Natural Resources Committee on May 23rd, 2024

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

She wasn't done.

[Shannon Stubbs, Conservative, Lakeland, AB]

I could say more.

[The Chair, Liberal, George Chahal]

Ms. Dabrusin, the floor is yours. Go ahead.

[Julie Dabrusin, Liberal, Toronto—Danforth, ON]

Thank you, Mr. Chair.

It has been enlightening listening to these quite interesting bedfellows on this study so far and to the conversation. I'm not opposed to proceeding with this study, but what I find really interesting is that when we have studies, we have the chance to hear from witnesses. That's what they're about.

I really hope I will have a chance to propose some amendments as well. I can't do that while we're discussing a subamendment, but—

[The Chair, Liberal, George Chahal]

We have a point of order by Mrs. Stubbs.

[Shannon Stubbs, Conservative, Lakeland, AB]

Hopefully, the parliamentary secretary will support inviting the witnesses back.

I'll just add a hot tip here, which is that hopefully you're talking to them and don't need the committee to wrestle through some of these issues.

[The Chair, Liberal, George Chahal]

That's not a point of order. That's debate.

I'll go back to Ms. Dabrusin.

[Julie Dabrusin, Liberal, Toronto—Danforth, ON]

I afforded you the respect of sitting and listening. I'm not going to take very much time.

What I was saying, briefly, is that I'm looking forward to hearing witnesses on the study that will come from this motion. However, I am going to be proposing amendments following this. I hope that in the remaining half-hour, we will go back to asking questions of the witnesses we have here.

When we're talking about emissions reductions, electricity is a big piece of what we have to do to get there. To be clear, emissions right now in Canada are at the lowest they've been in three decades, other than in the COVID years.

The only target we've had to face is an interim target in 2026. We're on track to meeting that given what you see in the interim report that we submitted to the IPCC. However, electricity, the clean electricity regulations and what the people here at the table are working on are going to be a very big piece of what we need to do to meet targets.

I would ask that we please park the discussion on this motion and give the last half-hour back to the witnesses so we can hear from them.

I will also point out that if the Conservatives are interested in the amendments to the IAA, which were a whole chunk of the conversation, they can find them in the budget implementation act. We can talk about that when we're debating, but what I—

[The Chair, Liberal, George Chahal]

Ms. Dabrusin, we have a point of order. Can you just hold right there?

[Julie Dabrusin, Liberal, Toronto—Danforth, ON]

It's so interesting, because I listened.

[The Chair, Liberal, George Chahal]

Go ahead on your point of order.

[Shannon Stubbs, Conservative, Lakeland, AB]

Just to clarify, that means they're not done.

[The Chair, Liberal, George Chahal]

Once again, that's debate, not a point of order.

Folks, I'll give you a reminder. Let's use points of order for procedure. If you want to debate, I'll put you on the list. Feel free to debate.

We'll go back to you, Ms. Dabrusin.

[Julie Dabrusin, Liberal, Toronto—Danforth, ON]

As a matter of respect to the people we have here at the table, we can set aside time to talk about this motion. I would like that. As I said, I have some amendments to propose that we can talk about. That's going to take time, and we're going to run out the last half-hour.

These people have travelled; they're here. Can we please go back to the witnesses and discuss this motion at a later moment?

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

On a point of order, is that a motion to adjourn debate?

[The Chair, Liberal, George Chahal]

I'll go back to Ms. Dabrusin.

Ms. Dabrusin, is that a motion to adjourn debate?

[Julie Dabrusin, Liberal, Toronto—Danforth, ON]

Yes, I propose that we adjourn debate so we can hear the witnesses.

[The Chair, Liberal, George Chahal]

Ms. Dabrusin has indicated that she'd like to adjourn debate, so go ahead and call the roll.

(Motion negatived: nays 6; yeas 5)

Ms. Dabrusin.

[Julie Dabrusin, Liberal, Toronto—Danforth, ON]

Maybe we can at least release the witnesses, then. I don't see how we're going to get through this in time for them to finish, so let's let them go.

[The Chair, Liberal, George Chahal]

Ms. Dabrusin has suggested that we release the witnesses.

[Some hon. members]

Agreed.

[The Chair, Liberal, George Chahal]

We will release the witnesses.

Thank you so much for coming today and providing your testimony. You can provide written briefs to the clerk if there's anything else from questions you were asked that you want to go into more detail on. Please proceed to do so. Thank you once again.

We will go back to the speaking order that was established.

Ms. Dabrusin, I'm going to the next speaker, and that's Monsieur Simard.

[Julie Dabrusin, Liberal, Toronto—Danforth, ON]

I believe we're on the subamendment, though, now.

[The Chair, Liberal, George Chahal]

We are on the amendment.

What—

[Ron McKinnon, Liberal, Coquitlam—Port Coquitlam, BC]

We have a motion and an amendment. We haven't gotten to a subamendment yet.