House of Commons Hansard #79 of the 39th Parliament, 1st Session. (The original version is on Parliament's site.) The word of the day was cmhc.
The Speaker Liberal Peter Milliken
Order, please. I am sure the hon. Leader of the Opposition appreciates all the help with his question. We have to be able to hear his question, not all the suggestions from other corners in the House. The hon. Leader of the Opposition has the floor.
Bill Graham Liberal Toronto Centre, ON
Mr. Speaker, it is extraordinary to find the members opposite take such celebration in their lack of doing anything for the environment. That is an extraordinary performance on the floor of the House.
We are talking about a 44-year layaway plan, when we will be long gone from Parliament. Those members will not be here. We will not be here. Our grandchildren will be stuck with a huge bill for the environment.
Would the Prime Minister please, for the sake of Canada, reverse course, make Canada a leader, not a laggard on Kyoto, and go to Nairobi with a real--
Stephen Harper ConservativePrime Minister
Mr. Speaker, as we all know, it was the previous government that signed Kyoto over a decade ago. We are still waiting to see its plan.
The leader of NDP made a useful suggestion, and that is for the clean air act to go to a parliamentary committee where members could interview scientists, economists, industry leaders, environmentalists, technology experts and where the committee can itself assist the government in suggesting short term and mid term targets.
I would encourage the Liberals, after 13 years of neglect, to get on the bandwagon and start working on it.
Bill Graham LiberalLeader of the Opposition
Mr. Speaker, it is these types of answers that are making the Conservatives and the NDP lose all credibility.
Will the Prime Minister even lift a finger for the Kyoto protocol? Will he introduce a bold plan of action to fight climate change? Will he make Canada the champion that citizens and Canadians expect? Will he put forward a plan, a real plan, for the future of our planet, rather than twiddle his thumbs, embarrass Canadians and create an environmental catastrophe with the help of his ally—
Stephen Harper ConservativePrime Minister
Mr. Speaker, let me say again, for the first time in history we have a government that has proposed a plan that will reduce pollution in Canada and will also reduce greenhouse gases in Canada instead of spending the taxpayers' money abroad. Our plan is also mandatory for all industries in the country.
That is more than I can say about the grand plan presented by the former government and the former Minister of the Environment, who named his dog Kyoto.
Lucienne Robillard Liberal Westmount—Ville-Marie, QC
Mr. Speaker, the Minister of the Environment is missing so many meetings that her international colleagues are thinking about putting her face on a milk carton.
During two weeks of meetings in Germany, the minister attended for only a day and a half. She was not present at the meeting in Switzerland. She did not attend the meeting in Mexico. Nor is she attending the meeting in Kenya.
Instead of taking after the Prime Minister who cancelled on a meeting in Finland, will the Minister of the Environment come out of hiding?
Rona Ambrose ConservativeMinister of the Environment
Mr. Speaker, I will not apologize for focusing on Canada's environment. After 13 years of neglect and the Liberals parading around on the international stage and accomplishing nothing, I am focused on developing a Canadian plan for our Canadian industry and our Canadian communities.
Lucienne Robillard Liberal Westmount—Ville-Marie, QC
Mr. Speaker, the attitude of this minority Conservative government in the environment file seems to be one step forward, two steps back.
With all the double talk, confusion, contradictions and retracted statements, the minister does not know whether she is coming or going.
The environment has become the number one priority of Canadians so how can the minister, who supposedly chaired the United Nations climate change conference, possibly go to Nairobi empty-handed?
Stephen Harper ConservativePrime Minister
Mr. Speaker, the government that screwed up the environment talks about confusion. What Liberals are not talking about today, which is interesting, is their vote last night when they voted against having taxes for large corporations and when they voted against having income splitting for seniors.
I think what we are all wondering today, when we talk about confusion, is why the member for Etobicoke—Lakeshore, the member for Saint-Laurent—Cartierville, the member for York Centre and the member for Eglinton—Lawrence, the candidates for the leadership, skipped that vote.
Gilles Duceppe Bloc Laurier—Sainte-Marie, QC
Mr. Speaker, in a few days, the Minister of the Environment will attend the Nairobi climate change conference and yet no one knows Canada's true position on the Kyoto protocol.
For weeks now total confusion has reigned. The minister agrees with phase two of the protocol but not with phase one. She is in favour of a carbon exchange but the Prime Minister is much more vague.
