Proceedings of the Standing Senate Committee on
Energy, the Environment and Natural Resources
Issue 1 - Minutes of Proceedings - June 14, 2011
OTTAWA, Tuesday, June 14, 2011
(1)
[English]
The Standing Senate Committee on Energy, the Environment and Natural Resources met this day at 5 p.m., in room 257, East Block, for the purpose of holding its organization meeting, pursuant to rule 88.
Members of the committee present: The Honourable Senators Angus, Banks, Brown, Johnson, Martin, Mitchell, Neufeld, Peterson, Seidman and Wallace (10).
In attendance: Sam Banks and Marc LeBlanc, Analysts, Parliamentary Information and Research Service, Library of Parliament.
Also in attendance: The official reporters of the Senate.
Pursuant to rule 88, the clerk presided over the election of the chair.
The Honourable Senator Banks moved:
That the Honourable Senator Angus do take the chair of this committee.
The question being put on the motion, it was adopted.
The Honourable Senator Angus assumed the chair and made remarks.
The Honourable Senator Neufeld moved:
That the Honourable Senator Mitchell be deputy chair of this committee.
The question being put on the motion, it was adopted.
The Honourable Senator Seidman moved:
That the Subcommittee on Agenda and Procedure be composed of the chair, the deputy chair, and one other member of the committee, to be designated after the usual consultation; and
That the subcommittee be empowered to make decisions on behalf of the committee with respect to its agenda, to invite witnesses, and to schedule hearings.
The question being put on the motion, it was adopted.
The Honourable Senator Brown moved:
That the committee publish its proceedings; and
That the chair be authorized to set the number of printed copies to meet demand.
The question being put on the motion, it was adopted.
The Honourable Senator Johnson moved:
That, pursuant to rule 89, the chair be authorized to hold meetings, to receive and authorize the publication of the evidence when a quorum is not present, provided that a member of the committee from both the government and the opposition be present.
The question being put on the motion, it was adopted.
The Honourable Senator Peterson moved:
That the committee adopt the draft first report, prepared in accordance with rule 104 and that the chair table the report at the next sitting of the Senate.
After debate, the question being put on the motion, it was adopted.
The Honourable Senator Banks moved:
That the committee ask the Library of Parliament to assign analysts to the committee;
That the chair be authorized to seek authority from the Senate to engage the services of such counsel and technical, clerical, and other personnel as may be necessary for the purpose of the committee's examination and consideration of such bills, subject-matters of bills, and estimates as are referred to it;
That the Subcommittee on Agenda and Procedure be authorized to retain the services of such experts as may be required by the work of the committee; and
That the chair, on behalf of the committee, direct the research staff in the preparation of studies, analyses, summaries, and draft reports.
The Honourable Senator Banks moved:
That the motion be amended to read ``That the chair be authorized to seek authority from the Senate to engage the services of such counsel and technical, clerical, and other personnel as may be necessary for the purpose of the committee's examination and consideration of such bills, subject-matters of bills, estimates as are referred to it and preparation of reports;''
The question being put on the motion in amendment, it was adopted.
The question being put on the motion, it was adopted.
The Honourable Senator Wallace moved:
That, pursuant to section 7, chapter 3:06 of the Senate Administrative Rules, authority to commit funds be conferred individually on the chair, the deputy chair, and the clerk of the committee;
That, pursuant to section 8, chapter 3:06 of the Senate Administrative Rules, authority for certifying accounts payable by the committee be conferred individually on the chair, the deputy chair, and the clerk of the committee; and
That, notwithstanding the foregoing, in cases related to consultants and personnel services, the authority to commit funds and certify accounts be conferred jointly on the chair and deputy chair.
The question being put on the motion, it was adopted.
The Honourable Senator Neufeld moved:
That the committee empower the Subcommittee on Agenda and Procedure to designate, as required, one or more members of the committee and/or such staff as may be necessary to travel on assignment on behalf of the committee.
The question being put on the motion, it was adopted.
