Proceedings of the Standing Senate Committee on
Energy, the Environment and Natural Resources
Issue 25 - Minutes of Proceedings - March 12, 2015
OTTAWA, Thursday, March 12, 2015
(54)
[English]
The Standing Senate Committee on Energy, the Environment and Natural Resources met this day at 8:01 a.m., in room 257, East Block, the chair, the Honourable Richard Neufeld, presiding.
Members of the committee present: The Honourable Senators Black, Eaton, Eggleton, P.C., Greene, MacDonald, Massicotte, Mitchell, Neufeld, Patterson, Ringuette, Rivard and Seidman (12).
Attendance: Sam Banks, Analyst, Parliamentary Information and Research Services, Library Parlaiment.
Also present: The official reporters of the Senate.
Pursuant to the order of reference adopted by the Senate on Thursday, February 19, 2015, the committee continued its examination on Bill C-40, An Act respecting the Rouge National Urban Park. (For complete text on the order of reference, see proceedings of the committee, Issue No. 24.)
Pursuant to rule 12-16(1)(d), the committee proceeded in camera to consider a draft agenda (future business).
At 8:35 a.m., the committee suspended.
At 8:36 a.m., the committee resumed in public.
The chair made a statement.
It was agreed that the committee proceed to clause-by-clause consideration of Bill C-40, An Act respecting the Rouge National Urban Park.
It was agreed that the title stand postponed.
It was agreed that the preamble stand postponed.
It was agreed that clause 1, which contains the short title, stand postponed.
It was agreed that clause 2 carry.
It was agreed that clause 3 carry.
The chair asked whether clause 4 shall carry.
The Honourable Senator Eggleton, P.C., moved:
That Bill C-40 be amended in clause 4, on page 3, by replacing lines 23 to 27 with the following:
"purposes of protecting, restoring, enhancing and presenting, for current and future generations, the natural and cultural heritage of the Park, including a vibrant agricultural community, and encouraging Canadians to discover".
After debate, the question being put on the motion in amendment, it was negatived on the following vote:
YEAS
The Honourable Senators
Eggleton, Mitchell and Ringuette — 3
NAYS
The Honourable Senators
Black, Eaton, Greene, MacDonald, Massicotte, Neufeld, Patterson, Rivard and Seidman — 9
It was agreed that clause 4 carry.
It was agreed that clause 5 carry.
The chair asked whether clause 6 shall carry.
The Honourable Senator Eggleton, P.C., moved:
That Bill C-40 be amended in clause 6, on page 3, by replacing lines 36 to 39 with the following:
"the Park, give priority to the protection, improvement and restoration of the health, biodiversity and sustainability of the Park's ecosystems, native species and watersheds, its ecological connections between Lake Ontario and the Oak Ridges Moraine, and its cultural, agricultural and scenic values".
After debate, the question being put on the motion in amendment, it was negatived on the following vote:
YEAS
The Honourable Senators
Eggleton, Mitchell and Ringuette — 3
NAYS
The Honourable Senators
Black, Eaton, Greene, MacDonald, Massicotte, Neufeld, Patterson, Rivard and Seidman — 9
It was agreed that clause 6 carry.
It was agreed that clause 7 carry.
The chair asked whether clause 8 shall carry.
The Honourable Senator Eggleton, P.C., moved:
That Bill C-40 be amended in clause 8, on page 4, by replacing lines 17 to 22 with the following:
"8. (1) The Minister must establish a multi-stakeholder committee and a scientific advisory panel to advise the Minister on the management of the Park.
(2) The multi-stakeholder committee may include representatives from local governments, environmental, Aboriginal, regional or agricultural organizations and other organizations that the Minister considers appropriate.
(3) The scientific advisory panel may include scientists with expertise in ecology, hydrology, agriculture and parks."
After debate, the question being put on the motion in amendment, it was negatived on the following vote:
YEAS
The Honourable Senators
Eggleton, Mitchell and Ringuette — 3
NAYS
The Honourable Senators
Black, Eaton, Greene, MacDonald, Massicotte, Neufeld, Patterson, Rivard and Seidman — 9
It was agreed that clause 8 carry.
It was agreed, with leave, that the balance of the clauses in the bill be grouped together by parts, for the purposes of clause-by-clause consideration.
It was agreed that clauses 9 to 12 carry.
It was agreed that clauses 13 to 16 carry.
It was agreed that clauses 17 to 19 carry.
It was agreed that clauses 20 to 22 carry.
It was agreed that clauses 23 to 32 carry.
It was agreed that clauses 33 to 52 carry.
It was agreed that clauses 53 to 61 carry.
It was agreed that clause 62 carry.
It was agreed that the schedule carry.
It was agreed that clause 1, which contains the short title, carry.
The Honourable Senator Ringuette moved:
That the committee defers the final reading of clause-by-clause and the titles to our meeting on March 24.
The question being put on the motion, it was negatived.
It was agreed that the preamble carry.
It was agreed that the title carry.
It was agreed that the bill carry, on division.
It was agreed that the chair report the bill without amendment to the Senate.
At 9:05 a.m., pursuant to the order of reference adopted by the Senate on Tuesday, March 4, 2014, the committee continued its study on non-renewable and renewable energy development including energy storage, distribution, transmission, consumption and other emerging technologies in Canada's three northern territories. (For complete text on the order of reference, see proceedings of the committee, Issue No. 10.)
The chair made a statement.
It was agreed that the following special study budget application (Northern Energy Study), for the fiscal year ending March 31, 2016, be approved, for submission to the Standing Committee on Internal Economy, Budgets and Administration:
GENERAL EXPENSES $ 14,500 TOTAL $ 14,500
At 9:07 a.m., the committee adjourned to the call of the chair.
ATTEST:
Lynn Gordon
Clerk of the Committee