Madam Speaker, I will be sharing my time with the member for Saint-Hyacinthe—Bagot.
Before I get into the substance of my remarks, I would like to remind all of my colleagues that the pandemic we are facing has prompted a renewed focus on scientific studies and the mobilization of the entire scientific community around links that may exist between zoonotic diseases, pollution, climate change and the emergence of pandemic phenomena.
Hundreds of specialists were already conducting research into this credible and well-documented area of study. In October 2019, the Canadian Public Health Association released its recommendations on the human health implications of climate change and the urgency to act on climate change.
Publications that have come out over the past few months point to an increased risk of pandemics with the loss of biodiversity. Global warming is altering temperate zones. Other zoonotic diseases are expected to emerge as did Lyme disease. Protecting biodiversity is not a pipe dream. It must be done. Biodiversity is the cornerstone of an effective strategy to address the impacts of climate change.
By giving environmental issues the importance and prominence they deserve, we can take concrete action to prevent zoonotic diseases from becoming pandemics.
I now want to talk about the environmental aspects of the throne speech, found in the section entitled “Taking action on extreme risks from climate change”. I have been the Bloc Québécois's environment critic since mid-March, and I want to point out that it is extremely important for the government to understand that a fair economic recovery and a green economic recovery can easily happen together. There is no doubt that we can work on economic recovery and protect the environment at the same time. However, investing in fossil fuels is not the way to go.
We appreciate that the government realizes pollution requires immediate climate action, as it showed in its throne speech. However, I encourage members to read the Bloc Québécois's recovery plan to learn how we can quickly get moving on climate action.
The Speech from the Throne states, “The Government will immediately bring forward a plan to exceed Canada’s 2030 climate goal. The Government will also legislate Canada’s goal of net-zero emissions by 2050.”
Madam Speaker, do you know what the problem is with that statement? Canada is not even close to achieving its objectives. Environment Canada's projections show that we may reduce greenhouse gases by 19.5% at most by 2030. This represents a shortfall of 77 megatonnes. We are certainly going to need meaningful action.
Let's begin with legislative measures. The Bloc Québécois, through the member for Avignon—La Mitis—Matane—Matapédia, proposed framework legislation that would require the federal government to meet its own targets. There were promises, targets and projects, and we also see that the international community is critical of Canada's climate inaction with regard to its Paris agreement commitments. Canada's current environmental position is unenviable. It is high time that the government did something about it.
Given the decisions that the government has made since 2015 and all the deregulation that has occurred since the pandemic, it seems urgent and necessary to us that the House support the bill introduced by my colleague from Avignon—La Mitis—Matane—Matapédia.
The throne speech indicates that the government “will ensure Canada is the most competitive jurisdiction in the world for clean technology companies”. Clearly, the government will have to put words into action and stop turning a blind eye to environmental issues.
Creating thousands of retrofit jobs? We support that. Investing in reducing the impact of climate-related disasters and figuring out how to adapt? We support that too. Reducing the impact? We agree. We understand that we need an emergency plan in case of disaster. That goes without saying. However, why not start by recognizing the need for prevention?
We must do whatever we can to mitigate climate change and recognize new discoveries from around the world. That would help us move faster.
The throne speech talks about modernizing the Canadian Environmental Protection Act. Is that not what hundreds of organizations, researchers and reports have been saying we need to do for years?
The 87 recommendations in the 2017 report of the Standing Committee on Environment and Sustainable Development gave Environment Canada an exhaustive look at what needs changing. This is no small task. The mountain is high, but we must climb it. It would be a very bad idea to modernize the act by making a few superficial changes of no real consequence.
The Bloc Québécois certainly welcomes the announcement about the Canadian Environmental Protection Act, but we want to be sure that this mission will really be taken seriously.
When the report came out, the authors clearly indicated that thousands of people in Canada who are exposed to toxic substances die prematurely and that millions more get preventable diseases. Ideas evolve. The Canadian act has not kept pace with scientific progress.
With the emergence of COVID-19 and concerns about human health and vulnerability to the virus, I implore all my colleagues to recognize the intersectional nature of environmental issues, especially in relation to human health. The challenges of our time demand it.
Another possible path forward would be to pass a zero-emission law modelled after California's legislation. This is a very serious avenue that is having significant, positive effects on human health in relation to pollution levels caused by greenhouse gases. A bill was passed unanimously in the Quebec National Assembly recently. This could serve as a catalyst to increase the availability of electric vehicles in Canada. That was mentioned in the Speech from the Throne, but companies need to get up to speed and start producing more electric vehicles.
On a slightly different note, it should come as no surprise to anyone, incidentally, that I denounce the elements in the Speech from the Throne relating to the environment because, as they are currently written, they encroach on the jurisdictions of Quebec and the provinces.
The Bloc Québécois supports protecting nature and green spaces in municipalities as it supports water management. However, it is up to Quebec and the provinces to determine how they want to address these matters. The federal government needs to take care of its own jurisdictional responsibilities, not those of Quebec and the provinces.
In addition to the carefully crafted legislative measures that absolutely must be passed swiftly, there will also be an unavoidable cost to begin the transition to a zero-emissions future. The speech outlines supports, programs and federal funding earmarked for consolidating climate goals. There are similarities to the Bloc Québécois's recovery plan starting with research incentives for developing electric heavy-duty and commercial vehicles. Given Quebec's enviable sectoral development in the field, it definitely needs to benefit from some of that support.
Quebec's SMEs proved to be ingenious, bold and resilient when they got into this industry 15 years ago, when this sector of the economy was emerging. Now, Quebec is North America's transportation electrification hub. A green and fair recovery must recognize the different expertise and strengths the various regions have to offer. We cannot pit one region against another. We must focus on how they complement each other.
I will close by quickly saying a few words about the state of the country's finances. There has indeed been some deficit spending as a result of the pandemic in order to provide help to our constituents. Is it not obscene to carry on with the fantasy of the Trans Mountain project? Who would argue that $12 billion has to stay in this project? Nearly 100 signatories, including Canadian economists, experts and scientists wrote the government on September 16 to say no.
The Bloc Québécois traditionally stands in support of workers. Workers take a lot of flack for the endless aid that is given to the oil sector. In the Bloc Québécois recovery plan, we propose taking this money and allocating it to renewable energy projects in Alberta.
The Speech from the Throne sets out admirable ambitions, but contradictions as well. There is many a slip 'twixt cup and lip.