Mr. Speaker, I often speak quickly because I have a lot to say.
With respect to clean energy, I think it is important to recognize the need to include natural gas in that category, along with other types of energy that can help reduce greenhouse gas emissions.
On the issue of subsidies specifically, we often hear this charge of “subsidy, subsidy”, but we rarely hear a specific definition of what constitutes a subsidy. For instance, I am very supportive of things like accelerated capital cost allowance for manufacturing across the board: not just energy manufacturing, but other forms of manufacturing. Accelerated capital cost allowance is an incentive that encourages companies to make investments by allowing them to defer the taxes they pay, but I know that some of those on the anti-energy left are looking to count as a subsidy any kind of incentive program that encourages those kinds of investments.
Accelerated capital cost allowance is important in my riding for encouraging the development of new, cleaner technologies, including the development of polypropylene, for instance, and other alternatives to make transportation and energy development more effective. These are good incentives that are useful, not only in my region but in other parts of the country as well, and can stimulate manufacturing activity in every part of the country.