House of Commons photoWon his last election, in 2015, with 64% of the vote.
Kyoto Protocol October 22nd, 2002
Mr. Speaker, that answer was so typical of the minister, to insult the knowledge of the questioner and then have absolutely no information himself.
The government is admitting that at least one-quarter of our CO
2
reductions will not actually be made but will have to be paid for out of so-called emissions trading permits from other countries. Since no market for such permits exists, how can the government have any idea what they will cost?
Kyoto Protocol October 22nd, 2002
Mr. Speaker, since the government does not have any idea where it is going, instead of a plan on Kyoto, all the government has floated is a roomful of hot air trial balloons.
It has been forced to admit that Kyoto would cost between $5 billion and $25 billion and eliminate between 60,000 and 250,000 jobs. That was while it was claiming we would get credit for clean energy exports to the United States.
Now that the minister has finally admitted we will get no such credit, will the minister tell us how much higher he projects the cost of Kyoto will be?
Kyoto Protocol October 22nd, 2002
Mr. Speaker, yesterday the hon. member for LaSalle—Émard finally said something about Kyoto. He said:
--before there is a vote we have to have a plan. And it has to be a plan that Canadians understand. One that sets out the benefits, one that sets out exactly how we're going to hit the targets and one that sets out the costs.
Does the Prime Minister agree that the Kyoto vote in the House must be not just about ratification but a vote on an implementation plan?
Kyoto Protocol October 21st, 2002
Mr. Speaker, Albertans will never forget the attitude of this party toward Albertans on energy issues during the national energy program. We expect the government to work with the provincial government on this.
The federal government promised that it would consult the provinces before ratifying the Kyoto protocol. However, the implementation of this agreement will inevitably result in interference in provincial jurisdictions, both shared and exclusive.
Will the government pledge to not implement the Kyoto protocol without the consent of the provinces?
Kyoto Protocol October 21st, 2002
Mr. Speaker, if it is going to delay its plans it should delay the ratification as well.
As the minister said, last week the Alberta government tabled its plan for the reduction of carbon dioxide emissions without destroying the economy. Will the federal government now agree to work with the Alberta government on its alternative to Kyoto?
Kyoto Protocol October 21st, 2002
Mr. Speaker, today was supposed to be the day the government showed the provinces its implementation plan for the Kyoto accord, but there is still no plan and province after province is dropping its support.
The Ontario government has warned that for Ontario the accord will mean “huge job losses, a huge drag on the [economy] and billions of dollars in lost revenue”.
Will the government now admit that it should not ratify Kyoto until it has a plan and until it has built consensus around that plan?
Resignation of Member October 11th, 2002
Mr. Speaker, on behalf of the Canadian Alliance, the official opposition, I echo the words spoken by the Deputy Prime Minister.
The hon. member for Perth--Middlesex has been an outstanding servant not just of the House of Commons in the past nine years, but also of the country as a former general. As a retired general in the service of his country his efforts have been much appreciated.
He has been a man of integrity in the House. I know over the years in my earlier service here, all colleagues on this side of the House always spoke very highly of the work they did with the hon. member for Perth--Middlesex. It is unfortunate for me, having arrived here again recently, that we have not had very much time to share together because of the circumstances that have intervened.
Certainly I can tell the hon. member and the House that I know everyone in our caucus wishes him all the best in the future. We are all very much with him. Our thoughts and our prayers will be with him. We wish him the best of luck.
Official Languages October 11th, 2002
In Ottawa.
Kyoto Protocol October 11th, 2002
Mr. Speaker, I would point out that we can do what we want in Canada without the Kyoto accord ratified at all.
I have one more question. The minister will know hopefully that the Kyoto accord targets only carbon dioxide emissions, not pollution. Carbon dioxide is not a pollutant. There is a real concern that the actions necessary to implement radical carbon dioxide reductions could result in technological switching to emissions with higher pollution.
How does the government intend to ensure that the Kyoto accord will not lead to increases in pollution?
Kyoto Protocol October 11th, 2002
Mr. Speaker, the House will note that the minister did not say whether those objectives would be the actual Kyoto objectives or some other set of objectives so it is more evading the question, more double-talk.
For greater clarity let me pick on one issue. The Kyoto accord does not give Canada credit for natural gas exports to the United States since the U.S. is not foolish enough to sign on to this boondoggle.
Will the government ratify the actual Kyoto targets or will it reduce those targets for things like gas exports to the United States?