Evidence of meeting #17 for Environment and Sustainable Development in the 45th Parliament, 1st session. (The original version is on Parliament’s site, as are the minutes.) The winning word was vehicles.
A recording is available from Parliament.
President and Chief Executive Officer, Canadian Vehicle Manufacturers' Association
Yes, that's correct.
President and Chief Executive Officer, Canadian Vehicle Manufacturers' Association
Yes, and the target government—
Bloc
Patrick Bonin Bloc Repentigny, QC
You can’t say emissions for light vehicles in Canada have come down by 49% since 2011. That’s impossible, Mr. Kingston, impossible.
Maybe you can say that light vehicles—
President and Chief Executive Officer, Canadian Vehicle Manufacturers' Association
No, not for total transportation emissions. This is the efficiency of vehicles. The manufacturers are regulated to reduce the emissions.
Bloc
Patrick Bonin Bloc Repentigny, QC
I’m talking about total emissions reduction and not about vehicle efficiency. What is the total emissions reduction?
The answer you just gave is simply not accurate.
President and Chief Executive Officer, Canadian Vehicle Manufacturers' Association
Well, that depends. The population has been growing, so—
Bloc
Patrick Bonin Bloc Repentigny, QC
Mr. Kingston, I’ll give you the figure. In Canada, emission reductions for light vehicles have been below 5% since 2011. That’s what I’m referring to when I use the term “transportation”.
Please be careful and don’t try to take us for fools. We are environmental specialists, so please give us the true figures.
President and Chief Executive Officer, Canadian Vehicle Manufacturers' Association
This is a report from Environment and Climate Change Canada—
Bloc
Patrick Bonin Bloc Repentigny, QC
No. The reality is that greenhouse gas emissions in the transportation sector have barely gone down since 2011. That’s a fact, regardless of whether vehicles are bigger or there are more SUVs.
President and Chief Executive Officer, Canadian Vehicle Manufacturers' Association
When the population grows and people buy more vehicles, emissions will increase, naturally.
Liberal
Wade Grant Liberal Vancouver Quadra, BC
I have a point of order, Mr. Chair.
It's hard for me to follow on the translation. If we could allow the—
Liberal
The Chair Liberal Angelo Iacono
Mr. Bonin, I’ll ask you to demonstrate a bit more professionalism when you address witnesses, please.
Liberal
The Chair Liberal Angelo Iacono
You told the witnesses not to take us for fools. I don’t think that’s appropriate and so I’m asking you to be a bit more professional when you ask questions.
Liberal
The Chair Liberal Angelo Iacono
Additionally, please give the witness time to answer. You didn’t do so on a few occasions.
Liberal
The Chair Liberal Angelo Iacono
You asked him a question, and he responded, though it might not have been the answer you wanted to hear. You can’t retroactively insinuate a different answer. That’s not how it works. If you’re unsatisfied with an answer, you can ask the question again, but you can’t take it for granted that you can draw conclusions based on the answer you don’t like.
You’re putting words into the mouth of witnesses. You have the right to ask any question you wish and to ask the type of questions you like. However, I’m simply asking you to demonstrate a bit of professionalism with the witnesses, as a matter of courtesy.
Bloc
Patrick Bonin Bloc Repentigny, QC
Mr. Chair, I’ll let you pass judgment on the concept of professionalism and I’ll let you do your work. However, please indulge me because it’s important to get specific answers. I appreciate getting specific answers to my questions and most importantly, I want to get answers, and that’s why I’m insisting on this issue, especially when we get poorly presented figures without any context.
Liberal
The Chair Liberal Angelo Iacono
Mr. Bonin, please carry on with your work as you have been doing. I’m not asking you to make any changes. Just frame questions to witnesses in a professional manner. That’s all.
You’re free to debate this issue, but I wish to remind you that the witnesses are here to discuss a different subject.
Bloc
Patrick Bonin Bloc Repentigny, QC
Mr. Chair, I’m assuming you won’t deduct these minutes from my speaking time.