Next year will be a big year then, won't it?
House of Commons photoWon his last election, in 2015, with 69% of the vote.
Economic Recovery Act (stimulus) November 6th, 2009
Next year will be a big year then, won't it?
Economic Recovery Act (stimulus) November 6th, 2009
Ask her if she opposed it first.
Mr. Speaker, again I need to come back to this. I challenge the member to start to represent the issues of her constituents.
We are speaking about energy today, but there is another issue. Less than an hour ago we saw a demonstration of the fact that the member is out of touch with Alberta and out of touch with what Albertans believe in, in the fact that she stood in this House and supported the continuation of the long gun registry. She cannot talk about opposing public money being spent in a variety of ways when she stands here and supports that wasteful $2 billion gun registry.
The government is committed to supporting renewable energy. She should start to support that as well as part of a package that is good for the environment, that is good for energy production and that is good for Alberta. Again I will remind people that is what Ryan Hastman, the young man in Edmonton, is doing. That is what the residents of Edmonton—Strathcona really do want.
Mr. Speaker, I would like to address those issues, because in terms of the spending power the government has had, the taxation power and the regulatory power we have had, we have been able to move on the whole spectrum of energy. We are not just dealing with renewables in isolation as the member would like us to do.
The interesting thing is that she has opposed each of those initiatives. The member and her party have stood against us. They want to talk about energy but on every point, as with so much of that party's policy, members of the NDP have opposed good public policy particularly to do with energy.
The member has come out against carbon capture and storage, a major initiative by the government. It has the potential to make a major difference in the environmental situation across the country and yet the NDP has come out against that. The member in particular has spoken against it.
When we make a major commitment to the environment, she chooses to oppose it. A good example of that was the project announced by the Prime Minister recently in Keephills to reduce emissions from a coal-fired power plant. The member came out against that. The member has a cottage in the area. We really need to ask, does she oppose this because she dislikes economic development, because she is not really that interested in the environmental challenges that we face, or is this a case of NIMBY, not in my backyard, or does she not want this to take place because she has some investment in the community?
Worst of all has been her support for Bill C-311. She really needs to answer some questions about her role and her position on energy in Alberta. Bill C-311 would wipe out the Alberta and Saskatchewan economies. She supports it. It is a bill that would cost thousands of jobs. She still supports the bill. It is a bill that would cost up to and over $20,000 per capita in some ridings. She continues to support it.
It is a bill, according to the report that was released last week by the David Suzuki Foundation and the Pembina Institute, that would cost Alberta 12.1% of its GDP and would cost Saskatchewan 7.5% of its GDP. She continues to support it. I think it was on Power Play, when she was asked about this report, she basically said that she does not think Alberta is coming out of this so badly. If a reduction of 12.1% in GDP is not a bad thing, I do not know what would be.
There is an energetic young man who is going door to door in Edmonton—Strathcona. Everywhere he goes he is asked how it is possible that there is an MP representing Edmonton—Strathcona who stands so strongly against the interests of Alberta. His name is Ryan Hastman. He is a Conservative candidate in Edmonton—Strathcona. He shares the disappointment that so many Albertans feel with the member. He would like to bring a different vision to this House, a vision that supports jobs, a vision that supports the Alberta economy, and a vision that supports the energy sector, both renewable and non-renewable, in ways that will lead us forward.
Forestry Industry October 30th, 2009
Mr. Speaker, just as he has been late to the long gun registry file, he has been late to this one as well.
This government has supported the forestry sector across this country for years. We put $1 billion into the community adjustment fund and $1 billion in to the community development fund. We spent $170 million to help the forestry sector with innovation and marketing. I could go on and on because this government has stood behind our forestry sector, and we will continue to stand there.
I would ask him if he will speak to his colleagues and convince them that they should be supporting Bill C-391 as well and getting rid of the long gun registry. Will he do that with us?
Forestry Industry October 30th, 2009
Mr. Speaker, our government remains extremely concerned about the difficulties that are facing the forestry sector and, through our economic action plan, the government has supplied the forestry industry with a $1 billion pulp and paper green transformational program. West Fraser qualified for more than $88 million in those credits to be used at any mill in Canada.
I think the question that needs to be asked of the member, however, relates to Bill C-391 and what he will do next week when that bill comes to a vote in front of the House. Will he stand and represent his constituents for once in the House and get rid of the long run registry?
