Proceedings of the Standing Senate Committee on
Energy, the
Environment and Natural Resources
Issue 11 - Minutes of Proceedings
OTTAWA, Wednesday, October 7, 1998
(14)
[English]
The Standing Senate Committee on Energy, the Environment and Natural Resources met at 9:05 a.m. this day, the Deputy Chair, the Honourable Nicholas W. Taylor, presiding.
Members of the committee presents: The Honourable Senators Buchanan, Butts, Cochrane, Fitzpatrick, Kenny, Spivak and Taylor (7).
Other senator presents: The Honourable Senator Cools (1).
In attendance: Lynne Myers from the Library of Parliament.
Also in attendance: The official reporters of the Senate.
WITNESSES:
As an individual:
Ted Hart, Mayor, Town of Banff.
From the Canadian Nature Federation:
Kevin McNamee, Wildlands Campaign Director.
From the Canadian Parks and Wilderness Society:
Mary Granskou, Executive Director.
From Sierra Club of Canada:
Rita Morbia.
The committee, in compliance with its Order of Reference dated Monday, June 15, 1998 proceeded to examine Bill C-29, An Act to establish the Parks Canada Agency and to amend other Acts as a consequence. (See Proceedings of the Committee dated October 6, 1998, 9:00 a.m. for full text of Order of Reference )
Mr. Hart made an opening statement and answered questions.
At 10:05, the committee took a five minutes recess.
Mr. McNamee and Ms Granskou each made statements and answered questions.
Ms Morbia made a statement and answered questions.
At 11:35 a.m., the committee adjourned to the call of the Chair.
ATTEST:
OTTAWA, Wednesday, October 7, 1998
(15)
[English]
The Standing Senate Committee on Energy, the Environment and Natural Resources met at 12:20 p.m. this day, the Acting Chair, the Honourable Joyce Fairbairn, presiding in the absence of the Deputy Chair, the Honourable Nicholas W. Taylor.
Members of the committee presents: The Honourable Senators Buchanan, Butts, Cochrane, Fairbairn, Fitzpatrick, Kenny, Kroft, Milne, Spivak and Taylor (10).
In attendance: Lynne Myers from the Library of Parliament.
Also in attendance: The official reporters of the Senate.
APPEARING:
Hon. Andy Mitchell, P.C., M.P., Secretary of State (Parks).
WITNESS:
From the Department of Canadian Heritage:
Tom Lee, Assistant Deputy Minister, Parks Canada.
The committee, in compliance with its Order of Reference dated Monday, June 15, 1998 proceeded to examine Bill C-29, An Act to establish the Parks Canada Agency and to amend other Acts as a consequence. (See Proceedings of the Committee dated October 6, 1998, 9:00a.m. for full text of Order of Reference )
The Honourable Andy Mitchell made an opening statement and answered questions.
At 12:23 p.m., the Honourable Senator Taylor took the Chair.
At 1:15 p.m., the committee proceeded its clause-by-clause study of Bill C-29, An Act to establish the Parks Canada Agency and to amend other Acts as a consequence.
It was moved by the Honourable Senator Kenny -- That the sixty-two Clauses, the Appendix, the Title and the Bill be adopted.
The question being put on the motion, it was -- Resolved in the affirmative.
It was moved by the Honourable Senator Spivak -- That Bill C-29, An Act to establish the Parks Canada Agency and to amend other Acts as a consequence, be adopted without amendment but with observations and recommendations and reported to the Senate as the Fourth Report of the Committee.
The Honourable Senator Spivak outlined the following observations and recommendations that she would like to see in the Report:
The Minister should be invited to consider adding to the preamble wording which would stress and reinforce the conservation mandate, particularly with regard to areas which are in proximity to park boundaries, and the committee could use some of the wording from the Canadian nature Federation submission, but with an add-on regarding federal/provincial agreements. The Canadian Nature Federation wording is: "To effect the conservation of ecosystems and natural areas that extend beyond natural park boundaries by working in cooperation with adjacent landowners, and being involved in research, environmental assessment and planning processes within the region."
In addition, a statement of purpose should be added, following the Canadian Nature Federation wording:
"The purpose of the Agency is to protect nationally significant examples of Canada's natural and cultural heritage in national parks, national historic sites, marine conservation areas and related heritage areas, and to commemorate and present these places in ways that encourage public understanding, appreciation and enjoyment of this heritage while ensuring long term ecological and commemorative integrity."
Also, the addition that a national advisory council of informed stakeholders be struck to meet quarterly with Parks Management ant that a requirement be added for public input in the formation or alteration of the management plan should be included in the Report.
After debate, it was agreed -- That Bill C-29, An Act to establish the Parks Canada Agency and to amend other Acts as a consequence, be reported without amendment but with observations and recommendations and reported to the Senate and -- That the fine details of the Report be worked out by the staff of the Committee and presented to the Committee members for their revision the week of October 12, 1998 and -- That the Report be studied at a meeting of the committee, October 20th.
At 1:25 p.m., the committee adjourned to the call of the Chair.
ATTEST:
Line Gravel
Clerk of the Committee