Environment Committee on April 24th, 2023

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

Thanks, Chair.

We all came together as a committee to look into what is a very, very serious issue. We, I think, worked quite collaboratively in terms of witness lists, in terms of ensuring we got the people before this committee who needed to be here. Was it done perfectly? I would suggest that it probably wasn't, but there was a pretty solid effort on the part of certainly the members of the Conservative Party to try to make sure we got to the substance of exactly what needed to be accomplished.

I think if we look back over the last three meetings, we have heard a lot. For a motion to come forward with pretty strong accusations being made....

I would also note that we invited members from the many indigenous communities that were represented on last Monday's meeting to.... I noted in my questions this morning to the folks who were there that we would welcome further documentation and follow-up.

I would note as well that when Imperial Oil came to testify this past Thursday, they brought a stack of paper. I saw it. It was about an inch of documents. I have not yet seen those documents. Mr. Chair, I would hypothesize they're probably in the process of being translated, and that will take some time. To suggest that somehow, before we've even seen the information, we need to be making accusations of this nature is, I think, entirely inappropriate, and quite frankly, if I could be so bold as to say so, it's in bad faith on our part as a committee to suggest and make those accusations.

It's the same thing today. We received this notice earlier in the meeting as we were still working through the questions we would be asking. I would note that I asked Mr. Pushor if he would be able and willing to table the investigation that was referenced a number of times throughout the course of his testimony, which includes very pertinent information on aspects of the details that he wasn't able to get into because the investigation is ongoing, to which he replied that he would.

Mr. Chair, I think that it is entirely appropriate to ask questions as to whether or not we're satisfied with the result, but it seems as though we've now moved from trying in good faith to get to the bottom of what happened with the Kearl mine to now starting to play politics. We've heard that in testimony here today and—

[Greg McLean, Conservative, Calgary Centre, AB]

I have a point of order, Mr. Chair.

[The Chair, Liberal, Francis Scarpaleggia]

We have a point of order from Mr. McLean.

[Greg McLean, Conservative, Calgary Centre, AB]

I'll raise a point of order on that, because the issue we have with this is that if we take a look at the reading on this, the reading on this is entirely in bad faith. It's entirely supposition, as if there weren't these coming forward here—

[The Chair, Liberal, Francis Scarpaleggia]

I'm not sure it's a point of order. It doesn't really pertain to the rules. It's about the motivation—

[Mike Lake, Conservative, Edmonton—Wetaskiwin, AB]

I have a point of order that might be....

[The Chair, Liberal, Francis Scarpaleggia]

Go ahead.

[Mike Lake, Conservative, Edmonton—Wetaskiwin, AB]

In fairness to Mr. McLeod, he was just reading the motion, but the motion was introduced by somebody who's not even at committee today.

[The Chair, Liberal, Francis Scarpaleggia]

Apparently that's okay.

[Mike Lake, Conservative, Edmonton—Wetaskiwin, AB]

It was from Ms. Taylor Roy.

[The Chair, Liberal, Francis Scarpaleggia]

It's okay. You can do that. She's no longer online.

I'm told this is all proper, procedurally.

[Mike Lake, Conservative, Edmonton—Wetaskiwin, AB]

Did she hear all of the testimony before moving a motion that the testimony—

[The Chair, Liberal, Francis Scarpaleggia]

You'd have to ask her in the lobby, maybe. I don't know.

What I'm saying to all members is that we have a minute left. We're going to pick this up. I've started a list. We have Mr. McLean and Mr. Longfield. We'll continue on Thursday morning, but we have to stop in about 30 seconds. I'll add Mr. Deltell's name.

Everyone will get a chance to speak and raise points of order and the rest of it, but we have to stop in about 15 seconds because we have question period and we have to release our witnesses, who were kind enough to come here and provide us with answers and information.

I want to take this opportunity to thank everyone for being here, as well as online, and participating in what I thought was a very interesting discussion that brought out a lot of information and added to our understanding of the issue.

Thank you to all. We'll see each other on Thursday afternoon.

The meeting is adjourned.