Mr. Speaker, we are focused on the future. As I mentioned, there are a number of initiatives. The $1 billion community adjustment fund certainly comes to mind in terms of communities making adjustments that have taken place because of changes in their economy.
I need to point out a couple of the other investments we have made that may impact places where traditional mills have shut down. We have included a special $170 million forestry sector package which focuses $120 million on innovation, such as finding new products and working on new fibre products for the future. It also includes $50 million on market expansion, trying to find new markets for new products and for the old products that we have had in the past. A strategic $120 million investment is being made to ensure Canada continues to be a leader in developing and demonstrating innovative and sustainably produced forest products.
Through FPInnovations, the federal government has supported revolutionary research regarding the application of nanotechnology in the forestry industry. Certainly the forestry industry is changing over the years, and we will be there for the workers and the communities.
Mr. Speaker, I am glad the member opposite was able to adjust his question to deal with the situation as it presently exists because, as he mentioned, his question was asked back in May.
I wish I had a little more time than I do tonight to fully explore and speak to the issues he has raised. I appreciate the opportunity to explain to the member opposite and Canadians how this government is helping workers, communities and the industry from coast to coast during this global recession.
We particularly recognize the unique hardships that forest workers, communities and firms right across Canada are experiencing. The Government of Canada is responding to these challenges and we are committing to providing support for these communities and workers.
Let me remind the member that our government, which includes the Standing Committee on Natural Resources, has met extensively with forest leaders across the country. One of the things we were told was that access to credit was a key priority for them. Our government has listened to them and we have taken immediate action in our stimulus package to provide credit and to address the credit issue.
Our economic action plan created a new extraordinary financing framework, providing up to $200 billion to improve access to financing for Canadian businesses, which certainly includes the forest industry.
Budget 2009 also provided Export Development Canada with more financial flexibility to support businesses during the current economic downturn. EDC has working relationships with 90% of the Canadian forest industry and has new flexibility to work with firms in the forest sector and across the economy to address those financing gaps.
In 2008 EDC provided $13 billion in export insurance, $800 million in financing and $200 million in bonding. Those initiatives totalled $14 billion in financing for the forest sector, including financial assistance to 534 different forest companies. At least $5 billion in new financing is to be delivered under the new business credit availability program. That includes another $50 billion in additional insured mortgage pools.
More specific, our action plan provides $8.3 billion to assist Canadian workers through strengthened EI benefits and enhanced availability of training. That certainly would apply in the situation the member opposite has described. The training programs in place will work for his workers.
Our economic action plan also allocates $1 billion over two years for a community adjustment fund to help mitigate the short-term impacts of economic restructuring in communities. That builds on the $1 billion that our government provided for a community development trust just last year.
Our economic action plan has a long-term vision that includes the expansion of markets, which is critically important to the forestry sector both in North America and overseas. We have allocated $50 million to various programs to achieve this vision. By harnessing the potential of new markets and technologies, our industry is reinventing itself and preparing for a competitive comeback that will reinforce and sustain its international reputation as a leader in the world's forest industry.
We are working closely with industry to develop our wood construction market. We are working with it to raise the profile of Canadian wood products. We are encouraging value-added manufacturing, promoting the transfer of technology from labs and research facilities right onto the floors of industry.
It is clear that the future health of Canada's forest sector will depend on innovation and on industrial and entrepreneurial creativity and we are supplying support for that.
Committees of the House October 9th, 2009
Mr. Speaker, pursuant to Standing Order 109 I am pleased to table on behalf of the Minister of Natural Resources, in both official languages, the government's response to the fourth report of the Standing Committee on Natural Resources entitled “Combining our Energies: Integrated Energy Systems for Canadian Communities”, tabled in the House on June 18.
The Environment October 9th, 2009
Mr. Speaker, I want to thank the member for Edmonton—Sherwood Park for his incredibly hard work and his successful work on this file.
We have another good news story out of our economic action plan. As everyone knows, our government is committed to investing in green technology and yesterday we announced a $120 million investment in carbon capture as part of our clean energy fund. This announcement is a joint venture with government and industry. It will develop a fully integrated carbon capture and storage project. This project will see the capture, transport and storage of over one million tonnes of CO2 per year.