Proceedings of the Standing Senate Committee on
Energy, the
Environment and Natural Resources
Issue 23 - Minutes of Proceedings
OTTAWA, Wednesday, September 1, 1999
(40)
[English]
The Standing Senate Committee on Energy, the Environment and Natural Resources met at 8:40 a.m. this day, in Room 505, Victoria Building, the Chairman, the Honourable Ronald D. Ghitter, presiding.
Members of the committee present: The Honourable Senators Adams, Buchanan, P.C., Chalifoux, Cochrane, Cook, Ghitter, Hays, Hervieux-Payette, P.C., Lynch-Staunton, Nolin, Pearson, Poulin, Spivak, and Taylor (14).
In attendance: From the Research Branch of the Library of Parliament: Lynne C. Myers and Monique Hébert, Research Officers; from the Committees and Private Legislation Directorate of the Senate: Heather Lank, Deputy Principal Clerk, and Mr. Michel Patrice, Committee Clerk.
Also in attendance: The official reporters of the Senate.
WITNESSES:
From the Salt Institute:
Mr. Allan J. Hamilton, Chemical Business Manager, Sifto Canada Inc.
From the Canadian Water and Wastewater Association:
Mr. Duncan Ellison, Executive Director;
Dr. Laurence Moore, Member of the Board of Directors and Manager of Environmental Programmes, Ontario Clean Water Agency.
From the Canadian Labour Congress:
Mr. Hassan Yussuff, Executive Vice-President;
Mr. David Bennett, National Director, Health, Safety and Environment.
From the Canadian Union of Public Employees:
Mr. Peter Leiss, Chair, National Environment Committee;
Mr. Colin Lambert, Director, Health and Safety Branch.
From the Canadian Institute of Child Health:
Dr. Eva Rosinger, Board member;
Dr. Graham Chance, Past Chair;
Ms Sandra Schwartz, Director, Environmental Programmes.
From the Déline Dene Uranium Committee:
Mr. Leroy Andre, Co-chair, Déline Dene Uranium Committee and Sub-Chief, Déline Dene Band Council;
Mr. Paul Baton, Elder and Member, Déline Dene Uranium Committee;
Ms Gina Bayha, Interpreter for Mr. Paul Baton.
The committee, in compliance with its Order of Reference dated Tuesday, June 8, 1999, continued its examination of Bill C-32, An Act respecting pollution prevention and the protection of the environment and human health in order to contribute to sustainable development. (See proceedings of the committee, Issue No. 19, dated June 15, 1999, for full text of Order of Reference.)
Mr. Hamilton made a statement and answered questions.
Dr. Moore made a statement and, together with Mr. Ellison, answered questions.
Messrs Yussuff and Bennett made a statement and answered questions.
Mr. Leiss made a statement.
Dr. Rosinger made a statement and, together with Ms Schwartz and Dr. Chance, answered questions.
It was agreed -- That the Canadian Institute's of Child Health recommended new subclause 44(5), as well as recommendations for clauses 67 and 68, at page 6 of the document entitled, Oral Version: Bill C-32 and Children's Health, be deemed read as part of the committee's record and filed with the Clerk of the Committee as Exhibit No. 5900 E1/C-32, 23 "8".
The representatives of the Déline Dene Uranium Committee made statements, answered questions, and deposited with the Clerk of the Committee a document entitled, They Never Told Us These Things: A Record and Analysis of the Deadly and Continuing Impacts of Radium and Uranium Mining on the Sahtu Dene of Great Bear Lake, Northwest Territories, Canada, Dene First Nation of Déline, July 1998, filed as Exhibit No. 5900 E1/C-32, 23 "9".
At 12:45 p.m., the committee suspended sitting to 1:15 p.m.
At 1:25 p.m., the committee resumed sitting.
It was agreed that a letter from the Honourable David Anderson, P.C., M.P., Minister of the Environment, dated September 1, 1999 be filed as part of the permanent record of this committee and filed as Exhibit No. 5900 E1/C-32, 23 "10".
