I don't know what to say. I'm new to the committee. I find that to be an incredibly interesting line of questioning from a Liberal MP to a former Green Party candidate, basically asking for criticism of a Conservative Party position and then actually referencing it as a “helpful indictment” as he frames his conversation theoretically around how we move towards a more constructive debate.
It's astounding to me. I've given notice of the motion. I'll move it now, because I really do think that we could have a constructive debate about this. We have a study on Canada's international pan-Canadian framework. We have a study that is tackling the pan-Canadian framework, so far dealing with three aspects: the built environment, international leadership and, next, forestry, agriculture and waste. I have noted that in my short time on the committee, the vast majority of the witnesses have referenced carbon pricing or carbon tax as a key priority. In fact, the pillars of the framework are written into the framework itself. It says the pan-Canadian framework has four main pillars. Everywhere that it's mentioned, pricing carbon pollution is mentioned as the first of the four main pillars. It forms the core of the plan, and I think that if we're going to have a study of the pan-Canadian framework, it would be irresponsible of the committee not to study the carbon tax.
I have put forward the motion:
That, following the Committee's study of Clean Growth and Climate Change in Canada: forestry, agriculture and waste, the Committee proceed next to a study of Clean Growth and Climate Change in Canada: Carbon Tax, and that the study consist of no less than six meetings with witnesses.
That is the motion I put on notice a week ago. I'm hoping that it actually won't take too long, because I think that this, as the core pillar of the Liberals' pan-Canadian framework, would be something they would want to have a robust discussion about and invite witnesses who are experts on the topic to come before committee and discuss.
I agree with you on the point you make that Canadians want to have a good conversation about this issue, a respectful conversation about the issue. This will give us a chance to hear from the top witnesses, top experts, in the world on it, if we invite them. Perhaps at that point, it would be fantastic to have the minister herself come before the committee and talk about carbon pricing. Clearly right now, in Canada, there is a considerable conversation taking place around carbon pricing.
There have been elections during which the carbon tax has been the key electoral issue, and clearly the consensus that may have existed three years ago is not the same today. I think it's incumbent on us as the environment committee studying the pan-Canadian framework to discuss that.