Evidence of meeting #125 for Environment and Sustainable Development in the 44th Parliament, 1st Session. (The original version is on Parliament’s site, as are the minutes.) The winning word was witnesses.
A recording is available from Parliament.
Liberal
Adam van Koeverden Liberal Milton, ON
What I said was “once the inquiry has commenced”, because there's an inquiry on the way.
Liberal
Leah Taylor Roy Liberal Aurora—Oak Ridges—Richmond Hill, ON
We need to look at it, I think, so maybe after it is finished.
Liberal
The Chair Liberal Francis Scarpaleggia
Okay, so it's “after the inquiry is completed”.
What's the formal name of the inquiry?
Liberal
Leah Taylor Roy Liberal Aurora—Oak Ridges—Richmond Hill, ON
It's the investigation into the 2024 Jasper wildfire complex.
Liberal
The Chair Liberal Francis Scarpaleggia
Okay, so it's “after the investigation is completed”. That's what we're voting on.
Are we ready for a vote on this? We're voting on changing “October 21 and 23” to “after the investigation is completed”; I don't have the exact wording.
Conservative
Dane Lloyd Conservative Sturgeon River—Parkland, AB
Are they investigating it themselves? No thanks; that's a hard pass.
Liberal
The Chair Liberal Francis Scarpaleggia
Wait a second. I'm just trying to summarize what the amendment is.
If we want to debate that even further, I can add people to the list, or we can vote on it.
Conservative
Liberal
The Chair Liberal Francis Scarpaleggia
Do we want to vote on the subamendment? Okay.
(Subamendment negatived: nays 6; yeas 5 [See Minutes of Proceedings])
We're back to the original amendment. We had Mr. Soroka and Ms. Taylor Roy on the list to speak to the amendment.
Mr. Soroka, do you still want to speak to the amendment?
Liberal
The Chair Liberal Francis Scarpaleggia
Ms. Taylor Roy, do you still want to speak to the amendment, the one that mentions October 21 and October 23?
Liberal
Leah Taylor Roy Liberal Aurora—Oak Ridges—Richmond Hill, ON
This is simply to say that I think we've raised concerns that we may not be able to get the right witnesses or the witnesses who have been requested for those dates. In the past, the government has been accused of delays or whatever. We're saying right now that it's unreasonable to ask indigenous witnesses who are experts in this area to come by that date, and likewise for the minister and the officials, since he has just been appointed to this position and has not even started to look at this issue.
My concern is, once again, that these dates are going to be put out there and perhaps the clerk can't get the witnesses by then. Why are we setting ourselves up for this? I don't quite understand. I mean, maybe it's another political game. I'm not sure, but I think it's unwise to do so.
Conservative
Dan Mazier Conservative Dauphin—Swan River—Neepawa, MB
Chair, I just wanted to make sure this is clear. I want to fully condemn the comments that my colleague referred to. None of us were aware of these comments, and we fully condemn these unacceptable statements. I also want to say that death threats are fully unacceptable in any form. No one should be subjected to this behaviour. I know this because I have received death threats myself.
I just wanted to make sure this was on the record, Chair.
Thank you.
Liberal
The Chair Liberal Francis Scarpaleggia
It's noted.
We have the amendment to the motion. We have to vote on the amendment.
I just need some guidance as your chair, because Ms. Taylor Roy, and maybe it was Mr. van Koeverden as well, raised an important point. What if we can't get the required witnesses by the 21st and the 23rd? What do you want me to do?
Conservative
Liberal
Liberal
Conservative
Dane Lloyd Conservative Sturgeon River—Parkland, AB
Mr. Chair, I just wanted to address the concern that you had.
We have numerous witnesses who are ready to come, including a fire expert from Treaty Six First Nations, who can testify on these things.
Liberal
Adam van Koeverden Liberal Milton, ON
I have a point of order, Mr. Chair.
It's convenient that the people who knew they were going to put this motion on the table have witnesses in their back pocket.
