Evidence of meeting #59 for Environment and Sustainable Development in the 39th Parliament, 1st Session. (The original version is on Parliament’s site, as are the minutes.) The winning word was plan.
A recording is available from Parliament.
4:05 p.m.
Special Advisor, Climate Change Policy, Strategic Policy Branch, Department of the Environment
It could be a little sooner than that.
4:05 p.m.
NDP
Nathan Cullen NDP Skeena—Bulkley Valley, BC
In the ballpark anyway.
Does the government have a position on what the acceptable level of global temperature increase is for our economic and social structures to exist? This is much the conversation in Europe. Many countries have committed to a goal of two degrees, no more.
Does Canada have a position on that?
4:05 p.m.
Special Advisor, Climate Change Policy, Strategic Policy Branch, Department of the Environment
The government hasn't taken a position on that as yet. We're looking at various aspects of it.
4:05 p.m.
NDP
Nathan Cullen NDP Skeena—Bulkley Valley, BC
So the government is considering taking a position on this?
4:05 p.m.
Special Advisor, Climate Change Policy, Strategic Policy Branch, Department of the Environment
We're doing work on it.
4:05 p.m.
NDP
Nathan Cullen NDP Skeena—Bulkley Valley, BC
Doing work on it. I encourage your work on it simply because this is the conversation that's happening in the world right now, which Canada would be involved in.
You're not going to make public the economic analysis model you pointed to. Is that what you've told us?
4:05 p.m.
Assistant Deputy Minister, Environment Stewardship Branch, Department of the Environment
That's what we told you.
4:05 p.m.
Assistant Deputy Minister, Environment Stewardship Branch, Department of the Environment
That's information that is given to government to make its decision. That's not normally made public.
4:05 p.m.
Assistant Deputy Minister, Environment Stewardship Branch, Department of the Environment
This is the normal procedure that we follow when we give advice to government, and this is not at this time to be made public. We did provide the maximum information we could at this time in a background document that was circulated the day of the announcement. Unfortunately, I don't have extra copies with me, but if there's something that was not made available to all of you, for sure we'll make it available.
4:05 p.m.
NDP
Nathan Cullen NDP Skeena—Bulkley Valley, BC
Economic forecasting always has a number of opinions. You've told us that you had no dissenting opinions on the $8 billion figure. Is there any reason why you won't make this analysis...? We have to trust you otherwise. We just simply have to trust the government that their analysis was sound and not biased.
4:05 p.m.
Assistant Deputy Minister, Environment Stewardship Branch, Department of the Environment
What we can make available publicly at this time has been part of the background, which we'll circulate if—
4:05 p.m.
Conservative
4:05 p.m.
NDP
Nathan Cullen NDP Skeena—Bulkley Valley, BC
But the model wasn't; the model is the question.
The question is, is there any law preventing you from making that public, or is it just practice? Obviously it's a choice.
May 16th, 2007 / 4:05 p.m.
Conservative
Mark Warawa Conservative Langley, BC
I have a point of order, and I will make my point very quickly. It appears that Mr. Cullen is badgering the witnesses. They've answered the question three times. For him to continue asking the same question over and over in different ways I don't think is fruitful.
4:05 p.m.
Conservative
The Chair Conservative Bob Mills
I think Mr. Cullen realizes that these are civil servants working for all of us.
I'd like you to continue with your questioning, please.
Mr. Cullen.
4:05 p.m.
NDP
Nathan Cullen NDP Skeena—Bulkley Valley, BC
I absolutely appreciate that they've answered, and I will not take my time away on this, but they've answered me by saying they will not make it public. I've simply asked for the reason why. Is it law? Is it policy? That's all.
4:05 p.m.
Conservative
4:05 p.m.
NDP
Nathan Cullen NDP Skeena—Bulkley Valley, BC
I didn't; that's all. Maybe I'm a bit dull on this one, but I just wanted to make sure I was clear.
4:05 p.m.
Assistant Deputy Minister, Environment Stewardship Branch, Department of the Environment
It is policy.
4:05 p.m.
NDP
Nathan Cullen NDP Skeena—Bulkley Valley, BC
It's policy. Okay, that's all, no badgering going on.
Thank you for the parliamentary secretary's intervention.
The baseline is now 2006. Is there any other country in the world that uses this baseline for its projections or estimations?
4:10 p.m.
Director General, Strategic Priorities, Environmental Stewardship Branch, Department of the Environment
Different countries use different approaches. For example, in the European Union, when they're regulating their industrial sectors and allocating allowances for those sectors, they set those targets for 2010—for the Kyoto period now it's 2008 to 2012. As far as I'm aware, they're not based on any specific year; they're based on—