Mr. Speaker, I am very pleased to take part in this debate on the motion which reads:
That this House call upon the government to ratify the Kyoto Protocol on climate change.
I think everyone knows that the Bloc has been asking for months now that we ratify the Kyoto protocol.
I want to congratulate the member for Rosemont—Petite-Patrie who was very persistent when the government seemed to waver about this ratification. He worked relentlessly and formed a coalition; more than 70 groups joined in, even large Quebec labour confederations. We owe it largely to him if we are now debating in the House this motion on the ratification of the Kyoto protocol. All this lobbying pushed the Prime Minister into promising, at the Earth Summit, that this protocol would be ratified before the end of the year.
When we look at the facts, we realize that Kyoto is the first step that could lead us to a solution to a very serious problem that jeopardizes our planet and the future of our children. If nothing is done, the current warming trend will only get worse. If nothing is done, 50 years from now, the concentration of CO
2
in the air will have doubled and we will be faced with the effects of climate changes, of which we have already had a taste, like respiratory problems, the recurrence of diseases thought to have been eradicated and serious environmental changes. We know that polar bears are already being affected by the melting of the ice cap. If we do not do anything about this, not only are we doomed, but we show an incredible lack of responsibility.
Kyoto will not solve all of our problems. The target is relatively modest, as we know. We are only talking about the industrialized countries lowering their greenhouse gas emissions 6% below 1990 levels.
When we look at the facts and at the known and foreseeable impact our failure to act could have, I think that any responsible person would support the ratification of this treaty, knowing that it is only a first step and that other measures will have to be taken in a few years to further reduce greenhouse gas emissions.
We must reverse the current trend towards global warming and this is even more important for Canada, which is a large source of greenhouse gases.
I know that, sometimes, some members opposite do not like us giving Quebec as an example, but one thing is certain: in Quebec, greenhouse gases have only increased by 2.3% between 1990 and 2000, as opposed to 19.6% in Canada. If we exclude Quebec, Canada's production of greenhouse gases is about the worse. From year to year, Australia can compete with us on this bad record. So, it is essential that Canada act quickly. We know that the United States plays an extremely important role, being the source of about 40% of greenhouse gases, but, per capita, Canada is one of the worst sources of greenhouse gases.
So, between 1990 and 2000, greenhouse gases in Quebec had increased by 2.3% as opposed to 19.6% in Canada. In the case of Quebec, we see that it is possible to find solutions that are both economically viable and geared toward an effort concerning the environment and sustainable development.
If our greenhouse gases have only increased by 2.3% in 10 years, this has happened despite the fact that our use of fossil fuels has increased by 7%, that our gross domestic product has increased by 26% and that the population has increased by 6%. So there is no contradiction between reaching the goals established by Kyoto and ensuring economic development, as well as responding to the needs of the public.
With the efforts that have made by Quebec—to which I shall return later—we are now at 12 tonnes per person, as far as greenhouse gas emissions are concerned—about the European level—compared to the figure for Canada, which is 23.6 tonnes. As I said, this is one of the worst results of the OECD.
When we look at the efforts made by Quebec, they suggest a direction that the rest of Canada could follow. This Parliament absolutely must call upon the government to ratify Kyoto. Canada is one of the key figures in its implementation. I also think that, on the political level, and let us not kid ourselves about this, ratification by Canada, Europe and Japan will put pressure on the U.S., because it will be totally isolated among the developed countries.
I know it is not always easy to convince. This can be seen with Iraq and the International Criminal Court. Ratification by Canada will, however, add to the pressure on the States to also ratify Kyoto.
As hon. members are aware, Quebec made some energy choices in the early 1970s. These are what have allowed us to achieve the results we have today. That was a major debate, and I have referred to it already in another debate. When Robert Bourassa came up with the idea of using the water from James Bay to generate hydroelectricity, an extremely important debate ensued. Some argued that nuclear energy was the way of the future, as far as clean energy was concerned. We now have a hydroelectricity infrastructure that gives us good results as far as greenhouse gas emissions are concerned. And we did it without any federal assistance, unlike the western petroleum industry.
Let us be clear. The Bloc Quebecois is in favour of ratifying the protocol, but not in favour of the Minister of the Environment's plan, because they want us to foot the bill for the third time. We paid once to develop oil in the west, with the Borden line. We had to pay more for our oil and gas than we would have on the international market.
At that time, we bought our oil from Venezuela. It cost only a few dollars a barrel. However, to make the production of western oil and gas cost effective, we were forced to have a single price across the country. As I said earlier, the government invested a lot of money in oil and gas projects in western Canada as well as in the Hibernia project. In fact, $66 billion were invested in oil and gas projects. No investment was made in hydroelectricity. Almost nothing was invested in renewable energies, whereas $10 billion went to the development of nuclear energy, which has become totally obsolete.
We developed our own hydroelectric production, which is compatible with Kyoto targets. First, we were forced to pay more for our oil. Then, through our taxes and through these $66 billion, we had to pay for part of the infrastructures needed for the development of the western oil and gas industry. Now the government wants us to pay because the action plan that is on the table uses 2010 as base year.
