Proceedings of the Standing Senate Committee on
Energy, the Environment and Natural Resources
Issue 11 - Minutes of Proceedings
OTTAWA, Tuesday, June 17, 2008
(32)
[English]
The Standing Senate Committee on Energy, the Environment and Natural Resources met this day, at 6:15 p.m., in room 2, Victoria Building, the chair, the Honourable Tommy Banks, presiding.
Members of the committee present: The Honourable Senators Adams, Banks, Brown, McCoy, Milne, Mitchell, Sibbeston, Spivak and Trenholme Counsell (9).
In attendance: Lynne Myers and Frédéric Forge, Analysts, Parliamentary Information and Research Services, Library of Parliament.
Pursuant to the order of reference adopted by the Senate on Thursday, June 12, 2008, the committee began its examination of Bill C-33, An Act to amend the Canadian Environmental Protection Act, 1999.
APPEARING:
The Honourable Gerry Ritz, P.C., M.P., Minister of Agriculture and Agri-Food and Minister for the Canadian Wheat Board.
WITNESSES:
Environment Canada:
Bruce McEwen, Chief, Fuels Section, Energy and Transportation.
Natural Resources Canada:
Victoria Orsborne, Acting Chief, Fuels Policy, Office of Energy Efficiency.
The chair made an opening statement.
Minister Ritz made a statement and, together with Mr. McEwen and Ms. Orsborne, answered questions.
At 7:40 p.m., the committee adjourned to the call of the chair.
ATTEST:
OTTAWA, Thursday, June 19, 2008
(33)
[English]
The Standing Senate Committee on Energy, the Environment and Natural Resources met this day, at 8:33 a.m., in room 2, Victoria Building, the chair, the Honourable Tommy Banks, presiding.
Members of the committee present: The Honourable Senators Adams, Banks, Brown, Cochrane, Kenny, McCoy, Mitchell, Nolin, Sibbeston, Spivak and Trenholme Counsell (11).
Other senator present: The Honourable Senator Grafstein (1).
In attendance: Lynne Myers and Frédéric Forge, Analysts, Parliamentary Information and Research Services, Library of Parliament.
Pursuant to the order of reference adopted by the Senate on Thursday, June 12, 2008, the committee continued its examination of Bill C-33, An Act to amend the Canadian Environmental Protection Act, 1999.
WITNESSES:
Canadian Renewable Fuels Association:
Gordon Quaiattini, President.
BIOX Corporation:
Tim Haig, President.
GreenField Ethanol:
Bliss Baker, Vice President, Corporate Affairs.
The chair made an opening statement.
Messrs. Quaiattini, Haig and Baker each made a presentation and answered questions.
At 10:17 a.m., the committee suspended.
At 10:22 a.m., pursuant to the order of reference adopted by the Senate on Thursday, April 3, 2008, the committee resumed and continued its examination of Bill S-206, An Act to amend the Food and Drugs Act (clean drinking water). (For complete text of the order of reference, see proceedings of the committee, Issue No. 7.)
With leave, the Honourable Senator Kenny moved that the committee dispense with clause-by-clause consideration of Bill S-206, An Act to amend the Food and Drugs Act (clean drinking water).
The question being put on the motion, it was adopted.
It was agreed that the bill be adopted, without amendment, on division.
The Honourable Senator Kenny moved that the bill be reported by the chair at the earliest opportunity.
The question being put on the motion, it was adopted, on division.
At 10:28 a.m., the committee suspended.
At 11 a.m., pursuant to the order of reference adopted by the Senate on Wednesday, June 18, 2008, the committee resumed and began its examination of Bill C-474, An Act to require the development and implementation of a Federal Sustainable Development Strategy and the development of goals and targets with respect to sustainable development in Canada, and to make consequential amendments to another act.
WITNESS:
John Godfrey, Member of Parliament for Don Valley West, sponsor of the bill.
Mr. Godfrey made a statement and answered questions.
At 12:07 p.m., the committee adjourned to the call of the chair.
ATTEST:
OTTAWA, Wednesday, June 25, 2008
(34)
[English]
The Standing Senate Committee on Energy, the Environment and Natural Resources met this day, at 9:14 a.m., in room 9, Victoria Building, the chair, the Honourable Tommy Banks, presiding.
Members of the committee present: The Honourable Senators Adams, Banks, Brown, Cochrane, Kenny, McCoy, Milne, Mitchell, Munson, Nolin, Sibbeston and Spivak (12).
In attendance: Frédéric Forge, Analyst, Parliamentary Information and Research Services, Library of Parliament.
Pursuant to the order of reference adopted by the Senate on Thursday, June 12, 2008, the committee continued its examination of Bill C-33, An Act to amend the Canadian Environmental Protection Act, 1999.
WITNESSES:
ETC Group:
Pat Mooney, Executive Director.
Beyond Factory Farming Coalition:
Ian Lordon, Communications Officer.
