Natural Resources Committee on Dec. 6th, 2018

[Amarjeet Sohi]

Absolutely, I don't disagree with that. We will definitely take it up with my officials to see how we can work with you on this and to see what options are available to the federal government for support in that area. You're absolutely right that we need to clean up those wells. They also create jobs in the area that are necessary,

[Richard Cannings, NDP, South Okanagan—West Kootenay, BC]

It looks like I'm out of time. I was going to just ask why we can't put $4.5 billion into energy efficiency instead of pipelines.

[Amarjeet Sohi]

We are. We are investing $26 billion in green infrastructure. Out of that, $9 billion is going to the provinces and territories. There are also monies available for them to invest in renewable energy as well as in reducing greenhouse gas emissions. We are doing quite a bit in every aspect.

[The Chair, Liberal, James Maloney]

Thank you, Minister. Thank you, Mr. Cannings.

Mr. Serré.

[Marc Serré, Liberal, Nickel Belt, ON]

Thank you, Minister, and your staff, for being here today. Thank you for leading a department that is really committed, in a government that is committed to natural resources and the mining industry.

Last year, many of our colleagues here attended PDAC in Toronto, the largest mining conference in the world. There was a lot of optimism last year, and this year, with the direction of our government. I also attended round tables on Bill C-69, which was strongly supported by the Canadian Mining Association. Also, I attended last year the launch of the Canadian minerals and metals plan, which was overwhelmingly supportive and very positive.

Also last year at PDAC we heard from the mining industry, which is really looking for certainty on the exploration side. The Conservative government for the last 10 years only extended the mineral tax credit for one year. I want to give you the opportunity to explain what we've done to expand the mineral exploration tax credit.

Also, can you tell us where we are with the minerals and metals plan? When can we expect the final report?

[Amarjeet Sohi]

One thing I really take pride in is the collaborative partnership approach we have taken with industries, including the mining industry. One issue they identified to us was that they need long-term predictability around the mineral exploration tax credit. We have listened to them and have delivered that in the fall economic statement, giving that certainty over the next five years.

We're working very closely with industry on the Canadian minerals and metals plan. There was extensive engagement on it with them, as well as with provinces and territories. This plan will definitely allow industry to understand how critical this industry is, as we move toward cleaner and greener communities as well as investment in new technologies. Metals and minerals are so important for wind power, for solar, and they're part and parcel of our efforts to not only diversify the energy sector but also to move towards reducing the impact of greenhouse gas emissions. We see this.

In the next year, early 2019, we will be finalizing and completing that plan. It will help us grow, creating more jobs, but it will also allow us to move towards cleaner communities and options for energy generation.

[Marc Serré, Liberal, Nickel Belt, ON]

Thank you, Minister.

Thomas Edison came to Sudbury to prospect in 1901. I'm sure he would be proud of the five-year mineral tax exploration credit. Industry, I know, is very supportive and very pleased with it.

Talking about Sudbury, which I represent with my colleague Paul Lefebvre, Greater Sudbury is as you know the largest municipality in Ontario and the fifth-largest municipality in Canada. We also have the largest city-contained lake in North America, Lake Wanapitei. We have 330 lakes, great for fishing and hunting, that have been restored. We have a really rich history with our first nations communities.

The mining companies in Greater Sudbury and northern Ontario have been leaders on environmental stewardship, even when leading the fight against acid rain, with Inco at the time and the PC Mulroney government. Sometimes I think the “P” has been removed today from the Conservative Party, but Mulroney really understood the need to work with...and the government at that time.

In Sudbury we prioritized the greening of the land, the partnership with the city. We looked at the community and the mining to create a green and cleaner footprint. I have today here on my lapel pin “40 years”. That's not my age. It's the 40 years of regreening in Greater Sudbury.

Minister, can you explain to us what Natural Resources Canada had done to incentivize, to promote the mining industry to continually be more sustainable in the future?

[Amarjeet Sohi]

Both Paul and I were actually in the greater Sudbury area last month.

