Debates of May 21st, 2013

Natural Resources—Main Estimates, 2013-14

[Some hon. members]

Oh, oh!

[Joe Oliver, Conservative, Eglinton—Lawrence, ON]

Mr. Chair, it is hard to speak when there is a constant cacophony from the other side.

[The Chair, NDP, Joe Comartin]

We could have some order. All it is doing is taking up more time, on both sides.

The minister will have one more attempt and then we will go back to questions.

[Joe Oliver, Conservative, Eglinton—Lawrence, ON]

The point I was making about the fuel quality directive is that this is a discriminatory policy which does not achieve and cannot achieve its environmental objective. It discriminates against Canadian interests and also undermines European competitiveness. What is the response from the NDP? It is to take—

[The Chair, NDP, Joe Comartin]

Order, please.

The hon. member for Edmonton—Strathcona.

[Linda Duncan, NDP, Edmonton Strathcona, AB]

Mr. Chair, how many lobbying events have been organized by the Canadian government on oil sands and European fuel quality directives since 2009?

[Joe Oliver, Conservative, Eglinton—Lawrence, ON]

Mr. Chair, the point I was making is that Canada strongly opposes any measures that would unfairly discriminate against oil sands crude in a way that is unscientific. If unjustified and discriminatory measures to implement the FQD are ultimately put in place, Canada would consider all options to defend its interests. The fact that the opposition is presenting a proposal directly opposed to Canadian interests undermines our prospects of getting things changed.

[Linda Duncan, NDP, Edmonton Strathcona, AB]

Mr. Chair, the simple answer is over 110.

Did the department participate in the creation of the pan-European oil sands advocacy strategy?

[Joe Oliver, Conservative, Eglinton—Lawrence, ON]

Mr. Chair, I find it odd that there is a kind of accusatory tone that if we make an effort to defend Canada's interests there is somehow something wrong with that. Actually, the opposite is the case. We are defending Canada's interests and members on the other side inexplicably are opposed to job creation in Canada.

[Linda Duncan, NDP, Edmonton Strathcona, AB]

Mr. Chair, has the minister or senior staff attended any meetings related to the development or implementation of the pan-European oil sands advocacy strategy?

[Joe Oliver, Conservative, Eglinton—Lawrence, ON]

Mr. Chair, again, when NDP members go to a foreign country they advocate against Canadian interests and Canadian jobs. Canadians expect their government to advocate for their jobs. We will see what their reaction is and we have seen what the reaction is when an NDP government out west decided to oppose all forms of development. The answer is in and the members from the other side ought to take note.

[Linda Duncan, NDP, Edmonton Strathcona, AB]

Mr. Chair, are any Natural Resources Canada staff presently seconded to the Department of Foreign Affairs and International Trade? If yes, how many, what is their mandate and which countries are they working in?

[Joe Oliver, Conservative, Eglinton—Lawrence, ON]

Mr. Chair, I will try to answer in French.

Canada supports the adoption of measures aimed at tangibly reducing global greenhouse gas emissions. However, as drafted, the proposed fuel quality directive will not reduce greenhouse gas emissions and will harm the European Union's economy, especially the refining industry.

The fuel quality directive is a non-scientific and discriminatory approach aimed at reducing—

[The Chair, NDP, Joe Comartin]

Order. The hon. member for Edmonton—Strathcona.

[Linda Duncan, NDP, Edmonton Strathcona, AB]

Mr. Chair, how many climate science briefings did the minister receive in the past year?

[Joe Oliver, Conservative, Eglinton—Lawrence, ON]

Mr. Chair, I receive briefings continually from my department. Those briefings include scientific information. We have thousands of scientists working in NRCan and we take their conclusions very seriously. For example, the conclusion that the diluted bitumen is not more corrosive than light crude going through pipelines.

[Linda Duncan, NDP, Edmonton Strathcona, AB]

Mr. Chair, given these briefings, does the minister agree that current levels of exposure and sensitivity to climate-related changes, as well as limitations in adaptive capacity, make some northern systems and populations particularly vulnerable to the impacts of climate change?

[Joe Oliver, Conservative, Eglinton—Lawrence, ON]

Mr. Chair, as I have said many times, climate change is a serious issue. There is no dispute about the science of climate change and our government is determined to take action. Where we disagree with the opposition is on the policy response. We take very seriously the views of science when they are talking about science.

[Linda Duncan, NDP, Edmonton Strathcona, AB]

Mr. Chair, of course, the climate-related impacts have been documented in the Natural Resources Canada report in 2007. Could the minister detail specific measures his department is taking to assess the impacts of these vulnerabilities?

[Joe Oliver, Conservative, Eglinton—Lawrence, ON]

Mr. Chair, through our budget, our government has renewed domestic climate change adaptation funding. This was an almost $150-million investment over five years. Natural Resources would receive $35 million to enhance competitiveness in a changing climate with this new funding. NRCan is working with provinces and territories, industry and professional organizations to develop the knowledge and tools to adapt their operations and services to the effects of a changing climate. Examples include a protocol to assess infrastructure vulnerability currently being applied to the highways in British Columbia and at Pearson airport in Toronto; tools, such as mapping permafrost hazards to inform the development of new mines, roads and ports in the north; compiling natural resource sector-specific business cases have been highlighted--

[The Chair, NDP, Joe Comartin]

The hon. member for Edmonton—Strathcona.

[Linda Duncan, NDP, Edmonton Strathcona, AB]

Mr. Chair, that is finally a bit of an answer.

Does the minister believe that the global annual average temperature is rising?

[Joe Oliver, Conservative, Eglinton—Lawrence, ON]

Mr. Chair, what I have said repeatedly is that climate change is a serious issue. There is no dispute about the science of climate change and the need for action.

Let me just add this. James Hansen and other scientists have acknowledged that, fortunately, the pace of global warming has recently slowed. However, and this is absolutely critical, we must continue to address our efforts to growing global GHG emissions.

Where we disagree is not on the science. Where we disagree with the opposition is on the policy response.

[Linda Duncan, NDP, Edmonton Strathcona, AB]

Mr. Chair, does the minister believe that climate change has been caused by human activity?

[Joe Oliver, Conservative, Eglinton—Lawrence, ON]

Mr. Chair, I have said yes many times.