Evidence of meeting #136 for Environment and Sustainable Development in the 44th Parliament, 1st Session. (The original version is on Parliament’s site, as are the minutes.) The winning word was tax.
A recording is available from Parliament.
Liberal
Leah Taylor Roy Liberal Aurora—Oak Ridges—Richmond Hill, ON
Are you experienced in pricing climate programs?
Atlantic Director and General Counsel, Canadian Taxpayers Federation
I'm sorry; do you mean am I experienced in taxing Canadians on—
Liberal
Leah Taylor Roy Liberal Aurora—Oak Ridges—Richmond Hill, ON
No. I'm asking for your experience in pricing climate programs. You gave your opinion on climate programs.
Liberal
Leah Taylor Roy Liberal Aurora—Oak Ridges—Richmond Hill, ON
I'm just wondering what your experience is in pricing climate programs.
Atlantic Director and General Counsel, Canadian Taxpayers Federation
My experience is in representing Canadian taxpayers who are being hurt by this tax every time they go out.
Liberal
Leah Taylor Roy Liberal Aurora—Oak Ridges—Richmond Hill, ON
Okay. Thank you. We heard your anecdotal evidence about your mother-in-law. I'm just wondering if you had any broader experience to rely on when you were making those statements.
Atlantic Director and General Counsel, Canadian Taxpayers Federation
Sure. We can use your government's own data—
Conservative
Liberal
The Chair Liberal Francis Scarpaleggia
We have a point of order from Mr. Mazier.
I hope it's a point of order.
Conservative
Dan Mazier Conservative Dauphin—Swan River—Neepawa, MB
Well, it's just that we need to treat our witnesses with some respect here.
December 2nd, 2024 / 12:50 p.m.
Liberal
The Chair Liberal Francis Scarpaleggia
As a general comment, I would agree, but sometimes the exchanges get a little robust. That seems to be normal for committees, or at least for our committee.
Go ahead, Ms. Taylor Roy. You have about 30 seconds.
Liberal
Leah Taylor Roy Liberal Aurora—Oak Ridges—Richmond Hill, ON
I meant no disrespect. I was simply trying to ascertain the basis on which the witness had presented his statement regarding the carbon levy and the price on pollution program. There was no disrespect meant. I was just trying to understand where that perspective came from.
I'm not asking you a question, but thank you anyway.
Mr. Beugin, from the Canadian Climate Institute's perspective, if we were simply going to rely on technological innovation to reach our goals in 2030, would that be sufficient?
Liberal
The Chair Liberal Francis Scarpaleggia
Please make it a quick yes or no, Mr. Beugin. We're out of time.
Executive Vice President, Canadian Climate Institute
It wouldn't be sufficient. Technology and innovation follow incentives from policy. They are interconnected.
Liberal
Bloc
Monique Pauzé Bloc Repentigny, QC
Mr. Mousseau, how does Canada compare to other countries in the world? According to the Germanwatch organization, it ranks 62nd out of 67. Where do you think Canada stands internationally?
Professor, Institut de l'énergie Trottier, Université de Montréal, As an Individual
Compared to other G7 countries, Canada has been lagging behind in terms of emission reductions since 2005—1990 is typically the benchmark for emission reductions—in part because it has been very slow to implement programs. They are starting to have an impact, but the magnitude of those effects still doesn't allow us to meet our climate goals. We need to redouble our efforts.
We need some consistency and stability in the deployment of measures, but we also need the various levels of government to play their role properly. The federal government still has an important regulatory role to play, and it could move forward on this issue. We've put a price on carbon and we have a carbon market, but those tools must be strengthened and more targeted, especially for the industrial market, so that Canada can achieve its goals. Furthermore, I'd say that we need real sectoral strategies that are clear and have specific objectives. That's still lacking in Canada.
Liberal
NDP
Laurel Collins NDP Victoria, BC
Thank you, Mr. Chair.
I just want to take this opportunity to table a motion—not to move it, but just to table it. It's been sent to the clerk in both official languages as well. The motion reads:
Given that:
The environment commissioner reported that the government is not on track to meet their 2030 emissions reduction targets, and
The testimony heard by the committee from witnesses in the meetings which took place on November 20, 2024, November 27, 2024, and December 2, 2024, included concern with the government's emission reduction policies and progress,
The committee report to the House of Commons its disappointment regarding the government's slow progress in meeting 2030 emission reduction targets.
I'd like to give the very small remaining time to Ms. Levin to talk about the fact that our oil and gas exports, and the emissions from those exports, have risen 58% since 2012.
Associate Director, National Climate, Environmental Defence Canada
Under our current legal framework, countries are accountable for only their domestic emissions, but there's precedent in Canada to recognize that what we export has consequences, and we've taken action in areas like asbestos and exporting thermal coal. There's a recognition that our exports have global impacts.
Last year the emissions that come from the oil, gas and coal that we export reached one billion tonnes, far surpassing our domestic emissions. It is incumbent on all major oil and gas exporters to think about their global responsibility.
Liberal
The Chair Liberal Francis Scarpaleggia
Thank you very much.
Mr. Deltell, you have the floor for three minutes.