Will the Prime Minister have the decency to inform the House of Commons of his position on Kyoto before his Minister of the Environment informs the whole world in Nairobi?
Stephen Harper ConservativePrime Minister
Mr. Speaker, as I have mentioned several times, this government is participating in the international process so that progress will be made in the matter of greenhouse gases and so that, in future, there will be an effective international protocol that will include all major emitters worldwide.
Gilles Duceppe Bloc Laurier—Sainte-Marie, QC
Mr. Speaker, Canada's position on the Kyoto protocol is as clear as mud; however, Quebec's position is crystal clear.
Will Quebec's position be clearly conveyed in Nairobi or will the Minister of the Environment instead try to make everyone believe that Quebec and Canada support the minority position of this minority government?
Stephen Harper ConservativePrime Minister
Mr. Speaker, a representative of the Government of Quebec will be attending with the Canadian delegation.
Canada is a signatory to the protocol. The minister clearly reiterated on several occasions that this government intends to work together with the provinces to arrive at an effective and mandatory federal law.
Bernard Bigras Bloc Rosemont—La Petite-Patrie, QC
Mr. Speaker, the rapid degradation of the banks of the St. Lawrence, due to global warming, could cost Quebec more than $1 billion. Action is urgently needed. Not only environmentalists but economic world leaders such as Ultramar have said that they are in favour of Quebec's green plan.
Does the Minister of the Environment realize that action is urgently needed? The problem is not only environmental, it is also economic.
Rona Ambrose ConservativeMinister of the Environment
Mr. Speaker, we are acting now, which is why we have introduced our regulations across all industry sectors. Canada's clean air act will enhance our powers to deal with both air pollutants and greenhouse gases.
As I have said before, the plan in Quebec is good, but is not based on mandatory emissions reductions, which in fact is something that is required under the Kyoto protocol.
Bernard Bigras Bloc Rosemont—La Petite-Patrie, QC
Mr. Speaker, while the European Union has already announced more stringent targets for the second phase of the Kyoto protocol, the Prime Minister is hiding and refusing to go to Helsinki, under false pretences. As a result, Canada will be one of the only participants in Nairobi whose position is unknown.
Does the Minister of the Environment not find it strange that, even though she is co-chair of the conference, she cannot tell us what message she will deliver in Nairobi?
Rona Ambrose ConservativeMinister of the Environment
Mr. Speaker, Canada will be one of the few countries that actually pays our dues to the United Nations framework convention on climate change and participates fully. In fact, Canada is on track to meet all of our Kyoto obligations except for our target. We have been clear about that.
We support the Kyoto protocol but there is no way that we can reach the unrealistic target that the Liberals set after 13 years of neglect and no plan in place.
Jack Layton NDP Toronto—Danforth, ON
Mr. Speaker, a year ago in October, the Prime Minister's Office at the time wrote a letter to Joyce Carter of St. Peter's, Nova Scotia, confirming that:
--a Conservative government would immediately extend Veterans Independence Program services to the widows of all Second World War and Korean War veterans....
After nine months in office, there has been no movement. It is another Conservative promise broken to our veterans.
Will the Prime Minister confirm today that he will move immediately to implement the provisions of the NDP veterans first motion adopted yesterday in the House?
Stephen Harper ConservativePrime Minister
Mr. Speaker, last night, as we all know, the NDP put forward a motion that contained a number of uncosted promises to Canadian veterans. This government will examine these as part of its lead-up to the next budget.
Jack Layton NDP Toronto—Danforth, ON
Mr. Speaker, that is not what the hon. member said in his letter to that particular constituent.
In April 2005, the Prime Minister said at the time, following a successful motion on Air-India, that the then prime minister had a moral responsibility to respect the will of the House and, days later, he said that it was disturbing from a democratic standpoint that the government would not listen to the will of the House.
This House adopted the NDP veterans first motion yesterday but the government refuses to act. Which is it going to be? Is the Prime Minister ducking his moral responsibility or would he prefer to characterize his own actions as disturbing?
Stephen Harper ConservativePrime Minister
Mr. Speaker, the NDP put forward a motion that literally contains hundreds of millions of dollars in spending with no attempt to cost those out and no attempt to put them in a budget. Governments have a moral responsibility to ensure these proposals are affordable.
Canadian veterans see through that. Canadian veterans see through a bunch of empty promises. What Canadian veterans understand--
The Speaker Liberal Peter Milliken
Order, please. The Prime Minister will want to conclude his answer.