Mr. Speaker, on February 11 I asked the Minister of the Environment if he could indicate when heavy duty emission standards of diesel trucks similar to the ones just set in the province of Ontario would be set for the rest of Canada so as to apply to vehicles crossing provincial borders.
The minister's reply was encouraging. He indicated that he “will be working with the Canadian Council of Ministers of the Environment to extend the Ontario standards across Canada, and also with the commission on environmental cooperation to extend the Ontario standards north-south through the United States and Mexico”.
The minister went on to report that on January 1 of this year new heavy duty diesel truck regulations were introduced requiring new emissions control technologies to reduce nitrous oxides by 90% and particulate matter by 95% for these vehicles.
Tonight I would like to ask the Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of the Environment to inform the House as to the date when the new heavy duty diesel truck standards for the rest of the country will come into effect; the date when the new emissions standards will come into effect in the U.S.A. and Mexico; and the date when the new federal regulations for heavy duty diesel trucks announced on January 1 of this year will come into effect.
Targets and timetables are essential for cutting pollution in North America. I look forward to the parliamentary secretary's reply to this effect.