Environment Committee on Nov. 4th, 2020

[Lloyd Longfield, Liberal, Guelph, ON]

Great. Thank you, Minister.

I have another question on zero plastic waste. That has drawn a lot of very positive attention in Guelph, but I've had calls—quite a few calls, actually—about the plastic waste coming from water bottles. Nestlé Waters has a bottling plant just south of Guelph, which draws a lot of local attention in terms of environmental protection of water and also on the zero plastic stream.

When we're looking at achieving zero plastic waste by 2030, I wonder how these concerns fit into the plans that you're announcing on eliminating plastic waste.

[Jonathan Wilkinson, Liberal, North Vancouver, BC]

That's a good question. I've had that question a few times myself.

What we announced was a comprehensive approach to achieving zero plastic waste by 2030. That focus is on keeping plastics in the economy, out of the environment and out of our landfills.

Plastic water bottles certainly are found at times as litter, but they do actually have high recycling rates, and they're relatively simple to recycle. Given the deposit system, they are one of the items with a generally higher recycling rate.

Our plan is very much founded on working collaboratively with provinces and territories to strengthen recycling programs to increase our capacity to reuse and recover plastics using tools under the Canadian Environmental Protection Act. We are proposing to develop regulations to establish higher standards for plastic products and packaging to make them more recyclable. We could include recycled content requirements and greater responsibilities for producers, as they are now doing in Ontario and have been doing in British Columbia.

The ban we brought into place that a lot of people focus on is focused on three things. The first is that they're harmful in the environment. The second is that they're very difficult or costly to recycle, and they gum up the recycling system. The third is that there are readily available alternatives. This plan is a comprehensive plan focused on ensuring that we keep the value of plastics in our economy but we deal with the really problematic ones through a ban.

[Lloyd Longfield, Liberal, Guelph, ON]

Thank you, Minister.

I will give the floor to Mr. Saini.

[The Chair, Liberal, Yasmin Ratansi]

You have two minutes. Unmute yourself.

[Raj Saini, Liberal, Kitchener Centre, ON]

Thank you very much for coming today, Minister, and for bringing your officials along. It's been a great discussion so far.

I'm going to change tack a bit, because the riding I'm from is a leader in innovation. It's a global leader. It's Kitchener Centre. We have one of the world's fastest-growing tech sectors and the highest number of new start-ups after Silicon Valley. This sort of culture of innovation is going to be very crucial for us in our fight against climate change.

How do you see the government working to leverage this innovative potential of Canadian businesses and incentivizing them to develop the sort of technology we're going to need to meet our future climate goals?

[Jonathan Wilkinson, Liberal, North Vancouver, BC]

Climate change is an environmental threat. It's a very significant one, but it's also a huge economic opportunity with respect to the markets that are going to be created for technologies and for a range of services associated with reducing emissions.

I spent over 15 years as a CEO and senior executive in the clean-tech space, and certainly this is an issue that I find very important and that is definitely worth discussing.

Our government has tried to develop a very comprehensive plan for addressing and growing the clean-tech sector. We've invested over $3 billion since 2016 in that, and it's showing fruit. Canada had 12 out of the top 100 clean-tech companies in the world in 2020, and we were named by the Global Cleantech Innovation index as the number one country for innovation in the sector.

This is something that we need to do. It has to be a thoughtful strategy that goes all the way from research and development through to commercialization. We have been spending time on it and we will be spending more time on it.

[Raj Saini, Liberal, Kitchener Centre, ON]

How much time do I have, Chair?

[The Chair, Liberal, Yasmin Ratansi]

You have 15 seconds.

[Raj Saini, Liberal, Kitchener Centre, ON]

That's okay. Thank you very much, Minister.

[The Chair, Liberal, Yasmin Ratansi]

Thank you.

Ms. Pauzé, go ahead for six minutes.

[Monique Pauzé, Bloc, Repentigny, QC]

Minister, thank you for joining us.

In your document, you talk about oceans and protecting biodiversity. Yet you have carried out major offshore drilling projects of the project assessment process.

For instance, last March, 735,000 square kilometres of drilled wells were exempted. That rule applies even to drilling projects carried out in marine refuges created by the federal government to protect those marine environments. We are being told that those regions will be critical over the next few years, especially for species at risk.

