Industry Committee on Nov. 17th, 2022

[The Chair, Liberal, Joël Lightbound]

That brings us to clause 4.

Does someone wish to move G‑9?

[Andy Fillmore, Liberal, Halifax, NS]

Thank you, Mr. Chair.

This is just shortening the report deadline from 18 months to 12 months. It's giving the minister six fewer months to prepare the report to Parliament. It is replacing line 35 on page 2 with the following:

4(1) Within 12 months after the day on which this Act

[The Chair, Liberal, Joël Lightbound]

Thank you, Mr. Fillmore.

Are there any comments on amendment G-9?

Go ahead, Mr. Kram.

[Michael Kram, Conservative, Regina—Wascana, SK]

I remember that this one came up. I believe it was the sponsor of the bill who first floated that idea in the very first meeting.

Throughout the course of the study of this bill, I don't think we found any witness who had actually been consulted about the bill before coming to committee. Indeed, I found quite a few who had never even heard about it until I reached out to them.

I don't see what has changed since that first meeting to justify a compressed timeline. I'd be open to hearing other views on that subject.

[The Chair, Liberal, Joël Lightbound]

Are there other views on that subject?

If there are none, I can call this amendment to a vote.

(Amendment agreed to: yeas 6; nays 5)

[The Chair, Liberal, Joël Lightbound]

That brings us to G‑10.

Do we have a mover?

Go ahead, Mr. Fillmore.

[Andy Fillmore, Liberal, Halifax, NS]

Thank you, Mr. Chair.

This is regarding the publication of the report once it's completed.

The original drafting of the bill—now we're on page 3, lines 1 and 2—says “The Minister must publish the report on the website of the Department of Industry”. However, you will remember that some of our very early amendments today broadened the responsibility to a number of ministers, so this amendment acknowledges that and says that we would replace lines 1 and 2 on page 3 with the following:

(2) The Minister must publish the report on the departmental website within 10 days after the re-

It ends mid-word there.

[The Chair, Liberal, Joël Lightbound]

Thank you, Mr. Fillmore.

Are there any comments?

Go ahead, Mr. Williams.

[Ryan Williams, Conservative, Bay of Quinte, ON]

Thank you, Mr. Chair.

Through you to Mr. Fillmore, would it not be more relevant to post these on all the websites if we are seeing this through all the relevant ministers?

[Andy Fillmore, Liberal, Halifax, NS]

The relevant ministers.... It's a fair question.

I could imagine that there would be natural resources information that might not be exactly relevant or important to post on the Minister of Finance's website. I think this was opening it up to sort of put the information on the website to which it most closely cleaves, whether that's natural resources, agriculture, industry or transport, rather than flooding them all with things that may not be relevant to the mandate of that particular minister.

[The Chair, Liberal, Joël Lightbound]

Mr. Perkins is next.

[Rick Perkins, Conservative, South Shore—St. Margarets, NS]

I think that's a great idea, Mr. Fillmore, but I don't think that's what this says. I think, because of the earlier amendments making the Prairies economic development minister the responsible minister, it means that this has to be published on that minister's website regardless of whatever other ministers are also driving the bus, if I'm reading this correctly.

[The Chair, Liberal, Joël Lightbound]

Do you have any comment, Mr. Fillmore?

[Andy Fillmore, Liberal, Halifax, NS]

Yes. I'm thinking very carefully about Mr. Perkins' wise intervention there. I believe that he makes a good point. In fact, I'm going to have to reframe my framing and say that, yes, in fact, this amendment is intended to get the report onto the responsible minister's website. That's the minister we set up back in G-1, the Minister responsible for Prairies Economic Development.

[The Chair, Liberal, Joël Lightbound]

Just to understand, Mr. Fillmore, are you then proposing to just modify the language of G-10?

[Andy Fillmore, Liberal, Halifax, NS]

No, what I was modifying was the language of my framing. I think the language of the amendment is fine, and Mr. Perkins interpreted it correctly in his first instance.

[The Chair, Liberal, Joël Lightbound]

Okay, so—

[Andy Fillmore, Liberal, Halifax, NS]

This is because we've established in G-1 that the minister in this bill is, in fact, the Minister responsible for Prairies Economic Development.

[The Chair, Liberal, Joël Lightbound]

Then it's that minister's website, if we read this correctly.

Is there agreement to adopt G-10?

(Amendment agreed to)

[The Chair, Liberal, Joël Lightbound]

Shall clause 4 as amended carry?

(Clause 4 as amended agreed to)

(On clause 5)

[The Chair, Liberal, Joël Lightbound]

We are now on clause 5.

I have G‑11 on my list.

Would someone like to move the amendment?

The floor is yours, Mr. Fillmore.

[Andy Fillmore, Liberal, Halifax, NS]

Thank you, Mr. Chair.

Members will remember G-2 and G-3. These are the analogues of those, but later in the bill. This is simply clearing up the ministers who are implicated by this bill so that the list is complete.

The speedy way to do this.... Just like with G-2 and G-3, where we had the ministers spread over two amendments, likewise they are spread over two amendments here in G-11 and G-12.

What I'd like to propose is that we not table G-11 and instead table G-12 and have committee members move subamendments to include the missing ministers.

[The Chair, Liberal, Joël Lightbound]

Just so we proceed in the proper fashion, Mr. Fillmore, I understand you're not moving G-11.

[Andy Fillmore, Liberal, Halifax, NS]

That's correct.

[The Chair, Liberal, Joël Lightbound]

Now that brings us to G-12.