Evidence of meeting #37 for Industry, Science and Technology in the 44th Parliament, 1st session. (The original version is on Parliament’s site, as are the minutes.) The winning word was saskatchewan.
A video is available from Parliament.
Liberal
Liberal
Nathaniel Erskine-Smith Liberal Beaches—East York, ON
I'm sorry, Mr. Bewick. If you don't agree with net zero, then you and I are not going to come together on this.
You're going to disagree with the bill, and I'm going to say the bill is maybe a good idea. Mr. Sohi is going to say we need support for a net-zero economy. Meaghan Seagrave is going to say that we believe in a net-zero economy, that there are jobs here, and that we're going to create jobs for a net-zero economy. It sounds to me like you said, initially, that it's ambitious but you believe it in, but now you don't believe in it.
Ms. Seagrave, I want to move to you. You believe in a net-zero economy. Are there jobs in a net-zero economy?
Executive Director, Fairness Alberta
Do I not have a chance to answer that? You put words in my mouth.
Liberal
The Chair Liberal Joël Lightbound
I'll give Mr. Bewick 30 seconds to respond. Then we'll go to Ms. Seagrave, and that's going to be it.
Executive Director, Fairness Alberta
While we go back and forth raising cost immensely, and reducing our production and international clout, China and other countries are laughing at us. They have no intention to pursue this. If you don't want to be the one who is producing the energy that the developing world needs to get to our standard of living, then you're right that we don't agree.
Liberal
Nathaniel Erskine-Smith Liberal Beaches—East York, ON
It's a disagreement around net zero. You functionally don't believe in a net-zero economy by 2050, and I do.
Executive Director, Fairness Alberta
Do you mean for the world? No. That's laughable for the world.
Liberal
Nathaniel Erskine-Smith Liberal Beaches—East York, ON
That's the answer I wanted. Thanks very much.
Ms. Seagrave, do you believe in a net-zero economy by 2050?
Liberal
Liberal
The Chair Liberal Joël Lightbound
Thank you, MP Erskine-Smith.
Mr. Lemire, you have the floor for six minutes.
Sébastien Lemire Bloc Abitibi—Témiscamingue, QC
Thank you, Mr. Chair.
Mr. Bewick, you talked about Albertans' desire to be independent. I'm curious. If Alberta were to vote for all its own laws, sign all its own treaties, collect all its own taxes and invest that money in all its own priorities, how would that help you build a society that reflects who you really are?
Executive Director, Fairness Alberta
We are a proudly Canadian organization. I'm merely sharing the sentiment that is real here in Alberta, so I'm not going to speculate on what a sovereign Alberta would look like.
Bloc
Sébastien Lemire Bloc Abitibi—Témiscamingue, QC
Do you think peoples' frustration is due to the fact that economic decisions take the GTA's needs into account more so than those of more rural regions?
Executive Director, Fairness Alberta
It is certainly the case that Alberta is under-represented in the House of Commons. It is difficult to have only 11% of the seats but to be expected to bear much more than 11% of the cost for some of these national initiatives. Yes, that's very frustrating.
Bloc
Sébastien Lemire Bloc Abitibi—Témiscamingue, QC
If you were in government, what would you do to make sure Alberta's economic development was consistent with what Albertans want?
Executive Director, Fairness Alberta
It would be pursuing more efficient and greener oil and gas, because that's the valuable commodity that the entire world is clambering for, and we should be the ones producing it. We are producing it more efficiently every year. The emissions per barrel have dropped 20% in the oil sands in the last decade. There is talk now about net zero, putting in carbon capture, and coming up with green sources of energy inputs. That's all great, and that should be supported, but we should stop talking about shutting the industry down and transitioning away from it, because the world needs it for the next 30 years.
Bloc
Sébastien Lemire Bloc Abitibi—Témiscamingue, QC
You mentioned green oil and gas, as did Ms. Ness.
What is green oil and gas? It seems to me that petroleum products are petroleum products which, by definition, produce carbon. Isn't that so?
Bloc
Sébastien Lemire Bloc Abitibi—Témiscamingue, QC
Compared to other production methods, extracting oil and gas from the oil sands is one of the most expensive and most polluting methods.
What is green oil and gas?
Executive Director, Fairness Alberta
It's not the highest-polluting, but it is one of the more emission-intensive by a fraction. It's also currently on its path to net zero. I think that's something people should support more, because I guarantee the producers in Russia and Saudi Arabia care nothing about net-zero production.
Bloc
Sébastien Lemire Bloc Abitibi—Témiscamingue, QC
Obviously, I support research and investment aimed at a better energy transition. That will enable us to set greener industrial and ecological goals.
You talked about Ukraine. If we wanted to extract more of Alberta's natural gas and send it to Ukraine, that can't happen with existing pipelines. How long would it take to build a pipeline and an LNG plant and send it to European countries? Fifteen years or so?
Executive Director, Fairness Alberta
No. I've heard five or six at most. If you do it from the existing pipes that are near the Maritimes, it could be.... The U.S. is building liquefaction plants in about 12 months.
Bloc
Sébastien Lemire Bloc Abitibi—Témiscamingue, QC
Do you think there will still be a war in Ukraine five years from now?