Oral Questions
Mr. Speaker, I guess the question many Canadians are wrestling with is which Conservatives they should believe. Is it the Conservatives who, during the last election campaign, said they believed in climate change, and they believed in climate change so much they would put in place a price on pollution, or the Conservatives today who say they do not believe in either climate change or doing anythin…
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Madam Speaker, I will be sharing my time with the member for Winnipeg South. I am pleased to take part in today's debate. I would like to say that the Conservatives introduced an opposition day motion to talk about the importance of fighting climate change, but they are not quite there yet. The Conservative Party has had a new leader for 150 days already and yet it still does not have a plan to ta…
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Madam Speaker, here we have another clear example of misinformation that is being spread in the House, and it is somewhat ironic that it is coming from this member. He supported his province in implementing the federal backstop system on carbon pricing, and he mentioned it would mean that people would get money in their pockets. I do not know who coerced him to make this intervention in the House …
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Madam Speaker, I thank my colleague for her question and her advocacy on this issue. However, I would like to remind her that we were not in government 10 years ago. The carbon pricing system that was proposed at the time was the Harper government's, not ours. That government was in favour of imposing a carbon tax one day, against it the next, and then in favour of it again the day after that. The…
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Madam Speaker, I can reassure my hon. colleague that I do not supposedly come from the environmental sector. I am from the environmental sector. I have the arrest record to prove it. We have put in place a number of measures to tackle the emissions of the oil and gas sector. In fact, our emissions reduction plan presented last March is the first time in the history of this country when we have set…
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Mr. Speaker, Conservative politicians are making a lot of misleading claims about the price on pollution. The facts are that 70% of gas price increase is due to crude oil prices going up, largely because of Russia's brutal invasion of Ukraine. Another 25% of the price is the result of provincial taxes and refining margins—
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Mr. Speaker, the Conservative politicians are making a lot of misleading claims about the price on pollution. The facts are that about 70% of gas price increase is due to crude oil prices going up, largely because of Russia's brutal invasion of Ukraine, and another 25% of the price is the result of provincial taxes and refining margins that have gone up by 113% in the last two years. That means th…
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Mr. Speaker, according to British Columbia's auditor general, on 2021 disaster costs, the atmospheric rivers in British Columbia cost the province $5 billion in damages. That is more than the 19 previous years combined. According to a study by MacEwan University, the total cost of the Fort McMurray forest fires is above $10 billion, with $4 billion of damage to homes and businesses and $1.7 billio…
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Mr. Speaker, I would like to remind my colleagues on the other side, the Conservative Party, of a few facts. First of all, carbon pricing was implemented in 2019. It has not been eight years; it has only been three years since this pricing was put in place. Second, it does not apply in Quebec, because the Quebec government's cap-and-trade system applies in Quebec. My colleague from Quebec is compl…
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Mr. Speaker, I thank parliamentarians for their hard work on this bill. Ensuring we have the right tools to protect human and environmental health is a key element of our government's plan. For the first time ever in Canadian law, Bill S-5 recognizes the right to a healthy environment for all Canadians across the country. This is a big step forward for both health and the environment.
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Mr. Speaker, earlier I spoke about families in Alberta, Saskatchewan and Manitoba that are going to start to receive the climate action incentive rebate as of April 1. However, as of July 1, families in Nova Scotia, P.E.I. and Newfoundland will also be receiving the climate action incentive rebate four times a year so that we can together tackle climate change, which is costing billions of dollars…
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Mr. Speaker, as many people know, including a number of Conservatives on the other side of the aisle, carbon pricing is one of the most effective ways to fight against climate change. Starting April 1, a family of four will get $386 in Alberta, $340 in Saskatchewan, $264 in Manitoba and $244 in Ontario, four times a year. We can fight climate change and support Canadians. That is exactly what we a…
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Mr. Speaker, it seems like the party opposite is worried about costs, but never talks about the costs we are passing on to our kids and grandkids through the impacts of climate change, which is billions of dollars accumulating year after year. We have an emergency here, and the party opposite is simply not telling the truth to Canadians. We are already paying for the cost of climate change, and we…
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Mr. Speaker, I thank the member for the important work that she is doing on the environment committee on its fossil fuel subsidy study. The implementation of this commitment was widely received across the country and by many environmental organizations, including Environmental Defence, and they applauded the announcement. By ending new, direct public support for the international unabated fossil f…
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Mr. Speaker, it is interesting that every time the opposition talks about climate change, which happens very rarely, they never talk about the cost to Canadians, such as the billions of dollars from hurricane Fiona or the billions of dollars from atmospheric rivers in B.C. that are killing people in Canada. They never talk about these costs to Canadians. On this side of the House, we will fight cl…
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Mr. Speaker, I want to thank my colleague for the question, his involvement and his advocacy on this important issue. In December, countries from around the world met in Montreal to address biodiversity loss. More than one million species are at risk globally, including 640 species here in Canada. Representatives from more than 160 countries set their differences aside, and we committed to protect…
Read full speech →Routine Proceedings
Mr. Speaker, Bill C-23 would provide park wardens and enforcement officers with the law enforcement powers they need to protect historic places. The authorities would be similar to those under the Canada National Parks Act of 2000 and the Rouge National Urban Park Act of 2015. Park wardens may enter on and pass through or over private property only for specific and legitimate law enforcement purpo…
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Mr. Speaker, in response to part (a) of the question, there are 263 environment and wildlife enforcement officers. In response to parts (b) and (c), Environment and Climate Change Canada does not collect information on how many times enforcement officers enter privately owned land to carry out their duties. They may, at any reasonable time, enter and inspect any place, vehicle or vessel in which o…
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Mr. Speaker, these are more alternative facts on climate change in the House today. Emissions have gone down in 2019 and in 2020. Let me talk about the rebate payments that we announced this morning. A family of four in Nova Scotia will get, four times a year, $248. In Prince Edward Island, a family of four will get $240, and in Newfoundland and Labrador, a family of four will get $328. They will …
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Mr. Speaker, eight out of 10 Canadians will get more from the climate incentive payment than what it costs them. That is a fact. Conservatives can debate it and they can go into their alternative views of the world, but eight out of 10 Canadians will get more. I am interested to know when they will have a plan to fight climate change. When will they help tackle this issue, which is costing Canadia…
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Mr. Speaker, the member will find the answer to the question in the question itself. There will be no increase in carbon pricing in Atlantic Canada before July 1, and not before the winter. In fact, people will start getting the climate incentive payment before the increase in the carbon tax on July 1. There will be no increased cost to Canadians this winter.
