Debates of May 31st, 2010

Natural Resources--Main Estimates, 2010-11

[Christian Paradis, Conservative, Mégantic—L'Érable, QC]

Mr. Chair, we were clear in our Speech from the Throne that we would review the entire program. That being said, it is the responsibility to ensure that the applicants will have their money. This is why we stopped taking any additional applications since March 31.

What is important is $300 million will continue to flow this year. That is a lot of money. As I said, we will review the entire suite of programs to ensure we better invest in the economy of tomorrow and how we can have strategic investments in clean energy. We are committed to that.

[David McGuinty, Liberal, Ottawa South, ON]

Mr. Chair, the net effect of what the government and the minister are doing is abandoning the provinces. There was a federal-provincial agreement across the country to actually come together and partner on energy efficiency measures for homeowners. The federal government pulled out unilaterally without reason. Now we have millions of Canadians who are left behind, wanting to do the right thing. That is the real net effect.

Let me turn to subject number two on environmental assessment. The minister said that there were 755,000 Canadians employed, thousands of companies, he said himself, 11% of the economy. Let me ask the minister this. How many of his companies that he represents, how many trade associations, industrial sectors were consulted for the environmental assessment changes brought in, in the dark of night, hidden in the budget bill?

[Christian Paradis, Conservative, Mégantic—L'Érable, QC]

Mr. Chair, let me just address the issue of eco-energy that my colleague raised. The government encourages energy efficiency for low income Canadians in a variety of ways, and $1 billion was included in budget 2009 to provide funds for renovation and energy retrofits for social housing up to 200,000 units. This new funding is flowing through the existing agreements administered by Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation on a fifty-fifty cost share basis with provinces and territories, which are primarily responsible for providing social and low-income housing.

The government also supports low-income Canadians to energy retrofit their homes in collaboration with six provinces. Over 4,000 homes have received approved retrofit assessment and over 40 persons have been retrofitted to date, resulting in an energy savings of about $512 a year per household.

[David McGuinty, Liberal, Ottawa South, ON]

Mr. Chair, here is the answer to the question I asked, because the minister does not know it.

First, there was no consultation whatsoever on environmental assessment changes. The executive vice-president of the Canadian Environmental Assessment Agency has confirmed that. Second, no analysis has been provided by the government or by CEAA for anyone to justify these changes. Third, the provinces never asked for piecemeal changes. They asked for a complete re-examination of the environmental assessment regime in Canada. Fourth, there has been no legislative scrutiny in the House from committee. Fifth, it is the second time the government hides environmental changes in budget-making processes.

Let me turn to subject number three, if I could. There was a leaked secret memo released last week from the Department of Finance's deputy minister. It was made public just several days ago. The minister is referred to several times in the memo. Is he familiar with the memo and what is in it?

[Christian Paradis, Conservative, Mégantic—L'Érable, QC]

Mr. Chair, improving the regulatory system for project reviews is critical to our economic recovery and future prosperity. Providing Canadians with clearer, simpler processes that offer improved environmental production is a key step in building a sustainable future, where our natural resources are developed responsibly. These changes will allow assessments to start sooner, reduce delays and duplication and deliver on the Speech from the Throne commitment to implement “simpler, clearer process that offer improved environmental production and greater certainty to industry”.

Let us be clear. This provides assurance to both the industry and the public. Thanks to the Nuclear Safety Commission and the National Energy Board, we will be able to hold public consultations as part of environmental assessments. This is currently not being done on such a wide scale. These processes will be open and transparent. I think this is good news for all Canadians.

[David McGuinty, Liberal, Ottawa South, ON]

Mr. Chair, let me go then to what I asked the minister about, which is the memo. In the memo the minister is supposed to be preparing for his Prime Minister for a promise his Prime Minister made in Pittsburgh for the G20. He is supposed to deliver within 25 days a detailed memorandum in advance of the G20 of what fossil fuel subsidies he proposes to be phased out from Canada.

Could he stand here tonight and tell the clients of his constituents, the oil and gas and energy companies in the country that report directly to him statutorily, could he tell those companies tonight exactly what fossil fuel subsidies he has written to the Prime Minister to phase out, or is he in abdication of his responsibility as put forward in the memo from the deputy minister of Finance Canada?

[Christian Paradis, Conservative, Mégantic—L'Érable, QC]

Mr. Chair, yes, unlike some other countries, Canada does not have a general policy of subsidizing the price of fossil fuels, which can encourage over-consumption. The government has announced that it is phasing out the accelerated capital cost allowance for assets in the oil sands projects. Draft income tax regulations to implement the phase-out were released on May 3. This initiative builds on actions that Canada has taken in the past to rationalize tax preferences for fossil fuel producers. Discussions among the G20 countries on this issue are ongoing as a part of the G20 process and countries are at different stages of eliminating inefficient subsidies.

[David McGuinty, Liberal, Ottawa South, ON]

Mr. Chair, we know the Minister of the Environment, the minister's colleague, put forward a prebudget submission to the Minister of Finance in which he supported the deputy minister of finance's calls for the phasing out of these subsidies. Now he lost that fight. The minister has yet to answer this. Has he put forward a prebudget submission to the Minister of Finance calling for the removal of these subsidies? He is named in this memo directly. He is being asked to comment on this memo.

