House of Commons photoWon his last election, in 2019, with 55% of the vote.
The Environment May 9th, 2013
Mr. Speaker, I thank my colleague for a timely question.
Randle Reef is the largest contaminated sediment site in Canadian waters of the Great Lakes. Remediation is a priority of our government. Environment Canada is leading this project, moving forward aggressively to complete project implementation agreements with all participating organizations, including the port authority, to ensure that this important project continues to move ahead and not establish any schedule issues.
The Environment May 8th, 2013
Mr. Speaker, as I just said, the inconvenient truth is that the NDP continues to adopt outrageous positions that defy both facts and science. It characterizes responsible resource development as a disease. This week, it has embraced the open sewer concept of a visiting author.
Canadians recognize that our government has a real, tangible and effective commitment to responsible resource development.
The Environment May 8th, 2013
Mr. Speaker, it is obvious the NDP is still struggling with humour and irony. The inconvenient truth is that while the NDP wanders abroad attacking Canadian jobs, Canadian interests and responsible resource development, our government is actually doing something about it.
We are the first Canadian government to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. We have decoupled GHG emissions from economic growth. We have implemented a world-class monitoring plan for the oil sands. We have launched a web portal for Canadians to see the results.
We can protect the environment and the economy.
Questions on the Order Paper May 6th, 2013
Mr. Speaker, petroleum drilling and production primarily falls under provincial jurisdiction, except on federal land. Environment Canada has the authority to regulate the environmental impacts of oil and gas development throughout Canada. Environment Canada’s role and authorities in relation to pollution prevention and habitat protection are provided for in a number of statutes, in particular the Canadian Environmental Protection Act, 1999, known as CEPA 1999, and the Fisheries Act.
Environment Canada has a number of initiatives under way toward gaining a better understanding of the substances used in hydraulic fracturing fluid and the potential environmental risks associated with the hydraulic fracturing process. At this time, the department is working with industry to confirm the identity of chemicals that are used in hydraulic fracturing in Canada. Once the department obtains this information, it will be in a better position to conduct detailed and targeted analyses based on the chemicals that have been reported. Results of these analyses will serve as a basis to determine whether further action is required from an environmental protection and/or human health perspective.
In the meantime, substances not on the domestic substances list continue to be subject to notification and assessment under the New Substance Notification Regulations (Chemicals and Polymers) under the Canadian Environmental Protection Act, 1999.
Of the more than 17,000 new substances notifications received since 1994, approximately 30 notifications have been received for substances potentially used for hydraulic fracturing in Canada, although this potential use was not always specified in the information provided. None of these substances are identified as persistent organic pollutants. Canada is committed to upholding the Stockholm convention.
Of these approximately 30 notifications, there have been three substances that have had a ministerial condition imposed on them that restricts the manner in which the substance can be disposed of. Details may be found at http://canadagazette.gc.ca/archives/p1/2005/2005-02-26/html/notice-avis-eng.html, http://canadagazette.gc.ca/archives/p1/2006/2006-04-15/html/notice-avis-eng.html and http://canadagazette.gc.ca/rp-pr/p1/2008/2008-10-04/html/notice-avis-eng.html.
The Environment May 2nd, 2013
Mr. Speaker, with respect to my hon. colleague, this is not rocket science. The math that is important here involves the numbers 13 and 30.
For 13 years, the previous Liberal government paid lip service to climate change, while emissions increased by 30%. I would invite my colleague to visit the Environment Canada website to take a look at our updated emissions inventory, which confirmed that we are now about halfway to achieving our 2020 reduction target.
The Environment May 2nd, 2013
Mr. Speaker, I would invite my colleague to visit the north to see exactly how our programs to address the climate change-related problems in the north are being done.
The appointment of the Minister of Health as a dedicated Minister for the Arctic Council, taking the Arctic Council chair rather than the Minister of Foreign Affairs, reflects the importance that our government attaches to the north, to the Arctic Council and to our upcoming chairmanship.
Canada's chairmanship of the Arctic Council, which we assume next month, will put northerners first. Initiatives will reflect the views and the aspirations and concerns of our northern population.
The Environment May 2nd, 2013
Mr. Speaker, I again respond to my colleague that while the NDP proposes a $21 billion carbon tax that would pick the pockets of Canadians without reducing a single megatonne of GHGs and while NDP members wander abroad attacking Canadian jobs, American jobs and responsible resource development, we have a sector-by-sector regulatory plan, which is working, which is reducing greenhouse gases and which is now halfway toward achieving our 2020 reduction targets.
The Environment April 30th, 2013
Mr. Speaker, let us talk about what the NDP denies. They deny the sustainable seal hunt. They deny the management of the polar bear and the legitimacy of the Inuit annual quota hunt. They deny development in the north. They deny resource development in the north. They wander abroad to lobby against Canadian jobs, Canadian interests and responsible resource development.
Polar bears in Canada are well managed under a robust and responsive management system, and it is home to two-thirds, I am proud to say, of the world's population.
The Environment April 30th, 2013
Mr. Speaker, no government in Canadian history has done more than our government to promote the values and traditions of the Arctic and Arctic communities. The same goes for the member for Yukon. Whether it is his defence of the humane seal hunt or whether it is his efforts to protect the Inuit's sustainable management of the polar bear, the people of the Yukon can depend on the member for Yukon.
Together with other range states, Canada has been taking great strides in recent years in coordinating action on polar bear conservation.
The Environment April 29th, 2013
Mr. Speaker, my colleague is simply wrong. Included on the project list, for example, are those projects which would involve expansion of oil sands mines and exploratory offshore drilling, just to name a couple. We have consulted with the provinces, with industry and we offered, although to no avail, to hear from first nation groups on this matter.
That said, the gazetting of these regulations will begin a 30-day consultation period, which will inform our decisions when we finalize the project list.