Proceedings of the Standing Senate Committee on
Energy, the Environment and Natural Resources
Issue No. 68 - Minutes of Proceedings - April 30, 2019
OTTAWA, Tuesday, April 30, 2019
(136)
[Translation]
The Standing Senate Committee on Energy, the Environment and Natural Resources met this day at 5:04 p.m., in room C128, Senate of Canada Building, the chair, the Honourable Rosa Galvez, presiding.
Members of the committee present: The Honourable Senators Carignan, P.C., Cordy, Dalphond, Galvez, LaBoucane-Benson, Massicotte, McCallum, McCoy, Mitchell, Mockler, Patterson, Plett, Richards, Seidman, Stewart Olsen and Woo (16).
Other senator present: The Honourable Senator Pratte (1).
In attendance: Jesse Good and Sam Banks, Analysts, Parliamentary Information and Research Service, Library of Parliament.
Also present: The official reporters of the Senate.
Pursuant to the order of reference adopted by the Senate on Wednesday, December 12, 2018, the committee continued its study of Bill C-69, An Act to enact the Impact Assessment Act and the Canadian Energy Regulator Act, to amend the Navigation Protection Act and to make consequential amendments to other Acts. (For complete text of the order of reference, see proceedings of the committee, Issue No. 54.)
WITNESSES:
The Honourable Blaine Higgs, Premier of New Brunswick.
Government of New Brunswick:
Louis Leger, Deputy Minister and Chief of Staff;
Nicolle Carlin, Director, Communications.
Mohawk Council of Kahnawà:ke:
Ross Montour, Council Chief;
Francis Walsh, Legal Counsel.
The Canadian Research Institute for the Advancement of Women:
Leah Levac, Research Associate and Associate Professor, University of Guelph (by video conference);
Susan Manning, Researcher and PhD Candidate, Dalhousie University (by video conference).
York Factory First Nation:
Leroy Constant, Chief;
Louisa Constant, Advisor.
As individuals:
Brenda Kenny;
Wade Locke, Professor and Head, Department of Economics, Memorial University of Newfoundland.
It was agreed:
That Senate Communications Directorate staff be allowed to take pictures and film clips during the meeting and to publish them.
Premier Higgs made a statement and answered questions.
At 6:12 p.m., it was agreed that the committee suspend.
At 6:16 p.m., the committee resumed.
The Honourable Senator Plett moved:
That the Premier of Alberta be invited to testify at an upcoming meeting during the committee's regular time slot;
That the Minister of Environment and Climate Change, Minister of Natural Resources and Minister of Transport be invited to appear the following week, for one hour each;
That the committee begin its clause-by-clause consideration of Bill C-69 on Tuesday, May 14, 2019.
It was agreed that the debate on the Honourable Senator Plett's motion be suspended until the end of the scheduled presentations.
Mr. Montour, Mr. Constant, Ms. Levac and Ms. Constant each made a statement and, together with Mr. Walsh and Ms. Manning, answered questions.
At 6:52 p.m., the Honourable Senator Dalphond replaced the Honourable Senator Massicotte as a member of the committee.
At 7:30 p.m., it was agreed that the committee suspend.
At 7:33 p.m., the committee resumed.
Ms. Kenny and Mr. Locke each made a statement and answered questions.
At 8:29 p.m., it was agreed that the committee suspend.
At 8:30 p.m., the committee resumed.
The committee considered a draft agenda (future business).
With leave of the committee, the Honourable Senator Plett's motion was withdrawn.
The Honourable Senator Plett moved:
That the Premier of Alberta be invited to testify on Thursday, May 2, 2019, at 8 a.m., and that the Minister of Environment and Climate Change, Minister of Natural Resources and Minister of Transport be invited to appear on Thursday, May 2, 2019, from 9 a.m. to 12 p.m., for a minimum of one hour each, preferably on an individual basis.
After debate, it was agreed that the motion be adopted.
At 9:15 p.m., it was agreed that the committee adjourn to the call of the chair.
ATTEST:
Maxime Fortin
Clerk of the Committee