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Mr. Speaker, “Accept the science, minister,” is coming from the Conservative Party of Canada. Their minister of science did not even believe in the theory of evolution, and they would like us to say they believe in science. That is very rich. I have a news flash for the Conservative Party of Canada: Emissions have gone down in 2019 and 2020. That is a fact.
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Mr. Speaker, unlike the Conservative Party of Canada, Canadians believe that we need to do our fair share when it comes to fighting climate change. They believe climate change is real, and they believe we need to be doing something about it. For 10 years, Conservatives did not do anything about it, and now they are blaming us because of their inaction. That is a bit rich. We are playing catch-up, …
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Mr. Speaker, I would like to remind my hon. colleague that Canada's work was applauded at COP27 by organizations such as Climate Action Network Canada, which said that we were among the first wealthy countries to move forward on the issue of loss and damages. The executive director of the International Energy Agency recognized Canada as a world leader in the fight against methane pollution. If I h…
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Mr. Speaker, perhaps the Bloc Québécois should send my hon. colleague next time, since she could have heard me tell journalists from all over the world that we supported Great Britain's proposal to draft a text that effectively eliminates the use of non-sequestered fossil fuels by 2050. That is already Canada's plan, and we have already made that commitment and communicated it to our partners at C…
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Mr. Speaker, my colleague should know that the organization that authorized exploratory drilling operates independently of the federal government. It seems to me that the Bloc Québécois should have a good understanding of the word “independence”. It was that agency, not the federal government, that proposed this exploratory drilling.
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Mr. Speaker, maybe the member opposite should listen to the Leader of the Opposition, who recognized earlier that this would not take effect before July of next year. I do not know about him, but in July, I do not intend to heat my home very much. The Conservatives would like Canadians to continue to be dependant—
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Mr. Speaker, as the Leader of the Opposition said earlier during this question period, this will not take effect before July of next year. In the meantime, we are helping tens of thousands of Canadians get rid of their home heating oil, which is more expensive, more polluting and less efficient. The Conservatives would like to condemn those Canadians to continue being dependant on systems that wil…
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Mr. Speaker, I would quote the words of the Canadian climate action network, which said that, on the issue of loss and damage, which was one of the victories of the COP27 conference, Canada was the “first mover among rich countries to make this thing happen.” We fought for this. We fought for stronger language in the text on eliminating the use of coal all around the world, including in Canada. We…
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Mr. Speaker, this is not the first false statement on climate change coming from the Conservatives in the House. Yesterday we heard them say that not one country had accepted the global carbon pricing challenge. Let me set the record straight. Chile, the European Commission, Indonesia, Colombia, Mexico, New Zealand, South Africa and South Korea—I nearly forgot Germany and the United Kingdom, the w…
Read full speech →Routine Proceedings
Mr. Speaker, the Government of Canada is developing clean electricity regulations, or CER, to help drive progress towards a net-zero electricity grid by 2035. The proposed regulations have yet to be finalized. They are being designed to ensure the decarbonization of Canada’s already low-carbon grid while ensuring continued energy reliability and affordability. The decarbonization of our electricit…
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Mr. Speaker, I find it a bit rich to hear the member opposite talk about foreign oil imports. There were twice as many foreign oil imports under their leadership than there are today. When they say they have the back of energy workers, the question is which energy workers. Is it Saudi Arabian energy workers, Russian energy workers or Canadian energy workers? Under our leadership, oil imports have …
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Mr. Speaker, I would like to quote from an article that the new director of communications for the Conservative Party of Canada wrote. He stated, “But opposition to a policy is not a policy in and of itself.” He added, “Conservatives are refusing to contribute anything to the [climate change] discussion other than throwing temper tantrums and scoring political points.” I agree with the new directo…
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Mr. Speaker, I thank my hon. colleague for her question, although I find it somewhat perplexing. Radio-Canada recently published an article under the headline “Woodland caribou: [the Bloc leader] draws the ire of biologists”. It said that the Bloc leader had expressed doubts about the science behind the decline of the caribou. On this side of the House, we believe in the science of climate change.…
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Mr. Speaker, when the leader of the Bloc Québécois was the Quebec environment minister, he bypassed the environmental assessment for the McInnis Cement project in the Gaspé. He also bypassed the environmental assessment and the public consultations on Enbridge's Line 9B reversal and the environmental assessment, his own law, on drilling in Anticosti. I do not think the Bloc Québécois has any lesso…
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Mr. Speaker, I would like to read an extract from an article that the new director of communications for the Conservative Party of Canada said. He said, “Instead of scoring cheap political points on Trudeau's carbon tax, Conservatives need to get serious and offer their own alternative”. I agree with the new director of communications for the Conservative Party of Canada.
