(Deputy Chair) in the chair.

[Translation]

My name is Josée Verner. I am a senator from Quebec, and deputy chair of this committee.

Today, we are conducting a meeting of the Standing Senate Committee on Energy, the Environment and Natural Resources.

[English]

I will begin with a reminder that, before asking and answering questions, members are asked to please refrain from leaning in too close to the microphone or to remove your earpiece when doing so. This will avoid any sound feedback that could negatively impact the committee staff in the room.

I will now ask my fellow committee members to introduce themselves.

I wish to welcome all of you and the viewers across the country who are watching our proceedings.

[Translation]

Today, the committee is continuing its examination of Bill S-14, An Act to amend the Canada National Parks Act, the Canada National Marine Conservation Areas Act, the Rouge National Urban Park Act and the National Parks of Canada Fishing Regulations (Protecting Canada’s National Wonders Act), through clause-by-clause consideration.

Before we begin, I would like to remind senators of a few things. If, at any time, you don’t know where we are in the process, please feel free to ask for clarification. I want to make sure that every one of us knows where we are at all times.

[English]

In terms of the mechanics of the process, I wish to remind senators that when more than one amendment is proposed to be moved in a clause, amendments should be proposed in the order of the lines of a clause. Therefore, before we take up an amendment in a clause, I will be verifying whether any senators had intended to move an amendment earlier in that clause. If senators do intend to move an earlier amendment, they will be given the opportunity to do so.

Staff will endeavour to keep track of the places where subsequent amendments need to be moved and will draw our attention to them. Since no notice is required to move amendments, it is obviously possible that no preliminary analysis of the amendments has been done to establish which of them may affect or conflict with other clauses.

If any committee members have questions about the process or the propriety of anything that is occurring, they can certainly raise a point of order. As chair, I will listen to arguments, decide when there has been sufficient discussion of a matter or order and make a ruling.

The committee is, of course, the ultimate master of its business within the bounds established by the Senate, and a senator can appeal a ruling to the full committee by asking whether the ruling shall be sustained. As deputy chair, I will do my best to ensure that all senators who wish to speak can do so. However, I will have to rely on your co-operation in this regard and I would ask you to look at the facts and to speak as briefly as possible.

Finally, I wish to remind honourable senators that if there is ever any uncertainty as to the result of a voice vote or a show of hands, the most effective route is to request a roll call vote, which, obviously, provides unambiguous results. Senators are aware that any tied vote negates the motion in question.

Are there any questions on any of the above? If not, we can now proceed.

Hon. Senators: Agreed.

Thank you.

[Translation]

Is it agreed that the committee proceed to clause-by-clause consideration of Bill S-14, An Act to amend the Canada National Parks Act, the Canada National Marine Conservation Areas Act, the Rouge National Urban Park Act and the National Parks of Canada Fishing Regulations (Protecting Canada’s National Wonders Act)?

Hon. Senators: Agreed.

Shall clause 6 carry?

[English]

There is an amendment moved by Senator McCallum.

Carried.

Before I begin, I would like to give the floor to Senator Arnot, who has a few questions for the public servants here today, since it relates to the amendments he intended to move.

[English]

Shall clause 6, as amended, carry?

Hon. Senators: Agreed.

Shall the title stand postponed?

Hon. Senators: Agreed.

Agreed.

[Translation]

Shall clause 1, which contains the short title, stand postponed?

[English]

I guess the amendment is going in that place, Senator Arnot. We’ll be there later. We will stand it postponed. Agreed?

Hon. Senators: Agreed.

Okay. Clause 1.

Shall clause 2 carry? Page 1.

What we understood is you wanted to add that one right after the short title.

No, no. Clause 2, page 1. Because it says here that you want to add a 1.1 right after clause 1.

Okay. So we won’t postpone clause 1. Will you read your amendment, Senator Arnot?

Is it carried? Do you have a comment?

Any other comments? Senator Arnot.

Are there any comments?

[Translation]

Is it your pleasure, honourable senators, to adopt the motion in amendment?

Senator Oh, are you against?

[English]

We will call the question. Just to remind honourable senators, this is the first amendment moved by Senator Arnot.

Are senators ready to vote on this?

[Translation]

No.

Therefore, the amendment is defeated.

We’re on clause 2.

[English]

Senator Arnot, you have an amendment.

No? Okay. Thank you.

Shall clause 3 carry, on page 1?

Hon. Senators: Agreed.

Yes?

Clause 2 with this amendment? So can we adopt clause 2?

Hon. Senators: Agreed.