Environment Committee on Dec. 9th, 2022

[The Chair, Liberal, Francis Scarpaleggia]

That's what I'm trying to figure out. What are we voting on?

[Terry Duguid, Liberal, Winnipeg South, MB]

It's the subamendment, and then we'll vote on the main one.

[The Chair, Liberal, Francis Scarpaleggia]

Okay.

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

The subamendment was in French.

[The Chair, Liberal, Francis Scarpaleggia]

We're voting on the subamendment. Mr. Duguid is against it.

Go ahead, Mr. Clerk.

(Subamendment agreed to: yeas 6; nays 4 [See Minutes of Proceedings])

[The Chair, Liberal, Francis Scarpaleggia]

Congratulations, Mr. Deltell, your subamendment is agreed to.

[Gérard Deltell, Conservative, Louis-Saint-Laurent, QC]

It's a first.

[The Chair, Liberal, Francis Scarpaleggia]

We will now vote on amendment NDP‑1 as amended, unless anyone wishes to debate its content.

Go ahead, sir.

[Damien Kurek, Conservative, Battle River—Crowfoot, AB]

Chair, I see that one of our witnesses has his hand up. I'd certainly value the input of our experts.

[The Chair, Liberal, Francis Scarpaleggia]

Go ahead, Mr. Moffet.

[Laurel Collins, NDP, Victoria, BC]

Mr. Chair, I have a point of order.

Did you call the vote already? Are we allowed to go to witnesses after? Did you call the vote?

[The Chair, Liberal, Francis Scarpaleggia]

No, apparently I didn't call the vote on the amendment. We just had the vote on the subamendment.

I was going to call the vote on the amendment if there wasn't anyone interested in speaking to it, but Mr. Kurek is interested. Mr. Kurek asked that Mr. Moffet give his opinion on the amendment.

Mr. Moffet, you're on mute.

[John Moffet]

Can you hear me now?

[The Chair, Liberal, Francis Scarpaleggia]

Yes, we can.

[John Moffet]

I apologize for not intervening before the vote. I think I was on mute.

I just want to point out that the consequence of changing the terminology from “individual” to “person” means that this right would be extended to corporations as well as people. That was not the intention of the government in introducing this right.

The term “person” in common law has a broad interpretation. It includes corporations as well as humans.

[The Chair, Liberal, Francis Scarpaleggia]

Thank you for that.

Go ahead, Ms. Collins, on the amendment.

[Laurel Collins, NDP, Victoria, BC]

I'd like to propose a subamendment to change it in the French version. I won't change it back, because I know we're not allowed to do that. Rather than saying—

[The Chair, Liberal, Francis Scarpaleggia]

Just a moment, please. Could you hold that thought?

Just a second, I'm going to consult the legislative clerk.

Apparently you can't subamend your own amendment, but you could give the idea to somebody else.

[Laurel Collins, NDP, Victoria, BC]

I'll put an argument out that if someone wanted to make it “all people” in the French—I'm sorry, my French is not strong enough—and rather than “every individual” say “all individuals” so that we're not voting on the exact same subamendment, then we could return to the language that would not extend this to corporations.

[The Chair, Liberal, Francis Scarpaleggia]

Just a moment, please.

[Monique Pauzé, Bloc, Repentigny, QC]

It should be replaced with “individu”.

[The Chair, Liberal, Francis Scarpaleggia]

Thankfully, there is a solution. With unanimous consent, we can go back to the original wording.

[Gérard Deltell, Conservative, Louis-Saint-Laurent, QC]

Mr. Chair, I don't want to start a war of words, but according to the definition in the Larousse dictionary, it's a human being, regardless of gender. I certainly don't wish to challenge Mr. Moffet on this, because I assume he has a lot more legislative experience than I do. However, that was the word I thought was most appropriate. If there is another one—

[The Chair, Liberal, Francis Scarpaleggia]

You're talking about the word “personne”, right?

[Gérard Deltell, Conservative, Louis-Saint-Laurent, QC]

Yes.