Thank you, Chair.
I was just talking with some of the observers of this committee during our break. Some were encouraged by the committee's ability to work together to get something done.
I appreciate the parliamentary secretary's opinion that there may be other targets required, but to just blatantly suggest that these are not based on science, when that's contrary to the evidence that came forward—In terms of what is required, what is scientifically required to avoid dangerous climate change on this planet was put forward by a number of scientists.
I'll take up the one point he made. If they want to have a debate about a different target, then bring the numbers. We put down some numbers, as the NDP has done for a number of years now, to encourage the debate and allow other parties to come forward with their best suggestions. That was the very reason for forming this committee, to allow the best ideas forward.
I think the parliamentary secretary should resist the temptation to run back to this old argument that these are politically motivated targets. If he has science-based evidence to suggest that dangerous climate change can be avoided by setting another target of greenhouse gas reductions and he has someone he can refer to and say, “This is what the science is telling us is actually a more appropriate target”, then bring it forward. That's the debate we're trying to encourage here. But going into suggestions of political motivations to set a target that was told to us by scientists is wrong.
In terms of economic analysis, I think this is important, because one of the main criticisms by the Conservatives of the target initially set by Canada, of 6% below 1990 by the 2012 session, was the lack of economic analysis. To then watch this very same government, this week, as the minister came forward....
I remember in the previous week, when I asked what was the economic analysis done of their “feebate” program, their program to give incentives to some vehicles and not others, and which ones were on the list, the government hadn't even compiled a list of which cars were meant to be penalized or what the economic impacts for those cars that were manufactured in Canada might be. So there were absolutely no politics involved in making sure that two of the autos, made in the riding right adjacent to the finance minister's, both gas guzzlers, both now meant to go on some sort of fuel that exists only at one gas station in the entire country...to say that it was based on science or sound economic analysis is absolutely ridiculous.
So if the parliamentary secretary or the other members of the Conservative Party at this table wish to have sound economic analysis, then they certainly must bring in policies along the way that also pass that test, because so far, in the effort given by the feebate program, with not even a list that Canadians can refer to, to know which cars are going to be penalized and which cars are going to be encouraged, and then not to have any analysis of the penalties on those cars made in Canada or the minivans that people are looking to buy, which will be penalized by this program, as they take their kids to soccer practice....
It seems ridiculous to me to suggest that when looking at amendment NDP-15.1 there's rhetoric in this motion, that there's some sort of political motivation to the targets chosen. If the parliamentary secretary would like to debate targets, or if any members of this committee would like to suggest an alternative target, then bring that forward. But to simply rely on some sort of jingoistic phrase that these are motivated by political aspirations is wrong. It takes us down a very dangerous path. If this committee is actually looking to achieve something positive and constructive for the country, then let's have a substantive debate. Let's not move the debate into some realm of political motivation versus others.