Evidence of meeting #11 for Transport, Infrastructure and Communities in the 40th Parliament, 2nd Session. (The original version is on Parliament’s site, as are the minutes.) The winning word was arctic.
A recording is available from Parliament.
Bloc
Bernard Bigras Bloc Rosemont—La Petite-Patrie, QC
From what I understand, they advise Canada more in order to find out about ice conditions than for jurisdictional reasons.
Deputy Commissioner, Maritimes Services, Canadian Coast Guard, Department of Fisheries and Oceans
No. Transport Canada has the legislative mandate and we apply it. This is the marine traffic communication system. In eastern Canada, it is called ECAREG and, in the west, it is called WESTREG. Those are mandatory systems. In the north, we have a voluntary system called NORDREG.
Bloc
Bernard Bigras Bloc Rosemont—La Petite-Patrie, QC
As I understand it, the fifth largest undiscovered hydrocarbon deposit in the world is in the north. That corresponds approximately to the energy reserves in Nigeria, Kazakhstan and Mexico. So it is not surprising that, in 2007 and 2008 respectively, ExxonMobil Corporation and the BP Exploration Company Limited won the tender for exploration in the Beaufort Sea.
Do you have the means to carry out environmental assessments in those areas?
Executive Director, Environmental Assessment and Marine Program, Department of the Environment
We have an environmental assessment program at the federal level, and at the territorial level as well. Different departments have different roles they would play in an environmental assessment that would happen there. But Environment Canada certainly has resources that it puts toward understanding both the environmental impacts that a project might have, and understanding and giving any regulatory approvals that might go with that project. There are a couple of regulatory approvals that might be required for a project like that, and then for participating in the environmental assessment.
Now, whether or not we have the resources to participate in an environmental assessment of that magnitude, it really depends on how big the project is and how different the project is from those we already have expertise in and have already participated in.
There have been projects in the past where, because of the size of them, we have sought and obtained additional resources to work on the environmental assessment. For a lot of the other environmental assessments, we have a pool of money and expertise that we put toward them as they go through the system. There are thousands each year.
So it really depends on what type of project it ends up being, and its size.
Conservative
The Chair Conservative Merv Tweed
Are there any other comments or questions?
I thank our guests for being here today on very short notice. As for some of the information that was to come through the chair, if you could forward it to me through Maxime, then I'll see that the members of the committee get the responses.
Thank you very much for your time, and have a good weekend. Merci.
While our guests are making their way out, we'll move to clause-by-clause, as previously agreed.
(Clauses 1 and 2 agreed to)
Conservative
Conservative
Brian Jean Conservative Fort McMurray—Athabasca, AB
I would at this time just make note that I believe it was unanimous, by all members present, in relation to all of the questions put.
Conservative
The Chair Conservative Merv Tweed
Duly noted.
Now, as was previously discussed—I know that some people have a little bit of a time restraint here—we have coming back to us, after the break, Bill C-7, which amends the Marine Liability Act. It has been sent to committee for study and review.
I think we can discuss this bill as a group. We're okay with that? It's pretty much the same. This is the steering committee at large.
We have Bill C-7 on the Marine Liability Act. I've sent a heads-up to the minister's office to invite him and his appointed delegates to the committee.
I know there were a couple of other things that we wanted to at least put on the agenda. Before we move to them, I would ask that if you do have witnesses you'd like to bring forward on Bill C-7, could you get their names to Maxime by the end of next week? Then we can certainly have them lined up to be here and available when we come back.
Is there any further business today?
Mr. Volpe.
Liberal
Joe Volpe Liberal Eglinton—Lawrence, ON
I have three issues. I'd like to deal with each of them separately, if you don't mind.
Having due regard for the fact that we need to address the legislative items that come before the committee as a priority, we still have, first of all, the main estimates to deal with. I would like us to establish a date for doing that so that we can have the minister/ministers come before us. I guess my colleagues on this side will agree, and I'm sure the colleagues on the other side will also agree, that at the earliest opportunity, we should do that.
So if we put in a request to do that, we can slot that in. I don't know whether Monsieur Laframboise and Monsieur Bevington are in agreement that at the earliest opportunity, we should go to them.
NDP
Dennis Bevington NDP Western Arctic, NT
I still want to go back to look at the stimulus infrastructure packages and the conditions that have been laid out in them. I've been making that request for a while. I think it's something that should come up on this agenda shortly after we return.
Liberal
Joe Volpe Liberal Eglinton—Lawrence, ON
I have no problem with that.
You know, Mr. Bevington, I was thinking about.... We as a committee have the responsibility to deal with legislation. I think that as a committee we also have an obligation to deal with the main estimates prior to the end of May. I just thought we should do it at the earliest opportunity we have to do it. Then I wanted to go on to the items that some of us on this side would like to deal with.
It was simply a request that we put the request in immediately so that we could slot in one of those days and work around the date for the main estimates. What we do with it is another story.
Bloc
Mario Laframboise Bloc Argenteuil—Papineau—Mirabel, QC
For the benefit of Mr. Bevington, I would like to point out that a good time to ask questions about infrastructure is when we are studying the estimates. So it would be helpful if the minister could appear for two hours. We should make a request to that effect. We could then ask him the necessary questions.
Liberal
Joe Volpe Liberal Eglinton—Lawrence, ON
I agree. Each time the minister has appeared, it has just been for an hour.
Conservative
The Chair Conservative Merv Tweed
Through Maxime, we will send a letter to the minister, asking him to identify a Tuesday or a Thursday before May 31 to come before the committee. I'll request two hours, with the second hour geared, perhaps, more toward the infrastructure aspect of the budget review.
Mr. Bevington.
NDP
Dennis Bevington NDP Western Arctic, NT
We'll be beholden to the minister's schedule, then, to get this information out. If it's prior to May 31, that takes it another two months down the road.
This is a stimulus package. The infrastructure program is a big part of the stimulus package. We want to understand that these dollars are going to be delivered to municipalities and provincial and territorial governments in a good fashion. That requires, I think, some oversight on the part of this committee to ensure that it's being done.
Seeing that information come forward in a timely fashion, I would say, would probably mean within the month of April. If the minister wishes to appear in front of the committee at that time, perhaps that would be adequate. But to leave it until potentially the end of May is not, I think, the best idea.
Conservative
The Chair Conservative Merv Tweed
I think what I will do in the letter to the minister is ask him to identify a date as soon as possible, but absolutely before the May 31 deadline, which is your estimates deadline.
Mr. Jean.