Gary Lunn

[The Environment, January 30th, 2007]

Mr. Speaker, for the record, all new projects, anywhere in Canada, are required to go through environmental assessments, and that will continue to be the case.

However, this government is taking immediate action. We announced $230 million in our ecoenergy technology initiative as a direct investment to start moving forward an exhilarating CO₂ capture and storage. This shows great promise of capturing greenhouse gases and putting them back down in the ground where they came from. What we should be working on together is to reduce greenhouse gases. I look forward to the member's constructive support and her ideas on how to accelerate this--

[The Environment, January 29th, 2007]

Mr. Speaker, yes, this was in fact a $32 million climate change program under the old Liberal government. Once again, it was a scattered approach to climate change, but even worse, a climate change program that did not work. It was fraught with administrative errors. There were numerous problems.

Immediately upon finding out, I instructed my deputy minister to immediately tighten up the financial procedures. The person in charge of this program was immediately relieved of those duties.

Our government is committed to bringing the greatest and the highest standards of accountability, unlike the old Liberal government.

[The Environment, January 29th, 2007]

Mr. Speaker, that is simply not true. We should look at the facts. On the books, there are probably in total around two million barrels a day in the next five to ten years of projects in the oil sands.

However, we all need to work together. We need to develop science and technology on reducing greenhouse gases. We have to become more energy efficient. I look forward to working constructively together with the member opposite on her ideas. However, to suggest that we had anything to do with this meeting is absolutely, patently ridiculous.

[The Environment, January 29th, 2007]

Mr. Speaker, the programs were not working. Let us just listen to the Commissioner of the Environment. On the EnerGuide for existing houses, we found that they were complex and confusing. We found a number of Treasury Board decisions. The programs were not working. We are delivering initiatives that are delivering concrete results on greenhouse gas emissions.

I know the new leader of the Liberal Party pretends holier-than-thou that he is a great environmentalist. Why did he not do something when he had a chance?

[The Environment, January 29th, 2007]

Mr. Speaker, let us just look at the record. I have the budget of 2005 which shows $200 million for wind energy. How much of that was delivered? Not a dime. It shows $200 million for sustainable energy, for technology. How much of that was delivered? Not a dime.

The old Liberal government had 13 years to deliver. It did not get the job done. In less than one year this new government has delivered action for Canadians to reduce greenhouse gases.

[Natural Resources, December 13th, 2006]

Mr. Speaker, the facts are the facts. The facts are that you spent hundreds of millions of dollars of taxpayers' money, and what are the results? The results are, by your own numbers, that greenhouse gases are up 35% above your own targets. You never reduced any type of pollutants out of the atmosphere. The Liberals did nothing. The truth is, your record is pathetic on--

[Natural Resources, December 13th, 2006]

Mr. Speaker, let us look at the facts. When I arrived in my department, there were literally hundreds of programs. Those members spent hundreds of millions of dollars. What did Canadians get for that? Greenhouse gases skyrocketed under the watch of that government.

The current leader of the Liberal Party, that member spent 10 years at the cabinet table when all those decisions were being made. He ended up at the cabinet table as the minister of the environment. What did Canadians get for those programs? They received nothing. They received nothing in greenhouse gas reductions and pollution increased. Our programs will deliver results for Canadians.

[The Environment, November 29th, 2006]

Mr. Speaker, if any programs were working, why did greenhouse gases skyrocket to 35% above the Liberal targets for the last 13 years? Why is it that the Liberal Party never mentions the word “pollution”? Its record is abysmal.

This government is committed to reducing greenhouse gases. We are committed to energy efficiency. We are committed to renewable energy. We are delivering results for Canadians, unlike the last Liberal government. The Liberals should be embarrassed to stand up and even mention the word “environment” in the House.

[Main Estimates, 2006-07, November 28th, 2006]

Read the papers

[Main Estimates, 2006-07, November 28th, 2006]

Mr. Speaker, if the hon. members vote against this kind of funding for our department, none of these types of projects can be funded. They would be voting against the cleanest forms of renewable energy, and I would advise them against that. It is good for the environment to support it.