Natural Resources Committee on Feb. 1st, 2024

[Clifford Small, Conservative, Coast of Bays—Central—Notre Dame, NL]

I have a point of order.

[The Chair, Liberal, George Chahal]

Mr. Small, go ahead.

[Clifford Small, Conservative, Coast of Bays—Central—Notre Dame, NL]

Mr. Chair, I take great offence to Mr. Angus' comment. I made no reference to any premier's level of intelligence. I would like him to withdraw that remark.

[The Chair, Liberal, George Chahal]

Colleagues, I would ask that we focus on the study at hand today.

On the point of order, if a statement has been made—

[Charlie Angus, NDP, Timmins—James Bay, ON]

I hope this isn't coming out of my time.

[The Chair, Liberal, George Chahal]

—a member has an opportunity to clarify it when they have an opportunity to speak. However, we do stay relevant to the conversation we're having, and we make sure we're not making accusations that are unfounded against others. Let's use our time to question the Minister.

I would ask Mr. Angus to go ahead.

[Charlie Angus, NDP, Timmins—James Bay, ON]

How did you hoodwink the provinces? How did you pull the wool over their eyes? That would suggest a very dismal view of the Premier of Newfoundland and Labrador, but we've seen the same attitude for the Premier of Nova Scotia.

The Conservatives are going to vote against the premiers of Nova Scotia and Newfoundland and Labrador because they're trying to get clean energy projects. I'm thinking back to 2007. Do you remember Stephen Harper and how he went after Atlantic Canada on the Atlantic Accord? Do you remember the great Bill Casey, the Conservative? Danny Williams also stood up.

I just want to get my head around the idea that Pierre Poilievre has decided that unless Newfoundland and Labrador is willing to go down with the ship on big oil, he is going stop Newfoundland and Labrador and Nova Scotia from moving ahead on economic development. Pierre Poilievre has instructed his people to come in, ridicule the premiers and say he's going to stop this from going forward.

Have we seen anything like this since Stephen Harper decided to pick his fight with Danny Williams? We know how well that went down for the Conservatives. They're still picking up the pieces.

[Seamus O'Regan, Liberal, St. John's South—Mount Pearl, NL]

I'm not going to make assumptions on motivation. I will say this, though, and this is really at the heart of the Atlantic Accord. Provincial autonomy is so incredibly important when it comes to natural resource development that those closest to the resource have control over that resource and those closest to the resource benefit from that resource. That has helped to build this country. I would say that it is encapsulated and enshrined in the Atlantic Accord.

It means so much to our provinces as a result. It gives us a sense of autonomy, direction and control. The other thing is to provide the stability and certainty to draw the investment that we have proven we can draw over the past three decades. We will continue to do this in this really exciting and new industry where the money is going. Follow the money.

[The Chair, Liberal, George Chahal]

Thank you, Minister.

We are now going to Mr. Small.

Mr. Small, you're going to have a shorter round of three minutes because the minister has a hard stop at 4:30. Go ahead.

[Clifford Small, Conservative, Coast of Bays—Central—Notre Dame, NL]

Thank you, Mr. Chair.

Minister O'Regan, I just heard you talk about those close to the resource. Offshore wind, which is a wonderful thing, uses all of the natural resources that flourish in Canada, but to the people close to the resource, the fishing industry is going to be competing with offshore wind. Someone close to the fishing industry—in fact very close to the fishing industry—Katie Power, texted me last night. Overall, the language from Liberals and their minister surrounding expediting and fast-tracking is enormously dismissive to the vocal and fierce opposition locally in Newfoundland.

I don't agree with the minister's comments that the Province of Newfoundland and Labrador is comfortable with the verbiage on pace within the bill, particularly for the fishing industry. Did you consult with the fishing industry at all?

[Seamus O'Regan, Liberal, St. John's South—Mount Pearl, NL]

Yes, we did.

[Clifford Small, Conservative, Coast of Bays—Central—Notre Dame, NL]

Did you consult with the FFAW? I ask because that's not what they're telling me.

[Seamus O'Regan, Liberal, St. John's South—Mount Pearl, NL]

Yes, we did. We went to One Ocean, which is a mechanism that I used as Minister of Natural Resources. It brings all parties around the table so we can work out—

[Clifford Small, Conservative, Coast of Bays—Central—Notre Dame, NL]

We're going to have them here anyway, and they'll be able to answer that question.

[Seamus O'Regan, Liberal, St. John's South—Mount Pearl, NL]

Absolutely.

[Clifford Small, Conservative, Coast of Bays—Central—Notre Dame, NL]

Did you consult with the United Fisheries Conservation Alliance, the maritime fisheries alliance, the Cape Breton Fish Harvesters Association or the Guysborough County Inshore Fishermen's Association? Do they not ring a bell? What about the Seafood Producers Association of Nova Scotia, the Coldwater Lobster Association or the Brazil Rock Lobster Association?

The answer is no, and we heard about these vast consultations. These are competing geographical areas for these industries. Where's the consultation?

[Seamus O'Regan, Liberal, St. John's South—Mount Pearl, NL]

Mr. Small, I would think that you, being a member of Parliament for Newfoundland and Labrador, would know better than most that we have always found a way to get along. We have always found a way for these industries to coexist. We have mechanisms in place like One Ocean that continue to work. Do things get perfect? No, but nor do they for farmers or oil producers out west.

[Clifford Small, Conservative, Coast of Bays—Central—Notre Dame, NL]

Why would they come to me about the consultation process?

[Seamus O'Regan, Liberal, St. John's South—Mount Pearl, NL]

We sit down at the same table and work these things out, but the overall framework that ensures the prosperity of our entire province—

[Clifford Small, Conservative, Coast of Bays—Central—Notre Dame, NL]

I've met with these groups.

[Seamus O'Regan, Liberal, St. John's South—Mount Pearl, NL]

We have benefited from the Atlantic Accord for the past 30 years. We will continue to benefit as we begin new industries, and we will continue to talk to one another and work it out, as we always have.

[Clifford Small, Conservative, Coast of Bays—Central—Notre Dame, NL]

Will you guarantee that a framework is built into this legislation so that these fishing industry stakeholders have a meaningful voice in the building of offshore wind?

[Seamus O'Regan, Liberal, St. John's South—Mount Pearl, NL]

They have a meaningful voice now for the oil and gas industry, and they will continue to have a meaningful voice as we move into renewables. That will not change. That is one of the tenets of the Atlantic Accord.

[Clifford Small, Conservative, Coast of Bays—Central—Notre Dame, NL]

That's not what they've been telling me.

[The Chair, Liberal, George Chahal]

Thank you, Minister and Mr. Small.

I am going to give a quick question of 30 seconds to Mr. Samson and an opportunity for the minister to answer.

I'm sorry, Mr. Samson, that your time was taken away—