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Minutes of Proceedings

44th Parliament, 1st Session
Meeting 91
Monday, November 27, 2023, 3:33 p.m. to 5:29 p.m.
Webcast
Presiding
Peter Schiefke, Chair (Liberal)

House of Commons
• Ariane Calvert, Procedural Clerk
• Philippe Méla, Legislative Clerk
• Jean-François Pagé, Legislative Clerk
 
Library of Parliament
• Alexandre Lafrenière, Analyst
The committee proceeded to the consideration of matters related to committee business.

At 3:36 p.m., the sitting was suspended.

At 3:40 p.m., the sitting resumed.

Motion

Leslyn Lewis moved, — Given that, after almost seven years, the Canada Infrastructure Bank:

(a) has made significant investment announcements and commitments that have either been cancelled or failed, including the $1.7 billion Lake Erie Connector Project, the $20 million Mapleton water and wastewater project and four previously announced investments that have been cancelled in 2022-23 alone;

(b) has made investment decisions that call into question its ability to make sound and responsible investments with taxpayer dollars in projects that benefit the public good, including most recently the multimillion-dollar deal for a private equity firm owner of a top luxury hotel;

the committee recognize that it has lost confidence in the Canada Infrastructure Bank to make investment decisions that serve the best interests of Canadians and meet the urgent infrastructure needs of Canadian communities.

After debate, the question was put on the motion and it was agreed to on the following recorded division:

YEAS: Taylor Bachrach, Xavier Barsalou-Duval, Chris Lewis, Leslyn Lewis, Dan Muys, Mark Strahl — 6;

NAYS: Vance Badawey, Angelo Iacono, Annie Koutrakis, Joyce Murray, Churence Rogers — 5.

Department of Transport
• Sonya Read, Director General, Marine Policy
• Heather Moriarty, Director, Ports Policy
• Rachel Heft, Manager and Senior Counsel, Transport and Infrastructure Legal Services
• Amy Kaufman, Counsel
Pursuant to the order of reference of Tuesday, September 26, 2023, the committee resumed consideration of Bill C-33, An Act to amend the Customs Act, the Railway Safety Act, the Transportation of Dangerous Goods Act, 1992, the Marine Transportation Security Act, the Canada Transportation Act and the Canada Marine Act and to make a consequential amendment to another Act.

The witnesses answered questions.

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

The committee resumed clause-by-clause consideration on Clause 102 of the Bill.

On Clause 102,

Mark Strahl moved, — That Bill C-33, in Clause 102, be amended by adding after line 18 on page 68 the following:

“(1.1) Section 14 of the Act is amended by adding the following after subsection (1.1):

(1.2) The board of directors of a port authority may appoint a director under paragraph (1)(a) or (d) if the position has been vacant for more than six months.”

Debate arose thereon.

Dan Muys moved, — That the amendment be amended by replacing the word “six” with the word “twelve”.

Debate arose thereon.

At 3:57 p.m., the sitting was suspended.

At 4:02 p.m., the sitting resumed.

By unanimous consent, Clause 102 was allowed to stand.

Clause 103 carried on division.

After debate, Clause 104 carried on the following recorded division:

YEAS: Taylor Bachrach, Vance Badawey, Xavier Barsalou-Duval, Angelo Iacono, Annie Koutrakis, Joyce Murray, Churence Rogers — 7;

NAYS: Chris Lewis, Leslyn Lewis, Dan Muys, Mark Strahl — 4.

On Clause 105,

Xavier Barsalou-Duval moved, — That Bill C-33, in Clause 105, be amended

(a) by replacing lines 13 to 17 on page 69 with the following:

“105 The Act is amended by adding the following after section 17:”

(b) by replacing line 23 on page 69 with the following:

“no more than 90 days.”

After debate, the question was put on the amendment of Xavier Barsalou-Duval and it was agreed to on the following recorded division:

YEAS: Vance Badawey, Xavier Barsalou-Duval, Angelo Iacono, Annie Koutrakis, Joyce Murray, Churence Rogers — 6;

NAYS: Taylor Bachrach, Chris Lewis, Leslyn Lewis, Dan Muys, Mark Strahl — 5.

