Environment Committee on May 1st, 2017

[Martin Shields, Conservative, Bow River, AB]

That's why I ask. How is the postponing of that $1.25 billion going to affect those innovation pieces?

[Catherine McKenna, Liberal, Ottawa Centre, ON]

You're talking specifically about the low-carbon economy fund. We're still committed to the $2-billion, low-carbon economy fund. What has happened is that the fund is intended to work with provinces and territories to reduce emissions.

[Martin Shields, Conservative, Bow River, AB]

You postponed it, though.

[Catherine McKenna, Liberal, Ottawa Centre, ON]

It's still the whole amount if you look at the schedule. It's just over a longer period of time. This is in response to provinces and territories that have said to us that they have a program that might be longer than two years—for example, energy-efficiency in homes. They would like to be able to allocate that money and have flexibility. We felt that was a reasonable request.

[Martin Shields, Conservative, Bow River, AB]

I got that, but a deferral means it's not available for the next three years. That's the problem.

[Catherine McKenna, Liberal, Ottawa Centre, ON]

No, we have flexibility. It's the way, I think, it's booked. The intention was to allow provinces to say to us, “We need additional flexibility. Could you allow us...?” If they want to spend it early, that's fine. But if they want to ensure the program rolls out over five years as opposed to two, they have the flexibility to do that. That was the intention with that.

[Martin Shields, Conservative, Bow River, AB]

Okay.

Speaking of provinces, Alberta has said that they will go to $30 and that's it. They won't go to $50. Their plan is to go to $30, and the premier has been pretty specific about that in relation to supporting pipelines being built. If they stay with that, how do you encourage them to move to your target?

[Catherine McKenna, Liberal, Ottawa Centre, ON]

In fact, the premier did make that comment before we approved two pipelines. They are committed to our climate change plan because they understand the environment and the economy go together. They are committed to going up with the national price and we certainly appreciate the support. We've worked extraordinarily closely with the Government of Alberta.

[Martin Shields, Conservative, Bow River, AB]

Okay.

The chair of the environment committee, our great chair, was recently quoted last week in a paper saying:

In our recommendations we make it clear that there needs to be a robust consultative process before any of these things get dealt with.... To me getting it in the budget is the last step, not the first step.

Do you agree with the environment chair when she says that?

[Catherine McKenna, Liberal, Ottawa Centre, ON]

I think we have a very brilliant chair of the environment committee, and I certainly believe in consultation. We spent the whole of last year consulting.

[Martin Shields, Conservative, Bow River, AB]

Do you agree with her, then? The tender was withdrawn for the bike pathway from Jasper to the icefields for further study. Do you agree with that?

[Catherine McKenna, Liberal, Ottawa Centre, ON]

I certainly am supportive that the tender was withdrawn.

[Martin Shields, Conservative, Bow River, AB]

For further study...?

[Catherine McKenna, Liberal, Ottawa Centre, ON]

We have a consultation process. There should not have been a tender until we finished the consultation process. I have made that extraordinarily clear to Parks Canada. I should be clear that there's been no decision made on the Jasper bike trail.

[The Chair, Liberal, Deb Schulte]

Thank you very much.

Mr. Amos.

[William Amos, Liberal, Pontiac, QC]

Thank you, Madam Chair.

Thank you, Minister, and to the senior officials here. It's a real pleasure to have you.

I would like to focus on what I see as being some good news in these estimates. When one sees an increase for Parks Canada, from 2015-16, going from $1.36 billion up to $1.389 billion in 2017-18, that's a solid increase. Environmental assessment going from $29.2 million in 2015-16 to $34 million, that's again another solid increase. Environment Canada has a slightly lesser increase.

The story I see playing out is increased expenditures by the federal government to ensure that the public interest is pursued, whether it's by Environment Canada, the Environmental Assessment Agency, or Parks Canada.

Before I ask my next question, which might be a little more challenging, do you see that as being, for the average Canadian, a good-news story that the federal government has more money invested in these key environmental agencies?

[Catherine McKenna, Liberal, Ottawa Centre, ON]

I absolutely see it as a good-news story. We have a serious commitment to the environment and also to the economy. For example, on the pan-Canadian framework, we have the funding in place now so that we can actually deliver on it. When it comes to parks, your question may be about commitments on parks related to protected areas, but I think overall on our commitment there, we've demonstrated that we're absolutely committed to parks. Supporting ecological integrity is a primary goal, and the same in terms of the support to the Canadian Environmental Assessment Agency.

[William Amos, Liberal, Pontiac, QC]

Thank you.

I was specifically going to hit the parks topic because it is near and dear not only to my riding's core interest but I think to many of my colleagues here who really are quite focused on helping our country achieve more. You pointed to the Aichi process, that intergovernmental process that has been undertaken at both a provincial and federal leadership level. That's good news as far as I can see.

What I'm interested to hear is, where will the rubber hit the road with some provinces where there have been challenges in the past in achieving collaboration? The specific example I would point to would be a province that I represent, Quebec, where there have been relatively few co-operative initiatives. One can point to a few examples such as the Saguenay-St. Lawrence Marine Park, or the federal presence in Forillon and Mingan. Apart from that, there is a very limited federal presence. Traditionally, the explanation has been challenges around sovereignty, but I think we may be entering a new collaborative era.

Is Environment Canada and is Parks Canada specifically open to collaboration with the Government of Quebec to achieve joint parks?

[Catherine McKenna, Liberal, Ottawa Centre, ON]

In terms of how we're going to approach getting to Aichi target one, it's a huge priority for me. It's in the mandate letter. I'm working very closely with Minister LeBlanc. It's absolutely key that we work with provinces. That is the only way we will be able to reach our targets.

The good news is that we have been able to collaborate well. I saw that through the pan-Canadian framework. We had a recent provincial-territorial meeting. I think we're collaborating very well. As I said, there's a working group that I'm co-chairing with the environment minister for Alberta to figure out that pathway and to also sit down not only with provinces and territories but with municipalities, with stakeholders, to figure out exactly how we're going to get to what is an ambitious target. Provinces have committed to it as well.

Maybe I'll ask Daniel if he'd like to say something.

[Daniel Watson]

We're working very closely with all the provinces and territories. Any opportunities for co-operation there are ones that we will take very seriously. In addition to that, we're doing some unprecedented work with indigenous governments across the country as well, which will also contribute important parts to an eventual solution on this. Defining that and shaping that has been a critical part of that agenda.

[William Amos, Liberal, Pontiac, QC]

For regions that are looking for the federal government to engage with provincial representatives, to engage with indigenous governments, is there a preferred process to initiating, for example, feasibility studies around particular areas? I think there is great excitement, particularly in my riding around western Pontiac, around the opportunities that there may be, but there's uncertainty as to how this actually get's rolling.

[Catherine McKenna, Liberal, Ottawa Centre, ON]

We're always welcome to taking proposals, whether it's provinces or municipalities saying there are areas they think could be protected and they'd be happy to work on with the federal government. Also, there is a process with consultations so that we can figure out the road map. Unless we roll up our sleeves and all work together, we're just not going to be able to achieve these ambitious, critical targets. They exist not just because we agreed to them internationally, but they are also a really important part of how we're tackling climate change, how we protect species at risk.

Thank you.

[The Chair, Liberal, Deb Schulte]

You're good. I never want you to chop but just to wrap up your thoughts.

[Catherine McKenna, Liberal, Ottawa Centre, ON]

I'm just so scared of the chair.

[The Chair, Liberal, Deb Schulte]

My reputation...oh dear.