Finance Committee on Oct. 20th, 2025

[Julie Dabrusin, Liberal, Toronto—Danforth, ON]

We were talking about my travels all over Quebec when I was young and about me living in Quebec. What exactly is your question?

[Éric Lefebvre, Conservative, Richmond—Arthabaska, QC]

I'm talking about the forestry industry. I'd like us to talk about what Minister Guilbeault announced on June 19, 2024, concerning an emergency order to protect boreal caribou by prohibiting logging over a large area in Quebec.

Right now, I want to announce that we, the Conservatives, are also in favour of protecting the caribou. However, we also recognize the importance of protecting forestry jobs in the regions of Quebec.

I would like to know if you are in favour of protecting those jobs and if you intend to bring the emergency order into force.

[Julie Dabrusin, Liberal, Toronto—Danforth, ON]

I had the opportunity to speak with Minister Charette and Minister Drainville, who is now in charge of this file. We talked about how we're going to work on a number of aspects, including species at risk. The federal government is having these discussions with the provinces.

Although we have the Species at Risk Act, we still have to continue to work with the provinces to find solutions.

[Éric Lefebvre, Conservative, Richmond—Arthabaska, QC]

You say that you spoke with Minister Charette and the new Minister Drainville. Over a 10-year period, from 2018 to 2028, how much will the Government of Quebec have invested in protecting caribou and forested areas?

[Julie Dabrusin, Liberal, Toronto—Danforth, ON]

I don't know how much Quebec will invest and I don't know how it will do so.

[Éric Lefebvre, Conservative, Richmond—Arthabaska, QC]

We know that a significant investment of up to $100 million will be made between 2018 and 2028 to protect the caribou. I'd like to know what you think about the emergency order on caribou protection.

[Julie Dabrusin, Liberal, Toronto—Danforth, ON]

The implementation of the Species at Risk Act is quite regulated and clear. It also includes the steps I must take as Minister of Environment and Climate Change.

That said, as I told you, I'm talking to Quebec ministers to find ways to resolve the situation.

[Éric Lefebvre, Conservative, Richmond—Arthabaska, QC]

You are talking to them, but you don't know how much money they've invested. From 2018 to 2028, $100 million will have been contributed by Quebec and by the province's workers.

Do you think Quebec's investment in caribou protection is enough?

[Julie Dabrusin, Liberal, Toronto—Danforth, ON]

It's important to say that the forestry industry is very important not only in Quebec, but across the country. It is important that the government support workers in the forestry industry. However, as I told you, the act is well regulated and clear about the role I must play.

I respect my mandate as minister, and I will continually speak—

[Éric Lefebvre, Conservative, Richmond—Arthabaska, QC]

Minister, the people of Abitibi, Saguenay—Lac-Saint-Jean and Côte‑Nord are listening to you right now. They are worried, and thousands of families are worried right now. New tariffs on softwood lumber are now as high as 45%. We want to know what you're going to do about the caribou protection order.

As for the importance of protecting caribou, Quebec is recognizing that by investing $100 million between 2018 and 2028. Now we want to protect forestry jobs in our regions of Quebec. It's our families and our people who are affected.

What are you going to do about the order?

[The Chair, Liberal, Karina Gould]

Please give a brief answer, Minister.

[Julie Dabrusin, Liberal, Toronto—Danforth, ON]

The imposition of these tariffs by the United States is a very important issue.

As you can see, our government is supporting forestry workers because the tariffs imposed by the United States are impacting them. I often think of all the workers who are impacted by these tariffs.

[The Chair, Liberal, Karina Gould]

Thank you, Minister.

Thank you, Mr. Lefebvre. Your time is up.

Mr. Lavoie, you have the floor for five minutes.

[Steeve Lavoie, Liberal, Beauport—Limoilou, QC]

Thank you, Madam Chair.

Minister, thank you for being with us today.

As we were preparing for our meeting, one thing kept coming to my mind about agriculture. I come from a family that had a dairy farm, and I grew up around several generations of people. My brother took over the dairy farm more than 35 years ago and turned it into an organic farm. We can say that he was a visionary at the time.

I would like to talk about reducing greenhouse gas emissions from the agricultural sector and rural production. I would like to know how the government will continue to help producers and farmers successfully reduce their greenhouse gas emissions. They want to do it. They've been wanting to do it for a long time. As I told you, my brother thought about it 35 years ago.

How will the government be able to help them in the future?

[Julie Dabrusin, Liberal, Toronto—Danforth, ON]

When floods occur, when rain is insufficient and droughts happen, farmers are really the ones who see the immediate effects. They are often our greatest environmental activists in what they do.

I think it's important to find a way to better support agricultural producers and farmers. Last week, I was in Manitoba, and we saw that there are a number of ways to help them. In just one day, we looked at 11 projects to help farmers dry their grain using less energy and using electricity instead of natural gas.

We have examples of that across the country. Those are the ones I have in mind, as I was there a week ago.

[Steeve Lavoie, Liberal, Beauport—Limoilou, QC]

What impact will the elimination of the fuel charge have on Canada's climate goals?

[Julie Dabrusin, Liberal, Toronto—Danforth, ON]

As I said earlier, based on what we are seeing right now in the country, our greenhouse gas emissions are at their lowest level in three decades. We've done a lot of work already, but we need to continue. We have a number of programs, bills and regulations that, combined, help reduce our greenhouse gas emissions.

You talked about agricultural producers. I could see that there was a great deal of interest across the country in ways to reduce emissions. We are involved on both sides. On the one hand, as we have already discussed, we are helping the industry. On the other hand, we are currently helping less fortunate people across the country to comply and invest in their homes, not only to reduce their emissions, but also to pay less for the energy they use.

We're talking about regulations, but we're also doing other things to help Canadians reduce their emissions. It's my job to continue to reduce emissions across the country.

[Steeve Lavoie, Liberal, Beauport—Limoilou, QC]

How will the revenue stemming from the charge be replaced? Surely there are mechanisms to find that revenue elsewhere.

[Julie Dabrusin, Liberal, Toronto—Danforth, ON]

Around the world, when it comes to the global economy, we see a trend toward a decrease in carbon emissions. That's what countries want, so that's what we need to do in terms of the economy for our country. To really grow and help our economy, we need to make sure that Canada's industries are ready to enter this global economy with lower carbon emissions.

[The Chair, Liberal, Karina Gould]

Thank you, Minister.

Thank you, Mr. Lavoie.

That concludes the questioning for today's meeting.

I'd like to thank the Honourable Julie Dabrusin for being with us.

Thank you, ADMs Meltzer and McDermott. On behalf of the committee, we appreciate your time today.

Before we wrap up, all of you received an email late last week about a joint informal meeting with the German minister of defence, Boris Pistorius, and the Norwegian minister of defence, Tore Sandvik, which will be held tomorrow, Tuesday, October 21.

In advance of this informal meeting, the following motion must be adopted:

That the committee meet in camera, in an informal meeting, with the German Minister of Defence, the Norwegian Minister of Defence and a delegation from Germany and Norway on Tuesday, October 21, 2025; that the committee defray the hospitality expenses related to this meeting; and that these expenses be equally shared with the Standing Committee on Foreign Affairs and International Development and the Standing Committee on Industry and Technology.

Do we have agreement to adopt this motion?

(Motion agreed to)

Okay. Thank you very much, everyone. I hope to see as many of you there tomorrow as possible.

With that, do we have leave to adjourn the meeting?

[Some hon. members]

Agreed.

[The Chair, Liberal, Karina Gould]

Thank you all. We'll see each other again on Wednesday.

The meeting is adjourned.