Clause 105, as amended, carried on the following recorded division:

YEAS: Vance Badawey, Xavier Barsalou-Duval, Angelo Iacono, Annie Koutrakis, Joyce Murray, Churence Rogers — 6;

NAYS: Taylor Bachrach, Chris Lewis, Leslyn Lewis, Dan Muys, Mark Strahl — 5.

Clause 106 carried on division.

On Clause 107,

Mark Strahl moved, — That Bill C-33, in Clause 107, be amended by replacing lines 11 to 27 on page 70 with the following:

“mate change on the operation of a port.”

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

YEAS: Chris Lewis, Leslyn Lewis, Dan Muys, Mark Strahl — 4;

NAYS: Taylor Bachrach, Vance Badawey, Xavier Barsalou-Duval, Angelo Iacono, Annie Koutrakis, Joyce Murray, Churence Rogers — 7.

Taylor Bachrach moved, — That Bill C-33, in Clause 107, be amended by replacing lines 13 to 15 on page 70 with the following:

“(a) establishing absolute greenhouse gas emissions reduction targets in respect of the operation of a port by a port authority that are consistent with Canada’s international commitments and with the national greenhouse gas emissions targets for each milestone year under the Canadian Net-Zero Emissions Accountability Act;”

After debate, the question was put on the amendment of Taylor Bachrach and it was agreed to on the following recorded division:

YEAS: Taylor Bachrach, Vance Badawey, Xavier Barsalou-Duval, Angelo Iacono, Annie Koutrakis, Joyce Murray, Churence Rogers — 7;

NAYS: Chris Lewis, Leslyn Lewis, Dan Muys, Mark Strahl — 4.

Taylor Bachrach moved, — That Bill C-33, in Clause 107, be amended by adding after line 27 on page 70 the following:

“(1.2) If no regulations are made for the purposes of each of paragraphs (1.1)(a) to (f) for an existing port authority within 36 months after the day on which this section comes into force or for a new port authority within 36 months after the day on which its letters patent are issued, the Minister must cause a report stating the reasons that no regulations have been made and establishing a schedule for making regulations to be laid before each House of Parliament on any of the first 10 days on which that House is sitting after the expiry of that 36-month period.

(1.3) If no regulations are made within 12 months after the tabling of the report referred to in subsection (1.2), the Minister must cause a report stating the reasons that no regulations have been made and establishing a schedule for making regulations to be laid before each House of Parliament on any of the first 10 days on which that House is sitting after the expiry of that 12-month period and at least once every subsequent 12-month period as long as no regulations have been made.”

After debate, the question was put on the amendment of Taylor Bachrach and it was agreed to on the following recorded division:

YEAS: Taylor Bachrach, Vance Badawey, Xavier Barsalou-Duval, Angelo Iacono, Annie Koutrakis, Joyce Murray, Churence Rogers — 7;

NAYS: Chris Lewis, Leslyn Lewis, Dan Muys, Mark Strahl — 4.

Clause 107, as amended, carried on the following recorded division:

YEAS: Taylor Bachrach, Vance Badawey, Xavier Barsalou-Duval, Angelo Iacono, Annie Koutrakis, Joyce Murray, Churence Rogers — 7;

NAYS: Chris Lewis, Leslyn Lewis, Dan Muys, Mark Strahl — 4.

On Clause 108,

Xavier Barsalou-Duval moved, — That Bill C-33, in Clause 108, be amended by adding after line 7 on page 71 the following:

“(1.1) Section 28 of the Act is amended by adding the following after subsection (2):

(2.1) Two or more port authorities may jointly, through a corporation, partnership, joint venture, association or other entity whose shares or other ownership interests are all held by port authorities, engage in the activities referred to in subsection (2).”

Debate arose thereon.

Vance Badawey moved, — That the amendment be amended by replacing the expression “(2.1) Two” with the following: “(2.1) To the extent authorized in each participating port authority's letters patent, two”.

Debate arose thereon.

At 5:12 p.m., the sitting was suspended.

At 5:28 p.m., the sitting resumed.

At 5:29 p.m., the committee adjourned to the call of the Chair.



Carine Grand-Jean
Clerk of the committee