Evidence of meeting #29 for Natural Resources in the 40th Parliament, 3rd Session. (The original version is on Parliament’s site, as are the minutes.) The winning word was regulations.
A recording is available from Parliament.
12:40 p.m.
Conservative
David Anderson Conservative Cypress Hills—Grasslands, SK
Mr. Cullen got an answer to this earlier. He's trying to make an issue of this both in the media and in Parliament.
12:40 p.m.
Conservative
David Anderson Conservative Cypress Hills—Grasslands, SK
He got a clear answer earlier on this. I think he needs to go on to another point here rather than badgering the witness on the same issue.
12:40 p.m.
Conservative
The Chair Conservative Leon Benoit
He did.
Go ahead, Mr. Cullen.
Or finish the answer if you would, Mr. Caron.
12:40 p.m.
Chair and Chief Executive Officer, National Energy Board
I was about to answer the question, Mr. Chair, if I may.
The answer to your question is yes, if in fact you drill two wells at the same time. Mr. Ruelokke has said that the Senate committee report in August says we're not so sure it's a good idea.
So the only honest answer I can give you, Mr. Cullen, is that given all the uncertainties as to the depth of wells, the depth below the ocean floor, the ice conditions, whether you have permanent ice, whether you're near shore, it's a plethora of possibilities.
12:45 p.m.
Chair and Chief Executive Officer, National Energy Board
At the end of the review, I commit to you that we'll have very clear answers as to what companies will have to do to meet the policy requirements of the National Energy Board.
12:45 p.m.
NDP
Nathan Cullen NDP Skeena—Bulkley Valley, BC
Chair, I was interrupted, and you've given me exactly three minutes where you've given other committee members four, so I'll ask this last question.
12:45 p.m.
Conservative
12:45 p.m.
NDP
Nathan Cullen NDP Skeena—Bulkley Valley, BC
With the wells that you have planned right now, can they do same-season relief wells, which are required under the act right now? Can they do this?
12:45 p.m.
Chair and Chief Executive Officer, National Energy Board
I will have to repeat my answer, Mr. Cullen. If they drill two wells at the same time, without the question marks I have about that, the answer is maybe. We do not know. We're asking precisely that question, Mr. Cullen, in our Arctic review.
Question 16.1 in the preamble cites our requirement or policy. The question is how you are going to do that. If we knew the answer to that question, we would have answered it.
12:45 p.m.
Conservative
The Chair Conservative Leon Benoit
Thank you very much for your answer.
Thank you, Mr. Cullen, for your questions.
Thank you all once again for coming. I thought it was an extremely informative meeting with information that is I think really important for Canadians to hear. So thank you all.
I will suspend for about two to three minutes while we go in camera. Then we'll come back and deal with the isotope report.
[Proceedings continue in camera]