Natural Resources Committee on April 16th, 2013

[Voices]

Oh, oh!

[Joe Oliver, Conservative, Eglinton—Lawrence, ON]

That's a ridiculous question and you know it.

[Claude Gravelle, NDP, Nickel Belt, ON]

This is probably—

[Joe Oliver, Conservative, Eglinton—Lawrence, ON]

That's an NEB document and—

[Claude Gravelle, NDP, Nickel Belt, ON]

It's a ridiculous question to ask Canadians.

[Joe Oliver, Conservative, Eglinton—Lawrence, ON]

—I haven't memorized every document.

[Claude Gravelle, NDP, Nickel Belt, ON]

Okay. I'm going to read from an article in The Globe and Mail if you're not going to answer any questions.

The Conservative government—

[Joe Oliver, Conservative, Eglinton—Lawrence, ON]

I'll answer any reasonable questions—

[Claude Gravelle, NDP, Nickel Belt, ON]

I have the floor.

It says: The Conservative government has created a new rule requiring those who simply wish to write letters to the National Energy Board to obtain the board's approval in advance....it's hard to accept that members of the general public who feel they have something to say need to prove their bona fides before sending in a letter. The board is being asked to use its time to read 10-page application forms full of detailed information, which may include curriculum vitae and references. This seems less like streamlining than a form of silencing....The application form for letter-writers and potential interveners (who were, quite properly, screened in the past) became available on April 5, and the deadline for getting the applications in is April 19.

[The Chair, Conservative, Leon Benoit]

Mr. Gravelle—

[Claude Gravelle, NDP, Nickel Belt, ON]

Are my five minutes up?

[The Chair, Conservative, Leon Benoit]

Mr. Gravelle, on the article you're referring to or reading from, I can't see how it relates to the main estimates. Could you maybe explain that so that's clear? Then you can continue.

[Claude Gravelle, NDP, Nickel Belt, ON]

That's what I'm trying to get the minister to do, to explain this.

[The Chair, Conservative, Leon Benoit]

You have a few seconds for an answer if you'd like to get to it so the minister can give an answer.

[Claude Gravelle, NDP, Nickel Belt, ON]

Well, I don't think he can answer it, regardless of how much time he has.

[Voices]

Oh, oh!

[Peter Julian, NDP, Burnaby—New Westminster, BC]

Mr. Chair, on a point of order, I'm a little disturbed by the attempt to try to silence opposition MPs on these important questions. We have the main estimates. The minister referenced pipeline safety and public consultations on Line 9 in his initial statement.

Obviously, if you felt those weren't appropriate issues, then you would have at that time requested the minister not to deal with them. We can't have a one-sided debate whereby the minister brings issues to the floor at this committee and then you decide that an opposition point of view, which is also the public point of view, I might add, is something that has to be disregarded. That is simply inequitable, and it's not becoming of a parliamentarian.

[The Chair, Conservative, Leon Benoit]

It's nothing at all related to what's actually happening here, Mr. Julian—simply not true.

Your time is up, Mr. Gravelle.

Mr. Anderson on a point of order, go ahead.

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

It's just an observation. Our committee has worked well in the past and I hope it continues to work well in the future, but I don't think the NDP have to panic just yet. They haven't lost their support to a new leader of any new party yet. Hopefully—

[The Chair, Conservative, Leon Benoit]

Mr. Anderson, that's debate.

Thank you very much, Minister, for coming today.

On a point of order, Mr. Harris.

[Dick Harris, Conservative, Cariboo—Prince George, BC]

Mr. Chair, just to answer Mr. Julian, unfortunately they don't seem to understand how a committee operates. The chair will run the meeting in accordance with protocol and rules set up in the standing orders. One of the rules is that if a member of the committee wants the floor, he or she should put their hand up seeking permission to speak. Interrupting speakers or other members of Parliament or witnesses is not part of the protocol.

I sincerely hope that perhaps the NDP under the guidance of the champion of protocol, the member for Skeena—Bulkley Valley, might want to have a little session and invite these two or three members who have been quite rude and obnoxious today to maybe learn a little about protocol.

[The Chair, Conservative, Leon Benoit]

Mr. Harris, you've made your point and you were making a valid point of order at the start of that.

The minister's time is up.

Mr. Minister, do you have some final comments?

[Joe Oliver, Conservative, Eglinton—Lawrence, ON]

Very quickly and gathering together in response to several questions about what we're doing on the green side, on energy innovation it's $286 million over five years. On energy efficiency it's $195 million over five years. On biofuel there will be a $1 billion take-up. On renewable power, $1.5 billion ongoing has been allocated. On STDC, as I mentioned, there will be $325 million over eight years, and we've already spent $10 billion. We're very committed to this sector and we will continue to be.

[The Chair, Conservative, Leon Benoit]

Thank you again, Mr. Minister, for coming today. We appreciate that you make yourself available whenever the committee asks you to come. We appreciate the extra time you have given today.

We will now suspend the meeting and come back with departmental officials for a little under three-quarters of an hour. The meeting is suspended.

[The Chair, Conservative, Leon Benoit]

We will reconvene our meeting with witnesses from the Department of Natural Resources. We have deputy minister Serge Dupont who will be here for this second three-quarters of an hour until the bells start ringing.

We have Kami Ramcharan, assistant deputy minister and chief financial officer, corporate management and services sector. Thank you for being here.

We have Anil Arora, assistant deputy minister, science and policy integration. Thank you very much for being here, sir.

I understand you don't have any opening comments you'd like to make, so we'll go directly to comments and questions from members, starting with a seven-minute round.

Mr. Anderson, go ahead, please, for up to seven minutes.