Environment Committee on March 8th, 2011

[The Chair, Conservative, James Bezan]

Minister Kent, I'm going to have to interrupt.

[Peter Kent, Conservative, Thornhill, ON]

I'll just add, addressing the wider concerns, I've met with ministers in the Northwest Territories. They do have downstream concerns, not only from the Athabasca River basin but with regard to the Mackenzie Valley, downstream from the Bennett Dam. We are working with the Government of the Northwest Territories, as with the other provinces and territory, to address these very legitimate and real concerns.

[The Chair, Conservative, James Bezan]

Thank you.

Mr. Armstrong, we have you batting cleanup in the first round.

[Scott Armstrong, Conservative, Cumberland—Colchester—Musquodoboit Valley, NS]

Thank you very much, Minister, for being here. I enjoyed your presentation.

As you can tell from questions from the opposition, both here and in the House in recent days, there seems to be a lot of undue concern over estimates. We know that estimates are really the first step in the budgetary planning process. So we look forward to coming back after the budget is brought down for some more specific questions, and we're excited about the fact that you're going to be able to return to us.

I'm wondering if you could enlighten this committee as to some of the good work that's been done by Environment Canada and some of the new initiatives in place to help protect Canada's environment.

[Peter Kent, Conservative, Thornhill, ON]

Where do I start? I have an entire book here that is full of good-news stories regarding Environment Canada, across the parks system, the meteorological service, as we discussed. There are some significant and very real challenges to be resolved. But there is a great deal of good news in terms of addressing the responsible and sustainable development of our resource industry, and the protections, regulations, oversight, and assessments that play into that.

I was at the Hamilton harbour yesterday to announce what has gone on, what is going on, and what will go on in terms of our commitment to the Great Lakes action plan in addressing areas of concern in terms of required remedial action. This is part of our agreement with the United States, the Great Lakes water quality agreement. There are still significant challenges to be resolved with regard to municipal waste water treatment and invasive species of fish, for example, into the waters of our Great Lakes and the boundary waters.

In Hamilton, the number one area of concern, of course, is a phenomenon known as Randle Reef. That is offshore from a large steel plant originally owned by Stelco, which is now owned by U.S. Steel. I'm encouraging our partners, the province, the municipalities of the area, and other stakeholders—Halton Region—to start the remedial action that will clean up the worst hot spot in terms of an environmental area of concern in Canada. It's very similar to the action that will be required on the Sydney tar ponds, for example.

In terms of other good news, certainly the expansion of our national parks and protected areas is significant, and it's something Canadians should be proud of. We've also worked with those who live and work and operate businesses adjacent to protected areas.

I met with the Cattlemen's Association a couple of weeks ago, and we reviewed the significant environmental benefits that have come from Parks Canada allowing cattle herds to graze in Grasslands National Park. That has helped to restore the natural habitats and the balanced environmental cycles that used to come when the buffalo roamed, and others.

Again, we are aware of dire projections with regard to climate change in the Canadian Arctic, and we are working with both Canadian stakeholders and our neighbours on the Arctic Council to ensure that species at risk, species that face adaptation to changing realities, are protected, and where necessary recovery programs are put into place.

[Scott Armstrong, Conservative, Cumberland—Colchester—Musquodoboit Valley, NS]

Thank you, Mr. Minister.

I'm glad to hear you talk about the Sydney tar ponds. As you know, I'm from Nova Scotia, and that's been a huge issue for years. It's one that our government has taken on, and I think it's going to be a huge success story for that area of the country.

Also in Atlantic Canada, we have a huge opportunity to produce clean, green, perpetual energy, with the Lower Churchill Falls development. That's going to be a big benefit, not only to Newfoundland and Labrador, but also Nova Scotia and the other Atlantic provinces. Do you have any opinion on that project? Do you have any hopes that it can help to get us off coal, particularly in Nova Scotia?

[Peter Kent, Conservative, Thornhill, ON]

Certainly the federal government has been following those proposals with interest. As you know, the proposal for the Lower Churchill project is now being assessed by a joint review panel. There are a variety of proposals, which we've heard discussed in the House, regarding how financing may or may not be arranged. But because the approval is before the courts at the moment, I would discreetly suggest that I stop there.

[Scott Armstrong, Conservative, Cumberland—Colchester—Musquodoboit Valley, NS]

Thank you very much.

[The Chair, Conservative, James Bezan]

Do you want to share your time? You still have one minute and 15 seconds left.

[Scott Armstrong, Conservative, Cumberland—Colchester—Musquodoboit Valley, NS]

I'll share it with Mr. Sopuck.

[Robert Sopuck, Conservative, Dauphin—Swan River—Marquette, MB]

Thank you, Mr. Minister.

I'm very interested in a project that I think your department is undertaking on watersheds in the Lake Simcoe area. That project is working with multiple stakeholders, agricultural producers, conservation groups, community groups, and towns and municipalities. Can you elaborate on that model and how successful it's been?

[Peter Kent, Conservative, Thornhill, ON]

I'd be delighted, and thank you for the question.

In Lake Simcoe, as in other lakes across the country--Lake Winnipeg, for example, in your home province--Environment Canada has been engaged in addressing waste water challenges, with the challenges of phosphorous and other chemicals in the lake, both with the restoration of aquatic plant life and the restoration of native species of fish. It is a continuing program. It is a program that has shown great success and great achievement. In a similar way, the wetlands at the end of Hamilton Harbour, which had been overtaken by an invasive species of carp and where environmental degradation had reduced this marsh to almost a lost status, has been recovered, and is recovering. For example, as the aquatic vegetation is restored and as fish stock are returning, there is now a plan to eventually bring sturgeon back to that area.

