Natural Resources Committee on Jan. 29th, 2024

[Yvonne Jones, Liberal, Labrador, NL]

You can make all the fun you want over there; I really don't care. You can laugh out loud. You can do whatever you want, but let me tell you this: These provinces have led the offshore oil and gas industry in this country. Today they're asking to lead the offshore wind industry in this country. They have the expertise and the resources to make it happen.

I'm so disappointed to sit here today with Atlantic MPs who are not supportive of what their provinces are doing when they have a proven record in jobs and opportunities.

[Some hon. members]

Oh, oh!

[Yvonne Jones, Liberal, Labrador, NL]

I'm sorry, but I've heard so much today that is unsubstantiated, incorrect and unnecessary at this table in dealing with this bill.

Minister, I want to go back, because I know the bill is here because these provinces want to be leaders in the clean energy of Canada. They want to be leaders in the world in offshore wind, and I want to give them every opportunity to do that. I want to get back to the real crux of what we're dealing with here, and that is sustaining economies in this country and leading the world in green energy.

Can you tell us, without the rhetoric, without the interruptions, about how Bill C-49 will benefit the provinces in Atlantic Canada and about the real difference it is going to make to us as a country to move forward with it? I ask you that, Minister, in all sincerity, because I've heard so much today that is unnecessary at this table while we deal with a bill that is fundamentally important to the livelihoods of people in Newfoundland and Labrador and Nova Scotia.

[Jonathan Wilkinson, Liberal, North Vancouver, BC]

Thank you for the question.

We set up a couple of years ago something called the regional energy and resource tables. They were to work individually with every province and territory to identify key areas of economic opportunity and to build on those in a collaborative way with investments, with training and with a whole range of things to accelerate development.

In the context of Nova Scotia and Newfoundland and Labrador, the number one priority for both of them was working on onshore and offshore wind development, both for the purposes of creating a broader and more abundant electricity system and to produce hydrogen. They saw that there was an opportunity to create thousands and thousands of jobs, an enormous add to their gross domestic product, by working collaboratively with us. This bill is the product of those efforts. It will be a driver of prosperity for people who live in both of those provinces going forward.

That is why Premier Furey and Premier Houston are strongly encouraging every member of this committee to move expeditiously to pass this bill.

[Yvonne Jones, Liberal, Labrador, NL]

Minister, I want to raise another issue. It has been said here today that this bill will allow Canada to arbitrarily make decisions over the oil and gas industry and over offshore wind, whatever the case may be, in Newfoundland and Labrador and Nova Scotia.

Minister, can you tell us if there's anything in this bill that allows Canada to do that without consulting with the provinces, which are binding partners in Bill C-49, and going through a particular legislative process to make the changes? The consultation and legislative process are necessary.

[Jonathan Wilkinson, Liberal, North Vancouver, BC]

The accord acts were developed jointly, and they require joint support. They are meant to be jointly governing this area, the offshore area. That commitment was made legally between Canada and Newfoundland and Labrador and between Canada and Nova Scotia. In order to change the obligations that one or other party has or the way in which things are done, it requires agreement on the part of the province and the federal government.

[The Chair, Liberal, George Chahal]

Thank you, Ms. Jones, and thank you, Minister.

We will now go to Mr. Perkins.

Mr. Perkins, go ahead. The floor is yours.

[Rick Perkins, Conservative, South Shore—St. Margarets, NS]

Thank you, Mr. Chair.

[Shannon Stubbs, Conservative, Lakeland, AB]

I was going to ask the minister when he'll bring forward the ITCs and CCUS that he keeps promising and if they'll do it offshore in Bill C-49.

[Charlie Angus, NDP, Timmins—James Bay, ON]

On a point of order, who has the floor?

[Shannon Stubbs, Conservative, Lakeland, AB]

He was finishing chewing. I'm sure he could tell me to zip it himself, guys.

[Charlie Angus, NDP, Timmins—James Bay, ON]

That should come out of Mr. Perkins' time.

[The Chair, Liberal, George Chahal]

Colleagues, Mr. Perkins does have the floor.

We'll go to you, Mr. Perkins.

[Rick Perkins, Conservative, South Shore—St. Margarets, NS]

Thank you, Mr. Chair.

Minister, I was interested that you brought up EverWind. We had EverWind before the finance committee in pre-budget consultations. I asked the president of EverWind whether he developed any science with regard to the impact of both the offshore windmill locations and the transmission cables on the ocean floor, where they want to put them in the eastern shore off of Guysborough. He said no, none; there was no science. When I asked him if he had consulted with any fishing groups in the discussion of their project, he said no.

Do you believe it's an appropriate way for these organizations to operate to propose a policy that has absolutely no science conducted, in the area they want to do it in, on what it will do to marine species and to not talk to the local stakeholders who earn a living from the sea there?

[Jonathan Wilkinson, Liberal, North Vancouver, BC]

Maybe I can explain how this works. There's a regional environmental assessment—which is going on—that will identify areas that are suitable for this kind of development and areas that are not suitable for this kind of development. Once that is done, it enables companies to look at some of those areas to determine if in fact they are interested in applying for the rights.

In that context, the science is being done through the regional environmental assessment, and it will be done through any project-specific assessment that the company puts forward. Of course, the company will also be doing its own science once it knows where it wants to put it, but we're not at that stage yet.

[Rick Perkins, Conservative, South Shore—St. Margarets, NS]

You don't believe the company has any obligation to do any of that work now, before they even start proposing it. His answer to me—

[Jonathan Wilkinson, Liberal, North Vancouver, BC]

Well, until you've actually identified—

[Rick Perkins, Conservative, South Shore—St. Margarets, NS]

Just a moment. Don't interrupt me, please.

[Jonathan Wilkinson, Liberal, North Vancouver, BC]

—the areas that are suitable—

[Rick Perkins, Conservative, South Shore—St. Margarets, NS]

Minister, don't interrupt me.

[Jonathan Wilkinson, Liberal, North Vancouver, BC]

Well, you asked a question.

[Rick Perkins, Conservative, South Shore—St. Margarets, NS]

Don't interrupt me.

[Jonathan Wilkinson, Liberal, North Vancouver, BC]

You asked a question.

[Rick Perkins, Conservative, South Shore—St. Margarets, NS]

I'm in the middle of my question.

[Some hon. members]

Oh, oh!