Transport Committee on Nov. 1st, 2012

[The Chair, Conservative, Larry Miller]

I call the meeting to order.

[Olivia Chow, NDP, Trinity—Spadina, ON]

Mr. Chair, before you start dealing with the committee report, I would like to move the motion that I tabled a few Fridays ago—not last Friday, but the Friday before.

[The Chair, Conservative, Larry Miller]

That was the first order of business anyway.

[Olivia Chow, NDP, Trinity—Spadina, ON]

All right. Thank you. I will move that motion.

[The Chair, Conservative, Larry Miller]

Could you read it back, just for the record?

[Olivia Chow, NDP, Trinity—Spadina, ON]

Sure.

That, the Standing Committee on Transport, Infrastructure and Communities conduct a study on the subject matter of the sections of Bill C-45, An Act to implement certain provisions of the budget tabled in Parliament on March 29, 2012 and other measures, which directly fall within the mandate of this committee, especially the changes proposed to the Navigable Waters Protection Act and its ramifications for pipeline crossing reviews and the integrity of Canada’s streams and lakes...

As well, I move that that the committee also consider clauses 156 to 165, 179 to 184, 316 to 350, and 411 to 424, and schedules 1 and 2, and that the committee report this motion to the House.

Mr. Chair, you will notice that I moved my motion and then also incorporated the motion from the Standing Committee on Finance, in which paragraph (a)(x) refers to this committee, so I incorporated pieces of it into my motion.

I think it is important that we consider the many lakes, rivers, and streams across Canada and how we need to continue to protect them, and I thought this would be the committee that should do the study. Thank you, Mr. Chair.

[The Chair, Conservative, Larry Miller]

Thank you.

Is there any discussion?

Go ahead, Mr. Poilievre.

[Pierre Poilievre, Conservative, Nepean—Carleton, ON]

I have some good news for Ms. Chow.

Mr. Chairman, I understand that you have received the following letter from the chairman from the Standing Committee on Finance, which says:

Our Committee is currently studying Bill C-45, A second Act to implement certain provisions of the budget tabled in Parliament on March 29, 2012 and other measures. Please find attached a motion adopted by the Standing Committee on Finance on October 31, 2012, inviting your Committee to consider the subject matter of clauses 156 to 165, 179 to 184, 316 to 350 and 411 to 424, and schedules 1 and 2 of Bill C-45.

The adopted motion also invites your Committee, if it deems it appropriate, to provide us with recommendations, including any suggested amendments. As such, Parliamentary Counsel (Legislation) Wendy Gordon...as well as the Legislative Clerk, Mike MacPherson...can advise you, respectively, on the drafting of amendments, as well as their admissibility, if this was the wish of your committee.

Therefore, I invite you to send me recommendations, including any suggested amendments, of your Committee by letter, in both official languages, no later than 5 p.m. on Tuesday, November 20, 2012. Our Committee will consider them during its clause-by-clause consideration of the Bill. Finally, if your Committee decides not to suggest any amendments, please notify the Clerk of the Standing Committee on Finance in writing as soon as possible.

That would seem to put the matter to rest.

[The Chair, Conservative, Larry Miller]

We were going to discuss the letter that came from the chair of the Standing Committee on Finance afterwards, but I presume everybody has a copy of it. I don't know if you've had a look at it, but our only opportunity to deal with this, because of timing and translation, is on next Tuesday, November 6. It's our only opportunity, so it has to be done if we want to participate in this, and I presume, with heads nodding around the table, that we do.

Is there any further discussion?

[Olivia Chow, NDP, Trinity—Spadina, ON]

Mr. Chair, we have in front of us two motions, I assume mine and Mr. Poilievre's, or is it just mine? I think it does the same thing.

[The Chair, Conservative, Larry Miller]

We are only dealing with your motion right now. Not to put words in Mr. Poilievre's mouth, but I think he was basically saying that your motion is going to be satisfied anyway. Is that correct?

[Olivia Chow, NDP, Trinity—Spadina, ON]

I get it. Well, it's one meeting.

Mr. Chair, today is already Thursday. Next Thursday is seen as a Friday—that is, at the time when we would meet, which is 11 o'clock, question period will be starting, so we would not be able to have a meeting at that time.

Would it be possible to add one other meeting on Wednesday afternoon after question period? That would at least give us two meetings to consider the clauses, given that there's such a short timeline.

[The Chair, Conservative, Larry Miller]

What day are you suggesting that could be done?

[Olivia Chow, NDP, Trinity—Spadina, ON]

Wednesday afternoon at 3:30 to 5:30 is possible. I so move that we will....

Well, let's deal with this motion first, and then I'll—

[The Chair, Conservative, Larry Miller]

We do have to deal with your.... You could move that amendment to your motion.

[Olivia Chow, NDP, Trinity—Spadina, ON]

I will do that, Mr. Chair. I will move to add one other meeting of this committee, next Wednesday at 3:30 to 5:30, to consider the clauses.

[The Chair, Conservative, Larry Miller]

I think I'm clear on what your amendment is. I just have to point out to you that committee rooms around the Hill are very tough to get sometimes.

[Olivia Chow, NDP, Trinity—Spadina, ON]

We'll make our best effort.

[The Chair, Conservative, Larry Miller]

Anyway, I had Mr. Holder on the list. He's off now.

Now I'm going to take speakers on Ms. Chow's amendment to the main motion. Is there any discussion on it?

Go ahead, Mr. Coderre.

[Denis Coderre, Liberal, Bourassa, QC]

It is not that we do not want to work. However, we all have very heavy schedules, and that's a fact.

So, if we could start earlier Tuesday, we could do that. However, the fact is that I cannot be here Wednesday.

You could invite people but we would have to reserve a room. We also have other duties. It is just a matter of being pragmatic.

I have no objection at all, but I find it unfortunate that we only have one day. We have to take the calendar and its constraints into account.

It did me good to tell you that. It is part of my group therapy.

[Voices]

Oh, oh!

[The Chair, Conservative, Larry Miller]

Is there further discussion?

Go ahead, Ms. Chow.

[Olivia Chow, NDP, Trinity—Spadina, ON]

Mr. Chair, I'm always willing to be flexible. Would it make it easier for the committee and the clerk if I say that next week we add on two more hours of committee time? I will leave it for you to—

[The Chair, Conservative, Larry Miller]

You're amending your amendment.

[Olivia Chow, NDP, Trinity—Spadina, ON]

I'm just trying to be helpful. The chair and clerk could find two hours. You can survey other people if that's doable.