Environment committee  I'll start and then my colleague, Brent Parker, will continue. We have heard the comments that the Mining Association has brought forward. It's important to note the interim principle the government put in place in January 2016, such that no project would go back to the startin

Environment committee  Yes, that's correct. There are increased provisions for transparency, for posting all the science. There's also a legislated requirement for federal expert departments to weigh in and analyze scientific information, and for their analysis to be posted as well.

Environment committee  Meaningful participation starts in the early planning. One of the key outputs of the early planning phase is a public participation plan as well as an indigenous engagement and consultation plan. I noted earlier that we'll be doing that with indigenous groups. We'll also be doi

Environment committee  The early planning phase is not the assessment process. The assessment process actually starts after the early planning phase. I think it's important to note that the legislation doesn't define what public participation tools need to be used. It's enabling, so it's enabling mea

Environment committee  There are a number of ways. First off, proposed section 22 of the legislation, which lays out the factors that need to be undertaken in an impact assessment, is an expanded section that looks at health, social, and economic factors as well as community knowledge and indigenous kn

Environment committee  As the minister noted in her opening remarks, one of the goals is to ensure that we are getting good projects to market. The process that has been designed through the proposed legislation aims to ensure this by bringing regulatory certainty to the process through assessments by

Environment committee  In terms of public participation within the proposed legislation, an important component actually is in the early planning phase where there are outputs of the early planning phase.

Environment committee  I can't answer as to why specifically something's not in there, but I can indicate what is in there. What is in there is no longer the interested party test. Right there, that has been removed so there's no longer—

Environment committee  —a requirement for individuals to be identified as interested parties, thereby opening up the level of participation. Also, within the purpose statement of the act, there is a clear statement there—

Environment committee  —with respect to meaningful participation within the process, as well as the development of a public participation plan in the early planning process. There are a number of points with respect to public participation.

Environment committee  As Terry has noted, what we've tried to do with the proposed legislation is to put the principles of free, prior, and informed consent, and having mutual respect and dialogue, threaded throughout the legislation. There are a number of aspects of the draft legislation that speak t

Environment committee  As I've indicated, the current legislation as drafted tries to embody the principles of free, prior, and informed consent based on mutual dialogue and respect. That has been the theme that has gone through the legislation.

Environment committee  The minister has indicated openness to amendments. We look forward to continuing that dialogue in supporting the minister and the government—

Environment committee  As the minister noted, there are two sections within the legislation that specifically look at Canada's climate commitments and obligations: proposed subsection 22(1) and then proposed section 63, in the decision-making. It's important to note that climate commitments and envir

Environment committee  I can start, and then my colleagues can chime in. As the minister noted in her remarks, Bill C-69 is premised on ensuring that decisions that are taken under the legislation are evidence-based. Throughout the assessment process, we have a number of different factors and opportun