Environment Committee on June 6th, 2024

[The Chair, Liberal, Francis Scarpaleggia]

Through the chair, please. That's why they say “through the chair”, so we don't get into arguments.

[Adam van Koeverden, Liberal, Milton, ON]

Thank you very much, Mr. Chair.

I'd like to just resume by addressing some things that I've noticed on this committee today. There are members—

[Shannon Stubbs, Conservative, Lakeland, AB]

You visited Epcor. It wasn't an oil sands company, to be clear.

[Adam van Koeverden, Liberal, Milton, ON]

I'm proud that every single MP can appear at a committee. I think it's really very important. I find it disheartening that members who have oil and gas lobbyists in their families arrive here to have conversations with the oil execs their partners lobby. That's really very challenging, from an ethics perspective, for me.

I also have a challenge with Mr. Corson saying there's been no impact—

[Shannon Stubbs, Conservative, Lakeland, AB]

I have a point of order, Chair. Can I just ask about the rules—

[The Chair, Liberal, Francis Scarpaleggia]

We'll take a little time out for a point of order.

Mrs. Stubbs.

[Shannon Stubbs, Conservative, Lakeland, AB]

Yes.

Can I just ask you a question? What are the parameters within committee in the case of members getting very close to defamation, which a tax lawyer and accountant might want to pursue?

[Adam van Koeverden, Liberal, Milton, ON]

I didn't say his name.

[Shannon Stubbs, Conservative, Lakeland, AB]

Yes, you did. You said my husband earlier, so we're not going to play that game.

[The Chair, Liberal, Francis Scarpaleggia]

Just a second, that's an interesting question.

[Adam van Koeverden, Liberal, Milton, ON]

I did not say your husband.

[Shannon Stubbs, Conservative, Lakeland, AB]

Yes, you did. You started off in your first round, when you talked about my husband.

[Adam van Koeverden, Liberal, Milton, ON]

It wasn't me.

[An hon. member]

It wasn't him.

[An hon. member]

Yes, you did.

[Shannon Stubbs, Conservative, Lakeland, AB]

Was it Patrick Weiler?

[An hon. member]

Yes, it was.

[Shannon Stubbs, Conservative, Lakeland, AB]

Yes, you did. You said it, and it's on record.

Chair, that's just my question.

[The Chair, Liberal, Francis Scarpaleggia]

What's your question?

[Shannon Stubbs, Conservative, Lakeland, AB]

If a tax lawyer, who is also an accountant and a principal of a business, who is a silver medallist and clerked at the Tax Court of Canada and wrote many precedent decisions...? If a member was here making comparisons or assertions about the person's role or job, what are the rules around whether or not those would be actionable?

[The Chair, Liberal, Francis Scarpaleggia]

I don't know. I would have to consult legal services.

[Shannon Stubbs, Conservative, Lakeland, AB]

Okay. We'll follow up later maybe.

[The Chair, Liberal, Francis Scarpaleggia]

Let's just maybe veer away from—

[Shannon Stubbs, Conservative, Lakeland, AB]

Certainly all Albertans are definitely proud of the groundbreaking, pioneering lifeline of investment to the indigenous communities and all those local communities on that groundbreaking project.

[The Chair, Liberal, Francis Scarpaleggia]

Let's stick to emissions.

Mr. van Koeverden.