Debates of June 11th, 2025

Main Estimates and Supplementary Estimates (A), 2025-26

[Jonathan Rowe, Conservative, Terra Nova—The Peninsulas, NL]

Mr. Chair, my hon. colleague on the other side mentioned the future. Is it true that by 2050, 50% of our offshore will be a marine protected area?

[Tim Hodgson, Liberal, Markham—Thornhill, ON]

Mr. Chair, I cannot predict what the future offshore protected area will be, so I cannot answer that question.

[Jonathan Rowe, Conservative, Terra Nova—The Peninsulas, NL]

Mr. Chair, it has been announced that by 2030, it will be 30%, with expectations by 2050 of 50%. Is it true that if an area is becoming a marine protected area, even in the future, the federal government has the power to terminate the lease?

[Tim Hodgson, Liberal, Markham—Thornhill, ON]

Mr. Chair, the discussion around marine protected areas, I assume, happened two days ago at the discussion with the Minister of Environment. That question should have been asked there.

[Jonathan Rowe, Conservative, Terra Nova—The Peninsulas, NL]

Mr. Chair, I think the hon. minister should refer to clause 28 of that which does make reference to the 2050 powers. I think this is a very powerful veto card and that the government does not foresee this sort of power will risk politicians—

[The Assistant Deputy Chair, Conservative, John Nater]

I need to give the minister a brief opportunity to respond.

[Tim Hodgson, Liberal, Markham—Thornhill, ON]

Mr. Chair, under the one Canadian economy act, we would get major projects built. We are interested in making Canada a conventional and renewable energy—

[The Assistant Deputy Chair, Conservative, John Nater]

The hon. member for Saanich—Gulf Islands has the floor.

[Elizabeth May, Green, Saanich—Gulf Islands, BC]

Mr. Chair, I will be sharing my time with the hon. member for Winnipeg Centre.

I want to start with my questions to the Minister of Housing, and welcome him, a fellow British Columbian member of Parliament, to the House of Commons. I want to ask him whether he is aware of the work of Dr. Carolyn Whitzman, who found that CMHC has six different definitions of affordable housing, and whether he would not agree that it would be good to confirm and unify one definition of affordable housing.

[Gregor Robertson, Liberal, Minister of Housing and Infrastructure and Minister responsible for Pacific Economic Development Canada]

Mr. Chair, I think Canadians generally agree on the definition of affordable housing as being less than 30% of one's income, but there are certainly more specific affordability targets built into various programs that CMHC and the department have that are very focused on what those programs can deliver.

[Elizabeth May, Green, Saanich—Gulf Islands, BC]

Mr. Chair, we could commit to ensuring not what Canadians generally agree on but what the department and CMHC will stick to as the unified definition: that affordability and deeply affordable housing is 30% of before-tax household income.

[Gregor Robertson, Liberal, Vancouver Fraserview—South Burnaby, BC]

Mr. Chair, it is really about the cost of housing, the household operations, relative to household income. That does change depending on the projects and the programs. That is why there are some different definitions depending on the projects or the programs.

[Elizabeth May, Green, Saanich—Gulf Islands, BC]

Mr. Chair, I have questions for the Minister of Natural Resources. I do not want to appear rude, but I have been hearing what the minister has been saying. I need to ask him whether he has read the one Canadian economy act.

[Tim Hodgson, Liberal, Minister of Energy and Natural Resources]

Mr. Chair, yes, I have.

[Elizabeth May, Green, Saanich—Gulf Islands, BC]

Mr. Chair, I am asking because I took notes of the minister's saying, “politicians do not pick the projects.”

[Tim Hodgson, Liberal, Markham—Thornhill, ON]

Mr. Chair, for a project to get through, one of the criteria is this: “have a high likelihood of successful execution”. To have a high likelihood of successful execution, we need a private sector proponent to put up the money. Those private sector proponents will ultimately be the deciders of—

[The Assistant Deputy Chair, Conservative, John Nater]

The hon. member has the floor.

[Elizabeth May, Green, Saanich—Gulf Islands, BC]

Mr. Chair, is the minister aware that none of what he just said would have any force in law under Bill C-5?

[Tim Hodgson, Liberal, Markham—Thornhill, ON]

Mr. Chair, if there are no proponents for projects, the projects will not come forward; that is the fundamental basis on which the legislation works.

[Elizabeth May, Green, Saanich—Gulf Islands, BC]

Mr. Chair, on the fundamental basis on which the legislation works, I refer the minister to clause 5 of the act, which shows that the decision-maker is the cabinet, and the cabinet is made up of politicians. Does he not agree?

[Tim Hodgson, Liberal, Markham—Thornhill, ON]

Mr. Chair, assuming proponents bring projects forward, they will go to the designated minister, as the member says. They will use the criteria that was agreed by the Prime Minister—

[The Assistant Deputy Chair, Conservative, John Nater]

The hon. member.

[Elizabeth May, Green, Saanich—Gulf Islands, BC]

Mr. Chair, the minister refers repeatedly to the criteria as if they have some force in law. Does he not understand his own act, in that there could be no reference to any of those factors and still follow the law?

[Tim Hodgson, Liberal, Markham—Thornhill, ON]

Mr. Chair, what I understand is that the projects that come forward for consideration will be supported by provinces, indigenous peoples and private sector proponents. That is how they will get to consideration of the major projects office.

[Elizabeth May, Green, Saanich—Gulf Islands, BC]

Mr. Chair, none of what he has just said is actually what Bill C-5 says. There is no requirement for consensus, nor is there any legal requirement that any of the factors that are listed are actually considered by cabinet.