Evidence of meeting #3 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 liability.
A recording is available from Parliament.
Conservative
The Chair Conservative Leon Benoit
Not to prejudge members, but I would ask the committee, would they agree to that readily, rather than “adopt” for the government to “respond to”, which is what the government will do anyway?
Mr. Anderson.
Conservative
David Anderson Conservative Cypress Hills—Grasslands, SK
Mr. Chair, I would just ask that she read the entire motion, please. We're not against the first part of that. I'm not sure what the text in the second part of the motion is.
The Clerk of the Committee Mr. Chad Mariage
The motion reads:The Standing Committee on Natural Resources calls on the government to respond to the recommendations put forward in the “Advisory Group Report: National Roundtables on Corporate Social Responsibility and the Canadian Extractive Industry in Developing Countries”, and to announce its proposal for the implementation of these recommendations to the House.
Conservative
David Anderson Conservative Cypress Hills—Grasslands, SK
Mr. Chair, we're prepared to support the motion if there is a period after “Developing Countries”.
We're talking about the response to the CSR report, so we're not going to presume they will implement the recommendations.
Liberal
Omar Alghabra Liberal Mississauga—Erindale, ON
Instead of having “to announce its proposal”, why don't we say “to announce any proposal” ?
Conservative
David Anderson Conservative Cypress Hills—Grasslands, SK
We're presuming then that these recommendations will be implemented prior to the government even responding to them, and I don't think we can do that. I'm prepared to call on the government to respond to the report, but I'm not prepared to presuppose that we're going to implement the recommendations or report immediately.
Conservative
The Chair Conservative Leon Benoit
Mr. Anderson, I think what Mr. Alghabra has proposed--I haven't asked Ms. Bell yet whether she will accept that--doesn't necessarily indicate proposals would be put forth. It says “to put forth any proposal”. I think that is open, at least in my judgment, but the committee decides that.
Ms. Bell, what do you think about that?
NDP
Catherine Bell NDP Vancouver Island North, BC
I'm okay with both amendments--to respond, and to announce any proposals. I understand, through discussions with my colleagues, we're asking for a response here from the government; we're not presupposing they will adopt the recommendations, approve them, or implement anything.
The Clerk
The Standing Committee on Natural Resources calls on the government to respond to the recommendations put forward in the “Advisory Group Report: National Roundtables on Corporate Social Responsibility and the Canadian Extractive Industry in Developing Countries”, and to announce any proposals for the implementation of these recommendations.
(Motion agreed to)
Conservative
The Chair Conservative Leon Benoit
Thank you so much for your cooperation.
If we're going to clause-by-clause in the second half of the meeting on Thursday....
Ms. Bell, sorry. Go ahead.
NDP
Catherine Bell NDP Vancouver Island North, BC
If it doesn't say “to the House”, will it not go to the House?
Conservative
Conservative
David Anderson Conservative Cypress Hills—Grasslands, SK
A little more comprehensive form of this motion may be coming before one of the other committees. I think they will be discussing it at length and in more depth than we are. Perhaps from there they will make a recommendation to report to the House.
Conservative
The Chair Conservative Leon Benoit
Thanks to everybody for your cooperation.
If there are any amendments, get them in as soon as you can. I assume you've been working on them anyway. Get them in tomorrow to the clerk--tomorrow morning ideally.
Thank you very much.
The meeting is adjourned.