It was moved by the Honourable Senator Spivak -- That the committee rescind its motion of August 24, 1999 respecting its date of reporting and the hearing of witnesses, and instead report the bill to the Senate by October 15, 1999.
After debate, the motion was negatived on the following division.
YEAS: The Honourable Senators: Cochrane, Ghitter, Lynch-Staunton, Nolin and Spivak -- 5.
NAYS: The Honourable Senators: Adams, Chalifoux, Cook, Hays, Hervieux-Payette, P.C., Poulin and Taylor -- 7.
ABSTENTIONS: Nil.
It was agreed that the committee proceed to clause-by-clause consideration of Bill C-32.
The Chairman asked whether the preamble shall carry.
It was moved by the Honourable Senator Spivak -- That Bill C-32 be amended in the preamble on page 1, by replacing line 19 with the following:
"knowledges the need to phase out the generation and use of the "
And on page 2, by replacing lines 45 to 47 with the following:
"trol and management of any adverse effects of the use and release of toxic substances, products of biotechnology, pollutants and other wastes, and the virtual."
After debate, the motion was negatived, on division.
It was moved by the Honourable Senator Nolin -- That Bill C-32 be amended in the preamble, in the English version, on page 2, by replacing line 1 with the following:
"postponing effective measures to prevent".
After debate, the motion was negatived, on division.
It was moved by the Honourable Senator Spivak -- That Bill C-32 be amended in the preamble on page 3, by deleting lines 1 to 5.
After debate, the motion was negatived, on division.
At 2:35 p.m., the Honourable Senator Taylor took the Chair.
It was agreed that the preamble carry, on division.
It was agreed that the title stand, on division.
It was agreed that clause one stand, on division.
The Deputy Chairman asked whether clause 2 shall carry.
It was moved by the Honourable Senator Spivak -- That Bill C-32 be amended in clause 2 on page 4, by replacing lines 17 to 19 with the following:
"from any adverse effects of the use and release of toxic substances, products of biotechnology, pollutants and wastes;"
And by deleting lines 20 to 23.
After debate, the motion was negatived, on division.
It was agreed that clause 2 carry, on division.
It was agreed that clause 3 carry, on division.
It was agreed that clause 4 carry, on division.
It was agreed that clause 5 carry, on division.
The Deputy Chairman asked whether clause 6 shall carry.
It was moved by the Honourable Senator Nolin -- That Bill C-32, in clause 6, be amended by replacing line 9 on page 12 with the following:
"each of the provinces;"
After debate, the motion was negatived, on division.
It was moved by the Honourable Senator Nolin -- That Bill C-32, in clause 6, be amended by adding after line 30 on page 12 the following:
"(d) one representative for all Métis, selected by the Métis National Council."
After debate, the motion was negatived, on division.
It was agreed that clause 6 carry, on division.
It was agreed that clause 7 carry, on division.
It was agreed that clause 8 carry, on division.
It was agreed that clause 9 carry, on division.
It was agreed that clause 10 carry, on divison.
It was agreed that clause 11 carry, on division.
It was agreed that clause 12 carry, on division.
It was agreed that clauses 13 to 356 carry, on division.
The Deputy Chairman asked whether schedules 1 to 6 shall carry.
Ms Monique Hébert from the Research Branch of the Library of Parliament answered questions.
It was agreed that schedules 1 to 6 carry, on division.
It was agreed that clause 1 carry, on division.
It was agreed that the title carry, on division.
It was agreed, on division, that the bill be adopted without amendment.
After debate, it was agreed, on division, that the Chairman and Deputy Chairman shall separately finalise observations on the bill, within the time frame established by the committee's motion of August 24, 1999 respecting its schedule and after receiving comments from the other members of the committee, if the other members provide such comments, and that both sets of observations shall be appended to the committee's report to the Senate on Bill C-32.
It was agreed, on division, that the bill be reported, with observations, at the next sitting of the Senate, in accordance with the August 24, 1999 resolution.
At 3:24 p.m., the committee adjourned to the call of the Chair.
ATTEST:
Till Heyde
Clerk of the Committee