Natural Resources Committee on Feb. 5th, 2024

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

Mr. Tessier, I want to clarify that because I think it's really important that my Conservative colleagues understand what we're talking about here with regard to changing the mandate of the board.

You would be the only vehicle for us to be able to get offshore wind projects in the Atlantic. Is that correct? We couldn't use another form. We couldn't come up with some other mechanism. You are the mechanism that we need to have set up and ready to do this. Is that correct?

[Scott Tessier]

If it is to be pursued through joint management, our opinion would be that this is the best avenue to reach that objective.

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

Okay. Then let's get this done so that we can get some of those big projects off the ground.

Thank you very much.

[The Chair, Liberal, George Chahal]

Thank you.

We will now go to Mr. Small for five minutes.

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

Thank you, Mr. Chair.

My question is for Ms. Bonnell-Eisnor.

Ms. Bonnell-Eisnor, how many oil and gas projects off Nova Scotia's coast have been vetoed since 2015?

[Christine Bonnell-Eisnor]

There was one exploration licence that was jointly set aside or vetoed by both ministers in December 2023. There have been no oil and gas projects put forward for development in the time period that you noted.

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

In the past, in the olden days of the CNSOPB, would vetoing have taken place in the same fashion, or would your board have had, maybe, a little more power?

[Christine Bonnell-Eisnor]

That veto—not to speak on behalf of the ministers—was the first time that an exploration licence was set aside or vetoed by both ministers. The ministers released a statement, which is public, that said that the board followed the process that was put in place by them, so we followed the process and we approved the licence. The ministers felt—and this is from their joint statement—that there are further policy discussions that need to happen that are outside the mandate of our organization.

The governments are having those discussions, and we're waiting to get information back from them on how to move forward.

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

Back in 2010 to 2015, or even earlier, would your board have had full jurisdiction? Would the Governor in Council have had the power to make that veto?

[Christine Bonnell-Eisnor]

Yes. The legislation that provides the ministers with that opportunity to choose to jointly set aside or veto an exploration licence has existed in the accord act since 1990. That hasn't changed.

The board has not always followed its process correctly and made the fundamental decisions. It was just this time that the ministers chose to not approve that fundamental decision. It was the first time that they used that opportunity to do so.

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

That ability was already in place.

[Christine Bonnell-Eisnor]

Yes, it's been in place since the board was formed.

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

I'm sure that when that legislation was formed in that way, those who formed it probably weren't expecting to have to use it, and it might have been a long shot. Now that it's been used, do you think that there's a possibility that this diminishes investor confidence in our offshore?

[Christine Bonnell-Eisnor]

I can't speak to that because investor confidence isn't part of our mandate. That is a question that I would put to both ministers with regard to when they made that decision and the considerations for that.

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

Thank you.

I'll go back to Mr. Tessier.

Mr. Tessier, when you meet with regulators worldwide, have you met with any regulators in the wind energy sector?

[Scott Tessier]

Yes, a number of our counterparts in the petroleum sector have already received the expanded mandate. In addition, as part of my tour of Germany last summer, I spent some time with the German regulator.

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

How about any other areas like Norway or up and down the eastern seaboard? Have you met with any of those folks who have a sizable fishing industry that may be in conflict with wind energy?

[Scott Tessier]

I think you mentioned two right there: Norway and the United States.

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

How has the experience been there? Has it been going smoothly? We want this to go smoothly. We want this investment. We don't want to run into the pitfalls and traps that have been there in other jurisdictions. We want investor confidence in the wind energy sector.

How have they worked in those countries, and have they had any conflicts that they've had a tough time ironing out that may have decreased investor confidence in offshore wind?

[Scott Tessier]

I think there have been some hiccups in the United States, and I think that has underscored the importance of undertaking those discussions with sensitivity and proactivity.

I can't speak to the effect that it may have had on investor confidence. I'm just not sure.

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

Can we avoid those things here?

[The Chair, Liberal, George Chahal]

Thank you, Mr. Small. Your time is up.

Thank you, Mr. Tessier.

We will now go to Ms. Jones for five minutes.

[Yvonne Jones, Liberal, Labrador, NL]

Thank you to my colleague opposite. I'm surprised that you're looking for a way to approve the project when you guys have said that you're totally against the bill and that you'll be voting against the bill.

We also heard testimony today that this bill is very necessary in order to move forward with alternative offshore energy development in Atlantic Canada.

If this bill fails because the Conservatives are blocking it and voting against it, what does that mean to Atlantic Canada and to the energy—

[Jeremy Patzer, Conservative, Cypress Hills—Grasslands, SK]

I have a point of order, Chair.

[The Chair, Liberal, George Chahal]

Ms. Jones, we have a point of order. I would ask you to pause.

Go ahead, Mr. Patzer, on the point of order.