In July, it was the same thing for drilling projects in eastern Newfoundland and Labrador. It is said that international standards are clear and that they reject any type of industrial activity in protected areas and those subject to other conservation measures. Even the developer recognizes that the zone overlaps with parts of a marine refuge and an important area in terms of ecology and biology. There are apparently 36 species listed as at risk or of special concern in terms of conservation.

Minister, isn't there a contradiction in the current narrative where the government is favouring oil drilling in protected areas?

[Peter Schiefke, Liberal, Vaudreuil—Soulanges, QC]

On a point of order, Madam Chair, I'm sorry, but I just want to make sure of this. I don't use the translation, but some of the other members were shaking their heads, and I'm wondering if the translation was functioning properly for them.

[The Chair, Liberal, Yasmin Ratansi]

For me it was, but I'm going to ask the rest of the members.

Was it working for everyone? Could you tell me, Alexandre, if anybody was complaining?

[Peter Schiefke, Liberal, Vaudreuil—Soulanges, QC]

I think it's a thumbs-up, Madam Chair.

[The Chair, Liberal, Yasmin Ratansi]

It's a thumbs-up, yes. The only thing is that we couldn't see Madam Pauzé.

[Elizabeth May, Green, Saanich—Gulf Islands, BC]

We don't see Ms. Pauzé. We just see an empty chair.

[The Chair, Liberal, Yasmin Ratansi]

Yes.

Is there a problem with the video for Madam Pauzé? She's in the committee room, isn't she?

[The Clerk of the Committee, Mr. Alexandre Roger]

Yes, but we're having technical difficulties right now. They're looking into it. We're going to try to have the camera on her when she speaks. I'm sorry about that.

[The Chair, Liberal, Yasmin Ratansi]

Okay. Let her know that I've stopped the clock for her.

Minister, can you can respond, please? Thank you.

[Jonathan Wilkinson, Liberal, North Vancouver, BC]

Thank you for your question.

Of course, biodiversity issues, especially those related to right whales and southern resident killer whales, in western Canada, are very important. I was minister of Fisheries and Oceans in the past, and I worked a lot on those issues.

As for your question, we have always said that environmental processes should guarantee very strong environmental protections, but they should also be very effective. That is what the published ministerial regulations do. They establish a clear and effective process for assessing offshore exploration drilling projects in the Newfoundland and Labrador offshore area.

The regulations will guarantee that all drilling projects are consistent with high environmental protection standards by establishing clear rules and using existing scientific knowledge. We can protect the environment and provide certainty for industry.

[Monique Pauzé, Bloc, Repentigny, QC]

Of course, I am not satisfied with that answer, especially since international standards are telling us the opposite, but let's move on.

Your document talks about strengthening the Canadian Environmental Protection Act. The Speech from the Throne talked about modernization. Eighty-seven of the commissioner's recommendations come from the old committee. I would like to know how far along the department is in its work to review the act based on those 87 recommendations.

[Jonathan Wilkinson, Liberal, North Vancouver, BC]

Thank you for your question.

We have already begun this work. The recommendations of the environment committee, which worked very hard on this issue, are very important to us. I am very pleased to have those recommendations, and we will consider them in our work.

[Monique Pauzé, Bloc, Repentigny, QC]

Last, I have seen a lot of announcements of money provided to oil and gas companies to improve their production. I find it difficult to justify public money being given to those companies, which, after all, are not really on the street. They are still making large profits.

I understand wanting to help them produce less greenhouse gas, but it seems to me that the speech should rather talk about reducing fossil fuel development. That is what all the ITCC stakeholders and other stakeholders globally are saying.

Instead of helping those businesses with public money, why not head toward decreasing fossil fuel development in order to slowly wean ourselves off fossil fuels?

[Jonathan Wilkinson, Liberal, North Vancouver, BC]

Thank you for your question.

There are two things to be said on this. On the one hand, subsidies are given to the fossil fuel industry, and on the other hand, we have to see how we can work with that industry on reducing its greenhouse gas emissions.

Regarding subsidies given to the fossil fuel industry, our government has committed to eliminate them by 2025. We are currently doing that. We have already eliminated eight of them. We are in contact with Argentina to compare our respective work in that area. We have made the commitment, through the G20, to eliminate those subsidies.

When it comes to greenhouse gas reduction, it is important to work with industry. That is part of the solution to reduce the impact of climate change.

[The Chair, Liberal, Yasmin Ratansi]

Minister, her time is up, actually.