I talked about the example of innovation and creativity in the mining sector by highlighting the Goldcorp Borden mine. It's a good example of the environment and the economy going hand in hand. Sudbury is a good example as well as to how you can turn a community around and focus on revitalization. It's a great story to be told.

While we were there we launched a challenge for the energy sector to participate in. The challenge is how to reduce the impact of crushing and to come up with innovative ways. We will reward industry with the support. I encourage everybody to look at that challenge because it really allows us to create more innovation and creativity in the sector.

[Marc Serré, Liberal, Nickel Belt, ON]

Thank you, Minister.

I have one minute left.

Mr. Cannings alluded earlier to how the government is not supportive of the clean energy, renewable sector. I would like you to expand on the dollars and the commitment we've made for clean energy and renewables.

[Amarjeet Sohi]

We take a very balanced approach.

We understand the significance of a traditional source of energy, oil and gas, and we support new investments in wind, solar, geothermal and tidal power. I made reference to the close to $27 billion that we're investing in green infrastructure. I was in my hometown of Edmonton announcing $10 million for a solar farm. I was also in Halifax announcing $29 million for tidal power. We were in Calgary announcing support for their utility company where they are building a district energy system to connect buildings to renewable energy sources. We are doing a lot for every sector because we understand that energy diversification and having different sources of energy are important from a security perspective but also for creating more jobs.

[Marc Serré, Liberal, Nickel Belt, ON]

Thank you.

[The Chair, Liberal, James Maloney]

Thank you, Minister.

Thank you, Mr. Serré.

Ms. Stubbs, you have five minutes for questions and answers.

[Shannon Stubbs, Conservative, Lakeland, AB]

Thanks, Mr. Chair.

Minister, will you commit that construction will start on the Trans Mountain expansion in 2019, yes or no?

[Amarjeet Sohi]

What I commit to is that we are moving forward on this project in a more responsible way. We made changes to the regulatory process that we inherited from the Harper government and those interim principles have led us to the approval of Enbridge Line 3, which is under way and will be in operation next year. We are responding to the Federal Court of Appeal decision. Our goal is to move forward in the right way.

[Shannon Stubbs, Conservative, Lakeland, AB]

So there's no commitment for Canadians on when the construction of the Trans Mountain expansion will be built. The truth is that you've picked the longest and the most indefinite option. You could have passed emergency retroactive legislation affirming that Transport Canada's tanker assessment was sufficient. You could have applied for an appeal to the Supreme Court while requesting a stay of the Federal Court decision. You could have announced a timeline on your indigenous consultation and you could have voted for S-245, which would have asserted federal authority over all construction operations and ongoing maintenance of the pipeline and the terminal in order to ensure that it goes ahead.

But today you won't answer about when construction will start on—

[Amarjeet Sohi]

Through you, Mr. Chair—

[Shannon Stubbs, Conservative, Lakeland, AB]

Minister, will upstream emissions be included as a condition for pipeline approval under Bill C-69, yes or no?

[Amarjeet Sohi]

The goal of Bill C-69 as I mentioned earlier, is to improve the failed process of the Harper government that led to not a single pipeline being built.

[Shannon Stubbs, Conservative, Lakeland, AB]

Will upstream emissions, which is provincial jurisdiction—

[The Chair, Liberal, James Maloney]

Ms. Stubbs, I'm going to interrupt you again.

[Shannon Stubbs, Conservative, Lakeland, AB]

—and production be included as a condition for the approval of pipelines—

[The Chair, Liberal, James Maloney]

Ms. Stubbs, I'm going to ask you to stop and let the witness answer the question.

[Shannon Stubbs, Conservative, Lakeland, AB]

I asked a very clear question.

[The Chair, Liberal, James Maloney]

Okay.

We're not in a courtroom here. We're here to ask questions and get answers.

If you ask the questions and don't allow the witness to provide an answer—

[Shannon Stubbs, Conservative, Lakeland, AB]

I asked yes or no.