Environment Committee on June 21st, 2021

[Lenore Zann, Liberal, Cumberland—Colchester, NS]

Mr. Chair, could I just say a very quick thank you to everybody who supported the bill? To the Bloq Québécois, to the NDP and to all of my Liberal comrades, I want to say thank you so much. This is an historic day on National Indigenous Peoples Day.

Thank you.

[The Chair, Liberal, Francis Scarpaleggia]

Thank you, Ms. Zann. Those comments are appreciated.

I see Ms. McLeod has her hand up.

[Cathy McLeod, Conservative, Kamloops—Thompson—Cariboo, BC]

Thank you, Chair.

As you are aware, we started to debate the motion that I presented in the last meeting about unanimous consent to table the plastics report as written. I think some of my colleagues felt that they needed the weekend to review and look at the report in more detail. As we know, the House rises Wednesday, so if we want to be respectful of the witnesses.... I know it is unusual. There are some minor changes that I might have made, but I think we should all agree that the report was very well done.

[Lloyd Longfield, Liberal, Guelph, ON]

I have a point of order, Mr. Chair.

[The Chair, Liberal, Francis Scarpaleggia]

Excuse me just a second. I'm pausing the meeting.

[The Chair, Liberal, Francis Scarpaleggia]

The bells are ringing. That means I need unanimous consent to continue our discussion before we go to the vote in the House.

Is there unanimous consent to keep discussing and not go to the House right now, technically speaking, to vote?

In other words, I need unanimous consent to continue this discussion. Otherwise we have to come back after the vote. I'll let you know now; we don't have resources after 5:30, so there's a hard stop at 5:30.

[Ya'ara Saks, Liberal, York Centre, ON]

Mr. Chair, there's no unanimous consent.

[The Chair, Liberal, Francis Scarpaleggia]

Okay, so we'll come back after the vote, if it's not 5:30.

[Lloyd Longfield, Liberal, Guelph, ON]

My point of order was that that discussion was during committee business, which was in camera, and we're not in camera now.

[Cathy McLeod, Conservative, Kamloops—Thompson—Cariboo, BC]

I think I would look for the chair's ruling on whether it's appropriate because—

[Lloyd Longfield, Liberal, Guelph, ON]

That's why I was making a point of order.

[The Chair, Liberal, Francis Scarpaleggia]

Either way, we'll have to come back after the vote, if there's time. If it's 5:30, we can't come back, and the meeting is over. We have no choice.

Thank you. We'll suspend.

[The Chair, Liberal, Francis Scarpaleggia]

We'll resume now.

I think, Mrs. McLeod, you were in the middle of saying something when we had to go vote.

[Cathy McLeod, Conservative, Kamloops—Thompson—Cariboo, BC]

Yes. Thank you, Mr. Chair.

Of course, we know we're coming to the end of our term, and we have a lot of work that's been done on a plastics study, so I'm looking to see if we could perhaps have unanimous consent to table the study as it is written.

[Ya'ara Saks, Liberal, York Centre, ON]

Mr. Chair, I've already indicated that there isn't unanimous consent.

[The Chair, Liberal, Francis Scarpaleggia]

I understand.

There isn't unanimous consent, as you can see, Mrs. McLeod.

[Cathy McLeod, Conservative, Kamloops—Thompson—Cariboo, BC]

Then perhaps if I revise the motion and just ask that we table the—

[The Chair, Liberal, Francis Scarpaleggia]

I'd caution you not to talk about any motion that was discussed in camera.

What you could do—this is what the clerk has told me—is ask that the committee now start discussing the topic of the plastics report. We could vote on that. There would be no debate. It would be a vote.

If for some reason it were accepted that we should start talking about the plastics study, then the next step would be to move a substantive motion. I think what you have in mind is to say, “Let's adopt the report.”

The first step, I'm told—

[Cathy McLeod, Conservative, Kamloops—Thompson—Cariboo, BC]

Mr. Chair, you know what? Clearly, with eight minutes left in this meeting, I believe there is really an unwillingness to finish the unfinished business, so I will move to adjourn.

[The Chair, Liberal, Francis Scarpaleggia]

Okay, we'll vote on that.

Before we vote, I'm told you're not seeking re-election, Mrs. McLeod, so this is actually your last committee meeting. Is that true?

[Cathy McLeod, Conservative, Kamloops—Thompson—Cariboo, BC]

It is, Chair, thank you. It's been short but sweet.

[The Chair, Liberal, Francis Scarpaleggia]

I've enjoyed serving with you in the House, and you're a really strong debater and advocate for your constituents, so I wish you all the best.

[Dan Albas, Conservative, Central Okanagan—Similkameen—Nicola, BC]

Hear, hear.

[The Chair, Liberal, Francis Scarpaleggia]

We'll vote on Mrs. McLeod's motion to adjourn.

(Motion agreed to)

Thank you very much. The meeting is adjourned.