ENVI Committee Meeting

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Minutes of Proceedings

Standing Committee on Environment and Sustainable Development (ENVI)

44th Parliament, 1st Session

Meeting 48

Thursday, February 9, 2023, 3:32 p.m. to 5:31 p.m.

Room 410, Wellington Building, 197 Sparks Street

Webcast

Presiding

Francis Scarpaleggia, Chair (Liberal)

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Members of the Committee present

Liberal

Conservative

Bloc Québécois

Monique Pauzé

NDP

Laurel Collins

Acting Members present

• Matt Jeneroux for Mike Lake (Conservative)

• Wayne Long for Joanne Thompson (Liberal)

• Kristina Michaud for Monique Pauzé (Bloc Québécois)

Other Members present

• Elizabeth May (Green Party)

In attendance

House of Commons

• Philippe Méla, Legislative Clerk

• Jean-François Pagé, Legislative Clerk

Library of Parliament

• Sarah Yakobowski, Analyst

Bill S-5, An Act to amend the Canadian Environmental Protection Act, 1999, to make related amendments to the Food and Drugs Act and to repeal the Perfluorooctane Sulfonate Virtual Elimination Act

Witnesses

Department of Health

• Greg Carreau, Director General, Safe Environments Directorate

Department of the Environment

• Laura Farquharson, Director General, Legislative and Regulatory Affairs, Environmental Protection Branch

• Jacqueline Gonçalves, Director General, Science and Risk Assessment, Science and Technology Branch

Pursuant to the order of reference of Thursday, November 3, 2022, the committee resumed consideration of Bill S-5, An Act to amend the Canadian Environmental Protection Act, 1999, to make related amendments to the Food and Drugs Act and to repeal the Perfluorooctane Sulfonate Virtual Elimination Act.

Laura Farquharson and Greg Carreau answered questions.

The committee resumed its clause-by-clause study of the Bill.

At 3:37 p.m., the sitting was suspended.

At 3:52 p.m., the sitting resumed.

The committee resumed clause-by-clause consideration on Clause 22 of the Bill.

The committee resumed consideration of the amendment of Laurel Collins, — That Bill S-5, in Clause 22, be amended by adding after line 22 on page 21 the following:

“(1.1) The time frame specified in a statement under subsection (1) shall not exceed two years after the day on which the statement is published, except as provided for in subsection (1.2).

(1.2) The Ministers may establish a time frame of more than two years if they determine that a proposed regulation or instrument cannot be developed in that time, in which case they shall publish their reasons in the Canada Gazette.”

After debate, the question was put on the amendment of Laurel Collins and it was negatived on the following recorded division:

YEAS: Laurel Collins, Kristina Michaud — 2;

NAYS: Gérard Deltell, Terry Duguid, Matt Jeneroux, Damien C. Kurek, Wayne Long, Lloyd Longfield, Greg McLean, Leah Taylor Roy, Patrick Weiler — 9.

Laurel Collins moved, — That Bill S-5, in Clause 22, be amended by replacing line 26 on page 21 with the following:

“amended and the reasons for the amendment in the Environmental Registry and in any other”

The question was put on the amendment of Laurel Collins and it was agreed to on the following recorded division:

YEAS: Laurel Collins, Gérard Deltell, Terry Duguid, Matt Jeneroux, Damien C. Kurek, Wayne Long, Lloyd Longfield, Greg McLean, Kristina Michaud, Leah Taylor Roy, Patrick Weiler — 11;

NAYS: — 0.

Laurel Collins moved, — That Bill S-5, in Clause 22, be amended by adding after line 27 on page 21 the following:

“(3) The Minister shall include in the annual report required by section 342 a report on the progress made in developing the subsequent proposed regulations or instruments.”

Debate arose thereon.

By unanimous consent, the amendment was withdrawn.

Laurel Collins moved, — That Bill S-5, in Clause 22, be amended by adding after line 27 on page 21 the following:

“(3) The Minister shall include in the annual report required by section 342 a report on the progress made in developing any subsequent proposed regulations or instruments.”

At 4:31 p.m., the sitting was suspended.

At 4:34 p.m., the sitting resumed.

The debate continued

At 4:43 p.m., the sitting was suspended.

At 4:52 p.m., the sitting resumed.

Laurel Collins moved, — That Bill S-5, in Clause 22, be amended by adding after line 27 on page 21 the following:

“Delay - publication of subsequent regulations or instruments

(3) If more than two years have elapsed after the publication of a statement respecting the development of subsequent proposed regulations or instruments under subsection (1) or (2) without the Minister having published all of the regulations or instruments proposed in the statement, the Minister shall publish in the Environmental Registry a statement made jointly by the Ministers indicating the reasons for the delay and a time frame within which each of the proposed regulations or instruments is to be published.”

Greg McLean moved, — That the amendment be amended by replacing the words “Environmental Registry” with the words “Annual Report”.

The question was put on the subamendment of Greg McLean and it was agreed to on the following recorded division:

YEAS: Laurel Collins, Gérard Deltell, Matt Jeneroux, Damien C. Kurek, Greg McLean, Kristina Michaud — 6;

NAYS: Terry Duguid, Wayne Long, Lloyd Longfield, Leah Taylor Roy, Patrick Weiler — 5.

On motion of Terry Duguid, it was agreed, — That the committee do now adjourn.

At 5:31 p.m., the committee adjourned to the call of the Chair.

Alexandre Longpré

Clerk of the committee