Bill C-383

Prohibiting the Export of Thermal Coal Act

An Act to prohibit the export of thermal coal from Canada

This enactment prohibits the export of thermal coal from Canada except in accordance with a permit issued by the Minister of the Environment and the Minister of Transport.

Climate Change

[Laurel Collins, NDP, Victoria, BC]

Madam Speaker, burning coal for electricity is the dirtiest source of power generation. It produces the most greenhouse gases globally. The IPCC states that the world must dramatically reduce its consumption of coal by 2030 to avoid the worst outcomes of the climate crisis. When thermal coal is exported to be burned in other countries, it has a devastating impact on global emissions. However, here in Canada, the government is choosing to ignore the facts when it comes to coal.

In 2021, the Liberals ran on an environment platform that promised they would phase out thermal coal exports. When they formed government, the Prime Minister ordered the Minister of Environment to phase out thermal coal exports in his mandate letter. What actions has the Liberal government taken since then? Nothing. In fact, since the Liberals took power in 2015, thermal coal exports have tripled. How can the Minister of Environment look at himself in the mirror? How can the Liberal members look at themselves in the mirror and call themselves climate champions?

Canada is ignoring its own climate commitments and sending millions of tonnes of thermal coal across the globe. We are shipping the dirtiest fossil fuel to be burnt in faraway lands where we can close our eyes and pretend that everything is fine. Everything is not fine.

Greenhouse gas emissions do not know international borders. Rising temperatures hurt us all. Increased natural disasters are happening around the globe, but especially here in Canada in my home province of B.C. Even if the thermal coal that originates from Canada or the U.S. is burnt in China, it is the same greenhouse gas emissions that fuel the conditions for the dry forests that light up in flames across this country, displacing thousands of people.

Why has the government not fulfilled its promise to Canadians to end thermal coal exports? Why does it continue to mislead Canadians and promise climate action, but continually fall short? It is no wonder that Canadians are cynical. This last year alone, Canada exported 19.5 million tonnes of thermal coal. In 2022, 40 million tonnes of greenhouse gas emissions were burnt from Canadian thermal coal exports. That is roughly the same number of emissions as 16.7 million cars. Every year, air pollution contributes to roughly one million deaths around the world. Burning coal is a big factor in this.

Canadian coal should not be playing a role in polluting the air we breathe. This is one of the many reasons I tabled my private member's bill, Bill C-383, to phase out thermal coal exports, work with unions to ensure sustainable job transitions and fulfill our international climate commitments.

My question for the member is this: Will you fulfill your promise to Canadians and phase out thermal coal? Why have you broken this promise?

[Alexandre Boulerice, NDP, Rosemont—La Petite-Patrie, QC]

Thank you very much, Mr. Chair.

Like some of my colleagues, I would like to make a brief preliminary comment.

One of Canada's largest exports to the Indo‑Pacific region has long been bituminous coal, thermal coal. In 2021, the Liberal Party promised to end Canada's exports of this thermal coal. It's even in the Minister of Environment's mandate letter. The following year, thermal coal exports increased by 60%. That's eight times higher than our exports in 2018, when it is extremely polluting, and it violates all of our climate change commitments. I wanted to clarify that, because I find it absolutely inconsistent and contradictory. I'm all the more proud of Bill C‑383, introduced by my colleague from Victoria, Laurel Collins, who wants to put a legal end to the export of thermal coal while the Liberal government unfortunately continues to do so.

Mr. Vaillancourt, I very much appreciated your comments a little earlier on human rights, workers' rights and forced labour. You spoke at length, and rightly so, about the plight of the Uighur people. You also talked about the responsibilities of Canadian companies. If I have time, I'll come back to that.

The federal government is responsible for ensuring that our supply chains and subcontractors aren't involved in forced labour. In 2021, journalist Joël‑Denis Bellavance of La Presse revealed that contracts totalling $221 million had been awarded to a Malaysian company that, at the time, was suspected by the United States and the United Kingdom of using forced labour in its production.

How do you think the federal government could implement measures in this region of the world to avoid such situations when the federal government itself is not setting an example?

Prohibiting the Export of Thermal Coal Act

[Laurel Collins, NDP, Victoria, BC]

moved for leave to introduce Bill C-383, An Act to prohibit the export of thermal coal from Canada.

Madam Speaker, today I am pleased to be tabling a bill to ban the export of thermal coal from Canada. I want to thank the member for Edmonton Strathcona for seconding the bill, and Ecojustice for its advocacy, its support for the bill and its work to end the export of thermal coal.

The government has been painfully slow to move on its promise to ban thermal coal exports. Instead of being phased out under the Liberals, thermal coal exports have tripled.

The bill would not only start the work that the Liberals have failed to do but would also require that the government consult with trade unions and workers who would be affected by changes, before a ban were to happen.

Canadians across the country have been living with the impacts of the climate crisis, and coal remains the largest contributor to climate change. Thermal coal has no place in a world serious about tackling the climate crisis, and emissions do not know borders. It is time to ban thermal coal exports.

(Motions deemed adopted, bill read the first time and printed)