Debates of Oct. 2nd, 2025

Natural Resources

[Warren Steinley, Conservative, Regina—Lewvan, SK]

Madam Speaker, it is my pleasure to take up the question I had during question period a little while ago. It was about the hard-working men and women at Evraz steel, the steel plant in Regina, Saskatchewan, and the fact that they have continually had to lay off more and more workers because there is just not as much work as there used to be back in the good old days, one might say. We have had years of policies put forward by the Liberal government, such as Bill C-48, the shipping ban; Bill C-69, the “no more pipelines” law; and the emissions cap, which has been shown to really affect the resource industry in our country. My colleague for Calgary Midnapore said it very well: We have seen a thousand people getting laid off in Calgary recently. We have seen mills being closed in B.C. because of the tariffs on softwood lumber.

I know there are five projects from the Major Projects Office that have been announced. The question I focused on was this: If these get built, first and foremost, they should be built with Canadian steel, Canadian product and Canadian labour. This is one of the questions I would like to follow up on.

The other one is this: Five projects were announced, but there are still 38 major projects at the impact assessment phase. Over the last few years, according to my numbers, 86,000 jobs and $54 billion have fled the country in investment in our energy sector. TransCanada, for example, is building pipelines, just not in Canada; they are in the United States.

I would like a couple of answers to the questions I laid out. They are fair, and they are non-partisan. I think there is something we need to work on to grow our energy and our resource industry as a major economic driver. Along with that would be our agriculture industry as well. We have seen fertilizer reduction targets. We have seen industrial carbon tax. We have seen carbon tax 2.0 being added to farming. This has increased farmers' cost of doing business, and we have then seen the price of food go up also.

I would love an answer from my colleague from across the way, and I will follow up in a minute.

[Corey Hogan, Liberal, Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Energy and Natural Resources]

Madam Speaker, yes, we will be looking to use more Canadian steel and more Canadian materials in general as the Minister of Industry has said. Yes, the government will support pipelines that are in the national interest and meet environmental and social standards, as well as those that meet the bedrock requirement for meaningful indigenous engagement. ln fact, Ksi Lisims LNG, recently approved, will see Canadian natural gas produced and liquefied at the highest environmental standards, and this will travel by pipeline to access new markets.

I want to take this opportunity to talk about business more broadly, and the One Canadian Economy Act. I think it is pertinent to the overall thrust of the query. With the support of members opposite, our government has created a clear pathway for projects of national interest. Practical changes mean approvals are faster and simpler, and proponents are provided more certainty while standards are upheld. The member opposite may not know this, but l have done work for many energy companies and worked on many major pipeline projects in my career, such as northern gateway, energy east and TMX, to name the most notable. If we are moving oil and gas, pipelines are the safest, most economical and most environmentally friendly way to do so, and they require a lot of steel.

The energy industry will be healthy if we continue to develop our resources to high environmental and social standards, as our trading partners increasingly demand and as Canadians expect. Courts have also demanded, and rightly so, that we meet our moral and treaty obligations to first nations, and the Prime Minister has been clear that this will be an expectation for all major projects. I want to caution, though, that a blanket “yes all pipelines, all the time, without a thought to the specifics” approach is not what Canadians call for or what the courts will allow, and that would not serve Canada's energy sector or Canadian workers, whether in steel or in other sectors. Projects must be reviewed on their merits: economic, social, environmental and legal. A balanced Canadian approach is called for, such as the one laid out in our new One Canadian Economy Act.

Results are already showing; this is the positive. Investment and investor interest are being drawn to Canada. Projects are being advanced all the time. These projects mean jobs. I already mentioned Ksi Lisims LNG, but we also have LNG Canada phase 2 and Cedar LNG as concrete examples. Pathways plus, a strategy with the Major Projects Office, would increase global competitiveness for the oil and gas industry and support market diversification by positioning Canadian energy as the cleanest barrel of oil on the world market.

Talking of ripping up environmental assessments is a move that would only drive investment away and increase risk for Canadian workers. It is not accurate to say that no pipelines were built by the last Liberal government, as was in the original query. The most economically consequential pipeline in decades, TMX, was built, but it is true that pipeline projects have faced challenges. An honest assessment will include that the Harper government fought too much with provinces and courts. They put too little attention into the duty to consult, treating it superficially, as well as too little care into the environment and due process. As a result, not one pipeline to tidewater was built in that time.

