QUESTION PERIOD — Internal Economy, Budgets and Administration
Business of the Committee
October 22, 2024
My question is for Senator Moncion, Chair of the Standing Committee on Internal Economy, Budgets and Administration.
On March 29, 2022, the Senate unanimously adopted an environmental and sustainability policy statement that committed the Senate to reducing its own carbon footprint to net zero by 2030. That group mandated the Senate Advisory Working Group on Environment and Sustainability to oversee a process to secure external expertise to catalogue, benchmark and develop a measurement approach for the total carbon footprint of Senate activities and to provide recommendations to achieve targets. The initial contract was let for $93,860 in March 2023. The phase 1 report was released on September 28, 2023, but we’ve heard nothing about the phase 3 report. Could you provide an update on the status of this report and whether it will be made public? If so, when?
Thank you, Senator Coyle, for your interest in and support for this initiative. Your engagement has always been important in this matter. I would also like to thank Senator Deacon for his commitment to and leadership of this file.
I’m unable to discuss everything related to this file publicly, as some ongoing discussions regarding this matter were held in camera due to their sensitive nature. The Advisory Working Group on Environment and Sustainability oversaw the work with the external consultant from 2023 to 2024 to establish a baseline inventory of the Senate’s greenhouse gas emissions and advise on ways to reduce the carbon footprint. As you said, that report was tabled in the Senate. The Internal Economy Committee’s next step is with the administration, and it concerns continuing research into several areas.
Given the urgent action required for Canada to meet our net-zero emissions commitments and the opportunity to demonstrate our chamber’s leadership, could you explain why the report has not yet been released and when the members of this chamber will consider this report’s recommendation and choose appropriate action so that the Senate gets on track to achieve our net-zero goals by 2030?
I recognize the significance of the commitment and the responsibility to demonstrate progress. I cannot provide all of the information. I know that every one of us can start doing things like reducing paper and trying to find other ways to travel. As mentioned, the administration is working actively on potential initiatives and updates pertaining to the Senate. We’re looking at bicycle use and finding other ways of working with staff.