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Mr. Speaker, the cost of climate change for Canadians is in the tens of billions of dollars, and it seems like the Conservative Party of Canada does not understand that we are all paying for this. There is no escaping it. We have to address the issue of climate change as we address issues of affordability, which is why two weeks ago, thanks to the climate action incentive payments, a family of fou…
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Mr. Speaker, more than 600 lives were lost in British Columbia due to the heat waves and forest fires, which is something we have never seen in the history of this country. It was the costliest natural catastrophe in the history of our country. Who do the official opposition members think is paying for the tens of billions of dollars that climate change is costing British Columbians and Canadians …
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Mr. Speaker, just last week, the Insurance Bureau of Canada unveiled that storm Fiona caused more than $600 million of insured losses. These are not total damages. That makes it the most expensive storm in Atlantic Canada. On this side of the House, we are fighting climate change and supporting Canadians. Just two weeks ago, we sent $186 to families in Ontario, $208 to families in Manitoba, $275 t…
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Mr. Speaker, it was none other than the Conservative Party of Canada's director of communications, Ben Woodfinden. He also said, “Instead of scoring cheap political points...Conservatives need to get serious and offer their own alternative.” Where is this alternative? Why does the Leader of the Opposition not listen to his own director of communications, get serious and step up for climate action …
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Mr. Speaker, we waited 416 days for the member for Regina—Qu'Appelle's climate pamphlet when he was leader. The member for Carleton has now been leader of the Conservative Party for 47 days, and Conservatives still do not have a climate plan. Maybe his new director of communications can help his climate-denying boss to get with the program.
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Well, you said so to Canadians. Mr. Speaker, they told Canadians they were going to put a price on carbon. Were they lying to Canadians then, or are they lying now? That is the question I have for them.
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Mr. Speaker, in the lead-up to the last election campaign, every single member opposite was in favour—
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Mr. Speaker, right now in British Columbia, parts of the province have been without water for more than 100 days. In Port aux Basques, more than 100 families will not be able to go back to their homes, and that is just the beginning. In fact, some people are saying they do not want to go back because it has become too dangerous. What does the Conservative Party have to say about what it would do t…
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Mr. Speaker, I would remind my colleague that in Quebec, we use a carbon pricing system that is different than the federal system. In an effort to collaborate with the provinces, we have allowed those who wanted to keep their own system to do so. In Quebec, the federal carbon pricing system does not apply; the cap-and-trade system does. I would be pleased to explain to my colleague the difference …
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Mr. Speaker, I would like to quote the member for Durham, who said, “We recognize that the most efficient way to reduce our emissions is to use pricing mechanisms.” We agree, and I will also quote the member for New Brunswick Southwest, who said, “The backstop will kick in, the feds will take it over, and...cheques will begin to roll out to New Brunswick”. That is exactly what we are doing. We are…
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Mr. Speaker, the only way to eliminate energy poverty is to reduce household costs in energy by fighting climate change. With the volatility of oil prices and the record profits of oil companies, the Conservatives are proposing that Canadians be chained to the oil and gas markets and be completely vulnerable to foreign wars and cartels. Our plan is to give Canadians autonomy and sovereignty in the…
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Madam Speaker, I would like to reassure my colleague. The federal price on pollution does not apply to Quebec, because Quebec has kept its own cap-and-trade system, which operates in a completely different way from the carbon pricing system. In Quebec's case, emissions are reduced through the cap component of their system, not a price increase. That is how it works. There will be no increase in Qu…
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Madam Speaker, I thank my hon. colleague for her question. I would point out that the president of the Fédération professionnelle des journalistes du Québec himself stated in an interview for that article that federal public servants are not supposed to use their office equipment to disclose information that is supposed to remain internal to the government. Of course, we are working to advance the…
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Madam Speaker, Canada is one of the most transparent countries on the planet. Just look at the annual reports of Transparency International. We are one of the countries that gives journalists the most freedom. We have very important procedures when it comes to disclosing information, and we are extremely proud of that. We will continue to work on being one of the best in the world.
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