Evidence of meeting #67 for Environment and Sustainable Development in the 41st Parliament, 1st Session. (The original version is on Parliament’s site, as are the minutes.) The winning word was protected.
A recording is available from Parliament.
10:05 a.m.
Conservative
Michelle Rempel Conservative Calgary Centre-North, AB
Thank you, Mr. Chair.
To both of the witnesses, would you characterize Canada's land mass as significantly larger than that of France?
10:05 a.m.
Voices
Oh, oh!
10:05 a.m.
Executive Director, Wildlife Program Policy, Department of the Environment
I have to get my calculator out.
10:05 a.m.
Voices
Oh, oh!
10:05 a.m.
Executive Director, Wildlife Program Policy, Department of the Environment
Yes.
10:05 a.m.
Conservative
Michelle Rempel Conservative Calgary Centre-North, AB
Would you also characterize that the protection of an additional 50% of our parks space under our government's tenure as action in protecting spaces in this country?
10:05 a.m.
Executive Director, Wildlife Program Policy, Department of the Environment
Yes.
10:05 a.m.
Conservative
Michelle Rempel Conservative Calgary Centre-North, AB
Excellent.
Year over year we've heard in the estimates from Parks Canada that it's actually been our government that has seen a substantive increase in funding to Parks Canada. Would you also characterize that statement as correct?
10:05 a.m.
Vice-President, Protected Area Establishment and Conservation, Parks Canada
In terms of direct funding, yes. Towards things like action on the ground, we're investing at the highest level ever in our history.
10:05 a.m.
Conservative
Michelle Rempel Conservative Calgary Centre-North, AB
Great.
Mr. McLean, in terms of the programs you mentioned, like the eco gifts program, the natural areas conservation program, I believe in the first budgets we invested over a quarter of a billion dollars. In Budget 2013, we announced more money for this. Would you also characterize that as action for protecting spaces in Canada?
10:10 a.m.
Executive Director, Wildlife Program Policy, Department of the Environment
Yes.
10:10 a.m.
Conservative
Michelle Rempel Conservative Calgary Centre-North, AB
Excellent.
With regard to our biodiversity targets...you mentioned some of the uniqueness of Canada's geography, in that we do have a very large land mass, one that, as you've confirmed, is larger than France, substantively. With the combined efforts of programs like the eco gifts program, the natural areas conservation plan, the increase in protected parklands, the work we do with non-governmental organizations, with farming groups, and all the other groups that you mentioned in here, to protect spaces, whether or not they're defined specifically for the Aichi targets...would you characterize that as well as action towards protecting habitat under this government's tenure...?
10:10 a.m.
Executive Director, Wildlife Program Policy, Department of the Environment
Characterize that as contributing to...?
10:10 a.m.
Conservative
10:10 a.m.
Executive Director, Wildlife Program Policy, Department of the Environment
Yes, it's action in protecting.
10:10 a.m.
Conservative
10:10 a.m.
Conservative
The Chair Conservative Harold Albrecht
Thank you.
I want to thank our witnesses for appearing today, and thanks to members for the good questions.
I'm going to suspend for three minutes.
[Proceedings continue in camera]