[The Chair, Conservative, James Bezan]

Thank you. The time has expired.

We're going to start on our second round, with five minutes per member.

Ms. Murray, you have the floor.

[Joyce Murray, Liberal, Vancouver Quadra, BC]

Thank you.

Mr. Minister, thank you for being here, and your officials. We appreciate the opportunity.

I have to say that I was disappointed that you used most of your time talking about main estimates and generalities when this request to come to the committee was to focus on the supplementary (C) estimates. Then, when members asked you questions regarding the main estimates, invariably, the answer was, “Sorry, I can't give you any details”. It does beg the question, what is the purpose of this committee session?

[Peter Kent, Conservative, Thornhill, ON]

I come at your request. The timing is unfortunate with regard to the detail of the main estimates and the future supplementary requests. As I said, I'd be glad to come back.

[Joyce Murray, Liberal, Vancouver Quadra, BC]

I do have a specific question about the supplementary (C) estimates. I am compelled to comment on your remarks that Canadians can be proud of this government's action on climate change, when in fact my experience on the ground and internationally is that Canadians are embarrassed and appalled by this government's lack of progress on climate change.

I note that Environment Canada's own website says that measures by federal and provincial governments will reduce greenhouse gases by 65 megatonnes, which is one-quarter of the reductions needed by the year 2020 to achieve the government's own targets.

[Peter Kent, Conservative, Thornhill, ON]

Action has already been taken; regulations are already in effect.

[Joyce Murray, Liberal, Vancouver Quadra, BC]

Yes. Any actions committed to--

[Peter Kent, Conservative, Thornhill, ON]

There are nine years to go, with more regulations coming.

[Joyce Murray, Liberal, Vancouver Quadra, BC]

We're talking just over eight years away, Mr. Minister.

I'll also remark that international organizations have given Canada the fossil of the year award. The last two were in Cancun and in Copenhagen. It was not just because Canada wasn't doing its share under this government, but because it was undermining other countries trying to do their share.

Lastly, on the subject of climate change, having personally been at the Copenhagen meetings, Canadian negotiators were banned, were disinvited from being part of the discussions to generate the Copenhagen accord simply because of the lack of cooperation and Canada's bad reputation under the Conservative government. It's a sorry story.

My question is actually on the supplementary (C) estimates.

[Peter Kent, Conservative, Thornhill, ON]

Okay, but I'll address those issues as well.

[Joyce Murray, Liberal, Vancouver Quadra, BC]

Why is the minister cutting the vehicle scrappage program, a program that takes old polluting cars off the road--

[Peter Kent, Conservative, Thornhill, ON]

The “retire your ride” program.

[Joyce Murray, Liberal, Vancouver Quadra, BC]

Presumably, it increases demand for clean cars and lower greenhouse-gas-emitting cars, stimulates industry, creates important jobs for Canada, and is a program that, if it were improved, could be as effective as some of the similar programs in the U.S. and Germany.

[Peter Kent, Conservative, Thornhill, ON]

Let me start at the beginning of your intervention, and you won't be surprised if I disagree wholeheartedly with your characterization. After 13 years of Liberal lip service to climate change and international remediation efforts, our government stands in stark contrast in the actions we have taken and the commitment we have made and continue to make.

With regard to your characterization that the 65-megatonne reduction is all that will happen between now and 2020, I would return to the fact that we have started with the transportation sector. Last year it was with automobiles and light trucks, and with renewable fuels to gasoline and to diesel. I'm about to bring in new regulations for heavy trucks on the road. Eventually--in the not-too-distant future, not too many months down the road--there will be regulations for off-road new heavy vehicles.

With regard to vehicle greenhouse gas reduction and emission controls, the first round will end in 2014 for automobiles and light trucks. There will be even more stringent requirements in those last five years. But if you take a look at that 65 megatonnes, that is what is now forecast to be achieved by 2020. That does not take into account the significant reductions that we will achieve in the coal-fired electricity generating sector, in other heavy emitting sectors, or the reduction, for example, of private and commercial and governmental residences across the country, which are in themselves large contributors to greenhouse gases and where remedial action is taking place and will take place.

The “retire your ride” program was a largely successful program, which was not intended, as some have suggested, as a stimulus to the automotive industry but as an environmental targeted program to reduce the number of pre-1995 polluting vehicles on the road. In that sense, the retire your ride program provided a modest incentive, $300, which was enough of an incentive to remove more than 126,000 vehicles from the road, and prevent the emission of some 4,000 tonnes of noxious fumes into the atmosphere. Newer vehicles of course meet higher standards now, and will meet even higher standards under our new regulations, and there are incentives from a number of quarters to move to electrical vehicles. I've talked to some of the scientists in my department, as well as to those in Hydro-Québec, which, for example, has a world-leading initiative in lithium battery storage, for more efficient storage of electricity, which will enable and encourage the auto sector to move into that area.

A couple of weeks ago I met with ambassadors from the United States and Canada, who met with the automotive sector, with the major manufacturers here in Canada, who are themselves committed to cleaner and leaner vehicles, including all hybrids and electrical vehicles. We are already considering the sorts of common standards that will be required for the charging and the electrical standards to be met by those vehicles.