Environment Committee on Sept. 18th, 2024

[Tara Shannon]

I'll turn it over to Marie‑Josée Couture.

[Marie-Josée Couture, Acting Director General, Canadian Wildlife Service, Department of the Environment]

Thank you for the question.

We have indeed co‑operated with the Government of Quebec. We've made two agreements with them. There was an agreement in 2018, then another in 2019, which lasted until 2022. Under those agreements, we supported activities undertaken by the Government of Quebec in connection with caribou. We supported those activities pending the development of the strategy. There are many types of activities that have been financially supported by the Government of Canada.

[Sophie Chatel, Liberal, Pontiac, QC]

You have previously made agreements with Quebec. That involves negotiation and co‑operation. Where are you now in the agreements and the discussions with your fellow public servants on the Quebec side?

[Marie-Josée Couture]

The minister mentioned it earlier. We resumed negotiations in 2022 to reach a new agreement. Those negotiations were suspended pending the tabling of the strategy that Quebec had announced. Discussions between officials still continued, but not at the same pace as before, since the strategy expected of the Government of Quebec was a key part of those negotiations.

[Sophie Chatel, Liberal, Pontiac, QC]

That's great.

In some of the testimony we heard at the committee, we sense the concern of people living in these communities who are worried about their jobs and their future. We've heard a lot of anxiety about how governments are actually ensuring the sustainability of the forest.

Do you have a timeline for when that order will be enacted, and can you share it with us? Where are you in the process? What are the next steps? When exactly will the decisions be made?

[Tara Shannon]

The consultation period closed formally the day we got this, last Sunday, the 15th. We need to undertake an analysis of all the input. The minister described that previously there has been a lot of input across all sectors, so we will be preparing a what-we-heard report.

As the minister indicated, the development of an order itself takes some time. We're talking about months. We don't have an exact timeline at the moment. I can just say that this is a process of months.

[Sophie Chatel, Liberal, Pontiac, QC]

If Quebec comes up with a solution and a plan during that period, the order could be withdrawn. Is that correct?

[The Chair, Liberal, Francis Scarpaleggia]

Could we have a quick answer on this?

If the Quebec government comes forward with a plan, the decree may not go ahead. I think that's the question. Is that correct?

[Tara Shannon]

Yes.

[The Chair, Liberal, Francis Scarpaleggia]

That brings round one to a close. We'll now go to a second round of five minutes.

Mr. Mazier, you have the floor.

[Dan Mazier, Conservative, Dauphin—Swan River—Neepawa, MB]

Mr. Hermanutz, on May 10 Minister Guilbeault recommended that an emergency order be made. Is this correct, yes or no?

[Derek Hermanutz, Director General, Economic Analysis Directorate, Department of the Environment]

I'll defer to my colleague.

[Dan Mazier, Conservative, Dauphin—Swan River—Neepawa, MB]

Ms. Shannon, go ahead.

[Tara Shannon]

I don't have the timeline in front of me at the moment, but yes, in the month of May, the minister did make a finding that there was an imminent threat facing the boreal caribou in Quebec.

[Dan Mazier, Conservative, Dauphin—Swan River—Neepawa, MB]

The emergency order was made. Okay. Thank you.

On June 19, the Liberal government announced it would move forward with an emergency order. Is this correct, yes or no?

[Tara Shannon]

There was a notification published on June 19 that the government was proceeding with a regulatory process, yes.

[Dan Mazier, Conservative, Dauphin—Swan River—Neepawa, MB]

It was an emergency order consultation, yes.

Mr. Hermanutz, is the government considering prohibiting road construction through this emergency order?

[Derek Hermanutz]

I will defer to my colleague.

[Tara Shannon]

The issue of roads and the closure of roads would be one thing that would be under consideration in the context of the development of an order. The order has not been developed.

[Dan Mazier, Conservative, Dauphin—Swan River—Neepawa, MB]

Roads are being considered.

[Tara Shannon]

It could be one of the things considered, yes.

[Dan Mazier, Conservative, Dauphin—Swan River—Neepawa, MB]

You're considering prohibiting road construction through this order. Okay.

Is this government considering prohibiting the expansion of existing roads through this emergency order, yes or no?

[Tara Shannon]

Perhaps, Mr. Chair, I'll just indicate that the issue of roads with respect to caribou would be a subject in the consideration of an order. That would be all aspects of roads in the context of critical habitat for boreal caribou.

Again, these issues would need to be determined and defined through the development of an actual emergency order.

[Dan Mazier, Conservative, Dauphin—Swan River—Neepawa, MB]

So they are considering prohibiting road construction through this emergency order.

[Tara Shannon]

The order has not been developed yet.