Catherine McKenna

[Natural Resources, February 8th, 2018]

Mr. Speaker, delays we saw under the last 10 years of the previous government. It did not understand that the environment and the economy go together.

I am extremely proud that in January 2016 we introduced interim principles to approve major projects, to make decisions based on science, on consultation, on engagement with indigenous people. We also said that no projects would go back to the starting line. We announced the national climate plan. We announced the oceans protection plan. It is in that context that we approved the Trans Mountain project. That project will get built.

[Natural Resources, February 8th, 2018]

Mr. Speaker, I am extremely proud that we delivered on a major campaign process. We are rebuilding trust in how we do environmental assessments so we can actually get to yes on good projects.

Unfortunately, under the Harper government, that trust was lost. The Harper government gutted our environmental assessment process. It removed protections for fish and fish habitat for navigable waters.

Today we are re-establishing that trust. We know the environment and economy go together, and we will get good projects built while protecting our environment.

[Natural Resources, February 8th, 2018]

Mr. Speaker, let me assure the member opposite that we agree that the approval of the Trans Mountain project was in the national interest. It is well within our jurisdiction, and this project will go ahead. In fact, today I had discussions with both my counterparts from Alberta and British Columbia. We have officials in British Columbia right now having discussions. We are going to get to a resolution.

I was also very proud today to announce a new environmental assessment process, rebuilding trust in a system that was so desperately lost under the previous government.

[The Environment, February 6th, 2018]

Mr. Speaker, I would like to thank the member opposite for his long-standing advocacy of conservation.

Let me be 100% clear. We always will stand up for our environment, and we will always stand up for our watersheds. We have made significant investments, and we will continue to do so. We have other things we also need to do, which is making sure that we support indigenous community-based monitoring in the oil sands. We need to address species at risk, including the recovery of caribou. We need to support other conservation programs.

I encourage those who have received support under this program to continue to look for other opportunities with our government to continue their good work.

[The Environment, February 6th, 2018]

Mr. Speaker, I would like to thank the member opposite for his strong support for the environment. I absolutely support standing up for wetlands and watersheds. That is why we are spending $70.5 million over five years to protect them.

We have also invested in the Great Lakes, Lake Winnipeg, and the St. Lawrence watersheds. We understand that healthy watersheds are vital to the ecological, economic, and cultural well-being of our peoples, and wetlands are crucial to a healthy watershed. We are going to continue to work together with the communities to ensure the health of our watersheds.

[The Environment, February 5th, 2018]

Mr. Speaker, I would like to heartily congratulate the opposition member on his new role as environment critic. I am looking forward to working with him to protect the environment and grow our economy.

We know that the environment and the economy go together. We know we need to get our resources to market in a sustainable way. The previous government gutted environmental assessments and, as a result, no projects went ahead.

The NDP does not understand that we need to get our resources to market in a sustainable way. We will do what Canadians expect, which is protect—

[The Environment, February 5th, 2018]

Mr. Speaker, we are absolutely committed to rebuilding trust in our environmental assessment processes. We understand that the environment and the economy go together.

The previous government gutted the environmental assessment process, gutted the Navigable Waters Protection Act, gutted the Fisheries Act, and as a result, it lost the trust of the public and could not get projects through. Projects stalled and there was polarization.

We understand that we have an opportunity to bring people together and that in the 21st century the environment and the economy go together. That is the only way we will move forward and get major projects going—

[The Environment, February 1st, 2018]

Mr. Speaker, we know that the environment and the economy go hand in hand. The NDP fails to understand that we can grow the economy while tackling climate change. Meanwhile, the Conservative Party has members who deny the existence of climate change.

We know that we can move forward and fight climate change while growing our economy. That is what we need to do to create good jobs, and that is what we need to do for our children and our children's children.

[Parks Canada, January 30th, 2018]

Mr. Speaker, our job is to protect, preserve, and showcase the artifacts Parks Canada is responsible for. Parks Canada is currently exhibiting the objects under its care in national parks and national heritage sites in every province and territory. In 2012, the previous government decided to build a new collections facility in Gatineau, Quebec, so that collections can be stored and managed in a sustainable manner when they are not on display.

[Questions on the Order Paper, January 29th, 2018]

Mr. Speaker, Environment and Climate Change Canada has no contract recorded in relation to Question No. 1361.