Proceedings of the Standing Senate Committee on
Energy, the Environment and Natural Resources

Issue 32 - Minutes of Proceedings - November 22, 2012

OTTAWA, Thursday, November 22, 2012
(54)

[English]

The Standing Senate Committee on Energy, the Environment and Natural Resources met this day, at 8:02 a.m., in room 257, East Block, the chair, the Honourable Richard Neufeld, presiding.

Members of the committee present: The Honourable Senators Brown, Frum, Johnson, Lang, Massicotte, Mitchell, Neufeld, Patterson, Ringuette, Sibbeston and Wallace (11).

In attendance: Marc LeBlanc and Sam Banks, Analysts, Parliamentary Information and Research Service, Library of Parliament.

Also in attendance: The official reporters of the Senate.

Pursuant to the order of reference adopted by the Senate on Tuesday, October 30, 2012, the committee continued its examination of the subject-matter of those elements contained in Divisions 4, 18 and 21 of Part 4 of Bill C-45, A second Act to implement certain provisions of the budget tabled in Parliament on March 29, 2012 and other measures. (For complete text of the order of reference, see proceedings of the committee, Issue No. 30.)

WITNESSES:

Lake Ontario Waterkeeper:

Mark Mattson, President (by video conference).

Assembly of First Nations:

Audrey Mayes, Senior Policy Analyst;

Dan Pujdak, Policy Analyst.

The chair made an opening statement.

Mr. Mattson and Ms. Mayes each made a statement and, together with Mr. Pujdak, answered questions.

At 9:24 a.m., the committee suspended.

At 9:29 a.m., the committee, pursuant to rule 12-16(1)(d), resumed in camera to consider a draft agenda (future business).

After debate, it was moved:

That the steering committee be authorized to make minor revisions and to approve the final text and that the chair be authorized to seek authority from the Senate for the following order of reference:

That the Standing Senate Committee on Energy, the Environment and Natural Resources be authorized to examine and report on the current state of the safety elements of the bulk transport of hydrocarbon products in Canada. In particular, the committee shall be authorized to:

Examine the life cycle of hydrocarbon transmission pipelines across Canada, including but not limited to pipeline design, construction, operation, spill response and abandonment;

Examine the federal and provincial/territorial roles in hydrocarbon transmission pipeline oversight, including but not limited to legislation and regulations, standards, integrity management systems, monitoring, compliance and verification activities and incident response plans;

Examine the federal and provincial/territorial roles in ensuring the safety of the movement of hydrocarbon products via marine tanker vessels, including but not limited to legislation and regulations, standards, inspection and enforcement measures, risk management systems and spill response plans;

Examine the federal and provincial/territorial roles in ensuring the safety of rail transportation of hydrocarbon products, including but not limited to legislation and regulations, standards, inspection and enforcement measures, risk managements systems and spill response plans, and

Recommend specific measures by which the federal government could enhance the safety elements of the bulk transport of hydrocarbon products.

That the committee submit its final report no later than June 30, 2013 and that the committee retain all powers necessary to publicize its findings until 180 days after the tabling of the final report.

The question being put on the motion, it was adopted.

At 10:04 a.m., the committee adjourned to the call of the chair.

ATTEST:

Lynn Gordon

Clerk of the Committee