The Honourable Senator Brown moved:
That the Subcommittee on Agenda and Procedure be authorized to:
1) determine whether any member of the committee is on ``official business'' for the purposes of paragraph 8(3)(a) of the Senators Attendance Policy, published in the Journals of the Senate on Wednesday, June 3, 1998; and
2) consider any member of the committee to be on ``official business'' if that member is: (a) attending an event or meeting related to the work of the committee; or (b) making a presentation related to the work of the committee; and
That the subcommittee report at the earliest opportunity any decisions taken with respect to the designation of members of the committee travelling on committee business.
The question being put on the motion, it was adopted.
The Honourable Senator Johnson moved:
That, pursuant to the Senate guidelines for witness expenses, the committee may reimburse reasonable travelling and living expenses for one witness from any one organization and payment will take place upon application, but that the chair be authorized to approve expenses for a second witness should there be exceptional circumstances.
The question being put on the motion, it was adopted.
The Honourable Senator Seidman moved:
That the Subcommittee on Agenda and Procedure be empowered to direct communications officer(s) assigned to the committee in the development of communications plans where appropriate and to request the services of the Senate Communications Directorate for the purposes of their development and implementation;
That the chair be authorized to seek permission from the Senate to permit coverage by electronic media of the committee's public proceedings with the least possible disruption of its hearings; and
That the Subcommittee on Agenda and Procedure be empowered to allow such coverage at its discretion.
The question being put on the motion, it was adopted.
The chair noted that the time slots for regular meetings were Tuesday evenings from 5 p.m. to 7 p.m. and Thursday mornings from 8 a.m. to 10 a.m.
After debate, the Honourable Senator Neufeld, moved:
That the chair be authorized to seek authority from the Senate for the following order of reference:
That the Standing Senate Committee on Energy, the Environment and Natural Resources be authorized to examine and report on emerging issues related to its mandate:
(a) The current state and future direction of production, distribution, consumption, trade, security and sustainability of Canada's energy resources;
(b) Environmental challenges facing Canada including responses to global climate change, air pollution, biodiversity and ecological integrity;
(c) Sustainable development and management of renewable and non-renewable natural resources including but not limited to water, minerals, soils, flora and fauna; and
(d) Canada's international treaty obligations affecting energy, the environment and natural resources and their influence on Canada's economic and social development;
That the papers and evidence received and taken and work accomplished by the committee on this subject since the beginning of the Second Session of the Thirty-ninth Parliament be referred to the committee; and
That the committee submit its final report no later than June 29, 2012 and that the committee retain all powers necessary to publicize its findings until 180 days after the tabling of the final report.
The question being put on the motion, it was adopted.
After debate, the Honourable Senator Seidman, moved:
That the chair be authorized to seek authority from the Senate for the following order of reference:
That the Standing Senate Committee on Energy, the Environment and Natural Resources be authorized to examine and report on the current state and future of Canada's energy sector (including alternative energy). In particular, the committee shall be authorized to:
(a) Examine the current state of the energy sector across Canada, including production, manufacturing, transportation, distribution, sales, consumption and conservation patterns;
(b) Examine the federal and provincial/territorial roles in the energy sector and system in Canada;
(c) Examine current domestic and international trends and anticipated usage patterns and market conditions, including trade and environmental measures and opportunities, likely to influence the sector's and energy system's future sustainability;
(d) Develop a national vision for the long-term positioning, competitiveness and security of Canada's energy sector; and
(e) Recommend specific measures by which the federal government could help bring that vision to fruition;
That the papers and evidence received and taken and work accomplished by the committee on this subject since the beginning of the Second Session of the Fortieth Parliament be referred to the committee; and
That the committee submit its final report no later than June 29, 2012 and that the committee retain all powers necessary to publicize its findings until 180 days after the tabling of the final report.
The question being put on the motion, it was adopted.
The Honourable Senator Banks moved:
That each committee member be allowed to have one staff person present at in camera meetings, unless there is a decision for a particular meeting to exclude all staff.
The question being put on the motion, it was adopted.
At 6:01 p.m., the committee adjourned to the call of the chair.
ATTEST:
Lynn Gordon
Clerk of the Committee