House of Commons photoWon his last election, in 2011, with 49% of the vote.
Business of Supply April 24th, 2007
Mr. Speaker, I was saying in my speech that the minister is currently studying the kind of trading that is taking place. We want to see what has been positive and where there has been problems. The clock is ticking. We want the plan to be implemented in a logical fashion within a coherent and effective system.
Business of Supply April 24th, 2007
Mr. Speaker, I thank my colleague for his question.
All the initiatives taken by the Liberals were a clear step backwards, since we are now 35% over the projected emissions. It is clear why we cancelled them. The question is obvious, and to ask the question is to answer it.
Nine billion dollars have been announced for ecoenergy and other initiatives. Just yesterday we announced a $200 million fund to help set up biofuel plants. This has never been seen before because it is something tangible. It is not hot air, not botched plans like we saw for 13 years. It does not make sense to sign a protocol without knowing where we are headed. Of course we are presenting a targeted program. We have to play catch up, as the minister said. He is very committed to implementing it and he will give it his all because we have to catch up and we want things to work.
Business of Supply April 24th, 2007
Mr. Speaker, I thank my colleague from Brome—Missisquoi for his question. I had the pleasure of sitting with him on the Standing Committee on Natural Resources, which I miss by the way.
We must go much further than the idle talk of the Bloc and the Liberals. There was no action on this issue for 13 years. It is important to understand, and I have a good quote to show it, that the Bloc's rhetoric on this issue, as on all the others, will never be worth more than the paper it is written on. Although, for this to be true, the paper would probably have to be discounted. What I mean is that it is always all talk and no action.
Now there are initiatives. Nine billion dollars have been announced since October 2006. There will be targets that will place limits on all the sectors and all of industry. This has never been seen before, and my colleague knows that.
Business of Supply April 24th, 2007
Mr. Speaker, I will be splitting my time with the hon. member for Lotbinière—Chutes-de-la-Chaudière.
I am pleased to rise today to reiterate our government's firm and unequivocal commitment to fight climate change and to protect our environment.
Our government shares the concerns of Quebeckers and Canadians regarding the environment and, particularly, the quality of the air that we breathe.
We are taking significant, concrete and realistic measures to reduce harmful air pollutants. These pollutants that we all breathe are a threat to our health, our economy and our quality of life.
We on this side of the House are very upset by the impact of smog on the lives of our fellow Canadians who suffer from respiratory diseases.
We simply do not accept that a child suffering from asthma cannot go outside to play with his friends during those nice summer days, because there is too much smog. The most vulnerable members of our society—our children and the elderly—deserve better.
We are also very concerned by the increase in greenhouse gas emissions. Despite all the nice speeches of the Liberals and of the Bloc Québécois, the fact remains that, from the moment that the previous government signed the Kyoto protocol, greenhouse gas levels have constantly been increasing in Canada.
We all know now— the Liberals knew as soon as the Kyoto protocol was signed—that we will never reach the targets set for Canada. The Liberals accepted the targets without even carrying out an impact study to support them and without taking into account the specific characteristics of our country.
The Liberals knew that the only way to meet the targets would be to buy carbon credits abroad with taxpayers' money.
As for the Bloc, as usual it was powerless to deal with the Liberal negligence. The Bloc members try to justify their powerless existence in Ottawa by shouting. On the issue of climate change, the Bloc knows very well that it will never be able to do anything other than criticize.
For our part, we are not just talking about the need to reduce greenhouse gases, we are taking concrete and effective measures to do just that.
With regard to targets, the Prime Minister and the Minister of the Environment have been very clear. In the near future, our government will propose short-term targets. Canadians and Quebeckers know full well that we are determined to improve our environment.
Since October 2006, we have introduced a multitude of initiatives totalling more than $9 billion. I am referring to the ecoenergy initiative and the ecotransport strategy. I am also thinking of the ecotrust which will allow Quebec to fulfill its ambitions and to implement its climate change plan.
The Bloc Québécois demanded $328 million for Quebec, an amount we did not agree with. The Conservative government did not give Quebec the $328 million demanded by the Bloc Québécois but rather transferred $350 million. That is a good example of the Bloc's failure to meet Quebec's needs.
For real results, Quebeckers know that they can count on only one party, the Conservative Party.
I would also like to talk about biofuels. Just yesterday, I announced the ecoAgriculture Biofuels Capital Initiative in Laval. Not only will this initiative help reduce vehicle emissions, but it will also allow farmers to reap the maximum benefits from this new market.
With this initiative, we are guaranteeing a promising future for farmers and regions and at the same time protecting the environment for future generations.
I would also like to spend a few minutes on another very important aspect of the fight against climate change, and that is international cooperation.
No country can tackle climate change on its own. This is a long-term challenge that cannot be met without effective international cooperation. In order for international cooperation on climate change to be effective, it must meet a number of criteria.
First, it must be effective in environmental terms, and lead to the reductions that are needed in order to combat climate change.
Second, it will need broad participation, including the major emitting countries that are not currently committed to reducing emissions. While Canada is the source of about 2% of global greenhouse gas emissions, the United States emits about 20% and the developing countries nearly 50%.
Third, dealing with climate change even though global demand for energy is rising will call for effective development and implementation of clean technologies, both in the developed world and in developing countries.
Fourth, it will have to address the question of adaptation meaningfully.
Fifth, it will have to include flexible measures that will enable countries to meet their commitments to reducing emissions.
And sixth, global action on climate change must recognize a country's internal and unique circumstances.
Upcoming discussions about international cooperation are gaining momentum in many international forums, both inside and outside the United Nations. Canada is actively participating in those discussions.
Our government is very clear: Canada continues to be bound by the principles and objectives in the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change and by the Kyoto protocol.
