Debates of June 11th, 2025

Main Estimates and Supplementary Estimates (A), 2025-26

[Tim Hodgson, Liberal, Markham—Thornhill, ON]

Mr. Chair, I have read the bill. These are the factors that the government will use. I am sorry, I disagree with the interpretation of the hon. member.

[Elizabeth May, Green, Saanich—Gulf Islands, BC]

Mr. Chair, it is very clear in the proposed act, and I refer the minister to the language of the act, which is, “Governor in Council may consider any factor that the Governor in Council considers relevant”.

Does the minister understand the legal meaning of the word “may”?

[Tim Hodgson, Liberal, Markham—Thornhill, ON]

Mr. Chair, the member will have an opportunity to debate the bill in the House. I am here to discuss the main estimates.

[Elizabeth May, Green, Saanich—Gulf Islands, BC]

Mr. Chair, the minister should understand his own legislation. Most of what has been said in the media about this bill, most of what the minister has said, constitutes unenforceable promises and press releases.

[Tim Hodgson, Liberal, Markham—Thornhill, ON]

Mr. Chair, the member should raise her questions in the House directly to the Minister of Intergovernmental Affairs.

[Elizabeth May, Green, Saanich—Gulf Islands, BC]

Mr. Chair, the minister has mentioned in the media nuclear projects. The only time in the history of this country that a debate was scheduled to discuss nuclear energy, its pluses and minuses, was under the former minister of energy, Ray Hnatyshyn, in the government of Joe Clark.

Would the minister care to commit to having an open debate on nuclear energy in the House of Commons?

[Tim Hodgson, Liberal, Markham—Thornhill, ON]

Mr. Chair, this government supports the development of the nuclear energy industry in this country. It is clean energy. It will help us deliver on being an energy superpower. That is what we are committed to doing, and that is why we are passing the one Canadian economy act.

[Elizabeth May, Green, Saanich—Gulf Islands, BC]

Mr. Chair, is the minister aware that the former SNC-Lavalin, now AtkinsRéalis, is behind the small modular reactor projects?

[Tim Hodgson, Liberal, Markham—Thornhill, ON]

Mr. Chair, I do not think that is actually correct. I believe OPG is using a Hitachi technology.

[Leah Gazan, NDP, Winnipeg Centre, MB]

Mr. Chair, to the Minister of Resources, has Bill C-5 been subjected to a charter challenge test, as required by the Department of Justice Act, section 4.2?

[Tim Hodgson, Liberal, Minister of Energy and Natural Resources]

Mr. Chair, that will be debated in the House, and the hon. member will have an opportunity to debate that in the House.

[Leah Gazan, NDP, Winnipeg Centre, MB]

Mr. Chair, yes or no?

[Tim Hodgson, Liberal, Markham—Thornhill, ON]

Mr. Chair, she can ask that question in the House.

[Leah Gazan, NDP, Winnipeg Centre, MB]

Mr. Chair, is the minister aware that Bill C-5 violates section 35 of the Constitution Act 1982, yes or no?

[Tim Hodgson, Liberal, Markham—Thornhill, ON]

Mr. Chair, the member will have an opportunity to debate that in the House.

[Leah Gazan, NDP, Winnipeg Centre, MB]

Mr. Chair, through numerous Supreme Court of Canada decisions, the court has determined a constitutional obligation to consult and accommodate indigenous peoples, including the obligation to obtain full consent. Is the minister aware that Bill C-5 fails to uphold that constitutional obligation, yes or no?

[Tim Hodgson, Liberal, Markham—Thornhill, ON]

Mr. Chair, indigenous consultation is at the centre of the one Canadian economy bill. Our government will always respect indigenous rights and engage in robust consultations. The fourth criteria of the one Canadian economy bill is “advance the interests of Indigenous peoples”.

[Leah Gazan, NDP, Winnipeg Centre, MB]

Mr. Chair, why is FPIC, free, prior and informed consent, left out of Bill C-5?

[Tim Hodgson, Liberal, Markham—Thornhill, ON]

Mr. Chair, the bill recognizes the charter rights of first nations. The bill talks about having an indigenous leaders group with feedback for the major projects office—

[The Assistant Deputy Chair, Conservative, John Nater]

The hon. member.

[Leah Gazan, NDP, Winnipeg Centre, MB]

Mr. Chair, how will the government uphold its commitment to fight the climate crisis in Bill C-5 when a minister in cabinet can override legislative assessment processes, including the environmental protections contained in the Impact Assessment Act?

[Tim Hodgson, Liberal, Markham—Thornhill, ON]

Mr. Chair, today Canada faces two very real threats to our way of life: climate change and the American tariffs. We have to fight both head-on. That is why we will continue to reduce emissions across our economy and build energy—

[The Assistant Deputy Chair, Conservative, John Nater]

The hon. member.

[Leah Gazan, NDP, Winnipeg Centre, MB]

Mr. Chair, the minister seems to be having difficulty answering any of my questions, although he seemed to be able to answer questions when he felt like it.

Is the Minister of Natural Resources aware of the risk of increased violence against indigenous women and girls that will result from fast-tracking extraction and oil and gas projects without putting in place safety plans for communities hosting companies, which is something the national inquiry noted in its calls for justice?

[Tim Hodgson, Liberal, Markham—Thornhill, ON]

Mr. Chair, we are here to talk about the main estimates. I am not sure how that is relevant. What I would like to point out is that the First Nations Major Projects Coalition put out a press release the day that—