Evidence of meeting #21 for Natural Resources in the 39th Parliament, 2nd session. (The original version is on Parliament’s site, as are the minutes.) The winning word was need.
A recording is available from Parliament.
Conservative
The Chair Conservative Leon Benoit
Mr. Boshcoff and Mr. Tonks—quickly, because we really do have to wrap this up.
Liberal
Ken Boshcoff Liberal Thunder Bay—Rainy River, ON
Thank you very much.
I appreciate the awareness of the need for this coming now, and many at this table certainly have talked about this for 18 months, minimally. Nonetheless, as we prepare our report, any one of us could come up with ideas that have been discussed and determine that this is something that we should vote on now. I have held back, and I know that other colleagues have, in the spirit of cooperation for this report.
Just for the record, I will be amending or suggesting when it comes in the report that it's clear that, notwithstanding what my colleague has mentioned about the smaller-scale thing, this level has to be convened by the Prime Minister to indicate the seriousness of the forest industry to the nation.
Thank you.
Liberal
Alan Tonks Liberal York South—Weston, ON
I think it's great that the motion is being brought forward. I hope we have a consensus that part of our report will include a summit. The motion should be tabled. This will give our researchers the opportunity to help set the agenda for the summit. It won't just repeat the deputations we have; it will attempt to strategically focus on some of the bigger issues that have come up. This is a good move. I hope we can table it and have our researchers use it as a guide.
Conservative
Conservative
Joe Comuzzi Conservative Thunder Bay—Superior North, ON
Thank you, Mr. Chairman.
I asked Mr. Trost to put this motion out now because we all realize the disaster that is facing our forestry industry. Perhaps we're a little late in putting this motion and getting someone at the table, other than politicians, to decide on the future of the forestry business.
In anticipation of this motion being discussed, some of my colleagues and I have been talking to different people in the forestry industry across Canada. I'll mention three or four of them.
From the University of Toronto, Dr. Doug Reeve, a world-renowned researcher in recovering boilers, is ecstatic about this. The Suzuki Foundation has given us two names. Richard Phillips, a world-renowned researcher in biofibres, is willing to cooperate. The companies in Finland that are leading-edge in biofibres are willing to be cooperative in this endeavour. I was talking to the CIBC and the World Bank on the areas of financing we should be looking at as a government, and those areas we should not be looking at.
It's important. I hear what everybody is saying, but I don't think we can wait until the process goes through the parliamentary channels. This is something the minister should see, and maybe a group of people at this committee should take it to the Prime Minister's Office. It's that important.
Conservative
Conservative
The Chair Conservative Leon Benoit
Yes. We have to end the meeting. We can bring it back at the next meeting after the break.
Conservative
Bradley Trost Conservative Saskatoon—Humboldt, SK
I am prepared to table it and bring it back after the next meeting.
Conservative
The Chair Conservative Leon Benoit
No, I haven't adjourned.
Mr. Trost has offered to table the motion. I will go directly to a vote if there's no discussion on that.
Conservative
David Anderson Conservative Cypress Hills—Grasslands, SK
There's one issue that other committee members are aware of. Mr. Boshcoff and I have talked, and he would like to have another meeting on transportation issues with regard to forestry. The suggestion has been made to perhaps do that on the Tuesday we come back.
We need to be aware that this may put our report off for a meeting or two. We need the opposition's cooperation on that, but the other members are aware of it, so I'm wondering if we can go in that direction.
Conservative
The Chair Conservative Leon Benoit
Mr. Trost has a tabled a motion before the committee that the debate on the motion do now adjourn.
Bloc
Claude DeBellefeuille Bloc Beauharnois—Salaberry, QC
Everyone is speaking at the same time, Mr. Chair. The interpreter is unable to follow.
Conservative
The Chair Conservative Leon Benoit
The motion is for the debate to now adjourn, which means we will bring this back at the next meeting.
Bloc
Claude DeBellefeuille Bloc Beauharnois—Salaberry, QC
Okay, this is the motion tabled by Mr. Trost. What about the motion concerning the extension? Is that all right?
Conservative
The Chair Conservative Leon Benoit
All right. I hear the will of the committee. You want to have that other meeting. Is that agreed by the committee?
Liberal
Omar Alghabra Liberal Mississauga—Erindale, ON
I need the committee members to hear this, because it's really important. The researchers have two weeks to work on the report.
Jean-Luc Bourdages Committee Researcher
We have one week to work on the report, and one week for translation, basically.
Liberal
Omar Alghabra Liberal Mississauga—Erindale, ON
Right. But I want to make sure the researchers can work on the report even if we hear more witnesses. If we stop the researchers from doing the report to wait to hear from the witnesses, we'll be delaying the report production by at least three weeks.
