Evidence of meeting #39 for Natural Resources in the 40th Parliament, 2nd Session. (The original version is on Parliament’s site, as are the minutes.) The winning word was insurance.
A recording is available from Parliament.
5:25 p.m.
Executive Director, Institute for Resource and Security Studies
There is also a comment I'd like to make very briefly about something said by the gentleman from the CNSC, if I may. He used the words “junk science”—
5:25 p.m.
Liberal
The Vice-Chair Liberal Alan Tonks
Mr. Thompson, excuse me. We're really out of time. I'm going to get some direction from the committee.
Should we just have this last comment, or are we finished on that?
5:25 p.m.
An hon. member
We need to go on.
5:25 p.m.
An hon. member
I think Mr. Anderson acknowledged that—
5:25 p.m.
An hon. member
We can go on.
5:25 p.m.
Executive Director, Institute for Resource and Security Studies
The gentleman from CNSC used the phrase “junk science”. Whether he knows it or not, he was referring to a study I mentioned performed by Defence Research and Development Canada, and to the best of my recollection, it was done by the Pacific Northwest Laboratories of the United States government. Governments around the world take the threat of a dirty bomb very seriously, and there is a history of black market trading in the materials that would be used. For the representative of the commission to describe this area as “junk science”, I find highly regrettable.
5:25 p.m.
Liberal
The Vice-Chair Liberal Alan Tonks
All right. On that, Mr. Thompson, thank you. I'm sure Mr. Binder is quite capable, on other occasions, of having a rejoinder to that, but we're going to leave it at that. Thank you.
Thank you to our witnesses. Unfortunately, we have run out of time, but we appreciate very much the input you've given us today. Thank you.
We're just going to break for one minute, and then we'll reconvene. I don't think it's necessary to go in camera with respect to the budget issues, so we'll just reconvene in one minute.
Thank you.
5:29 p.m.
Liberal
The Vice-Chair Liberal Alan Tonks
Members, the clerk has brought this to my attention. With respect to establishing a deadline for the submission of amendments to Bill C-20, it would require a couple of days, as you know—two or three days—to assemble the packages in order to put the amendments and go through the bill clause by clause.
The motion would mean that the clause-by-clause meeting would be on Monday, November 23. In order for research and so on to assemble all of the material we've had, as well as any submissions you might like to make, we're suggesting we put a deadline of 5 p.m. Thursday, November 19. We could extend it to Friday, November 20, at 12 noon, but that would mean that research time and the clerk's time would be very tight.
Are there any questions on that?
Mr. Cullen.
5:29 p.m.
NDP
Nathan Cullen NDP Skeena—Bulkley Valley, BC
Are we doing clause-by-clause over one or two days? I didn't understand that. How long do we have for this? It's hard without the calendar in front of us.
5:29 p.m.
Liberal
The Vice-Chair Liberal Alan Tonks
Well, perhaps our researcher can give us a sense of how long they see this happening.
5:30 p.m.
NDP
Nathan Cullen NDP Skeena—Bulkley Valley, BC
How many days would we spend on clause-by-clause? It sounded as if Mr. Tonks referred to one.
5:30 p.m.
A voice
At least an hour.
5:30 p.m.
NDP
Nathan Cullen NDP Skeena—Bulkley Valley, BC
An hour should do it. It's only nukes. Two witnesses: the minister and her assistant.
5:30 p.m.
Liberal
The Vice-Chair Liberal Alan Tonks
It's going to depend on the number of amendments, Nathan. That's all.
5:30 p.m.
Liberal
The Vice-Chair Liberal Alan Tonks
The last time it was an hour, but we didn't have that many amendments. It's up to the committee.
5:30 p.m.
NDP
Nathan Cullen NDP Skeena—Bulkley Valley, BC
Just to clarify, right now what have we got scheduled? I understood we had two meetings. Have we got one day scheduled for clause-by-clause?
November 16th, 2009 / 5:30 p.m.
Conservative
David Anderson Conservative Cypress Hills—Grasslands, SK
Today and Wednesday are for this, and I think we had one day scheduled for clause-by-clause.
5:30 p.m.
NDP
5:30 p.m.
A voice
Yes, Monday.
5:30 p.m.
Conservative
David Anderson Conservative Cypress Hills—Grasslands, SK
Yes, but it's three and a half meetings. You talked about three or four, so that was the three and a half.
5:30 p.m.
Liberal
The Vice-Chair Liberal Alan Tonks
The decision is whether we put a deadline of 5 p.m. Thursday, November 19, or Friday, November 20, at 12. The earlier date would allow our researchers to have that.
David.
5:30 p.m.
Conservative
David Anderson Conservative Cypress Hills—Grasslands, SK
I think Thursday is fine. This is the second time we've had the bill. People have an idea of what they're in for.