40 p.m.

Liberal

The Chair Liberal Francis Scarpaleggia

Yes, we have.

Unfortunately, Ms. Pauzé, that is the answer.

We must move on because the committee has dealt with the matter.

Where are we?

5:40 p.m.

Liberal

Lloyd Longfield Liberal Guelph, ON

We're on CPC-18.

5:40 p.m.

Liberal

Yvan Baker Liberal Etobicoke Centre, ON

Mr. Chair—

5:40 p.m.

Liberal

The Chair Liberal Francis Scarpaleggia

We're at CPC-18.

Mr. Albas, do you want to propose that?

5:40 p.m.

Conservative

Dan Albas Conservative Central Okanagan—Similkameen—Nicola, BC

I'm sorry. Whatever you said, Mr. Chair, was totally inaudible on the English channel.