Environment Committee on Dec. 14th, 2021

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

Chair, you called the vote.

[The Chair, Liberal, Francis Scarpaleggia]

Yes, it's true. I did call the vote. I'm sorry.

Thanks, Mr. Albas. I'm glad we have you as vice-chair.

[The Clerk]

We'll now proceed to a recorded division on the motion of Ms. Laurel Collins.

[The Chair, Liberal, Francis Scarpaleggia]

(Motion agreed to: yeas 6; nays 5 [See Minutes of Proceedings])

[Lloyd Longfield, Liberal, Guelph, ON]

I have a point of clarification.

What happens in the case where a witness is not available?

[The Chair, Liberal, Francis Scarpaleggia]

Mr. Albas has a suggestion.

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

I think it's pretty clear that when the rule can't be made.... I believe the last part of the motion read something like, “that the chair and clerk consult with members of the subcommittee”. To me, that's a phone call or a text if we're not sitting, or just a casual conversation. I think the chair can make decisions.

[The Chair, Liberal, Francis Scarpaleggia]

We can work with that, as long as we don't have to have a meeting. If it's a phone call or a text or a casual conversation, I think we can make this work.

Thanks for the point of clarification, Mr. Longfield.

Are there any other proposals?

Ms. Collins.

[Laurel Collins, NDP, Victoria, BC]

I have a motion that is not a routine motion, which I was hoping to table and maybe refer to the subcommittee. I'm just wondering if now is the time to do that or if we wait.

[The Chair, Liberal, Francis Scarpaleggia]

Can we receive this motion? Yes, it's committee business.

Go ahead, Ms. Collins.

[Laurel Collins, NDP, Victoria, BC]

The motion reads:

That, for the second meeting of the committee, the committee invite the Commissioner of the Environment and Sustainable Development to provide a briefing on the office and role of the commissioner and the 2021 Fall Reports of the Commissioner of the Environment and Sustainable Development, and that the meeting be televised.

[The Chair, Liberal, Francis Scarpaleggia]

Is there debate?

[Laurel Collins, NDP, Victoria, BC]

Mr. Chair, my intention was really to table this—

[The Chair, Liberal, Francis Scarpaleggia]

And have the steering committee look at it.

[Laurel Collins, NDP, Victoria, BC]

Yes, but I just wanted to clarify it with you. I do want it to happen for the second meeting of the committee and to ensure that it would be possible if we are....

[The Chair, Liberal, Francis Scarpaleggia]

Here's what I was thinking. I was thinking of having a meeting of the steering committee next week.

Mr. Clerk, does it have to be in the same time slot as we are today? We have members from the west coast, and 11 o'clock—

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

It's fine.

[The Chair, Liberal, Francis Scarpaleggia]

Is that fine? Okay.

I was hoping to have a steering committee meeting next week sometime, maybe next Tuesday, when we could talk about future committee business, including this motion. However, my understanding is, Ms. Collins, that for this to happen in the second meeting of the committee, we would have to get a steering committee report to the full committee to adopt. I don't think it can happen on the second meeting of the committee, but maybe the third.

[Laurel Collins, NDP, Victoria, BC]

Just as a quick question, then, since we will not, what would happen in our second meeting of the committee if we have no plans and we don't have a steering committee until next week?

[The Chair, Liberal, Francis Scarpaleggia]

We would adopt the report of the steering committee or do something that we agree today to do.

Yes, Mr. Albas.

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

I think that Ms. Collins is right. We should have the environment commissioner. Those reports, there are a lot in them. I think this committee's first duty is to look at the work that has been done by the commissioner. I'm not opposed to our making that our second meeting, but we have had instances in other committees where the subcommittee met, and just with this in mind. Then perhaps the environment commissioner is aware that we wish to see him and to talk about those reports. Then it's just a matter of scheduling that second meeting.

I think we can have a subcommittee report where we start the business, as long as there is agreement from all parties that, in regard to the environment commissioner, because he will be waiting in the room for the adoption of that report, the expectation is that we wouldn't reject that report and then send him away. That would be a waste of time.

[The Chair, Liberal, Francis Scarpaleggia]

Basically, you're saying—and I'll get to you, Mr. Longfield, in a moment—let's de facto accept this idea for the second meeting and put it more formally in a subcommittee report, which we would adopt as the first thing on the second meeting. Basically, we're voting on your motion for the second meeting.

Mr. Longfield.

[Lloyd Longfield, Liberal, Guelph, ON]

I like the way the conversation is going, that the steering committee, which is actually the agenda and procedure committee, take a look at what we're going to be doing in the first meetings. I would like them to consider the water study that we were beginning and had done a lot of prep work on, and that it would be included in the priorities we look at for the upcoming meetings, and then get those scheduled in as well.

I think the group that will be getting together to look at our agenda needs to give us that report so that we can adopt it and follow the routine motions we've just adopted, and then have the commissioner in the wings. That would be, I think, a good way of economizing our time.

[The Chair, Liberal, Francis Scarpaleggia]

I want to specify that we are proposing today to consider Ms. Collins' motion at the first meeting of the subcommittee, which will take place next Tuesday at 11 o'clock.

Also, we agree that we are ready to receive the commissioner at our first meeting of the year 2022. We also agree to adopt the report of the steering committee before the commissioner appears at the committee. The adoption of this report will allow us to invite the commissioner to our second meeting.

If I understand correctly, we will vote on this proposal, and come to an agreement.

Mr. Albas, you have the floor.

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

Thank you, Mr. Chair.

I think everyone is being very collaborative here, and, quite honestly, if we're going to do this, let's just pass the motion because then we don't have the—