THE STANDING SENATE COMMITTEE ON ENERGY, THE ENVIRONMENT AND NATURAL RESOURCES
MINUTES OF PROCEEDINGS
OTTAWA, Thursday, December 7, 2023
(56)
[English]
The Standing Senate Committee on Energy, the Environment and Natural Resources met this day at 9:19 a.m., in room B30, Senate of Canada Building, the deputy chair, the Honourable Josée Verner, P.C., presiding.
Members of the committee present: The Honourable Senators Arnot, Boisvenu, McCallum, Oh, Patterson (Nunavut), Sorensen, Verner, P.C. and White (8).
Participating in the meeting: Stéphanie van Beek and Raymond St. Martin, procedural clerks, Committees Directorate; Jesse Good, Analyst, Library of Parliament.
Pursuant to the order of reference adopted by the Senate on Thursday, October 26, 2023, the committee continued its examination of Bill S-14, An Act to amend the Canada National Parks Act, the Canada National Marine Conservation Areas Act, the Rouge National Urban Park Act and the National Parks of Canada Fishing Regulations.
WITNESSES:
Parks Canada:
Andrew Campbell, Senior Vice-President, Operations;
Jewel Cunningham, Vice-President, Strategic Policy and Planning.
Crown-Indigenous Relations and Northern Affairs Canada:
Natalie Aubin, Acting Director General, Negotiations North and East Branch, Treaties and Aboriginal Government.
It was agreed that the committee proceed to clause-by-clause consideration of Bill S-14.
Andrew Campbell and Jewel Cunningham answered questions from time to time.
It was agreed that the title, stand postponed.
It was agreed that clause 1, which contains the short title, stand postponed.
It was agreed to revert to clause 1, which contains the short title.
The Honourable Senator Arnot moved that Bill S-14 be amended, on page 1 by adding the following before line 6:
“1.1 The Canada National Parks Act is amended by adding the following after subsection 12(2):
(3) The Minister shall encourage public engagement in safeguarding Canada’s natural and cultural resources, including engagement by Indigenous governing bodies, Indigenous organizations, representatives of park communities, members of the academic community and representatives of non-profit and non-governmental organizations.
(4) For the purposes of subsection (3), Indigenous governing body and Indigenous organization have the meaning assigned by section 2 of the Department of Crown-Indigenous Relations and Northern Affairs Act.”.
After debate, the question being put on the motion in amendment that new clause 1.1 carry, it was negatived, on the following vote:
YEAS
The Honourable Senators
Arnot, Boisvenu, McCallum — [3]
NAYS
The Honourable Senators
Oh, Patterson, Sorensen, Verner, White — [5]
ABSTENTIONS
NIL
It was agreed that clause 2 carry.
It was agreed that clause 1, which contains the short title, carry.
It was agreed that clause 3 carry.
The deputy chair asked whether clause 4 shall carry.
The Honourable Senator Arnot moved that Bill S-14 be amended, in clause 4:
(a) by adding the following after line 4:
“31.5 Every person has a duty to take measures to prevent the discharge or deposit in a park of a substance capable of degrading the natural environment, injuring fauna, flora or cultural resources or endangering human health.”;
(b) by replacing line 23 with the following:
“section (2)(b), the superintendent shall order the person”;
(c) by replacing line 25 with the following:
“measures that they are ordered to take, the Minister shall”.
After debate, the Honourable Senator Arnot moved that the motion in amendment be amended by deleting paragraph (a).
After debate, the question being put on the subamendment, it was adopted.
After debate, the question being put on the motion in amendment, as amended, it was adopted.
It was agreed that clause 4, as amended, carry.
It was agreed that clause 5 carry.
The deputy chair asked whether clause 6 shall carry.
The Honourable Senator McCallum moved that Bill S-14 be amended, in clause 6:
(a) by replacing lines 25 and 26 with the following:
“tion of existing cabins, or may issue licences for the personal use or occupation of existing cabins on those lands, and may renew or”;
(b) by replacing lines 30 to 32 with the following:
“al Park Reserve of Canada for the personal use or occupation of existing tilts, or may issue licences for the personal use or occupation of existing tilts on”;
(c) by replacing lines 37 to 39 with the following:
“may authorize the personal use or occupation of existing cabins on public lands in the park reserve, or the personal use or occupation of existing tilts on those lands, and”.
After debate, the question being put on the motion in amendment, it was adopted on the following vote:
YEAS
The Honourable Senators
Arnot, Boisvenu, McCallum, Oh, Patterson, Verner — [6]
NAYS
NIL
ABSTENTIONS
The Honourable Senator
Sorensen — [1]
The Honourable Senator McCallum moved that Bill S-14 be amended, in clause 6, on page 8, by deleting lines 5 to 8.
After debate, the question being put on the motion in amendment, it was adopted on the following vote:
YEAS
The Honourable Senators
Arnot, Boisvenu, McCallum, Patterson, Verner — [5]
NAYS
NIL
ABSTENTIONS
The Honourable Senators
Oh, Sorensen — [2]
It was agreed that clause 6, as amended, carry.
It was agreed that clause 7 carry.
It was agreed that clause 8 carry.
It was agreed that clause 9 carry.
It was agreed that clause 10 carry.
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 clause 14 carry.
It was agreed that clause 15 carry.
It was agreed that clause 16 carry.
It was agreed that clause 17 carry.
It was agreed that clause 18 carry.
The deputy chair asked whether clause 19 shall carry.
The Hounourable Senator Arnot moved that Bill S-14 be amended, in clause 19:
(a) by replacing line 26 with the following:
“must order the person to take those measures. If the per-”;
(b) by replacing line 28 with the following:
“take, the Minister must take the measures on behalf of”.
After debate, the question being put on the motion in amendment, it was adopted.
It was agreed that clause 19, as amended, carry.
It was agreed that clause 20 carry.
It was agreed that clause 21 carry.
It was agreed that clause 22 carry.
It was agreed that clause 23 carry.
It was agreed that clause 24 carry.
It was agreed that clause 25 carry.
It was agreed that the schedule Tallurutiup Imanga National Marine Conservation Area carry.
It was agreed that the title carry.
It was agreed that the bill carry, as amended.
It was agreed that the chair report Bill S-14, with amendments to the Senate, at the earliest opportunity.
At 11:10 a.m., the committee adjourned to the call of the chair.
ATTEST:
Mireille K. Aubé
Clerk of the Committee