National Farmers Union:
Colleen Ross, Women's President.
Oxfam Canada:
Mark Fried, Policy Coordinator.
Canadian Petroleum Products Institute:
Tony Macerollo, Vice-President, Public and Government Affairs;
Gilles Morel, National Director;
Don Munroe, Senior Advisor, Environmental and Fuel Quality;
Michael Kandravy, Director, Regulatory Affairs.
Resource Efficient Agricultural Production Canada (REAP-Canada):
Roger Samson, Executive Director.
Canadian Federation of Agriculture:
Bob Friesen, President.
The chair made an opening statement.
Messrs. Mooney and Lordon and Ms. Ross each made a presentation and answered questions.
At 11:16 a.m., the committee suspended.
At 11:24 a.m., the committee resumed.
Mr. Fried made a presentation and answered questions.
At 12:25 p.m., the committee suspended.
At 1:20 p.m., the committee resumed.
Mr. Macerollo made a presentation and together, with Messrs. Morel and Munroe, answered questions.
At 3:02 p.m., the committee suspended.
At 3:03 p.m., the committee resumed.
Messrs. Samson and Friesen each made a presentation and answered questions.
At 4:40 p.m., the committee suspended.
At 5:04 p.m., pursuant to the order of reference adopted by the Senate on Wednesday, June 18, 2008, the committee resumed and continued its examination of Bill C-474, An Act to require the development and implementation of a Federal Sustainable Development Strategy and the development of goals and targets with respect to sustainable development in Canada, and to make consequential amendments to another Act.
With leave, the Honourable Senator Mitchell moved that the committee dispense with clause-by-clause consideration of Bill C-474, An Act to require the development and implementation of a Federal Sustainable Development Strategy and the development of goals and targets with respect to sustainable development in Canada, and to make consequential amendments to another Act.
The question being put on the motion, it was adopted.
It was agreed that the bill be adopted, on division.
It was agreed that the bill be reported, without amendment but with observations, to the Senate.
It was agreed that the chair and the deputy chair be empowered to approve the final version of the observations being appended to the report, taking into consideration today's discussion and with any necessary editorial, grammatical or translation changes required.
At 5:18 p.m., the committee suspended.
At 5:20 p.m., pursuant to rule 92(2)(f), the committee continued in camera for the consideration of a draft report.
At 5:42 p.m., the committee adjourned to the call of the chair.
ATTEST:
OTTAWA, Thursday, June 26, 2008
(35)
[English]
The Standing Senate Committee on Energy, the Environment and Natural Resources met this day, at 9:07 a.m., in room 9, Victoria Building, the chair, the Honourable Tommy Banks, presiding.
Members of the committee present: The Honourable Senators Adams, Banks, Brown, Cochrane, Kenny, McCoy, Milne, Mitchell, Munson, Nolin, Sibbeston and Spivak (12).
In attendance: Frédéric Forge, Analyst, Parliamentary Information and Research Services, Library of Parliament.
Pursuant to the order of reference adopted by the Senate on Thursday, June 12, 2008, the committee continued its examination of Bill C-33, An Act to amend the Canadian Environmental Protection Act, 1999.
WITNESSES:
As an individual:
Chris Damas, Investment Analyst.
Coalition QuébecKyoto:
Thomas Welt, P. Eng., Member, Executive Committee;
John Burcombe, Member, Executive Committee.
Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada:
Michael Salter, Senior Policy Advisor, Strategic Policy Development.
Environment Canada:
Helen Ryan, Director, Oil, Gas and Energy.
Natural Resources Canada:
Catherine Kerr, Senior Policy Analyst.
The chair made an opening statement.
Mr. Damas made a presentation and answered questions.
At 10:01 a.m., the committee suspended.
At 10:08 a.m., the committee resumed.
Messrs. Welt and Burcombe each made a presentation and answered questions.
At 11:19 a.m., the committee suspended.
At 11:22 a.m., the committee resumed.
It was agreed to invite Mr. Salter, Ms. Ryan and Ms. Kerr to the table to answer questions.
At 12:05 p.m., the committee suspended.
At 12:16 p.m., the committee resumed.
The Honourable Senator Spivak moved that the committee not proceed to clause-by-clause consideration of Bill C- 33 until it receives a cost-benefit analysis of the government's 5 to 2 per cent proposal.
The question being put on the motion, it was negatived.
It was agreed to move to clause-by-clause consideration of Bill C-33, An Act to amend the Canadian Environmental Protection Act, 1999.
It was agreed that the title stand postponed.
It was agreed that clause 1 carry, 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.
It was agreed that clause 6 carry, on division.
It was agreed that the title carry, on division.
It was agreed that the bill be adopted, without amendment but with observations, on division.
It was agreed that the bill be reported, without amendment but with observations, to the Senate.
At 1:15 p.m., the committee adjourned to the call of the chair.
ATTEST:
Eric Jacques
Clerk of the Committee