Evidence of meeting #131 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 chair.
A recording is available from Parliament.
Bloc
Conservative
The Vice-Chair Conservative Dan Mazier
Hang on. I have to add Ms. Collins in there as well.
Is this relevant to what you asked, Ms. Collins, or do you want to continue on with the debate?
NDP
Laurel Collins NDP Victoria, BC
I was just going to say that I spoke to Madame Pauzé right before this meeting about the fact that there would be time between when the witnesses wrap up and when the analysts would be able to give us a first draft that we could dig into. She expressed that she was comfortable with our continuing on with this business of Standing Order 106(4) and other things—like the Jasper fire and the net zero accelerator—in those meetings in between while we're waiting for a draft report.
I'm also very curious. I just want to make sure that this amendment is in line with that understanding.
Conservative
Bloc
Louis-Philippe Sauvé Bloc LaSalle—Émard—Verdun, QC
Mr. Chair, I apologize. I didn't know that I had to wait for you to give me the floor.
As I said earlier, I think that it's quite clear. The purpose of this amendment is to prioritize Ms. Pauzé's study. If there isn't any suspension, the goal is to complete the study before the holiday season.
Conservative
The Vice-Chair Conservative Dan Mazier
I have an English copy of Ms. Taylor Roy's subamendment. Do you folks want it read out here, or do you want it in your email inbox? It's only in one language.
NDP
Laurel Collins NDP Victoria, BC
Mr. Chair, could we maybe just get clarification from the clerk on the point that we're kind of going back and forth about? Given the wording in the subamendment as it's put forward right now, would it be the clerk's understanding that in the time between when the witness testimony wraps up on the sustainable finance study and when we receive a draft report that we can then dig into, we are able to continue with our regular committee business, including the witness testimony from the environment commissioner, the Minister of Environment, and the ambassador etc.? Would there be time for that while we're waiting for the report to be drafted?
Could we just get clarity from the clerk that this is all possible while we are waiting for the analysts to provide us with a first draft report?
Conservative
The Vice-Chair Conservative Dan Mazier
The clerk is telling me that it's the committee's decision. If we so deem it, that's the way it'll happen.
Now, I would think, just in listening to the committee members, that that's the way we expect it to happen. We'll have to be working on something, so whatever we pick as a priority is the way we go. By the sound of it, by this debate on this motion, I would say that this is going to be one of the priorities. However, this is yet to be seen, I guess.
Liberal
Leah Taylor Roy Liberal Aurora—Oak Ridges—Richmond Hill, ON
I have another point of clarification, Mr. Chair.
I was under the impression that scheduling meetings and the logistics of this is the business of the subcommittee. It's actually committee business and shouldn't be the essence of an emergency debate, especially when it's taking up such valuable resources. I'm wondering if we could just refer this to the subcommittee to look at the committee business and the scheduling and to then get back to us at our next regularly scheduled meeting so that we can actually figure out when to do these different meetings.
Conservative
The Vice-Chair Conservative Dan Mazier
The fact is that we are debating a motion right now, and that is what's on the floor. I guess that's that.
We'll go back to the debate on this motion.
Liberal
Conservative
The Vice-Chair Conservative Dan Mazier
I'll read it, just so we're all on the same page:
provided that the committee has considered and adopted the draft report on the committee's study of the climate impacts of the Canadian financial system before that date and that such study focus on ways that we can reach our emissions target, in particular ways in which we can reduce emissions from the oil and gas sector, which is the sector which is preventing Canada from meeting its goals, failing which the meetings on this study shall be completed after the holiday season.
That's the subamendment to the amendment.
I have Mr. Arseneault and then Mr. Sauvé.
Liberal
René Arseneault Liberal Madawaska—Restigouche, NB
Mr. Chair, you quite rightly said that this was a debate and that we needed to debate.
I would like to add that, unless I'm mistaken, the committee is in control of its own destiny. Should people around the table think that it's much wiser to discuss all this and to prepare the schedule for the return after the holidays in the subcommittee, the committee can do so, even though a debate is under way. I wanted to point this out. You wisely said we were having a debate. You could also suggest to the committee that it would be wiser to hold the debate in the subcommittee.
Bloc
Louis-Philippe Sauvé Bloc LaSalle—Émard—Verdun, QC
Mr. Chair, I would like to receive the subamendment in writing in both official languages so that I can fully understand the purpose of the vote and the debate.
Conservative
The Vice-Chair Conservative Dan Mazier
We are working on that currently.
We'll suspend for just a bit to get this straightened out.
Conservative
The Vice-Chair Conservative Dan Mazier
Okay. Everybody should have a copy of the translated subamendment from Ms. Collins.
Mr. Sauvé, I'll give you a couple of minutes to have a look at it.
I'll recess again, just very quickly.
Conservative
The Vice-Chair Conservative Dan Mazier
I'm going to gavel us in right now.
Mr. Sauvé, you're next on this, and then we have Mr. Deltell and Ms. Taylor Roy.
Go ahead, Mr. Sauvé.
Bloc
Louis-Philippe Sauvé Bloc LaSalle—Émard—Verdun, QC
I'm a bit ambivalent about the subamendment at the moment. The motion that led to this study should be reread. Unlike other people here, I'm not a committee member. I just want to make sure that it doesn't contradict the purpose of the study.
Conservative
Gérard Deltell Conservative Louis-Saint-Laurent, QC
Thank you, Mr. Chair.
We'll be voting against Ms. Taylor Roy's subamendment. With all due respect to Ms. Taylor Roy and my colleagues, I think that this shows the utter desperation of this government and its members in the face of the current situation.
Remember that the Prime Minister proudly attended the Paris climate change conference and announced with great fanfare that “Canada is back”.
The issue is the following.
After nine years of this government, Canada is not back: Canada is way back. That is the reality of this government after nine years of taxing people, lecturing people—
Liberal
Leah Taylor Roy Liberal Aurora—Oak Ridges—Richmond Hill, ON
On a point of order, Mr. Chair, is this debate on the subamendment or is this debate on the study as a whole?
Liberal
Leah Taylor Roy Liberal Aurora—Oak Ridges—Richmond Hill, ON
I just question the relevance of the Liberal record to the subamendment