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Minutes of Proceedings

44th Parliament, 1st Session
Meeting 65
Tuesday, May 30, 2023, 4:13 p.m. to 6:10 p.m.
Presiding
John Aldag, Chair (Liberal)

• Kody Blois for Yvonne Jones (Liberal)
• Randy Hoback for Jeremy Patzer (Conservative)
• Gary Vidal for Ted Falk (Conservative)
Library of Parliament
• Dana Fan, Analyst
• Laura Salter, Analyst
As an individual
• Christian Leuprecht, Professor, Royal Military College of Canada
Fédération de l'industrie manufacturière
• Louis Bégin, President
• Gilles Vaillancourt, Union Representative
Forest Products Association of Canada
• Derek Nighbor, President and Chief Executive Officer
• Mahima Sharma, Vice-President, Innovation, Environment and Climate Policy
Greenpeace Canada
• Shane Moffatt, Head of Nature and Food Campaign
Paper Excellence
• Stew Gibson, Chief Operating Officer
• Jean-François Guillot, Chief Operating Officer, Fibre Excellence, Northern Pulp Nova Scotia, Prince Albert Pulp Inc.
• Lana Wilhelm, Manager, Community and Indigenous Relations
• John Williams, Non Executive Chairman of the Board, Paper Excellence Group
Pursuant to Standing Order 108(2) and the motion adopted by the committee on Friday, March 31, 2023, the committee commenced its study of Canadian pulp and paper industry.

Charlie Angus gave notice of the following motion:

That, given the fact that the Standing Committee on Natural Resources has a mandate to examine issues of natural resource policy on behalf of the Canadian people; and given the fact that the committee is attempting to get answers regarding the ownership structure of Paper Excellence that is now reported to be holding 22 million hectares of Canadian forests; and given public reports that this company may be under the control of the Asia Pulp and Paper Company as part of the holdings of the giant Indonesian company Sinar Mas; and that given the outstanding concerns about connections to China based banks and industrial operations; that pursuant to Standing Order 108 (1)(a) the committee issue a summons for Jackson Widjaya, of Paper Excellence, to appear at a date and time to be determined by the Chair, but no later than June 20, 2023.

Shannon Stubbs gave notice of the following motion:

That, pursuant to the motion adopted on Friday, March 31, 2023, regarding a study into the Canadian Pulp and Paper Industry, François-Philippe Champagne, Minister of Innovation, Science, and Industry, appear for one hour alongside appropriate officials to discuss the ownership structure and business relations of Paper Excellence Corporation, and that the Chair schedule this meeting at the earliest possible opportunity.

Jean-François Guillot, Lana Wilhelm, Stew Gibson and John Williams made statements and answered questions.

By unanimous consent, it was agreed, — That, notwithstanding the committee's routine motion, Elizabeth May be allocated 2.5 minutes during rounds of questions.

At 5:23 p.m., the sitting was suspended.

At 5:28 p.m., the sitting resumed.

Christian Leuprecht, Louis Bégin, Gilles Vaillancourt, Derek Nighbor, Mahima Sharma and Shane Moffat made statements and answered questions.

Motion

Mario Simard moved, — That the committee mandate the Chair to write a letter on behalf of the committee to Jackson Wijaya, Chief Executive Officer of Paper Excellence, to ask him to give his consent to waiving the confidentiality of the discussions and communications between him and the Minister of Innovation, Science and Industry regarding the company’s ownership structure and business relationships in the Canadian pulp and paper industry.

The question was put on the motion and it was agreed to, by a show of hands: YEAS: 11; NAYS: 0.

At 6:10 p.m., the committee adjourned to the call of the Chair.



Stephanie Bond
Clerk of the committee