Mr. Speaker, I thank the member for Rosemont—Petite-Patrie for his question. This looks a little like when we have a fundraising campaign. Members of this House appreciate that this is not a fundraising campaign. It is easy to go and get the first dollars. It is very difficult to get the last ones.
Quebec having grabbed the bull by the horns several years ago and the Quebec industry and several areas having made this choice, we went and got the first savings in terms of greenhouse gases, that is those that were the easiest to get. For example, when we shift from coal energy to electric energy or to dual energy, we get extremely significant returns on our investment.
As time goes by, returns coming from the reduction of greenhouse gases will require more fundamental changes. In essence, and I was mentioning this earlier, what the Kyoto protocol and the inevitable constraint of the respect for the environment require is a renegotiation of a kind of social contract, with regard to our lifestyle.
Since Quebec has already been investing in the reduction of greenhouse gas emissions for several years, the results that were the easiest to reach have already been reached. If we use the year 2010, the effortwe will have to make will be greater than the effort of the extremely polluting provinces. I am not impugning motives or giving a lecture, in this regard.
For example, a number of years ago, we chose thermal energy, including coal from Pennsylvania, which is low grade coal. At the time, this was not a concern. The thermal plant produces a lot of pollution. When we close it, we will have a very significant reduction in greenhouse gas emissions, at relatively low costs.
In this regard, Quebec will then be penalized—and, then again, the distinction must be clearly made between the principle of the ratification of the protocol and the action plan—to the point that, in the report tabled by the government on the impact of the jobs not created as a result of the action plan tabled by the Minister of Environment, we see that Alberta, which is responsible for 31% of the greenhouse gas emissions in Canada, will only have a burden of 10% in terms of jobs not created.
One can see also that this is all very static, because it ignores the fact that, where industry is concerned, new niches will be developed, which will create new jobs. If nothing changes, however, while being responsible for 31% of greenhouse gases, Alberta's share of the burden of jobs not created will be only 10%.
By comparison, Quebec, which is responsible for 12.7% of greenhouse gases, will have to shoulder 30% of the burden of jobs not created, because much more difficult and expensive choices will have to be made now to achieve reduction targets. That is why this action plan is totally unfair and inequitable. It denies the polluter pays principle.
As I indicated, we do not want this plan. There should be negotiations between the Government of Quebec and the federal government on the basis of principles selected by the National Assembly. That having been said, as I mentioned right at the outset—and my hon. colleague from Rosemont—Petite-Patrie mentioned it again later—we are in favour of ratifying the Kyoto protocol, while being opposed to the action plan tabled by the Minister of the Environment.