The Kyoto protocol offers ways in which all countries can share information about their greenhouse gas emissions and the measures they are taking to deal with them. It also provides a framework to support developing countries as they adapt to the consequences of climate change. The protocol provides the industrialized and developing countries with an opportunity to cooperate, through the Clean Development Mechanism and projects that reduce greenhouse gases.
We accept our international obligations and we will do everything we can in this regard. We are trying to reduce greenhouse gas emissions in a way that is appropriate to Canada's domestic circumstances and that will meet the criteria that apply to international cooperation referred to earlier. We need more cooperation and leadership at the international level and from the major emitting countries.
I am thinking in particular of the G-8 + 5 countries which, in addition to the major developed economies, include economies that are growing in importance, such as China and India.
Discussions regarding the future are going on at the United Nations at present under three separate processes.
The first is the "Dialogue on Long-term Cooperative Action" and is open to all 189 countries, including the United States and China, under the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change. It was set up to share experiences and examine innovative new future approaches to address climate change.
The Dialogue process is important because it can examine better approaches that will enable all countries to join in cooperative actions on climate change.
The second United Nations discussion process is called the "Ad Hoc Working Group on further commitments for developed countries beyond 2012". Its aim is to consider further commitments under the Kyoto protocol.
Discussions in the working group should be broad enough to allow for consideration of alternative approaches to international cooperation. They will also allow for consideration of opportunities for countries that do not have targets under the Kyoto protocol to participate in the future. In 2000, the group of countries that met the current Kyoto targets accounted for only 28% of global emissions.
The third United Nations process is a review of the effectiveness of the Kyoto protocol, as article 9 requires.
Based on the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change and the Kyoto protocol, a number of other supplementary initiatives have been created to fight climate change.
Canada actively participates in the Gleneagles Dialogue on Climate Change, Clean Energy, and Sustainable Development and other G-8 discussions on climate change. The Gleneagles dialogue brings together the top 20 energy users to discuss the challenges related to climate change, clean energy and sustainable development.
Canada also participates in a certain number of technology cooperation and partnership initiatives, namely the Methane to Markets partnership, the Carbon sequestration leadership forum, the International Partnership for the Hydrogen Economy, and the Renewable Energy and Energy Efficiency Partnership.
Taking part in these initiatives allows Canada to make progress on implementing Canadian technologies in developing countries.
In addition to the UN efforts, Canada is actively exploring ways to join the Asia-Pacific Partnership on Clean Development and Climate Change.
The Asia-Pacific Partnership is a voluntary initiative that addresses challenges related to sustainable development, clean energy and climate change. It addresses these issues by developing, deploying and transferring clean, efficient technology, free of risks of climate change.
We participate in all these discussions to promote our points of view and to help guide the process. In our opinion, we should examine how governments and the private sector could work together to stimulate technological innovation and move the world consistently toward a low carbon economy.
Countries from around the world should share experiences and discuss what can be done well within the convention process. Market based approaches will continue to be important.
The international community should continue to engage with corporations, multilateral development banks, and export credit agencies. Canada is looking closely at existing carbon exchange mechanisms and our approach will be based on the pros and cons observed.
Major progress has been made on the issue of adaptation in the UN process, but there is still a long way to go.
The Government of Canada supports the importance of an open information exchange between the processes, whether within the UN framework or outside it.
Agriculture April 23rd, 2007
Mr. Speaker, it is a very insightful question. Today we announced a $200 million eco-agricultural biofuels capital initiative that will help farmers build or expand transportation biofuels facilities. We want to help our farmers and our environment.
This $200 million program will encourage farmers to produce renewable fuels. We are determined to ensure a prosperous future for farmers and to leave a clean environment to our children.
Canadian Wheat Board April 20th, 2007
Mr. Speaker, the plebiscite process we used was verified by an independent firm, and it was conducted very seriously.
Canada's new government believes that western grain farmers should have the freedom to choose how they market their grain while preserving a strong, viable Wheat Board for those who wish to use it. Sixty-two per cent of barley growers have asked for choice, and we are listening. Our department remains committed to doing everything necessary to make this happen.
Dairy Industry April 20th, 2007
Mr. Speaker, as always, the member for Malpeque has his facts wrong. In fact, while he was sending out press releases, I was announcing to the Quebec dairy producers that our government had completed our article 28 notification to the WTO.
However, that is okay because farmers know that when it comes to defending supply management, the Liberals offer them press releases while the Conservatives deliver the goods and take real action.
Agriculture and Agri-Food April 20th, 2007
Mr. Speaker, as my friend is aware, the provincial, territorial and federal agriculture ministers met last week. I can tell you one thing: the $600 million savings account in which the federal government is investing has been very well received by the provinces. That is flexibility. That is meeting the needs of farmers across Canada.
Agriculture and Agri-Food April 20th, 2007
Mr. Speaker, I thank my colleague for his question. As he said, this government is engaging in a dialogue with producers. Incredible announcements have been made. I am talking about $1 billion: $400 million to be paid directly to farmers to help increase small crops and $600 million to set up a savings account that will provide predictable funding, something producers have long been calling for. That is delivering the goods.
Agriculture and Agri-Food April 16th, 2007
Mr. Speaker, I would like to thank my colleague, the member for Charlesbourg—Haute-Saint-Charles, for his excellent question.
Since coming to power, we have allocated no less than $4.5 billion to Canada's agricultural sector. I repeat: $4.5 billion. We have also kept our promises by protecting supply management and replacing CAIS.
Last week, in Sherbrooke, we announced yet another $3.2 million investment in research funding for 50 projects in Quebec alone. These promising projects will help our farmers and our regions.
Unlike the Bloc Québécois—which thinks, but does not act—and the Liberals—who do not want to do anything—we, the Conservatives, are coming through for the agricultural sector in Quebec and Canada.