Catherine McKenna

[Taxation, February 24th, 2017]

Mr. Speaker, I was very proud that we were able to work with the Government of Saskatchewan on our climate change plan; for example, to phase out coal and to invest in innovation. I also had the chance to go to Saskatchewan. I listened to farmers and ranchers who feel the impacts of climate change already and are actually doing interesting climate research. They are developing climate-resilient crops and zero-till agriculture. We are going to continue working with them because we understand it is the right thing to do for the future but also for farmers.

[Taxation, February 24th, 2017]

Mr. Speaker, I am very proud that we are taking strong action on climate change, including putting a price on pollution. Once again, we are putting a price on what we do not want, which is pollution, and fostering what we do want, which is clean growth, jobs, and innovation. Business owners have stood up and said that this is the right thing to do, that this is what we need to do to prepare for the future. This is what will create growth. It will grow our economy and will ensure a more sustainable future for our kids.

[Taxation, February 24th, 2017]

Mr. Speaker, we are going to do the right thing by tackling climate change and growing our economy, because we were elected to do that. When Canadians voted, they said that they wanted to see action on climate change, which did not happen in the past decade.

We understand that we can grow a clean economy, we can reduce our emissions, and we can ensure a more sustainable future for our children. That is the smart thing to do, and that is the right thing to do.

[Government Accountability, February 24th, 2017]

Mr. Speaker, I was very pleased last year when the Prime Minister stood with the premiers from the provinces and territories to announce a climate plan.

We are serious about taking action on climate change, because we know it is the right thing to do. It will also create good jobs, help grow the economy, and ensure a more sustainable future for our children.

[Taxation, February 24th, 2017]

Mr. Speaker, 80% of Canadians live in a jurisdiction where there is already a price on pollution.

The good news is that provinces stepped up when the previous government did not. We know that putting a price on what we do not want, pollution, will foster what we do want, which is good jobs, a cleaner economy, and innovation. We are proud of what we are doing, and we are going to continue moving forward.

[Taxation, February 24th, 2017]

Mr. Speaker, if the member opposite were really concerned about hard-working Canadians, he wouldn't have opposed the increase in the Canada pension plan, lowering old age security to 65, increasing the guaranteed income supplement for seniors, and ensuring that Canadian families get more through the Canada child benefit. We understand that we need to support middle-class Canadians, and they also elected us to take action on climate change so that we can grow our economy and ensure a sustainable future.

[Taxation, February 24th, 2017]

Mr. Speaker, the only confusion appears to be that the member opposite and the party opposite do not understand that we need to take action to tackle climate change, that polluting should not be free. We know that we need to put a price on pollution, because that means we will pollute less, actually innovate, develop clean technologies, grow our future, and ensure a more sustainable world for our children and grandchildren.

[Taxation, February 23rd, 2017]

Mr. Speaker, 80% of Canadians already live in a jurisdiction where there is a price on carbon pollution. That is thanks to the leadership of the provinces.

I was actually heartened to see that it was not just Liberal governments which had done that, or NDP governments. We also have Conservative parties. The Conservative Party of Manitoba has committed to putting a price on pollution. Patrick Brown, the leader of the Conservative Party in Ontario, has said that putting a price on carbon pollution just makes sense.

Why does it make sense? Because it fosters a cleaner future, it reduces emissions, it creates good jobs, and it is the right thing to do.

[Taxation, February 23rd, 2017]

Mr. Speaker, we know that the cost to Canadians through insurance claims from climate change incidents, like floods, like forest fires, is more than $1 billion. That number is going to continue to rise.

That is why we are taking serious action. We are putting a price on pollution, we are going to grow our economy, and we are going to invest in good jobs, because it is the right thing to do and it makes business sense.

[Taxation, February 23rd, 2017]

Mr. Speaker, unlike the party opposite, we understand that there is a real cost to not acting on climate change.

We know that it costs—