The Prime Minister, by the way, has been formally briefed by PCO according to this memo and told that there are a whole series of fossil fuel subsidies that should be eliminated or should be considered for elimination in the next 25 days.

Once again, will the minister stand tonight in this place, tell the Canadian people what his recommendations are for the elimination of fossil fuel subsidies as he is committed to doing in terms of the promise made by the Prime Minister?

[Christian Paradis, Conservative, Mégantic—L'Érable, QC]

Mr. Chair, as I just said clearly, the government has announced that it is phasing out the accelerated capital cost allowance for assets in oil sands projects. Draft income tax regulations to implement the phase-out were released on May 3. This initiative builds on action that Canada has taken in the past to rationalize tax preferences for fossil fuel producers.

[Scott Brison, Liberal, Kings—Hants, NS]

Mr. Chair, could the minister name the country that is the largest producer of wind turbines in the world? Could the minister also name the country that is the largest producer of solar panels in the world?

[Christian Paradis, Conservative, Mégantic—L'Érable, QC]

Mr. Chair, I do not know what kind of cross-examination that is, but what I can tell the member is we invested so far $10 billion since 2007 on all forms of clean energy. This says a lot. Also, our investment in the $1.48 billion eco-energy for renewable power initiatives is sharing resources by supporting the production of more wind, biomass, hydro, geothermal, solar and ocean—

[The Chair, Conservative, Andrew Scheer]

I will have to interrupt the minister. I have to keep the balance of time, so I will give the floor back to the member for Kings—Hants.

[Scott Brison, Liberal, Kings—Hants, NS]

Mr. Chair, any competent minister of energy for Canada ought to know that the largest producer of wind turbines and solar panels in the world—

[Mark Warawa, Conservative, Langley, BC]

Mr. Chair, on a point of order, the questions from across the way have to be relevant. Of course, the member well knows the questions are mischievous and are not relevant. I would encourage the member to ensure that the questions are relevant.

[Scott Brison, Liberal, Kings—Hants, NS]

Mr. Chair, it is clear that renewable energy is not relevant to the Conservative government.

Other countries are investing in green jobs of tomorrow. Does the minister know how much China spent on green projects in its stimulus package?

[Mark Warawa, Conservative, Langley, BC]

Mr. Chair, on a point of order, the member is not in China. The member is in Canada. The questions have to be relevant to Canada and what is in the interest of Canada. The questions relating to China are not relevant.

[The Chair, Conservative, Andrew Scheer]

The hon. parliamentary secretary does raise a good point, so I will encourage the member for Kings—Hants to keep his questions relative to the estimates that are before the House. If he is making a point, he should get to that point quickly in the time he has left.

The hon. member for Kings—Hants.

[Scott Brison, Liberal, Kings—Hants, NS]

Mr. Chair, China has invested $218 billion in clean energy. That is 100 times more than Canada has as part of its stimulus package.

The greening of China's energy system represents a huge opportunity for Canada, particularly in terms of CO₂ sequestration. Canada is a leader in CCS. Forty per cent of the world's carbon that is stored is sequestered in Weyburn, Saskatchewan.

The U.S. and China signed a multi-billion dollar deal on carbon sequestration. Why was Canada left out of that deal?

[Christian Paradis, Conservative, Mégantic—L'Érable, QC]

Mr. Chair, I will not be submitting my application to the hon. member for Kings—Hants to take part in his little quiz.

He seems to be neglecting the fact that since 2006, our government has invested more than $10 billion in clean energy.

This includes $1.48 billion to support the development of new wind, biomass, solar and hydroelectric projects across the country through the eco-energy for renewable power program. We have—

[The Chair, Conservative, Andrew Scheer]

I will have to give the floor back to the member for Kings—Hants to maintain a balance.

[Scott Brison, Liberal, Kings—Hants, NS]

Mr. Chair, the question that the minister refused to or was unable to answer is when the U.S. and China signed a multi-billion dollar deal on carbon sequestration, why was Canada left out of that deal? Why were we not at the table?

Has the minister met or spoken with the chair of the Chinese energy commission about Canada's CCS capacity and our clean energy potential?

[Christian Paradis, Conservative, Mégantic—L'Érable, QC]

Mr. Chair, it is unbelievable that a member is standing up who voted against our 2007 budget, the suite of eco-energy. These are big amounts invested. Obviously, the U.S. and China are trying to catch up to us because we are leaders. We have been up front since 2007. We are leaders in renewable energy. We are leaders in CCS. We have clean energy dialogues with our partners.

[Scott Brison, Liberal, Kings—Hants, NS]

Mr. Chair, the minister clearly has not met with his counterpart in China about Canada's clean energy potential. Has he met with Dr. Farooq Abdullah, his Indian counterpart, India's energy minister, on Canada's clean energy potential?

[Christian Paradis, Conservative, Mégantic—L'Érable, QC]

Mr. Chair, we are very active in the clean energy dialogue which was set up by the Prime Minister and President Obama. We are very active on that. There is a task force which for the next year will exchange information about CCS, renewable energy—

[Scott Brison, Liberal, Kings—Hants, NS]

Mr. Chair, on a point of order, the minister is refusing to answer any of these questions and, in fact, it is entirely material to Canada's potential in the world and our capacity to create the green jobs of tomorrow. The minister has refused to answer any of these questions because the fact is he does not know the answers and he is one of the reasons the government is leaving—