Natural Resources Committee on Dec. 12th, 2011

[David Anderson, Conservative, Cypress Hills—Grasslands, SK]

Regulatory regime....

[Avrim Lazar]

Yes. There are still quite a few improvements that can be done. We know the government has been thinking about air regulations. We have challenged Environment Canada, and I'll do it more publicly now, to let us do a voluntary regime, which we would negotiate with environmental groups. In other words—

[The Chair, Conservative, Leon Benoit]

Thank you. I have to cut you off at that point.

Thank you, Mr. Allen and Mr. Anderson.

Monsieur Gravelle, you can have just one or two short questions for about two minutes.

[Claude Gravelle, NDP, Nickel Belt, ON]

I just have one question. That's all.

Earlier in your testimony you said that radical groups were hindering the development of the forestry industry. I'm not sure if you used the word “hindering” exactly, but can you identify these radical groups for us?

[Avrim Lazar]

Well, we were in a very difficult relationship with Greenpeace, the David Suzuki Foundation, Canadian Parks and Wilderness....all the environmental groups that are now part of our agreement.

[Claude Gravelle, NDP, Nickel Belt, ON]

So the environmental groups are the radicals...?

[Avrim Lazar]

If you ask Greenpeace, they will say, “Yes, we are radicals and proud of it.”

[Voices]

Oh, oh!

[The Chair, Conservative, Leon Benoit]

Thank you, Mr. Gravelle.

Thank you, everybody, for your participation.

I'll remind you that we have the committee meeting on Wednesday on future business of the committee. This will determine what this committee will be doing in the months ahead, after Christmas, so it's a very important meeting.

Thank you, Mr. Lazar and Ms. Cobden, for being here today, for your presentations, and for answering the questions.

Thank you very much.

[Claude Gravelle, NDP, Nickel Belt, ON]

Mr. Chair, I have a point of order.

I'd like to thank the witnesses for being here today. We've heard from the witness that the communities need help, so I'd like to hear from the workers, the unions, the communities, and the mayors. I'd like to add that to our schedule.

[The Chair, Conservative, Leon Benoit]

You can suggest that on Wednesday.

[Claude Gravelle, NDP, Nickel Belt, ON]

I'm suggesting it today, sir.

[The Chair, Conservative, Leon Benoit]

You can bring it up on Wednesday when we discuss future business. We're not doing that today.

[Claude Gravelle, NDP, Nickel Belt, ON]

It's a point of order.

[The Chair, Conservative, Leon Benoit]

It's not a point of order. We will deal with all future business of the committee on Wednesday.

[Claude Gravelle, NDP, Nickel Belt, ON]

Okay.

[The Chair, Conservative, Leon Benoit]

Thank you very much, Monsieur Gravelle.

The meeting is adjourned.