Environment Committee on Nov. 25th, 2020

[Peter Schiefke, Liberal, Vaudreuil—Soulanges, QC]

Yes.

[The Chair, Liberal, Francis Scarpaleggia]

The presentation of the economic statement is at 4 p.m., and I think the speech will take about 45 minutes.

[Peter Schiefke, Liberal, Vaudreuil—Soulanges, QC]

That's usually the case, but we don't know exactly.

[The Chair, Liberal, Francis Scarpaleggia]

Do the members of the committee want to meet at 3:15 p.m., have a break and resume the meeting after the speech on the economic statement?

[Monique Pauzé, Bloc, Repentigny, QC]

Yes.

[Raj Saini, Liberal, Kitchener Centre, ON]

I think it would be better if we just stopped the meeting, because obviously, it can be a very important speech and we're all interested in the snapshot.

[Matt Jeneroux, Conservative, Edmonton Riverbend, AB]

Mr. Chair—

[The Chair, Liberal, Francis Scarpaleggia]

Mr. Jeneroux, I'll get to you in a moment.

Okay, then basically we would just not have a meeting, and I think the minister is coming on Wednesday, so we would have to meet on the report the following Monday—that type of thing.

We'd have to work it out somehow.

Mr. Jeneroux.

[Matt Jeneroux, Conservative, Edmonton Riverbend, AB]

Thanks, Mr. Chair.

I know from previous committees that typically the first meeting concerns instructions for the analyst. Is that essentially the purpose of the meeting on Monday?

[The Chair, Liberal, Francis Scarpaleggia]

Yes, it is.

[Matt Jeneroux, Conservative, Edmonton Riverbend, AB]

In some committees I've been on in the past, that's often just a 15-minute meeting. I'm not sure we need the full time.

[The Chair, Liberal, Francis Scarpaleggia]

I want to discuss the witnesses for the CEPA study, the enforcement study, so I think we do need some time.

Are there any other comments?

[Peter Schiefke, Liberal, Vaudreuil—Soulanges, QC]

Obviously, I brought it up. I think it's a non-partisan issue to be able to be there to hear what the Minister of Finance has to report. There might be some aspects to it that touch us as a committee, so it might be interesting for us to be able to devote our time to what the Minister of Finance is going to be putting forward.

If Mr. Jeneroux says that we can get it done in 15 minutes based on his experience—

[The Chair, Liberal, Francis Scarpaleggia]

Personally, I don't think we're going to be able to get it done in a short time. What if you left it with me and the clerk and I can consult Madame Pauzé, Ms. Collins and Mr. Redekopp after the clerk has given me some options?

I think there's a willingness to listen to the speech. Members want to be at the speech, and we can't do all the work that we want to do in 15 or 20 minutes. I don't think that's possible.

Mr. Jeneroux, I agree that sometimes it can be, but we have to talk about witnesses. Therefore, would you leave it with me and I'll discuss it with the clerk and with the members of the steering committee?

[Joël Godin, Conservative, Portneuf—Jacques-Cartier, QC]

I have a suggestion for you, Mr. Chair.

[The Chair, Liberal, Francis Scarpaleggia]

Go ahead.

[Joël Godin, Conservative, Portneuf—Jacques-Cartier, QC]

Given the situation, we don't know what will happen next Monday. Today is Wednesday. I think my colleague Mr. Schiefke has raised a very important point. Wouldn't it be appropriate to postpone Monday's meeting until Wednesday. It's a domino effect. That would be obvious for everyone.

We're talking about holding a 15-minute meeting. I think it can be done, but you say the meeting may be longer since it will be the first. I understand and respect that, but wouldn't it be easier for everyone, in the circumstances, to decide now to cancel Monday's meeting and reschedule it for Wednesday?

[The Chair, Liberal, Francis Scarpaleggia]

The minister will be meeting with us on Wednesday. So that will depend on...

[Joël Godin, Conservative, Portneuf—Jacques-Cartier, QC]

So we could postpone the meeting on the report until the following Monday.

[The Chair, Liberal, Francis Scarpaleggia]

I have an idea. Mr. Jeneroux may be right. We could meet for at least 45 minutes to debate certain matters. Then we could adjourn the meeting and see what we have managed to accomplish in those 45 minutes.

[Joël Godin, Conservative, Portneuf—Jacques-Cartier, QC]

That's a good idea.

[The Chair, Liberal, Francis Scarpaleggia]

As a result of doing nothing...

Yes, Ms. O'Connell.

[Jennifer O'Connell, Liberal, Pickering—Uxbridge, ON]

Mr. Chair, I don't mean to interrupt. I just think it might be difficult even to meet in those 45 minutes—because some members will be in person and some will be virtual—and then coming back to connect.

[The Chair, Liberal, Francis Scarpaleggia]

Yes, okay.

[Jennifer O'Connell, Liberal, Pickering—Uxbridge, ON]

In fairness, all parties will have opportunities to make statements and speak afterwards. I'm sure that nobody has really figured out who is doing what on that day and so, in fairness, Mr. Godin's point about maybe just moving it to the following Monday would be the easiest so that we don't run into issues.