Blaine Calkins

[Climate Change Accountability Act, March 4th, 2009]

Madam Speaker, the government's many concerns about the economic implications and potential unconstitutionality of Bill C-311 have already been brought to the attention of the House.

I would now like to comment on the action that the government is taking to reduce the country's greenhouse gas emissions, including working with the United States on a clean energy dialogue. Canada is also committed to working within the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change towards a post-2012 implementation on global emission reductions, but it is Canada's domestic and continental efforts on which I will focus my comments.

Unlike the Liberals, who had 13 or so years to work on this issue and did virtually nothing, our government is committed to stopping the increase in Canada's greenhouse gas emissions and then dramatically reducing them. We have established a national target of an absolute reduction of 20% in greenhouse gases, relative to 2006 levels, by the year 2020. By 2050, Canada's emissions will be 60% to 70% below 2006 levels. This government has also established a target that, by 2020, 90% of our electricity will come from non-emitting sources.

While Bill C-311 would impose a long-term emissions reduction target that goes far deeper than anything proposed by the global community, our target would bring Canada in line with the accepted requirement to reduce greenhouse gas emissions while striking the necessary balance between environmental and economic progress, as opposed to the economic evisceration of the Canadian economy, which is what the NDP is proposing to do through this bill.

Our government is committed to reducing greenhouse gas emissions in the industrial sector through regulations and is continuing to develop the regulatory regime. It will be the product of significant consultation, including the provinces, territories, industry stakeholders, and environmental non-governmental organizations. These industrial regulations will require mandatory reductions in greenhouse gas emissions and will also create the incentives for development and deployment of new technologies such as carbon capture and storage, which will result in significant emissions reductions over time.

In addition, this government is using its regulatory authorities to increase renewable fuel content in gasoline and to strengthen the energy efficiency of a wide variety of products.

Through this government's suite of eco-action programs, we will drive emissions reductions beyond the industrial sectors of our economy. Eco-action investments cover a range of sectors and activities, including renewable power, home retrofitting, and commercial transportation.

For example, through the eco-energy for renewable power program, the government is investing $1.5 billion to provide incentives to increase Canada's supply of clean electricity from renewable sources such as wind, biomass, low-impact hydro, geothermal, solar—

[Youth Voluntary Service, February 25th, 2009]

Mr. Speaker, I would like to congratulate the member on winning the lottery and having his motion presented here today. I would also like to congratulate the member on the recent addition to his family of his son Xavier. I think that's a wonderful thing, and it is something we have in common. I am hoping that being parents is not all we have in common, but I am starting to wonder.

The hon. member spoke about young people having an opportunity to serve. That is a wonderful thing, engaging the youth of our country and building on their skills and their experiences to make them the leaders of tomorrow.

He then went on to say that these young people look for opportunities to serve but find out that there is no funding for programs. The turnaround is that it actually sounds more as though they are looking for opportunities for their country to serve them.

I am just wondering if the member would like to clarify this in the context of the words of a great former U.S. president, who said, “Ask not what your country can do for you--ask what you can do for your country”.

Through this motion, is the member actually trying to get at a situation through which we are providing an opportunity for Canadians to support our country, or for the country to support Canadians?

[Petitions, February 25th, 2009]

Mr. Speaker, I am pleased to table a petition on behalf of the constituents of Wetaskiwin.

The petitioners, as residents of Canada, draw the attention of the House to the fact that in the recent federal election, concluded October 14, 2008, Canadian voters provided the Conservative Party with a clear and strengthened mandate to lead Canada through the current global economic crisis and that the opposition are looking to impose an unstable, unelected Liberal-NDP-separatist coalition. During the election, they promised they would not entertain the Liberal leader, expressly rejecting such a move as being bad for the economy.

This is another list of constituents of mine who are very upset and frustrated with the attempted coup to take over the democratically elected government.

[Dianne Johnston, February 10th, 2009]

Madam Speaker, today I would like to pay tribute to the unsung heroes of our lives. Parliamentary spouses deserve much credit, but they seldom received any recognition.

One special hero was Dianne Johnston, the beloved wife of Dale Johnston, the former member of Parliament for Wetaskiwin. On January 7, cancer claimed Dianne's life. An MP's spouse for over 12 years, Dianne was a confidante, soulmate and a source of moral support for Dale as he tackled the challenges that come with this demanding job.

