Natural Resources Committee on Oct. 23rd, 2023

[The Chair, Liberal, George Chahal]

I think everybody is clear.

Just to make sure that everybody is clear once and for all, Monsieur Simard has asked to be heard by committee members. We will be voting to allow Monsieur Simard to be heard. If you'll—

[Shannon Stubbs, Conservative, Lakeland, AB]

Hopefully, your colleagues are picking up what you're putting down, Chair, which you coordinated with the NDP.

[The Chair, Liberal, George Chahal]

Excuse me, colleagues.

As the chair—let me finish—the vote is that Monsieur Simard wants to be heard next. If you vote “yes”, and the majority of committee decides, Monsieur Simard will be next to be heard.

We'll proceed to a roll call vote.

(Motion negatived: nays 8; yeas 2)

[Shannon Stubbs, Conservative, Lakeland, AB]

Your coalition partners didn't pick up the hint, but you guys tried. Stay anti-energy, stay—

[The Chair, Liberal, George Chahal]

Colleagues, next on the speaking order—

[Charlie Angus, NDP, Timmins—James Bay, ON]

Shannon, grow up sometime, do you think?

[Shannon Stubbs, Conservative, Lakeland, AB]

Thanks for telling me to grow up, Charlie.

[The Chair, Liberal, George Chahal]

—we'll go to Mr. Dreeshen.

Once again, colleagues, I'll ask everybody to allow our committee members to speak when it's their turn and to not speak over each other. It does get difficult for the interpreters when we are speaking over each other.

Mr. Dreeshen, the floor is yours.

[Earl Dreeshen, Conservative, Red Deer—Mountain View, AB]

Thank you very much, Mr. Chair, and thank you to the committee members for allowing me this opportunity to speak to this motion.

One of the key things I want to mention is what is happening in Europe and the reasons that the decision by the Canadian government to not put its full force behind our liquid natural gas resources is so critical.

A summer ago, I was in Birmingham, England, with the OSCE, the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe. We had an opportunity to speak with political people from all over Europe, Canada and the United States. What that organization does.... We spoke about food security, energy security, and certainly, in that case, what was taking place in Ukraine.

We know what the political leadership always says we're doing, which is that we want to make sure we're going as green as fast as we possibly can. We want to hit net zero. We're going to do all of those sorts of things. The only problem is that this isn't the reality on the ground. That was made completely obvious.

One of the motions that Canada put forth was on transition. It suggested that we make changes so that oil and gas development in Canada is minimized. I felt that was going completely in the wrong direction and against some of the people who have spoken here today. They're talking about whether or not we are producing our hydrocarbons in an environmentally friendly way, and of course it's obvious that we are. We know that as far as oil and gas is concerned, we are at 6% or 8%, I believe, lower emissions per unit of energy now than we were a number of years ago. We know that as far as methane is concerned, there have been massive improvements and that we are leading in the world. I think that's a critical part of it.

That becomes one of the issues we need to keep in mind. Yes, political leadership has already bought in. They have their signatures at the bottom of certain environmental agreements, so they are going to continue, as we do, to suggest it's the only way to go. However, that's not how business sees it.

Here's one of the situations that occurred. Because Germany can't get the supply of gas it needs from Russia, it is looking at different ways of getting energy. It is ramping up—

[Charlie Angus, NDP, Timmins—James Bay, ON]

I have a point of order.

[The Chair, Liberal, George Chahal]

Yes, go ahead, Mr. Angus.

[Charlie Angus, NDP, Timmins—James Bay, ON]

Thank you.

I would like to take this time to apologize to our witnesses. Whenever we discuss clean energy—

[Earl Dreeshen, Conservative, Red Deer—Mountain View, AB]

That's not a point of order.

[Charlie Angus, NDP, Timmins—James Bay, ON]

—or whenever we discuss labour and every time we have a labour union here, the Conservatives interfere and interrupt.

[An hon. member]

It isn't a point of order.

[Charlie Angus, NDP, Timmins—James Bay, ON]

Therefore, I would like to apologize to those who bring their time—

[An hon. member]

You don't have the floor, Charlie. Come on.

[The Chair, Liberal, George Chahal]

Mr. Angus, do you have a point of order on procedure? We are getting into debate. If it's on the—

[Charlie Angus, NDP, Timmins—James Bay, ON]

Well, it's not a debate, but I sincerely apologize for having—

[An hon. member]

You are getting into debate, Charlie. Come on.

[Charlie Angus, NDP, Timmins—James Bay, ON]

—wasted your time coming to a gong show like this.

[An hon. member]

You know better than that.

[Charlie Angus, NDP, Timmins—James Bay, ON]

On behalf of the New Democrats, I'm deeply sorry.

[The Chair, Liberal, George Chahal]

Mr. Angus.... Well, you wrapped up, so no more—

[Charlie Angus, NDP, Timmins—James Bay, ON]

I'm done.