ENVI Committee Meeting

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MINUTES OF PROCEEDINGS

Meeting No. 3

Tuesday, February 10, 2009

The Standing Committee on Environment and Sustainable Development met at 9:00 a.m. this day, in Room 269, West Block, the Chair, James Bezan, presiding.

Members of the Committee present: James Bezan, Bernard Bigras, Peter Braid, Blaine Calkins, Linda Duncan, David J. McGuinty, Christian Ouellet, Francis Scarpaleggia, Mark Warawa, Jeff Watson and Stephen Woodworth.

Acting Members present: Borys Wrzesnewskyj for Justin Trudeau.

In attendance: Library of Parliament: Penny Becklumb, Analyst ; Tim Williams, Analyst.

Witnesses: Office of the Auditor General of Canada: Scott Vaughan, Commissioner of the Environment and Sustainable Development; Neil Maxwell, Assistant Auditor General; Richard Arseneault, Principal.

Pursuant to Standing Order 32(5), the Committee commenced consideration of the Report of the Commissioner of the Environment and Sustainable Development for the year 2008, referred to the Committee on Thursday, February 5, 2009.

Scott Vaughan made a statement and, with the other witnesses, answered questions.

The Committee proceeded to the consideration of matters related to Committee business.

Francis Scarpaleggia moved, — That the Standing Committee on Environment and Sustainable Development re-launch the study on the Oil Sands and Canada’s Water Resources that it began shortly before the last federal election; and

— That, as part of this study, the committee invite, among other witnesses, representatives from Environment Canada and Natural Resources Canada (including Randy Mikula from NRCan), representatives of the Alberta government, Dr. David Schindler, Andrew Nikiforuk, Michael Wenig (of the Canadian Institute of Resource Law), Kevin P. Timoney (of Treeline Environmental Research), representatives of the Nunee Health Authority of Fort Chipewyan, representatives of the Keepers of the Athabasca, representatives of the Pembina Institute, Adèle Hurley, Director of the Program on Water Issues at the Munk Centre for International Studies, and various industry representatives, to discuss the impact of oil-sands development on Canada’s present and future water resources, including on water flows and pollution in the Athabasca River and Lake Athabasca and on migratory birds in the Peace-Athabasca Delta.

Mark Warawa moved, — That the motion be amended by deleting all the words after “the last federal election”.

Debate arose thereon.

Bernard Bigras moved, — That the amendment be amended by deleting all the words after “re-launch the study on the oil sands”.

The question was put on the subamendment of Bernard Bigras and it was negatived on division.

After debate, the question was put on the amendment of Mark Warawa and it was agreed to.

After debate, the question was put on the motion, as amended, and it was agreed to.

The motion, as amended, read as follows:

That the Standing Committee on Environment and Sustainable Development re-launch the study on the oil sands and Canada’s water resources that it began shortly before the last federal election.

On motion of Blaine Calkins, it was agreed, — That the Committee do now adjourn.

At 11:03 a.m., the Committee adjourned to the call of the Chair.

Normand Radford
Clerk of the Committee

2009/03/27 2:52 p.m.