Let us calibrate on a balanced Canadian approach. We must respect provinces and indigenous rights holders. We must have clear timelines and certainty, and we must go faster. We must do the things that are now possible under Bill C-5 and the new Liberal government. Our new approach means workers in Regina producing the steel, indigenous communities partnering as owners and Canadian innovators providing to the world the innovations we will compete and win on. I think that is something we can all support.

[Warren Steinley, Conservative, Regina—Lewvan, SK]

Madam Speaker, there is a lot to unpack there.

First of all, the Harper government built four pipelines. The only difference was that it used private money. The Liberals used $38 billion of taxpayers' money. Second, the member said that their one economy is already showing results, but 1,000 people were laid off in Calgary. That is probably not the result he wants. I would say the results have definitely been found lacking.

Seeing as he brought up the economy, there is a question I often want answered. The Prime Minister promised that by July 1, he would knock down interprovincial trade barriers to make trade easier within Canada. Can the member give me a couple examples of interprovincial trade barriers that have been knocked down by the government?

[Corey Hogan, Liberal, Calgary Confederation, AB]

Madam Speaker, I will have to leave to my colleagues in industry and internal trade the specifics of the hon. member's question, but I note that my comments were about getting pipelines to tidewater and pipelines to new markets. Certainly, there were no pipelines of that nature made during that time.

There are many examples, though, of how innovation and investment are coming back to Canada as a result. Just this morning, at the natural resources committee, we heard from witnesses who talked about global capital being very enthusiastic about Bill C-5, major projects and the ability to pull things back.

I want to wrap up by saying that this helps secure our economic sovereignty and helps build the future right here at home, as the Minister responsible for Canada Economic Development for Quebec Regions and the Minister of Industry have said. To that end, when the time comes to consider major new projects, whether pipelines, housing or infrastructure, our government will champion Canadian workers, Canadian innovation and the responsible use of—

[The Assistant Deputy Speaker (Alexandra Mendès), Alexandra Mendes]

The hon. member for Courtenay—Alberni.

Emergency Preparedness

[Gord Johns, NDP, Courtenay—Alberni, BC]

Madam Speaker, I am here tonight to urge the federal government to make the establishment of a sovereign aerial firefighting capacity fleet a core nation-building investment in the upcoming federal budget.

Wildfires across Canada are increasing in both intensity and cost, demanding bold and timely action. We saw fires rage across Alberta, Saskatchewan, Manitoba, Nova Scotia and Newfoundland this last summer. This past fire season may not have been a record season for British Columbia, but it was certainly a record in terms of the extraordinary amount of equipment loaned from British Columbia to other provinces to help them.

I want to congratulate and thank the Province of British Columbia and Minister Ravi Parmar, the Minister of Forests, for prioritizing homes and people's lives in other provinces to ensure that their lives were protected and for ensuring that B.C. loaned the equipment in a timely way. That reality underlines the urgency.

Without a national air tanker fleet, provinces are left to shoulder the cost of aviation resources, with no guarantee that they will be available when and where they are needed most. Combatting wildfires in the climate crisis era requires a wartime level of effort. Other nations have demonstrated that repurposing retired military aircraft into civilian firefighting roles provides exactly the kind of rapid-response capability and national resilience that Canada currently lacks.

Canada has a rare opportunity to follow this proven model. By converting our retired CC-130H Hercules fleet into modern air tankers, we can protect communities, safeguard critical infrastructure and reduce the catastrophic carbon emissions released during mega fires. This approach would also ensure that retired military assets continue to serve Canadians in peacetime through life-saving civilian use.

Partnering with the private sector and first nations to retrofit a portion of the retired CC-130H Hercules fleet would create a permanent national capacity to fight wildfires. A Port Alberni-based company in my riding, Coulson Aviation, has already demonstrated global expertise in converting CC-130 aircraft and operating them as large air tankers, successfully partnering with governments in Australia, the United States and beyond.

I am therefore calling on the federal government to partner with the private sector, in collaboration with first nations partners, to retrofit a portion of Canada's retired CC-130H Hercules aircraft into large air tankers for wildfire suppression; to deploy these aircraft as part of a strengthened national wildfire response capacity, shared with provinces and territories, using them, where appropriate, for international humanitarian and emergency missions; and to prioritize this made-in-Canada solution that leverages Canadian aviation expertise, protects lives and communities and safeguards the environment. In addition to strengthening our wildfire response, these investments would create high-skilled jobs in Canada's aviation sector, support innovation in emergency response technology and enhance Canada's ability to contribute to our NATO commitments and provide mutual aid abroad in times of crisis.

