Proceedings of the Standing Senate Committee on
Energy, the Environment and Natural Resources
Issue No. 52 - Minutes of Proceedings - November 22, 2018
OTTAWA, Thursday, November 22, 2018
(100)
[Translation]
The Standing Senate Committee on Energy, the Environment and Natural Resources met this day at 8:06 a.m., in room 257, East Block, the chair, the Honourable Rosa Galvez, presiding.
Members of the committee present: The Honourable Senators Cordy, Galvez, Griffin, MacDonald, Massicotte, McCallum, Mockler, Neufeld, Patterson, Richards, Seidman and Woo (12).
In attendance: Sam Banks and Jesse Good, Analysts, Parliamentary Information and Research Services, Library of Parliament.
Also present: The official reporters of the Senate.
Pursuant to the order of reference adopted by the Senate on Thursday, October 25, 2018, the committee continued its consideration of Bill C-57, An Act to amend the Federal Sustainable Development Act. (For complete text of the order of reference, see proceedings of the committee, Issue, No. 51.)
WITNESS:
Environment and Climate Change Canada:
Aleta McEwen, Senior Policy Analyst, Strategic Policy Branch.
At 8:06 a.m., the Honourable Senator Griffin replaced the Honourable Senator Woo as a member of the committee.
The chair made a statement.
At 8:10 a.m., the Honourable Senator Woo replaced the Honourable Senator Griffin as a member of the committee.
At 8:11 a.m., it was agreed that the committee proceed to clause-by-clause consideration of Bill C-57, An Act to amend the Federal Sustainable Development Act.
It was agreed that the title stand postponed.
It was agreed that clause 1 carry.
It was agreed that clause 2 carry.
It was agreed that clause 3 carry.
It was agreed that clause 4 carry.
The chair asked whether clause 5 shall carry.
The Honourable Senator Patterson moved that Bill C-57 be amended in clause 5, on page 4, by replacing line 17 with the following:
"lated to sustainable development, including matters referred to it by''.
After debate, the question being put on the motion in amendment, it was adopted.
It was agreed that clause 5, as amended, carry.
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 Patterson moved that Bill C-57 be amended in clause 8, on page 5, by adding the following after line 30:
"10.2 Performance-based contracts with the Government of Canada, including employment contracts, shall include provisions for meeting the applicable goals and targets referred to in the Federal Sustainable Development Strategy and any applicable strategy developed under section 11.''
Ms. McEwen was invited to the table and answered questions.
The Honourable Senator Massicotte moved that the motion in amendment be amended by replacing the word "shall'' with "should, where applicable,''.
After debate, the question being put on the subamendment, it was adopted.
After debate, the question being put on the motion in amendment, it was adopted.
It was agreed that clause 8, as amended, carry.
It was agreed that clause 9 carry.
It was agreed that clause 10 carry.
Before the chair asked whether clause 11 shall carry, the Honourable Senator Woo moved that Bill C-57 be amended on page 8, by adding the following after line 25:
Consequential Amendments to the Auditor General Act
10.1 (1) The definition category I department in section 2 of the; Auditor General Act is repealed.
(2) Section 2 of the Act is amended by adding the following in alphabetical order:
designated entity has the same meaning as in section 2 of the Federal Sustainable Development Act; (entité désignée)
10.2 The portion of section 21.1 of the Act before paragraph (a) is replaced by the following:
Purpose
21.1 In addition to carrying out the functions referred to in subsection 23(3), the purpose of the Commissioner is to provide sustainable development monitoring and reporting on the progress of designated entities towards sustainable development, which is a continually evolving concept based on the integration of social, economic and environmental concerns, and which may be achieved by, among other things,
10.3 Subsection 22(1) of the Act is replaced by the following:
Petitions received
22 (1) Where the Auditor General receives a petition in writing from a resident of Canada about an environmental matter in the context of sustainable development that is the responsibility of a designated entity, the Auditor General shall make a record of the petition and forward the petition within fifteen days after the day on which it is received to the appropriate Minister for the designated entity.
10.4 (1) Paragraph 23(1)(a) of the Act is replaced by the following:
(a) the extent to which designated entities have contributed to meeting the targets set out in the Federal Sustainable Development Strategy and have met the objectives, and implemented the plans, set out in their own sustainable development strategies laid before the Houses of Parliament under section 11 or 12 of the Federal Sustainable Development Act; and
(2) Paragraph 23(2)(a) of the Act is replaced by the following:
(a) the extent to which designated entities have contributed to meeting the targets set out in the Federal Sustainable Development Strategy and have met the objectives, and implemented the plans, set out in their own sustainable development strategies laid before the Houses of Parliament under section 11 or 12 of the Federal Sustainable Development Act;
(3) Paragraph 23(2)(c) of the Act is replaced by the following:
(c) the exercising of the authority of the Governor in Council under sections 12.2 and 12.3 of the Federal Sustainable Development Act.
After debate, the question being put on the motion in amendment that the addition of clauses 10.1 to 10.4 carry, it was adopted.
It was agreed that clause 11 carry.
It was agreed that clause 12 carry.
It was agreed that clause 13 carry.
It was agreed that the schedule carry.
It was agreed that the title carry.
It was agreed that any necessary consequential changes to the numbering of provisions and cross-references resulting from the amendments to the bill be made.
It was agreed that the bill carry as amended.
It was agreed that the chair report Bill C-57 with amendments to the Senate.
At 8:46 a.m., the committee suspended.
At 8:51 a.m., the committee resumed in camera, pursuant to rule 12-16(1)(d), to consider a draft report.
Pursuant to the order of reference adopted by the Senate on Thursday, March 10, 2016, the committee continued its study on the effects of transitioning to a low carbon economy. (For complete text of the order of reference, see proceedings of the committee, Issue, No. 4.)
It was agreed:
That the committee allow the transcription of the in camera portion of today's meeting, that one copy be kept in the office of the clerk of the committee for consultation by committee members present or by the committee analysts; and
That the transcript be destroyed by the clerk when authorized to do so by the Subcommittee on Agenda and Procedure, but no later than at the end of this parliamentary session.
At 10:04 a.m., the committee adjourned to the call of the chair.
ATTEST:
Maxime Fortin
Clerk of the Committee