Environment Committee on Nov. 27th, 2024

[The Chair, Liberal, Francis Scarpaleggia]

Order.

[Steven Guilbeault, Liberal, Laurier—Sainte-Marie, QC]

There are conversations on a number of different issues that Canada is a part of.

[Voices]

[Inaudible—Editor]

[The Chair, Liberal, Francis Scarpaleggia]

I'm stopping the clock here.

[Steven Guilbeault, Liberal, Laurier—Sainte-Marie, QC]

Some of these things will take place, some won't.

[The Chair, Liberal, Francis Scarpaleggia]

Excuse me. I'm stopping the clock.

[Voices]

[Inaudible—Editor]

[The Chair, Liberal, Francis Scarpaleggia]

Order. Excuse me. This is disintegrating.

I have stopped the clock. We need to have one person speaking at a time in a Q and A format.

I'll start it up again now.

You had the floor, Minister. Go ahead.

[Steven Guilbeault, Liberal, Laurier—Sainte-Marie, QC]

What I was saying, actually, is that the International Maritime Organization, which Canada is a part of, discusses a number of issues. We talk about a number of issues with our international partners. That's all I was saying.

[Branden Leslie, Conservative, Portage—Lisgar, MB]

Okay.

Let's turn to the carbon tax we know exists here in Canada. I'm from Manitoba. Right now it's cold, and it's going to get colder. When I talk to seniors, families or anybody, they're legitimately in tears at times, saying, “I have to heat my home and prices are going up. I also want to feed my kids, or me, reasonably nutritious food.” They're having to make tough choices. To go back to what I suggested to you earlier, when we talk to people, we're aware of the challenges that people are facing. We can look at GDP numbers and things like that, but when we talk to a human, we understand the challenges they're facing, or at least I hope we do.

As a government that espouses the idea of compassion, how do you think it's reasonable to further drive people into energy poverty with a continuous increase in the carbon tax year over year while, as per the environment commissioner's report, it's not successfully hitting the targets you're aiming at?

[Steven Guilbeault, Liberal, Laurier—Sainte-Marie, QC]

I disagree with just about everything the member just said, Mr. Chair.

In places where federal carbon pricing is in effect, it puts more money in people's pockets than it costs them. If the member is so concerned about what life is like for his constituents, why did he vote against increasing the Canada child benefit? Why did he vote against the Canadian dental care plan? Why did he vote to lower the retirement age?

[Branden Leslie, Conservative, Portage—Lisgar, MB]

Thank you, Minister. We have veered pretty far off the question. I'd like to bring it back to my time.

[Steven Guilbeault, Liberal, Laurier—Sainte-Marie, QC]

I have trouble understanding that, Mr. Chair.

[Branden Leslie, Conservative, Portage—Lisgar, MB]

Minister, can I come back to the relevance of the emissions reduction targets, which is the focus of this meeting?

Last week one of your officials said that additional measures need to be adopted to meet your emission targets. Earlier in your testimony, it seemed to be very much at odds with what we've heard you say, your parliamentary secretary say, in terms of.... To quote the parliamentary secretary, “we are ahead of our initial 2030 target and firmly on track to meet the targets set out in our 2030 emissions reduction plan”.

Correct me if I'm wrong, but you said earlier that “we have a fair shot at meeting our 2030 target”—

[Adam van Koeverden, Liberal, Milton, ON]

I have a point of order, Mr. Chair.

[Branden Leslie, Conservative, Portage—Lisgar, MB]

—in your opening remarks.

How would you connect those two different statements?

[The Chair, Liberal, Francis Scarpaleggia]

Mr. van Koeverden has a point of order.

[Adam van Koeverden, Liberal, Milton, ON]

Thanks very much, Mr. Chair.

I know that this member is particularly fond of misinformation, but he's used that quote a couple of times out of context. I think it's really important that if we're going to quote each other in these types of debates, we stick to the facts.

[The Chair, Liberal, Francis Scarpaleggia]

I understand, but it's not a point of order.

[Laurel Collins, NDP, Victoria, BC]

I have a point of order, Mr. Chair.

[The Chair, Liberal, Francis Scarpaleggia]

Yes.

[Laurel Collins, NDP, Victoria, BC]

When it comes to the repetition of inaccurate information, chapter 3 of House of Commons Procedure and Practice talks about how, when inaccurate information is repeated again and again and again, it can actually be considered unparliamentary.

[The Chair, Liberal, Francis Scarpaleggia]

Okay. Thank you. I don't know if it's accurate or not, to be honest with you.

[Adam van Koeverden, Liberal, Milton, ON]

I have a point of order, Mr. Chair.

[The Chair, Liberal, Francis Scarpaleggia]

Yes.