I am strongly encouraging the minister and the government to ensure that funding for sovereign aerial firefighting capacity is included in the next federal budget. We cannot wait. Such an investment would save lives, strengthen our communities and build long-term resilience for Canada in the face of the climate crisis.

[Wade Grant, Liberal, Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Environment and Climate Change]

Madam Speaker, I would like to thank my hon. colleague for the opportunity to discuss our government's response to wildfires across the country. We know that natural disasters are increasing in frequency and severity, and all levels of government must work together to protect Canadians and our communities.

The 2025 wildfire season has been the second-most severe on record in our country, surpassed only by the unprecedented 2023 season. Our thoughts are with those who have been affected by the fires. I also want to express my deep appreciation and gratitude to the first responders, who work tirelessly to keep Canadians safe.

Throughout the summer, our government met with first responders, local officials, indigenous communities and the Canadian Armed Forces to hear directly about their first-hand experiences in combatting wildfires. Everyone involved in wildfire response demonstrates exceptional dedication to their critical work. As a government, we are committed to making sure that communities, provinces and territories have the people, resources and tools they need to prevent, mitigate, prepare for, respond to and recover from wildfires.

We take the concerns raised about Canada's wildfire fighting capabilities very seriously. This is a matter of the utmost importance to the minister and the government. We are committed to exploring all options for keeping Canadians safe from the increasing threat of wildfires, and we are taking a whole-of-government approach to determine how best to bolster Canada's wildfire response capabilities.

It is imperative that we have the tools we need to defend our communities from future wildfire seasons. Canadians and their communities deserve to be protected from these emergencies, and we understand the importance of being a good partner on the international stage and meeting our NATO commitments. We are exploring links between these two priorities.

Regarding aerial firefighting capabilities, I am proud to be able to say that Canada is a leader in the aerospace industry, with end-to-end capabilities, being one of the few countries that can design, manufacture and maintain an aircraft from nose to tail. I would also remind the House that as a result of Canada's world-class aerospace industry, the De Havilland water bombers are in high demand, and delivery may be a few years away.

We need to be mindful that long-term resilience goes hand in hand with short-term readiness. However, Canadian industry also has strong abilities in retrofitting existing aircraft to serve firefighting purposes, and they continue to be valuable tools to fight wildfires across this country.

Our government contributes to the Canadian Interagency Forest Fire Centre, whose valuable work ensures that firefighting resources from the federal government, provinces and territories, and international partners are where they need to be, when they need to be there, to protect communities.

Throughout the wildfire season, the minister keeps in close contact with her provincial and territorial counterparts. The open lines of communication are critical, as wildfire situations can evolve quickly. We collaborate with local officials, provinces and territories, indigenous communities, non-governmental organizations and international partners to mobilize resources, fight fires, evacuate communities and rebuild after the fact.

[Gord Johns, NDP, Courtenay—Alberni, BC]

Madam Speaker, investing in the aerial firefighting fleet far outweighs the cost to do that, and what we are facing now, which is a massive loss in biodiversity and cost to infrastructure and private property, driving up our home and business insurance. There is the impact on the forest sector and industry, as well as the release of emissions. Canada is the worst in the world right now in release of emissions due to wildfires. The impact on people's lives, homes and human health is unprecedented. Of course, there is also the impact on indigenous peoples. This is an act of reconciliation.

When it comes to nation building, we are calling on the government to treat the issue with the wartime effort that is required. I hope we will see that in the upcoming federal budget.

[Wade Grant, Liberal, Vancouver Quadra, BC]

Madam Speaker, I am well aware of the threat that continued wildfires pose to communities right across this country; they threaten infrastructure, health, the economy and the environment all across this country.

Keeping Canadians safe is of the utmost importance to our government. We are carefully considering all options as we re-evaluate how the federal government can best support emergency situations.

The 2025 wildfire season may be winding down, but our government understands the importance of being prepared for the wildfires that future seasons will bring. We will continue to work across the government and with our provincial, territorial and indigenous partners; non-governmental organizations; first responders; industry; and other stakeholders to deliver real, effective solutions to the ongoing problems caused by wildfires.

We will always be ready to respond to climate emergencies, while meeting our international commitments. This of course includes the renewed NATO defence investment pledge. We are building a Canada that is strong, resilient and equipped to face all natural disasters.

[The Assistant Deputy Speaker (Alexandra Mendès), Alexandra Mendes]

The motion that the House do now adjourn is deemed to have been adopted. Accordingly, the House stands adjourned until tomorrow at 10 a.m. pursuant to Standing Order 24(1).

(The House adjourned at 6:44 p.m.)