Evidence of meeting #40 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 work.
A video is available from Parliament.
Liberal
The Chair Liberal Shannon Miedema
I'm sorry, Mr. Bonin, but we can't debate dilatory motions. We're going to continue.
We have a few minutes remaining, so we will now turn to the Liberal side, to Mr. Grant, to continue with the witnesses for three minutes.
Liberal
The Chair Liberal Shannon Miedema
Yes, I gave the floor to Mr. Grant, who raised his hand first. That's the procedure.
Bloc
Patrick Bonin Bloc Repentigny, QC
Madam Chair, I think you didn't see that my hand was up. This motion was moved by my Conservative colleague and I raised my hand right after he started speaking to the motion. I understand it can be hard to see that from a distance, but if you watch the video recording, I'm sure you'll see that I raised my hand right after my Conservative colleague moved this motion, which we all knew about. This motion, which touches on an important letter that concerns our committee directly is not new. It was tabled last Tuesday.
Liberal
The Chair Liberal Shannon Miedema
Thank you, Mr. Bonin.
That's not my understanding. We can definitely follow up on procedure with the clerk after this, but we're going to continue now. Thank you.
Mr. Grant, you have the floor.
Liberal
Wade Grant Liberal Vancouver Quadra, BC
Mr. Fisher, on World Water Day earlier this year, the minister announced that we're going to launch Canada's national water security strategy. This is a significant milestone.
Could you speak to what the strategy will mean for Canadians and how the Canada Water Agency intends to work with provinces, territories and indigenous partners to develop it in relation to the full diversity of water challenges across the country?
President, Canada Water Agency
Through you, Madam Chair, I'd like to thank the member for the question. I also want to thank this committee for deliberating and issuing the freshwater study this morning. Obviously, we haven't had a chance to look at that yet, but we understand that it's comprehensive. There are many recommendations that will certainly serve as an important input as we start our conversations with Canadians about how we collectively think about water security today and into the future.
I have travelled the country over the last year, and I have spoken to farmers and irrigators, who are concerned about access to water for growing more healthy food; to industry, in terms of power production and water for industrial processes; and to mayors and municipalities. There's certainly increasing interest across the country in terms of how we connect with water every day, both for our environment and for our economic competitiveness. Those will be important aspects as we start this conversation, as will recognizing that provinces and territories have a primary responsibility for managing water resources in Canada, alongside the federal government.
We have initiated early dialogues with our partners, and there's certainly increased interest in having that discussion with us in terms of how we build a more water-secure and water-resilient future.
To get to the member's question, we certainly look forward to undertaking those discussions over the next year, with his support as the parliamentary secretary.
Liberal
Wade Grant Liberal Vancouver Quadra, BC
Thank you very much,
Ms. Johnson, with another COP approaching later this year, Canada has an important role to play in advancing multilateral climate ambition.
Can you speak to how ECCC is positioning Canada to be a climate leader on the world stage?
Deputy Minister, Department of the Environment
There are a lot of things that we do and will do better if we're working with other jurisdictions. Right now, about 30% of the world is covered by industrial carbon pricing. As we think about our trade agenda and our build agenda, market access is increasingly going to be determined by how we consider carbon pricing in our market, as well as by how we work with others—India and China are both considering that. That's one thing we need to be doing. We're working with the European Union. We have an upcoming MoCA meeting. There are number of steps that we're taking to try to do that.
The Convention on Biological Diversity, as we've been talking about as well, is a totally different COP, but given the size of Canada, our ability to meet our 30 by 30 goals and our laser focus on achieving that.... Where Canada goes, so goes the rest of the world, just by our sheer size.
The work that we do, the partnerships that we build and the momentum we build to line up with others really matter. We have to be thoughtful about how we do our work, and we continue to do that, but we will be spending a lot of time....
The other one I would mention—I see my time is up—is methane. Again, it is both about the emissions reduction and the huge economic opportunities for companies that are building the abatement technology.
I'll pause there. Thank you.
Liberal
The Chair Liberal Shannon Miedema
Thank you very much, Mr. Grant.
We'll now turn to Monsieur Bonin.
You have the floor for three minutes.
Bloc
Patrick Bonin Bloc Repentigny, QC
Thank you, Madam Chair.
Ms. Johnson, it is my understanding that the budgetary reductions under the purpose “taking action on clean growth and climate change” will amount to approximately $1.2 billion, a 96% decrease from last year.
Can you break down these reductions?
Deputy Minister, Department of the Environment
Pardon me. Is it 96% for climate change and—
Deputy Minister, Department of the Environment
That's okay. I just want to make sure it's the right figure.
Deputy Minister, Department of the Environment
Yes, thank you.
It's a sunsetting initiative. As the minister said,
in the main estimates, it does show that we have about a 45% reduction, year over year, in our budget. There are a number of programs that I expect the committee will have an opportunity to review as part of supplementary estimates (A) and future estimates, owing to the timelines of decisions. We expect that some of those pieces will be coming forward.
Patrick Bonin Bloc Repentigny, QC
You stated that Canada was a global leader on climate. I don't share that assessment. We need comparative examples. Can you name any country that has performed worse than Canada over the past year, with all the backsliding that has taken place, including the exit of the former minister of environment, who walked out and said that your plan has been dismantled?
I do understand that you're in government as a deputy minister, but do you have anything to show that Canada has performed better than any other G7 country over the past year to support your statement?
Deputy Minister, Department of the Environment
Perhaps we're framing the issue a bit differently, but I think Canada is demonstrating leadership in that we are an energy-producing nation. We are committed to net zero by 2050, and we are dealing with a—
Deputy Minister, Department of the Environment
—complexity that other jurisdictions in the G7 are not dealing with.
I understand the lens through which you are looking, but participating in international conversations—as we try to talk about applying carbon pricing, as we try to talk about methane reduction and how we do it in a way that is durable through this moment—is something that we, as Canada, are doing.
Liberal
The Chair Liberal Shannon Miedema
I'd very much like to thank the witnesses for their time today.
I will now ask if it's the pleasure of the committee to proceed to voting on the main estimates, as we need to do.
