THE STANDING SENATE COMMITTEE ON TRANSPORT AND COMMUNICATIONS

MINUTES OF PROCEEDINGS

OTTAWA, Tuesday, February 27, 2024
(78)

[English]

The Standing Senate Committee on Transport and Communications met this day at 9:01 a.m., in room B45, Senate of Canada Building, the chair, the Honourable Leo Housakos, presiding.

Members of the committee present: The Honourable Senators Aucoin, Cardozo, Clement, Dasko, Housakos, Miville-Dechêne and Simons (7).

Participating in the meeting: Jed Chong and Khamla Heminthavong, analysts, Library of Parliament.

Pursuant to the order of reference adopted by the Senate on Thursday, February 10, 2022, the committee continued its study on the impacts of climate change on critical infrastructure in the transportation and communications sectors and the consequential impacts on their interdependencies.

WITNESSES:

Great Lakes and St. Lawrence Cities Initiative:

Gino Moretti, Chair and Mayor, Municipality of Saint-Anicet;

Eamonn Horan-Lunney, Senior Director Policy, Canada.

As individuals:

Jacob Stolle, Professor and Scientific Head, Environmental Hydraulics Laboratory, Institut national de la recherche scientifique (by videoconference);

Robin Davidson-Arnott, Professor Emeritus, Department of Geography, Environment and Geomatics, University of Guelph.

Jacob Stolle and Robin Davidson-Arnott each made a statement and answered questions.

At 9:52 a.m., the committee suspended.

At 9:56 a.m., the committee resumed.

Gino Moretti made a statement and, together with Eamonn Horan-Lunney, answered questions.

At 10:38 a.m., the committee suspended.

At 10:40 a.m., pursuant to rule 12‑16(1)(d), the committee resumed in camera to discuss a draft agenda.

It was agreed that senators’ staff be permitted to remain in the room during the in camera portion of the meeting.

It was agreed that the committee allow the audio recording of the in camera portion of today’s meeting, that one copy be kept with the clerk of the committee for consultation by committee members and/or staff, and that the audio recording 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 10:58 a.m., the committee suspended.

At 10:59 a.m., the committee resumed in public.

The Honourable Senator Miville‑Dechêne moved that the following special study budget application (study on the impacts of climate change on critical infrastructure), for the fiscal year ending March 31, 2025, be approved for submission to the Standing Committee on Internal Economy, Budgets and Administration:

The question being put on the motion, it was adopted.

At 11 a.m., the committee adjourned to the call of the chair.

ATTEST:

Angus Wilson

Clerk of the Committee