ENSU Committee Meeting
Notices of Meeting include information about the subject matter to be examined by the committee and date, time and place of the meeting, as well as a list of any witnesses scheduled to appear. The Evidence is the edited and revised transcript of what is said before a committee. The Minutes of Proceedings are the official record of the business conducted by the committee at a sitting.
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MINUTES OF PROCEEDINGS
Meeting No. 121
Tuesday, May 11, 1999
The Standing Committee on Environment and Sustainable Development met at 3:37 p.m. this day, in Room 308, West Block, the Chair, Charles Caccia, presiding.
Members of the Committee present: Charles Caccia, Aileen Carroll, Rick Casson, Yvon Charbonneau, Jocelyne Girard-Bujold, Joe Jordan, Rick Laliberté.
Acting Members present: Robert Bertrand for Sarkis Assadourian, Clifford Lincoln for Paddy Torsney, Yves Rocheleau for Jean-Guy Chrétien.
Other Member present: Denis Coderre.
In attendance: From the Library of Parliament: Christine Labelle, Researcher.
Witnesses: From the Office of the Auditor General of Canada: Brian Emmett, Commissioner, Environment and Sustainable Development; Wayne Cluskey, Principal, Audit Operations; Dan Rubenstein, Principal, Audit Operations. From the Treasury Board of Canada - Secretariat: Alan Winberg, Assistant Secretary, Risk, Procurement and Asset Management Policy Sector; Deborah Olver, Director, Real Property Management Division. From Environment Canada: François Guimont, Assistant Deputy Minister, Environmental Protection Service; Jean Bilodeau, Director General, Administration Directorate & Environmental Operations for Governments; Gordon Owen, Chief, Contaminated Sites Division. From Transport Canada: John Forster, Director General, Environmental Affairs. From the Department of Indian Affairs and Northern Development: Hiram Beaubier, Director General, Natural Resources and Environment Branch; Rick Hurst, Chief, Resource Planning and Conservation Division. From the Department of National Defence: Ginger Stones, Director, Environmental Protection; Tony Downs, Director General, Environment; Maj François Lauzon, Environmental Engineer.
Yvon Charbonneau moved:
- That the Committee demand an immediate moratorium on the firing trials at the Nicolet Proof and Experimental Test Establishment on Lake St. Pierre;
- That the aforementioned moratorium remain in effect until such time as the results of the impact study by Environment Canada and the Department of National Defence are made available to the public;
-That the impact study to be carried out by Environment Canada and the Department of National Defence be expanded to include a study on the human and social impacts, as well as on biodiversity;
-That the time allotted for the study be reconsidered and shortened if possible;
-That the Chair forwards this motion to the Minister of National Defence and the Minister of Environment
Debate arose thereon.
Clifford Lincoln moved that the motion be amended by striking out the words "an immediate" and substituting therefore the word "a" and by adding after the word "moratorium" the following: " by January 1, 2000,".
Debate arose thereon.
The question was put on the amendment and it was agreed to on division.
The question was put on the motion as amended and it was agreed to on division.
Pursuant to Standing Order 108(2), the Committee commenced consideration of Chapter 28 of the December 1998 Report and Chapter 22 of the November 1996 Report of the Auditor General of Canada (Federal Contaminated Sites - Management Information on Environmental Costs and Liabilities)
Brian Emmett, François Guimont and Alan Winberg made statements and with John Forster, Ginger Stones, Gordon Owen and Hiram Beaubier answered questions.
At 5:46 p.m., the Committee adjourned to the call of the Chair.
Stephen Knowles
Clerk of the Committee