Proceedings of the Standing Senate Committee on
Energy, the Environment and Natural Resources
Issue 3 - Evidence - December 13, 2007
OTTAWA, Thursday, December 13, 2007
The Standing Senate Committee on Energy, the Environment and Natural Resources, to which was referred Bill C- 15, An Act respecting the exploitation of the Donkin coal block and employment in or in connection with the operation of a mine that is wholly or partly at the Donkin coal block, and to make a consequential amendment to the Canada-Nova Scotia Offshore Petroleum Resources Accord Implementation Act (clause-by-clause consideration); and the subject matter of Bill S-208, An Act to require the Minister of the Environment to establish, in co-operation with the provinces, an agency with the power to identify and protect Canada's watersheds that will constitute sources of drinking water in the future (consideration of a draft agenda — future business); and review of the Canadian Environmental Protection Act (1999, c.3) pursuant to subsection 343(1) of the said act (consideration of a draft report), met this day at 8:30 a.m.
Senator Tommy Banks (Chair) in the chair.
[English]
The Chair: Good morning, senators. I see a quorum, and we will now proceed.
In the public part of the meeting, we will deal with clause-by-clause study of Bill C-15 and then, because I require some direction from committee members, discuss what we want to do with and about Bill S-208. We will then go in camera to consider other matters.
Is it your wish, senators, that we proceed to clause-by-clause study of Bill C-15?
Hon. Senators: Agreed.
The Chair: Shall the title be postponed?
Hon. Senators: Agreed.
The Chair: Shall clause 1 be postponed?
Hon. Senators: Agreed.
The Chair: Opposed? Carried.
Shall clause 2 carry?
Hon. Senators: Agreed.
The Chair: Opposed? Carried.
Shall clause 3 carry?
Hon. Senators: Agreed.
The Chair: Opposed? Carried.
Shall clause 4 carry?
Hon. Senators: Agreed.
The Chair: Opposed? Carried.
Shall clause 5 carry?
Hon. Senators: Agreed.
The Chair: Opposed? Carried.
Shall clause 6 carry?
Hon. Senators: Agreed.
The Chair: Opposed? Carried.
Shall clause 7 carry?
Hon. Senators: Agreed.
The Chair: Opposed? Carried.
Shall clause 8 carry?
Hon. Senators: Agreed.
The Chair: Opposed? Carried.
Shall clause 9 carry?
Hon. Senators: Agreed.
The Chair: Opposed? Carried.
Shall clause 10 carry?
Hon. Senators: Agreed.
The Chair: Opposed. Carried.
Shall clause 11 carry?
Hon. Senators: Agreed.
The Chair: Opposed? Carried.
Would members be agreeable to consider the carrying of the voting on clauses 12 to 16 inclusive?
Hon. Senators: Agreed.
The Chair: Shall clauses 12, 13, 14, 15, and 16 carry?
Hon. Senators: Agreed.
The Chair: Opposed? Carried.
Shall the schedule carry?
Hon. Senators: Agreed.
The Chair: Opposed? Carried.
Shall clause 1 carry?
Hon. Senators: Agreed.
The Chair: Opposed? Carried.
Shall the title carry?
Hon. Senators: Agreed.
The Chair: Opposed? Carried.
Shall the bill carry?
Hon. Senators: Agreed.
The Chair: Opposed? Carried.
Shall I report the bill to the Senate?
Hon. Senators: Agreed.
The Chair: Opposed? Carried.
We will do that this afternoon.
As a small housekeeping matter, ladies and gentlemen, we have a budget before us. As of yesterday, as proposed by the Deputy Leader of the Government in the Senate, we have before us a new and renewed order of reference to complete our CEPA study by February 29, 2008. In that respect and having to do with the meetings thereto, I have a proposal for a $5,000 all-inclusive budget to cover a special legislative study relating to CEPA and its completion.
Would senators consider a motion now to approve that budget to take forward to the Senate?
Senator Moore: I so move.
The Chair: Senator Moore has moved approval of the budget application. All in favour?
Hon. Senators: Agreed.
The Chair: Opposed? That is carried.
Thank you very much, senators.
Is it agreed that we go in camera, honourable senators.
Hon. Senators: Agreed.
The Chair: We shall now move in camera.
The committee continued in camera.