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ENVI Committee Meeting

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Minutes of Proceedings

Standing Committee on Environment and Sustainable Development (ENVI)
42nd Parliament, 1st Session
Meeting No. 42
Thursday, December 8, 2016, 3:35 p.m. to 5:27 p.m.
Presiding
Deborah Schulte, Chair (Liberal)

Expand AllCollapse All
• Gary Anandasangaree for Mike Bossio (Liberal)
• Peter Fragiskatos for William Amos (Liberal)
• Wayne Stetski for Linda Duncan (NDP)
• Hon. Peter Kent (Conservative)
• Hon. John McKay (Liberal)
• Jonathan Wilkinson (Liberal)
• Peter Fragiskatos (Liberal)
• Elizabeth May (Green Party)
Library of Parliament
• Penny Becklumb, Analyst
• Tim Williams, Analyst
 
House of Commons
• Marie-France Renaud, Legislative Clerk
Bill C-18, An Act to amend the Rouge National Urban Park Act, the Parks Canada Agency Act and the Canada National Parks Act
Friends of the Rouge Watershed
• Jim Robb, General Manager
• Kevin O'Connor, President
Canadian Parks and Wilderness Society
• Janet Sumner, Executive Director, Wildlands League
Parks Canada Agency
• Daniel Watson, Chief Executive Officer
• Pam Veinotte, Field Unit Superintendent, Rouge National Urban Park
• Rachel Grasham, Director Policy, Legislative and Cabinet Affairs
• J.G (Jim) Rossiter, Counsel, Parks Canada Legal Services
Whittamore's Farm
• Michael Whittamore, President
As an individual
• Alan Latourelle
• Stephen Woodley, Vice-Chair for Science, International Union for the Conservation of Nature, World Commission on Protected Areas
Pursuant to the Order of Reference of Friday, November 25, 2016, the Committee commenced consideration of Bill C-18, An Act to amend the Rouge National Urban Park Act, the Parks Canada Agency Act and the Canada National Parks Act.

The Chair called Clause 1.

Daniel Watson, Stephen Woodley, by videoconference from Cancun, Mexico, Jim Robb, Janet Sumner, Michael Whittamore and Alan Latourelle made statements and answered questions.

At 5:04 p.m., the sitting was suspended.

At 5:07 p.m., the sitting resumed.

The Committee commenced its clause-by-clause study of the Bill.

On Clause 1,

Ed Fast moved, — That Bill C-18, in Clause 1, be amended by replacing lines 7 to 12 on page 1 with the following:

“conservation means, the protection, care, management and maintenance of ecosystems, habitats, wildlife species and populations, within and outside of their natural environment, in order to safeguard the natural conditions for their long-term permanence. (conservation)”

By unanimous consent, Clause 1 was allowed to stand.

On new Clause 1.1,

Pursuant to the order adopted by the Committee on Tuesday, May 10, 2016, the following amendment, submitted by Elizabeth May for the consideration of the Committee, was deemed moved:

That Bill C-18 be amended by adding after line 12 on page 1 the following new clause:

“1.1 The Act is amended by adding the following after section 5:

5.1 The Minister must, in the management of the Park, ensure that protection for its natural resources and natural processes is at least equal to that provided by existing park management plans that apply to areas near the Park.”

RULING BY THE CHAIR

The amendment seeks to amend the Rouge National Urban Park Act by adding a new section 5.1 to the Act.

As House of Commons Procedure and Practice, Second Edition, states on page 766:

“An amendment to a bill must be relevant in that it must always relate to the subject matter of the bill or to the clause thereof under consideration.”

Since the amendment is seeking to add a new section to the current Rouge National Urban Park Act that does not relate directly to the changes included in Bill C-18, it is the opinion of the Chair that the amendment is inadmissible.

On Clause 2,

Ed Fast moved, — That Bill C-18, in Clause 2, be amended by replacing lines 15 to 18 on page 1 with the following:

“6 (1) The Minister must, in the management of the Park, take into consideration the protection of its natural ecosystems and cultural landscapes and the maintenance of its native wildlife and of the health of those ecosystems.”

After debate, the question was put on the amendment of Ed Fast and it was negatived, by a show of hands: YEAS: 3; NAYS: 6.

On motion of Mark Gerretsen, it was agreed, — That the Committee do now adjourn.

At 5:27 p.m., the Committee adjourned to the call of the Chair.



Cynara Corbin
Clerk of the Committee