Environment Committee on Nov. 4th, 2024

[The Chair, Liberal, Francis Scarpaleggia]

—so that's where we're headed.

We'll go to Ms. Taylor Roy and then Mr. Leslie.

[Leah Taylor Roy, Liberal, Aurora—Oak Ridges—Richmond Hill, ON]

Thank you.

The subamendment I'd like to make—

[The Chair, Liberal, Francis Scarpaleggia]

It's an amendment.

[Leah Taylor Roy, Liberal, Aurora—Oak Ridges—Richmond Hill, ON]

Yes, it's an amendment.

If Madame Pauzé has withdrawn hers, then I'd like to amend it to say, “That this study begin the first meeting following the adoption of this motion”, because if the minister is here next week to talk about this issue, we need to start this study on Wednesday.

My amendment just says, “That this study begin the first meeting following the adoption of this motion” rather than “within seven days”.

[The Chair, Liberal, Francis Scarpaleggia]

That's what we were intending to do anyway. We can make that amendment.

[Leah Taylor Roy, Liberal, Aurora—Oak Ridges—Richmond Hill, ON]

I just wanted it to be clear this is what we're doing, as opposed to “seven days”.

[The Chair, Liberal, Francis Scarpaleggia]

Okay.

How do we feel about Madam Taylor Roy's amendment? This is what we're going to do anyway, so do we need to have a vote? Do we agree?

[Laurel Collins, NDP, Victoria, BC]

Mr. Chair—

[The Chair, Liberal, Francis Scarpaleggia]

Is it on division?

[Laurel Collins, NDP, Victoria, BC]

Mr. Chair—

[The Chair, Liberal, Francis Scarpaleggia]

Do you want to speak to Ms. Taylor Roy's amendment?

[Laurel Collins, NDP, Victoria, BC]

I do.

[The Chair, Liberal, Francis Scarpaleggia]

Go ahead.

[Laurel Collins, NDP, Victoria, BC]

Mr. Chair, I'd like to do a subamendment, I guess.

I've only heard Madam Taylor Roy's amendment verbally, but the intention behind my subamendment would be to say that we start the first session of this study on Wednesday and that the timing of the rest of the prestudy be determined at the next subcommittee meeting. That way we do not have to spend the next hour debating what is happening.

My big concern is that we not push the study on contamination in Fort Chipewyan back even further. I would really love it if we could maybe get behind the idea of having one session of this prestudy start on Wednesday, when we have the minister here. Then we can determine the timing of the rest of the prestudy at the next subcommittee meeting.

[The Chair, Liberal, Francis Scarpaleggia]

Okay, but what I think, though, is that the 18th is already spoken for. The 20th is spoken for. The committee has agreed that on the 18th we'll do the net-zero accelerator. On the 20th we have the commissioner.

What's the meeting after the 20th...?

I would suggest that we should finish this one hour that's left on the finance study. We should do that on the 25th. Maybe we can do an hour of committee business after that, on the 25th. Scheduling a subcommittee meeting basically kills a committee meeting. We have to use the same time slot, essentially.

What I would suggest, which I think would respond to your wishes, is that on the 25th we have the officials back, if they're available, from ECCC and finance, for the hour that they can't do today. In the second hour of that meeting, we can do committee business in camera.

[Laurel Collins, NDP, Victoria, BC]

Mr. Chair, could we tack on an extra hour to one of our meetings? That way we won't lose an hour.

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

Hang on. Can we just—

[The Chair, Liberal, Francis Scarpaleggia]

That's what I'm proposing.

Can we vote that this is what we do?

[Some hon. members]

Yes.

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

Hang on. I want to talk about—

[Laurel Collins, NDP, Victoria, BC]

Mr. Chair, I think we had an amendment, and then I just did a subamendment. Are you proposing another amendment—

[The Chair, Liberal, Francis Scarpaleggia]

Well, are there any more speakers?

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

I want to speak to Laurel's—

[The Chair, Liberal, Francis Scarpaleggia]

Okay, go ahead.

I will let the witnesses go, but we'll be back in touch with an alternative date.

Thank you.

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

If I understand, Ms. Collins, all you were talking about was bringing the minister in for one hour this Wednesday, and then that way we haven't lost a slot and we haven't lost an opportunity to talk to the minister. Then we could decide what we're going to do after that and continue as usual.

I think that was a very reasonable approach and I would support that approach .