Evidence of meeting #133 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 target.
A recording is available from Parliament.
Assistant Deputy Minister, Climate Change Branch, Department of the Environment
I'm not able to answer on behalf of the department.
That being said, different objectives and deliverables are set in a particular year. I do not believe any particular official would be asked to be accountable for an objective that is a shared jurisdiction between the federal government, provinces and territories.
Conservative
Branden Leslie Conservative Portage—Lisgar, MB
Is there a chance that they can get a bonus? It seems clear that those at the political level are not held accountable for when the failures exist. Are there performance bonuses if targets are met, or if they're not?
Liberal
The Chair Liberal Francis Scarpaleggia
I don't think the Department of Environment is Exxon. I don't think it's a business. I don't think you get bonuses if you meet a certain sales target.
Liberal
Liberal
Adam van Koeverden Liberal Milton, ON
[Technical difficulty—Editor] government department is a public broadcaster?
Liberal
Liberal
Adam van Koeverden Liberal Milton, ON
Thank you, Mr. Chair.
Before I start, I gave a notice of motion on Monday. It has been 48 hours, so I would like to move the following motion:
That the committee invite the Minister of Environment and Climate Change to testify on the Supplementary Estimates (B) by no later than the end of the current supply period.
Liberal
The Chair Liberal Francis Scarpaleggia
I think it's pretty straightforward. I can't imagine this not receiving unanimous consent from the committee. We want the minister to come and speak to the supplementary estimates (B).
Conservative
Dan Mazier Conservative Dauphin—Swan River—Neepawa, MB
It would read, “and instruct the chair to schedule this meeting for two hours outside of the schedule adopted on Friday, November 15, to ensure that all matters agreed to are not replaced to provide the minister with more flexibility in appearing at committee.”
Conservative
Dan Mazier Conservative Dauphin—Swan River—Neepawa, MB
Basically, it's to make sure he doesn't get out of the other meetings he has committed to.
Liberal
The Chair Liberal Francis Scarpaleggia
I understand that it's in addition to. It's not [Technical difficulty—Editor] outside the schedule adopted.
Excuse me, Commissioner. I apologize. This is important, because we want to look at the supplementary estimates (B).
The problem with the wording of the subamendment, I think, is that it basically says we should not have this meeting on a Tuesday or Thursday and outside the schedule adopted on Friday. That's the way I read it. There are so many moving parts in the schedule right now. Honestly, I think it complicates the matter.
In my view, the motion does not suggest that the minister would substitute his appearance on supplementary estimates (B) for anything that was in the motion Friday. I would just ask the committee to take it on faith that the minister is not going to try to get out of another meeting that he was invited to be at.
Conservative
Dan Mazier Conservative Dauphin—Swan River—Neepawa, MB
I guess that as long as we ensure that resources are around, if something needs to happen, could we even extend meetings while we're sitting on Monday and Wednesday—
Liberal
The Chair Liberal Francis Scarpaleggia
Yes. Take it on good faith here. The idea is for him to come. It's an additional meeting with the minister. We get an additional meeting with the minister.
Liberal
The Chair Liberal Francis Scarpaleggia
If you don't mind withdrawing the amendment, I think it's pretty clear that he's coming an additional time. It's not to substitute.