While Dale made the long weekly commute to Ottawa, Dianne kept the home fires burning on their farm. On weekends, she accompanied Dale as he made the rounds of constituency activities. She patiently listened and applauded hundreds of speeches and campaigned alongside Dale with vigour. Dianne's charming nature and infectious sense of humour were appreciated by all those who had the good fortune to meet her. She will be truly missed by everyone who knew her.

As we send our heartfelt condolences to Dale and their daughters, Dalene and Michelle, let us all take time to thank our spouses for their dedication, their love and their support.

[Business of Supply, February 5th, 2009]

Mr. Speaker, I would like to thank my colleague from Calgary Centre for the great job that he does as a member of our Alberta caucus. He is a great Albertan and a great parliamentarian who has been here a long time. He is also a very astute businessman who knows the value of relationships.

The previous president, George Bush, broke the longstanding tradition of visiting Canada first, which is what most presidents do for their first official foreign visit, and decided not to come to Canada but instead chose to go to Mexico. Now that the relationship between Canada and the U.S. seems to be a bit better, the newly elected, freshly minted President Obama has chosen Canada and reinstated that tradition. I wonder if he could comment on that.

Given the fact that my colleague is a very astute businessman and knows the value of relationships, I wonder if he could elaborate on just how important our relationship with the United States is to Alberta for our agriculture sector, for our energy sector, and for our manufacturing sector.

[Points of Order, February 5th, 2009]

Mr. Speaker, the hon. member for Malpeque is an experienced member and he would know what a matter of debate is. I would encourage you, Mr. Speaker, to disregard the member's point of order and just consider it as a matter of debate.

[Business of Supply, February 5th, 2009]

Madam Speaker, I appreciate the position of the member's party. However, I would like to set the record straight on a few of the issues.

It was our party, while in opposition in 2003, when the BSE crisis was affecting beef producers in my constituency, that applied for intervenor status to go down to the states and challenge R-CALF. It was not the Liberal government of the day. It left beef producers hanging by a thread.

This government has certainly challenged R-CALF's next venture, which is the country of origin labelling, and has set the record straight, before the final ruling comes before the American people and the American government, to get Canadian exports of beef back into the United States and protect beef farmers. It has been because of the great work of our Minister of Agriculture and our international trade minister.

Under 13 years of Liberal government, not one free trade agreement was signed anywhere for market access. Because of this government, through the European Free Trade Association, and we had the bill before the House, which will be passed, exports are going to China and South America. We have engaged the South American and the Caribbean community again. This government is getting it done.

Is his party going to continue to support us when we move those kinds of bills—

[Business of Supply, February 5th, 2009]

Mr. Speaker, I want to thank my hon. colleague for his excellent speech given in this House. We are both from Alberta and we both know the value that our province and country places on having international trading markets.

I feel it is a little rich for the member for Kings—Hants to get up and start criticizing all of the great things we have actually done, given the fact that his party, under former leader Jean Chrétien, had a notorious staff member bashing America and a former colleague, Carolyn Parrish, who would step on effigies of former U.S. presidents. To hear Liberals actually criticizing us for our relationship with the United States is a little rich.

I would like to ask my hon. colleague, considering the value we place on these trading arrangements, what has our province done insofar as having a representative in Washington to represent the interests of not only Canadians but Albertans?

[The Budget, February 3rd, 2009]

Mr. Speaker, in the midst of a global economic slowdown, our Conservative government is on top of the economy and focused on the long-term.

On January 27, the Minister of Finance tabled Canada's economic action plan to create jobs and stimulate the economy. The five year plan includes billions of dollars over the next two years in new and accelerated infrastructure spending.

Three days later, our government delivered more than $24 million in new money for roads, bridges and drinking water to communities across Alberta. The federal contribution leveraged money from the province and municipalities, creating $78 million in stimulus to rural communities. This government understands the tough economic times and we are moving quickly to stimulate our economy.

In my riding of Wetaskiwin, two local road projects were approved for a total of $3.7 million. The new roads will improve safety and travel times for local residents, and the acceleration of the projects will provide much needed jobs for construction crews that have been hit hard by the downturn in the oil and gas sector.

Times may be tough, but our Conservative government is on top of the economy and following through with our economic action plan.

[Opposition Coalition Proposal, December 2nd, 2008]

Mr. Speaker, Canadians are rightly outraged at the secret Liberal-Bloc-NDP coalition seizing power in a coup d'état worthy of a banana republic. It is damaging for our economy and it puts the future of our country in the hands of Quebec separatists.

Could the Minister of Labour tell this House what advice the premier of Alberta has for the opposition?