Environment Committee on Nov. 19th, 2012

[François Choquette, NDP, Drummond, QC]

Thank you, Mr. Chair.

I want to thank all of you—minister, ladies and gentlemen—for being here today.

Minister, regarding the $50 million the industry has promised for reducing the negative effects of oil sand production, has the agreement been signed?

[Peter Kent, Conservative, Thornhill, ON]

We have full agreement with the industry.

We are now generating—

[François Choquette, NDP, Drummond, QC]

So the agreement has been signed.

[Peter Kent, Conservative, Thornhill, ON]

It's not something that will require a signature. Basically what it will require is the modality for the payment by the industry to the Government of Canada, Environment Canada, and the Government of Alberta for the science, as it's installed.

But we have already—

[François Choquette, NDP, Drummond, QC]

Have you concluded a written agreement? You say that you have not signed it, but that there is a written agreement. You must be familiar with the details of the agreement, right?

[Peter Kent, Conservative, Thornhill, ON]

We have the details of the agreement, certainly. There will be a formal agreement—

[François Choquette, NDP, Drummond, QC]

Are the details public?

[Peter Kent, Conservative, Thornhill, ON]

Absolutely. We've discussed them. We announced them in February of this year. The $50 million a year is calculated specifically on the design and the implementation over three years.

[François Choquette, NDP, Drummond, QC]

How much of that $50 million will be paid by the industry? Is it $50 million?

[Peter Kent, Conservative, Thornhill, ON]

All of the $50 million.

[François Choquette, NDP, Drummond, QC]

Okay.

How much of that $50 million has been invested so far?

[Peter Kent, Conservative, Thornhill, ON]

Our investment to date, and we were talking about that this morning, is somewhere around $20 million. Those funds have not yet been transferred from the industry, but that has been invested in installation.

[François Choquette, NDP, Drummond, QC]

What amount did you say was paid by the industry?

[Peter Kent, Conservative, Thornhill, ON]

They will pay all of the $50 million a year.

In terms of implementing and installing monitoring facilities and preparation for installation—

[François Choquette, NDP, Drummond, QC]

All that will be made public anyway. We will be able to find the information.

[Peter Kent, Conservative, Thornhill, ON]

The amount is about $20 million.

[François Choquette, NDP, Drummond, QC]

Okay, thanks.

A conference will be held in Doha, Qatar, from November 26 until December. Will you be attending, minister?

[Peter Kent, Conservative, Thornhill, ON]

Yes, I will.

[François Choquette, NDP, Drummond, QC]

What is the budget for the Canadian delegation? Has a budget been allocated for that purpose?

[Peter Kent, Conservative, Thornhill, ON]

There is a budget. I don't have the hard numbers. It is significantly less than last year.

[François Choquette, NDP, Drummond, QC]

How many people will be able to go to Doha this year?

[Peter Kent, Conservative, Thornhill, ON]

It depends on the numbers involving the provinces. There will be provincial delegations. I believe the provincial delegations, in a number of cases, are larger—

[François Choquette, NDP, Drummond, QC]

Will any members of the opposition be invited to attend?

[Peter Kent, Conservative, Thornhill, ON]

To be a part of the official Canadian delegation, no, but as was done last year with representatives from the NDP and the Green Party, we will assist in enabling their accreditation to be present at the conference.

[François Choquette, NDP, Drummond, QC]

But that's not official. Our attendance is not official.