Considerable conversion efforts were made by Quebec, by Quebeckers as well as by industry, including the pulp and paper industry and to a lesser extent the steel industry and the metallurgy industry. All these efforts would not count in the action plan that has been proposed to us. We believe that this approach is totally unfair and that it will be detrimental to Quebec. Instead of recognizing the efforts and investments made by Quebec, as it should, the action plan will penalize Quebec and benefit those that have polluted and are still polluting our atmosphere with their greenhouse gas emissions.
We must be clear here. I said it and all my colleagues said it. The fact that we support this motion does not mean that we support the action plan tabled by the minister. Finally, it seems important also to mention that the National Assembly of Quebec adopted, unanimously, a motion regarding the ratification of the Kyoto protocol. I will read it into the record. It is relatively short.
...The National Assembly asks:
That the allocation formula take into account the reductions achieved since 1990 and those that will be achieved by 2008.
That the manufacturing sector be treated equitably and not be included in the energy sector with regard to allocation of emission rights in order to balance the efforts that are asked of all the major economic activity sectors.
That the allocation formula involving the energy sector discriminate in favour of the energy sources that emit less carbon.
That the Government of Canada initiate with the Government of Québec the negotiation of a bilateral agreement on the financing—particularly of targeted measures—and the implementation of the greenhouse gas reduction strategy.
So, after expressing its support earlier this year—I think the National Assembly supported the ratification of Kyoto in May—this motion was passed on October 24, 2002 to remind everyone that it is not because we agree with the ratification that we are going to buy just any action plan. We prefer a bilateral approach between the federal government and Quebec where previous investments by Quebec would be taken into consideration.
I want to point out not only that we consider the action plan to be unfair, but also that the way the environment minister is presenting the Kyoto protocol is extremely negative. We have to understand that with or without Kyoto, we do not have any choice. I went over some figures earlier. Our economic development should be increasingly in sync with a healthy environment. This is not an economic negative, quite the opposite. The Kyoto protocol and our whole approach to sustainable development give us an incredible opportunity to develop new niches. It is true for Quebec and it is also true for Canada.
Therefore, we must be very proactive regarding this issue. We must not just talk about job losses, we must also look at what this will create. In order to achieve this result, the government must pledge to make investments with the provinces, so that we can be successful.
The Bloc Quebecois presented, among other things, a proposal whereby for each dollar given to industries that use hydrocarbons during the transition process toward the implementation of the Kyoto protocol, one dollar would be paid to industries for renewable energies. We presented a report on wind energy, which can create many jobs.
This is not merely a project to meet our needs for electricity or for energy. We already have electricity. But with these projects, we will be able to meet future needs and export our knowledge and know-how all over the world, and particularly to developing countries, which have a huge need for energy and which, right now, often rely on sources of energy that are extremely polluting, including coal-fired plants. As regards such coal-fired plants, I should point out that Ontario and Alberta are not setting good examples.
So, the Canadian government must not only promote the Kyoto protocol, it must also act as a leader in the repositioning of our economy, it must insist on the benefits that could flow from understanding the global situation, and it must look further ahead than the next six months as regards the implementation of the Kyoto protocol.
As I mentioned, there is a huge economic potential relating to environmental protection. Quebec and Canada must be leaders in this regard. There is a principle of equity that is totally non-existent in the action plan, namely the polluter pay principle. It seems to me that if there is one principle or premise on which there is a world-wide consensus regarding the environment, it is the polluter pay principle, which consists in ensuring that those who pollute are the ones who pay. As I said earlier, this is not how the action plan of the Minister of the Environment has been set up. For us, it is a matter of equity vis-à-vis Quebeckers, but it is also a matter of respecting a universally recognized equity principle.
The federal government obviously must not be allowed to use the ratification and implementation of the Kyoto protocol, namely its action plan, to once again paternalistically pass itself off as having the solutions to everything. Today, when we see the Romanow report and the government's response, it is a bit worrisome. This is not the federal government's only centralization initiative.
In the case of implementing the Kyoto protocol, I believe that there must be an agreement right now that the federal government will respect provincial jurisdictions with respect to the environment, natural resources and economic development. I believe this will be the key to success.
I will conclude by saying that the Bloc Quebecois hopes this House will support unanimously, if possible, the ratification of the Kyoto protocol. We must continue the debate on the action plan. Our position on ratification of the protocol must certainly not be seen as support for the action plan tabled.
The Government of Quebec made some recommendations which were well received by other provinces. I urge the Minister of the Environment to listen to provinces proposing solutions to problems raised by provinces, by Canadians and by Quebeckers.
That being said, I think that the way has been laid. The Kyoto protocol is only a first step. We must learn to live with the need to respect the environment, not in a negative but in a positive way. This is a new opportunity to develop not only technologies but also industrial niches. I think that it is with this in mind that we should promote the ratification of the Kyoto protocol.
I am very happy that the Prime Minister suggested that the House debate and ratify the protocol. I remind the House that the Bloc Quebecois would like to see a debate and a vote in the House on any major international treaty, before its ratification.
We spoke about this in connection with the Free Trade Area of the Americas. We are also speaking about it in connection with free trade agreements currently being negotiated, in particular with Latin American countries. We believe it is extremely important that Parliament be allowed to debate international treaties—the major ones, of course—and vote on them before the government ratifies them.
I think that the Kyoto protocol offers a good example which, hopefully, will be followed by the government during the coming months.