Gérard Deltell moved, —

That the committee undertake an in-depth study of the impacts of an emergency decree on the lumber and forestry industry and that this study focus on identifying:

• The socio-economic impact of an emergency decree on communities across Quebec, given the economic dependence of many communities, such as Sacré-Cœur, on the lumber and forestry industry;
• The impact of an emergency decree on lumber and the forestry industry, given that the Quebec government has assessed that at minimum 2,000 jobs will be impacted; and
• A plan to protect caribou with minimal disruption to the lumber and forestry industries and Quebecer’s livelihoods.

To this end, that the committee hold a minimum of 6 meeting and that the committee invite the Minister of Environment and Climate Change of Canada, Minister of Energy and Natural Resources of Canada, Minister of Transport, and Minister of Innovation, Science and Industry for a minimum of 2 hours respectively, with priority given to the Minister of Environment and Climate Change of Canada within 7 days of the motion being passed, as well as:

• Invite the Boisaco Group for 2 hours with other major forestry groups, companies, unions representing impacted workers, representatives of the First Nations concerned, community representatives and any other witnesses the committee deems necessary;
• Order that the government produce all socio-economic analysis completed on the impact of the federal decree, including all projected job loss analysis, within 14 days of the motion being adopted;
• The committee write a letter to natural resource committee asking the chair to immediately recall the committee in order to plan a study on the federal decree;
• Committee denounces federal government interference in provincial jurisdictions;
• Report to the House that the federal government immediately abandon all plans to impose the federal decree in order to save jobs and resource development in regions of Quebec; and
• Report its findings and recommendations to the House.

Debate arose thereon.

At 12:10 p.m., the meeting was suspended.

At 12:11 p.m., the meeting resumed.

The debate continued.

Francis Drouin moved, — That the debate be now adjourned.

The question was put on the motion and it was agreed to on the following recorded division:

YEAS: Alexandre Boulerice, Sophie Chatel, Francis Drouin, Lloyd Longfield, Monique Pauzé, Brenda Shanahan, Adam van Koeverden — 7;

NAYS: Luc Berthold, Gérard Deltell, Richard Lehoux, Branden Leslie — 4.

Monique Pauzé moved, —

That the committee undertake an in-depth study of the means to be taken to adequately protect caribou by avoiding or minimizing the effects on economic activities arising from the forestry sector. That this study focus on identifying:

i) the issues that threaten the caribou and the means and measures that could be put forward to protect it;

ii) the impact of an emergency decree on lumber and the forestry industry;

iii) the socio-economic effects of forest fires on communities; and

iv) the role of the forestry sector in achieving carbon neutrality targets.

That to this end, the committee hold a minimum of three meetings and that the committee:

1. Invite the Minister of the Environment and officials to respond on the subject of the emergency decree and the elements he intends to take into account;
2. Invite, in particular and without limitation: environmental experts, companies, unions representing forest workers, representatives of the First Nations concerned, and any other witnesses the Committee deems necessary; and
3. Report its findings and recommendations to the House.

Debate arose thereon.

Adam van Koeverden moved, —

That the motion be amended by:

1. replacing the words “three meetings” with the words “four meetings”; and
2. adding after the words “deems necessary” the following: “, including AFNQL's Ghislain Picard, the municipality of Sacré-cœur and the Boisaco cooperative for one hour.”.

Debate arose thereon.

The debate on the amendment of Adam van Koeverden continued.

The debate on the motion continued.

The debate on the motion continued.

On motion of Sophie Chatel, it was agreed, — That the motion be amended by deleting the word “independently”.

The debate on the amendment of Luc Berthold continued.

The debate on the motion continued.

The debate on the motion continued.

The debate on the motion continued.

The debate on the motion continued.

RULING BY THE CHAIR

The Chair ruled the proposed amendment inadmissible as it introduces content unrelated to the original motion.

The question was put on the motion, as amended, and it was agreed to on the following recorded division:

YEAS: Luc Berthold, Alexandre Boulerice, Sophie Chatel, Gérard Deltell, Francis Drouin, Richard Lehoux, Branden Leslie, Lloyd Longfield, Monique Pauzé, Brenda Shanahan, Adam van Koeverden — 11;

NAYS: — 0.

The motion, as amended, read as follows:

That the committee undertake an in-depth study of the means to be taken to adequately protect caribou by avoiding or minimizing the effects on economic activities arising from the forestry sector given the Quebec government has assessed that at least 2,000 jobs will be impacted.

That this study focus on identifying:

That to this end, the Committee hold a minimum of four meetings and that the Committee:

1. Invite the Minister of the Environment and Climate Change and officials to appear for two hours of the motion being adopted on the subject of the emergency decree and the elements he intends to take into account;
2. Invite, in particular and without limitation: environmental experts, companies, unions representing forest workers, representatives of the First Nations concerned, and any other witnesses the committee deems necessary, including AFNQL's Ghislain Picard, the municipality of Sacré-Cœur and the Boisaco cooperative for one hour;
3. Report its findings and recommendations to the House; and
4. Order that the government produce all socio-economic analysis completed on the impact of the federal decree, including all projected job loss analysis, within 14 days of the motion being adopted.